0:00 - Intro 0:29 - 2X Classic Limitations 0:49 - The 2X Multiformat 1:09 - Why is 480p Important? 1:46 - 480p Comparisons 2:22 - 480i Limitations 2:50 - 240p Comparisons 2:29 - Who is it Right For? 3:59 - Outro For more RetroTINK videos, check out my playlist - ua-cam.com/users/playlist?
I've been watching through some of your back catalogue. Impressive B roll and editing, I like how you add text and info, plus you frame things well and I like how you deal with 4:3. Great content in general. I'm super surprised you don't have more subs, I'm definitely jumping in. Even if some small part of me really liked seeing 775, and now 776 just doesn't have the same pizazz.
great coverage! I'm admittedly kind of a schlub when it comes to trying to capture the highest possible quality of footage from older consoles, but the results look so good, and the implementation seems so easy, that I think I'm sold on it.
The reason to get this for old consoles is so the video isn't interlaced. As long as I pipe the signal through a channel my old consoles look fine on my tv. You want this for vhs. There's so much stuff that hasn't been released on DVD or blu ray. This will give you the most crisp signal possible.
I have a retroTink 2x and an OSSC, and I use a ps2 with SCART but now I am wondering if I should be doing ps2 component into 2x, into OSSC. I have been having a hard time trying to figure out best capture method for PS2, Wii, original xbox... Its kind of confusing
It's a great thing that there are a lot of options out there, but it can make it hard to choose. I actually don't mind the look of 480i (on PS2) straight through the OSSC, but a lot of people prefer the filtering options that the 2X line provides. I use my 2X to pass through my N64 and SNES to the OSSC, since it doesn't have an S-video input and the SNES is a problem child for displays :D
Both are great options. From what I've seen, the GC HD is quite comparable to official component cables... and is much cheaper. The benefit of using the RetroTINK is that you can connect multiple systems (and most consoles have more affordable component options than the GameCube does).
@@RetroTechSelect ooh! Please do! From both the brand and reviews, they warned how ex pro, shows either discoloration or goes black and white on composite Genesis and older PS1. I'm curious if the Multiformat's improved composite decoder fixes it.
Got an idea for a future episode: how bad we can make every Nintendo console look, we did the Wii U. Would like to see how bad we can make the nes and GameCube
Stock NES benefits from the softer image of the Multi, SNES and Genesis look best on the Pro, any of the options work well for the N64 (there's even a 2X-Mini if you're looking for just Composite and S-video). Lastly, GameCube and Wii benefit from the Multi's 480p passthrough. If you are looking for a one size fits all from this line, go with the Multi. If your focus is sharp 2D graphics, go with the Pro.
Excellent video! Definitely helps to have side-by-side comparisons of the two. I will definitely be getting Multi for the Xbox (personal favorite due to the selection of games), though it doesn't seem like Retrovision has HD cables for the Xbox? Are there any others you'd recommend for the Xbox original specifically? Thanks!
Two recommendations: I currently use HD Retrovision's Male-to-Male RCA cables in combination with the official Xbox "High-Definition AV Pack". I previously used the Monster Xbox Component cables. They are definitely a quality product, but have a death grip on any switcher you plug them into. I've also seen an adapter floating around that would let you pair the HD Retrovision Wii cables with the Xbox, but haven't tried it personally.
Your showing of the softness in 240p on the multiformat is incredible, the best I've seen thus far. Thank ya, thank ya, thank ya. It's such a silly thing, and I'm absolutely obsessing about it. As a poor man I had to go for the 480p passthrough on the PS2, but the filtering of PS1 stuff is going to drive me bonkers. Gonna have to sell the booty for a Pro down the line, I suppose.
What about 16 bit games like Sega mega drive/ SNES? I heard the new RetroTINK 2X Pro Multiformat works the best on ps2 and 3d games, but the old retro tink runs 8bit/16bit games slightly better.... is that true? Because i want to buy one of them and i don't know which one to buy!
"Better" would be in the eye of the beholder in this case. I do prefer the sharper look of the Pro, but the Multi still looks pretty great with SNES titles.
The 2X only outputs a 4:3 image, but many 480p consoles had anamorphic widescreen modes (meaning they would squish a 16:9 image into a 4:3 container). You can then use your display to stretch the 4:3 output back to 16:9. It looks pretty good on some titles, but I prefer the getting max sharpness by using 4:3 modes personally.
