I’ve owned the FPB since 2007!! I’ve used it as both a main monitor and then a second monitor to a laptop as well as the monitor to “monitor” video editing from analog video devices. It’s got a lot of cool features including Picture In Picture. Which I wish all these high end HDMI 4K tvs would all do. Why can’t my 50+ inch TV show ALL 4 input devices at the same time?!? Good choices bro!
Dude. I honestly think most of the “loud” retro-gamers don’t actually PLAY. They spend 99% of their time setting up their rig, getting “this” working and “that” modified to have a higher whatever. Building their perfect build with 100% of everything. And when all that’s done, do they play it? Nah. Probably start Mario just to check and then it sits there u til the next hardware mod comes out. Meanwhile, THEY’re the ones all over Reddit and UA-cam, telling everyone what they SHOULD be doing and how their solution is better. Tl;dr: I agree 100%. The search and the build is often what it’s about, not the retro gaming itself. It’s a good lesson to just play!
I loved how the whole video was just mad little pixel speed running the original super Mario brothers to prove how great the monitor is. Fantastic video. I should make a second attempt at fully plaything through Lost levels again.
Aye, I always wonder if people do like the gameplay video and then record their voiceover on audacity later so they’re not trying to talk and play at the same time so it’s easier. If I can’t see their mouth moving I just assume this is the case
I can almost speed-run smb on my gba sometimes too. it's just automatic after 30+ years of playing the game here and there. you can def feel lag or audio issues on that game in about 2 seconds. great bench-mark.
I agree whole heartedly with this video. I stopped chasing 'the best ever' and settled on a MiSTer system, a Dell 2007FPB and SNAC adapters. I can honestly say I am as happy or happier than I have ever been. Even happier than when I was playing the originals, as I dont even need to get up and swap to a different system when I wanted a change. I have CRTS and original hardware, OSSC, Retrotink 5x, GBS8200 and other scalers/converters and yet, the MiSTer on this Dell is where I enjoy my time the most. It's all down to personal choice, I never tell anyone what they should do or shouldn't, other than to have fun. If the fun stops, change it up.
I got ahold of a Mister Multisystem last year. After collecting consoles since the beginning of the pandemic, I drew the line when I was about to buy a Turbografx/PCEngine. Due to its price and all the addons/accessories I'd need to play the full library for that console, I decided to go for the Mister FPGA instead.
Old CRTs are so cheap though. People are always selling them on Craigslist or facebook market in your area. You can easily pay 40 bucks or less for a small one that is like 20 inches.
This is the reality, which we have to accept. It's grateful for what we already have and enjoy. The collection will never end. And that initial good feeling, of finding that game, passes faster and becomes an addiction.
Nice casual video about playing retro games, WHILE playing a retro game. I kinda fall into that category, I waste more time "fine tuning" my retro setup than actually playing games. I could blame it on being tired from work, worrying about life, etc, but sometimes we just need to stop and smell the roses.
I agree with your mentality. For my purposes, the CRT is exactly the way that I’m able to stop looking for tech and just play. No HD modding, no rocket science figuring out the latency and graphics filters, just having the games work the way they always did is all I need.
Ron, every time you do one of these I tell you, great job! Doesn't matter how you play now a days as long as you play and pass on the hobby to the next generation. Before we know it all the physical games will be gone. Thanks for the video
Well said brother! I’m one of those that are super sensitive to input lag so I do enjoy the search for a great setup, but I completely agree, everyone is different, some people aren’t affected as much by latency issues, most people should be perfectly happy with cheaper/modern setups. Play the games! 🍻
I AGREE 100% it was difficult for me to accept at first but im in my early 40s and video game collecting just isn’t what it once was. I found that the constant hunt was making this hobby both not fun and unaffordable so i just started playing games and reading and following others opinions less and now im having fun again! Definitely i will keep what i have for now but things won’t be the same for me ever again.
I feel like it's sorta all hobbies at this point. The effect of a culture riddled with content creators. I collect baseball cards and comics and it's the same over there.
The thing that stings me so much, is that I used to have this same monitor a little over a year ago. My dumb-ass helped my mother give it to Staples to recycle instead of hiding it away in the family backyard shed. I have no idea why I wasn't thinking about keeping this for future use.
@TheRealJohnHooper Yeah I would! It would have been a better option than a CRT for me cause it's flat with a stand and is convenient im many ways. Would have been able to enjoy my Sega Genesis games on it too.
The future really looks bright for retro gaming as new TVs, especially OLEDs have under one frame of input latency which is good enough now and will only get better. My TV right now has just under 2 frames of latency and even with the added latency of emulators, games still feel good to play. I agree that it seems like alot of people are in love with the hunt to find out all the ways they can play retro games more than actually playing them. I admit that there was a time when I was the same way when I discovered emulation years ago, but I eventually had the same thought as you. I need to stop fidgeting around with all this crap and just play some games!
The big issue most people believe modern TVs have with latency actually comes from plugging composite or RF input directly into a digital TV. Even high end HDTVs tend to have the cheapest analog to digital converters available built in because they don't actually expect anyone to use them very often. A no-lag analog to hdmi converter will knock out the latency issues on most TVs and monitors.
@@ridingnerdy6406 That's why you use a scaler to convert 240p to atleast 480p and send it over HDMI like a Retrotink if you want to use real hardware. If you use emulation all of that has been done for you. I personally don't want to try to track down a small 4:3 LCD to play my games on that has a ton of motion blur. I'm playing 5th generation and lower games on my 60 inch LCD made in 2015 through PC emulation with almost 2 frames of display lag which already feels pretty good but it can only get better from there. For my real NES, SNES, Genesis, PS1, N64, Saturn, and PS2 light gun games I still have a CRT for.
Yeah I use the Anqlogue Super NT and Mega SG with everdrives and 8bit do pads on an OLED (or late era Plasma which has an almost CRT like image) and can find absolutely nothing to complain about. Feels like the perfect hybrid of old and new. Well, other than the initial high cost of entry. But I think it's worth paying for if that's what you're interested in.
I have what i consider the best ways to play retro video games on original unmodded hardware, modded og hardware, FPGA solutions and on Switch. I am so happy retro video games are popular again and wats to play are changing for the better. Awesome you found a 4:3 LCD monitor you can enjoy retro goodness on.
You don't need a CRT, 4:3 ratio and a perfect controller to enjoy games. I say so as a person that has a CRT and the mister FPGA, etc. I do it as a hobby, not because it's needed. I've played my whole life using PC emulators, on whatever LCD screen I had available and using whatever controller I had around, and enjoyed it for many years. Stop forcing standards that don't exist.
Retrogaming since 99. It was never that complicated for me. I stepped away about 10 yrs ago. Came back recently and im blown away at how far emulation has come. I'm still running roms like its 1999 😅
For awhile there I was chasing that best way to play with wireless controllers, rgb mods, best cables, switchers, upscalers etc and one day I had to stop and ask myself when was the last time I played some of my games? While I've been able to upgrade a good portion of my setup I've had to take some time and enjoy what I have and just slowly build up with that perfect setup dream. While I still do a crap ton of research for everything I want I have taken much more time to sit back and just play with what I have until I have that next upgrade. The dream is always there but we do need to remember how much we used to love our games the way we originally did and if we take some time to figure out a healthy balance then we can still be happy with what we have and not focus all of our effort into spending a crap ton on the dream then we won't have resent towards others that already have that setup or judge others for not playing the way we want to see others play. This community is passionate but we need to make sure we're spreading the love for these games instead of judging others for how they play.
Regarding monitors, you just need an older 4:3 LCD TV with a native resolution of 640x480 so that when it converts the analog signal to digital it doesn't have to upscale.
The problem with older 4:3 LCDs is ghosting, input lag, and contrast. That's what makes this monitor a unicorn. I didn't even know Dell made these. It's really nice.
I know what you mean. I find myself looking for the best settings rather than enjoying the games. But don't get me wrong, I do get some enjoyment out of finding the best solution to gaming. It's a gaming nerd thing for me, I guess 🤣 As for the people complaining about the sold out monitors; did they even know about this one before you made your vid on it 🤔
Yeah I've been there. I'm primarily a pc gamer, love to build them and game on them and there was a time where I would monitor frame rates and temperatures, trying to overclock and squeeze as much performance playing with settings that it can turn into an obsession and can take away from enjoying the game. Of course I still tweak settings to my liking but it's a one time thing when I start a new game and just enjoy it.
I was actually hesitant to get back into playing my older consoles for a while, because I can't afford devices like the Retrotink, specific monitors, etc. So I just bought an HDMI converter recommended by MJR, some decent component cables, and I was immediately blown away just by the difference between composite and component! If I'm happy with the image quality and ease of use my setup has rn, then I see no reason to spend tons of time and money trying to make everything "perfect". (But more power to the people who have an eagle eye for image quality and enjoy hunting down the best equipment!)
