RetroN5: Hands on first look

[Tanooki]

I've been looking at USB-SNES adapters on ebay. I've seen a few like the Super Joy and some other I don't recall the name of, but then I found this one maker has this larger one that has NES and Genesis jacks on it as well, nothing over 20 shipped in any case.

The big one is from Mayflash, not familiar with them.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MayFlash-Seg...item3ce0a5c215

Would anything in particular be sure to work on an Ouya or not that could need a powered source or some lame drivers? I have $75 in amazon credit I can't think of anything to use it on and maybe when they do some Ouya discount again on it as I know it has fallen south of $70 on those I'd go for it.

I'd have to figure out the process of getting my google play purchases/freebies on the thing, but other than that it looks like a solid thing to have regardless, and perhaps as a HID bluetooth device the Moga Pro I have would work.

[stardust4ever]

I've been looking at USB-SNES adapters on ebay. I've seen a few like the Super Joy and some other I don't recall the name of, but then I found this one maker has this larger one that has NES and Genesis jacks on it as well, nothing over 20 shipped in any case.

The big one is from Mayflash, not familiar with them.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MayFlash-Seg...item3ce0a5c215

Would anything in particular be sure to work on an Ouya or not that could need a powered source or some lame drivers? I have $75 in amazon credit I can't think of anything to use it on and maybe when they do some Ouya discount again on it as I know it has fallen south of $70 on those I'd go for it.

I'd have to figure out the process of getting my google play purchases/freebies on the thing, but other than that it looks like a solid thing to have regardless, and perhaps as a HID bluetooth device the Moga Pro I have would work.

Best USB controller ports ever made right here:

NES, SNES, and Genny in stock:
http://www.retrousb.com/index.php?cPath=21

[Tanooki]

Yeah I know he makes those and bunny does good work, but that one that supports multiple pads caught my eye as it costs what his does and does more.

I've been digging more and I'm kind of realizing there's no point to an Ouya. Rooting it looks to be complicated and easily screwed up bricking your device if you're not careful and I'm no hacker/modder so getting google play on it looks like a gambling bitch. The Nexus 7 (2013) I have is better than it anyways and isn't a headache so I'm wondering maybe if it would be wiser to get a MINI to HDMI plug and ramp that thing straight to the TV and get the same effect.

[stardust4ever]

Yeah I know he makes those and bunny does good work, but that one that supports multiple pads caught my eye as it costs what his does and does more.

I've been digging more and I'm kind of realizing there's no point to an Ouya. Rooting it looks to be complicated and easily screwed up bricking your device if you're not careful and I'm no hacker/modder so getting google play on it looks like a gambling bitch. The Nexus 7 (2013) I have is better than it anyways and isn't a headache so I'm wondering maybe if it would be wiser to get a MINI to HDMI plug and ramp that thing straight to the TV and get the same effect.

I own an Ouya, downloaded all the emulators, but never use them. Shuffling ROMs around is a fugly process and it takes the fun out of Retro Gaming for me. I'm enjoying many of the indie games instead, but my primary use for Ouya is as a Pinball simulator. I've downloaded every Pinball table there is on Pinball Arcade. Crazy addictive.

And if you do get an Ouya, just use a PS3 controller with it. They work better than the stock controllers except for those games where you have to use touchpad. A few others don't work with PS3 but most do.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

I've been looking at USB-SNES adapters on ebay.

The big one is from Mayflash, not familiar with them.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MayFlash-Seg...item3ce0a5c215

Would anything in particular be sure to work on an Ouya or not that could need a powered source or some lame drivers?

I use Mayflash products for everything. They make some truly excellent stuff. You can use literally anything on the Ouya. That adapter, or anything else. I don't own one, but I use another Mayflash SNES adapter and that's fine with me. The only potnetial pitfall is the Ouya getting confused if you have a NES and SNES and Genesis controller all plugged in at the same time, but if you do one at a time, that should be just fine.

