I know this review is 2 years old...but I want to give a huge shout out to the LevelHike Saturn cable. I just love mine, looks much better on my 42" LED tv in Game mode than the Saturn does on a CRT via composite. The colors really pop, and polygons are much more crisp. An absolute winner for $30. Would I love to have a RetroTink someday, sure! But that's $300, literally ten times the price. And with FrameMeister going for over a grand nowadays, well, there's just no comparison.
Retrotink is a better device than the Framemeister, has less input lag, there is a Retrotink Mini that is $90 that maxes out with S video if RGB isn't a priority.
You’re about the only youtuber that has an opinion that isn’t bought. That alone makes this worth it. Also, I’m ready to plug my Saturn in again for the first time in ages and a $30 entry to HD is perfect. Thanks.
For anyone wondering, I have the Pound HDMI cable and it is about the same quality as this one EXCEPT is does NOT have the 16:9 vs 4:3 switch. Also, it seems to have a little bit of motion blur... So it looks like the level hike is a better cheap HDMI device than the Pound.
Honestly, I'm glad this device exists. While the Framemeister looks really sharp and high-res, it also never ever looked like that on a CRT TV or monitor. I actually think, looking at this device, it looks a lot more like you would've experienced these games in the past.
Coming at a product like this presents its challenges. I'm a CRT purist that has access to boxes like the Framemeister, OSSC, and Retrotink. It's REALLY easy to just blast the facts and really hammer the lower end devices like the LevelHike HDMI products. I really did try to look at it from the position of someone not wanting to fool around with more expensive/inconvenient options, and give an honest assessment of its worth to them. Sometimes you just have to admit a product is not aimed at you, and then find the market that it would have appeal towards.
At the end of the day, I’m more concerned about how these types of devices compare to original hook ups than I am to how they compare to products that aren’t even manufactured anymore. Thank you for taking the time to address *both* ends of that argument.
I had the level hike and it was the best budget HDMI cable for the Saturn. I went through 2 of them and when the second messed up i got the RetroScaler2x. I run an S-video cable into it and then run that through my MClassic and set it to retro mode which outputs the image in 4:3 at 1440p to my gaming monitor. Usually the RetroScaler2x is around $80 or $90, i found it on Aliexpress for $35 though. I think on a smaller budget for whats currently on the market the RetroScaler2x + mClassic is the best combination. I would like to see it compared with still screenshots and moving gameplay against both the Level Hike and the Framemeister to see how it stacks up. Anyways i enjoyed the video, i love all your content, thanks.
I forgot to thank you in my previous comment. You give us Saturn fan boys so many games from Japan and help Us in many other ways that most of us would never know to look for. You truly are the Sega Lord!! ;)
I was impressed with the Retrotink's performance with S-Video. I think if you find lower end, cheaper cables like this problematic, Retrotink is a good alternative.
Here's how I see it: Playing my Saturn on my HDTV looks terrible using the composite video cable. On the old boob tubes, it looked fine because that was the standard. As long as it looks better than using composite cables AND looks better than it does on a boob tube, I'll take it! Great review sir!!
I'd not seen that Levelhike had made one for the Saturn. I've got one for my PS1 arriving tomorrow. I've opted for the Rad2x for the Saturn instead. It cost me £60, but I'm not getting it until January. It's nice to see that there's other options though. I've already got HD upscalers for my Dreamcast and N64, and my Levelhike PS1 upscaler is arriving tomorrow. It's somewhat ironic, considering the Saturn has always been my favourite, that I've waited so long to acquire one for it!
Sega LordX! You’re always the first stop when I have SEGA related questions or want to check reviews. Aplomb! Have you tried the Levelhike in combo with the MClassic? My only trouble with the mclassic is knowing if I should select “green light” or “blue light.” Hard to find any answers. But using both in tandem, what do you think? I have original Saturn hardware and a Vizio 65” m657-G0 4k/UHD, HDR 10+ QLED TV and I LOVE IT! :)
All things considered it's not that bad. What I use is HD Retrovision cables through a Framemister all TV settings off and with Firebrand X profiles for both high resolution and 240p modes. The framemister is only as good as the Cables you're using and your settings. I might get the level hike cable for 480i games that mess with my Framemister.
@Al Capawn I use a JP21 cable for my Genesis. Another HD Retrovision for my Super Famicom, Monster Cable for PS2 Dreamcast is the odd one out, there's alot of red color bleeding in some games through S-video and Dreamcast s-video cables are GARBAGE. Somebody told me the Pound cable is good and to avoid the Bahar Brothers boxes. I really don't want to Mod my Dreamcast. But I digress.
The idea of HDMI cables for the Saturn is good! The Quality is another story... BTW: There is a guy on eBay, who sells homemade YUV (component) cables for the Saturn.
Re Sound: Apparently years ago the pin out for the AV connector was put online and they got the sound channels mixed up and it seems that was the genesis reference point of all (well most) Saturn AV pinouts. It's supprising that this error isn't picked up on products testing. While understandable on the dirt cheap cables you would think more dedicated products would have this error ironed out.
@@SegaLordX Does the unit look like it's easy to open, with screws preferably? If so it's probably possible to desolder the incoming wires and resolder them the right way round. Not that it should be a problem for users to fix... but for those with the capability it's an option. Hopefully it is something the makers fix in an updated batch. Curse that original pin out diagram that got it wrong!!!
It's a simple box to open. I took it apart to check that it had the RGB coming into the PCB. You could definitely fix the audio issue yourself. Levelhike should have the issue fixed soon.
@@SegaLordX Did you highlight the issue to them? Did they specifically say to you that they will fix the issue? The cable probably isn't really worth me getting. Being in the UK I have fairly easy access to Scart cables, most of which are RGB as standard. That said, for the right price it would be handy to have as an extra option. But I imagion the only way to get one would be importing. I guess we shall see. I am interested in what direct communication you had with the company about the cable, if any.