Nice vid. Definitely need to play more games, but sometimes setting up/tweaking your system/build is as relaxing as playing. What's crazy is most of us are the only one playing it, so why do it all, but we do it. I do think there is some validity to stock/prices of some items that get linked by YT channels. Not saying right/wrong, but it does happen. Granted, without the YT channels, would you have even known about said item?? These monitors skyrocketed when people were modding 1up cabinets. They were dirt cheap, then people realized there was a market for them.
getting new stuff is definitely part of the fun of the hobby, I usually get stuff like the retro fighter controllers as they come out. But simplicity is often the best part of it. MiSter + any decent display does so much for so little effort, and honestly makes the hobby super easy.
Thanks for the Video about the Dell Monitor, i was struggling for so long to find a solution for a monitor that supports so many connection options. I bought a used on with the speaker bar and i am not regretting it! Thanks and keep up making videos like these!
This needed to be said. Thank you! For me I enjoy variety. I have a CRT and a computer connected to our main TV with emulation on it and a handheld and other options. It's nice to enjoy the differences. At the end of the day it's about what makes you happy.
I couldn't agree with you more. Everyone is different as far as what is important to them. I honestly prefer emulation for my retro gaming experience. Even though I still own some of these old consoles, I like being able to have all of them available to me on one device and selectable from a single (and beautiful) user interface. I've spent the last few years customizing my setup with all my favorite themes, video snaps etc. It really is a wonderful homage to the early days of video games and really takes me back every time I turn it on. When it comes to the monitor, I actually prefer a 16x9 screen because I really like the custom artwork that can be added by installing the bezel project. Especially when playing the old arcade games where the original cabinet artwork is being displayed. It's just another way of honoring these systems and what made them special. If you really miss the look of a CRT then scan lines and shaders can be added in retroarch. Is it exactly the same as a real CRT? No probably not but for me, the difference isn't worth fussing about. The pros most definitely outweigh the cons in a setup like this. If you disagree with me then great, go spend thousands of dollars collecting the original hardware and games, find yourself an old tank of a CRT and have fun. If this is what you feel gives you the best experience then I'm happy for you. Just don't bash me for preferring a different way.
Retroarch just got an update that lets you *STACK SHADERS!!* This is AMAZING! Now i can enjoy the beauty of crt-vhs combined with those pixel smoothing (NOT bilinear filtering) ones!
Years ago, we used to turn our CRT monitors on their sides to play MAME games. It made them more like the old arcade machines. Nothing wrong with 4:3 monitors. They're actually good for web browsing and anything text too. You get a lot more on the screen. If I found one in a thrift store, I wouldn't think twice about picking it up. I don't test for latency or speed on storage devices unless I'm troubleshooting a problem. I just can't be bothered. It works good or it doesn't. The 90s sucked. Everytime you bought something (and spent a ton of money) something so much better came out 2 weeks later. You couldn't keep up. It's good that things have slowed down.
Dude this video really hits home. IMHO you did a brilliant thing by taking what could be a negative and creating a business out of it! I for one love it!
I actually really needed to hear this video today. My brother (who’s always been obsessed with video quality more than me) gave me his old Retrotink 2x classic last month after he upgraded to the 5x. Before that I was using the LevelHike cables (which I still do for Genesis due to it not playing well with composite with the 2x, and the HD Retrovison cables being scarce/expensive). At first I was very happy with it. But after going down the rabbit hole that is UA-cam on the subject, I started wanting to immediately replace it with a 5X. I got my birthday money from my wife and family this month, but Mike Chi was on a temporary manufacturing hold due to health reasons, so I instead took that money and just bought more games. Now that the 5x production is up and going again, I’ve been mentally kicking myself and trying to scramble about how I’m gonna get one….instead of just playing my games on my perfectly satisfactory 2x classic. In a similar vein, I’d been hearing so much from people saying to stay away from the Kaico/Retroprism component cable for the GameCube….but I bought a set and think they look beautiful! Honestly don’t get the complaints on that.
Great video! I have tested the VGA with this monitor on my old dreamcast with a few games and it looked really good. Marvel vs Capcom 2 is the one that stood out to me. Not all games took the VGA however so I still needed to keep the composite for those games. Unfortunately my monitor is no longer powering on so I will need to do some troubleshooting on it to get it back up. Planning to use it in a tiny Arcade build with a m93p I picked up recently. Keep up the awesome content!
I have a similar Dell 4:3 and I really like it. You can still find them at Thrift shops for practically nothing. I went down the whole input lag rabbit hole when I first started because everyone said you had to or you couldn't play. Now I have a room full of original hardware and CRT TV's but spend most of my actual playtime on an emulator running on a Chromebook. Convenience ends up winning out most of the time. Same thing with composite. Most of us grew up fully enjoying these games with an RF connection. If you want to play, just play, then figure out if you want to change something. *edited for spelling
Good video. I can totally relate. I have nerded out on a lot of videos regarding the tech side of retro gaming and enjoyed it, but then again it only matters so much. Also, thanks for standing up for content creators making their content.
Interesting topic and thoughts on those comment section remarks regarding the monitor sales. From here, it looks like you have a cool feather in your cap! I want one myself after watching. Keep rockin' it dude!!!
Though the classic gaming were made with the older format systems to run in crt's,those new kind of systems which can run for instance from an original game cartridge etc from an HDMI make them look really good! Latency is an issue with wireless which i also see many times with the s4 bluetooth original controllers! Nothing beat the cable when it comes to better inputs with the controller.It's not a screen problem rather controller's issues!
For input lag like many others I use the Tyson test. But for newer stuff I use rhythm games like Space Channel 5 and Mad Maestro. If I can play those, it's fine.
Great video. My main reason for getting a CRT is lightguns. I'm in a CRT group on Facebook and someone asked the question what have you learned about CRTs? My answer was composite is fine, component isn't necessary, upscalers to modern TVs are a waste. Your CRT doesn't need to be a Trinitron. Not everyone liked my answer. I have hd retrovision cables, an OSSC, a component switcher, a super NT, and even a retron 5. I personally just plug the old stuff into the CRT and just play. I might just disconnect the ossc and Super NT. My retron 5 felt a little slower (still playable, just slower after being on CRT) when I played SNES Dracula X, but the pins bent on it so I'm not sure if I want another, but I like that it does translation patches.
I look forward to seeing more videos of what use to hook up to this monitor. I ordered one from your link and I look forward to trying it out next week 😎👍
I’ve got a Dell CRT VGA monitor and a Toshiba CRT. I can’t become a CRT hoarder. 2 monitors are enough. I’m always looking at options to play on flat panels in case there becomes I time when I no longer have the option to play on a CRT. It’s good that you show Retro products of flat panels because that’s how most people are going to play them.
Hey Rob great video I’m super guilty of always consuming retro games and consoles and different ways to to hook them up I have so much stuff I need to just chill and be happy and play with what I already have thank you for the video. It has given me a lot of perspective. I really appreciate you. Have a great day.
I was born in 1981 and I thank God I grew up in that Era. Modern gaming doesn't hold up to the way it was back in the day. Social networking was the neighborhood kids hanging out at one another's house, or meeting up at the local arcade. When someone in the neighborhood had a console or game the others didn't have, we would have sleepovers and buy pizza and socialize in person.
That sad part, that chasing some games to add to your collection is HELLA-expensive. You should enjoy your collection, I agree. But it's so hard to just even casually collect for your favorite game system.
Totally feel you on this topic. I am the kind that you talked about. More tinkling less playing ...but have to keep reminding myself that I need to play game some of the time.
I mostly play old game consoles on LCD screens. I still do have a working 14" Sony Trinitron available for light gun games but I generally prefer to play on televisions that don't make my arm hairs stand on end when I get too close.
I play mostly on a panasonic crt with rgb scart connections etc. ultimate retro gaming tv..but…it’s a monster in size so I can see the the appeal of a little monitor that does the job well enough. I agree just sit back sometimes and play your games However works best for you
I've always felt like kind of an outlier in retro gaming in that I LOATHE crt monitors. I grew up with them and I have no desire to go back. I'll take perfectly scaled pixels over scanline smoothing any day.
i use both - but for some titles that heavily use the crt smearing effect/dithering i switch to my refurbed crt 😇 imo the tink2x pro is more than good enough for any modern hdmi setup
I like this video.....i've had a bunch of consoles since the 80s, and now all i've got is my hacked SNES Classic, VICE64, MAME, Dolphin and Project64. With all the hardware, it cost me probably $150 to play 1000s of classic games that i played so long ago i could never tell the difference between the emulation and OG hardware, anyway. Besides, i've neither the room nor money for OG hardware....totally happy with my cheap/easy setup.
