This HDMI Mod Makes The PlayStation 2 Look GORGEOUS!

This HDMI Mod Makes The PlayStation 2 Look Gorgeous! | PixelFX RetroGEM
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PixelFX just released their long awaited HDMI mod for the PlayStation 2! It’s called the RetroGEM and it enables the PS2 to output high quality, lag-free, and properly scaled video to your modern HDTV! So does this new HDMI mod live up to the hype? Let’s find out!
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Timestamps
0:00 Intro
3:09 RetroGEM PS2 Kit Parts
5:05 RetroGEM PS2 Install Tutorial
17:35 RetroGEM PS2 Compatibility
18:08 RetroGEM PS2 Features
23:51 RetroGEM PS2 Video Output Comparison PS2 and PS1
24:43 Pros and Cons
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Disclaimer: This video is only for entertainment purposes. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of tools, equipment, or from the information in this video is the sole responsibility of the viewer and is to be used at the discretion of the end user/viewer and not Macho Nacho Productions or Tito Perez. If you are uncertain about any step of the process or feel unsure about your skill level, seek a more authoritative source.
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#PS2 #RetroGEM #MachoNachoProductions

[@jkarakizi]

This is definitely by far the best HDMI mod I've seen so far! - But as an Australian, it's completely out of the question. If the mod costs $190-USD then that converts to something like $290-AUD and thats not even including the exchange rate fees or delivery. I could personally never justify spending that kind of money on something like this. EDIT: Never mind just found out that the "Shiny" version is just a software lock on the "Basic" version. - Scum move. No longer care, no longer interested.

[@diizzii]

For example an easily soft modded PS3 😅 there are a couple PS2 titles having problems with the emulation but most games run beautifully off the hard drive/SSD/USB. Other emulators also benefit from the PS3's distinctive image processing.

[@touma-san91]

Aye, it costs me 8 times more than what I paid for my PS2 Slim xD Think I'm just gonna stick to playing PS2 games through PS3

[@jmac79ers]

Yeah, it's cool and all but I'm pretty happy with component on a crt, still looks great

[@MarbleThumbs]

It's the same trying to get upscalers in Europe, nearly impossible to get and the price is trippled.

[@shawnd567]

@@diizzii I mostly mod Nintendo stuff so I didn't know about this. Going the ps3 route sounds like a much better idea.

[@kanuh]

My Sony CRT WEGA TV: "Look What They Need to Mimic a Fraction of My Power"

[@JPX64Channel]

software paywall? that's horrible , a product like that shouldn't be supported

[@jdigi78]

I would have bought this immediately but I'm having second thoughts seeing basic features like 1080p locked behind a paywall. Obviously they feel they can still make money selling the basic version at $99, so charging nearly double the price for those who just want 1 step higher in resolution feels like a scam. Its not like he's putting features that took a lot of R&D behind the paywall

[@kyle52905]

Another annoying thing is that it's not even $99 it's $120 but the rationale is that without the ribbon cables (which you need to install it and cannot choose not to have) it's $99.

[@PowerSynopsis]

@@kyle52905 seems scummy. just ask for what it costs. it's like saying this car is only 25k, but it doesn't come with wheels or an engine.

[@PaulHenning84]

don't do it, just get a RetroTink2 scaler, do not buy the PFX thing at all, PFX wants to introduce DLC into retro. Stop these efforts by just shopping elsewhere.

[@dylans5446]

im waiting for someone to find a way to hack into it and give it shiny firmware.

[@markie7062]

actually crazy its $189 just to get 1080p

[@ChuckLopez]

So the "shiny edition" is locked within the hardware and you have to pay to unlock these features? Wow

[@jomeyqmalone]

The console modding business itself has been getting slimey over the years. Pretty soon we're going to need mod-mods

[@TheMamaluigi300]

@@jomeyqmalone Oh christ, the gaming industry is like DC Zero Hour; the destruction of the future is spreading to the past!!!

[@duhjuh]

no its a software lock..you can unlock shiney with a firmware update you pay for..which is arguably worse.

[@choirulabidin9890]

Its still better than monthly subscribe.

[@mrlox9576]

​@@choirulabidin9890Don't give them ideas!

[@Flynn58]

Honestly $190 for the Shiny Edition vs $120 for the regular is just obscene, especially since they're literally the exact same hardware and the "premium" features are all implemented in software. No, it is not reasonable to charge $70 extra for 1080p and motion adaptive deinterlacing, both of which the hardware can ALREADY DO and are solely locked out by the proprietary software. Imagine if this had been how PS1 modchips worked. Imagine if you got charged $30 for a PS1 modchip that lets you play backups from YOUR region, but you had to pay $90 for it to let you play backups from OTHER regions. That would be absurd, right?

[@Daveeeeeeyhowyoudoing]

You sound poor is $190 is expensive 😂

[@Krilium]

Software locks? This product went from S tier to F tier instantly in my mind.

[@justinmoran9866]

You would think that for $190.00, they would 3d print the fitment block to keep the hdmi port uniform with the other connections. If you look at the final reveal before he plugs the hdmi into the port, it's crooked to the point that it's an eyesore. Awesome video sir, but the price and their quality is a no go for me

[@EmperorDank]

It was the first thing i noticed during the intro when it revealed the port, yikes

[@hardkore360]

Glad I wasn't the only one that noticed! For the price, that is just unacceptable for any mod.

[@glenswebber]

My exact thought. Shody, expensive and does little. Pass!

[@j240x7]

Who’s ever going to see the back of the PS2 though? I don’t get why everyone is hyper inflating this issue.