I just got my first PVM this year and it led me to pick up my first Saturn. It looks amazing in 240p scart or S-video! Anyone interested should check offerup/craigslist/facebook for a $0-$20 13"-20" CRT with component or S-video inputs and look how great these games look on the displays they were designed for. Check out r/crtgaming on Reddit to see how great an image you can get for less than the cost of the cheapest HDMI converter.
J C I use a custom S-Video cable on an older 22” flat panel. Looks really good, and the colors really pop! Wish I had room for a big CRT... I’d so go there. Lol! I’d be willing to try this cable out though. Probably do my space situation good.
I also play my Saturn on a CRT, but it has component, and I've been curious about those component cable ls they made for the Genesis, SNES, with adapter to use them on the Saturn
I mean, if the Saturn is your only retro system and you don't want to pay the extra money it's a good but. Really though, anyone who games these days with these older consoles might as well do it the right way and use the SCART/HDMI upscaler, but one doesn't need to spend the bread in a Framemiester. The $30 upscaler will do.
What about the Pound HDMI HD Link Cable? I have that and it looks awesome, very clear image and so far no noticeable lag or game breaking image blur and the stereo channels are Not reversed.
LevelHike said it's only cable with stereo in the proper left to right channels, so I bought it. It has vents so I'm going have to flip it to keep it from overheating and frying. I like the aspect to ratio option.
My crt tv died on me a couple of days ago and now I'm looking for another unit. The one I used the Saturn with I hooked up using the s video output but I haven't found any on sale that have that output so getting this would probably help me in the near future. Thank you Sega lord x!
You know, this isnt a popular opinion but I actually think the Framemeister looks overly sharp. The color on the Framemeister is represented better but I'm not into how grainy it looks.
Sponsors and devs contacting you? Congratz!!! I have come really far and i'm happy you are growing everyday! About the video, i think they should have a way to toggle the softener, bc it may don't look as good in 2D games, but Sega Rally looked amazing so 3D games may benefit for the soft look
This cable seems excellent for the price. The audio fuck up though kills it for me. I hope they make another version in the future fixing that nonsense.
I'm using the Xtreme version 2 cable. It has the 16:9/4:3 switch and the separate HDMI cable. It looks amazing compared to the composite cable. Looks like it's the same as this cable.
@@ryanyoder7573 Here is the link. I was just trying Vampire Savior. I have the game set to stereo and tried to tell which speaker the sound was coming from. The voices and fireballs came from both speakers so I don't know it the audio is fixed or not. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G3XSJ7F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I think these products are meant for US audiences where HDMI-only TVs seem to be the norm, and SCART was never a thing. Unless your TV does a bad job of processing RGB signals from SCART, then no I don't think this cheaper option is worth it - nor is the metal SCART->HDMI box he's holding at the start. They do the same thing as your TV. The main problem you'll find with TV built-in SCART though is that it's not likely to handle 240p correctly and instead treat it like 480i. This causes a 25/30fps image instead of a full 50/60hz image and doesn't display flickering effects properly (e.g. some 8-bit games do this to indicate invincibility or for shadows). The RetroTink2x is designed to handle 240p properly and upscale to 480p - to me that sounds like a useful replacement to TV SCART, but far more expensive and harder to get hold of, and only useful for composite or s-video.
Likely, no, unless you have a really bad TV at upscaling. TV's in the US do not have an easy way to get RGB signals to them, so this is more a thing for us. If you are rocking a TV with RGB SCART connections, you should be fine.
I have this levelhike adapter and I really like it. I paired it with a SEIKI U-vision upconverter HDMI cable and it really helps and improves the image by alot.
I don't get it, The Dreamcast is a more powerful system but is only 480p while the Saturn a much less powerful system is 720p. Why is the Dreamcast a lower resolution?
That's more related to the scaler than the systems, most HDMI scalers from Pound, Hyperkin, Levelhike etc are just passthrough from VGA to HDMI on the Dreamcast, hence 480p, but the Saturn needs upscaled to 720p as most TVs and monitors have a hard time with 240p.
I don't really know why people are eager to have razor sharp pixels. Most of us played this on a mid to low tier CRT back in the day. It's never been sharp at all. Also I don't like how Sega Genesis and Saturn approach to transparency if they are not properly blurred.
It's a taste that has been acquired thanks to RGB upscaling and emulation. We live in an era of HD visuals, and it's an addicting upgrade not easily dismissed.
Since I game on a CRT for myself, the only irritation it presents is when capturing for UA-cam videos. And yes, it's definitely something that irritates, especially when the switch cause the ElGato to hang.
i paired this device with an mclassic and it looked amazing. no ghosting or motion blur. colors were vibrant and the picture was not overly soft. definitely give it a try!
You mentioned that the RetroTink 2X looked better than this. Is that with composite? I'm currently running my Saturn's composite cable into a RetroTink 2X, and it looks okay, but not great. I'm looking to upgrade my picture. I do have a Saturn RGB SCART cable, but both of the cheap SCART to HDMI upscalers that I have bought were duds right out of the box. I'm considering getting a Saturn component cable from HD Retrovision to run through my RetroTink, but that's another $100 spent. I don't need the absolute best quality, but I'd like something good that takes advantage of the Saturn's native RGB output. No lag is also important since I mostly play racing and fighting games.
@@SegaLordX I use S Video for my N64 and I'm happy enough with it. Best I can do without modifying the thing for RGB. But component should be better than that. I'll check out S video options. HD Retrovision's component cables works for Genesis and Saturn via an adapter, so I may still fork out the money. But you'd recommend S Video + Retro Tink over this plug and play HDMI cable then?