I didn't know how gate kept some of the retro stuff is. I was doing research on playing my old N64 on my flat screen and was prepared for the slurry of mixed comments coming through at me. I ended up getting the cheapest decent option which a Kaico line doubler for like $50. I got hate because I came to find out one of their other products was a Retrotink clone and people hated that. I also basically was told to get a CRT, which now are impossible to find locally and those who do have them are selling them for hundreds. Not only that I have tinnitus so CRTs emit that sound which is amplified by tinnitus. Then got some hate for buying those amazon N64 controllers, the 2 handle ones with GameCube sticks from miadore. Idk man I just wanted to play some vigilante 8 on my flat screen with less lag.
Anyone who gets angry because a UA-camr links to a product wouldn't be upset about it being sold out unless they went there in an attempt to buy one themselves. It's easier to blame someone else than to be angry with themselves just because they weren't fast enough. As the saying goes "that's a YOU problem". Also, how would they find out to begin with? Were they thinking that they would just randomly happen to run across it one day themselves? Were they even "actually/actively" looking for an older 4:3 monitor in the first place? Because if they were....they would have already found one somewhere. Reminds me back when everyone was complaining about the PS5 and Xbox X shortages because the supply was limited and resellers were buying them up. And yes at first it was a legitimate complaint, but once everything started mellowing out it became clear people were just band wagoning and not "actually" or "actively" trying to buy one. Because I'd read these comments on Twitter and be thinking "Bro, you can literally walk into Walmart or Best Buy right now and buy one or order one online at retail price just fine". They just wanted to hear themselves complain about something they weren't even "really" trying to buy at that moment in the first place.
People use to say CRT has no lag just because it is the fastest display overal (even if technically it has a tiny lag) and it's retro, so it's authentic (just the way it was in our memories) I guess nostalgia is the key...Off course some of the latest CRT has digital circuits inside which creates much more latency...Nice video anyway!
There's plenty of screen and emulation combos that can get you CRT latency and even effects that are close enough to CRT that I'd say leave that stuff in the past unless you're looking for nostalgia or to replicate the original experience. A setup with modern equipment is better in every other way and you probably already have everything you need.
Better in every way? You've definitely never played on a CRT then 😆 Emulation is close but playing on real hardware on a CRT is a wholly unique experience that will always have advantages over modern hardware
@@excadrillo99 I think he meant OG hardware with modern equipment. A high end scaler like the RT5x or OSSC + a high quality TV like an LG OLED will get you CRT levels of latency and the colors will be even better than CRT. But he's not right when he says "in every other way" because CRTs still destroy modern TVs in motion clarity and the visual quality of a nice CRT is still unmatched by current scanline filters
@@seraph4581 Oh yeah, OLEDs are definitely great for their black levels and massive size. And you can minimize lag using the right equipment to make it just about imperceptible. But sadly you can't have everything at once, pretty much every Black Frame Insertion mode for better motion comes with 1-2 frames of lag. Scanlines darken the image, and you can't use fancy emulator shaders on real hardware. Either way, I wouldn't discount one over the other, just that each has it's own advantages and disadvantages
@@excadrillo99 I've used many CRTs. Black and white, color, many different PC monitors. I'm over it. It's not better, and people who think it is are drinking the Kool-Aid. Again, full respect to anyone who just wants to have a 'close to original' experience. Personally I'll take emulation on my 5-10ms OLED with integer scaling, CRT Royale, frame delay, run ahead and all the other conveniences and improvements emulators can bring.
Ever since I built a PC that can basically emulate anything, and then some, I haven't been buying many retro games that much anymore... My wallet is happy though! 😂 I have a second PC that's hooked up to a Sharp CRT, but the picture quality is pretty bad since I'm using a HDMI to AV converter. CRT TV'S weren't meant to read text off of lol. I've been thinking of getting a 4:3 LCD due to the price of CRT computer monitors being expensive AF. But I still think I'm going keep hunting.
Been enjoying my collection for two years now since prices went nuts. They have everdrives for all cartridge systems and now ps1/2, and Saturn has the satiator. Sega CD and Dreamcast (manufactured before 2000) play burned discs. It has been a blast! And all on original consoles and controllers. I did buy the .hack collection on PS4, just too good of a deal.
I've unfortunately fallen into this video's subject in recent years. For me now, the 'game' is figuring out how to improve my gaming experience. I do still play, but I spend a lot more time 'chasing' or even just watching someone else play instead...
“Do these people actually enjoy playing games?” I think about this all the time. Some people just want to chase hype/news/announcements/collecting. I just want to play old games
Very well said! Like I could mess around with scart and RGB mods and OSSC and all that, but honestly? My current setup works just fine for what I need and can accommodate. My setup is an AV switch with s-video inputs. All my retro consoles are connected to it via s-video cables, which feeds into my retrotink mini, which then feeds into my hdmi switch, which then finally feeds into my mClassic. It looks good, works good and was pretty inexpensive. I don’t really need to fret over making it marginally better at a higher cost. I can just focus on enjoying my games now.
I think some people get too wrapped up in the technical aspects of gaming (and particularly retro gaming), and forget they are playing the game to enjoy it. If you have a CRT, and you enjoy playing one of your dozens of old school consoles on it, good. That's what games are for. Enjoying. Just respect that some others (myself included) are happy to play those very same games on an LCD, perhaps through an emulator. I don't need my games to be cycle acurate, and as long as it doesn't feel bad to play, I'm happy accepting latency.. To put it bluntly, while I am an experienced gamer, I'm not good enough that a few milliseconds of latency will make much difference. In short, play games how you want. Spend as much as you can afford or want to spend. Just enjoy them. That's what they are there for.
Oddly enough I experienced that latency that just doesn’t feel right with the NES mini. But maybe it was a not-powerful-enough usb adapter to blame. Playing super Mario bros is the ultimate test of latency for me.
A video of demonstrating what the title said. While i agree to an extent, there are also comments that say the chase is enjoyable. If collecting and fiddling is what you enjoy more than playing, go for it. that said its a little annoying when you are playing with friends. i used to jokingly tell my friends stop playing the store game on the ps3 i wanna play a video game on the ps3 :) I happened to visit the thrift store on sunday, came out with a like new snes control port extension cord. went home and spent coupon hours with it and a retro trio plus, in front of my 60 inch tv. finding the extension cord was awesome, lol, but using it right after was awesomer :)
Aside from chasing vs. enjoying, I find this issue: There's a difference between the games I want to enjoy, versus the games I actually enjoy. Recently I got into the idea of SEGA Genesis as a complete system, i.e. searching every "best of" list and every unknown treasure to build a concise collection of games so that I, and later my future kids and I, could just have endless fun on the system. I looked into beat em ups and platformers. I picked up multiple games from the same series (Madden, NHL). But at the end of the day, there are maybe two Genesis games that I *actually* want to play, and will enjoy playing: Bill Walsh College Football 95, and NHL 94. I haven't cared about platformers since I was 10 years old. There is no going back. I want to find other games I'll love as much as Earthbound, but there are several personal reasons why Earthbound, which I found here in my 30s, resonates with me and is the first RPG I've ever cared about. I've already got my CRT (even if it's a small one), I've got all the SNES & Genesis games/carts I would *actually* play, and my original Model 1 Genesis from childhood--once I have a Super NT, I don't need another thing. Besides, I'm already playing Earthbound on my MacBook with a SNES USB controller.
Emulators already do a great job at mimicking that old school look. We've reached a point where just about everything on every system runs really well.
I think that trying to squeeze every pixel out of retro games and messing around with upscalers/displays/etc. kind of misses the point of going back to revisit games you loved as a kid. When I grew up I had a Sega Genesis that was hooked into a plain old generic CRT via RF. I didn't sit around thinking "man I wish this looked better", I just enjoyed the games. I've been trying more in recent years to get back into that mindset. Some people's obsession with SCART/RGB, PVMs, resolutions, upscalers, etc. is absurd IMO, but I guess if it makes them happy, more power to them.
Awesome video. I couldn't agree more. I love the hunt, collecting games for a low price. Now that I don't have as much time for it, I'm enjoying the games I have collected. Thank you for info on the Dell monitor. As much as I would like a CRT TV, I don't have the room for it. I'm definitely picking up the monitor, to play my N64 games
Well said, man. Funny how as kids, we were so much better at just having fun. Enjoying what we had, man I played every game I had, because I only had a few. Nowadays, we aren't happy if we can't load into some cool interface within 5 seconds, with access to every old console and game ever made. Leave it to our adult selves to screw up the simplicity of fun. Turning on a Nintendo, sitting in front of it for a couple of hours, playing Super mario bros. Not worrying about, ohhhh am I getting the best picture? Oh no, these scan lines aren't small enough.....ugh, I need to get up and change the cartridge?!
