RetroTINK-2X - Composite, S-Video, & Component to HDMI :: RGB314 / MY LIFE IN GAMING

Lag-Free Composite, S-Video, & Component to HDMI! The RetroTINK-2X is a far more affordable analog-to-digital video processor than any comparable device designed for retro gaming. How does it perform, and what does it have to offer if you already have an OSSC or Framemeister?
Review unit provided by CastleMania Games
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► RetroTINK-2x at CastleMania Games
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My Life in Gaming makes documentaries, deep dives into retro console hardware, and more.

[@rumblemustachegames5439]

If anyone is viewing this in 2019, the audio issues were fixed with a revision.

[@dragonmasterwicked]

how do i get a revised version :O it crackles so much on a el gato hd60 :(

[@rumblemustachegames5439]

@@dragonmasterwicked I'd reach out to Mike Chi at retrotink.com

[@lunitaproductions8290]

Good thing i bought it later, and bcuz of budget cuts xD

[@JeanRodo]

I’m pretty sure it was also fixed with a firmware update, they can be sent in to him for a fee or you can do it yourself

[@SolidSonicTH]

If anyone is watching in 2020, the RetroTink 2x Multiformat is 480p-compatible. >_>

[@DarkFalz719]

I loved the quick cut of a PSP covered in six inches of dust

[@yournightmare9999]

That's how mostly all American living

[@halo3odst]

@@yournightmare9999 naw, thats just how much the psp is used today.

[@vice86]

I love the sounds whenever anything is switched/pushed/plugged in to something.

[@diegocrusius]

its a work of love

[@jasonw1776]

The retrotink really seems perfect for me. I'm not crazy about the additional cost of the OSSC in addition to needing RGB modded consoles. The easily accessable S-video input along with the smoothing option looks great to me!

[@tetsujin_144]

Yeah I think it does a good job of filling a particular niche: It has some shortcomings perhaps but it's relatively affordable, low latency, and handles 240p correctly.

[@henry3397]

If you play this on a VGA CRT Monitor its about the best a 240p source can look besides PVM.

[@justanotheryoutubechannel]

Tetsujin Yeah, it fills the niche of most of America. A lot of American people have nostalgic memories for their old consoles but lack a good CRT, and as no American TVs have SCART a fairly-cheap device like this is perfect as they can just break out their old composite or S-Video cables and play their old games on their modern flatscreens rather than needing to mess around with SCARTs and Component and transcoders and all that.

[@justanotheryoutubechannel]

Lassi Kinnunen I suppose so, but this stuff is mostly aimed at the American market as there are more American retro gamers then anywhere else, and American TVs and sometimes consoles don’t support RGB and often even SCART at all. For a lot of Americans, Composite and S-Video is good enough for most people as it’s what they grew up with and can be used much more easier than converting from SCART to component, and Americans with higher quality equipment often use Component as their prosumer and professional CRTs often support it, and the RetroTINK is perfect for that as it supports it.

[@tcgamingtimes999]

As someone who's not very savvy with converter boxes and upscalers, I love these videos, you guys, you are helping so many of us laymen

[@the1ucidone]

This is easily the greatest show on KZbin. I mean I actually use it's relaxing sounds to fall asleep every single night, though I turn it down low because Try has a bit of bass to his voice lol. Another lovely episode. Thank you guys.

[@SarahLJP]

11:32 He fixed this issue with later versions. I bought mine recently. I just tested it in the same place. The audio wasn't over modulated. It sounded fine. 6:30 My Dreamcast is much crisper with S-video through the RetroTINK-2X.

[@JD3Gamer]

I've used the RetroTink 2X to digitize all of my Grandma's Hi8 home movies for preservation and now it has a permanent spot as a way to connect old consoles to a PC CRT monitor.

[@Knightmessenger]

Do you feel it is better than alternatives for capturing videoHi8?

[@snoochpounder]

I really appreciate the work you guys put into your videos and all the attention to details certainly pays off

[@rodrigomolinsky]

Good! Now we can use a non-modded 3DO via S-Video without break the bank for the Framemeister.

[@RetroTechSelect]

The N64 actually looks pretty stellar with the 2X via S-video as well... As hard as that is to believe with the 64's muddy visuals.

[@WH250398]

@@RetroTechSelect The n64 indeed looks pretty decent with S Video. Some games are so blurry though, that it doesn't make much of a difference. Mario 64 looks great on my Framemeister, but Ocarina of Time looks pretty much the same.

[@itchyisvegeta]

Another great video. Perfect product for those who simply want great picture quality out of a simple plug and play device without the bells and whistles.