Hi there. Are you referring the left and right audio cross? 🤔 Or some other audio issue? I just ordered one and should be here this Friday, just wondering what to expect.
Thanks for the review. This confirms I don’t want those expensive conversion options. I hate the way they look and like the screen captures from this much better.
I read Levelhike fixed the reversed audio channel problem and is selling the updated cable on amazon but do you know if others that make hdmi cables for the system fixed that problem yet too?
@@SegaLordX I can confirm that Pound didn't fix their hdmi cable yet since I have one now. I fired up SFA2 right away to check the audio and it's still reversed with their cable. >_>
Nice review. I probably might be able to get used to the left and right audio channels being switched. But the picture was actually pretty decent for a $30 device. I might consider this as an option until I pick up my framemeister in the future.
Any way you could do a 3 way comparison starting with regular old cables and moving up to the Level Hike and then to ElGato? That way we could really see the difference?
"My life in Gaming" has done this extensively...ok, they haven't done it with the LevelHike but they're the best when it comes to comparing AV, S-video, composite, RGB, scart, HDMI, with various upscalers. Worth checking out if you already haven't.
How does this handle PAL region games? The Pound one crops the image but doesn't for US/JP games. Since I think it only grabs 240 lines no matter what to upscale and PAL is 288 lines.
Come at me, but the Framemeister pixel perfect aesthetic is not at all how these pre-Dreamcast console games were meant to look. Bring on more devices like this. A much better image than composite video cables into an HDTV, but still an honest interpretation of games that were not meant to be seen pixel by pixel.
@@SegaLordX Love your videos because you actually know these games now and then. Obviously this isn't you, but I think many who didn't experience these games when they were new think that's actually how they're supposed to look. They get hooked on an aesthetic that is a relatively new invention. More power to them if that's what they like but I don't care about it...I do care about my consoles looking like crap on an HDTV with just composite cables though. "Perfect" is definitely not that look for pre DC games.
I was gonna buy one but I remembered they won't even return my emails regarding my PSP to HDMI adaptor that stopped working after ONE TIME. It worked once, then will not work again. I've tried multiple times with different TVs and different cables. Still doesn't work. I warn anyone looking to buy LevelHike products, I've emailed them 3 times cause they include a card saying they stand by their products. They may not respond to your emails if or when your product stops working. I'm gonna try Hyperkin instead.
Nice review! I currently use a SCART to HDMI box like the one you showed. I love it! For how cheap it is the picture looks great. Especially with those 2D fighters. I take it the LevelHike’s picture quality wouldn’t be better if i were to switch to it?
How does this handle games like Die Hard Arcade that have frequent resolution changes? Games like this are almost unplayable when using a OSSC/Framemeister.
What about interlaced high res games? Couldn't see in the video if Virtua Fighter 2 is displayed correctly (flickering but in high resolution), without any flicker but high res or in "240p" low res as emulators do (by removing interlacing so it halfs the resolution). necessary to know before buying.
The big problem I have with my HD TV is that the picture is always overly bright. I believe I have the composite cables hooked up but doing something as simple as turning down the brightness doesn't fix the picture. It's just bright for some reason.
People also remember if you are useing 27" pc monitor you dont really see any difference. I have also both and can say if you dont use 42" or 55" tv to play its really same which you choose. Also i dont really see point to play old consoles in huge tvs when your resolution is like 640x480 or under because it will looks so poor comparing to under 30" monitors.
GeminiBlount alright, no harm asking! Actually I don’t have a Saturn but I want one. Just don’t want to pay 90 bucks for a used one. If it was refurbished I would pay even more! I’m not trusting some 20 year old crusty old system for that much though.
And you can get a used saturn pretty cheap now. I just picked up another one because my Japanese one died. It was only $35! There's a guy out here in Vegas that's very reasonable. He owns Gamer's Paradise. Look him up!
If i want such simple splation, i don’t want to have any trade offs,no blurring,no ghosting,no stereo swapped audio,this is definitely a deal braker for me, what are they thinking😡👇
I currently use a RetroTINK-2X and HD Retrovision Cables going into my Elgato HD60s so I can stream or capture footage. I am watching the video right now and while it looks pretty good I am concerned with the smoothing that appears to be going on. I would much rather prefer to have the option of keeping the sharpness vs the auto smoothing. If you don't care about that kind of thing then this will probably be right up your alley, but the audio channels being switched is of concern.
I watched a device that allows you to use any gamepad controller on any console, but what about the gun or zapper on lcd tvs or monitors? I'd love to play the house of the dead and virtua cop 1 and 2 on my decent lcd 21" tv/monitor
I truly trust your opinions... so many big channels have just become shills. You look and sounds very humble and honest. Thank you for your review. Sound to me like these cables will be good for me when I just want to play on a big modern TV when I'm streaming or need capture software I'll still to my Retro Tink or OSSC. Wish you continued success my Sega brotha!
This is shit! I have a FRAMEMEISTER and the saturn is one of the most beautiful looking Consoles when connected to it! The SATURN has RAZERSHARP pixels on a 4K TV. It is more gorgeous than emulation and plays ultra smooth with no lag.
@@nicolasrolke3538 Sure that attitude can make sense, but in this case you would need a good amount more than two purchases to come near the same cost as a Framemeister. For sure this item is a downgrade from a Framemeister. But for those who want a cost effective way to connect a Saturn through a HDMI port it seems like a worthy product. Ideally the best option is to use a straight (balanced) RGB signal going into a CRT T.V. Zero lag and you can play the Light Gun games too.
Two questions: 1) did they get the L and R audio channels correct? (saw you answered it, this is because the diagrams originally were reversed on the pinout for the system back when sega was making the diagram.) 2) is it upscaled RGB or S-video?