[@justinmoran9866]

It's the fact that after installation, I would personally know it's there and it would eat away at my soul. The point I was making is for the sale price of $190.00 plus tax and shipping, they can fit the case component a little better. If it works, it works and I won't knock the functionality. However, fitment is another issue

[@Omicron716]

Yeah idk man I don't feel too good about locking software features behind a paywall like that. If they were selling an actual slimmed down version of the hardware or were only selling the shiny edition it would feel less offensive, but presented the way it is here evokes the same feelings and arguments we had back when Disc Locked Content was the big controversial videogame thing.

[@OfficialDJSoru]

It also feels like the BMW controversy where the cars come with heated seats on the base model, but you gotta pay a subscription service (forgot if it was monthly or yearly) to use that feature. Shouldn't the option be ADDING the seats themselves instead of driving up their base model production cost and locking the item features behind a paywall?

[@MrFirecasters]

Agreed, it’s pretty stupid product design, not to mention asking for a hack

[@iaincowell9747]

Or not making it plug-in.

[@metallicarabbit]

dont worry they will only sell like 50 of these max at this price and scheme.

[@srpacific]

Do you think it would still be $120 if they had to spend the money engineering and producing a separate hardware version? This is a universal board for many consoles. Think of it this way, it’s a $190 device you’re getting a $70 discount on to give up a couple features that probably don’t matter to most people.

[@AndyGogo]

Charging more for non hardware features is crazy, hope the devs change their minds on this one

[@VideogameBucko]

🤷‍♂Software doesn't write itself...

[@-Monad-]

@@VideogameBucko it also has a zero per-unit cost post-development, so it's pretty dumb to charge on a per-unit basis. But, the fact that people will pay for it exposes how desperate people are for hardware like this. High demand, low supply.

[@AndyGogo]

​@@VideogameBucko its the modding space and open source will always win, either these gadgets are going to get "jailbroken" or another team will make a better one that doesn't lock basic features behind a paywall

[@nattila7713]

@@VideogameBucko so sell one version for 155 usd.

[@ReallyRyan.]

Charging that much in general for the mod is stupid and just gouging, especially given that the mod is meant to be pretty much a "one size fits all" option that works on multiple consoles. I get that it's a niche product, but $120-$190 for it is still kind of ridiculous. I hope they figure out a way to get the price down and produce more units, so that they also stop constantly running out of stock.

[@BarbaricAvatar]

Choices: This kit which requires you to hope that your PS2 has a better than average lifespan and won't die after 5 years regular use. Plus requires a steady hand and manual labor with a $100 entry fee. Or a decent converter for half the price, the same output quality and can be transferred to the next PS2 when the current one inevitably dies.

[@stealth2748]

The converter you’re talking about, does it remove all the lag when used? Any one you would recommend?

[@BarbaricAvatar]

@@stealth2748 Sadly not, the converters quality depends very much on which random Chinese factory they came from. I've bought 3 converters over the past 10 years: 2 of them are utter crap and the other is perfection. Unfortunately the good one was the very first one i bought, years ago.

[@stealth2748]

@@BarbaricAvatarappreciate the reply. I do wish the lag was gone using modern flat screens. I’ve done soldering on a circuit boards before but this is above me. On their website they say they have installers. May have to investigate that. On a side note, my flatscreen has the old rca 3 lead plugs but still may try out one of the converters just to do it

[@micksam7]

With the lack of 1080i support, the weird software locks, and the fact that component cables still provide pretty dang clear video, I think I'll stick with my component cables for now. Great video as always though!

[@majorgear1021]

Wise choice!

[@Daitrn2002]

plus, with component cable you can get 1080i.

[@hfric]

Not to mention, this mod destroys the color space 24:00 . Since it forces the console to be in Hdmi Limited. Making all colors over white , and it crushes blacks (Shadows just vanish in all games. The Color Black is now not BLACK but DARK BLUE , Brown is not BROWN but DARK YELLOW , Red is now not RED but DARK ORANGE , Blue is now NOT BLUE but LIGHT DARK ... it messes up the whole color space)... Compared to Component RGB, that presents all the color space with the correct colors...

[@anthonym7281]

Man I was really looking forward to seeing what this kit had to offer. Its too bad that even after coughing up $120, you get all the hardware but not all the features. Really hoping they rethink the whole "$70 license for a mod you already paid for" thing. I'm all for supporting small businesses, but not when they pull things like this.

[@ians_parks]

Tbf if they hadn't introduced this weird "basic" tier the device would've just retailed for around the same price as their previous kits. Which is the cost of the "shiny edition" firmware. It's what most were expecting. You're paying less for less features here. Though honestly the decision is so confusing it might have been worth just forgoing the basic tier all together. All it's really done is piss off potential customers and introduced bad pr.

[@ucitymetalhead]

Hopefully someone will crack the software and unlock the features for free.

[@AR7271]

@@ucitymetalhead I already did.

[@SSC3034]

@@AR7271 how did you do it?

[@AR7271]

@@SSC3034 I'm just kidding. 🤪

[@SonicManEXE]

Not having 1080p on the basic edition is a huge letdown. I agree that using something like a RetroTink with this would be an awesome way to play, but I think that for the (comparatively) plug and play solution of installing the mod and just running it, not having 1080p is a big deal, especially considering that a lot of people have 4K TVs now.

[@AegisRages]

The concept of a license for something already on the hardware is a business practice I won't support.

[@JGrove303]

The option already exists to use a Component cable and run it through a RetroTink 5x. You’ll get 1080p and Motion Adaptive deinterlacing AND it works for all your console, not just one. IIRC, only PS2 needs it

[@leftindarkness870]

Could be wrong but i don't think it would look much better. For me 480p is enough

[@JGrove303]

This is a great option with the Super Shiny Edition of you already have an OSSC you’re using on a slew of other consoles that won’t take advantage of adaptive deinterlacing

[@TheSynrgy1987]

biggest letdown with that is that it's a software lock and not a hardware limitation.

