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    Default RetroN5: Hands on first look

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    Last edited by shadowkn55; 01-07-2014 at 10:17 AM.

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    Can you explain who you are, and how you have access to the RetroN5 already? There have been others who have claimed to have access and badmouthed it, and I'd just like to know who you are, since StoneAgeGamer doesn't even have the beta yet.

    Did you take better pictures than those? I hope so, they don't show much we don't already know, like way it looks like out the back.

    What are the exact power supply specs? Is it 5v 1A, 12v 2A, what is it?

    What are the measurements of the system? The MVS cart is a good size reference, but I'd like to get a feel for how big and how tall the system is.

    So it's a rom dumper just as I suspected. You said NES/SNES games dump quickly, but GBA games can take minutes. Is that a one time only thing, or is that every single time? I would hope that GBA games won't take "minutes" to boot up every single time you want to play one.

    As for your troubles with SMW played with an NES pad, I can tell you right now that's not the RetroN5's doing. The 4021 is the same in both, and it would be screwy on the real hardware too. It should be able to handle on-the-fly switching of controllers without crashing, but maybe it can't because that's a prototype and the firmware to fix that hasn't been released yet. I'm sure that's not going to be a lingering problem forever.

    HDMI only? Are you sure? at PAX Hyperkin showed composite inputs as well.

    Please expand upon the audio issues you mentioned. What's wrong?

    I just really want you to take better pictures.
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    [content removed by request]
    Last edited by shadowkn55; 01-07-2014 at 10:17 AM.

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    What are they gaining by dumping each cartridge that's inserted? Would seem as if it's just increasing their workload substantially since they now have to emulate everything like SuperFX chips rather than just letting the onboard cartridge hardware do its own job.

    And from our viewpoint, it increases the chances of inaccuracies, adds wait time for games we're used to booting immediately, and breaks the original saving mechanism in cartridges since obviously it won't actively be interacting with the cartridge after dumping its contents [Edit: Now that this is actually out as I edit this post, thankfully that last one has proven to be incorrect thanks to its ability to extract and then optionally later on, its ability to upload a save back to the cartridge.].
    Last edited by Leo_A; 06-29-2014 at 05:23 AM.

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    [content removed by request]
    Last edited by shadowkn55; 01-07-2014 at 10:18 AM.

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    I understand how it works, but I don't understand why it needed to be that way here. Why does the emulator care where the rom data resides that it reads? PC emulators work that way since there isn't a physical interface for it to interact directly with the data on original cartridges. But this thing has those connections.
    Last edited by Leo_A; 01-07-2014 at 12:22 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Satoshi_Matrix View Post
    Can you explain who you are, and how you have access to the RetroN5 already? There have been others who have claimed to have access and badmouthed it, and I'd just like to know who you are, since StoneAgeGamer doesn't even have the beta yet.
    You keep saying this, but plenty of people have played with the damn thing. It was available for copious use over this past weekend during at least three conventions. Edit: Hell, that controller you said was "only a mock up" or something in other topic was at SacAnime as well. Wish I had gotten a pic of it, but I didn't think to.
    Last edited by JSoup; 01-07-2014 at 12:33 AM.

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    Satoshi: with the Ouya emulators, has you had to fiddle with settings? I tried out the NES emulator on there and ran it stock and it seemed to have a frame skip and the music and sound effects were pitched higher. CoinOps on my Xbox ran it practically perfect. I haven't tried any other emus yet.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tanooki View Post
    Well I would assume as much the saves carry over, just would have to have an Ouya and look at how it shows up internally if it can be tapped into my laptop to transfer the files. I know the firmware is stupid on the ouya about navigation, but I also know they have/had a lot of problems with the controller having input lag issues wrecking playability. I heard the latest release more or less fixed it, but then they've even admitted their upgraded model they just put out with more internal storage also has a revised gamepad which they stated has no lag which feared me into thinking they didn't quite fix the basic system.
    If you like, email me a game save and or savestate from your mobile Snes9x EX+ and I'll see if it works on the Ouya's Snes9x EX+. satoshimatrix@hotmail.com.