I have a similar setup like this on my desk in my living room. Right now I have a GameCube running on it. I find myself sitting and playing here and there more than I would normally. Right now I'm finishing up Metroid zero mission on the Gameboy player. Having it right there ready to go makes me play when I normally wouldn't. But I digress, I think I was up a little late last lol
I have an old 720p TV with a MiSTer and Retrotink 5x hooked up to it allowing me to play older consoles upscaled with the retrotink (mainly PS2 and Gamecube) or using FPGA solutions which are damn near perfect for PS1 and below. Now I just enjoy older retro games to my heats content.
I agreed with you... And then I found about some of the modern incredible CRT Emulators (I hesitate to call them 'filters' with how advanced they are). They make my 1060 CHUG even when playing NES...
I absolutely agree with you 💯. Some folks seem to enjoy being toxic and giving other people random advice nobody ask them for 😁. Well yes, CRT's are era appropriate, BUT there was a ton of cheap, REALLY crappy CRT monitors, not suitable for anything media related, more like furniture items for offices. Ever heard of Nokia monitors? I saw one in real life and, unlike their phones, I didn't like it at all 😂. It couldn't do high resolutions, nor decent frame rates. You could clearly see the flickering and get headaches (or seizures) from it. Also the viewable area was much smaller than the screen size. Just because there is a tube doesn't mean it's good! You should always choose what's good for you.
Playing dreamcast using vga is amazing . I have 15 inch works great super bright samsung, my 19 inch dell has ghosting issues on some games. My N.E.S works amazing 👏. Great video btw. Would love a follow-up.
We couldn't get rid of the 100 or so we had at our engineering plant about 5 years ago. A lot ended up in the scrap bins and several dozens were sold off at auctions.
I understand that some people enjoy all aspects of the hobby including getting their set up just right and all that. It's just like owning a classic car and spending more time working on it and waxing it than driving it. But for me, I like to play my games and drive my cars. I do like working on cars and modding my consoles too but it's a means to an end, I wouldn't do it if I didn't get to use it afterwards. But when people start trying to tell others how they should enjoy their hobby, that's crossing the line. Don't tell someone they have to only use a CRT monitor or drive a stick shift car. Let them do what they want because it's none of anybody's business!
I play most my old videogames in my barcade (have newer consoles hooked to bedroom TV). They are on a simple 19 or 20 inch 16/9 LCD TV I bought at a thriftstore. It has 1 HDMI hookup and 1 component component hookup. I have an extender on those two ports to make it easier to change consoles (no, I do not have a multi-box I have the ends of my cables with a homemade tape label telling me which console it is attached to and just change out which one is plugged in when I want to play it. 90% of the time my most played consoles are the Genesis (in the component) and my XBOX 360 (in the HDMI) so it is not a big enough deal to me to get a multi-box. I am too busy playing my games to worry about what someone I have never met would think. Everyone that comes to my home barcade loves playing the old systems and games they remember as a kid, or ones they never got to play before. The only question I have ever gotten about the visuals is why I have black bars on the side of the systems I have the TV set to 4:3 for.
That monitor has low latency due to the older tech used. That is why it is good. Also the controllers are 2.4 ghz so should be fine. Good point in the video. Just have fun and play the games.
I hope you keep doing what you're doing. Been watching close to 3 years. Thank you for the information on all kinds of various aspects of gaming. Especially emulation, and modding. (PS1 mini [Crack?] hack from China. Lol Worth it for "In The Hunt"alone.
I think you can use your phone,either android or apple. In slow mo record the analog audio output directly to some external speakers and test the amount of frames between pressing a button on video and its sound, and the video response.
1. Fantastic gameplay! You made it look way too easy than it actually is lol😅 2. Agree about your comments, im in search for the perfect retroarch shader that will mimic the perfect CRT feel. So instead of actually playing games, im playing with retroarch and settings. Maybe we should just back off little bit and enjoy what we have…😊
i had to tweak how i play retro games. i have a PS5 and now the VR2 and due to workin all the time it seems now, i dont have a lotta time to split between modern gaming AND old gaming. i have original consoles, but i put them in storage in a closet in a spare room in my house. also i have a few huge 30 inch or larger CRTs that still work and look fantastic.. round screens, too, so zappers work! but they were big, heavy, taking up space in the man cave room. so i put the CRTs in the closet, too. now days i use mini consoles to play retro games. also my switch, i play the retro games on there. also compilations on disc like the genesis collections or contra or castlevania, etc. i have a Retron5 and the adapter to play master system and game gear games, so my collection can be played on Retron5 at any time on my man cave tv. its just easier to have the retron play ALL my cart games, via HDMI on one big tv with my PS5 and my mini consoles. i can enable scanlines if i feel nostalgic. so i play real carts on clone hardware with modern wireless replica controllers. thats how i like it. saves space, easier, plays on a huge tv screen, looks fantastic, even my 5.1 surround speakers are all putting sound out (though its just stereo, its at least coming thru all the speakers and sounds pretty good during retro game play). also have many Arcade 1Up machines in the man cave, too, right behind me as i type this. got plenty of retro games when i get the itch! i also like to play versions of the same game on other consoles now, where as years ago i only wanted to play the BEST port, not own all of them. now i like to own'em all. example, Smash TV. bought it recently for genesis, snes and also nes. like playin all 3 versions as each is unique and my retron5 lets me keep all 3 carts out and pop'em in on the spot, no need for 3 consoles lined up, taking up space. btw madpixel, i was really upset nintendo REMOVED that Super Mario Bros 99 game months ago. i loved playing that online! against 98 other people to see who got the farthest, i loved that game and they removed it! people were upset! i would come in 1st to 5th place almost all the time as i knew the levels, grew up on them, knew where the secret blocks were, etc.
I do have fun with both playing the games and tinkering with different retro setups. I'm naturally inclined to mess with different tech, so that to me is a lot of fun. Most of my gaming now is on the go with my 3DS and Vita (both hacked).
Dude after watching that video of the Dell monitor last week I ordered one online, I have been looking at thrift stores for 4:3’s with S-Video & I hope it look as good as you described I’m hyped. I have all Sega consoles with svideo cables. 😊
I think playing old games on a monitor like that should be fine. CRTs are good and all, but as long as your games display okay and your input latency is fine, then there's nothing to worry about. I think the benefit of having a monitor like that for retro gaming in you save up on ALOT of space. I bought a 21 inch Plaroid brand HDTV, back at 2008 for $300. I remember playing old retro systems on it and it displayed everything fine, although PS2 games were pretty pixelated. Even N64 games look fine on it. I tried playing the same retro systems on a more premium HDTV I bought a few years later, but they didn't look quite as good. SInce that monitor is older, I think retro games will look just fine. Oh, and I still have my old Polaroid HDTV, although I think it has a couple of dead pixels on it. I have to recheck it, one of these days.
Nail on head. I found the Analogue 16 bit systems with everdrives have been my preferred route with huge black side borders to preserve the aspect ratio. Then been perfectly happy with the official mini consoles, switch online and the retro bundles on switch/ps4 to plug the gaps 😀 I remember hooking up my Dreamcast to a 4:3 LCD monitor in the early 00s that I was so psyched for as so much less clunky than CRT but it was awful due to all the ghosting. That Dell looks to suffer from none of that 😀
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I’ve owned the FPB since 2007!! I’ve used it as both a main monitor and then a second monitor to a laptop as well as the monitor to “monitor” video editing from analog video devices. It’s got a lot of cool features including Picture In Picture. Which I wish all these high end HDMI 4K tvs would all do. Why can’t my 50+ inch TV show ALL 4 input devices at the same time?!?
Good choices bro!
Dude. I honestly think most of the “loud” retro-gamers don’t actually PLAY. They spend 99% of their time setting up their rig, getting “this” working and “that” modified to have a higher whatever. Building their perfect build with 100% of everything. And when all that’s done, do they play it? Nah. Probably start Mario just to check and then it sits there u til the next hardware mod comes out. Meanwhile, THEY’re the ones all over Reddit and UA-cam, telling everyone what they SHOULD be doing and how their solution is better.
Tl;dr: I agree 100%. The search and the build is often what it’s about, not the retro gaming itself. It’s a good lesson to just play!
It's probably mostly the same people who pronounce "NES" as a word, or even worse "SNES" as a word.
its like lego.. building things get you the same satisfaction as playing waeva. Wtf is that wrong with this?
I loved how the whole video was just mad little pixel speed running the original super Mario brothers to prove how great the monitor is. Fantastic video. I should make a second attempt at fully plaything through Lost levels again.