[@TheMamaluigi300]

Between the high price, bad practices, and daunting installation, this really just reminds me that I’m wishing there’d be a Rad2X Pro that supports sync on green or something, cause their PS1/PS2 cable is perfectly fine, barring no digital audio, plus the fact it doesn’t support native 480p

[@ians_parks]

Hopefully Mike Chi still intends to release the retrotink5x direct cables in the near future. From what I understand it's basically a 5x but consoles specific and in the form factor of a cable, like the rad2x.

[@TheMamaluigi300]

@@ians_parks I mean, it sounds cool, but part of the reason why the Rad2x cables are so appealing to me is that they’re a decent price, like $60 for a *very* good plug n play HDMI signal, perfect for a more casual retro gamer that just wants to dust off their old console and have it look good too. I’d be all for a 5x-based alternative, but with the 5x being $300, i’m just a bit worried the direct cables would also be very pricey, which put it more in line with those that’d probably buy a full, universal upscaler anyways. EDIT: Plus, people die-hard enough to use full-blown HDMI mods might freak out over the slight possibility of analog noise. Also on an unrelated note, there definitely should be a SNES HDMI mod with the OG models’ noticeable video smear

[@ridingnerdy6406]

I remember at one point in the PS2 and Xbox's lifecycles solderless mod chips that clipped onto the processor became a thing. Was there a reason that method seemingly isn't used at all anymore? When I see mods like this I always think about how approachable the install would be if it wasn't for the actual ribbon to chip portion, I'd wager a lot of consumers would pay a premium to avoid that one job.

[@surfacing3579]

It wasn't a good solution even back then, but worked for the most part since the signals they dealt with were very often low speed. When you're dealing with pixel bus signals, which is what these mods convert into HDMI, solid connections are 100% necessary (and possibly impedance control) so it's extremely likely that some kind of solderless clamp wouldn't work at all.

[@RichardLBartlett]

I recall there were certain games on the PS2 where you had to hold a combination of buttons on the controller during boot in order to enable progressive scan. It would be nice if that process were automatic.

[@online_lizard]

i think it's called GSM and it lets you force resolutions for most games

[@CodyHimselfXI]

Certain games like Soul Calibur II, you hold triangle and x right after the PS2 boot menu

[@yesmate78]

That was for 60hz mode

[@MarceloMedeirosb]

@@CodyHimselfXI other games might require a different button combo

[@MarceloMedeirosb]

@@online_lizard not many games work with forced progressive. Even some games that support 480p natively have issues when forced to progressive via gsm. Button combo when the game support It still is the safe bet

[@jeffdewe]

The basic model should have 1080p , The last PS2 I bought used I paid like $40 Canadian, Like $30US so when you say $120-$180 US that's 4-6 times the value of current console, I think they should rethink the price plan, 1080p for $100-120 Still kind of expensive but a lot more sales would happen than a 720p version.

[@sulac4ever170]

... not to mention the fact that they stoop so low as to having DLC for a hardware product like car manufacturers and their scammy lot.

[@louism771]

720p may not be much of an issue for many people even when not connected to a dedicated scaler. The fact that motion adaptive deinterlacing is missing though is a deal breaker to me. Just look at 23:03

[@nattila7713]

there should have been one version, for like 150 usd or 160. this soft lock is just awful business practice.

[@JarlBarbossa]

Just emulate.

[@Starch1b2c3d4a]

Who wants to go through all that trouble for 720p lol

[@soulreaperx7x]

Would have liked to see you try the smoothing settings. One reason I prefer emulation over modding PS2s is that the internal rendering resolution can be set much higher than a PS2 can do so aliasing is not a problem at all in emulation.

[@markjacobs1086]

Even if you're only able to do 480P when emulating you can still do FXAA or SMAA & get Anti Aliasing without any significant amounts of additional system requirements. It's just the overall better option if the game in question is supported (some seem to still have issues when emulated).

[@dannyball2503]

Some fine work there Mr Tito, especially the ribbon cable solder joints.

[@robertzieg3893]

Spend the money on the backwards compatible PS3 you will be much happier, and it will be a positive experience. Soldering the contacts on those flex cables is a real bastard with lead free solder, not to mention the higher temperature needed to flow the solder can easily damage the ribbon cable. I wouldn't attempt this without a microscope and 60/40 rosin core solder. Tito is really gifted when it comes to soldering and makes it look really easy.

[@shawnd567]

I think you undersold the level of soldering difficulty. I have over a decade of soldering under my belt and this would be near impossible for me to do. Also $200!?! 😮 Good god. Just buy the component cables for your ps2 and call it day. They look fantastic.

[@captaindagonsworldoffunstuff]

I agree, the component cable works well, I would say too well, the PS2 low res is very jagged, the blur in the component signal helps diminish those jagged edges

[@Triforce_Games]

I agree. I own a electronic repair shop and 90% of gamers do not work on or mod systems and have very little if any microsoldering skills. So with $200 for the hardware then another $100-$200 to get a repair shop or modder to install it just doesn't make much sense

[@NUCLEARARMAMENT]

​​@@Triforce_GamesIf it's cheaper than buying a working backwards compatible PS3 (CECH-A01/A00, CECH-B01/B00), that won't nuke itself with YLOD due to BGA underfill cracking caused by TSMC's incompetence in manufacturing the RSX, or defective Nikkor solid state capacitors gone defective, it's worth the $300-$400 to me! Getting the native digital framebuffer output of the PS2's GS chip is the holy grail of gaming on native PS2 hardware!

[@bronzin1445]

Yup, as soon as I hear the word “soldering” with these modkits, I immediately dip out. Granted, it’s not THAT difficult once you get the hang of it but 9 times out of 10, it’s hardly worth the headache that you’ll inevitably develop. Just get the components cables and a scaler like the RetroTin (not to be confused with a converter, that is something entirely different)

[@SenileOtaku]

Yep, as soon as I saw the cable you have to solder to that custom chip, that was it for watching the rest. Louis Rossmann I'm not. Heck, I can barely SEE the leads on those chips. I hadn't even gotten to the price part of it. Our PS2 is sitting upstairs in storage, and we never even had very many games for it. So wouldn't make sense to mod it. Besides, the HDMI ports on our TV are already filled, but we have a composite and component connection still open.

