Retro Gaming

Tomato Convenience Store

Tomato Convenience Store

Joined
Nov 21, 2019
I thought it would be a good idea to open up a thread dedicated to retro gaming. We can not only talk about games, but also about retro set-ups and mods. For example, how are you playing your old consoles? Did you get an OSSC or Retrotink (or something similar) so you can upscale your signal to your HDTV? Did you keep a CRT around for your old consoles?

Anyone preferring emulation methods such as RetroPie, all the mini consoles that have come out, PC emulators and the like? Or perhaps just buying re-releases on Steam, PSN, etc.

How about FPGA solutions such as Analogue's consoles, or the MiSTer?

Anyone mod their consoles for ODE solutions or for HDMI or RGB output?

I'm thinking we should try to arbitrarily set the cutoff of what's considered retro to the Dreamcast, because gaming died after that (kidding, of course :-P) At the very least, the last analog/pre-HDTV video era (DC/PS2/GC/OG XBOX) could be a nice cutoff.

Let's not talk about where to get ROMs and ISOs or anything similar.
 
I'll start!

I decided I'm going the route of FPGA systems for the 16-bit era and under (with flash carts when it makes sense, like with the MegaSD, which doubles as a SegaCD FPGA!). I bought Analogue's Mega SG and Super NT along with their DAC so I can play on CRTs. I bought a decent entry level CRT PVM monitor to dip my toes into that world and see if they're worth the hassle. So far so good, it's a super clean signal with amazing colors!

The cool thing with the Analogue systems is you can use original cartridges and controllers, so it's not entirely dependent on having ROMs. Also, since they natively output their video/audio signal over HDMI they're already solid solutions to play your old games on flatscreens without needing to invest in an upscaler or extra cables.

Some people say these consoles are overpriced but I think they're totally worth it because of all of the features and hidden savings. Plus, now you're buying a brand new console that can possibly last a good 20 or 30 years or more, instead of trying to get 20-30 year hardware to play on modern TVs while hoping the system can continue to last without any issues. So with the Mega SG and MegaSD, I essentially have the SG-1000, Master System, Sega Genesis, Game Gear, and Sega CD in a package that's about a fourth the size of a model 1 genesis. (There's also the Mega Everdrive Pro that recently came out that also has a Sega CD FPGA built into the cart!)

There's a community driven FPGA system called "MiSTer" that seems to have almost every system and home PC up throughout the 16-bit era. While this seems to be an awesome solution to play old school games, I wanted to get the newest Analogue system "Pocket" when it comes out and see how far that can go with developers adding FPGA cores. I'm kind of expecting it to become a "MiSTer Lite", which might be good enough for me. Plus it's a handheld system, so that's cool.

MiSTer is probably a better value than anything from Analogue, to be honest, but my concerns with community driven development are 1) There's not really accountability to deliver on a product in a timely matter and at a high quality 2) A developer of a certain core can get pissy and "take their ball and go home", if you will 3) Most of the people developing for MiSTer would do so in their spare time, and 4) It seems there is a bit of "DIY-ness" that will require you to manage a lot of updates and settings. I like having a plug-and-play solution with Analogue's stuff.

It does seem to be a pretty mature project already from what I've read (a lot of things working without many issues), so a lot of my concerns might already be moot. Even so, I just wanted to wait a year or two and see how things develop (Make sure there are very few issues, not a lot of effort to set-up, hardware doesn't become obsolete if more powerful cores are added, not too much cross-over with Analogue Pocket, etc.)
 
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I'm something of a stickler for original, physical hardware, but in the last few years I've had to really slow down on what I buy, and have shifted a bit to Everdrives for most of what I don't own already.

I moved into a new place fairly recently, and I'm still sort of in the process of getting things set up (apologies for the smattering of 'non-retro' games). It's not an overstatement to say that I chose this place because of the massive closet space for housing games.

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So, yeah, you could say I'm into old video games. No CRT/PVM, though, unfortunately. I sorta, kinda have the space for a nice one, but at this point I've mostly moved past the idea. I've used an XRGB framemeister to upscale for years now. I modded my A/V Famicom and Nintendo 64 for RGB, bought a pre-modded PC Engine Duo, have a miniature supergun for arcade boards, and a Toro for my Dreamcast, so the only thing I ever use that doesn't at least output component or RGB is a stock Sega Wondermega. I also have a stock ColecoVision, but I can't even remember the last time I used it, since it only has an R/F output.
 
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Rydeen said:
I'm something of a stickler for original, physical hardware, but in the last few years I've had to really slow down on what I buy, and have shifted a bit to Everdrives for most of what I don't own already.

I moved into a new place fairly recently, and I'm still sort of in the process of getting things set up (apologies for the smattering of 'non-retro' games). It's not an overstatement to say that I chose this place because of the massive closet space for housing games.