I'm using S-Video for my N64, Saturn, PS, SNES and S-Video modded Genesis/CD/32X to S-Video switch then to S-Video to HDMI converter to LG OLED at 720p.
Has there been any word from the company making these cables about fixing the reversed audio problem and maybe making other improvements? I'm still holding off on getting any hdmi cable for the system until that problem has been fixed.
Just guessing here but if it's not having to shift from 240p to 480i during scaling shifts to give you the black screen then it's not an actual scaler. The more I see this one and other vids I'm betting this is a line triple type device since 240 triples to 720.
I appreciate the vid but you should have done side by side comparisons on the _same_ levels, with same characters/cars/whatever. Also would have been nice to have some 300% side by side close ups to really show the difference in sharpness. I can certainly see the differences in image quality but you missed a ton of opportunities to do some good comparisons.
I understand what you are saying, but honestly, I felt the difference was so stark between the Framemeister and the LevelHike cable, you really only needed to see it once. I leaned more towards showing you as much of the LevelHike itself so you could decide its worth to you. I know it was less "educational", but I didn't want a video with every other sentence being, "and as you can see here, it's better/sharper/cleaner on the Framemeister". If that makes any sense.
Have you heard of these cables? I have a Saturn and a CDX one pre-ordered. Can't wait to get them and try them out! 😀 www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/SEGA-SATURN-PAL-NTSC-HD-RAD2X-HDMI-480P-CABLE?search=Rad2x
Never buy classic games stuff off Amazon... you can usually expect to pay at least double the already overpriced Ebay prices. My guess is enough people fall for the Amazon Marketplace prices for those sellers to keep trying to screw people.
Well that's another hdmi cable for the saturn I'm not getting until the left and right audio channels are fixed. I hope you let the company that made the cable know about this and how it must be fixed because there are games where sound cues are used and the reversed audio won't be helping those games in any way.
![[UA] NAVI проти G2 Esports | Blast Premier Fall Final](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QWlIm4FGESQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Looking good, SLX. You look healthy and your beard suggests wisdom. You are the internet’s Sega Saturn SAGE! 😂😂😂
Totally agree. Something very genuine from this man.
Totally loving the beard, alright. Mildly jealous.
I guess it is quite off topic but does anyone know a good website to watch new series online ?
I know this review is 2 years old...but I want to give a huge shout out to the LevelHike Saturn cable. I just love mine, looks much better on my 42" LED tv in Game mode than the Saturn does on a CRT via composite. The colors really pop, and polygons are much more crisp. An absolute winner for $30. Would I love to have a RetroTink someday, sure! But that's $300, literally ten times the price. And with FrameMeister going for over a grand nowadays, well, there's just no comparison.
Retrotink is a better device than the Framemeister, has less input lag, there is a Retrotink Mini that is $90 that maxes out with S video if RGB isn't a priority.
Rule no 5. Nothing replaces a CRT for retro gaming.
You’re about the only youtuber that has an opinion that isn’t bought. That alone makes this worth it. Also, I’m ready to plug my Saturn in again for the first time in ages and a $30 entry to HD is perfect. Thanks.
I like my image softer. I prefer how this looks to those more expensive devices you mentioned. I'll be picking up one of these.
For anyone wondering, I have the Pound HDMI cable and it is about the same quality as this one EXCEPT is does NOT have the 16:9 vs 4:3 switch. Also, it seems to have a little bit of motion blur... So it looks like the level hike is a better cheap HDMI device than the Pound.
If you connect the pound cable with the Mclassic the picture quality is amazing
Honestly, I'm glad this device exists. While the Framemeister looks really sharp and high-res, it also never ever looked like that on a CRT TV or monitor. I actually think, looking at this device, it looks a lot more like you would've experienced these games in the past.
I was about to buy it until you mentioned the stereo swap. WHAT THE HELL.
Finally, someone that can review an entry-level product without constantly saying "this is crap".
Coming at a product like this presents its challenges. I'm a CRT purist that has access to boxes like the Framemeister, OSSC, and Retrotink. It's REALLY easy to just blast the facts and really hammer the lower end devices like the LevelHike HDMI products. I really did try to look at it from the position of someone not wanting to fool around with more expensive/inconvenient options, and give an honest assessment of its worth to them. Sometimes you just have to admit a product is not aimed at you, and then find the market that it would have appeal towards.
@@SegaLordX 👍
@@SegaLordX That and it's also what all the companies tell the youtubers to say. Pretty damn obvious.
At the end of the day, I’m more concerned about how these types of devices compare to original hook ups than I am to how they compare to products that aren’t even manufactured anymore. Thank you for taking the time to address *both* ends of that argument.
You should've shown what Virtual On, Nights, and Madden 98 looks like with this device. Those games look great trust me!
I had the level hike and it was the best budget HDMI cable for the Saturn. I went through 2 of them and when the second messed up i got the RetroScaler2x. I run an S-video cable into it and then run that through my MClassic and set it to retro mode which outputs the image in 4:3 at 1440p to my gaming monitor. Usually the RetroScaler2x is around $80 or $90, i found it on Aliexpress for $35 though. I think on a smaller budget for whats currently on the market the RetroScaler2x + mClassic is the best combination. I would like to see it compared with still screenshots and moving gameplay against both the Level Hike and the Framemeister to see how it stacks up. Anyways i enjoyed the video, i love all your content, thanks.
I just ordered a Retroscaler2x myself.
I forgot to thank you in my previous comment. You give us Saturn fan boys so many games from Japan and help
Us in many other ways that most of us would never know to look for. You truly are the Sega Lord!! ;)
Combine this with the m-cable
I wondered that myself how much it would improve the picture?
