RetroTINK 4K: The Arcade Game Savior

[@sneakingelephant]

Oh wow, I didn’t even think about the out of spec hz problems being solved. I was just excited about the amazing CRT mask simulations

[@ScarletSprites]

Right? That was partly why I decided to just make that the focus.

[@Charlie97L]

Yeah, about a third of the PCBs I’ve ended up with are 57, 54, or over 60! Stoked for this.

[@koalakoa]

I have only had luck with many of those arcade boards with the old rusty framemiester with lackluster results and sync issues. To see everything played just working out the box pretty much is such a relief. Mike and the entire team really made something special here.

[@ScarletSprites]

The work that’s been completed and the maturity of the firmware on day one is pretty remarkable. This is going to make a lot of people happy.

[@magusincognito4109]

Thinking of throwing one of these into my VEWLIX

[@RetroTechSelect]

Awesome breakdown of the benefits of upgrading to the 4K for arcade collectors! The BFI for old movies with odd framerates is one of the most tempting aspects of the 4K for me.

[@_BELMONT_]

Found your channel through the party last night! Great video and i look forward to more of your content! :)

[@ScarletSprites]

Thanks for checking it out man, much appreciated. Thanks for sticking through the stream last night.

[@PKInTheUniverse]

Excellent job on this video Joe ! I love how you focus on what you care about which is arcades, rather than trying to just put this thing through its paces on every system you have. Your video comes off as natural and the passion shines through. I feel like this video is far more digestible than a lot of the retrotink longer videos I’ve been being hit with in my feed . By watching this video, I can tell it’s very clear that the retrotink 4K is a huge step up from the previous one and it sounds a lot more user-friendly than I would’ve expected. Keep up the great work man !

[@ScarletSprites]

That’s really kind of you to share man, thanks. It’s kind of a big deal to have things that didn’t use to work…work! It’s kind of bordering on mundane but it’s true and it’s cool to have your options open it. Thanks again man!

[@NEONBattleGlitch]

Nice work Joe, glad to see you showcasing how well it works with coin-ops PCB's. Really cool piece of gear for sure.

[@ScarletSprites]

Thanks! It’s my go to in my Supergun setup now. Practically another console.

[@ConsoleKits]

Just incredible. Thanks for taking the time to compare all the different arcade boards with non-standard refresh rates. Very valuable video. ❤

[@ScarletSprites]

Thanks for watching man. It’s a small fraction of what was actually done but needed to get the point across. Thanks for the kind words on a niche video.

[@sneakingelephant]

For me it’s definitely a no brainer for building an arcade cabinet in the future. I’ll have to save up for it but it’ll be worth it. I’d rather grab an oled and retrotink and build a cabinet around that than try sourcing a good large CRT monitor. The minor lag that the setup would have over a CRT seems like a worthy trade off for being able to swap the TV easily if it ever had any issues.

[@ScarletSprites]

We were just talking about that. Devices like this can definitely be used for custom builds, and in the future might even be the norm.

[@jswift1333]

Im thinking about upgrading to the retrotink 4k. Hopefully this works with taito f3 boards. I had trouble with taito f3 on my framemeister and ossc

[@ScarletSprites]

I’m pretty sure that it does. Brooklyn Arcade confirmed that a while back.

[@mikekanner2156]

I run my games through mame 32 very easy the arcade machines just break if you have mame 32 on your PC you should have over 4,000 games you can use any controller like the PS5 xbox series X PC is amazing I stopped buying arcade machines after I found out they break over and over they are the original arcade roms but they were meant to be played in the arcades to let you know how they will play on consoles

[@SkyScourgeGod]

I'm glad you got a chance to show us compatibility of the 4K with various boards, that's so awesome that the 4K is so flexible with these weirder video standards. One thing I wish you had shown though was video rotation. My IGS PGM shmup collection and a few of my standalone tate arcade boards could use a good tate option and no one seems to be trying to show that off with the 4K yet... 😥

[@ScarletSprites]

Totally fair and a good call. This did slip my mind. I’ll post something quick on Twitter.