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So, yeah, you could say I'm into old video games. No CRT/PVM, though, unfortunately. I sorta, kinda have the space for a nice one, but at this point I've mostly moved past the idea. I've used an XRGB framemeister to upscale for years now. I modded my A/V Famicom and Nintendo 64 for RGB, bought a pre-modded PC Engine Duo, have a miniature supergun for arcade boards, and a Toro for my Dreamcast, so the only thing I ever use that doesn't at least output component or RGB is a stock Sega Wondermega. I also have a stock ColecoVision, but I can't even remember the last time I used it, since it only has an R/F output.
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Sick collection! I hear ya with PVMs/CRTs. I've been eyeing getting a 20" PVM, but prices have skyrocketed recently. I'm not sure if it's because everyone is stuck at home and buying PVMs to play a ton of games during quarantine. I bought a model on ebay earlier this year, and I've seen the same monitor listed for 2.5x the amount I paid for it. I ended up getting a consumer CRT for cheap a week ago. I might get a few more cheap ones for different purposes if I can, but no bigger than 20-24" because otherwise it's a PITA to move.

But yeah, I imagine I'll still end up going with something like the framemeister to play old consoles on an HDTV. Mostly to have a few different options, or maybe there are a few consoles that I'm ok with playing on a flatscreen. I believe the OSSC Pro will have the ability to not only upscale old consoles to HDTVs, but also downscale newer consoles to 240p for CRTs, so I'll probably get that at launch.
 
Tomato Convenience Store said:
I believe the OSSC Pro will have the ability to not only upscale old consoles to HDTVs, but also downscale newer consoles to 240p for CRTs, so I'll probably get that at launch.
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Oh, interesting. I don't think I had heard about the OSSC Pro. I might have to look into this. I never really cared about the OSSC, since simply line doubling SD resolutions to display on a lot of HD panels is kind of silly.
 
Rydeen said:
Oh, interesting. I don't think I had heard about the OSSC Pro. I might have to look into this. I never really cared about the OSSC, since simply line doubling SD resolutions to display on a lot of HD panels is kind of silly.
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videogameperfection.com

OSSC Pro is coming! - VideoGamePerfection.com

Our favourite line doubler is getting an upgrade. Read all about the new OSSC Pro and its amazing features here.
videogameperfection.com videogameperfection.com

It seems to be something that's planned as a feature through an add-on module. I suppose we should keep in mind that a lot of modern games might not look good because a lot of the UI elements are made for a much higher resolution at a different aspect ratio. Perhaps PC games that allow for a lot of customization or the Gen 7 consoles at the latest could be the best cutoff. Though I suppose the consoles are still supposed to support 480p, so I presume that should downscale to 240p pretty nicely.

They say it also uses the same FPGA chip as the MiSTer, so it should theoretically be possible to transfer cores over. Of course in that case I'd rather wait to see it to believe it, but at the very least if some basic cores work that will be a nice added value feature.
 
Nice idea for a thread. I am happy Framemeister User.


My Ps1, Sega Saturn and Gamecube looks great on it.

I also have N64, but it is modded for HDMI. My Dreamcast is also used via VGA.


I want to dive into 16 Bit era soon as well. Nut sure which root I will use for that generation though.

I either want to get US SNES and a Pal Mega Drive, or I will go use the Micro console versions of them.

So far I'd say I am going to original hardware route.
 
Excellent setup, @Rydeen ! Love the Cyberbots box! (it's interesting how much it looks like the cover of Super Robot Taisen F for the Saturn)

I posted my pics a couple of weeks ago in this thread: https://www.shenmuedojo.com/forum/index.php?threads/post-your-gaming-setup.1892/ . It spills onto page 2 of that thread as well.

I'm all original hardware and CRT/HD for the new stuff.

Nothing is upscaled, just the best output for each console, sans mods (save for PS4, where I just have an HDMI chord), so:

- SG-1000: RF
- SMS: Composite (mono)
- Genesis/Sega CD/32X: Composite (mono to TV, stereo otherwise; have to hookup my tuner)
- Saturn: S-Video
- Dreamcast: VGA

I'm keeping it that way until I'm absolutely forced to go digital/non-original and upscaled route.
 
Truck_1_0_1_ said:
Excellent setup, @Rydeen ! Love the Cyberbots box! (it's interesting how much it looks like the cover of Super Robot Taisen F for the Saturn)
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I love Cyberbots! It's one of those things where I kind of wish it was something I had gone out of my way for, but it was just a limited edition that I happened to come across for cheap (~$10) years ago, and thought it looked good. The love the team at Capcom had for this project permeates throughout the entire package, The art on the cover (and little comic blurbs on the inside box flap) is just the prelude for the extras inside. It's probably not as notable as the D-Direct limited editions I have, but I kind of like it more.