[@ScottX68000]

The installation process was very impressive to see! Having installed several Modbo chips myself I know how difficult and frustrating PS2's can be to work on but filming the whole process whilst being able to clearly see what you're doing must have been even more challenging. Having said that I still think using a PS2 on a CRT is the way to go, no amount of upscaling, filters, etc will make the PS2 look as good on a flat screen compared to the display tech it was designed for. If you're wanting a sharper/cleaner look running a PS2 on a PVM will get you a very sharp and crisp image! Otherwise a nicer consumer grade CRT is still the best choice for PS2 in my opinion.

[@Mchenrygames]

Another great video as usual. Hats off for the installation work. I felt like Homer Simpson watching the foundation repair tape.

[@lplumptree]

The reason that Bob looks so chunky and jittery at 19:03 is because the video was only captures/uploaded at 30fps so we’re only seeing one field of 480i for only 240lines per 30fps frame. To properly convey Bob deinterlacing the video needs to be 60fps While I do still agree that Motion Adaptive looks better in general, this portrayal of Bob is not it’s true look in the real world.

[@Joe3D]

24:13 don't know why but the Component looks much colourful than HDMI and defined than Composite.

[@Starch1b2c3d4a]

Yup

[@alanjamesh.zamorano1677]

True. The PS2 was designed with component in mind to be the ultimate experience as that was the HD of their time. Too bad there aren't many new TV models that support Component Input. It's better to pickup an old LCD flat panel that still supports it.

[@deerocker4113]

I agree I want it but I think I stick with pcsx2 which does a damn good job upscaling

[@outseeker]

man that ribbon cable thing they made to fit perfectly around and solder onto the needed legs on the chip is chefs kiss!

[@coderkind]

I think the phat is the better PS2 console variant to mod; hard drive support and the system runs cooler. The slim will probably run hotter with the HDMI kit in there.

[@-Monad-]

Idk how anyone could think of running a modded PS2 without an HDD... that's like, 90% of the point

[@nattila7713]

fats are all quite hot and loud....

[@talos86]

@@nattila7713 just replace the stock fan with a Noctua A6x25 FLX. The fan comes with a 3 to 2 pin adapter. The only thing you need is a 3D printed bracket, since the original fan is slimmer and dont have the standard mounting holes on the fan. All the thermal pads are 2mm thick except the Emotion Engine's(EE-GS), thats 3mm thick.

[@nattila7713]

@@talos86 hassle and price :( but yeah...

[@KopperNeoman]

7000X slims aren't DECKARDs, and as such have HDD support. DECKARDs have their own advantages, though.

[@jessragan6714]

I'm... definitely sticking with my component cable. Kudos to you for having the skill and the patience to do this, though.

[@c.m.1537]

I have neither. I just as well have and component up scaler than do all that. The TV will also do some up scaling.

[@CapnFlappyJaw42]

yeah i'll just stick to pcsx2 for now lmao mainly because the shiny version is locked behind a $70 software paywall

[@Z3RN0]

Very detailed and informative video. Even though I'm probably not going to open up my PS2 and install any of these hardware mods, it's interesting and good knowledge to learn about these consoles and what's inside of them. Thanks for reading and have a good one! 😀👍

[@MrSlowestD16]

In the comparison, what did the component/composite images use as A to D and upscaler? I'd be really interested in how a component -> 5X -> compares to the 720p output of this directly through HDMI, It's a cool mod, I love seeing HDMI mods for retro systems, but unfortunately they're generally difficult, and the PS2 having 16 million revisions doesn't help.

[@zacuax7272]

Seems like a great kit, but locking some features behind a paywall is something that I always disapprove of.

[@BHFFS]

I'm OK with it if it means a lower starting price for the hardware. If...

[@touma-san91]

@@BHFFS I'm only okay with it if it's not a software based lock

[@zacuax7272]

Except they obviously can afford to sell the hardware at the lower price. There's no good reason for the difference other than they knew the market would allow them to charge more as it's what their previous products were sold at. It's not illegal, but it is anti consumer and leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I'm not the target audience for this anyways so it's not like my opinion means anything, but just my hot take. @@BHFFS

[@nattila7713]

shuold have been one version, price in the middle. softlock is absurd.

[@touma-san91]

@@gomam0n702 How is it stupid logic? If its hardware based thing, the one with better hardware obviously costs lot more to manufacture, but if its software based thing, that's just a stupid limitation made by a human

[@AvalancheReviews]

The footage here is sort of worrying. I'm going to assume maybe it was captured at a low bitrate, because there's artifacting all over the place, and it's a little more aggressive than yt's normal compression. If that's not the case, and compression isn't to blame for the artifacting, than I hate to say it, but this is significantly softer and less color accurate than what the tink 5x could do with the PS2's analog component out. Is there any chance that's why there wasn't a Tink 5X comparison? I'm genuinely interested.

[@arnearne12345]

night and day indeed!! the image is so sharp that if anything it looks worse i'll stick to a simple converter thank you

[@abdul-rahmanyasir3650]

361K views in two days, this tells you how much people pay attention to old things you might thing are forgotten but people still seeking to modernise them, great video.

[@AR7271]

That or the KZbin algorithm gods blessed this video!

[@johnjohny1312]

It's appalling that they charge an additional 70USD just for a couple of SOFTWARE features that don't impact the actual hardware the sell. That's why open source mods will always come out on top when they come out, all the cost is in the hardware and nobody will stop you from adding features to them, unlike commercial mods.