If you are willing to spend that kind of cash, just grab a better option like the Retrotink or OSSC.
@@SegaLordX is retrotink worth it at $99? I'd use it with S-video cable on my Saturn, I'm not aware of a Saturn RGB cable.
I was impressed with the Retrotink's performance with S-Video. I think if you find lower end, cheaper cables like this problematic, Retrotink is a good alternative.
Here's how I see it: Playing my Saturn on my HDTV looks terrible using the composite video cable. On the old boob tubes, it looked fine because that was the standard. As long as it looks better than using composite cables AND looks better than it does on a boob tube, I'll take it! Great review sir!!
good boi
That’s my perspective.
I'd not seen that Levelhike had made one for the Saturn. I've got one for my PS1 arriving tomorrow. I've opted for the Rad2x for the Saturn instead. It cost me £60, but I'm not getting it until January.
It's nice to see that there's other options though. I've already got HD upscalers for my Dreamcast and N64, and my Levelhike PS1 upscaler is arriving tomorrow. It's somewhat ironic, considering the Saturn has always been my favourite, that I've waited so long to acquire one for it!
Sega LordX! You’re always the first stop when I have SEGA related questions or want to check reviews. Aplomb! Have you tried the Levelhike in combo with the MClassic? My only trouble with the mclassic is knowing if I should select “green light” or “blue light.” Hard to find any answers. But using both in tandem, what do you think? I have original Saturn hardware and a Vizio 65” m657-G0 4k/UHD, HDR 10+ QLED TV and I LOVE IT! :)
All things considered it's not that bad.
What I use is HD Retrovision cables through a Framemister all TV settings off and with Firebrand X profiles for both high resolution and 240p modes.
The framemister is only as good as the Cables you're using and your settings.
I might get the level hike cable for 480i games that mess with my Framemister.
@Al Capawn I use a JP21 cable for my Genesis. Another HD Retrovision for my Super Famicom, Monster Cable for PS2
Dreamcast is the odd one out, there's alot of red color bleeding in some games through S-video and Dreamcast s-video cables are GARBAGE. Somebody told me the Pound cable is good and to avoid the Bahar Brothers boxes. I really don't want to Mod my Dreamcast.
But I digress.
The idea of HDMI cables for the Saturn is good! The Quality is another story...
BTW: There is a guy on eBay, who sells homemade YUV (component) cables for the Saturn.
I want!
Re Sound: Apparently years ago the pin out for the AV connector was put online and they got the sound channels mixed up and it seems that was the genesis reference point of all (well most) Saturn AV pinouts.
It's supprising that this error isn't picked up on products testing. While understandable on the dirt cheap cables you would think more dedicated products would have this error ironed out.
You'd think the guys making it would notice it in QC testing. I mean playing a fighting game its immediate.
@@SegaLordX Does the unit look like it's easy to open, with screws preferably? If so it's probably possible to desolder the incoming wires and resolder them the right way round. Not that it should be a problem for users to fix... but for those with the capability it's an option.
Hopefully it is something the makers fix in an updated batch.
Curse that original pin out diagram that got it wrong!!!
It's a simple box to open. I took it apart to check that it had the RGB coming into the PCB. You could definitely fix the audio issue yourself. Levelhike should have the issue fixed soon.
@@SegaLordX Did you highlight the issue to them? Did they specifically say to you that they will fix the issue?
The cable probably isn't really worth me getting. Being in the UK I have fairly easy access to Scart cables, most of which are RGB as standard.
That said, for the right price it would be handy to have as an extra option. But I imagion the only way to get one would be importing. I guess we shall see. I am interested in what direct communication you had with the company about the cable, if any.
@@SegaLordX Also, thanks for the information about being able to open up the unit and the access to incoming wires.
I just got my first PVM this year and it led me to pick up my first Saturn. It looks amazing in 240p scart or S-video! Anyone interested should check offerup/craigslist/facebook for a $0-$20 13"-20" CRT with component or S-video inputs and look how great these games look on the displays they were designed for. Check out r/crtgaming on Reddit to see how great an image you can get for less than the cost of the cheapest HDMI converter.
I play Saturn on my 27 inch CRT TV via S-Video. Good enough for me.
J C I use a custom S-Video cable on an older 22” flat panel. Looks really good, and the colors really pop! Wish I had room for a big CRT... I’d so go there. Lol!
I’d be willing to try this cable out though. Probably do my space situation good.
I also play my Saturn on a CRT, but it has component, and I've been curious about those component cable ls they made for the Genesis, SNES, with adapter to use them on the Saturn
Get a good quality 13"-ish CRT, I found a Toshiba 14", with component, for free at a garage sale, has a beautiful picture
I mean, if the Saturn is your only retro system and you don't want to pay the extra money it's a good but. Really though, anyone who games these days with these older consoles might as well do it the right way and use the SCART/HDMI upscaler, but one doesn't need to spend the bread in a Framemiester. The $30 upscaler will do.
I'm a Xbox and Switch player, but boy this chanel is one of the best! Thank you for your work SLX!
What about the Pound HDMI HD Link Cable? I have that and it looks awesome, very clear image and so far no noticeable lag or game breaking image blur and the stereo channels are Not reversed.
with the RGB SCART to HDMI you can force 4:3 aspect ratio on some TVs, but it depends on the manufacturer/model, I can do it on my low end 720p LG TV
LevelHike said it's only cable with stereo in the proper left to right channels, so I bought it. It has vents so I'm going have to flip it to keep it from overheating and frying. I like the aspect to ratio option.
My crt tv died on me a couple of days ago and now I'm looking for another unit. The one I used the Saturn with I hooked up using the s video output but I haven't found any on sale that have that output so getting this would probably help me in the near future. Thank you Sega lord x!
