WELL THIS IS INTERESTING.. Retron 5

[Hazerd]

Sorry for being a bit ignorant on the subject but what negatives does Android Emulation bring to the table? Does it not play a significant amount of games/ play games poorly? Does it have shitty sound conversion?

Im not saying hes right or wrong, im just copying and pasting from youtube, but it seems pretty cheap knowing the cart is not running on actual hardware like an original system would.

I think a lot of people who are excited for this thing don't understand that this isn't a console like other clones, but an closed-source Android based emulation machine that plays roms. The system dumps the cartridge to active rom and then boots that, it doesn't actually run off the carts themselves. This results in a giant looming question over specific compatibility, especially with bootlegs, unlicensed games, flashcarts and reproductions. It's iffy if any of those will work at all given that this dumps the rom and then checks against a database for header info.

I'm interested to see the actual performance of the emulators. As Android based consoles go, the Ouya has this thing completely outclassed in nearly every aspect, since the Ouya can do everything the RetroN5 can and also a whole lot it can't, such as run emulators for much more powerful consoles like the N64, PSP and NDS, plus act as a media center, web browser, and of course, play Ouya games.

Hyperkin's certainly got something interesting on their hands, but it still remains to be seen if their legacy of janky clones can be shed.

Can't wait to make some Ouya vs RetroN5 comparison videos.

[ExedExes]

Newegg.com (where I preordered it) has a release date of 4/30. Hey, it's something better than the answer Hyperkin gives on its Facebook page, "April".

[samsonlonghair]

Newegg.com (where I preordered it) has a release date of 4/30. Hey, it's something better than the answer Hyperkin gives on its Facebook page, "April".

Not exactly. Newegg simply choose the last day in April. That's not really anything better. At least not to me.

Sorry for being a bit ignorant on the subject, but what negatives does Android Emulation bring to the table? Does it not play a significant amount of games/ play games poorly? Does it have shitty sound conversion?

It's not the android part; it's the emulation part. You dig? Hyperkin refuses to admit the Retron 5 runs emulators via android, but the writing is on the wall. Once the device launches, someone can confirm.

Why is this a problem? For the same reason emulation is ever a problem: Authenticity.

Retro gamers want one or all of these things:

• a device that's "authentic" (though there's no consensus on what constitutes "authentic")
• a device that's convenient
• a device that's compatible with HD tvs via HDMI
• a device that works well with old school CRT tvs via component or composite
• a device that supports all controllers perfectly
• a device that allows wireless controllers
• a device that boots cartridges
• a device that runs roms
• and twenty-seven other irrational demands.

There are myriad reasons why it's border-line impossible to build one device to perform all these functions.

Hyperkin is trying hard to make everyone happy. I don't know how well the Retron 5 will work, but I am certain there's one thing it can't do: please everyone.

[samsonlonghair]

This made me smile just a bit. There are a thousand ports of Street Fighter II. Now you can play the worst version on the Retron 5.

[cha cha]

Well I could care less about authentic hardware running the games as long as they run the way I need them to.
I agree on it never being able to please everyone, and to them I say- Enjoy hooking up your 5 systems to your ancient CRT that will eventually die, I will be over here playing on my super space saving device that does everything those 5 monoliths do and more, on any display.

[Jmustang1968]

My problem with this device is that I already have a pc that can do this all. Why do I need this?

[TSTR]

My problem with this device is that I already have a pc that can do this all. Why do I need this?

Yeah, but can you stick your old, dirty carts in your young, nubile PC?

[fastbilly1]

My problem with this device is that I already have a pc that can do this all. Why do I need this?

Yeah, but can you stick your old, dirty carts in your young, nubile PC?

Hooray full circle.

[cha cha]

My logic would be- why drag a PC tower or laptop around to wherever your display is in your 'classic game room' when you can have a system that will do all the configuration and aspect/display correction for you with your other consoles and have it blend in?

If your PC/emulation machine is next to or already within range of a reasonable HDMI/VGA(or any display converter)/Audio cable's length and set up to display on whatever TV you'd use for classic games, then no... imo you don't need this.

I think there is something to be said about popping the original cart into something also. Not a lot of people I know of that run emulators on PC have card/cart readers for old consoles. I think people like being able to dust off the old box and pull out a game and play it...nostalgia and connecting with the old childhood memories and all that junk etc.

[Jmustang1968]

If it was actually running off the cart hardware it would be one thing, but if it just emulating anyway, then it defeats the purpose. Might as well get an Ouya, as was mentioned, that can do more.