@@RetroTechSelect Thanks! I'm actually considering to buy one so I can connect my Wii, that's why I'm asking. By the way, can you tinker with the aspect ratio? Gamecube games tend to be squished on a modern display since CRT would fill the image to the screen. I mean, even if setting a 4:3 ratio on the display.
@@FaunoLab there aren't any options to fine tune the picture in that way. Gamecube games that had borders on account of overscan still have borders for me when played back on my display. Some TVs will allow you to adjust the overscan setting to eliminate those borders, but that seems like that would be a hassle unless you saved it as a custom profile for GCN games.
It's like a branch of the RetroTINK 2X Pro and not a straight upgrade. Although I use my PS2 a lot with the 2X Pro, most of the games I like to play are 480i anyway so I'm sticking with the PRO. I'd also prefer no filtering with the 2X Pro M to give me sharp as f pixels but that's nitpicking on an already awesome product.
Eternal Darkness for GameCube! One of my favorites (I actually did a review of it for this channel)! A few seconds after that, it's Tales of Symphonia.
Great video! I honestly think that combining the retro2x pro multi format with a DVDO edge or iScan vp50 pretty much replaces the need for a framemeister. And is probably cheaper. Also...FIRST!
That’s exactly how I have my setup! I use the RetroTINK 2X Pro in tandem with my DVDO iScan. Now I will upgrade to the Multiformat for greater comparability and simplicity!
Might be waiting a while, honestly. A different chipset was required for the Multi, so it would be no simple task to incorporate the best features of each. What consoles do you play most?
@@RetroTechSelect I'm thinking of getting back into the Ps1 and 2. Possibly N64 as well. Probably going to get the Pro as I've never used 480p in my life... Might pair those with some nice HD Retrovision cables. :)
I've heard some say the "slightly" softer upscale of the 2X Pro multi looks better for early 3D games. Myself, I really love what Mike has done with the RetroTINK 5X video options for the N64. Even my Atari 2600 via RF Coax looks *okay* on that thing!
At 2:00 minutes you compare 480p pass through the Multiformat against 480i on the 2x. Is the 480i pass through on the 2x or is the 480i upscaled to 480p via 2x?
In that shot, it's 480p passthrough vs. 480i line-doubled to 480p. Depending on your device, passing through 480i may be a better (or worse) option for live play. When capturing, 480i tends to create very ugly artifacts unless it is de-interlaced in post. I figured allowing the 2X to do a bob-deinterlace before capture would hopefully represent 480i most favorably in the side-by-side.
Thanks for this video, I've got a sony trinitron with good RGB scart cables, I don't mind it for the older console's. But would love to play PS2, Xbox, Dreamcast and Gamecube on a bigger flat screen. Seems the retrotink multi looks better for these more 3D console's. Not that there's component cable's for the Dreamcast yet, not in the uk at least, and I'll have to soft mod my xbox to change resolution.
The 6th gen consoles typically use anamorphic widescreen for 16:9 on 480p, meaning that the image is horizontally squished to fit a widescreen image in a 720x480 frame. The Multiformat will pass through the "squished" image as 4:3, and your TV is left to stretch the image to 16:9.
@@RetroTechSelect awesome, thanks bud, that's great news! I ordered a multiformat without looking into this and I'm glad that I can play games in widescreen
The Multiformat works great as a standalone device. The Edge Green has some good word of mouth for its 480p to 1080p upscale, so you could potentially get some great results by pairing them as well.
I'm lucky to have a Sony Bravia with composite and component inputs in addition to low lag gamer display settings. It's what I needed for 480p gameplay on my Gamecube and PlayStation 2. 240p isn't supported on my TV. I still need 240p for some PS2 games as well as my SNES HD Retrovision cable. I'm wondering how much lag my TV component inputs have for 480p compared to the RetroTINK 2X Pro Multiformat's component 480p. Also as mentioned in this video, the RetroTINK Multi's 480p pass though softens the image due to the hardward locking into the vertical bilinear filter. This might be the opposite to what I need. I wish I could just buy one. This still is a tough decision!
The RetroTINK could certainly simplify your setup and give you support for 240p. Hard to say whether you would lose any sharpness passing through 480p, but you certainly still get a great picture from the Multi. I would say it looks very similar to 480p on an OSSC set to 1X.
@@RetroTechSelect If I had my 'druthers then I'd get one of each RetroTINK type. A Pro for my SNES, NES and N64 consoles and a Multi for my PS2 (which plays PS1) and Gamecube consoles. I still wish I only could buy one! Is it possible that the Multi's hardware softening of 240p content can be fixed in future firmware upgrades?