[@SkyScourgeGod]

@@ScarletSpritesI actually don't use Twitter or any other social media platform for that matter lol. Unless you count KZbin as a social media platform? Nevertheless, I bought this thing yesterday so I'll find the rotation options eventually. :P Still, just showing off-spec video signals from these boards working on the 4K is more than enough for this video. ;)

[@jimbotron70]

Credits for the beautiful synthwave music? 🙂

[@ScarletSprites]

I always try to keep it subtle. Not everyone enjoys it but I like how it fits in and is part of the vibe.

[@jimbotron70]

@@ScarletSprites Yes. And... author/s? 🙂

[@ScarletSprites]

They’re all free tracks from Streambeats’ Synthwave collection.

[@jimbotron70]

@@ScarletSprites Thx!

[@massvideogamer]

Thanks Joe! This video was the most useful as I often use my arcade hardware with the HAS. Your use case gives my confidence that it will work with the "off spec" Taito F3 and STV as well! Great and super useful video!

[@ScarletSprites]

I think Beast1x5 confirmed Taito F3. I can confirm that the STV works as well. You’re good to go my friend.

[@coffeecuparcade]

Mike and all of you did an amazing job bringing this to market. It will solve so many issues for so many things! Looks gorgeous. I'm jealous of your development prototype. Rock on man, I'm still 100% good with the Retrotink 2x Pro, a testament to how good Mikes hardware really is. All comes down to what you need! We have options, and that's always awesome. Thanks Joe, great video.

[@ScarletSprites]

Thanks man, appreciate the kind words as always. For sure the 2X and 5X are still awesome devices. I know the 5X will continue to receive support for some time and has really grown into being a robust product.

[@coffeecuparcade]

I would really love to see what the 5x looks like with my stuffs. Curious on the SCART in it vs the 2X SCART tink @@ScarletSprites

[@Shadowbann3d]

This device looks incredible from what I’ve seen of it so far - upscalers have certainly come along a fair way beyond the old Framemeister I used to own. My retro gaming is all done over HDMI these days via FPGA based units so no real desire to grab one of these (thankfully, given the price of one!) but no doubt it would still provide some benefit to the already decent picture output of the MiSTer. Good to see that legitimate substitutes for dying CRT’s / PVM’s etc. are now becoming a reality.

[@ScarletSprites]

It’s a good point regarding FPGA. I’m a fan myself. Also agree on your closing that it’s awesome to have options to work around the depleting CRT availability in the coming years.

[@Shadowbann3d]

@@ScarletSprites I clocked the ‘MiSTer Add-ons’ red case in your cabinet in one of the shots; I’ve got the same case for mine but the ‘Galaxy Grey’ option instead - have you tested the MiSTer with the Retrotink at all?

[@ericochoa4034]

Awesome this is the video I've been waiting for!

[@ScarletSprites]

Thanks man!

[@dionb7945]

It amazes me that you can plug n play arcade PCB’s on a modern tv just like a game cartridge. Love it :).

[@ScarletSprites]

Power is one of the larger issues with arcade boards. You need something reliable that can deliver a steady 5v and not under or over deliver to the hardware. Then you have the mixing of refresh rates and resolutions like you saw in the video. Overall though, there’s never been a better time for options.

[@benjaminjmcgee]

I haven’t tried any of my midway games on my 5x, mostly out of laziness. Interesting results! Thanks for that first part of the video! The 4k is definitely on my Christmas wish list 😎

[@ScarletSprites]

Midway and Taito boards are likely going to be a no go on the 5X and a few other scalers. I’ve seen some workarounds using pre-scalers, but the 4K eliminates that AND gives you a higher resolution and post processing options.

[@arcadesunday4592]

I'd love to get my hands on one of those. Very cool! Great coverage of Retrotink 4k!

[@ScarletSprites]

Im pretty excited to see them start circulating and seeing what people do with them.

[@Charlie-Cat.]

This looks like an interesting product to pursue Scarlet. I always enjoy seeing videos like this from you bro. It helps simplify life for us games to make the right decisions and for us to make the best choice to purchase for ourselves. Thank you as always Scarlet. You always know the right directions for us bro. 8^) Anthony...

