WELL THIS IS INTERESTING.. Retron 5

[AppleQueso]

I'm thinking of picking up an AV Famicom anyway since I've been told that's the best NES/Fami variant to get.

I think SatoshiMatrix has a video on NES variants, and mentions an official Nintendo console released in Japan that not only supported S-Video, but also was able to print business cards or something like that. I don't recall if he went over compatibility or not though, and I can't even remember the name of the console at the moment.

Granted, since it is pretty unlikely to come across one, the AV Fami is still probably the best bet.

The Famicom Titler is extremely difficult to find and very expensive.

[TheRev]

I'm thinking of picking up an AV Famicom anyway since I've been told that's the best NES/Fami variant to get. That's also the most compatible.

Not a bad idea. Just make sure whatever NES to Famicom converter you pick up is wired up correctly. Some of them cheap out and don't bother connecting a few of the pins, which leaves you with some compatibility problems.

The Converter I was picking up was the one at Stoneage Gamer.

Now SNES to Super Famicom converters are a PAIN IN THE ASS to find. My preference for a Super Famicom over an SNES is purely a cosmetic one though, not a compatibility one.

My main Genesis issue is the Sega CD, the Model 1 seems to be prone to breaking during shipping and I'd rather have a Model 1 Genesis with Sega CD/32x because frankly, it just looks more bad ass. The Genesis has to at the very least though, be S-Video modded.

[dunpeal2064]

The Famicom Titler is extremely difficult to find and very expensive.

Thats the one. Yeah, I wouldn't say its the plausible choice, but it is the best official release (assuming it has good sound quality and compatibility), so I thought it was worth mentioning.

Has anyone here had the chance to try the MicroGenius or Spica NES clones from the early 90s? Comparing their looks, I would assume these two consoles are identical. I wached a video by Assembler on the Micro, and it appears to have composite and rf out, stereo out (directly from the pcb), and is a top loader. On top of that, it apparently used stolen and after-market Nintendo chips, which would lead me to think it would be of high quality.

However, he didn't show any footage of it in action. I'm wondering if there are any audio issues, as that usually seems to be the biggest offender. Any help with this would be awesome, as I have had no luck trying to research these odd consoles.

[TheRev]

This works in terms of size, but I'm not sure about Compatiblity, Plus it can get expensive on Ebay

http://ultimateconsoledatabase.com/fami ... ilator.htm

[dunpeal2064]

This works in terms of size, but I'm not sure about Compatiblity, Plus it can get expensive on Ebay

http://ultimateconsoledatabase.com/fami ... ilator.htm

That does look interesting. What struck me about the MicroGenius was the quality. From looking at the console physically, it looks like it could be of equal quality to the toaster. I'll try to find the video of it so you guys can check it out.

Edit: Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWZqw2xsgMw

[TheRev]

I saw a smaller famicomesque on Ebay not too long ago.

[irixith]

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/05/retron-4-console-plays-nes-snes-genesis-gba-over-hdmi/

And I'm sure like previous models Compatability and sound will suck Donkey Nuts.

Imagine if they actually built one of these systems with that in mind! It actually angers me on some level that these things exist, because people will buy them. First time buyers, buyers that have never experienced the games on actual hardware. They'll believe that the games are terribad -- not because they are, but because the hardware sucks balls.

Such a shame.

You would think if they put a little effort into making it better that they'd sell more.

[AppleQueso]

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/05/retron-4-console-plays-nes-snes-genesis-gba-over-hdmi/

And I'm sure like previous models Compatability and sound will suck Donkey Nuts.

Imagine if they actually built one of these systems with that in mind! It actually angers me on some level that these things exist, because people will buy them. First time buyers, buyers that have never experienced the games on actual hardware. They'll believe that the games are terribad -- not because they are, but because the hardware sucks balls.

Such a shame.

You would think if they put a little effort into making it better that they'd sell more.

The problem is that the NOACs that these consoles used have pretty much been unchanged since they were first introduced. IIRC, it's still the same chips that were in those old adapters like the Super8 and Tristar.

I imagine the R&D costs alone for trying to make a new System-on-a-chip from scratch would put it far outside of the price range that companies like this want to work in. That said, something a lot pricier aimed squarely at the enthusiasts like us would still be really cool. I'd be willing to plop down some nice cash on a well built, fully compatible NES clone if it had enhancements and stuff like proper RGB or s-video output.

[BoneSnapDeez]

So this is by the same company that made the SupaBoy, correct? I've had my eye on the SupaBoy for some time, but the price tag is $75. No thanks.

I wonder if the Retron 4 will play Super Famicom games too. It should.

[TheRev]

The problem is that the NOACs that these consoles used have pretty much been unchanged since they were first introduced. IIRC, it's still the same chips that were in those old adapters like the Super8 and Tristar.

I've heard and seen good things out of the Super 8 and also that it's quite compatible too.
The only downside is they don't output S-Video

So this is by the same company that made the SupaBoy, correct? I've had my eye on the SupaBoy for some time, but the price tag is $75. No thanks.

I wonder if the Retron 4 will play Super Famicom games too. It should.

All clones play Famicom and Super Famicom games.