The 2X Pro is great for both. It does a great job handling the off spec refresh rates of the SNES, and is quick to switch between resolutions (which is important for PSX games that use 480i in their menu screens, etc.
@@RetroTechSelect Just botched my first rgb bypass mod on my snes jr :( Messed up soldering the ribbon cable to the 4 slots and I I'm guessing over wicked and scratched my snes board. I think. Getting pink tint half way down the screen now
0:00 - Intro
0:29 - 2X Classic Limitations
0:49 - The 2X Multiformat
1:09 - Why is 480p Important?
1:46 - 480p Comparisons
2:22 - 480i Limitations
2:50 - 240p Comparisons
2:29 - Who is it Right For?
3:59 - Outro
For more RetroTINK videos, check out my playlist - ua-cam.com/users/playlist?
Finally, a video that actually gives people the info they were looking for.
Would love to see some comparisons/discussion for the PS2 since it was such a troublesome system to work with.
I might have to dig out the old iScan Pro to do a PS2 showdown follow-up.
@@RetroTechSelect That would be awesome, hope you do.
Retro Tech Select looking forward to it
I've been watching through some of your back catalogue. Impressive B roll and editing, I like how you add text and info, plus you frame things well and I like how you deal with 4:3. Great content in general. I'm super surprised you don't have more subs, I'm definitely jumping in. Even if some small part of me really liked seeing 775, and now 776 just doesn't have the same pizazz.
Thank you so much! I am 100% fueled by positive feedback. It means a lot.
great coverage! I'm admittedly kind of a schlub when it comes to trying to capture the highest possible quality of footage from older consoles, but the results look so good, and the implementation seems so easy, that I think I'm sold on it.
It's definitely plug-n-play friendly.
Love your videos, simple, short, fun, and straight to the point.
The reason to get this for old consoles is so the video isn't interlaced. As long as I pipe the signal through a channel my old consoles look fine on my tv. You want this for vhs. There's so much stuff that hasn't been released on DVD or blu ray. This will give you the most crisp signal possible.
I have a retroTink 2x and an OSSC, and I use a ps2 with SCART but now I am wondering if I should be doing ps2 component into 2x, into OSSC. I have been having a hard time trying to figure out best capture method for PS2, Wii, original xbox... Its kind of confusing
It's a great thing that there are a lot of options out there, but it can make it hard to choose. I actually don't mind the look of 480i (on PS2) straight through the OSSC, but a lot of people prefer the filtering options that the 2X line provides. I use my 2X to pass through my N64 and SNES to the OSSC, since it doesn't have an S-video input and the SNES is a problem child for displays :D
How does this compare to GCN HD for the gamecube? Torn between these two options.
Both are great options. From what I've seen, the GC HD is quite comparable to official component cables... and is much cheaper. The benefit of using the RetroTINK is that you can connect multiple systems (and most consoles have more affordable component options than the GameCube does).
How does the MultiFormat fair with older PS1's and Genesis on Composite?
I've heard the Multiformat does a great job with composite sources. I'll definitely have to test that out when I get a chance.
@@RetroTechSelect ooh! Please do! From both the brand and reviews, they warned how ex pro, shows either discoloration or goes black and white on composite Genesis and older PS1.
I'm curious if the Multiformat's improved composite decoder fixes it.
Really struggling to find one for PS2. Not sure if I like the brightness difference
edit: also does this line double 480p or just allow a passthrough?
Just passthrough for 480p. Bob from RetroRGB features a lot of PS2 in his review - ua-cam.com/video/RWGJBgLVqR8/v-deo.html
Retro Tech Select thanks !
Got an idea for a future episode: how bad we can make every Nintendo console look, we did the Wii U. Would like to see how bad we can make the nes and GameCube
Love it!
Ok i have a list lol what would be best for each of these by system.... nes, snes, sega genesis, n64, game cube, wii. Thanks in advance
Stock NES benefits from the softer image of the Multi, SNES and Genesis look best on the Pro, any of the options work well for the N64 (there's even a 2X-Mini if you're looking for just Composite and S-video). Lastly, GameCube and Wii benefit from the Multi's 480p passthrough. If you are looking for a one size fits all from this line, go with the Multi. If your focus is sharp 2D graphics, go with the Pro.
Retro Tech Select awesome thanks. That helps a ton. I use s-video with some older plasmas and they look great. But new tvs dont have svideo anymore.
Would the pro or the multiformat be better for vcr/vhs?
I've seen great results with the Multiformat for composite signals like VHS tape.