I've been digging more and I'm kind of realizing there's no point to an Ouya. Rooting it looks to be complicated and easily screwed up bricking your device if you're not careful and I'm no hacker/modder so getting google play on it looks like a gambling bitch. The Nexus 7 (2013) I have is better than it anyways and isn't a headache so I'm wondering maybe if it would be wiser to get a MINI to HDMI plug and ramp that thing straight to the TV and get the same effect.

Um. Rooting the Ouya is dead simple. Everything on the Ouya is designed to be simple. You can brick the system if you do something monumentally stupid, but that's true of any device. And again, you don't need to get Google Play on the Ouya. I mean, WHY would you even want that to begin with? Yes there are ways of getting it, and the Ouya does have it's own web browser plus the one through XBMC plus any sideloaded ones.

The Ouya discover store is filled with so much content at this point I don't understand the desire to get stuff from the google play store that isn't designed for the Ouya in the first place.

if you wanna know how certain things work on Ouya, again email me the .apks.

And if you do get an Ouya, just use a PS3 controller with it. They work better than the stock controllers except for those games where you have to use touchpad. A few others don't work with PS3 but most do.

PS3/Xbox 360 controller support is only added to optionally by some devs, it's not a given. There's a lot of excellent games on Ouya that can't be played with a PS3 or 360 controller. I know it seems like I'm constantly defending every aspect of the Ouya, but the stock controller really isn't that bad. The more you use it, the more you gain a feel for it. Could it be improved? Absolutely. And it will. One of the reasons I'm looking forward to an E3 announcement of the 'Ouya 2' is to see what changes they make to the controller to improve it further.

[BlastProcessing402]

Obviously you haven't seen the statistics. Overall violent crime is down slightly, but mass shootings have actually had a dramatic increase over the past five or so years. All mass shootings will create a media circus whether the perp survives the aftermath or not. Mass shootings are far more common now than 15 years ago. A deranged FedEx employee just opened fire on 6 coworkers with a firearm last week as the most recent event.

http://www.ktvz.com/news/Study-Schoo...-past/17792282

http://www.freep.com/article/2012121...-are-declining

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...-hook/3446023/

This is the last I'll post on the subject (in this topic anyway), and I wouldn't have posted about it a 2nd time if not being "called out" w/regard to statistics. Apologies to Satoshi and whoever else was getting miffed over the hijack.

Most HDTVs should be able to accept a 50Hz signal over HDMI, but please don't quote me on that. My 2006 Sanyo HDTV is extremely tolerant and even accepts 50Hz refresh rates over composite if I attempt to play PAL games on my NTSC Atari (although the bottom gets chopped off, and true PAL formatted signals (ie PAL timings, not NTSC @50Hz) display in grayscale). My ASUS Monitor accepts a forced 1080p 50Hz over DVI/HDMI no problem, even though it's not officially supported via handshake.

I'm not surprised that a monitor would accept 50Hz, but do find it interesting that a TV would. I know my Samsung (2-3 years old) won't do jack with such a signal. Maybe it's another way they're cheaping out on the things lately.

[YoshiM]

I use Mayflash products for everything. They make some truly excellent stuff. You can use literally anything on the Ouya. That adapter, or anything else. I don't own one, but I use another Mayflash SNES adapter and that's fine with me. The only potnetial pitfall is the Ouya getting confused if you have a NES and SNES and Genesis controller all plugged in at the same time, but if you do one at a time, that should be just fine

I saw a couple YouTube videos with a guy using the Mayflash hardware for N64 and that piqued my interest. I'm liquidating most of my game collection for a variety of reasons, one of which I'm now seeing it all as "stuff" taking up space that doesn't get played often enough to warrant ownership. However when time and mood strikes I do love me some retrogaming.

Might have to check those adapters out.

[Atarileaf]

Satoshi, do you know of an adapter that will work on the ouya to use Atari controllers? Specifically I'd like to hook up my paddles since any game relying on analog paddle movement such as warlords or circus atari is almost impossible to play with a digital controller like the ouya controller.

[Tanooki]

I own an Ouya, downloaded all the emulators, but never use them. Shuffling ROMs around is a fugly process and it takes the fun out of Retro Gaming for me. I'm enjoying many of the indie games instead, but my primary use for Ouya is as a Pinball simulator. I've downloaded every Pinball table there is on Pinball Arcade. Crazy addictive.