[@yourpalmax6681]

I know this is an older video, but I bought the 2X Mini on a whim recently and have been nothing but satisfied with it. Even with systems it's not recommended to use it with (Genesis w/composite, PS2 w/S-Video) that have more optimal solutions, I still find it a far more preferable alternative to using the built-in analog connections on an HDTV just for the zero-lag upscaling. Can't recommend enough; I'd been playing on emulators so much recently that I forgot how amazing OG hardware feels even on my TV that has just a touch of lag. The fact that it comes with an S-Video cable for SNES/N64/GameCube is a nice touch, too.

[@mylifeingaming]

[Try4ce] I'm right there with ya, the Mini fills me with warm fuzzy feelings. It's so simple and practical and is something I recommend constantly due to being the lowest cost device that will give you a quality upscaled experience. I took some photos a while back comparing direct composite to an HDTV to composite through the Mini and it's just a massive difference. Such a handy thing to have around.

[@firisrozley5768]

If they can just fix that 480p mode on the component, I may consider using Retro-Tink 2X just to connect a component switcher (with PS2, Xbox, PSP etc connected) to my HDTV.

[@TheBacklogOdyssey]

I've been eyeballing the RetroTINK-2X for a couple of weeks now and you guys have convinced me to take the plunge. As someone that wants to get better quality video from my retro consoles without spending an arm and a leg, I feel this is a perfect fit. Now here's hoping they're back in stock soon!

[@GameSack]

I'll be honest, the thing that I'd wanna use this for would be playing and maybe even digitizing LaserDiscs. Since LDs don't require much time base correction they shouldn't drop out. I'm a bit worried about the over-modulated audio however. But at the same time I'd like to just have my receiver decode the audio I think. I wish there was a way to get analog video into a device like the Retrotink as well as the ENCODED audio so that both could travel along the HDMI cable. Actually that would be impossible for AC-3 audio since it's analog and needs to be RF modulated. God I hate my life.

[@FinalBaton]

lol. first-world problems indeed, Joe. First. World. Problems. In. Deed... I hadn't thought about that but yeah I could see some use for playing/digitizing video. I have a good Sony pro VHS deck here that plays extremely steady and doesn't really require a TBC, I'd be curious to play it through the Retrotink. I guess I could also record my tapes through the composite port on my capture card (USB3HDCAP, same as X-Capture1), although I haven't tried that yet. My video game captures look good through that card via RGB, using AmarecTV and then upscaled in post processing. But I have no idea how composite(especially video material) will turn out. Oh well, at least the card's drivers include a couple of deinterlacing methods to try out.

[@mirabilis]

AC-3 is a digital format.

[@RetroTechSelect]

Mike recommended using the smoothing filter when using 480i sources and video. I'm not sure how I feel about that, but it's worth a try. The 2X does have a comb filter, but it's not a traditional de-interlacer... @Game Sack have you tried the RetroTINK out with LDs yet?

[@--mb--]

Use a high end DVD recorder with gold tipped and somewhat shielded cables and S-Video. All you need, my friend. Usually with LD and VHS, anything over 8-10mbp/s is overkill.

[@justanotheryoutubechannel]

Rikard But it’s RF modulated into the Audio channels on a LaserDisc.

[@ScarletSprites]

Great video as always guys! The RT2X has been great for my Neo Geo, DC, and PCE. It’s made managing cables for captures a lot easier.

[@RemoWilliams1227]

Wow an ancient comment from another creator I follow. Love your arcade restores and such bro.

[@ScarletSprites]

@@RemoWilliams1227 Good times! Thanks man.

[@feanenatreides]

This was the video that convinced me to buy a RetroTINK, and I am so happy I did. The price of mods and scalers for my Nintendo systems is way beyond what I can afford or justify spending, and for 100 bucks plus shipping this little beauty has made all my retro games look clean and clear on my new 1080p TV. RGB + OSSC/Famemeister might be the perfect combination, but I honestly don't think the difference is worth the cost for the average gamer. The RetroTINK gets my strong recommendation!

[@SkyScourgeGod]

This thing can actually make a nice alternative for us N64 fans who can't drop $200+ on the UltraHDMI just yet. The S-Video to HDMI is also a very tempting choice to use instead of RGB mods that may or may not be compatible with late model N64's, so I'm glad you brought this up for us. :)

[@mylifeingaming]

[Try4ce] Unless you're using de-blur, the jump from composite to S-video to RGB is quite small on N64. To be honest, I don't think N64's composite is that bad, as far as composite goes! Maybe the best composite. Only in certain types of colors or patterns is it tangibly different from S-video.