    Quote Originally Posted by YoshiM View Post
    Satoshi: with the Ouya emulators, has you had to fiddle with settings? I tried out the NES emulator on there and ran it stock and it seemed to have a frame skip and the music and sound effects were pitched higher. CoinOps on my Xbox ran it practically perfect. I haven't tried any other emus yet.
    What NES emulator are you talking about? There are several NES emulators for Ouya.
    The only thing I had to do was fiddle with the video output resolutions. What you want is 90% screen fill, but 100% game fill. It removes overscan while making the image fit the entire screen.
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    It's NES. EMU and I think I found the problem- goofy ROM. I picked Mario/Duck Hunt and it sounds and plays right. Except for the Ouya controller. I'll have to try a Wii mote.

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    NES.emu is the best NES emulator for Ouya. You shouldn't have any issues with it running any game that's part of goodNES.

    As of the current version, there is controller lag if you use the stock Ouya controller with it. It's not the Ouya's fault - its a failing of the emulator. I have emailed the author and he assures me that this will be fixed in the next revision. For now though, you can use pretty much ANY other controller and it should function correctly.
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    The retron5 is intriguing for my particular situation.

    I am a pretty old geezer and didn't grow up with computers - while I can navigate the basics around a computer and am pretty well versed in excel (I can make nifty hex grid maps in excel if that is of any value) I wouldn't have the foggiest about how to deal with roms and emulators if you put a light gun to my head. I am content to surf the net on my chromebook - while it is limited in what it can do in lieu of a laptop it seems to work eminently well in surfing the net - better than my previous (and now deceased) laptop in some ways.

    So I much prefer to play my games on the original format (more or less - I have no problem playing translated or homebrew games on repro cartridges - as long as someone else makes them!).

    If this indeed does save a game for the duration that you are playing it, that would be great - as others have mentioned it would save me from the tedious (not to mention expensive if you have a large number of carts - which I do) task of replacing batteries.

    If I were to get one it would (for now) replace my snes/super 8 converter. While the super 8 functions it has a couple of liabilities - you almost need a crowbar to get the games out and the connections are wonky on it - wiggle it and you often lose the signal. then you get to wiggle it until you get it to work again. Even more aggravating than getting that GD blacksmith in Shining Force II to give you a decent weapon. Space is at a premium since I like to keep all of my systems hooked up and ready to go. The back of my audio receiver looks like the kraken from Clash of the Titans has escaped again.

    It terms of a CRT that is my preferred method of viewing - not only for games but for my laserdisc and dvd collections (I have several thousand of each of those) and I am not ready to go through the hassles of figuring out how to get them to play on the newer tvs. Space is not a big problem since my center is set up in one of the basement rooms and a flat screen of some sort just would not make that much of difference. I currently have a 32" (I had a 36" Mitsubishi at one time until it died) unit and that works very well for the size of the room.

    It the retron5 turns out not to have composite outputs it would likely not be a deal breaker for me since you can (I believe) get converters to accomplish that pretty easily/cheaply. And if ever I do switch to a newer tv I would be all set for it in terms of this unit.


    This of course assumes that thing is relatively well made and that it does what it seems that it will be able to do. If so I will likely be getting one.

    (And it is probably too early to know this - but is the beastie going to play the bs games - I have a copy of Super Famicom Wars and a couple of other BS games on the original carts. )
    Last edited by Natty Bumppo; 02-19-2014 at 03:36 PM.
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    Hyperkin has confirmed it will be HDMI only. You will not be able to use it on a CRT. As for Broadcast Satelleview and Nintendo Power Data Carts, it's not yet known if the rom dumping method will work for those since they had their own internal menus. In all honesty I wouldn't expect Hyperkin to even know the existence of such things, let alone set anything up specifically to support them.
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    I'm assuming I could still piggyback something like this behind it though:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YCfHZF77EA

    (Yeah, I know is seems kinda silly to in essence have it converted and then unconverted - but as Buckaroo Bonzai would say, "No matter where you go there you are.")

    The cheaper ones of these aren't powered - I imagine the powered might provide a slightly better signal.