And if you do get an Ouya, just use a PS3 controller with it. They work better than the stock controllers except for those games where you have to use touchpad. A few others don't work with PS3 but most do.

I've got Pinball Arcade too, a bit bitter though as I had all of season 1 and a few of 2 on my iPad before it was wrecked, and I can't get my money back through a license transfer which is pure bullshit. In time i'l lget them back as they're my favorites, but I'm holding out maybe if they do a one day anniversary sale or something and have held off on that since late last year. I hope one day they get the rights to do the old Williams Indiana Jones table, my personal favorite and the stern sequel stinks.


Satoshi my reasons for Googleplay are just one and it's simple. I don't want to pay for the same game or app twice. I 'own' a version of android on my nexus 7 2nd gen and games tied to it, and Ouya is Android too and I'd like to use my licenses there too so I'd need google play. I have no skill or experience in software modding stuff so that's why I was touchy about it. I ordered a $15 cable to use my tablet on my TV so I really don't need the Ouya because the Nexus with my Moga Pro controller will get the same satisfaction minus any Ouya specific games and I think I could live without that.

It's good to hear mayflash is solid. I'm considering that piece from them, but they also have a WiiU Controller Pro/PS3 controller bluetooth/usb box you can jack in and use those controllers on a computer and that maybe worth my time too.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Satoshi, do you know of an adapter that will work on the ouya to use Atari controllers? Specifically I'd like to hook up my paddles since any game relying on analog paddle movement such as warlords or circus atari is almost impossible to play with a digital controller like the ouya controller.

I'm not that hardcore into Atari gaming (if I want to play Atari, I'll just use my Gemini) but this is probably what you're looking for if you want to use paddle controllers on your Ouya:
http://home.comcast.net/~tjhafner/2600-daptor.htm

Satoshi my reasons for Googleplay are just one and it's simple. I don't want to pay for the same game or app twice. I 'own' a version of android on my nexus 7 2nd gen and games tied to it, and Ouya is Android too and I'd like to use my licenses there too so I'd need google play.

I've never bought anything through the google playstore, so I honestly don't know how that would work. Everything I've ever checked out from googleplay was free.

What games do you have that you want to transfer from google play to Ouya? Sideloaded games like that would show up in the builds section, not be integrated with the Ouya games.

I have no skill or experience in software modding stuff so that's why I was touchy about it. I ordered a $15 cable to use my tablet on my TV so I really don't need the Ouya because the Nexus with my Moga Pro controller will get the same satisfaction minus any Ouya specific games and I think I could live without that.

Sure, if that suits your needs more, then you don't need an Ouya. but personally, I'd rather have a console than use a tablet, use the Ouya controller over the Moga (my best friend has one, and man is that d-pad stiff!) and I guess that I like the very concept of the Ouya being a small company's product that stands up in defiance to everything modern console games stands for with it's predominantly 2D based indie games and not the multi-million dollar blockbuster FPS titles on the other consoles.

[Atarileaf]

I'm not that hardcore into Atari gaming (if I want to play Atari, I'll just use my Gemini) but this is probably what you're looking for if you want to use paddle controllers on your Ouya:
http://home.comcast.net/~tjhafner/2600-daptor.htm

Thanks, I knew of this and am leaning toward getting one but am unsure of its Ouya compatibility. I asked on Atariage and no one responded. I suppose it'll be a leap of faith.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Even if it doesn't work, the great thing about the ouya is that it's open source stuff so you can contact the author of the 2600 programmer asking about that and request he add in a fix for that. I've done that with some past ouya devs and they've been super great about getting back to me and implementing the fixes I request as they're small and can be done in a matter of minutes in most cases.

[Tanooki]

I get your argument about supporting the little fish, but the roadblocks stop me not having much money I dont see it a plus. Having to rebuy some games, I dont have a lot but I have some and most I bought with sales so its a pile of $1-5 stuff I dont want to pay twice for. And then you have the $100 vs the $10 cable to get the same thing. The Moga Pro conotroller I have isnt stiff on the dpad or analog so its very comfy. If it wouldnt come down to jailbreaking the ouya to use my stuff Id be over putting money towards one, but right now the cable suits me. Between it and the moga i luckedinto new at a flea market for $10 its the best solution.

