NES in HD? Should You Buy the Budget-Friendly Old Skool Classiq N HD HDMI Equipped NES Clone System

[@RoXolid]

Order the Old Skool Classiq N HD from our Amazon Store at amzn.to/2SWkaub Now you can be part of the squad! Follow the Pixel Game Squad at kzbin.info/door/Rwh3TVQszgmDK6UHzHNdQQ Check out Eugene Myers NES playthroughs on his channel at kzbin.info Do you want to send products, donations or gifts in for us to feature on the channel? Send all items to: RoXolid Productions 208 E Water Street Farmer City, IL 61842 Looking for some RoXolid Merch? Check out our T-Spring store for shirts and swag at teespring.com/roxolid-productions-official-s Support RoXolid Productions for as low as a dollar a month through our Patreon page, www.patreon.com/RoXolid You can also support us directly via PayPal at www.paypal.me/GaryKatzer or via our Streamlabs page at streamlabs.com/roxolidproductions Would you like to have your products featured on RoXolid Productions? Do you have Questions? Comments? Email us at [e-mail]!! Follow Us on Twitter @RoXolidStudios Give us a Like on Facebook at facebook.com/RoXolidProductions/

[@needhambunch]

MAN!!! That sound was really bad!! A lot of things seemed off too, color, artifacting etc. But that sound lol horrid!! The Top loader was a million times better. I ended up getting the RetroUSB AVS, and it was probably the best purchase I have made as far as an after market HD NES is concerned. Excellent video as always!! I think if someone wants a cheap NES HD experience, the Gamerz Tek would be my suggestion!!!!

[@RoXolid]

I agree, for the budget conscious the Super HD2 or 8Bit HD are very good values

[@PixelGameSquad]

Why are you so cool dude? Thanks for always being a good dude to us. I know we always goof.....but.... honestly thanks for always being a good pal 😍

[@RoXolid]

No drama + age/perspective = just having fun. And RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCKKKKKYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Sucks

[@majorhavok9423]

Glad to see ya again! Great show!

[@RoXolid]

Thank you so much!

[@danielgg7920]

Binary Land is the game of the homebrew hack. Happy new year from Spain.

[@RoXolid]

A few others have pointed that out too, I had not played it before! Cheers and Happy New Year to you as well.

[@danandtab7463]

I went with this one based on the video reviews I've seen. Have to say I'm quite satisfied. I have used several games with it and honestly only one game had any audio issues, everyone else sounded fine. Maybe they improved these since four years ago?

[@RoXolid]

Unlikely, these SoC's have been the same for years, and even their 2 in 1 and 3 in 1 systems hav ethe same audio issues

[@danandtab7463]

that all said this is certainly adequate and will hold me until something better comes along I can grab. interestingly I often play my NES games muted out of a habit from when I was 10 and the music would drive my parents mad. I appreciate the very useful reviews!

[@keithinator5874]

Thanks for the video, Gary! I watched all your other NES clone videos and really wanted to get the Gamerz Tek 8 Bit HD, but I need the 4:3/16:9 switch for my TVs. So...I decided to give the Classiq N HD a try. It was actually delivered yesterday before your video was posted. I think the controllers feel really good! Also, the color palette, compared to the NES Classic, I thought looked very similar. It looks much better than the Retron HD. Yes, the sound is off, like the other clones you reviewed. Some games are better/worse than others. Did you have any bent pins on your system? I have one that looks a little crooked. Last, I tested this system on 2 TVs. On one TV, I noticed very little lag, but on the other it was worse. Overall, I’m happy with the system and will keep it, since I need the 4:3/16/9 switch, and I don’t need something that plays SNES games. I also have an NES Classic, and old NES, and several ways of playing emulators. This is definitely an easy system for my kids to just turn on and play! Thanks again for your review! Edit: I found this for $40 on Amazon...where did you pick it up for $30?

[@unknownwolf4046]

I got one without HDMI i like it

[@lucho3410]

I had to watch ur video twice cause i spent the first time waiting for the mario and yoshi on ur shirt to come to life

[@SumDumGy]

Latency on the NES Classic?! My TV doesn’t even have a game mode and I experience no lag on that.