I need to get one of this for my recordings, but the price hurts my heart lol
What are you using now?
@@RetroTechSelect a cheap ass rca to hdmi coverter it does the work. 😂
@@RetroComplex At least your cheap ass rca to hdmi does the work. I'm using still using my old composite AV cables, so you're 1 step ahead. lol
@@7zime 😂
Ordering o evtoday for my ps2
Nioce video brotendo
VC bem RGB linda scanlies sim ver Samsung TV mod 21 AV verdadeira
SNES
NES
Ps2
GameCube
Wii
Wii u
Tudo RGB scanlines 😄
Petro tink pro 2x
Excellent video! Definitely helps to have side-by-side comparisons of the two. I will definitely be getting Multi for the Xbox (personal favorite due to the selection of games), though it doesn't seem like Retrovision has HD cables for the Xbox? Are there any others you'd recommend for the Xbox original specifically? Thanks!
Two recommendations: I currently use HD Retrovision's Male-to-Male RCA cables in combination with the official Xbox "High-Definition AV Pack". I previously used the Monster Xbox Component cables. They are definitely a quality product, but have a death grip on any switcher you plug them into. I've also seen an adapter floating around that would let you pair the HD Retrovision Wii cables with the Xbox, but haven't tried it personally.
Your showing of the softness in 240p on the multiformat is incredible, the best I've seen thus far. Thank ya, thank ya, thank ya.
It's such a silly thing, and I'm absolutely obsessing about it. As a poor man I had to go for the 480p passthrough on the PS2, but the filtering of PS1 stuff is going to drive me bonkers. Gonna have to sell the booty for a Pro down the line, I suppose.
What about 16 bit games like Sega mega drive/ SNES? I heard the new RetroTINK 2X Pro Multiformat works the best on ps2 and 3d games, but the old retro tink runs 8bit/16bit games slightly better.... is that true? Because i want to buy one of them and i don't know which one to buy!
"Better" would be in the eye of the beholder in this case. I do prefer the sharper look of the Pro, but the Multi still looks pretty great with SNES titles.
Is it possible to "fill" the screen? Or it only works with integer scaling?
The 2X only outputs a 4:3 image, but many 480p consoles had anamorphic widescreen modes (meaning they would squish a 16:9 image into a 4:3 container). You can then use your display to stretch the 4:3 output back to 16:9. It looks pretty good on some titles, but I prefer the getting max sharpness by using 4:3 modes personally.
@@RetroTechSelect Thanks! I'm actually considering to buy one so I can connect my Wii, that's why I'm asking. By the way, can you tinker with the aspect ratio? Gamecube games tend to be squished on a modern display since CRT would fill the image to the screen. I mean, even if setting a 4:3 ratio on the display.
@@FaunoLab there aren't any options to fine tune the picture in that way. Gamecube games that had borders on account of overscan still have borders for me when played back on my display. Some TVs will allow you to adjust the overscan setting to eliminate those borders, but that seems like that would be a hassle unless you saved it as a custom profile for GCN games.
It's like a branch of the RetroTINK 2X Pro and not a straight upgrade. Although I use my PS2 a lot with the 2X Pro, most of the games I like to play are 480i anyway so I'm sticking with the PRO. I'd also prefer no filtering with the 2X Pro M to give me sharp as f pixels but that's nitpicking on an already awesome product.
A branch is a great way of putting it! Not a replacement, but an alternative (depending on individual needs).
The x2 pro m gets rid of that flickering screen
Minute 2:20 what video game is this ?
Eternal Darkness for GameCube! One of my favorites (I actually did a review of it for this channel)! A few seconds after that, it's Tales of Symphonia.
@@RetroTechSelect thanks
Great video! I honestly think that combining the retro2x pro multi format
with a DVDO edge or iScan vp50 pretty much replaces the need for a framemeister. And is probably cheaper. Also...FIRST!
I totally agree. There are so many quality devices to handle the last leg from 480p to 1080p. At $129, the 2X is a real bargain.
That’s exactly how I have my setup! I use the RetroTINK 2X Pro in tandem with my DVDO iScan. Now I will upgrade to the Multiformat for greater comparability and simplicity!
So I guess I'll wait for the 4th Retrotink that has the best of both the Pro and Multi, yes?
I can wait. :D
Might be waiting a while, honestly. A different chipset was required for the Multi, so it would be no simple task to incorporate the best features of each. What consoles do you play most?