Aye, I always wonder if people do like the gameplay video and then record their voiceover on audacity later so they’re not trying to talk and play at the same time so it’s easier. If I can’t see their mouth moving I just assume this is the case
I can almost speed-run smb on my gba sometimes too. it's just automatic after 30+ years of playing the game here and there. you can def feel lag or audio issues on that game in about 2 seconds. great bench-mark.
I agree whole heartedly with this video. I stopped chasing 'the best ever' and settled on a MiSTer system, a Dell 2007FPB and SNAC adapters. I can honestly say I am as happy or happier than I have ever been. Even happier than when I was playing the originals, as I dont even need to get up and swap to a different system when I wanted a change. I have CRTS and original hardware, OSSC, Retrotink 5x, GBS8200 and other scalers/converters and yet, the MiSTer on this Dell is where I enjoy my time the most.
It's all down to personal choice, I never tell anyone what they should do or shouldn't, other than to have fun. If the fun stops, change it up.
I have this exact monitor lol love it too. Colors are rich
I got ahold of a Mister Multisystem last year. After collecting consoles since the beginning of the pandemic, I drew the line when I was about to buy a Turbografx/PCEngine. Due to its price and all the addons/accessories I'd need to play the full library for that console, I decided to go for the Mister FPGA instead.
Old CRTs are so cheap though. People are always selling them on Craigslist or facebook market in your area. You can easily pay 40 bucks or less for a small one that is like 20 inches.
This is the reality, which we have to accept. It's grateful for what we already have and enjoy. The collection will never end. And that initial good feeling, of finding that game, passes faster and becomes an addiction.
Nice casual video about playing retro games, WHILE playing a retro game. I kinda fall into that category, I waste more time "fine tuning" my retro setup than actually playing games. I could blame it on being tired from work, worrying about life, etc, but sometimes we just need to stop and smell the roses.
I agree with your mentality. For my purposes, the CRT is exactly the way that I’m able to stop looking for tech and just play. No HD modding, no rocket science figuring out the latency and graphics filters, just having the games work the way they always did is all I need.
Ron, every time you do one of these I tell you, great job! Doesn't matter how you play now a days as long as you play and pass on the hobby to the next generation. Before we know it all the physical games will be gone. Thanks for the video
Well said brother! I’m one of those that are super sensitive to input lag so I do enjoy the search for a great setup, but I completely agree, everyone is different, some people aren’t affected as much by latency issues, most people should be perfectly happy with cheaper/modern setups. Play the games! 🍻
Well said! Enjoy playing games however you choose to play them.
I AGREE 100% it was difficult for me to accept at first but im in my early 40s and video game collecting just isn’t what it once was. I found that the constant hunt was making this hobby both not fun and unaffordable so i just started playing games and reading and following others opinions less and now im having fun again! Definitely i will keep what i have for now but things won’t be the same for me ever again.
I feel like it's sorta all hobbies at this point. The effect of a culture riddled with content creators. I collect baseball cards and comics and it's the same over there.
The thing that stings me so much, is that I used to have this same monitor a little over a year ago. My dumb-ass helped my mother give it to Staples to recycle instead of hiding it away in the family backyard shed. I have no idea why I wasn't thinking about keeping this for future use.
@TheRealJohnHooper Yeah I would! It would have been a better option than a CRT for me cause it's flat with a stand and is convenient im many ways. Would have been able to enjoy my Sega Genesis games on it too.
For input lag, I like to do the Tyson Test: if you can react to his cues and dodge his uppercuts in Round 1, it's good enough.
The future really looks bright for retro gaming as new TVs, especially OLEDs have under one frame of input latency which is good enough now and will only get better. My TV right now has just under 2 frames of latency and even with the added latency of emulators, games still feel good to play. I agree that it seems like alot of people are in love with the hunt to find out all the ways they can play retro games more than actually playing them. I admit that there was a time when I was the same way when I discovered emulation years ago, but I eventually had the same thought as you. I need to stop fidgeting around with all this crap and just play some games!
The big issue most people believe modern TVs have with latency actually comes from plugging composite or RF input directly into a digital TV. Even high end HDTVs tend to have the cheapest analog to digital converters available built in because they don't actually expect anyone to use them very often. A no-lag analog to hdmi converter will knock out the latency issues on most TVs and monitors.
@@destructodisk9074 what do you mean? I’m quite new to this stuff but would like a screen for old games one day
@@ridingnerdy6406 That's why you use a scaler to convert 240p to atleast 480p and send it over HDMI like a Retrotink if you want to use real hardware. If you use emulation all of that has been done for you. I personally don't want to try to track down a small 4:3 LCD to play my games on that has a ton of motion blur. I'm playing 5th generation and lower games on my 60 inch LCD made in 2015 through PC emulation with almost 2 frames of display lag which already feels pretty good but it can only get better from there. For my real NES, SNES, Genesis, PS1, N64, Saturn, and PS2 light gun games I still have a CRT for.
Imagine if they made a game specifically aimed at OLED. Allowing black blacks and imagery.
Yeah I use the Anqlogue Super NT and Mega SG with everdrives and 8bit do pads on an OLED (or late era Plasma which has an almost CRT like image) and can find absolutely nothing to complain about. Feels like the perfect hybrid of old and new.
Well, other than the initial high cost of entry. But I think it's worth paying for if that's what you're interested in.
I have what i consider the best ways to play retro video games on original unmodded hardware, modded og hardware, FPGA solutions and on Switch. I am so happy retro video games are popular again and wats to play are changing for the better. Awesome you found a 4:3 LCD monitor you can enjoy retro goodness on.
as long as the lag is low , the aspect ratio is correct, and the controller is not trash then you good.
Emulation can be a pain when you lack time to configure them and just want to have fun, but I’m quite interested in the Mister.
You don't need a CRT, 4:3 ratio and a perfect controller to enjoy games. I say so as a person that has a CRT and the mister FPGA, etc. I do it as a hobby, not because it's needed. I've played my whole life using PC emulators, on whatever LCD screen I had available and using whatever controller I had around, and enjoyed it for many years. Stop forcing standards that don't exist.
Retrogaming since 99. It was never that complicated for me. I stepped away about 10 yrs ago. Came back recently and im blown away at how far emulation has come. I'm still running roms like its 1999 😅
For awhile there I was chasing that best way to play with wireless controllers, rgb mods, best cables, switchers, upscalers etc and one day I had to stop and ask myself when was the last time I played some of my games? While I've been able to upgrade a good portion of my setup I've had to take some time and enjoy what I have and just slowly build up with that perfect setup dream. While I still do a crap ton of research for everything I want I have taken much more time to sit back and just play with what I have until I have that next upgrade. The dream is always there but we do need to remember how much we used to love our games the way we originally did and if we take some time to figure out a healthy balance then we can still be happy with what we have and not focus all of our effort into spending a crap ton on the dream then we won't have resent towards others that already have that setup or judge others for not playing the way we want to see others play. This community is passionate but we need to make sure we're spreading the love for these games instead of judging others for how they play.
Regarding monitors, you just need an older 4:3 LCD TV with a native resolution of 640x480 so that when it converts the analog signal to digital it doesn't have to upscale.
The problem with older 4:3 LCDs is ghosting, input lag, and contrast. That's what makes this monitor a unicorn. I didn't even know Dell made these. It's really nice.
@@oblivieon1567 The ones I found to be just great. Compared them with a sony crt tv and generic crt tv.
I know what you mean. I find myself looking for the best settings rather than enjoying the games. But don't get me wrong, I do get some enjoyment out of finding the best solution to gaming. It's a gaming nerd thing for me, I guess 🤣
As for the people complaining about the sold out monitors; did they even know about this one before you made your vid on it 🤔
Yeah I've been there. I'm primarily a pc gamer, love to build them and game on them and there was a time where I would monitor frame rates and temperatures, trying to overclock and squeeze as much performance playing with settings that it can turn into an obsession and can take away from enjoying the game. Of course I still tweak settings to my liking but it's a one time thing when I start a new game and just enjoy it.
I was actually hesitant to get back into playing my older consoles for a while, because I can't afford devices like the Retrotink, specific monitors, etc. So I just bought an HDMI converter recommended by MJR, some decent component cables, and I was immediately blown away just by the difference between composite and component! If I'm happy with the image quality and ease of use my setup has rn, then I see no reason to spend tons of time and money trying to make everything "perfect". (But more power to the people who have an eagle eye for image quality and enjoy hunting down the best equipment!)
I love the late night uploads/streams. Keep up the great work, Ron 👍🏻
It’s not even 6pm. Depends where you are. And it’s Tuesday.
Nice vid. Definitely need to play more games, but sometimes setting up/tweaking your system/build is as relaxing as playing. What's crazy is most of us are the only one playing it, so why do it all, but we do it. I do think there is some validity to stock/prices of some items that get linked by YT channels. Not saying right/wrong, but it does happen. Granted, without the YT channels, would you have even known about said item?? These monitors skyrocketed when people were modding 1up cabinets. They were dirt cheap, then people realized there was a market for them.