[@RoXolid]

The latency on the NES Classic is pretty substantial. There are tons of ideos out there demonstrating and discussing it, specifically in relation to Punch Out.

[@calebprenger3928]

Classiq II was missing the lower octaves of sound

[@RoXolid]

It was more than that.

[@coldbloodedking6517]

I have a Samsung Smart TV with Several HDMI slots but it dont have the red, yellow and white plug ins but it has the blue green and red ( or something like that what do I need to get to make this work? I Plugged the HDMI into it and then into the back of the tv and then powered it up it said ( detecting Device on my tv) but then said not detected? I am assuming i need some type of converter perhaps PLZ HELP

[@RoXolid]

Weird, the HDMI should just work without issue. I also have a Samsung TV, no issues with it. Have you tried another television to make sure there aren't issues with the system?

[@jmream2618]

It is compatible with Famicom cartridges

[@RoXolid]

With a 60-to-72 pin converter

[@EmperorOfTigers]

This clone is awful. The sound is horrible. The color palette is not bad though. Tbh pretty much every NES clone is very disappointing which is why I ended up getting the RetroUSB AVS which was definitely worth the money. As for HD NES clones for me the Retron HD is the best although many will attack me for it. My reasons for saying that are that the Retron HD has the fullest sound, good compatibility and about the only NES clone to have a PAL switch. The color palette is way off but I guess you can't have everything. The biggest problem with the Retron HD and every other HD NES clone is that they suffer from reverse duty cycles. The only way around that being the AVS, NT Mini, NT or Hi Def NES.

[@MastarCheef1337]

You seem vary hard to please.

[@pungisotu]

The Super 8 Bit Console from Low Budget is another. It is more rare but was available as either an RGB version or HDMI. It was like the NT in that it used original NES CPU and PPU and not FPGA. He stopped selling it years ago but sells just the board that you have to put together yourself and put in your own case. No RGB or HDMI with the DYI version but it has stereo and a mixing knob.

[@zaphod77]

oh look. the messed up duty cycles again. SEROUSLY?!?! are they EVER gonna fix this?

[@RoXolid]

Nope

[@SpittedDusk]

But is the sound really any better in the other clones? I've heard several videos playing the Retron 1 as well as 8-bit HD and they both sounded worse to me. I would appreciate anyone's take on this.

[@RoXolid]

IMO, the Gamerz Tek 8-Bit HD & Something HD2 had the best audio. The Retro-bit RES+ & Super Retro Trio+ were in the middle. The Classiq N, Classiq 2 & Retron HD were all about the same towards the bottom of the pack. I have videos of all those systems here on the channel.

[@sleepyjarvis6062]

Is there a decent clone system that allows play of NES & Famicom without an adaptor, or SNES & SuperFamicom without an adaptor, besides the RETRON5 ?

[@RoXolid]

Most SNES Clones will do Super Famicom without an adapter. The only system that will do NES and Famicom without an adapter that I know of is the AVS

[@pungisotu]

The Super 8 Bit from Low Budget does but it’s pretty rare. Of course there is the NT and NT Mini but they’re expensive. For budget gamers, the only ones I’m aware of are the Generation Nex from Messiah and Innovation’s Super 8 adapter for the SNES. Both can be a little pricey but if you wait long enough you can get for a decent price. I got the Nex for $40 on eBay and really like it. Has typical Famiclone issues but that comes with the territory. I got the Super 8 for about $50. It also has an SNES/SFC slot so you don’t have to unplug it. Technically its the only one that does all 4. Well, not true, because Innovation also made the Tristar adapter for the N64 which does NES, Famicom, SNES/SFC and N64. It gets poor reviews compared to the Super 8 though and fetches astronomical prices on eBay.

[@RetroGamingWithEdgarRivera]

Not bad really the dropback is the audio it doesn't right. But for causal people it's ok but for those a really in to nes games better of to get a nes it depends on the person.

[@RoXolid]

Exactly, if you're not a purist or elitist you can understand it has its place. But there are other machines that do a better job and cost less.

[@OVER6TM]

Thanks dude, you saved my money. Sound is horrible 😧

[@RoXolid]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@millertime6003]

Just F.Y.I. the classiq n does seem to have a problem with multicarts. Some games do not work or play correctly. I have tried my 160 in one cart and 300 in one. They play fine on my super retro trio, but not on the classiq n.