Shienryu looks "swimmy," like the pixels are uneven. For thirty dollars, I guess you have to take what you can get.
You know, this isnt a popular opinion but I actually think the Framemeister looks overly sharp. The color on the Framemeister is represented better but I'm not into how grainy it looks.
Yes, I noticed the audio swapped when playing Alpha 2, so I opened up look for the audio wires cut it and resolder it to the right pin...easy fix.
I’m sold. Thanks man. Need a quick fix. Don’t need anything too fancy for now
Sponsors and devs contacting you? Congratz!!! I have come really far and i'm happy you are growing everyday!
About the video, i think they should have a way to toggle the softener, bc it may don't look as good in 2D games, but Sega Rally looked amazing so 3D games may benefit for the soft look
He's an absolute power house with his video output. He deserves attention!
He's an absolute power house with his video output. He deserves attention!
This cable seems excellent for the price. The audio fuck up though kills it for me. I hope they make another version in the future fixing that nonsense.
480i instead of 240p, no thanks.
I wish there existed a modern sega console that can handle acceptable upscaling of Saturn games like ps3 does for psx and ps2
I'm using the Xtreme version 2 cable. It has the 16:9/4:3 switch and the separate HDMI cable. It looks amazing compared to the composite cable. Looks like it's the same as this cable.
@Equinsu Ocha It's 720p. 😀
Post a link and does it have the audio issue
@@ryanyoder7573 Here is the link. I was just trying Vampire Savior. I have the game set to stereo and tried to tell which speaker the sound was coming from. The voices and fireballs came from both speakers so I don't know it the audio is fixed or not. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G3XSJ7F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
@@ryanyoder7573 This review is where I learned about it. ua-cam.com/video/d1S9B9e--ok/v-deo.html
Thank you for this review, it was outstanding!
If you love the Saturn, get an OSSC and a Retro Gaming Cables UK Scart cable. Trust me, it’s worth it. Amazing picture quality and zero lag.
Dig the honesty of the product is a demo review and honest commentary. Great vid!
Anyone tested Levelhike cable in combination with mClassic ?
So I guess the HYPERKIN HDMI CABLE is very much the same
SHining Force 3 looks so great in HDMI.
The only sega opinion that's matters! 🤙🏻✌🏻
As a PAL region gamer with access to RGB scart on my modern TV is this still a worthwhile purchase do you think?
I think these products are meant for US audiences where HDMI-only TVs seem to be the norm, and SCART was never a thing. Unless your TV does a bad job of processing RGB signals from SCART, then no I don't think this cheaper option is worth it - nor is the metal SCART->HDMI box he's holding at the start. They do the same thing as your TV.
The main problem you'll find with TV built-in SCART though is that it's not likely to handle 240p correctly and instead treat it like 480i. This causes a 25/30fps image instead of a full 50/60hz image and doesn't display flickering effects properly (e.g. some 8-bit games do this to indicate invincibility or for shadows). The RetroTink2x is designed to handle 240p properly and upscale to 480p - to me that sounds like a useful replacement to TV SCART, but far more expensive and harder to get hold of, and only useful for composite or s-video.
Likely, no, unless you have a really bad TV at upscaling. TV's in the US do not have an easy way to get RGB signals to them, so this is more a thing for us. If you are rocking a TV with RGB SCART connections, you should be fine.
Thank you for the reply. I figured as much but, as TV manufacturers look to drop legacy connections this might be a future necessity
I have this levelhike adapter and I really like it.
I paired it with a SEIKI U-vision upconverter HDMI cable and it really helps and improves the image by alot.
Seiki U-Vision? Is that like an Mcable?
I don't get it, The Dreamcast is a more powerful system but is only 480p while the Saturn a much less powerful system is 720p. Why is the Dreamcast a lower resolution?
That's more related to the scaler than the systems, most HDMI scalers from Pound, Hyperkin, Levelhike etc are just passthrough from VGA to HDMI on the Dreamcast, hence 480p, but the Saturn needs upscaled to 720p as most TVs and monitors have a hard time with 240p.
you get a like just from the fact you played with Ryu :)
Sadly you have to HAVE SAID Saturn...
I don't really know why people are eager to have razor sharp pixels. Most of us played this on a mid to low tier CRT back in the day. It's never been sharp at all. Also I don't like how Sega Genesis and Saturn approach to transparency if they are not properly blurred.
It's a taste that has been acquired thanks to RGB upscaling and emulation. We live in an era of HD visuals, and it's an addicting upgrade not easily dismissed.
Man thank you for making this video LevelHike looks way better than the Extreme SS cable. I'm definitely ordering one.
9:12 - I would be pissed if my multi-hundred dollar scaling box couldn't deal with resolution changes and this $25-50 device can.
Since I game on a CRT for myself, the only irritation it presents is when capturing for UA-cam videos. And yes, it's definitely something that irritates, especially when the switch cause the ElGato to hang.
It's look better on the level hike than the framemeister.
Just use a CRT tv, it looks best for retro games.
i paired this device with an mclassic and it looked amazing. no ghosting or motion blur. colors were vibrant and the picture was not overly soft. definitely give it a try!
I use an official Saturn Japanese Svideo cable on a Sony Wega CRT. I play my games in thier respective era. 😊
I also play my retro on a CRT, but honesty playing it in 4:3 is the most important thing. ;)
You mentioned that the RetroTink 2X looked better than this. Is that with composite? I'm currently running my Saturn's composite cable into a RetroTink 2X, and it looks okay, but not great. I'm looking to upgrade my picture. I do have a Saturn RGB SCART cable, but both of the cheap SCART to HDMI upscalers that I have bought were duds right out of the box. I'm considering getting a Saturn component cable from HD Retrovision to run through my RetroTink, but that's another $100 spent. I don't need the absolute best quality, but I'd like something good that takes advantage of the Saturn's native RGB output. No lag is also important since I mostly play racing and fighting games.