Agree 110% so please enjoy your video games, and keep making content. Best business plan you got, is the one you use everyday
getting new stuff is definitely part of the fun of the hobby, I usually get stuff like the retro fighter controllers as they come out.
But simplicity is often the best part of it. MiSter + any decent display does so much for so little effort, and honestly makes the hobby super easy.
Thanks for the Video about the Dell Monitor, i was struggling for so long to find a solution for a monitor that supports so many connection options.
I bought a used on with the speaker bar and i am not regretting it!
Thanks and keep up making videos like these!
SD CRT's don't add latency. HD CRT's do though.
This needed to be said. Thank you! For me I enjoy variety. I have a CRT and a computer connected to our main TV with emulation on it and a handheld and other options. It's nice to enjoy the differences. At the end of the day it's about what makes you happy.
“Do people actually enjoy playing games or do they just enjoy telling other people how they should enjoy games?” Great quote 0:26
I couldn't agree with you more. Everyone is different as far as what is important to them. I honestly prefer emulation for my retro gaming experience. Even though I still own some of these old consoles, I like being able to have all of them available to me on one device and selectable from a single (and beautiful) user interface. I've spent the last few years customizing my setup with all my favorite themes, video snaps etc. It really is a wonderful homage to the early days of video games and really takes me back every time I turn it on.
When it comes to the monitor, I actually prefer a 16x9 screen because I really like the custom artwork that can be added by installing the bezel project. Especially when playing the old arcade games where the original cabinet artwork is being displayed. It's just another way of honoring these systems and what made them special. If you really miss the look of a CRT then scan lines and shaders can be added in retroarch. Is it exactly the same as a real CRT? No probably not but for me, the difference isn't worth fussing about. The pros most definitely outweigh the cons in a setup like this.
If you disagree with me then great, go spend thousands of dollars collecting the original hardware and games, find yourself an old tank of a CRT and have fun. If this is what you feel gives you the best experience then I'm happy for you. Just don't bash me for preferring a different way.
Retroarch just got an update that lets you *STACK SHADERS!!* This is AMAZING! Now i can enjoy the beauty of crt-vhs combined with those pixel smoothing (NOT bilinear filtering) ones!
Years ago, we used to turn our CRT monitors on their sides to play MAME games. It made them more like the old arcade machines. Nothing wrong with 4:3 monitors. They're actually good for web browsing and anything text too. You get a lot more on the screen. If I found one in a thrift store, I wouldn't think twice about picking it up. I don't test for latency or speed on storage devices unless I'm troubleshooting a problem. I just can't be bothered. It works good or it doesn't. The 90s sucked. Everytime you bought something (and spent a ton of money) something so much better came out 2 weeks later. You couldn't keep up. It's good that things have slowed down.
Dude this video really hits home. IMHO you did a brilliant thing by taking what could be a negative and creating a business out of it! I for one love it!
Thanks for reminding me that even though I enjoy tinkering and researching, that playing the games should be the end goal!
I actually really needed to hear this video today. My brother (who’s always been obsessed with video quality more than me) gave me his old Retrotink 2x classic last month after he upgraded to the 5x. Before that I was using the LevelHike cables (which I still do for Genesis due to it not playing well with composite with the 2x, and the HD Retrovison cables being scarce/expensive). At first I was very happy with it. But after going down the rabbit hole that is UA-cam on the subject, I started wanting to immediately replace it with a 5X. I got my birthday money from my wife and family this month, but Mike Chi was on a temporary manufacturing hold due to health reasons, so I instead took that money and just bought more games. Now that the 5x production is up and going again, I’ve been mentally kicking myself and trying to scramble about how I’m gonna get one….instead of just playing my games on my perfectly satisfactory 2x classic.
In a similar vein, I’d been hearing so much from people saying to stay away from the Kaico/Retroprism component cable for the GameCube….but I bought a set and think they look beautiful! Honestly don’t get the complaints on that.
Great video! I have tested the VGA with this monitor on my old dreamcast with a few games and it looked really good. Marvel vs Capcom 2 is the one that stood out to me. Not all games took the VGA however so I still needed to keep the composite for those games. Unfortunately my monitor is no longer powering on so I will need to do some troubleshooting on it to get it back up. Planning to use it in a tiny Arcade build with a m93p I picked up recently. Keep up the awesome content!
I have a similar Dell 4:3 and I really like it. You can still find them at Thrift shops for practically nothing. I went down the whole input lag rabbit hole when I first started because everyone said you had to or you couldn't play. Now I have a room full of original hardware and CRT TV's but spend most of my actual playtime on an emulator running on a Chromebook. Convenience ends up winning out most of the time. Same thing with composite. Most of us grew up fully enjoying these games with an RF connection. If you want to play, just play, then figure out if you want to change something.
*edited for spelling
Good video. I can totally relate. I have nerded out on a lot of videos regarding the tech side of retro gaming and enjoyed it, but then again it only matters so much. Also, thanks for standing up for content creators making their content.
I 100% agree! We spend way to much time chasing instead of just playing the thing.
Interesting topic and thoughts on those comment section remarks regarding the monitor sales. From here, it looks like you have a cool feather in your cap! I want one myself after watching. Keep rockin' it dude!!!
Though the classic gaming were made with the older format systems to run in crt's,those new kind of systems which can run for instance from an original game cartridge etc from an HDMI make them look really good! Latency is an issue with wireless which i also see many times with the s4 bluetooth original controllers! Nothing beat the cable when it comes to better inputs with the controller.It's not a screen problem rather controller's issues!
For input lag like many others I use the Tyson test. But for newer stuff I use rhythm games like Space Channel 5 and Mad Maestro. If I can play those, it's fine.
Great video. My main reason for getting a CRT is lightguns. I'm in a CRT group on Facebook and someone asked the question what have you learned about CRTs? My answer was composite is fine, component isn't necessary, upscalers to modern TVs are a waste. Your CRT doesn't need to be a Trinitron. Not everyone liked my answer. I have hd retrovision cables, an OSSC, a component switcher, a super NT, and even a retron 5. I personally just plug the old stuff into the CRT and just play. I might just disconnect the ossc and Super NT. My retron 5 felt a little slower (still playable, just slower after being on CRT) when I played SNES Dracula X, but the pins bent on it so I'm not sure if I want another, but I like that it does translation patches.
I look forward to seeing more videos of what use to hook up to this monitor.
I ordered one from your link and I look forward to trying it out next week 😎👍
I’ve got a Dell CRT VGA monitor and a Toshiba CRT. I can’t become a CRT hoarder. 2 monitors are enough. I’m always looking at options to play on flat panels in case there becomes I time when I no longer have the option to play on a CRT. It’s good that you show Retro products of flat panels because that’s how most people are going to play them.
Agreed. Really trying to chill on pick ups & searching for deals to play & enjoy what I already have but the lure of the hunt is always calling.
Hey Rob great video I’m super guilty of always consuming retro games and consoles and different ways to to hook them up I have so much stuff I need to just chill and be happy and play with what I already have thank you for the video. It has given me a lot of perspective. I really appreciate you. Have a great day.
I was born in 1981 and I thank God I grew up in that Era. Modern gaming doesn't hold up to the way it was back in the day. Social networking was the neighborhood kids hanging out at one another's house, or meeting up at the local arcade. When someone in the neighborhood had a console or game the others didn't have, we would have sleepovers and buy pizza and socialize in person.
It's cool man. Glad you get enjoyment out of it, but at times in the video it looks laggy. You can see it in his running animation.
That sad part, that chasing some games to add to your collection is HELLA-expensive. You should enjoy your collection, I agree. But it's so hard to just even casually collect for your favorite game system.
Totally feel you on this topic. I am the kind that you talked about. More tinkling less playing ...but have to keep reminding myself that I need to play game some of the time.
I mostly play old game consoles on LCD screens. I still do have a working 14" Sony Trinitron available for light gun games but I generally prefer to play on televisions that don't make my arm hairs stand on end when I get too close.
I play mostly on a panasonic crt with rgb scart connections etc. ultimate retro gaming tv..but…it’s a monster in size so I can see the the appeal of a little monitor that does the job well enough. I agree just sit back sometimes and play your games However works best for you
I've always felt like kind of an outlier in retro gaming in that I LOATHE crt monitors. I grew up with them and I have no desire to go back. I'll take perfectly scaled pixels over scanline smoothing any day.
i use both - but for some titles that heavily use the crt smearing effect/dithering i switch to my refurbed crt 😇
imo the tink2x pro is more than good enough for any modern hdmi setup
I like this video.....i've had a bunch of consoles since the 80s, and now all i've got is my hacked SNES Classic, VICE64, MAME, Dolphin and Project64. With all the hardware, it cost me probably $150 to play 1000s of classic games that i played so long ago i could never tell the difference between the emulation and OG hardware, anyway. Besides, i've neither the room nor money for OG hardware....totally happy with my cheap/easy setup.
