S-Video on Scart: it's a limitation of the SCART standard (pinout). - Initially SCART was designed to carry composite video (in both direction) or RGB with composite sync (in one direction only). - S-Video is an extension that was added later. It reuses some pins normally assigned for RGB to do S-Video (in both directions) instead. The Y components go on the composite pin. The C component re-uses pins used for Red (up) or Blue (down) - Pluging the wrong type of cable on the wrong connector could fry it (Wikipedia page has more details). So, to do S-Video over SCART one need a SCART connector that is wired differently. - On old TV that used to be wired statically (e.g.: SCART-1 is RGB input, SCART-2 is S-Video bidirectional). Your RetroTink is wired to do RGB (input) on its SCART. Depending on the analog electronics (can it be resilient to wrong plugging without frying ?), maybe a future firmware could make the SCART input menu-reconfigurable between RGB, S-Video Y/C and component Y/Cr/Cb ?
@@gardiner_bryant Some stuff doesn't emulate super well, either. My N64 is terribly challenging to get right. With the amount of work I'd put into tuning an emulator for each console or game, I might as well just bring out the original hardware. To each their own, though!
@@iEatAnimalz Unfortunately, even a well-tuned emulator is not going to be as accurate as the original console. That's not to say it won't work well. I have them both and have seen many different emulators but playing them on the original consoles is incomparable. Zero latency or lag either, especially playing pm CRT. Emulators have come a long way but they just simply aren't as accurate. Original console is the best.
Is there any difference between a RetroTink 5x and Pro? I genuinely never even noticed this. I don't think my one has the name Pro next to it but looks exactly the same as your one. I really hope I didn't just buy an inferior version or something because that would be annoying. Are you able to save your settings on your one? I'll my one you can't see to. Every time it turns off it just loses all settings and you have to keep changing it every time you start it up. Unless there's a firmware update or something that changes that?
11:45 Gardiner, you're breaking my heart! =D The disc holder has a push-button to release the disc, discs are not supposed to be taken out without pressing it... though you're not the first person on the internet to not do this! =P
Also, I'm not sure whether it works without a digital-out, but setting the output res to 240p in Swiss for Game Boy games instead of 480i should in theory grant a better image quality! =)
But generally, even for the PS2, I feel like image quality in your video is _way_ below what I'd expect. Are you passing a 720p image to your capture device instead of 1080p/1440p? And how are you splitting the image between the CRT and the capture card to begin with?
Hi, can you tell me appromiately how much the box with the 5X unit, remote and cable weighs? Im thinking of ordering one and I want to know how much the full package weighs. Thanks
Wait was the s-video mixup that you selected "S-Video" as output. But you were trying to output via the Scart? Did it not work when you selected Scart as the tink's output?
I’ve done a bit of research on upscalers and found that composite video doesn’t benefit much from upscaling since it is analog signal. As far as I know s-video is an analog signal as well.
It being an analog signal has nothing to do with its quality. Through composite multiple signals get sent through the yellow cable, introducing noise (I think because of interference, but I'm no electronics engineer, so my knowledge is limited). S-Video sends each of the signals usually sent through composite video separately, and if the cables are shielded and of good quality that leads to much better results. But also you can have Component input (YPbPr) or even native RGB as analog signals as well and those outclass composite by a LONG shot. For this video some of the settings aren't optimal, but it's hard to tell what exactly messes up the image, since Gardiner doesn't go into detail with that information. Maybe he can do a follow-up video with some optimized video settings for his setup! =D
Didn't know you were a retro gamer as well. What capture card do you use? I too, have a Tink 5X Pro and just need a capture card to do the same with my setup! Happy (Retro) Gaming! I shall look out for your retro content, in addition to the wonderful Steam Deck coverage!
I just got my 5x on Friday specifically for my Wii, and I got to say, I’m very disappointed with the poor image quality it gives Wii games and how horrible the anti aliasing is on the 5x. The mclassic gives Wii games a billion times way better image quality and cleans up all the jaggies way better than the 5x. 5x is good for gamecube games though.
These use FPGAs, hence the high price. Technically it should be possible to do something similar with good quality high-speed ADCs and a programmable IO controller (like the RP2040 or Raspberry Pi 5 and its RP1).
This isn't some project by a big company- Mike Chi (the creator of these) is a treasure to the vintage computing community and this is a great project of his. Calling for knockoffs because you don't like the price is a bit off the mark if you ask me.
If Adrian's Digital Basement is any kind of reference point, hard pass on any of RetroTINK's offerings. Janky AF as soon as you wade into the weeds with anything slightly niche or older than a game console, you're in a world of hurt.
I literally have plugged in 70s gear into mine, works great. I think the challenge comes from knowing what your hardware is expecting and setting up the scaler accordingly- that's a challenge across all scalers, though.
S-Video on Scart: it's a limitation of the SCART standard (pinout).
- Initially SCART was designed to carry composite video (in both direction) or RGB with composite sync (in one direction only).
- S-Video is an extension that was added later. It reuses some pins normally assigned for RGB to do S-Video (in both directions) instead. The Y components go on the composite pin. The C component re-uses pins used for Red (up) or Blue (down)
- Pluging the wrong type of cable on the wrong connector could fry it (Wikipedia page has more details).
So, to do S-Video over SCART one need a SCART connector that is wired differently.
- On old TV that used to be wired statically (e.g.: SCART-1 is RGB input, SCART-2 is S-Video bidirectional).
Your RetroTink is wired to do RGB (input) on its SCART.