    The bs carts aren't a deal breaker - just curious.
    When I come home from a long day in Hell, there's nothing I'd rather reach for than a fire-brewed bottle of Styx Beer. Made from the filthiest waters from our own River Styx. Styx Beer is a third more toxic than any other regular beer. The worst beer - the filthiest beer - the deadliest beer. It's Styx Beer!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Satoshi_Matrix View Post
    Hyperkin has confirmed it will be HDMI only. You will not be able to use it on a CRT.
    There are HD CRT's with HDMI. I heavily considered buying a large Sony Trinitron that was so equipped until I started taking measurements of my car and house the day I was going to buy it and realized it was much too large. I switched course instead to a smaller SD Trinitron that was 26" or so.

    So while what you say is correct for greater than 95% of the time without the use of an external downscaler, it technically isn't correct.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Leo_A View Post
    There are HD CRT's with HDMI. I heavily considered buying a large Sony Trinitron that was so equipped until I started taking measurements of my car and house the day I was going to buy it and realized it was much too large. I switched course instead to a smaller SD Trinitron that was 26" or so.

    So while what you say is correct for greater than 95% of the time without the use of an external downscaler, it technically isn't correct.
    Yup. My main Sony CRT is HDMI compatible. Behold!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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    I don't currently have any game on my tablet that has a true save file as i haven't bothered finishing a course in F-Zero (too damn hard to drive on a tablet or mini keyboard, and i think it's the emulator as the keyboard acts dumb as much as the screen) nor have I tried out a RPG either.

    If I can get the time (wife laid up from surgery today this morning) to mess with SMRPG or something just to save as soon as possible I could try and send that to see if it takes.

    I still am curious about the whining about the Ouya controller lag. It's a concern as the creators have said they fixed in their 1.5 model of the original system with the new controller and more capacity which makes me think the original just plain sucks.


    ...speaking of controllers aside from hauling my one PS3 controller around, is there a cheap solid alternative bluetooth controller a tablet can pick up that's small and portable, oh and cheaper than a $50 PS3 pad?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Leo_A View Post
    There are HD CRT's with HDMI. So while what you say is correct for greater than 95% of the time without the use of an external downscaler, it technically isn't correct.
    Ah you're right, I was generalizing. HDMI compliant CRTs are incredibly rare, as they were made only in the short window between ~2003-2007. I see CRTs for sale in local ads and people just giving them away in many cases, but I have never once personally seen a CRT that has HDMi. I'd love to own one and then essentially get rid of all the CRTs I have that only do up to 480i.



    Quote Originally Posted by Tanooki View Post
    I still am curious about the whining about the Ouya controller lag. It's a concern as the creators have said they fixed in their 1.5 model of the original system with the new controller and more capacity which makes me think the original just plain sucks.
    You keep bringing this up, but let me again assure you - controller lag is NOT a problem with the Ouya. While yes, certain Ouya games and emulators have lag with the controller, it is those games and emulators that are the problem, not the Ouya itself. Menu navigation and most games are completely lag free using the stock Ouya controller.

    By and large most games and apps on Ouya are as responsive with the Ouya pad as the Xbox 360 or PS3 are with their controllers. And if you're THAT concerned, plug in any USB controller you want and play the emulators and many Ouya games that way. Controller lag isn't something to be concerned about, especially if you plan on playing emulators with another controller like a USB Super Nintendo pad or something. The Ouya controller is only needed for system menu navigation.


    Quote Originally Posted by Tanooki View Post
    I
    ...speaking of controllers aside from hauling my one PS3 controller around, is there a cheap solid alternative bluetooth controller a tablet can pick up that's small and portable, oh and cheaper than a $50 PS3 pad?
    In my experience cheap bluetooth controllers do not equal solid or quality bluetooth controllers. If you want a cheap controller, go with something that's USB. If you want a wireless controller, you're best off with that $50 PS3 controller you spoke of. Or just buy one used?
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    Quote Originally Posted by Satoshi_Matrix View Post
    Ah you're right, I was generalizing. HDMI compliant CRTs are incredibly rare, as they were made only in the short window between ~2003-2007. I see CRTs for sale in local ads and people just giving them away in many cases, but I have never once personally seen a CRT that has HDMi. I'd love to own one and then essentially get rid of all the CRTs I have that only do up to 480i.
    There aren't that many with HDMI, but there are more with DVI, which you can use with adapters to work with HDMI.

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    Is the sound out of sync? I'm hearing what i think is the sound that you get when Mario fills up the arrows which means he's running at maximum speed (And can fly if he has the raccoon suit) but it doesn't correlate with what's on the screen.

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