[@SkyScourgeGod]

Hot damn! I actually got a response from Marc of MLiG! That pretty awesome, thanks bro! *Ahem* Anyways, it's probably because of the N64's natural blurriness that makes it's composite quality not seem as bad. Whether it's composite or S-video, it'll no doubt still look blurry on an HDTV. RGB mods will also only get you so far even with quality scalers and line doublers like the OSSC and the Framemeister. Its really just, unfortunately, how the N64 was designed. The UltraHDMI will, of course, be the perfect answer for that... but its a hard mod to come by and also the perfect way to burn a small hole in your wallet. lol :P

[@Kanakill4]

I’ve been playing around with the Retrotink 2x Pro for the last week and it definitely succeeds in removing most if not all latency. We usedGuitar Hero 2 on PS2 for our latency tests. Our baseline/control was playing the PS2 on a composite cable connected directly to an HDTV (without the Retrotink). The latency made the game completely unplayable even on the lower difficulties. This device. As soon as we switched over to the Retrotink we immediately noticed the results. The delay was now non-existent. This absolutely delivers on its promise for little/no lag. As for for image quality, we tested an original XBOX and PS2 with all 3 connections (RCA composite, S-video & component. - OEM RCA composite cables - Aftermarket S-video cables - Monster component cables Composite and S-video look fine but there is still some artifacting no matter which settings were used. Menus and text seemed particularly washed out. Component over Monster cables on the other hand is crisp. It looks like the games were meant to be played this way. We also connected a SEGA Genesis and NES up via composite. Compared to our tested without the Retrotink the latency was much lower and image was much crisper.

[@BiovoG]

RGB107 :: Retro Gaming on VGA Monitors / MY LIFE IN GAMING Do it.

[@Punished_Rustles]

and 480p-capable consumer-grade HDCRTs

[@RetroTechSelect]

Love it!

[@JnL_SSBM]

and *RGB317 :: Getting the best picture to your Nintendo 64 Part 2*

[@ianthornsburg338]

Emulation on VGA CRTs is great. You can actually double the refresh rate on a PC to get 240p at 31khz and it'll look as good as a PVM with thick scan lines and everything. Original consoles would be great if there was something like the 2x, but instead of doubling resolution, it doubled the refresh rate.

[@Foas]

This would be an awesome episode, I've found that the OSSC with a VGA converter looks amazing on an old PC monitor, if anyone's interested in trying it out.

[@alexdelareta]

I ordered one! Can’t wait for it to ship.

[@PhysicalMedia3]

14:45: Jesus, if a standard VCR looked this good through RCA, imagine what a tape would look like on an S-VHS player through S-video...

[@chrisfratz]

Watching this after the 5x came out it's kind of amazing when you think about how far the RetroTINK brand has come in just 4 years after the 2x came out. Of course the brand existed before the 2x was even a thing but I feel like the 2x was the device got the ball rolling and made more people aware of the brand leading to Mike evolving the product and making it better eventually culminating into the 5x that just came out.

[@eymed2023]

Was there a retrotink1x?

[@chrisfratz]

@@eymed2023 no, the reason why it's called the two x's because it line doubles a 240p and 480i signal, both the 480p

[@eymed2023]

@@chrisfratz Hum...interesting. So what WERE the Retrotink products before the X2 then? I'm curious.

[@chrisfratz]

@@eymed2023 if I remember correctly they were mostly just add-ons to allow for 15KHz analog output on the raspberry pi to the general purpose IO port on the top, mostly to allow for 240p output for things like emulators

[@eymed2023]

@@chrisfratz Interesting. Thanks for the information. On a related note, do you know if there's any N64 emulator where it's possible to run it at the original N64 resolution with intenger scaling or interpolation? Some emulators look very similar to real hardware, but N64 looks very different.

[@TheAmazingMoose-Man]

Crazy how this “smaller competitor” is now the most popular brand in this space….Crazy

[@PaperBanjo64]

Retroscaler2x took a lot of the potential customers since it's simpler and cheaper, remember people wouldn't have to buy a clone of the original was still in production.

[@RetroTechSelect]

I am so glad that my embargo is FINALLY over! I finished my 2X vs. iScan video and can finally enjoy this without worrying about the inevitable influence you guys would have had on my analysis. Had to have a chuckle that you also used close-ups of Phantasy Star II to illustrate some finer points :D The music and dramatic lighting when you bring in the component cables was awesomely over-the-top. Your production values are just miles ahead of the rest of the pack. Almost no one else (myself included) mentioned the minor audio issues you guys bring up here. Another thing I noticed was a bit of hiss/buzz through my speakers when sitting on the color bars with no sources powered on. This could just be interference from the fire hazard I call a setup haha (work in progress).

[@waddupjd]

How does the reteotink handle anti aliasing ?

[@RetroTechSelect]

@@waddupjd the smoothing filer gives a surprisingly clean picture if smooth pixels are your thing. I'm all about sharp edges myself (jaggies and all).

[@waddupjd]

@@RetroTechSelect well I mostly play 3d games on my PS2, Xbox, and Dreamcast. 2d cartridge games I play on my Retron 5

[@PhysicalMedia3]

14:50: Makes me wonder what VHS tapes look like through other scales like the XRGB mini frameister.