I do stick to my avoiding to rebuy thing just because I still dont have pinball arcade which I had invested $50into and it ticks me off I cant transfer the apple license to android as its the same thing and the same price.

Surprise surprise, the cable that should have been here Wednesday arrived today! Came from about a 45min drive away in Lexington. Damn it's amazing how well it casts an image of my tablet to my TV as it's so clean. I was doing a little Terraria on the TV along with Out There and a few others and it's just plain sharp. Now i"m really wishing I had Pinball Arcade again. :\ I may just have to cave and pay up for the $30 season passes to get my stuff back but it stings having paid about that much already on Apple which I'll never see again.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Hey, I'm not knocking ya. If that works for you, then great.

I'm just saying personally that's not the choice I would make.

I am being completely honest when I say there isn't a single day that goes by that I regret buying an Ouya. It's one of the best purchases I've ever made. I get as much use out of it as my PS3, and considering the library on the PS3....that's saying something.

[YoshiM]

I am being completely honest when I say there isn't a single day that goes by that I regret buying an Ouya. It's one of the best purchases I've ever made. I get as much use out of it as my PS3, and considering the library on the PS3....that's saying something.

Statements like this make me want to give that little box a chance.

[stardust4ever]

Statements like this make me want to give that little box a chance.

Do it.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Statements like this make me want to give that little box a chance.

Well why not right? The barrier to entry is pretty low at $100, and even if you really don't like it, you can very likely recoup most of your money selling a like-new Ouya on the secondary market. If it were like, $300 or something, I think the situation would be very different, but really, all the people that I've ever spoken to that hate on the Ouya are people that have never owned one.

[Atarileaf]

Ouya's probably my favorite console purchase in a very long time. It gets more play than my PS3 at this point and I love my PS3. Great games, fantastic emulation, and XBMC, 1080p, all in a tiny box for $100. I would think this would be a no brainer purchase for the average gamer and collector.

PS - No, I don't get paid by the folks at ouya, just really like their product.

[Tanooki]

The only regret I think the Ouya would give me is what I stated, and for a supposedly open box it takes some good hoops to run through having to hack it to get google play on there just to use what I paid for, that's why I went with the cable. I've got $75 in Amazon credit I have no idea what to do with I could have used on it next time it went on sale.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

You know, after you asking about the Google Play Store, I looked up on how to get it on the Ouya, and just like everything else you can do on the Ouya...the process is dead simple. I'm not exaggerating - a child could do it. I installed the google play store on my Ouya within minutes, going from a standpoint of having no idea how to do it. and beleive me, I'm not some genius when it comes to this kind of stuff. It really is as straightforward as it can get.

Wanna know how to root an Ouya? Download a .apk file called RootMyOuya and put it on the root directory of your Ouya.
Wanna know how to do that? Turn your Ouya on, and plug a micro USB cable into it. If you have a PC, the pc will auto-detect it as a mass storage device. Open the folder called OUYA and that's the main directory. Drag and drop the RootMyOuya apk there. [If you have a mac, you just need one extra step, and that's to download and install a very simple program called Android File Transfer.] Or, you can put that apk on a USB thumb stick and then plug that into the back of your Ouya and then navigate to it.

Once the RootMyOuya apk is on the root directory of your Ouya, unplug the micro USB cable, grab the Ouya controller and navigate your Ouya through the four GIANT icons to MAKE. Click on BUILDS and you'll see an icon that says RootMyOuya. Launch it.
Wanna know how to activate it? Well, RootMyOuya has a single, novelty sized clickable button that any cartoon villain would be proud to press that says "Root My Ouya". Click on that button and guess what happens? Your Ouya is now rooted.

If you can download an apk from the internet on your computer, transfer it to your Ouya, navigate to the MAKE/BUILDS section, launch the app and click a giant glowing blue button, then the rest of the procedure to install google play is literally child's play.

If you like I can even walk you through the rest of the procedure.