[@ScarletSprites]

Thanks for the support as always Anthony!

[@yjmechanic]

That looks gorgeous, makes you think maybe there is a super cool viewlex type build to be done with a 4k monitor

[@ScarletSprites]

Definitely doable if you wanted to run original hardware to a modern display.

[@nelsonretrogaming]

Hey man. What do you think for the 5x vs 4k on a modern tv (4k) for the neo geo aes? thanks!

[@ScarletSprites]

Honestly if I were only concerned about the AES I’d probably roll with the 5X for half the price. It really comes down to whether you absolutely must have 4K scaling and will take advantage of the scanline/mask features imo. I think most people will still be more than fine with the 5X tbh. But if money isn’t a concern and you want the best of the best, the 4K is your ticket.

[@MagisterHamid]

Great video! Have you came across an arcade board that doesn’t display on Tink4K?

[@ScarletSprites]

I had trouble getting the SportStation board to sync. It’s odd because Gauntlet DL runs off of the same hardware…except for the video card. The latter was the only thing I could come up with as the outlier.

[@Emceemur]

As above my pay grade as a lot of this seems, all those options would be fun to mess with. I saw Xevious 3d here and was transported to 1997 again. I almost forgot about that one and I do own it. I could go for a couple rounds of that.

[@ScarletSprites]

Thanks man! I was talking about Namco hardware and fighters a few months ago and someone reminded me that Xevious was on that same hardware. Asked if I wanted to buy the board. I did. 😬

[@retromod6488]

For the argument of price, yes, it’s up there because it’s bleeding edge in our niche and it saves you from needing invasive mods for consoles that cost hundreds per unit. The fact is that this is a preview of the future when CRT’s are even less attainable in a decade and beyond (harder to find in some areas now without a gouge). I’m a CRT fan with more curb saved stored units that I care to admit, but the fact is, supply will dry up and becoming cost prohibitive. 4K Displays and scalers like this will eventually drop in price over time. I’m okay with what I have CRT wise now, but I’m excited that this exists because it will be a worthy substitute. Great that you put this video from an arcade perspective as most are doing consoles (understandably so, that’s most of the use cases).

[@ScarletSprites]

I had that very same thought while working with this the last few months; Will I be buying a product like this in ten years as a “fix” to one of my cabinets? Like you, I’m good for now on my machines but that’s not always going to be the case.

[@Evercade_Effect]

I appreciate you doing all the testing was my favorite part of the video. I forgot about all these different hertz refresh rates and the issue one would have trying to connect these to a modern TV. BTW I really dig that setup of not having to own or swap into a cabinet makes it very convenient and looks great. I geeked out over seeing the before and after parts of the video. 😀

[@ScarletSprites]

Hey thanks for checking things out again today man, much appreciated. The Supergun is a nice tool to have in a setup. I didn’t have one until very recently and have found that I use it a lot more than I ever thought I would.

[@kevinsmithwoo]

Another great video! Keep them coming.

[@ScarletSprites]

Thanks for the kind words and for sticking around!

[@brianyu8413]

Great video as always - I feel like you're spoiling us with another one so quick after CPS1 Darksoft. Retrotink 4K is now on my list to get, but was wondering if you had any other Supergun recommendations. I've seen a lot of talk about the HAS Supergun (it has a 3p/4p adapter) and the Axunworks Supergun Mini (has the supplied/approved power supply. You have any experience with the HAS? Having a way to play arcade PCBs without having to swap them in my cab sounds really appealing.

[@ScarletSprites]

I’ve never personally used the HAS but I’ve heard nothing but positives about it. I’ve come to like my Axun Super Mini, but I do need to also use his power supply. The supplied one really isn’t good enough (or adjustable) for boards that are hungry. That’s probably the same for any unit you use though. Something like Primal Rage just isn’t going to run off of the supplied PSU.