[@gaboaranguren1337]

jesus christ!!!! that PSP is so dusty! Great video by the way!

[@triple_lei]

That little stunt cost them a thumbs up from me.

[@Clay3613]

I regularly dust my gaming systems. It seems like nobody who makes videos thoroughly cleans their equipment.

[@BobofWOGGLE]

The camera adds like an inch of dust I swear.

[@GameSack]

Bob is right. What looks great to the naked eye doesn't always look great on camera. There's no way to get every piece of dust off and keep it off during the shoot. And when people are busy making videos a lot, there's not always time to go around dusting the collection. I always dust and clean mine before shooting, but often I need to reshoot or just live with how bad it looks because it didn't get as clean as I had hoped... ESPECIALLY FOR BLACK CONSOLES.

[@dbnpoldermans4120]

They just attract a lot of dust somehow. I giggled, mine is not as dusty ... yet

[@bowi1332]

I bought a 2X-Mini for my N64 and it's awesome! I bought a 480p Sharp TV (640x480) from *2006* which supposedly line-doubled 240p, but it's just awfu. Thankfully, the 2X Mini fixed that, and it also looks great on a "regular" 1080p TV.

[@rafaelsoares8282]

I was hoping for a new video and that is a great topic to discuss

[@RetroAli]

New video let's goooo

[@BrainDesmo]

SCf3, right!

[@GtotheNextLevel]

This was wonderful, guys. You pretty much got me even more hyped to get my RetroTink and play around with it for capture. Thank you so much for this.

[@TAHK0]

I love how much fun you guys have with editing- Makes me chuckle all the time! :]

[@joshuaberkley5219]

Man...I can't get over how good your intro is. Gimme a sec, I'm gonna go watch it again. I'll get to the video eventually.

[@goukigod]

Hello Australia here. Just a couple of tips for people in PAL regions in regards to outputs on Nintendo consoles. Most pal N64’s do not support s-video. Composite is the only option. Many PAL Gamecubes don’t support s-video either, however they do natively support component via the AV/multi-out. This means you can easily buy component cables (not the crazy official ones) like the HD retrovision ones and you don’t need a GameCube that has a digital output. The best part is they generally work for PAL SNES systems too, but to be sure your console is compatible, check the compatibility chart on HD retrovision’s site.

[@mylifeingaming]

[Try4ce] PAL GameCubes support RGB from the Multi-Out, not component. This means that the HD Retrovision cables convert RGB to component. You could use an RGB cable as well. However you can't use 480p from the Multi-Out with RGB or HD Retrovision cables because the port does not support it... only the Digital Out port.

[@TheAfroman]

Perfect. This is a great video to share with new people to upscaling old consoles. Sharing like crazy today.

[@afropowa1598]

Ever thought about doing an episode on the best 4K HDTV for gaming? Like which one has the lowest input lag, the best price, the biggest screen, etc.? Also Mike Chi is gonna improve on this as well. I am glad he made this product for ppl like me who rather just use a hdmi HDTV for everything from gaming to watching.

[@shoobopper]

Yup. It'd be cool if they also went to the extremes with some really high end tvs.

[@dirozx]

they already did a 4k tv episode.

[@VinchVolt]

That was more about general know-how for connecting your gaming system to a 4K TV, rather than looking at specific monitors and brand names.

[@mylifeingaming]

[Try4ce] Our previous episode is allll about gaming on 4K TVs. It's unrealistic for us to test a bunch of TVs though... we can only look at what we have and what friends have. But it's a very broad-ranging video that talks about all of the unforeseen considerations you might have when going 4K, short of "reviewing" specific models. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqrQZ4t6aJJrp9k

[@WH250398]

Philips PUS6501 is where my money went too. It costs around 650 dollars. Inputlag is minimal, imagequality incredible, it has plenty of hdmi connections and a component input for the wii and ps2. The only downside is the construction being mostly made from plastic. So you gotta be careful not to bump into the screen. HDR is the 8bit variant, but looks great anyway. If you're looking into scalers, the ossc unfortunately does not work with this tv. I use the Framemeister for it.

[@JeanRodo]

To anyone viewing this in 2020 the audio issues have not only been fixed but you also have more retroTink models to choose from depending on your needs!

[@dmace81]

Not to mention they increased the price! YIPPIE!

[@mpxz999]

You guys make the most amazing, through, satisfying and informative videos on this content! I am always so impressed with what you do. Thank you!

[@dagamer991]

I got mine yesterday! I'm so happy that I can play these old games in the correct aspect ratio! now I just need to convert all my scart consoles to Componant... This is an expensive hobby...

[@esprithk]

Finally a review of RetroTINK by you. Great comparisons of various options.