Actually, using S-Video with a Retrotink improves image considerably.
@@SegaLordX I use S Video for my N64 and I'm happy enough with it. Best I can do without modifying the thing for RGB. But component should be better than that. I'll check out S video options. HD Retrovision's component cables works for Genesis and Saturn via an adapter, so I may still fork out the money. But you'd recommend S Video + Retro Tink over this plug and play HDMI cable then?
The current stock of these now has the audio issue fixed to any watching this now.
Hi there. Are you referring the left and right audio cross? 🤔 Or some other audio issue?
I just ordered one and should be here this Friday, just wondering what to expect.
It sounds like they were "inspired" by the Xtreme cable when designing their solution (which has the same audio switch fault).
It's because of old information online where the pinout is backwards. Point, Hyperkin, Xtreme, LevelHike, etc... they are all from the same ODM.
Thanks for the review. This confirms I don’t want those expensive conversion options. I hate the way they look and like the screen captures from this much better.
These reviews are great. I plan on getting a Saturn in the future. Nice to see options
Get a Saturn today! Or start hawking for games, they are so expensive compared to when I started my Saturn collection...
I bought a quality hand made s-video cables for my Saturn and they look more crisp than this (but ofcourse they cost more also).
Just got my Saturn the other day. Im sold on levelhike. This looks perfect.
I read Levelhike fixed the reversed audio channel problem and is selling the updated cable on amazon but do you know if others that make hdmi cables for the system fixed that problem yet too?
Yeah, Levelhike fixed the audio issue. Not sure about the other guys, though.
@@SegaLordX I can confirm that Pound didn't fix their hdmi cable yet since I have one now. I fired up SFA2 right away to check the audio and it's still reversed with their cable. >_>
Nice review. I probably might be able to get used to the left and right audio channels being switched. But the picture was actually pretty decent for a $30 device. I might consider this as an option until I pick up my framemeister in the future.
hey slx have you tried the rad2x cable for saturn?
I have. It's pretty decent.
Any way you could do a 3 way comparison starting with regular old cables and moving up to the Level Hike and then to ElGato? That way we could really see the difference?
"My life in Gaming" has done this extensively...ok, they haven't done it with the LevelHike but they're the best when it comes to comparing AV, S-video, composite, RGB, scart, HDMI, with various upscalers. Worth checking out if you already haven't.
I had no idea that a Frameister went black when the resolution changes. That would be a deal breaker for me, at any price.
How does this handle PAL region games? The Pound one crops the image but doesn't for US/JP games. Since I think it only grabs 240 lines no matter what to upscale and PAL is 288 lines.
Come at me, but the Framemeister pixel perfect aesthetic is not at all how these pre-Dreamcast console games were meant to look. Bring on more devices like this. A much better image than composite video cables into an HDTV, but still an honest interpretation of games that were not meant to be seen pixel by pixel.
A Framemeister can be adjusted to give you the image you want. You can get tons of profiles online to help you find the look you need.
@@SegaLordX Love your videos because you actually know these games now and then. Obviously this isn't you, but I think many who didn't experience these games when they were new think that's actually how they're supposed to look. They get hooked on an aesthetic that is a relatively new invention. More power to them if that's what they like but I don't care about it...I do care about my consoles looking like crap on an HDTV with just composite cables though. "Perfect" is definitely not that look for pre DC games.
I agree. I hate that over-sharpened pixelated picture.
I was gonna buy one but I remembered they won't even return my emails regarding my PSP to HDMI adaptor that stopped working after ONE TIME. It worked once, then will not work again. I've tried multiple times with different TVs and different cables. Still doesn't work.
I warn anyone looking to buy LevelHike products, I've emailed them 3 times cause they include a card saying they stand by their products. They may not respond to your emails if or when your product stops working.
I'm gonna try Hyperkin instead.
Nice review! I currently use a SCART to HDMI box like the one you showed. I love it! For how cheap it is the picture looks great. Especially with those 2D fighters.
I take it the LevelHike’s picture quality wouldn’t be better if i were to switch to it?
How does this handle games like Die Hard Arcade that have frequent resolution changes? Games like this are almost unplayable when using a OSSC/Framemeister.
I'd like to know this also. I have an OSSC but would consider one of these if it could handle Die Hard.
Great review. Was planning on buying until you mentioned the audio bug. That is a non starter for me.
Same thought. Reversed channels is a deal breaker. Oh well.
What about interlaced high res games? Couldn't see in the video if Virtua Fighter 2 is displayed correctly (flickering but in high resolution), without any flicker but high res or in "240p" low res as emulators do (by removing interlacing so it halfs the resolution). necessary to know before buying.
Very cool and informative man. You should definitely do more of these.
Great information, I need to grab one of these! I've been using a 13" CRT for my old consoles and want to play Saturn on my big HD TV :)
Just remember, there will bw lag
The big problem I have with my HD TV is that the picture is always overly bright. I believe I have the composite cables hooked up but doing something as simple as turning down the brightness doesn't fix the picture. It's just bright for some reason.
People also remember if you are useing 27" pc monitor you dont really see any difference. I have also both and can say if you dont use 42" or 55" tv to play its really same which you choose. Also i dont really see point to play old consoles in huge tvs when your resolution is like 640x480 or under because it will looks so poor comparing to under 30" monitors.
That Saturn collection though... if you ever need to free up some space, I'll take em'
Sorry, he already promised them to me! ;)
GeminiBlount alright, no harm asking! Actually I don’t have a Saturn but I want one. Just don’t want to pay 90 bucks for a used one. If it was refurbished I would pay even more! I’m not trusting some 20 year old crusty old system for that much though.