[@cooparchive7857]

Or just crt

[@sulac4ever170]

Yeah, I also absolutely don't agree with Tito on the point that paying for a software upgrade is a pro argument. That's just as scammy as DLC for cars are and all that disgusting sheet we see more and more of! 🤮

[@VforVirtual]

While I agree with the open-source vs commercial point, I don't get your complaint. You don't pay extra for more features, you pay less for less features. If only the $190 version came out, there would be nothing to complain about. But since there's the option of paying $120 for people that can't afford/don't want to pay that money upfront, somehow it's appalling?

[@ians_parks]

So from how I understand it the basic edition exists for those who are planning on using this mod in conjunction with their upcoming 4k "Morph" scaler, which offers all the features you'd get with the shiny addition anyway. Basically you'd buy the basic version to not have to pay for the same exact features twice. If you don't plan to go the 4k upscaler route and just want to have a fully featured PS2 hdmi solution then there's the shiny edition which can be upgraded to at any time and costs about what all their previous hdmi mods retailed for. And likely what the mod would've retailed for anyway if they had never decided to offer this basic alternative. I think the way they see it they can afford to take the loss on people buying basic kits because those same people are likely going to buy their upcoming scaler anyway. I admit it's an extremely odd decision but I don't think it was ever intended to be scummy. I'm sure they wanted there to be one universal kit so it'd be easier to keep in stock, and that's why there is no actual hardware difference between basic and shiny additions. Though I honestly would've preferred if they had just scrapped this idea all together cause all it did was confuse and piss everyone off lol.

[@sulac4ever170]

@@VforVirtual No. They are paywalling features to bait customers to pay more as it is with every DLC ever, no matter if for software (which is already bad enough nor for hardware (which is the cherry of awfulness on top for disgusting modern day business practices). They take capability/functionality, which already is in the product (and most would want to have like 1080p 🤯 and the option for actually useful deinterlacing, which Retrotink user just could switch off) away from you deliberately just to get you to pay a premium. And that's absolutely disgusting 🤮

[@arturiozzi1835]

They sell you a fully-capable PCB for the less expensive price then lock some features behind a paywall. What a scam.

[@pennplayz]

the retro renew intro was probably one of the best youtube intros i've ever seen

[@elmariachi5133]

Slot mask correct emulation is a thing I was waiting for in general, not only the PS2. But it requires at leats 4K for being able to replicate the look of genuine pysical masks.

[@loktaiextatus]

Since the ONLY difference between the two kits is software.... this means that this company believes their firmware to be worth $70USD by itself. Honestly - And hear me out... this video goes on about how the OTHER versions cost similar, - close to 200 dollars- and that this kit outside the included cables etc is mostly universal. This means that the entire time they've been hauling in the profit on their software. Since for the PS2 version they've done this it shows that 1. they are still profitable at this lower price point and 2. they were desperate for things to remove- if they even removed OUTPUT RESOLUTIONS to the SUB-1080 range even though the hardware is easily capable of it- and this is in 2023- 1080 has been a standard resolution for home TVs for over 15 years. - their native resolution- not 720. I am not saying the product isnt worth it to people I am saying a close examination of this and the realization that the company making them KNOWS its a niche market- they are determined to sell as many people as they can up to this 200 dollar price point for something that is profitable closer to 100. I have no ill will against the company or anyone who wants to buy this- because in the end its only money and gaming is not a place where you spend money that isnt disposable to begin with.... but god damn I can feel the industry sapping off nostalgia like a vampire more every day. 75 percent of us viewing are on PCs and powerful phones and can get this kind of output for PS2 games easily through an emulator (and most of this is talking about non physical games and OPL - ) and those of us who say "I want to run it on original hardware" if you really did youd also want to run it on a TUBE TV and ACTUALLY have the "original" experience ( the ps2 does some things with its output which smoothed out the jaggies in practice for anyone who wasnt "there" during all the controversy back in the day). I hope everyone is having a good day and understands where I am coming from with this- half devils advocate half "Really... 70 bucks for a firmware upgrade seems odd- I can get Windows 11 or a full and new AAA game for less".

[@HollowRick]

Yup totally agree I'm gonna stick to using my ps2 on a CRT TV

[@sd8213]

Exactly. It is a very small market of people that want this. So if you want it you will pay it. They want to get paid a wage. They cant just give ot out for pennys.

[@TheMamaluigi300]

I still think you’d probably have a better reason *to* have ill-will against them than not; this is still suuuuper f***ed, and now there’s definitely a call to action for some group to make an alternative that’s less scummy and does the whole “universal HDMI solution” to a greater extent

[@johnjohny1312]

​@@sd8213they aren't giving it out for pennies. the 100 dollar version by itself already is profitable for them, else they wouldn't sell it at that price

[@rochester3]

ps2 emulator all day 4k 60 fawk all this mess

[@Thelango99]

The lead free solder is only used on the slim PS2s. It was required by consumer electronics to use it by 2005 (which caused massive problems for the Xbox 360).

[@GGoblin1]

not only 360 but also PS3 (YLOD)

[@BavarianM]

That’s no true on the ps3

[@Thelango99]

@@BavarianM The ps3 reeased in 2006...

[@shain6946]

YLOD was down to Nvidia and their GFX Chips

[@Juanguar]

@@shain6946 which had issues because of the internal lead free solder

[@audio_phil]

Damn, the animation with the spinning PS2 was sick! Good job

[@CarlosHenriqueNoronhadeAguiar]

that background music gets me EVERY time

[@Aldderan]

At $120 feels like you would be better buying a Backwards Compatible PS3.

[@lilliputmoss]

Locking you out of 1080p through software? I wouldn't give them a cent.