[@Bugatti12563]

I absolutely love the intro and outro music of this video.

[@SigmaShawn]

I was having video noise problems too and I didn't know what was causing it. It was too distracting so I had to return it. I'm glad to know it wasn't a problem on my end

[@Ace_of_DiscaL]

I love my RetroTINK-2X!!!

[@AVENTUS03]

SUPREME PROPS !!!!! MLIG is the most thoroughly detailed, concise, and informative gaming channel on all of KZbin !!!!! This RGB series is exemplary of such ! Quick question: For those of us whose main goal is smoothing edges/pixelization, from PS2 discs and Dreamcast: 1. Playing PS2 discs on PS2- Will using s-video or component into RetroTink2x (smoothing on), then mini hdmi cable into HDMI-switch, then Marseille MCable Gaming edition cable from hdmi-switch to HDTV be best ? 2. Or would playing said PS2 discs on BCfatPS3 with PS3 smoothing feature on, then running Marseille MCable Gaming edition directly out of PS3 into HDTV get a better smoother less jaggie edge and less pixelated textures ? 3. Dreamcast - do you think a RetroTink2x with smoothing on, receiving Dreamcast signal via HD retrovision’s upcoming Component Dreamcast cables, or dreamcast s-video cables, will achieve a more smoothe-edged, less jaggie, less pixelated texture .... when compared to a Dreamcast with Dansprojects’ DC-HDMI installed, sending 480p output via mini hdmi, into an hdmi-Switch, which is then connected/upscaled/aa’d to 1080p into an HDTV via a Marseille MCable Gaming edition ? Thanks so much for the Depth of detail you enjoy as much as your followers do ! PEACE !

[@kevintheshane]

New MLiG makes me unreasonably excited!

[@Asobitech]

I've been umming and ahhing over buying the retrotink for a while, this video has sold to me, thanks.

[@ThatOldSchoolMagic]

Recently bought this and I’ve got to say. It really works wonders on a good amount of games. Some work better than others when it comes to the smoothing but for the most part its absolutely brilliant. I’ll likely buy another as a spare in the future.

[@GameplayandTalk]

That was a nice deep-dive on this device. It definitely seems like it's the best your money can buy if you don't want to go any higher than S-Video and don't really have a strong need for Component or up.

[@zdp-189]

I RGB and region modded all my consoles I could, and on SMS/Genesis/Jag/Saturn/PS's use a good SCART all into OSSC. Even DC goes into OSSC as VGA. Gamecube has eon, and newer consoles have HDMI...so that leaves my poor 3DO with no good option! Since S-video is best for it, and OSSC and my Marantz home receiver lack that input. I believe this is where the retrotink will be effective in my system, although 90 plus is kinda harsh, 40$ would be ok, but doubling that in price is what gave me cold feet for honestly just one system, and lets face it, one I hardly play often.

[@adriang9342]

3:44 it's like you've known me all my life

[@Captain_Dark]

OMG I WAS FEENING FOR A VIDEO FROM YOU GUYS!

[@BobofWOGGLE]

Feening?

[@Captain_Dark]

@@BobofWOGGLE Craving

[@WhiteJarrah]

14:10 Actually, the RetroTink 2X is a solution to the Chrono Cross problem. I recently acquired an OSSC and a RetroTink. In my tests, I found that using component or RGB, neither of these devices seems to handle the resolution switch. But over S-video with the linedouble mode enabled, the RetroTink transitions seamlessly between 288p and 576i modes. I've tested it with Rogue Squadron on N64 and Driver on the PS1. Both had no blackouts over S-video with the 2x mode enabled.

[@mylifeingaming]

[Try4ce] I can't remember for sure if I tested this with a connection other than component. However I suspect it still depends on the TV. I saw one TV that didn't drop, but others that did.

[@WhiteJarrah]

@@mylifeingaming I tried the RetroTink with both my HDTV and feeding it into the HDMI input on the generic scaler. While the generic scaler handles the Chrono Cross problem seamlessly over SCART, it blackouts between resolutions over HDMI. Using the RetroTink with S-video and linedoubled mode I had no blackouts whatsoever. The same cannot be said about its component input though.

[@pokepress]

I think the N64 tends to output an overly loud audio signal in general-I’ve had to force its audio through an inline volume control for some capture devices to avoid distortion. I’ve had similar issues with the Game Boy player.

[@licentioushowler3400]

I've always noticed it's louder than most of my other stuff too.

[@mylifeingaming]

[Try4ce] I also got problems with UN Squadron, which is an especially loud SNES game. I've never had N64 audio level problems before, but yes, N64 did cause the most frequent audio issues from my testing.