I didn't know how gate kept some of the retro stuff is. I was doing research on playing my old N64 on my flat screen and was prepared for the slurry of mixed comments coming through at me. I ended up getting the cheapest decent option which a Kaico line doubler for like $50. I got hate because I came to find out one of their other products was a Retrotink clone and people hated that. I also basically was told to get a CRT, which now are impossible to find locally and those who do have them are selling them for hundreds. Not only that I have tinnitus so CRTs emit that sound which is amplified by tinnitus. Then got some hate for buying those amazon N64 controllers, the 2 handle ones with GameCube sticks from miadore. Idk man I just wanted to play some vigilante 8 on my flat screen with less lag.
You wanted to play Vigilante 8? What a piece of trash you are, you should want to play a hidden gem like Blast Corps. Just kidding, people are stupid.
@@jong2359 I actually own blast corps, and yeah I can see someone complain about vigilante 8, the better version is on Dreamcast.
I love aftermarket equipment as well as original hardware. That's one of the things that makes retro gaming fun for me.
Anyone who gets angry because a UA-camr links to a product wouldn't be upset about it being sold out unless they went there in an attempt to buy one themselves. It's easier to blame someone else than to be angry with themselves just because they weren't fast enough. As the saying goes "that's a YOU problem".
Also, how would they find out to begin with? Were they thinking that they would just randomly happen to run across it one day themselves? Were they even "actually/actively" looking for an older 4:3 monitor in the first place? Because if they were....they would have already found one somewhere.
Reminds me back when everyone was complaining about the PS5 and Xbox X shortages because the supply was limited and resellers were buying them up. And yes at first it was a legitimate complaint, but once everything started mellowing out it became clear people were just band wagoning and not "actually" or "actively" trying to buy one. Because I'd read these comments on Twitter and be thinking "Bro, you can literally walk into Walmart or Best Buy right now and buy one or order one online at retail price just fine". They just wanted to hear themselves complain about something they weren't even "really" trying to buy at that moment in the first place.
People use to say CRT has no lag just because it is the fastest display overal (even if technically it has a tiny lag) and it's retro, so it's authentic (just the way it was in our memories) I guess nostalgia is the key...Off course some of the latest CRT has digital circuits inside which creates much more latency...Nice video anyway!
There's plenty of screen and emulation combos that can get you CRT latency and even effects that are close enough to CRT that I'd say leave that stuff in the past unless you're looking for nostalgia or to replicate the original experience. A setup with modern equipment is better in every other way and you probably already have everything you need.
Better in every way? You've definitely never played on a CRT then 😆
Emulation is close but playing on real hardware on a CRT is a wholly unique experience that will always have advantages over modern hardware
@@excadrillo99 I think he meant OG hardware with modern equipment. A high end scaler like the RT5x or OSSC + a high quality TV like an LG OLED will get you CRT levels of latency and the colors will be even better than CRT. But he's not right when he says "in every other way" because CRTs still destroy modern TVs in motion clarity and the visual quality of a nice CRT is still unmatched by current scanline filters
@@seraph4581 Oh yeah, OLEDs are definitely great for their black levels and massive size. And you can minimize lag using the right equipment to make it just about imperceptible. But sadly you can't have everything at once, pretty much every Black Frame Insertion mode for better motion comes with 1-2 frames of lag. Scanlines darken the image, and you can't use fancy emulator shaders on real hardware. Either way, I wouldn't discount one over the other, just that each has it's own advantages and disadvantages
@@excadrillo99 I've used many CRTs. Black and white, color, many different PC monitors. I'm over it. It's not better, and people who think it is are drinking the Kool-Aid.
Again, full respect to anyone who just wants to have a 'close to original' experience. Personally I'll take emulation on my 5-10ms OLED with integer scaling, CRT Royale, frame delay, run ahead and all the other conveniences and improvements emulators can bring.
@@BriBCG Definitely to each their own. I bet it looks great!
Ever since I built a PC that can basically emulate anything, and then some, I haven't been buying many retro games that much anymore... My wallet is happy though! 😂
I have a second PC that's hooked up to a Sharp CRT, but the picture quality is pretty bad since I'm using a HDMI to AV converter. CRT TV'S weren't meant to read text off of lol.
I've been thinking of getting a 4:3 LCD due to the price of CRT computer monitors being expensive AF. But I still think I'm going keep hunting.
Been enjoying my collection for two years now since prices went nuts. They have everdrives for all cartridge systems and now ps1/2, and Saturn has the satiator. Sega CD and Dreamcast (manufactured before 2000) play burned discs. It has been a blast! And all on original consoles and controllers. I did buy the .hack collection on PS4, just too good of a deal.
I've unfortunately fallen into this video's subject in recent years. For me now, the 'game' is figuring out how to improve my gaming experience. I do still play, but I spend a lot more time 'chasing' or even just watching someone else play instead...
“Do these people actually enjoy playing games?”
I think about this all the time. Some people just want to chase hype/news/announcements/collecting.
I just want to play old games
Very well said! Like I could mess around with scart and RGB mods and OSSC and all that, but honestly? My current setup works just fine for what I need and can accommodate.
My setup is an AV switch with s-video inputs. All my retro consoles are connected to it via s-video cables, which feeds into my retrotink mini, which then feeds into my hdmi switch, which then finally feeds into my mClassic. It looks good, works good and was pretty inexpensive. I don’t really need to fret over making it marginally better at a higher cost. I can just focus on enjoying my games now.
Nice commentary, more interested in you play the game. Got to areas I’d only dream of. If I ever play games again, I’ll follow what you did.
I think some people get too wrapped up in the technical aspects of gaming (and particularly retro gaming), and forget they are playing the game to enjoy it. If you have a CRT, and you enjoy playing one of your dozens of old school consoles on it, good. That's what games are for. Enjoying. Just respect that some others (myself included) are happy to play those very same games on an LCD, perhaps through an emulator.
I don't need my games to be cycle acurate, and as long as it doesn't feel bad to play, I'm happy accepting latency.. To put it bluntly, while I am an experienced gamer, I'm not good enough that a few milliseconds of latency will make much difference.
In short, play games how you want. Spend as much as you can afford or want to spend. Just enjoy them. That's what they are there for.
Oddly enough I experienced that latency that just doesn’t feel right with the NES mini. But maybe it was a not-powerful-enough usb adapter to blame. Playing super Mario bros is the ultimate test of latency for me.
A video of demonstrating what the title said.
While i agree to an extent, there are also comments that say the chase is enjoyable. If collecting and fiddling is what you enjoy more than playing, go for it.
that said its a little annoying when you are playing with friends. i used to jokingly tell my friends stop playing the store game on the ps3 i wanna play a video game on the ps3 :)
I happened to visit the thrift store on sunday, came out with a like new snes control port extension cord. went home and spent coupon hours with it and a retro trio plus, in front of my 60 inch tv. finding the extension cord was awesome, lol, but using it right after was awesomer :)
Another good small LCD for retro games is the Sony Bravia KDL-15G2000. Component, VGA, RGB SCART, S-Video and built in speakers.
Aside from chasing vs. enjoying, I find this issue: There's a difference between the games I want to enjoy, versus the games I actually enjoy. Recently I got into the idea of SEGA Genesis as a complete system, i.e. searching every "best of" list and every unknown treasure to build a concise collection of games so that I, and later my future kids and I, could just have endless fun on the system. I looked into beat em ups and platformers. I picked up multiple games from the same series (Madden, NHL). But at the end of the day, there are maybe two Genesis games that I *actually* want to play, and will enjoy playing: Bill Walsh College Football 95, and NHL 94. I haven't cared about platformers since I was 10 years old. There is no going back. I want to find other games I'll love as much as Earthbound, but there are several personal reasons why Earthbound, which I found here in my 30s, resonates with me and is the first RPG I've ever cared about. I've already got my CRT (even if it's a small one), I've got all the SNES & Genesis games/carts I would *actually* play, and my original Model 1 Genesis from childhood--once I have a Super NT, I don't need another thing. Besides, I'm already playing Earthbound on my MacBook with a SNES USB controller.
Emulators already do a great job at mimicking that old school look. We've reached a point where just about everything on every system runs really well.
I think that trying to squeeze every pixel out of retro games and messing around with upscalers/displays/etc. kind of misses the point of going back to revisit games you loved as a kid. When I grew up I had a Sega Genesis that was hooked into a plain old generic CRT via RF. I didn't sit around thinking "man I wish this looked better", I just enjoyed the games. I've been trying more in recent years to get back into that mindset. Some people's obsession with SCART/RGB, PVMs, resolutions, upscalers, etc. is absurd IMO, but I guess if it makes them happy, more power to them.