[@RoXolid]

I wonder if it's those specific carts then? My retro-bit multicarts work fine, and I have a 500-in-1 from either banggood.com or gearbest.com, can't remember which, and it worked fine too. so I don't think the issue is multicart support versus specific multicart support if that makes sense?

[@Aenashi]

how does this compare to the retron 5?

[@RoXolid]

About $100 less

[@RoXolid]

Sorry, I completely misread your question. I would say the Retron 5 does a much better job in terms of software and hardware emulation. The sound is better and the color palette I think is better on the Retron 5.

[@Aenashi]

@@RoXolid yeah lol. i have the retron 5, but was curious how this would match up to it. Something that i can just compare to it in my own mind since i have that. you also have a . on the end of your patron link. i had a 404 error when i went to it, i figured to take off the ., but not everyone else would.

[@RoXolid]

@@Aenashi Ah, thanks, I fixed the URL. I would say the Retron 5 is definitely a better clone than this is, but it also costs more and does more too.

[@josephbradshaw6985]

Hey thanks for the reviews. There's a sale right now on the Gamerz Tek 8 Bit, so i'm going to grab that off Amazon. I just need something to play my old carts, and my top loader doesn't connect to my TV. I have the retro-bit super retrocade emulation machine, so pretty much play whatever old school stuff I want, but it pisses me off having 50 NES games just sitting there, unplayable. Plus the retrocade controller isn't an NES controller, it's more of a SNES style, and that makes a HUGE difference when trying to play NES games. So, yeah, dunno where I'm going with this. Just saying thanks I guess.

[@PaperBanjo64]

I have a shirt just like that.

[@azzamatic4190]

Hope you didn't pay too much for that copy of bonk

[@RoXolid]

Why is that?

[@ZeroEntropy.]

Soooo, you review the "HD" version, hyper focus on the audio , don't mention the video and then don't give us any better options or alternatives at a close price point. What a waste of time watching this!

[@RoXolid]

This is how I conduct my reviews, for better or worse. I look at the hardware on it's own, it is not a comparison to anything beyond the original product, in this case the NES. The visuals you can view for yourself, they're right out there. Finally, while all budget clone consoles have audio issues due to the way they impliment the system on a chip, to me, the audio in the Classiq N is among the worst out there. If you want to compare to other systems, I have plenty of clone console reveiws on the channel that you can compare and contrast to.

[@freakyfornash]

Unfortunately I don't think Battletoads works on this, as I tried it, and crashes in Level 2 though.

[@RoXolid]

It does not

[@freakyfornash]

@@RoXolid That's a shame. But it's good that Castlevania III thankfully does, and is the Game Genie compatible with this by any chance too?

[@RoXolid]

I honestly don't remember

[@TVsBen]

If you read Ace's stuff comparing Famiclonesn or watch any of his videos, he refers to the audio problems you've noted as reversed duty cycles. It's where channels of the audio that should be square waves are wired to sine waves and vice versa. Nice to see that Famiclone makers are still pumping out this garbage. At least the color palette is much closer to the original compared to the RetroN HD.

[@RoXolid]

I'm sorry, I don't know an Ace or who Ace is.

[@Zion767318]

@@RoXolid ACE9921 here on KZbin! He goes in-depth into what makes clone systems tick! The "reversed duty cycles" problem has been around pretty much since NES clones started hitting store shelves! Great video Gary and keep them coming! :)

[@RoXolid]

Never heard of him to be honest with you

[@Zion767318]

@@RoXolid No problem! I think one of the best Famiclones out there has to be the Innovation Super 8! It plays darn near everything and the audio/video is spot on! I managed to snag a new/old stock unit off of EBay 4 or 5 years ago for a decent price! Other than that I think the only clone that's been anywhere near tolerable for my tastes is the V1 Super Retro Trio w/Good APU! Just trying to pass on a little of my knowledge that I've gained over the years! Anyway, have a good day Gary and see you in the next video!

[@NESADDICT]

Loved that intro!

[@RoXolid]

I am trying to up my game, maybe you need to, I dunno, up yours? LOL

[@skatespyx]

The sound is just unbearable.