[@SkyScourgeGod]

I think it also varies from game to game on the N64. I've been playing mine for awhile and I've started to notice that my CRT needs to have the volume adjusted to different levels when I start up different games. For example, Super Smash Bros. will sound good when the volume is at the right level (as it should) but if I take it out and plug in Cruisin' World without touching the volume its suddenly too quite and I have to raise the volume. Other games might require me to lower the volume after changing carts because its so god-awfully loud after the game change. :P

[@dragonmasterwicked]

whats a good inline control for El Gato hd60?

[@veggav]

That intro music.... love when there's a new video of MLIG

[@jdaywork2693]

Thanks again guys. Beautiful and informative videos!

[@KesMonkey]

Another great MLiG video. The more of these I watch, the more I'm glad I have a good CRT, and don't have to worry about all this stuff. :)

[@TheLastLineLive]

480p component not being supported is a huge downside for using this on 6th gen consoles and Wii. But otherwise seems like a good device, hopefully they address the 480p issue.

[@darklordyianni4463]

and hopefully in 5+ years we'll have much better upscalers, emulators, consoles, and tech in general. :D

[@licentioushowler3400]

My guess is that would require totally new hardware to support 480p, but I suppose adding it in a later revision isn't impossible.

[@nickwallette6201]

This device is built around a commodity video receiver chip that happens to be friendly to 240p. The features and abilities are set in stone by what that chip does. There won't be any significant upgrades. It would be possible to do simple front-end and I/O changes, like built-in RGB-to-component conversion, or an on-board HDMI-to-VGA DAC for analog output, but that's it. No 480p in, no scanlines, etc. Most of what CAN be added is probably better left to external adapters since it won't be universally necessary.

[@VinchVolt]

I know that Pound manufactures HDMI cables for the original Xbox that seem to perform quite well, and the most recent 3D-printed version of Zeldaxpro's GameCube HDMI adapter as well as Eon's GCHD adapter both seem to be quite reliable as well (as in, jostling the adapter while the console's running won't fry it). All three support their respective systems' native resolutions without a hitch, and while the GameCube HDMI adapters are pretty costly, going at upwards of $100, it's still miles cheaper than official GameCube component cables. The PS2, however, does seem to be getting the short end of the stick here, despite selling better than literally every other console in the world.

[@VinchVolt]

Keep in mind, not every modern TV now supports component video, especially in the case of newer 4K monitors, meaning HDMI adapters are the only viable option for people who want to play GameCube games on them. As for the component cable shortage, that's less Nintendo mistreating fans and more terrible timing. The component cables came out at a time when most CRTs only supported S-Video at best, and as a result less than 1% of all GameCube owners actually bought the cables. It wouldn't have been viable to reissue them later on either, since the GameCube was lagging behind in the market, and the Wii was already on its way.

[@Noobsaibot21]

I'm still laughing at that Gamesack skit

[@TouyaChikage]

Hope you guys do another room tour thing. Looks like you've changed quite a few things, and bought a lot of new stuff too.

[@SwordfighterRed]

Got a 3.2 PCB earlier today, been loving it so far! I'll need to jump up to OSSC or something later on, but this'll be fine for now.

[@ZombieTechie]

Your content is amazing. One thing though, a benefit of running the retrotink 2x to an ossc is you can use the audio input for the vga port of the ossc, bypassing the retrotink audio in.....

[@mrradiotron7413]

These guys make the best videos on KZbin

[@Itsmealder]

7:32 what the hell!!! Nasty psp

[@Ren722]

This is definitely worth considering if you want to play ps1 games on your tv through component on the ps2 if your tv doesn't support 240p component

[@jeremycheek322]

Radical_Nintendo_Geek I’ve tried some cheaper converters and they won’t convert ps1 games On my ps2. The signal just goes lost on my tv. Do you know of any other converters that would work other than the ones mentioned in this video?

[@yournightmare9999]

Yes it's good idea to play old consoles but with shitty 4:3

[@littlerobotfairy9710]

What I want is a lag free HDMI to component converter. :D Sonic Mania on a CRT!

[@DadLadsGaming]

Superb video once again. Thanks.

[@yeah7660]

This looks like my kind of gear, thx mlig

[@PluckyD]

Can't wait for mine to come in! Great video guys, I think I made the right decision nabbing one

[@rerolledDK]

The Retrotink-2X actually has the potential to quickly handle a switch between 240p and 480i . The Retrotink can actually keep up perfectly with the switch. The display is the limiting factor. In the segment discussing the Chrono Cross problem at 14:11, the capture card resyncs very slowly. However, my TCL 55P607 always syncs instantly or very close to instantly. I uploaded a short clip demonstrating the 240p / 480i switch on my TV. It's amazing how fast this thing is. I think the Retrotink stands alone as the only scaler which can both handle 240p correctly and switch video modes without excessive delay. The Framemeister and OSSC can't do that even on this same TV.

[@slot9]

Super informative video. Thank you!

