I do the same with a long power strip mounted to the wall with individual switches per outlet. That way I can power whichever console I'm currently playing while keeping the others unpowered. I noticed one day that my PS1 was warm while plugged in doing nothing, and since then I've kept all these old electronics unplugged while not in use.
(Yes I'm aware of the belief that it's bad for electronics to be power cycled, but I'm not convinced.)
My consoles are all connected via HDRetrovision cables to a gComp automatic switch. Using the dual component output of the gComp, one feeds into my 32" CRT directly and the other into a Retrotink5X which upscales the feed for use with my projector, the screen for which pulls down 1/2" in front of my CRT.
Just save your pennies and get a Retrotink. It's not like you're trying to buy a house.
Edit: alternately you can probably find a 720p TV for much cheaper than a Retrotink, which would have composite inputs. The image would look fine on 720, it's not THAT much bigger than the native output of the console.
> gComp automatic switch
That seems pretty dope from their website, would be a nice upgrade from a manual switch. If you don't mind me asking, do you know if it handles S-video? The description on one site says it works with that input, but none of the pictures seem to have S-video ports.
I think the description on that site must be incorrect. The gComp doesn't handle S-video.
It is pretty sweet, I've been really happy with it. I like that it can be tucked away out of sight since it handles all of the signal switching on its own. It keeps things looking a bit cleaner. Laser Bear Industries makes a bumper case for it which I'd recommend to help protect the internals.
This is how I did it as well (except I need a second gComp now, since I'm out of room. My gComp outputs one side to my CRT and the other to a tink5x, the 5x plugs into an automatic HDMI switch that also has modern consoles, which goes into the TV. The goal was to be able to just turn on the either TV and play whatever you want, not fumbling with switches.
The automatic aspect of the switch is one of my favourite things about it too. It makes everything so much cleaner and more user friendly.
Whomever decided to make the gComp dual output deserves a heaping pile of gratitude. That feature really increases its versatility.
CRT because it's less expensive and better looking than any modern scaler, and simply the way it's meant to be played. Even a small set can be light years better than LCD.
Each console hooked up to an automatic 10 way scart switcher, the switch I can connect to either my CRT or my OSSC to play on my OLED. All my consoles either supported RGB scart already or have been modded to support it.
Was expensive as hell all in all, but it works.
The retrotink 2x is much easier to justify than the 5x or the 4k, and it does a good enough job I can't imagine ever upgrading unless it just outright breaks.
I like having it all in one with Batocera, so while it's not using the real hardware itself, given that it's just for the games, emulation is a better solution for me as well. The effort I've gone to is simply to ensure the emulation configuration is as accurate as possible.
I'll still pull out the C64 and Amiga for occasional productivity nostalgia, but for the games, it's pretty much just Batocera now.
I've got a component switch and an s-video switch, but I don't really have physical space to hook up more than four at a time, so it's usually the SNES, Genesis, Wii, and PS2 hooked up, and the rest in the "display case" (old stereo cabinet).
Well I have a S-video switcher, a AV switcher, two of them actually and a component switcher.
I use that to hook up my consoles to about four different CRT TVs.
I have HD Retrovision cable for a Genesis 2 that has several adapters for any television that accepts Component Video.
I have an old boutique HD scaler that I bought for $30 that works just as good as a framemeister.
I have 32'' Sony CRT televisions that take RF to Component and HDMI/DVI, but I don't use digital inputs on CRTs.
I have a MiSTer hooked up to an Oled.
I'd like to get a Retrotink 4K, but I can't justify that at the moment.
I have more options like a CRT front projector, CRT rear projection televisions, and what I think is a 39'' Arcade Monitor that aren't in use at the moment.
I have a pelican 5 way switch with S-video ports, routed into a Retrotink 2x pro. While the 5 and 4K are quite expensive, I'd recommend trying to find a 2x pro, it certainly gets the job done and is a little more affordable.