@@RetroTechSelect I'm thinking of getting back into the Ps1 and 2. Possibly N64 as well. Probably going to get the Pro as I've never used 480p in my life...
Might pair those with some nice HD Retrovision cables. :)
@@rickvince sounds like the Pro is the right fit for you!
Wondering if this works well with the N64 in comparison to the Retrotink 2x Pro?
I've heard some say the "slightly" softer upscale of the 2X Pro multi looks better for early 3D games. Myself, I really love what Mike has done with the RetroTINK 5X video options for the N64. Even my Atari 2600 via RF Coax looks *okay* on that thing!
At 2:00 minutes you compare 480p pass through the Multiformat against 480i on the 2x. Is the 480i pass through on the 2x or is the 480i upscaled to 480p via 2x?
In that shot, it's 480p passthrough vs. 480i line-doubled to 480p. Depending on your device, passing through 480i may be a better (or worse) option for live play. When capturing, 480i tends to create very ugly artifacts unless it is de-interlaced in post. I figured allowing the 2X to do a bob-deinterlace before capture would hopefully represent 480i most favorably in the side-by-side.
Does that filter on the RetroTINK 2x Pro Multiformat work on 480i content?
Kindy sucks to give up better 2d for 480p passthrough
The good news is Mike has just released the RetroTINK 5X which does both really well and goes up to 1440p
Thanks for this video, I've got a sony trinitron with good RGB scart cables, I don't mind it for the older console's. But would love to play PS2, Xbox, Dreamcast and Gamecube on a bigger flat screen. Seems the retrotink multi looks better for these more 3D console's. Not that there's component cable's for the Dreamcast yet, not in the uk at least, and I'll have to soft mod my xbox to change resolution.
Does this allow widescreen images to be passthrough. There's some games on Xbox/GameCube that have 480p and widescreen support
The 6th gen consoles typically use anamorphic widescreen for 16:9 on 480p, meaning that the image is horizontally squished to fit a widescreen image in a 720x480 frame. The Multiformat will pass through the "squished" image as 4:3, and your TV is left to stretch the image to 16:9.
@@RetroTechSelect awesome, thanks bud, that's great news! I ordered a multiformat without looking into this and I'm glad that I can play games in widescreen
Well done, informative, and straight to the point. Another fantastic video.
Is there any need for an iScan or DVDO edge if I have a RetroTink Pro Multiformat? I don't know anything about those devices or why I would need them?
The Multiformat works great as a standalone device. The Edge Green has some good word of mouth for its 480p to 1080p upscale, so you could potentially get some great results by pairing them as well.
I'm lucky to have a Sony Bravia with composite and component inputs in addition to low lag gamer display settings. It's what I needed for 480p gameplay on my Gamecube and PlayStation 2. 240p isn't supported on my TV. I still need 240p for some PS2 games as well as my SNES HD Retrovision cable. I'm wondering how much lag my TV component inputs have for 480p compared to the RetroTINK 2X Pro Multiformat's component 480p. Also as mentioned in this video, the RetroTINK Multi's 480p pass though softens the image due to the hardward locking into the vertical bilinear filter. This might be the opposite to what I need. I wish I could just buy one. This still is a tough decision!
The RetroTINK could certainly simplify your setup and give you support for 240p. Hard to say whether you would lose any sharpness passing through 480p, but you certainly still get a great picture from the Multi. I would say it looks very similar to 480p on an OSSC set to 1X.
@@RetroTechSelect If I had my 'druthers then I'd get one of each RetroTINK type. A Pro for my SNES, NES and N64 consoles and a Multi for my PS2 (which plays PS1) and Gamecube consoles. I still wish I only could buy one! Is it possible that the Multi's hardware softening of 240p content can be fixed in future firmware upgrades?
@@KCarubia Mike's done a lot with the FW since launch, but I believe the filter is locked in at a hardware level.
So I’m guessing this one is good to use on ps2 on my monitor?
Yep. The multi is a great all-purpose devices for everything through gen 6.
Just ordered the 2x Pro. Snes and PSX are my drug of choice. Interesting video, hope I made the right choice.
The 2X Pro is great for both. It does a great job handling the off spec refresh rates of the SNES, and is quick to switch between resolutions (which is important for PSX games that use 480i in their menu screens, etc.
@@RetroTechSelect Just botched my first rgb bypass mod on my snes jr :( Messed up soldering the ribbon cable to the 4 slots and I I'm guessing over wicked and scratched my snes board. I think. Getting pink tint half way down the screen now
So the PRO ver allready is shit. buy a new one every half year LOL