[@ClockworkBard]

I have to admit, I probably would not have gone in an the Framemeister and all those RGB cables if the RetroTINK was available and on my radar at the time. The results are really good for the price. I have no regrets, but I am kinda jealous of that smoothing filter.

[@16-bit-trip5]

Great review as always!

[@maverickbna]

This box would be great to stage in line with an OSSC to upscale my C64 and SNES. Thanks for covering this, Try!

[@stressball1324]

If you’re having a problem with VHS tapes dropping sync with upscalers, have you tried passing the signal through a DVD recorder and then into your upscaler? The DVD recorder I use is a Panasonic DMR-ES15 and I use it to transfer VHS tapes to a digital format. I find it works very well, every tape I have put in regardless of age or how damaged it is has never dropped out of sync. Just a bit of a advice to help you with your videos. Keep up the good work. :)

[@mylifeingaming]

[Try4ce] Yep, I actually originally had a line in the script that suggested you could use a DVD Recorder, but cut it out. That's how we normally get around the issue, but unfortunately the DVD Recorder would do its own processing to the signal, so you wouldn't be able to get the purest signal to the RetroTINK in that case.

[@stressball1324]

Thanks for the response. The only other alternative I could think of is to buy a VHS player with a time base converter built-in to the player, but knowing the fantastic content you put out, I reckon you've got one already. I'm looking forward to your next video.

[@ericyoung3480]

Yay! Well done guys.

[@fatpatorgi]

I don't think I'm at the point just yet to buy something like this, but I'm getting there! I don't mind generic upscalers....for now. Great video, I learned a lot!

[@pip5528]

8:14 That's what my 480i CRT TV looks like when attempting to display 480p except it does so in black-and-white and continues interlacing that weird VR-like double image.

[@BensyBens]

dreamcast rgb200 episode?

[@BensyBens]

Pharacelcus i need alternative ways, I don’t have vga on my tv and I don’t have money for a framemeister

[@RadioTails]

You could get the VGA Box and use a VGA to HDMI.

[@BensyBens]

RadioShadow i want to see alternative ways to know

[@stabinghobo57]

A lot of my favorite Dreamcast games don’t support VGA, so I do S-Video through my Framemeister. (looks great 👍)

[@BensyBens]

stabinghobo57 but I don’t have money for framemeister I want to know if scart on a dreamcast gonna look good? My tv support scart

[@nickwallette6201]

Just starting my own multi-console retro setup now. This is my first stop for video conversion. I will eventually get an OSSC for anything that can do component/RGB, but there will always be a need for simple composite and S-Video conversion, so this will be a good problem solving device to have in the toolbox. Plus, how great is it to have an easy on-the-go HDMI converter for travel, friends, conventions, parties, etc.? It may not be the best at anything, but it can handle pretty much everything - provided you keep the input at 480i.

[@BlayzedBlue]

Sega Saturn and PS1 looks really nice with this.

[@tetsujin_144]

The RetroTink 2x uses chroma sub-sampling - not the worst thing in the world at its price/performance level but the aspect that concerns me about it is that I don't know what sampling resolution it uses - some sampling resolutions could interact very badly with some resolutions: For instance, if it takes 640 samples per line (640x480, typical resolution for 480p) that would work very well with modes like 320 x 240 (Sega Genesis, etc.) but what about NES and SNES? (256 pixels per line at 240p) That'd be a sample rate of 2.5 samples per source pixel. That much could almost be considered a "necessary evil", just par for the course of up-scaling. But combine that with 4:2:2 chroma sub-sampling and it might mean that around 60% of the output pixels have some kind of compromise to their chroma value, just because the interaction between the sample rate and the source pixel rate results in a lot of those neighboring samples (paired up in chroma subsampling) coming from different source pixels.

[@l3monpig]

Love your videos!

[@NJRoadfan]

The video errors encountered with using the Retrotink with the OSSC are likely due to the horizontal sampling rate and phase being off on the Retrotink-2x's analog input. Using the OSSC to digitize the signal again compounds the errors in the video signal. Its likely that the ADV7280 used to digitize the video does have these advanced adjustments, its just that they aren't user accessible like they are on the OSSC. I see pads next to the PIC chip, maybe some enterprising I2C bus hacker can get at and adjust the advanced settings :P

[@ShamanNoodles]

Dreamcast's VGA output is absolutely stunning!

[@bjeezy831]

Thank you for new videos

[@stabinghobo57]

The Framemeister is far superior than the retro tink, but I do like the smoothing feature of the tink.

[@torgogorgo1888]

at more than 3x the price, it better be

[@swungsolid]

Is the smoothing feature on the ossc?

[@stabinghobo57]

Kenneth I dont believe the OSSC has a smoothing feature.