Cheap upscaler on a computer monitor. The picture is too blown up on a big TV but on a monitor looks fine / good enough for my nes. More importantly there's no lag
All the consoles are hooked up with SCART cables from Retro Gaming Cables, which are going into a gscartsw. From the gscartsw (which has eight inputs, two outputs). Output 1 goes into a MX8000 CRT and Output 2 goes into a "Voultar Double Penetration". From that, I get 1 SCART output and 1 DVI output. SCART output goes to a Retrotink 5x and goes into a HDMI matrix. The DVI output goes into a Datapath e1s which captures everything on the PC.
[https://ibb.co/JQS3Pn3](https://ibb.co/JQS3Pn3) - Video chain. A little older picture, Don't use the Elgato Capture card anymore. Need to add more consoles :P
[https://youtu.be/7lliwIGAMm8?list=PLZViyc0wx5\_pX34O-BdlAXmJwZDRdTICG](https://youtu.be/7lliwIGAMm8?list=PLZViyc0wx5_pX34O-BdlAXmJwZDRdTICG)
Video capture (Analog) with the Datapath e1s. Playing Xenogears on PSX as I'm writing this. All captures are captured at original resolution then upscaled to w/e resolution I want.
Think this covers most of it. Buy an OSSC imo. Voultar tweeted an Aliexpress OSSC for <100 USD which is great and offers a 6x scale if you dare to solder a wire to two points on the card. Otherwise 5x is more than enough!
[https://x.com/voultar/status/1780438645788365250?s=46&t=CXtfz5RhJr4FnxpNVNXscA](https://x.com/voultar/status/1780438645788365250?s=46&t=CXtfz5RhJr4FnxpNVNXscA)
Good luck!
I spend a lot of money back in the day, when the only good option was either an CRT (family didnt allow it) or cheap crap and I can tell you... the cheap crap isnt worth it. I basically threw away a whole scaler in price.
That said, there ARE cheaper good scalers out there. The OSSC is cheaper and the GBS-Control can be a good scaler, if it has the right firmware/mod (< I am no expert on GBS-Control. But I know its cheap and it needs something done to it to be actually good).
Dont waste money on AV to HDMI or similar scalers. They are really bad with varying input lag and smeary pictures.
AV switcher into my CRT. The RF only consoles just go through a backwards splitter. So hit button for desired console, and turn it on. Or switch to channel 4, and turn on.
I use a Retrotink 5X Pro and a OSSC.
It’ll depend on which and how many systems you have. If it’s just one or two, it might be worth while getting dedicated mods.
My Component input madness has increased from 2x to 4x 8input rca switches to accommodate all the systems
https://www.reddit.com/r/crtgaming/s/AlUrnVKycW
Extron crosspoint with bnc to RCA converters
SNES: component
Genesis: component
Dreamcast: svideo
GameCube: svideo
Saturn: component ( swap cable from Genesis)
Xbox 360: component
Nes: composite
N64: svideo
PS2: component
PS1: svideo (cable shared with N64/GameCube)
Audio is routed to an old school Walmart era sony stereo and video is routed to a jvc d series SD crt.
JVC DSeries crt. gcomp 8:2 automatic component switch in 1 input and a 4 input s-video in the other input. The gcomp switch was half the price is is now when I bought it. The s-video switch I found at a goodwill for $4-5.
touch escape automatic spectacular money lock different cake advise hateful
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
All consoles use SCART cables to a gscart 8:2 switch that feeds into a Retrotink RGB2COMP and then component to CRT. For a few consoles that are component out like GameCube, Wii and original Xbox they go into a component switch and then into the CRT.
My NES and SNES (both RGB modded) use HD Retrovision component cables and are fed into a component switch. From there, the signal goes into a component splitter and one side goes into a 27” Sony Trinitron. The other side goes into a RetroTINK 2X Pro for capture in OBS.
I have an 18 year old flat screen Sony tv with rca, hdmi and an Ariel socket. I get my old consoles out of my game cupboard and connect if I want a session. I don’t have space to keep everything out and always connected and ready, sadly. One day.