Hey he's called "Sega Lord X" for a reason.😉
Lol I was only kidding. Shoot, I WISH he'd give me those games! I'd never leave the house!
And you can get a used saturn pretty cheap now. I just picked up another one because my Japanese one died. It was only $35! There's a guy out here in Vegas that's very reasonable. He owns Gamer's Paradise. Look him up!
If i want such simple splation, i don’t want to have any trade offs,no blurring,no ghosting,no stereo swapped audio,this is definitely a deal braker for me, what are they thinking😡👇
Really great review man, thoughtful and in-depth! Love this kind of presentation; combination of gameplay and in-person presentation
I currently use a RetroTINK-2X and HD Retrovision Cables going into my Elgato HD60s so I can stream or capture footage. I am watching the video right now and while it looks pretty good I am concerned with the smoothing that appears to be going on. I would much rather prefer to have the option of keeping the sharpness vs the auto smoothing.
If you don't care about that kind of thing then this will probably be right up your alley, but the audio channels being switched is of concern.
@Equinsu Ocha I have not heard any audio reversals at all, sounds great.
I’ll consider it, but my TV can do 4:3 great. i might get a scart to hdmi since it’s cheaper for me.
I watched a device that allows you to use any gamepad controller on any console, but what about the gun or zapper on lcd tvs or monitors? I'd love to play the house of the dead and virtua cop 1 and 2 on my decent lcd 21" tv/monitor
Do you have a review of the other options for the saturn?
Maybe it's just my eyes but I don't see any real difference between the video from the frame meister and this.
I truly trust your opinions... so many big channels have just become shills. You look and sounds very humble and honest. Thank you for your review. Sound to me like these cables will be good for me when I just want to play on a big modern TV when I'm streaming or need capture software I'll still to my Retro Tink or OSSC. Wish you continued success my Sega brotha!
Wish we could have seen the switch between 4:3 and 16:9.
Sounds like a better option then those cheap Chinese Scart upscalers.
Sound's like a good cheap upscaler for saturn players who just want to play there saturn on an HD tv. Great video. Keep up the good work.
This is shit! I have a FRAMEMEISTER and the saturn is one of the most beautiful looking Consoles when connected to it!
The SATURN has RAZERSHARP pixels on a 4K TV. It is more gorgeous than emulation and plays ultra smooth with no lag.
I think you miss the point of this product. That or you just want attention...
Pickster UK hahaha lol
I’m just not a big fan. I’m trying to preach, those who buy cheap buy twice.
@@nicolasrolke3538 Sure that attitude can make sense, but in this case you would need a good amount more than two purchases to come near the same cost as a Framemeister.
For sure this item is a downgrade from a Framemeister. But for those who want a cost effective way to connect a Saturn through a HDMI port it seems like a worthy product.
Ideally the best option is to use a straight (balanced) RGB signal going into a CRT T.V. Zero lag and you can play the Light Gun games too.
Two questions:
1) did they get the L and R audio channels correct? (saw you answered it, this is because the diagrams originally were reversed on the pinout for the system back when sega was making the diagram.)
2) is it upscaled RGB or S-video?
It's upscaled RGB to 720p.
I'm using S-Video for my N64, Saturn, PS, SNES and S-Video modded Genesis/CD/32X to S-Video switch then to S-Video to HDMI converter to LG OLED at 720p.
Has there been any word from the company making these cables about fixing the reversed audio problem and maybe making other improvements? I'm still holding off on getting any hdmi cable for the system until that problem has been fixed.
Yes, the reversed audio has been addressed, but I'm unsure if the new batch is out in the wild yet.
Just guessing here but if it's not having to shift from 240p to 480i during scaling shifts to give you the black screen then it's not an actual scaler. The more I see this one and other vids I'm betting this is a line triple type device since 240 triples to 720.
Actually, it's because it treats each game the same. The 240p content is treated as 480i. So technically, it doesn't switch because its all the same.
I appreciate the vid but you should have done side by side comparisons on the _same_ levels, with same characters/cars/whatever. Also would have been nice to have some 300% side by side close ups to really show the difference in sharpness. I can certainly see the differences in image quality but you missed a ton of opportunities to do some good comparisons.
I understand what you are saying, but honestly, I felt the difference was so stark between the Framemeister and the LevelHike cable, you really only needed to see it once. I leaned more towards showing you as much of the LevelHike itself so you could decide its worth to you. I know it was less "educational", but I didn't want a video with every other sentence being, "and as you can see here, it's better/sharper/cleaner on the Framemeister". If that makes any sense.
Have you heard of these cables? I have a Saturn and a CDX one pre-ordered. Can't wait to get them and try them out! 😀
www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/SEGA-SATURN-PAL-NTSC-HD-RAD2X-HDMI-480P-CABLE?search=Rad2x
Yup, I have a few preordered myself. These should make the cheap HDMI upscaler boxes obsolete if all goes well.
One time, I found a Sega Saturn on Amazon and it costed $1,000 plus free shipping and free handling.
Never buy classic games stuff off Amazon... you can usually expect to pay at least double the already overpriced Ebay prices. My guess is enough people fall for the Amazon Marketplace prices for those sellers to keep trying to screw people.
@Ultra CNC Oh I know it''s possible, just stating that Amazon Marketplace is some really insane kind of price gouging.
Well that's another hdmi cable for the saturn I'm not getting until the left and right audio channels are fixed. I hope you let the company that made the cable know about this and how it must be fixed because there are games where sound cues are used and the reversed audio won't be helping those games in any way.
I did let them know and they are working on a fix.