[@swungsolid]

stabinghobo57 is it just me or is the n64 better off with the retro tink bc of the smoothing feature?

[@stabinghobo57]

@Kenneth Mitchell, Yes early 3D systems like the N64, PS1, & Saturn would look nice with the Retro-Tink's Smoothing feature. The Retro-Tink will make the jagged polygons of those systems a lot nicer, but that's if your happy with just a resolution 240p or 480p. I play my N64 at 720p with S-video cables though the Framemeister and I use the scanline feature to soften the image.

[@RemoWilliams1227]

I'll be watching this series/channel until it's no longer possible.

[@VMUboy]

I love the zooming in when naming the consoles lmao! And wow at the psp! 🤣

[@cosmickatamari]

You know it's a MLiG video when you see 5:11

[@Yomarz]

MLiG: Let's inform the public about this cool new video converter! Everyone: THAT POOR PSP!!!!!

[@ENunn]

Bit dissappointed on the Retrotink's handling of VHS tapes. Sucks that the signal drops out. Probably gonna still buy it for my composite/S-video retro game systems but I'm still looking for a good scaler for VHS capture. Every one I've tried are either has good quality with huge problems I can't stand or just total crap.

[@StarlinkNova]

Ahh, another My Life In Gaming video. Let me grab the 🍿.

[@AZULES88MU]

Old games should be played in soft mode always so that it is pleasing to the eye and the pixels are not seen so much

[@KabuTheFox]

seemed to have missed comparing the component of generic scalers to the component of the retrotink side-by-side, would have also liked to see a comparison to just plugging component directly to the tv as well

[@mylifeingaming]

[Try4ce] I didn't have a device on hand to test that, but the scaler chips inside are probably very similar to the other boxes, but you never really know what the guts will be when you buy something like that. It's unlikely it would be any better than plugging into a TV (probably worse to be honest), but you couldn't judge it based just on one generic box vs. whatever TV we showed component on (my newest TV doesn't even have component, as is the trend nowadays).

[@KabuTheFox]

@@mylifeingaming always a shame to see analog being slowly phased out entirely

[@TimelordUK]

This video didn't answer my question. My TV DOES accept component input which is how I already connect my PS2. Will I see any improvement using the Retrotink 2x? I bought the el cheapo Retroscaler 2x from AliExpress and that looked worse than just using component straight to the TV

[@mylifeingaming]

[Try4ce] If your main interest is PS2, you may not like the results. This uses bob deinterlacing for 480i content, which is similar to interlacing flicker on a CRT. I don't especially mind it myself, but most people kinda hate it, plus IPS LCD panels sometimes have issues with that effect. The RetroTINK 5X is currently the only gaming scaler being sold that does full motion adaptive deinterlacing while adding near-zero lag. This is similar to TV deinterlacing, but generally much faster and the result is much better looking in my opinion. But it is not a cheap solution of course. 240p content should look much better with the RetroTINK 2X than plugging directly into your TV, but no, 240p-480i switches still drop. The 5X can usually handle those switches depending on your screen and settings however.

[@licentioushowler3400]

5:00 I highly disagree about the statement (or perhaps unintentional implication?) that dithered color blending only works because the Genesis has unusually poor composite. While I have yet to pick up one myself, as far as I have researched, color blending seems to work perfectly fine if you pass the games through the 32X's far superior composite encoder (I just don't want to pay too much for a 32X), and color blending works on almost every other video game console with composite--I use the hell out of composite with early 3D Playstation games that are heavily dithered personally, and have noticed that the colors blend on SuperFX games on the SNES as well and the Nintendo 64 is the same way on my equipment (though I prefer S-video for most of those games). I will say that something about the NES makes color blending kind of impossible on most displays I've ever used it on, but it comes at the cost of a lot of noise on the screen.

[@mylifeingaming]

[Try4ce] The nature of the blending looks significantly different to me on those other systems, though. Yes, it blends, but not quite like Genesis.

[@licentioushowler3400]

Fair enough. Thanks for you input--sorry if I sounded a little hostile or anything. : )

[@DocTime56]

Gamecube Composite has a relatively cheap alternative, using a Wii, it is essentially original hardware, and the composite cables for that are way cheaper

[@1UPGamR]

they've already done a whole video talking about the gamecube and they do talk about using the wii as an alternative.

[@ZombieTechie]

@@1UPGamR yeah but gameboy player

[@1UPGamR]

Zombie Techie yeah gameboy player is pretty great which is why I bought a set of the cables a few years ago

[@bowi1332]

The glitter VFX for component cables. 😅 7:15

[@ObiTrev]

I wish there was a cart dongle with profiles for its outputs to add sharpness, color, dithering, and smoothing where needed.

[@davidbrummett2180]

My TV only has HDMI so I got a BlackWeb (RCA)converter for under $40. Works for what I wanted.