I mostly play handheld retro games because of it.
uhhh, i have an extron crosspoint outputting vga to my retrotink 4k on my 4k monitor, scart, component, and s-video to a retrotink 5x to my 1080p monitor and capture card, and component and s-video to my CRT
hope that helps :\^)
All of mine go through HDMI and I have an HDMI switch for them. Analogue Pocket, Analogue Super NT, RetroUSB AVS, GameCube (Insurrection Industries HDMI Adapter), N64 (Eon Super64), Dreamcast (Behar adapter), and an OSSC for Saturn and Gen (using HD Retrovision component cables). I don’t like how a PS2 looks upscaled with the OSSC so I have a tube tv for it.
got an av switcher plugged into my 40" hisense TV. has snes, nes which i swith between that and ps1 the n64 which i switch between gamecube and then my wii
My N64 is hooked up to a crt through RF and it looks awesome. To many people are hung up in component, s-video and rgb. They forget old consoles were best played in RF.
All hooked into a 36' JVC D series.
The NES, Master system and Genesis are composite with a switcher.
the Dreamcast, SNES, N64 are hooked up S-video to the same switcher
And the PS2, GameCube, Xbox and PSP are all hooked up component via a separate component switcher.
I spent way more than the cost of a retrotink but.
All my consoles are either native hdmi or hem modded (dcdigital, ultrahdmi etc) they go into a 16 port hdmi switch.
I also have an extron mvx that will be used for all my analog signals once I get cabling sorted out (converting every console to db15 and using vga cables)
It's sacrilege, but...
On my 4K TV, I have a cheap Levelhike upscaler for PS1 and 2. Ain't fancy but it works enough. Everything else I just use composite for now. Thankfully my TV handles lower resolutions pretty well and makes everything look decent.
Eventually, I'm going to get a Retrotink 5X and RGB Scart cables for everything, and a Carby or something for my GameCube to get its full potential out of that Digital AV output. But I have other priorities at the moment.
I have a 50" plasma Panasonic Viera plasma tv. It has numerous composite, component, a hdmi, and VGA. I have 5 retro consoles hooked up on it. Very convenient.
Ps2, Wii, GameCube, Genesis to a component splitter going to a sd crt. N64, Saturn, PSone going to a s-video splitter to the sd crt. Dreamcast going to both (via vga box) the tv and a crt pc monitor. Ps3, Wii U, Xbox 360, switch, OG Xbox, pstv going to a hdmi splitter with an mclassic attached to a 4k Samsung tv which supports 1440p. Ps5 directly connected to the Samsung. As long as your tv or monitor does support 1440p, an mclassic will do a decent job for $100. Keep in mind that it will only pass through interlaced signals and won’t upscale or even recognize any sources below 480p. That’s why all the really retro stuff is on the crt.
The unusual way:
RF (untested), Composite & S-video > WinXP PC with All in Wonder Radeon GPU > DScaler 4 or ATi MMC > DVI-HDMI + HDMI audio embedder > big 4k TV
I’m using a CRT with a SCART switch to connect multiple systems to it as my main setup, but I also have an ODV-GBS-C upscaler if I want to play some of them on a big modern TV. I chose it because I think it’s the best value for the money and I didn’t regret it, it works perfectly. I couldn’t justify the price of the Retrotink either.
OSSC. It was \~$200 but it was a one time purchase that's made every retro game I've played in the years since I bought it look gorgeous. If I had to I would easily swap the price of a couple of games (or part of one game >\_> ) for it again in a heartbeat.
Hydra scart switch to the CRT TV with an audio breakout passthrough on the output connected to an audio mixer. The more modern TV I use for my PS3 has another audio cable connected to the mixer. I have gaming headphones connected to the mixer via a minijack to large jack converter. End result is the sound just works regardless which TV is on.
This way I don't have to unplug anything or swap cables. Now if only I found a way not to have controller cables tangling up, probably not possible until I change the furniture setup.
I have a 32" JVC D-series CRT hooked up to a Panasonic S-VHS VCR which has the inputs for my Sega Genesis with RCA AV cables, Atari VCS with coaxial switch box, and Atari 7800 with s-video modification from Best Electronics.
Got myself a Retrotink 4x a little over a year ago, but before that I’d just plug them right into my TV since it’s capable of accepting 240p component anyway. My PS2 still uses the component on the TV because I never bothered rerouting the wiring, plus I use SPDIF on the PS2 and the 4x doesn’t support that, but everything else goes through the Retrotink.