Truck_1_0_1_ said:
I posted my pics a couple of weeks ago in this thread: https://www.shenmuedojo.com/forum/index.php?threads/post-your-gaming-setup.1892/ . It spills onto page 2 of that thread as well.
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That SG-1000. So jealous.
A while back, I was really considering grabbing one. The lack of video output options means it would mostly be a show-piece for me, though, and I don't like doing that, as much as I really want one. The karaoke machine attachment for the Dreamcast is one of those things I sort of have to wonder why I really have.
 
I'm not a huge Capcom 2D fighting fan, but it's something I've been keen to pick up for a while now... I may just make the jump, due to your recommendation ;).

Don't be! I got REALLY lucky in 2008 and snagged it for $840.00 Canadian; the box is a bit rough, but still fully-intact and everything inside is 100% mint condition, all in their original plastic as well. I'm just content that I own every Sega console :)

It definitely works too (it powers on), but I need to sit down one day and truly figure out that RF switchbox (I know it isn't difficult, I just have 0 experience with them) and make sure I'm on the correct TV Channel; it needs to be on channel 96 or something.

I've always wanted to get the Karaoke add-on, completely for collective/novelty purposes (I HATE Karaoke), but have never been able to snag one for a decent-enough price :(.
 
So the Saturn Satiator release and price was announced a few days ago. It's a bit on the pricier side at $260. I was hoping it would be somewhere in the $150-$200 range but I can see how a boutique electronics item made in small batches might be a bit difficult to keep at a lower price point. I'd prefer a wait and see approach on this at that price, but I'm also afraid of missing out on getting one and having to wait for a year or two before it's available again. Plus I had some issues with repro discs I bought for the Policenauts fan translation, while the import version I bought seems to work fine, so I have a feeling that my laser won't be able to work with CD-Rs too well, but I haven't tested it thoroughly.

So yeah, there's a first batch of 100 coming out reserved for Patrons, and another 1000 on the way for the Patrons who missed out and the general public. Info on ordering from that batch of 1000 is unknown at this time.

And for folks who aren't familiar with this, the Satiator is essentially a flash cart that plugs into the back of the Saturn into the mpeg slot, with games stored on an SD card. What I like about this solution is that it's plug and play and you don't need to remove your disc drive like you would on the MODE.

 
Tomato Convenience Store said:
And for folks who aren't familiar with this, the Satiator is essentially a flash cart that plugs into the back of the Saturn into the mpeg slot, with games stored on an SD card. What I like about this solution is that it's plug and play and you don't need to remove your disc drive like you would on the MODE.

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I've dreamt of similar solution using the Dreamcast's expansion slot to replace the modem. What if a BBA or Dreampi was build into DC modem moulds with a Satiator SD slot?
 
xatruio said:
I've dreamt of similar solution using the Dreamcast's expansion slot to replace the modem. What if a BBA or Dreampi was build into DC modem moulds with a Satiator SD slot?
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That would indeed be amazing! Maybe we can ask Professor Abrasive if he could do that next, haha. I'm just not sure if there was enough data bandwidth to load games through that slot, but it would be awesome to have at the very least part of your suggestion - a BBA/Dreampi in the DC modem form factor. FWIW it seems that MODE installs much easier on Dreamcast than Saturn, so I'm planning on getting that down the line.

Another Satiator post went up yesterday with more info. Here's the link and I'll post a few tidbits that I'll be paraphrasing a bit. https://www.patreon.com/posts/faq-40787196

  • It should work on all regions and models of Saturns.
  • There will be a game save utility that will allow you to transfer saves between the onboard memory and the SD card on the Satiator (I remember this was discussed but never confirmed until now. This is a big "added value" feature, IMO)
  • It should detect games from different regions automatically.
  • Works with RAM carts but has issues with Action Replay. He'll be working on making an updated Action Replay firmware to be compatible with Satiator.
 
A few updates that I thought could be cool to post here:

The Saturn Satiator was finally released for the public. It's currently sold out but there's a waiting list (sorry, took a bit of a break here for a while so I didn't get to post when it was first released!): https://www.satiator.net/

Analogue announced another system, this time based off of the Turbografx Duo, so it'll play Turbografx-16, SuperGrafx, and Turbografx CD games. It's not yet available for pre-order, but Analogue will do their typical "planned scarcity" bullshit, so be ready if you want one, haha https://www.analogue.co/duo

I imagine folks posted this somewhere already, but a canceled Goldeneye remaster that was intended to release on XBLA was leaked recently:

 
Videos are blocked here at work, but unless they are Graslu00's, I would seek out Graslu's videos of the remaster instead; he is arguably the best Goldeneye player on YT and he is far and away the most-expansive, when it comes to content, as he has videos from practically ever single mod of the game ever made (a lot of which, he actually made himself) and of every version of the game/other 007 games.

Within 16 hours of the remaster leaking, he already had a playthrough of the entire game at 00 and unlocked all of the cheats as well, then within 24 hours or so, he had an entire playthrough of enemy rockets.

Guy is insane (in a good way!)
 
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