[@n8goulet]

I still have my doubts this product is going to look much like a CRT, but I'm sure it will improve the picture quality on LCD's. I play mostly golden era classics like Pacman, Galaga, Dig Dug, Centipede, Marble Madness, Gorf, Tron and that era of gaming. I think the CRT makes a much bigger difference on the early 80s games than later games that had a lot more detail. I built custom MAME machines using original cabinets, 19" RGB CRT arcade monitors and original controls for various games. I've compared all sorts of displays and found nothing looks like a classic arcade CRT. Not only the scan lines, but the screen intensities are different. I even noticed a big difference with my computer VGA CRT monitors vs the arcade CRT's. I'd love to see games of that era running through the Retrotink shot with a good camera and compared next to the original arcade monitor displays.

[@ScarletSprites]

I kind of mentioned this in the commentary, but I’ve never been one to want to make my LCD look like a CRT. I’m just not a fan of faking it. I know it’s fake. I know I’m on an LCD. I don’t want to pretend 😂. I’d much prefer razor sharp pixels and a clean picture on a modern display. The N64 is the only console I’ve appreciated “hiding” things on with fake scanlines. For convenience sake I appreciate having one large display that can host my retro and modern consoles. CRTs are for my cabinets.

[@n8goulet]

@@ScarletSprites That's why I run CRT's in my 4 MAME machines, but with each passing year it is more and more of a challenge to keep them running. In the future, I don't know if I'll be able to get parts or people to work on them. I'd certainly like to see modern displays clone them near indistinguishably the same way that software emulation has done a great job of replacing classic arcade PCB's and classic consoles and computers such as my Atari 2600, Amiga, Apple ][ and other systems.Maybe some day it will be possible, but I think they're still a ways off. I don't just want a sharper picture, but I want the nostalgic look of the CRT with the same scanline look & same intensity of a CRT with in 95%.If this ever happens, it will probably be with 8k displays or something made after them. We'd also need monitors that fit in our classic arcade cabinets such as my Pacman cabinets and with the same screen ratio.

[@kybone25]

Hi :) I'm just wondering if you could tell me what features the Retrotink 4K has over the 5X? I don't imagine you will be able to see the difference between FULL HD 1080p and 4K when playing a retro game on a modern display?! I just simply want to be able to play my Genesis, NES, SNES, N64, PS1 and PS2 games on my OLED and have the best picture possible. As I have already mentioned, I cant imagine the 4K, technically being the "best possible" option, being visibly better than the 1080p option. Am I right in thinking this? I don't do live streaming or anything, I just like to play though some of my old games now and then. Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated

[@ScarletSprites]

Honestly, based on your post and needs I’d say just roll with the 5X. Mike himself has said that unit suffices for all but the most discerning users and those who may have special use cases (like the arcade boards in this video).

[@kybone25]

Thank you

[@triple_lei]

The review I've been waiting for. I still have my DVDO Edge + OSSC for arcade PCBs (I'd get that curl otherwise), and if I'm being honest I prefer that combo still for PSP as well. Will definitely be getting an RT4K next year, just as soon as I pay off that gaming table I bought...

[@ScarletSprites]

Nice. I’ve heard and seen ways to get around this but the 4K, to me at least, is the cleanest option that eliminates an extra device and gives you more post-processing options. Not to mention a higher res.

[@KING_KONK]

I think your harnd written tuxedo tink is awesome

[@ScarletSprites]

Haha, thanks man! It’s a moment in time for sure.

[@ByungSuk]

This might be the channel that I've been looking for in regards to arcades. I need help finding a board of some kind that allows me to plug in a BurgerTime arcade board. Idk what I'm looking for and I can't seem to get in contact with anyone that has general knowledge of what I should get. What I need is a piece of hardware that I can plug my BurgerTime arcade board in and output it to an HDMI port. As far as controls, I'm not not sure. But I suppose a USB controller would be ok. But if it has a 2-botton arcade stick with it, that would be awesome. It just has to be easy to understand since it's for my mother. Thank you so much. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[@ScarletSprites]

It sounds like what you want is a Supergun, but respectfully, does your mom really care about gaming on real hardware? I’d find something smaller and easier to fire up that was emulation based maybe. Almost anything in the latter category is going to be cheaper and easier for her to use imo.