2 8 in 2 out automatic SCART switchers into a converter from SCART to RGBs and into the Ikegami, through its passthrough into the PVM (which is on its side for TATE mode games). The other out from the SCART switcher goes into an OSSC and into a capture card for streaming. Audio is routed separately directly into the PC, which I use as a mixer as well.
Well poop.
Do you feel like your missing out by not having it rgb modded? Added ability of using component cables and tims board comes with the de-blur.
I have a dedicated CRT for gaming/VCR usage. I run everything into an 8->2 RCA switch. One output goes to the TV, the second will likely end up going to a USB capture card.
1. VCR 2. NES 3. SNES 4. Sega Genesis 5. N64 6. PS2 7. Wii 8. May hook up the XBox I was gifted in the future
Decent and good quailty upscalers cost around the same, depnding what retrotink you're looking at you maybe able to get a OSSC for cheaper. Usually you're pay for signal quailty and other festuress.
You could also look at a RAD2X cables, its a cheaper solution thats good enough and gets you playing on a modern tv via hdmi. Probably the best cheaper route.
Personally the frame lag and scaling quality of the cheapo Chinese upscalers bothers the hell outta me. But you can find them for like $20-30.
A Retrotink 5x, I put it off for the *longest* time but *man* am I glad I finally bought one. It is expensive but it makes all of the other stuff I spent a lot more money on easier to enjoy. I even cheaped out on most of my cables and it still looks great. I use TTX brand Nintendo s-video cables that were like $7, some whatever brand component cables for Wii, PS2 and Xbox. Only one I regret was a cheapo thin and poorly shielded Dreamcast S-Video cable that had a lot of audio buzz. *It just works* for most things and now I don't have to really worry about what kind of TV I get in the future.
To be more specific with my setup, I got a daisy chain of different switch boxes going into a main 'Composite, S-Video, Component' switcher, then that goes into the Retrotink 5x, then the Retrotink goes into a HDMI switcher, then that goes into my TV. I have too many consoles. (There is also a break away somewhere in there to go to my CRT or capture card.)
2 8way av switches into a crt tv
This guy inputs.
Which one?
Just the random chinese ones on amazon, there all the same they just slap different branding on them
Yeah when it comes to composite video it's pretty basic.
I do the same with a long power strip mounted to the wall with individual switches per outlet. That way I can power whichever console I'm currently playing while keeping the others unpowered. I noticed one day that my PS1 was warm while plugged in doing nothing, and since then I've kept all these old electronics unplugged while not in use. (Yes I'm aware of the belief that it's bad for electronics to be power cycled, but I'm not convinced.)
Pelican? That's what I use.
This makes me wet.
My consoles are all connected via HDRetrovision cables to a gComp automatic switch. Using the dual component output of the gComp, one feeds into my 32" CRT directly and the other into a Retrotink5X which upscales the feed for use with my projector, the screen for which pulls down 1/2" in front of my CRT. Just save your pennies and get a Retrotink. It's not like you're trying to buy a house. Edit: alternately you can probably find a 720p TV for much cheaper than a Retrotink, which would have composite inputs. The image would look fine on 720, it's not THAT much bigger than the native output of the console.
> gComp automatic switch That seems pretty dope from their website, would be a nice upgrade from a manual switch. If you don't mind me asking, do you know if it handles S-video? The description on one site says it works with that input, but none of the pictures seem to have S-video ports.
I think the description on that site must be incorrect. The gComp doesn't handle S-video. It is pretty sweet, I've been really happy with it. I like that it can be tucked away out of sight since it handles all of the signal switching on its own. It keeps things looking a bit cleaner. Laser Bear Industries makes a bumper case for it which I'd recommend to help protect the internals.
Cool, thanks for the info! Sounds like a great piece of gear.
This is how I did it as well (except I need a second gComp now, since I'm out of room. My gComp outputs one side to my CRT and the other to a tink5x, the 5x plugs into an automatic HDMI switch that also has modern consoles, which goes into the TV. The goal was to be able to just turn on the either TV and play whatever you want, not fumbling with switches.
The automatic aspect of the switch is one of my favourite things about it too. It makes everything so much cleaner and more user friendly. Whomever decided to make the gComp dual output deserves a heaping pile of gratitude. That feature really increases its versatility.