For some people…The chase is better than the catch. Great vid!
nice vid and good points. as long as you can tell that mario is mario, and he jumps quickly enough after pressing the jump button its fine
Awesome video. I couldn't agree more. I love the hunt, collecting games for a low price. Now that I don't have as much time for it, I'm enjoying the games I have collected. Thank you for info on the Dell monitor. As much as I would like a CRT TV, I don't have the room for it. I'm definitely picking up the monitor, to play my N64 games
Congrats on speedrunning the game, Ron!
Well said, man. Funny how as kids, we were so much better at just having fun. Enjoying what we had, man I played every game I had, because I only had a few. Nowadays, we aren't happy if we can't load into some cool interface within 5 seconds, with access to every old console and game ever made. Leave it to our adult selves to screw up the simplicity of fun. Turning on a Nintendo, sitting in front of it for a couple of hours, playing Super mario bros. Not worrying about, ohhhh am I getting the best picture? Oh no, these scan lines aren't small enough.....ugh, I need to get up and change the cartridge?!
I have a similar setup like this on my desk in my living room. Right now I have a GameCube running on it. I find myself sitting and playing here and there more than I would normally. Right now I'm finishing up Metroid zero mission on the Gameboy player. Having it right there ready to go makes me play when I normally wouldn't. But I digress, I think I was up a little late last lol
I have an old 720p TV with a MiSTer and Retrotink 5x hooked up to it allowing me to play older consoles upscaled with the retrotink (mainly PS2 and Gamecube) or using FPGA solutions which are damn near perfect for PS1 and below. Now I just enjoy older retro games to my heats content.
Touched on some good points! Keep making videos.
I agreed with you... And then I found about some of the modern incredible CRT Emulators (I hesitate to call them 'filters' with how advanced they are). They make my 1060 CHUG even when playing NES...
Dreamcast on vga lcd monitor is a good time! Totally recommend.
I absolutely agree with you 💯. Some folks seem to enjoy being toxic and giving other people random advice nobody ask them for 😁.
Well yes, CRT's are era appropriate, BUT there was a ton of cheap, REALLY crappy CRT monitors, not suitable for anything media related, more like furniture items for offices. Ever heard of Nokia monitors? I saw one in real life and, unlike their phones, I didn't like it at all 😂. It couldn't do high resolutions, nor decent frame rates. You could clearly see the flickering and get headaches (or seizures) from it. Also the viewable area was much smaller than the screen size.
Just because there is a tube doesn't mean it's good! You should always choose what's good for you.
Playing dreamcast using vga is amazing . I have 15 inch works great super bright samsung, my 19 inch dell has ghosting issues on some games. My N.E.S works amazing 👏. Great video btw. Would love a follow-up.
We couldn't get rid of the 100 or so we had at our engineering plant about 5 years ago. A lot ended up in the scrap bins and several dozens were sold off at auctions.
I understand that some people enjoy all aspects of the hobby including getting their set up just right and all that. It's just like owning a classic car and spending more time working on it and waxing it than driving it. But for me, I like to play my games and drive my cars. I do like working on cars and modding my consoles too but it's a means to an end, I wouldn't do it if I didn't get to use it afterwards.
But when people start trying to tell others how they should enjoy their hobby, that's crossing the line. Don't tell someone they have to only use a CRT monitor or drive a stick shift car. Let them do what they want because it's none of anybody's business!
I play most my old videogames in my barcade (have newer consoles hooked to bedroom TV). They are on a simple 19 or 20 inch 16/9 LCD TV I bought at a thriftstore. It has 1 HDMI hookup and 1 component component hookup. I have an extender on those two ports to make it easier to change consoles (no, I do not have a multi-box I have the ends of my cables with a homemade tape label telling me which console it is attached to and just change out which one is plugged in when I want to play it. 90% of the time my most played consoles are the Genesis (in the component) and my XBOX 360 (in the HDMI) so it is not a big enough deal to me to get a multi-box.
I am too busy playing my games to worry about what someone I have never met would think. Everyone that comes to my home barcade loves playing the old systems and games they remember as a kid, or ones they never got to play before. The only question I have ever gotten about the visuals is why I have black bars on the side of the systems I have the TV set to 4:3 for.
That monitor has low latency due to the older tech used. That is why it is good. Also the controllers are 2.4 ghz so should be fine. Good point in the video. Just have fun and play the games.
I hope you keep doing what you're doing. Been watching close to 3 years. Thank you for the information on all kinds of various aspects of gaming. Especially emulation, and modding. (PS1 mini [Crack?] hack from China. Lol Worth it for "In The Hunt"alone.
I think you can use your phone,either android or apple. In slow mo record the analog audio output directly to some external speakers and test the amount of frames between pressing a button on video and its sound, and the video response.
1. Fantastic gameplay! You made it look way too easy than it actually is lol😅
2. Agree about your comments, im in search for the perfect retroarch shader that will mimic the perfect CRT feel. So instead of actually playing games, im playing with retroarch and settings.
Maybe we should just back off little bit and enjoy what we have…😊
Still got them skills like you were a teen. That's awesome!
Sounds about right. People should stop chasing best settings & statistics and just play video games.
i had to tweak how i play retro games. i have a PS5 and now the VR2 and due to workin all the time it seems now, i dont have a lotta time to split between modern gaming AND old gaming. i have original consoles, but i put them in storage in a closet in a spare room in my house. also i have a few huge 30 inch or larger CRTs that still work and look fantastic.. round screens, too, so zappers work! but they were big, heavy, taking up space in the man cave room. so i put the CRTs in the closet, too. now days i use mini consoles to play retro games. also my switch, i play the retro games on there. also compilations on disc like the genesis collections or contra or castlevania, etc. i have a Retron5 and the adapter to play master system and game gear games, so my collection can be played on Retron5 at any time on my man cave tv. its just easier to have the retron play ALL my cart games, via HDMI on one big tv with my PS5 and my mini consoles. i can enable scanlines if i feel nostalgic. so i play real carts on clone hardware with modern wireless replica controllers. thats how i like it. saves space, easier, plays on a huge tv screen, looks fantastic, even my 5.1 surround speakers are all putting sound out (though its just stereo, its at least coming thru all the speakers and sounds pretty good during retro game play).
also have many Arcade 1Up machines in the man cave, too, right behind me as i type this. got plenty of retro games when i get the itch! i also like to play versions of the same game on other consoles now, where as years ago i only wanted to play the BEST port, not own all of them. now i like to own'em all. example, Smash TV. bought it recently for genesis, snes and also nes. like playin all 3 versions as each is unique and my retron5 lets me keep all 3 carts out and pop'em in on the spot, no need for 3 consoles lined up, taking up space.
btw madpixel, i was really upset nintendo REMOVED that Super Mario Bros 99 game months ago. i loved playing that online! against 98 other people to see who got the farthest, i loved that game and they removed it! people were upset! i would come in 1st to 5th place almost all the time as i knew the levels, grew up on them, knew where the secret blocks were, etc.
I do have fun with both playing the games and tinkering with different retro setups. I'm naturally inclined to mess with different tech, so that to me is a lot of fun. Most of my gaming now is on the go with my 3DS and Vita (both hacked).
Dude after watching that video of the Dell monitor last week I ordered one online, I have been looking at thrift stores for 4:3’s with S-Video & I hope it look as good as you described I’m hyped. I have all Sega consoles with svideo cables. 😊
I agree with you about the 'Ness' bit....drives me crazy....hate 'Sness' too!
I think playing old games on a monitor like that should be fine. CRTs are good and all, but as long as your games display okay and your input latency is fine, then there's nothing to worry about. I think the benefit of having a monitor like that for retro gaming in you save up on ALOT of space. I bought a 21 inch Plaroid brand HDTV, back at 2008 for $300. I remember playing old retro systems on it and it displayed everything fine, although PS2 games were pretty pixelated. Even N64 games look fine on it. I tried playing the same retro systems on a more premium HDTV I bought a few years later, but they didn't look quite as good. SInce that monitor is older, I think retro games will look just fine. Oh, and I still have my old Polaroid HDTV, although I think it has a couple of dead pixels on it. I have to recheck it, one of these days.
Nail on head. I found the Analogue 16 bit systems with everdrives have been my preferred route with huge black side borders to preserve the aspect ratio. Then been perfectly happy with the official mini consoles, switch online and the retro bundles on switch/ps4 to plug the gaps 😀
I remember hooking up my Dreamcast to a 4:3 LCD monitor in the early 00s that I was so psyched for as so much less clunky than CRT but it was awful due to all the ghosting.
That Dell looks to suffer from none of that 😀