[@RoXolid]

It's not good, but there are worse out there

[@GeorgiaRidgerunner]

i play this console on a crt tv hooked via the av ports i i dont have the artifacting or the sound issues

[@DamienCooley]

Looks passable for a casual player. Looks like anyone who cares anything about quality definitely needs to look elsewhere. Personally, I think anyone who expects to play regularly should save the money and put it towards an AVS or Analogue Nt Mini.

[@RoXolid]

Yes and no. I agree most casual players don't care as much as the hard core who know what things like duty cycles, SoCs and FPGAs are. But that being said, even in the budget class there are other systems that provide a better overall experience for the same, or less, than this one.

[@shawnwomack3446]

I had an NES Action Set as well. I got it in 1989. I bought a NES mini when it first came out. It doesn't give me the same feeling as the original NES did as far as game play. I get lag when playing the NES classic. What is the best online store can I get a NES in mint condition as good as yours?

[@RoXolid]

The NES and SNES Classic do have a decent amount of lag. Online sales for NES systems, beyond eBay I couldn't tell you, sorry. I'm going to have a Top Loader for sale soon, I have one I'm repairing.

[@moandaindesigns]

I have to say, if a company wants me buy a clone, it better be 100% accurate. The coin sound was peaking, the amplitude was set too high in the system.

[@RoXolid]

I understand that, some systems definitely are better than others. You have to also remember the price point of these systems as well. You're not paying the price you would for an Analogue NT. but at the same time even these budget systems have definite differences when it comes to their quality

[@TVsBen]

@@RoXolid This is all true, but I think they could get it much closer to accurate, charge twice or thrice as much as they do now, and have a huge market. An NES clone with no lag and good audio for around $75-100 would sell like GANGBUSTAS.

[@Haze6410]

the weirdest part about the hd classiq n model having that audio issue is that i actually own the standard definition model (without the hdmi out) and mine actually doesen't have this audio issue. (although with that being said, while in super mario bros the coin sounds are the same as what you hear on a real nes, for some reason the triangle wave seems to distort everything else in the music. Its almost like the audio has too much bass)

[@RoXolid]

Weird

[@95ZR580]

Sounds like morning turds being flushed down the commode. I'd be interested in seeing a video on what mod you did for hd on your top loader. (If you havnt already done that)

[@RoXolid]

Here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gILTln5ma71ga5o

[@robertbarker5802]

I bought this recently and can't help but feel like for the about thirty bucks I paid for it I'm happy enough with it. No it's not a an exact duplicate but it's an easy button answer for dirt cheap. I just don't feel like someone hard corp enough to notice the sound and slight lag issues is going to be buying this device. But the people that want a low cost easy answer to being able to play NES will really like it. So yes it's good to know exactly what you are buying warts and all but I really think it's pretty good. Not great but at least good.

[@RoXolid]

I can somewhat agree, but they're are better options out there for the same or less money. The GamerzTek 8bitHD is around the same cost but looks much better. I think the included controllers are better too.

[@LordViperMaven420]

How is the lag? Can you beat mike tyson in punchout? I will buy it immediately if theres 0 lag

[@RoXolid]

This does have some lag, as do all of these inexpensive clones. I'll admit I can't even get to Tyson on original hardware.

[@1UpJohn]

That controller is thick just like you Gary! (^.^)

[@RoXolid]

Uhhhhhhh.... Where's that banhammer?

[@hazukidojobrasil6323]

The Brazilian Phantom System console has sent its greetings!

[@RoXolid]

Uh, hello

[@MrShadowGuard]

Can I have advice what to get. 8-bit hd or classiq n hd?

[@RoXolid]

I liked the color palette and audio from the 8-bit HD better myself. I also liked the controller better

[@MrShadowGuard]

@@RoXolid ok thank you very much. Your my best retro reviewer

[@RoXolid]

Thank you so much for the kind words

[@ryansaggy1360]

I've tried a lot of clones and feel the same as you do about the sound. Tetris is my jam and it sounds horrible on clones. I have a top loader but don't trust myself to modify it for hdmi. I ended up giving in and got a retro usb avs and have been extremely happy.

[@RoXolid]

I can completely understand the reluctance to do that Mod, I definitely had issues with mine!