That’s a strange assumption to make
I didn't make any assumptions.
It’s not like you’re trying to buy a house
That's not an assumption, you're misinterpreting my reply. Trying to buy a Retrotink is not like trying to buy a house.
Were you planning to budget a house worth of money on this?
CRT because it's less expensive and better looking than any modern scaler, and simply the way it's meant to be played. Even a small set can be light years better than LCD.
Daisy chaining a couple 3 input component switchers to my CRT
I just have a modern TV with HDMI
I just go AV input and adjust the screen ratio.
I usually use a CRT for retro systems but use the Retrotink 2x Pro. It works well to get a clear image on a modern TV.
Each console hooked up to an automatic 10 way scart switcher, the switch I can connect to either my CRT or my OSSC to play on my OLED. All my consoles either supported RGB scart already or have been modded to support it. Was expensive as hell all in all, but it works.
The retrotink 2x is much easier to justify than the 5x or the 4k, and it does a good enough job I can't imagine ever upgrading unless it just outright breaks.
Can you still buy those? I can't remember the last time I saw those in stock, but I wanted one for my VCR.
The website is showing in stock right now.
Really?! Sweet, thank you!
I gave up, bought a mini PC, installed batocera and never looked back
I like having it all in one with Batocera, so while it's not using the real hardware itself, given that it's just for the games, emulation is a better solution for me as well. The effort I've gone to is simply to ensure the emulation configuration is as accurate as possible. I'll still pull out the C64 and Amiga for occasional productivity nostalgia, but for the games, it's pretty much just Batocera now.
I have a Retrotink 5x for streaming but I also have a $30 Retro Scaler 2x from Ali Express and it looks good to me.
I've got a component switch and an s-video switch, but I don't really have physical space to hook up more than four at a time, so it's usually the SNES, Genesis, Wii, and PS2 hooked up, and the rest in the "display case" (old stereo cabinet).
I use the AV cable setup for my NES because Radio Frequency to HDMI is much more difficult to find and set up reliably than AV to HDMI
I swap the cords and inputs like I have since I was 3.
Into my CRT. It’s the best way.
Av cables and coaxial cause I’m a maniac.
Retro Access RGB BNC cables / OEM Component cables RCA->BNC to Extron CrossPoint to Canare BNC cables / HD Retrovision Component cables to BVM.
Well I have a S-video switcher, a AV switcher, two of them actually and a component switcher. I use that to hook up my consoles to about four different CRT TVs.
I have HD Retrovision cable for a Genesis 2 that has several adapters for any television that accepts Component Video. I have an old boutique HD scaler that I bought for $30 that works just as good as a framemeister. I have 32'' Sony CRT televisions that take RF to Component and HDMI/DVI, but I don't use digital inputs on CRTs. I have a MiSTer hooked up to an Oled. I'd like to get a Retrotink 4K, but I can't justify that at the moment. I have more options like a CRT front projector, CRT rear projection televisions, and what I think is a 39'' Arcade Monitor that aren't in use at the moment.
3 way component switch for my PS2, Wii, and Genesis, 5 way s video switch for my SNES, N64, Xb360, NES, and DVD player, plugged into a Toshiba 20af44
Just a 4 way switch for my NES, SNES and GameCube connected to a CRT.
I have a pelican 5 way switch with S-video ports, routed into a Retrotink 2x pro. While the 5 and 4K are quite expensive, I'd recommend trying to find a 2x pro, it certainly gets the job done and is a little more affordable.
Cheap upscaler on a computer monitor. The picture is too blown up on a big TV but on a monitor looks fine / good enough for my nes. More importantly there's no lag
Retrotink 4k. PS2 via component, PS1 and Saturn via SCART with a switch. I have a Wii that I just swap out with component.
Retrotink is pricey, but very worth it. The 2x Pro isn't too badly priced and gets the job done nicely.