[@ByungSuk]

@@ScarletSprites not sure. I never think of using emulation. I always do real hardware. I'll look up the SuperGun.

[@markderidder]

Great take on a great piece of kit

[@ScarletSprites]

Just something a little different.

[@tominfhl]

Hey, I'm really new to this but I saw your video on VF and had to ask, can the Retrotink 4k upscale the PS4 or PS5 version of Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown from 1080p to 4k? I've always thought that the forced 1080p render image on that game held it back from having a more modern impact which i know it could have!

[@ScarletSprites]

It can definitely take a 1080p input via HDMI and scale it to 4K, yes.

[@tominfhl]

@@ScarletSprites Does upscaling from 1080p to 4k improve image quality?

[@ScarletSprites]

@@tominfhlIt does. How much that matters and the overall impact of that depends on both the player as well as the source material. Personally to my old tired eyes? I really don’t see a quantum leap from 1080p to 4K. Likely depends on the size of your display and other factors as well. In my few test cases I could tell that the Nintendo Switch’s image quality looked “better” at 4K. But removing the RT4K and going back to 1080p really didn’t bother me at all.

[@jonnyesper6698]

So excited for the retro tink 4K ... Mainly using it for retro consoles, but might have to hook a few arcade pub's to see how they look 😁 hopefully get a unit in the first batch... take my my money Mike Chi. $$$

[@ScarletSprites]

I’ve been using it for GameCube scaling with component cables. Progressive scan titles look crystal clear and razor sharp.

[@mikeg2491]

I’m actually excited to use it for my laserdisc collection of all things.

[@ScarletSprites]

I don't have a LD player but Ive heard some of the ivtc capabilities of the RT4K are really helpful.

[@MysticGargoyle]

How does it look when you feed the unit with composite cables, like the NES for example?

[@ScarletSprites]

I can honestly say I've not had the NES hooked up to this or composite video. I can't really comment, sorry.

[@geise69]

I think the real question is "Can it sync a Xexex PCB?"

[@ScarletSprites]

I’ve little doubt that it would. I’m sure we will hear of some oddities once more people get their hands on this device though.

[@geise69]

​Finally got a retrotink 4k. IT SYNCS MY XEXEX PCB!!!! W00T!

[@jonniefast]

i wonder how well it works with my finicky pcb from the early 90s lol i should prob just recap eplace some of the components to get them tuned up instead of blasting 1K on a newtink but i srsly love the 2xpro and just got a 4k panel so it might be time to "be irresponsible af and consistently overspend" lol

[@jonniefast]

aka merry christmas to ME

[@ScarletSprites]

I spent some time this Fall recapping boards as I pulled them. You can probably even see the new caps on SF and Battletoads in the video.

[@kamarrawlings6285]

What does mask mean?

[@DavidGarcia-qf7gc]

Is it good enough to substitute a CRT? That is one of my main concerns.

[@ScarletSprites]

That is the question that kicks the hornets nest. I think it depends on who you ask and what your personal needs are. My opinion would be that if you wanted to go digital there’s nothing better than this from a quality and customization standpoint. This is, as of December 2023, the best you can get at replicating a CRT.

[@DavidGarcia-qf7gc]

@@ScarletSprites Thanks, as always, Joe. I think I will get it.

[@Riz2336]

Looks to me that this thing has taken over the framemeister as the high end upscaler

[@ScarletSprites]

For my personal needs I really don’t have any reason to venture outside the RT4K. It’s doing everything on my list that I need it to. I’m not opposed to other options, I just am pretty satisfied with what this has delivered for me. The stuff I showed in the video was really a glaring “issue” that affected a lot of scalers until the 4K hit.

[@LockeTheCole]

I would LOVE a 4k especially since I have a bunch of those boards like MK and Blitz) but the cost is WAY too high, I understand why it's as pricy as it is, but for me that much is just a no-go. I've already got the 5x and that's good enough. I thought the 5x was too much as it was (and that was when it was 300) but would be worth it since I thought I probably wouldn't ever need another one. XD

[@ScarletSprites]

The 5X is an awesome scaler and Mike himself mentioned it is likely sufficient for most people’s needs. It will continue to see updates and be sold, so you’re definitely fine if it’s meeting your needs.