[@sergigucci8074]

wow bro! this is another level👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@junsuzuki1412]

I reccomend using a Pound cable and an MClassic. No soldering needed, all of the upscaling and antialiasing is offloaded onto physically separate units so it's easy to troubleshoot. The Pound cable upscales it to 720P(the default output is 480i, which the MClassic does not support). The MClassic takes that 720P signal and further upscales it to 1080p while smoothing out jagged edges and reducing flickering. The pound cable and the MClassic are about $100USD for the MClassic and $35 for the Pound cable. Whats great about this is that the poind cable also works well on every other system out there. I use it on my XBox 360, PS3, Switch, amd PS4 with excellent results.

[@BackForwardPunch]

Wait, the hardware is the same, but they are putting some resolutions behind a paywall? Like the device is basically restricted from it’s full usage? That is a pretty shady business model.

[@sulac4ever170]

Absolutely! It's just like DLC for cars. They deserve to be cancelled for such disgusting business tactics and not to be applauded like Tito did for offering that upgrade 🤮

[@carlondouglas5741]

Popcorn is ready

[@Mmmjakis]

That's how I feel when that beat drops into the console showcase 🍿

[@chandlerbing7570]

Ok?

[@erickennon8809]

Would you like some poo butter on your delicious popcorn

[@FoolHardyQueso]

Gimme some bro

[@nathanmckenna4228]

Thanks bro

[@Laluan]

Bro I would never. My heart can’t take modding a device like this. Too much nostalgia

[@GeorgeWeeman]

I have my ps2 put up, along with my favorite PS1/PS2 games. I also have a really nice pc that emulate both systems beautifully. It doesn't seem feasible to me to spend that kind of money on a product that I probably wont pull out of the closet only to flex to my friends! But still, I love all the love that the PS2 still gets all these years later!

[@SToad]

The fact that the gem works for so many consoles would be more interesting if you could just switch it around and only buy one, however it’s kind of a moot point that it works for many consoles but you need to buy N of these things anyway. Like a “protected” extension ribbon for each console but that could be connected to the GEM device at will, no need to solder pads or so. As it stands right now, it doesn’t matter much that its “compatible” since you will be buying several. And at $100 it’s on the expensive side, like all HDMI mods before it.

[@TheMamaluigi300]

One can only hope they will offer a variant that is basically that; that you’d mod each system with a port that the RetroGEM will plug into like a dongle. Although, not only could that be a *lot* of pins so we wouldn’t quite know if there’d be an affordable connector, but considering this thing has the equivalent of “on-disc DLC”, I have a bad feeling they have the courage to punch us below the belt

[@CraigAznoe]

The advantage here isn't initially for the consumer. PixelFX only needs to stock one component for DC/N64/PS1/PS2; this allows them to hold more stock without fear of oversupply. As a consumer, the parts will be more readily available. The point wasn't to have one device that a single user can swap between systems, it's for the manufacturer to minimize the SKUs needed to meet the demand. With that said, the price point is disappointing, as the same advantages listed above should reduce overall unit cost. There needs to be competition in this space for PixelFX to see a need to reduce the price. At this point, there is none.

[@louism771]

​@@CraigAznoeTotally agree. I understand that engineering and supporting these kits is a lot of work. Adding compatibility for a completely new console isn't just creating a new ribbon cable + 3D printed parts and calling it a day. I hope that at some point when their investment has worked out they will sell them cheaper. Until then I'll pass

[@SToad]

@@CraigAznoe That’s a great point. I think my comment was more of a reflection of what he mentioned about this being a great feature, but he probably meant it more from a production standpoint as you say. Price is indeed the biggest barrier albeit we know all retro stuff is. But I’d rather do a DE-10 based board solution or just some cheap AliExpress adaptor, it becomes too expensive. Maybe some day analogue will bring a FPGA based DC or PS2 when reference FPGA is not cost prohibitive, but until then I personally find it hard to justify the cost of one of these things. Especially considering I’d want to buy one for each console. At that point I’d probably just software emulate. Hopefully the space keeps growing and one day we see wallet friendly stuff but not holding my breath given that these ventures are usually a solo wolf operation so to speak and it’s already a very niche market.

[@junsuzuki1412]

A bit of a late reply, but check out the MClassic. Linus did a video on them a while back. You can buy a component to HDMI converter and throw the MClassic on it to upscale and add anti aliasing without being locked to just one system. The PS2 is the exception though and you'll need a Pound Cable($35usd, so not expensive). You just plug the pound cable in, and the MClassic on the other side. No soldering, no paywall, and no permanent modification to the original system.

[@Doyle69]

Mixing lead and non lead solder is perfectly fine, you can solder new SSD nands in computers that get hot using leaded. Don't be afraid to use it :) just make sure to have an extractor on :)

[@WardenOfTerra]

So, don't do it then. It literally leads to lead poisoning and lung damage.

[@MrRobarino]

WRONG. Besides the fact that they have different melting points, mixing Leaded and Non-Leaded solder can result in an alloy mix that *WILL* fail over time resulting in broken solder joints and intermittent connections. Unless you enjoy having to go back in 2~4 years to re-solder and repair everything you installed, don't mix solder types. Do it right or don't do it at all.

[@Doyle69]

@@MrRobarino Sorry to hear you have had issues doing this, I myself have had no issues in the many years doing so. I'll stick to what I know works and you can do the same :)

[@SoMiSongbird]

Extractor? I just put my shirt over my nose and intoxicate myself eventually.

[@disruptah76]

Would've been nice to see a comparison between the default 480p and 1080p, or did I miss it?

[@AbeelSiddiqui]

Honestly at that price, I might as well just emulate it and crank up the resolution on my PC. I was expecting this mod to be like 50 bucks top. But damn it's actually quite expensive

[@P3KaX]

The installation is a hell of a process, so congrats on your detailed explanation and how you have successfully done it. If your plans are to play exclusively on the PS2, I think it's fine to get this kit, especially if you have advanced soldering skills. But, honestly, there are way better and cheaper solutions for this goal, like the GBS Control, that can be used with other consoles. Anyway, thanks Tito, for bringing this new solution to the channel.