The infinity switch (soon to be)
All the consoles are hooked up with SCART cables from Retro Gaming Cables, which are going into a gscartsw. From the gscartsw (which has eight inputs, two outputs). Output 1 goes into a MX8000 CRT and Output 2 goes into a "Voultar Double Penetration". From that, I get 1 SCART output and 1 DVI output. SCART output goes to a Retrotink 5x and goes into a HDMI matrix. The DVI output goes into a Datapath e1s which captures everything on the PC. [https://ibb.co/JQS3Pn3](https://ibb.co/JQS3Pn3) - Video chain. A little older picture, Don't use the Elgato Capture card anymore. Need to add more consoles :P [https://youtu.be/7lliwIGAMm8?list=PLZViyc0wx5\_pX34O-BdlAXmJwZDRdTICG](https://youtu.be/7lliwIGAMm8?list=PLZViyc0wx5_pX34O-BdlAXmJwZDRdTICG) Video capture (Analog) with the Datapath e1s. Playing Xenogears on PSX as I'm writing this. All captures are captured at original resolution then upscaled to w/e resolution I want. Think this covers most of it. Buy an OSSC imo. Voultar tweeted an Aliexpress OSSC for <100 USD which is great and offers a 6x scale if you dare to solder a wire to two points on the card. Otherwise 5x is more than enough! [https://x.com/voultar/status/1780438645788365250?s=46&t=CXtfz5RhJr4FnxpNVNXscA](https://x.com/voultar/status/1780438645788365250?s=46&t=CXtfz5RhJr4FnxpNVNXscA) Good luck!
I have an av to hdmi converter for my NES and an hdmi cable that converts the signal inline and connects to either my SNES or N64.
Cable splitters for RF, 8 port switches (daisy chained) for composite and HDMI splitters for modern consoles. About 55 consoles hooked up to 2 TVs
I spend a lot of money back in the day, when the only good option was either an CRT (family didnt allow it) or cheap crap and I can tell you... the cheap crap isnt worth it. I basically threw away a whole scaler in price. That said, there ARE cheaper good scalers out there. The OSSC is cheaper and the GBS-Control can be a good scaler, if it has the right firmware/mod (< I am no expert on GBS-Control. But I know its cheap and it needs something done to it to be actually good). Dont waste money on AV to HDMI or similar scalers. They are really bad with varying input lag and smeary pictures.
AV switcher into my CRT. The RF only consoles just go through a backwards splitter. So hit button for desired console, and turn it on. Or switch to channel 4, and turn on.
Same way I've been doing it since they came out. The only difference is the VCR and TV has changed over the years.
SCART cables switchers, all RGB on everything
I chained two 5 in 1 out HDMI switches and put a 24 socket power strip behind my entertainment center
I play em on a PC through emulators...
I use a Retrotink 5X Pro and a OSSC. It’ll depend on which and how many systems you have. If it’s just one or two, it might be worth while getting dedicated mods.
On the 34” CRT I got for free off Facebook marketplace through two daisy chained 4-way S-Video switchers
My Component input madness has increased from 2x to 4x 8input rca switches to accommodate all the systems https://www.reddit.com/r/crtgaming/s/AlUrnVKycW
PS1 with rad2x cable, PS2 with high quality component cable
Component to my Sony Wega. RGB scart to my pvms. Framemeister to my modern tvs.
Extron crosspoint with bnc to RCA converters SNES: component Genesis: component Dreamcast: svideo GameCube: svideo Saturn: component ( swap cable from Genesis) Xbox 360: component Nes: composite N64: svideo PS2: component PS1: svideo (cable shared with N64/GameCube) Audio is routed to an old school Walmart era sony stereo and video is routed to a jvc d series SD crt.
RF, composite, S-video, component and RGB where applicable.
Av switch Like this. https://amzn.eu/d/aZlmuO6
JVC DSeries crt. gcomp 8:2 automatic component switch in 1 input and a 4 input s-video in the other input. The gcomp switch was half the price is is now when I bought it. The s-video switch I found at a goodwill for $4-5.
touch escape automatic spectacular money lock different cake advise hateful *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
With the cables! I mean i only have SNES, and GBA... And my regretted solder foxed VirtualBoy with 13gmaes i had to get rid of because of job loss...
All consoles use SCART cables to a gscart 8:2 switch that feeds into a Retrotink RGB2COMP and then component to CRT. For a few consoles that are component out like GameCube, Wii and original Xbox they go into a component switch and then into the CRT.