[@LockeTheCole]

@@ScarletSprites Oh, I know, and I agree... I'd love the extra features but unless I could magically sell the 5x for what I paid for it, I just can't convince myself it's worth the extras, even if it would let me use some of my boards on the TV. It does help soothe the 'need' since I have a MiSTer for that.

[@PabstOban]

Mike Chi is on fire. It’s a funny thing to say that the 5x is now considered “mid tier”, but he keeps making more powerful devices. Now… looking at your TVs feet, I’m guessing you have a similar Sony 4K monitor, and the 5x wasn’t designed to handle 4K upscaling… I wonder if your tests would have faired better on a 10yo 1080p HD TV?

[@ScarletSprites]

That's actually just a TCL S405 (I think). It's kind of a problem across the board. I was mentioning to someone else that even CRTs can struggle with the non-standard signals. The 27" Sony I have refuses to take some of the games over component and it will overly darken and crush blacks on others.

[@farmerted487]

Honest question - why not just pick up an old crt?

[@ScarletSprites]

I actually still have a few. I rolled with a 27” Sony for a while but ultimately wanted one larger screen for all my consoles (modern and retro). From an arcade perspective, some of the boards still have similar issues with superguns and CRTs (depends on the CRT of course). In my Sony 27” example, I will still get an overly dark or no picture via component with some of the nonstandard resolution and refresh rate games.

[@KING_KONK]

I love seeing the Wii U

[@ScarletSprites]

Hah, I’ve always had that system connected. I randomly find myself playing it at least once a month or so.

[@icscreditfix]

So is this mainly for gamers who don't have CRT's?

[@brotherbodhi237]

Well yeah this is a scaler to play video games on 4K flat panels and make it look like a PVM

[@ScarletSprites]

It’s purely situational; I have CRTs but in my gameroom I like having one large display that can be used for anything; modern consoles, retro consoles, and arcade boards.

[@napoleoncerna5705]

❤

[@GhaleonStrife]

Looks like it's time to smash the piggy bank and grab one of these...

[@ScarletSprites]

It really has unlocked playing a lot of problematic titles. Not to mention, they all look really great scaled to 4K.

[@alessandrosurdo2870]

TVS AV ou HDMI ruim porblemo jogos coisas LED HDR UHD LCD SDR feios pior Composite FAIL Ruin só fraco difícil feios viu não gosto 👎 (cego on) TVS RGB PASS Off AV bem verdade rápido ganhar Jogos AV Luz limpar ótimo limpar RGB CRT até gosto bonitos muito Super Nintendo AV 240p👌CRT👌 limpar só Off ganhar 4.3 é 16.9 deixar 👌😘👍 $750 pior roubar Retro Tink 4k🤦‍♂️😡 R$3.500.00 🙎‍♂️🤦‍♂️😡 nada manaus AV2HDMI bem Ruin composite pior ON cego pablema R$45.00 até Manaus tem Retro Scaler 2x On limpar bem 😂 AV ou HDMI R$100.00 😂Scaler 2x😂

[@4uentertainment724]

Affiliate Link? #supportjoek

[@ScarletSprites]

Hah, no affiliate link. You’ve already supported by stopping by and I appreciate that.

[@4uentertainment724]

Ok, then I‘ll give Bob from RetroRGB the credit. 🤜🏻🤛🏻

[@MrBroken030]

So Retrotink 5x is just trash for scaling arcade games, is that intended design and coding by Mike Chi to push the sells of his new product the Retrotink 4k?

[@ScarletSprites]

The 4K wasn’t even a twinkle in the eye when the 5X was made. As mentioned in the video, most scalers struggle with out-of-spec boards. It’s not unique to the 5X.

[@coolteen420]

I like your videos but you need to FIRE your "thumbnail guy"

[@grgmj1980]

I’d rather Emulate and not worry about all this drama

[@BobBobOnYouTube]

$750??!! Ridiculous.