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Thank you P3KaX! Definitely agree there are a ton of great solutions out there! Cheers!

[@larkan511]

Was it successful though? The HDMI port is crooked.

[@seethruhead7119]

how is that comparable? it's not digital output is it?

[@jomeyqmalone]

@seethruhead7119 it's comprable because both chains result in PS2 games appearing on modern screens, where the results can be compared. Besides, being all digital to the display panel doesn't automatically mean the final product is necessarily superior

[@NicMG]

@@larkan511 moaning for the sake of moaning here.

[@QuestionBlockGaming]

Neat device but terrible business practices. Software locking features behind a $70 license upcharge is ridiculous. It's literally digital DRM on a video modchip for a console. Absolutely flabbergasted that this is the case.

[@centauri8820]

I recently backordered a RAD2X for about $80 out the door (taxes, shipping, conversion to GBP). Curious to see how it looks in real life. This looks like the ultimate upscaler mod but the price is pretty wild. Not saying it's not worth what the developers poured into this product but still fairly steep compared to other options.

[@robbieburns3564]

Honestly seeing the side by side - the composite wins hands down. Not only do the colors seem richer, but the smoothing process that occurs for a 480p console - a low resolution - it helps with presentation. Plus, perhaps I'm a purist, but using a console as a non-modified piece of hardware true to its generation and it's presentation is HIGHLY favored over a hacked up machine. I'd rather use an external solution on the output signal TBH.

[@Jamaniak]

Being a universal kit is a killer feature, hopefully they can keep it in stock long term.

[@KiraSlith]

A "Killer Feature" for who? You're obviously not ripping your consoles apart repeatedly to move the core around, especially with the PS2's lengthy teardown cycle. So unless you're leaving your machines disassembled in heaps on your desk or shelf, you're still buying 1 per console. Considering their pricing, you're not getting any price benefit from the savings involved in bulk manufacturing a generic part either. So...

[@GermanAnimeStriker]

@@KiraSlith its a killer move in the sense of production my dear friend. You dont have to worry about capacitiy for extra models which is a huge plus when you think of storing or just production limits. You can just produce that one board and only think of the flexcables when you going for specific models and in the sense of why arent there so many more custom pcb boards out there in stock? because its often really specialized stuff for a large sum of money but making a board which you can use for every console is just "a killer feature" ;)

[@kizurura]

@@GermanAnimeStriker They are still scamming people out with this. If cost production is even less of an issue for an already basic PCB, why charge 120 dollars for the basic version?

[@GermanAnimeStriker]

@@kizurura What is a "basic PCB"? Why do you think that 120 dollars is a rip off and scam? Do you know anything about the cost of creating a PCB from scratch while beeing a one man team? I doubt it, 120 is a pretty okay price for the first version of something like this. He has to make some plus in terms of compensation since he wants to upgrade that think (make more revisions) or even releasing the other versions that are not yet out. This stuff has to be tested, it has to be stored and managed by somebody. I dont see any PCBs from you, maybe i you think you'd make it better and cheaper, go in, its a solid market and you can make money IF YOU ARE GOOD AND YOUR CREATIONS ARE GOOD. People today are so delusional its unbelievable.

[@kizurura]

@@GermanAnimeStriker Not even a Raspberry Pi Pico costs this much. Btw, this is not a single person, this is a team. And yes, I know the cost of creating and manufacturing PCBs that are this basic. It's at most 10 dollars. Wait until someone reverse engineers this thing and passes the blueprints for the PCB for people to order their own from a company that can manufacture them.

[@Kalvinjj]

Eagerly waiting for a revision supporting the 79000 and 90000 versions, since those use way less power than the previous models and have a way smaller motherboard, that would be perfect for portable PS2s, gotta start working on my own project (don't hold your breath in anticipation tho...) whenever this is available for those versions. I can imagine this being harder on those versions whoever, given there's better documentation on the digital outputs of all but those versions. Nice to see your soldering getting better with each video, and several "good practices" being used, those mods really are getting better each video.

[@genericality4551]

oh my god ive been waiting for this for years.

[@badhabits7452]

Gran Turismo 4 mentioned..thank you, video video!

[@MasqueradePW]

The fact that they want you to put a wifi antenna in with the mod *only* to update the mod (why does it need updating in the first place?) as well as the freemium mobile game level paywall on hardware you already paid for is an absolute dealbreaker, jesus christ. Never in a million years would I want such an unscrupulous company's device constantly connected to my home wifi.

[@ians_parks]

Firmware updates, bug fixes.

[@MasqueradePW]

@@ians_parks But why does an analog to digital video converter need software updates? I have never, ever seen such a thing before. It genuinely makes me suspect the product may just be a lazy cover for a listening device. There is ZERO need for wifi on a product of this type.

[@androidmaster3369]

​@@MasqueradePWfacts

[@derekv6479]

Makes The PlayStation 2 Look Gorgeous! Let's not get carried away now. That's a mighty tall order and I saw the output.

[@Evercade_Effect]

Totally amazing mod! Thanks for the video.

[@houstoner]

I got a PS2 on launch when I was a teen. I never would have imagined one day we would be taking them and giving them new life. This is cool to watch. I've been doing PC emulation but I think I may start collecting consoles I had as a kid. There are so many retrofit options these days.

[@SpiKSpaN-ei6zq]

Crazy right.!?

[@CollinstheClown]

$70 for a software change??? That is absurd

[@Odin3v]

This makes me feel so old. I got a PS2 slim when they came out, and we had an 1080i HD TV with HDMI and has wished it had HDMI back then. Today found a PS2 fat model 39001 with with the original netwrok adapter, power cord, an d2 memory cards, and it works. I still have my PS2 memory card adapter from my PS3 back in 2007. I may just use the pound HDMI adapter to plug my ps2 into my TV.