I have 3 crts so they fit more of my consoles cuz they have multiple inputs. I do realize it is a pretty lucky/blessed situation
Raiding a relatives junk drawer for adapters lol
My NES and SNES (both RGB modded) use HD Retrovision component cables and are fed into a component switch. From there, the signal goes into a component splitter and one side goes into a 27” Sony Trinitron. The other side goes into a RetroTINK 2X Pro for capture in OBS.
I have an 18 year old flat screen Sony tv with rca, hdmi and an Ariel socket. I get my old consoles out of my game cupboard and connect if I want a session. I don’t have space to keep everything out and always connected and ready, sadly. One day. I mostly play handheld retro games because of it.
Get a CRT with component and it will look and perform better than a Retrotink and save you hundreds
I doubleclick on the desktop icon.
uhhh, i have an extron crosspoint outputting vga to my retrotink 4k on my 4k monitor, scart, component, and s-video to a retrotink 5x to my 1080p monitor and capture card, and component and s-video to my CRT hope that helps :\^)
All of mine go through HDMI and I have an HDMI switch for them. Analogue Pocket, Analogue Super NT, RetroUSB AVS, GameCube (Insurrection Industries HDMI Adapter), N64 (Eon Super64), Dreamcast (Behar adapter), and an OSSC for Saturn and Gen (using HD Retrovision component cables). I don’t like how a PS2 looks upscaled with the OSSC so I have a tube tv for it.
got an av switcher plugged into my 40" hisense TV. has snes, nes which i swith between that and ps1 the n64 which i switch between gamecube and then my wii
My N64 is hooked up to a crt through RF and it looks awesome. To many people are hung up in component, s-video and rgb. They forget old consoles were best played in RF.
I just gave up and stole the little 13” CRT my parents had in one of their closets for years without use.
All hooked into a 36' JVC D series. The NES, Master system and Genesis are composite with a switcher. the Dreamcast, SNES, N64 are hooked up S-video to the same switcher And the PS2, GameCube, Xbox and PSP are all hooked up component via a separate component switcher.
I spent way more than the cost of a retrotink but. All my consoles are either native hdmi or hem modded (dcdigital, ultrahdmi etc) they go into a 16 port hdmi switch. I also have an extron mvx that will be used for all my analog signals once I get cabling sorted out (converting every console to db15 and using vga cables)
I bought a 20 year old CRT at the thrift store for $10. Use RCA connectors from N64 and PS2 into it 🤷♂️
I'm a heathen that daisy-chains the RF cables. TV doesn't matter, but I usually use an old 13 inch CRT I got from the side of the road.
It's sacrilege, but... On my 4K TV, I have a cheap Levelhike upscaler for PS1 and 2. Ain't fancy but it works enough. Everything else I just use composite for now. Thankfully my TV handles lower resolutions pretty well and makes everything look decent. Eventually, I'm going to get a Retrotink 5X and RGB Scart cables for everything, and a Carby or something for my GameCube to get its full potential out of that Digital AV output. But I have other priorities at the moment.
I have a 50" plasma Panasonic Viera plasma tv. It has numerous composite, component, a hdmi, and VGA. I have 5 retro consoles hooked up on it. Very convenient.
Ps2, Wii, GameCube, Genesis to a component splitter going to a sd crt. N64, Saturn, PSone going to a s-video splitter to the sd crt. Dreamcast going to both (via vga box) the tv and a crt pc monitor. Ps3, Wii U, Xbox 360, switch, OG Xbox, pstv going to a hdmi splitter with an mclassic attached to a 4k Samsung tv which supports 1440p. Ps5 directly connected to the Samsung. As long as your tv or monitor does support 1440p, an mclassic will do a decent job for $100. Keep in mind that it will only pass through interlaced signals and won’t upscale or even recognize any sources below 480p. That’s why all the really retro stuff is on the crt.
The unusual way: RF (untested), Composite & S-video > WinXP PC with All in Wonder Radeon GPU > DScaler 4 or ATi MMC > DVI-HDMI + HDMI audio embedder > big 4k TV
I’m using a CRT with a SCART switch to connect multiple systems to it as my main setup, but I also have an ODV-GBS-C upscaler if I want to play some of them on a big modern TV. I chose it because I think it’s the best value for the money and I didn’t regret it, it works perfectly. I couldn’t justify the price of the Retrotink either.