Depending on the analog electronics (can it be resilient to wrong plugging without frying ?), maybe a future firmware could make the SCART input menu-reconfigurable between RGB, S-Video Y/C and component Y/Cr/Cb ?
Nice 👍 so happy for you !!!
I want to digitise some old Hi8 and VHS tapes, how do you think this would compare to the RetroTINK-4K for that?
It would be great
@@gardiner_bryant Which would be better?
The 4K would be overkill
@@gardiner_bryant But wouldn't the TBC in it be better?
I misread your title and thought some update came out. Love that device.
Wouldn't it be a LOT easier just to emulate & upscale using a pc.
You can't play games on original hardware through emulation. That's what I want to do.
@@gardiner_bryant Some stuff doesn't emulate super well, either. My N64 is terribly challenging to get right. With the amount of work I'd put into tuning an emulator for each console or game, I might as well just bring out the original hardware.
To each their own, though!
@@iEatAnimalz Unfortunately, even a well-tuned emulator is not going to be as accurate as the original console. That's not to say it won't work well. I have them both and have seen many different emulators but playing them on the original consoles is incomparable. Zero latency or lag either, especially playing pm CRT. Emulators have come a long way but they just simply aren't as accurate. Original console is the best.
Is there any difference between a RetroTink 5x and Pro? I genuinely never even noticed this. I don't think my one has the name Pro next to it but looks exactly the same as your one. I really hope I didn't just buy an inferior version or something because that would be annoying.
Are you able to save your settings on your one? I'll my one you can't see to. Every time it turns off it just loses all settings and you have to keep changing it every time you start it up. Unless there's a firmware update or something that changes that?
5:20 Just a heads-up, that charging station is from Sabrent not from Anker!
11:45 Gardiner, you're breaking my heart! =D
The disc holder has a push-button to release the disc, discs are not supposed to be taken out without pressing it... though you're not the first person on the internet to not do this! =P
Also, I'm not sure whether it works without a digital-out, but setting the output res to 240p in Swiss for Game Boy games instead of 480i should in theory grant a better image quality! =)
But generally, even for the PS2, I feel like image quality in your video is _way_ below what I'd expect.
Are you passing a 720p image to your capture device instead of 1080p/1440p?
And how are you splitting the image between the CRT and the capture card to begin with?
Hi, can you tell me appromiately how much the box with the 5X unit, remote and cable weighs? Im thinking of ordering one and I want to know how much the full package weighs. Thanks
Thanks for the video but that music is driving me nuts.... the unboxing, I don't know why people do this
Thanks Bro
I glad that you finally afford one now another 4 years save to buy retrothink 4K
Wait was the s-video mixup that you selected "S-Video" as output. But you were trying to output via the Scart? Did it not work when you selected Scart as the tink's output?
The SCART adapter was set to "in" and I guess the S-video on the SCART adapter is for output only.
I’ve done a bit of research on upscalers and found that composite video doesn’t benefit much from upscaling since it is analog signal. As far as I know s-video is an analog signal as well.
It being an analog signal has nothing to do with its quality.
Through composite multiple signals get sent through the yellow cable, introducing noise (I think because of interference, but I'm no electronics engineer, so my knowledge is limited).
S-Video sends each of the signals usually sent through composite video separately, and if the cables are shielded and of good quality that leads to much better results.
But also you can have Component input (YPbPr) or even native RGB as analog signals as well and those outclass composite by a LONG shot.
For this video some of the settings aren't optimal, but it's hard to tell what exactly messes up the image, since Gardiner doesn't go into detail with that information.
Maybe he can do a follow-up video with some optimized video settings for his setup! =D
Kudos for UT99 OST
Didn't know you were a retro gamer as well. What capture card do you use? I too, have a Tink 5X Pro and just need a capture card to do the same with my setup! Happy (Retro) Gaming! I shall look out for your retro content, in addition to the wonderful Steam Deck coverage!
Why does the only 3D game on this video look so dark?
Do try to do these videos with games that have some colour vibrancy and dynamism?
I just got my 5x on Friday specifically for my Wii, and I got to say, I’m very disappointed with the poor image quality it gives Wii games and how horrible the anti aliasing is on the 5x. The mclassic gives Wii games a billion times way better image quality and cleans up all the jaggies way better than the 5x. 5x is good for gamecube games though.
I’d say it was more intended for 2d games but I’d see why it looks disappointing
Minor upgrade. I don't see the difference between 5x Pro and the 4k
4k has more inputs, higher res output, and better HDR support
Is the 5x pro 700 bucks?
@@RetroRockGamer $300
you kind of look like that reseller scum phoenix resells
Micro-usb; fail.
Sponsored content?
According to him not. But if it is true or not? Although I would say it is true else he would have gotten the flagship, the 4k version.
Can’t wait till the cheap knockoffs hit the market. Price of these is laughable.
These use FPGAs, hence the high price.
Technically it should be possible to do something similar with good quality high-speed ADCs and a programmable IO controller (like the RP2040 or Raspberry Pi 5 and its RP1).
This isn't some project by a big company- Mike Chi (the creator of these) is a treasure to the vintage computing community and this is a great project of his. Calling for knockoffs because you don't like the price is a bit off the mark if you ask me.
If Adrian's Digital Basement is any kind of reference point, hard pass on any of RetroTINK's offerings. Janky AF as soon as you wade into the weeds with anything slightly niche or older than a game console, you're in a world of hurt.
I literally have plugged in 70s gear into mine, works great. I think the challenge comes from knowing what your hardware is expecting and setting up the scaler accordingly- that's a challenge across all scalers, though.