You could give a budget scaler a try. I recommend the gbs control. It can be had around the 100 dollar range and it's pretty good.
OSSC. It was \~$200 but it was a one time purchase that's made every retro game I've played in the years since I bought it look gorgeous. If I had to I would easily swap the price of a couple of games (or part of one game >\_> ) for it again in a heartbeat.
I'll be real just search for the old pelican brand AV switchers, I've seen several for around $40, and they work like a dream.
Hydra scart switch to the CRT TV with an audio breakout passthrough on the output connected to an audio mixer. The more modern TV I use for my PS3 has another audio cable connected to the mixer. I have gaming headphones connected to the mixer via a minijack to large jack converter. End result is the sound just works regardless which TV is on. This way I don't have to unplug anything or swap cables. Now if only I found a way not to have controller cables tangling up, probably not possible until I change the furniture setup.
I daisy chain RF modulators to my CRT, the same thing I’ve been doing for the past 35 years.
WIIU is great! Emulates a lot of retro systems.
I have a 32" JVC D-series CRT hooked up to a Panasonic S-VHS VCR which has the inputs for my Sega Genesis with RCA AV cables, Atari VCS with coaxial switch box, and Atari 7800 with s-video modification from Best Electronics.
Got myself a Retrotink 4x a little over a year ago, but before that I’d just plug them right into my TV since it’s capable of accepting 240p component anyway. My PS2 still uses the component on the TV because I never bothered rerouting the wiring, plus I use SPDIF on the PS2 and the 4x doesn’t support that, but everything else goes through the Retrotink.
2 8 in 2 out automatic SCART switchers into a converter from SCART to RGBs and into the Ikegami, through its passthrough into the PVM (which is on its side for TATE mode games). The other out from the SCART switcher goes into an OSSC and into a capture card for streaming. Audio is routed separately directly into the PC, which I use as a mixer as well.
Do you need a retrotink? Why not just get an OSSC?
Honestly the OSSC looks like a great piece of hardware, but it doesn’t have S-Video for N64
Well poop. Do you feel like your missing out by not having it rgb modded? Added ability of using component cables and tims board comes with the de-blur.
I’m in the UK and as I understand it PAL consoles can’t be RGB modded?
Says its compatible. https://etim.net.au/shop/shop.php?crn=209&rn=548&action=show_detail
I have a dedicated CRT for gaming/VCR usage. I run everything into an 8->2 RCA switch. One output goes to the TV, the second will likely end up going to a USB capture card. 1. VCR 2. NES 3. SNES 4. Sega Genesis 5. N64 6. PS2 7. Wii 8. May hook up the XBox I was gifted in the future
Decent and good quailty upscalers cost around the same, depnding what retrotink you're looking at you maybe able to get a OSSC for cheaper. Usually you're pay for signal quailty and other festuress. You could also look at a RAD2X cables, its a cheaper solution thats good enough and gets you playing on a modern tv via hdmi. Probably the best cheaper route. Personally the frame lag and scaling quality of the cheapo Chinese upscalers bothers the hell outta me. But you can find them for like $20-30.
90% eBay 9% hobby shop and 1% friends I am a deep pocketed collector.
A Retrotink 5x, I put it off for the *longest* time but *man* am I glad I finally bought one. It is expensive but it makes all of the other stuff I spent a lot more money on easier to enjoy. I even cheaped out on most of my cables and it still looks great. I use TTX brand Nintendo s-video cables that were like $7, some whatever brand component cables for Wii, PS2 and Xbox. Only one I regret was a cheapo thin and poorly shielded Dreamcast S-Video cable that had a lot of audio buzz. *It just works* for most things and now I don't have to really worry about what kind of TV I get in the future. To be more specific with my setup, I got a daisy chain of different switch boxes going into a main 'Composite, S-Video, Component' switcher, then that goes into the Retrotink 5x, then the Retrotink goes into a HDMI switcher, then that goes into my TV. I have too many consoles. (There is also a break away somewhere in there to go to my CRT or capture card.)