[@Diablokiller999]

So they just have a software lock-out and sell features already implemented and able to run on your hardware at a premium? I get that developing this stuff is hard, I'm an embedded developer myself but this fragmentation is just bad for customers I think. Just sell one device to everyone and don't hide features behind such a huge paywall...

[@TheUpliftingGuy]

I was waiting for something like this for the PS2 which is my favorite console of all time 😉👌

[@lordshrek_]

The intro with the spinning consoles 🤌🤌🤌

[@Rosa_Canina]

Would be nice to have seen the difference to an actual good scaler, like the RetroTink 5x Pro. The 2x isnt really... something I would consider an option for anything other than "I want stuff on my screen and no lag, I dont care for the rest". And from what I seen my RetroTink 5x Pro on my 1440p screen actually looks better or at least on par (because KZbin probably makes the image a bit worse). Regardless of that, your videos are great.

[@Silis4327]

Agreed, having an HDMI port is nice but the cost and effort per-console of this just doesn’t stack up compared to 5X imo

[@MegaManNeo]

I see delicate soldering near a main chip, I lose interest :( Still for those who can pull it off, it's pretty amazing what especially a PS2 Slim can still be today.

[@iawarenow658]

seriously tricky job will stick with an older monitor instead..

[@samusaran11]

Seems a bit of a hassle tbh. I would stick with my Retrotink 5x pro, I dont wanna wreck my PS2 that I got for Xmas eons upon eons ago.

[@justsayin4632]

Random question: what’s your preferred temp on your soldering iron when dealing with pins/traces this tiny?

[@OrganicGreens]

Your B role is so good man. I can't even understand how you got that flapping shot on the ps2 near the start. I wish I could shoot video like that.

[@alexvalentim1418]

The software lock is a 100% no go for me

[@alexvalentim1418]

Also disagree 100% with Tito here, the existence of the Basic version does not mean there is a cheaper option for those who want it. It means that the product could have been manufactured and sold for that price with a profit and the manufacturer decided do simply charge more for the other resolutions. It is a CON, that make IMO a total no go for scummy anti-consumer decision. We already have that a lot in software, electric cars, please keep this cr** away of our retro gaming

[@lolztony]

You must be very young or very stupid... @@alexvalentim1418 - "the existence of the Basic version does not mean there is a cheaper option for those who want it" - it quite literally does mean there's a cheaper option for those who want it. You're basic comprehension is astounding. - "the product could have been manufactured and sold for that price with a profit" - Why are you assuming the companies production and/or profit margins?? Saying it with your whole chest too lol The 'literal' cost of a product DOES NOT = the cost it should be sold at. If intel makes a CPU that cost them $10 in physical materials to make, should they sell it for that much? That would be disregarding any research/development, overhead costs, employee salaries, designers, engineering, etc etc... There are also many examples of companies selling certain versions of products at a LOSS to get it into more customers hands, while making up the profit deficit on a higher tier model. It's ironic that people like you consider it "scummy anti-consumer" when they are literally doing it FOR the consumer. If they ONLY released the shiny edition, then nobody would bat an eye. It's same price as any other past mods, and is only for the small percentage of hardcore hobbiest retro gamers. But instead, they release a lower, less expensive tier in hopes to get it in more hands, while making considerably less profit, and people like you say they're being "scummy". I'm really curious how you'll respond to this, since I know you'll get defensive and won't use any reasonable logic. (like in your original comment o.0)

[@Stilkdog]

Seems cool but then lost interest at the high price and the software DRM on this device. This should not be a thing for something like this especially at this kind of price. I hope they decide to remove this DRM thing and reduce the price, but until then I will keep an eye out for other projects.

[@JAFOpty]

the smooth jazz makes me feel I can do this!

[@danteasdfgh]

I do thank you very much for these vids, they are very educational and entertaining.

[@SSJfraz]

I don't know if it's the youtube compression or not, but I'm not really seeing that much of an improvement. The image doesn't look upscaled, just overly sharpened with bad aliasing. If there's no anti-aliasing being applied in the upscaling chain, then it's just going to look overly sharpened rather than upscaled. It's a lot of effort to go to for not a whole lot of improvement.

[@jumafuse]

Thanks for the review and the comments on the price that are important. But I would have appreciated to see a comparison with the Retrotink 5X-Pro. The cost of this kit shiniest version with the installation is more comparable to the cost of the Retrotink 5X-Pro. The 2X-Pro is arguably a way cheaper alternative.

[@-Monad-]

I'm pretty happy with my $50 RAD2X too

[@eacosnypher9648]

A retrotink 2x pro is more cheap, it's easy to install and you can use it with more consoles

[@slot9]

Great video! Thank you for keeping it classy.

[@meatpockets]

If you’re cracking open your PS2, now would be a good time to swap that CR2032 button battery… 5:41

[@James_D.]

Great mod, but too expensive! 😅

[@Juanguar]

Yeah 120$ for the basic version is way too much And if you want decent deinterlacing it’s 190 Straight up robbery

[@sulac4ever170]

... and with DLC 🤮

[@mogwai_for_sale]

very neat but i think i'll go the retrotink scaler route via component cables since it offers better value if you have multiple analgue consoles (3+) that you wish to use. not to mention, there is no installation or sodering work that needs to be done which for many will be a dealbreaker with the pixelfx mods. even then, a good quality upscaler is rather pricey and hard to justify if you have a perfectly good CRT lying around (which i do). i see many benefits to playing retro games on a modern OLED tv (cleaner image and large screen etc) but i think the charm and novelty is lost on some level when migrating to digital. in any case, our old CRT's will die one day and we will need an alternative path so most of us CRT fans will need to make the transition at some point, whether we like it or not -- if not now, perhaps in the next 10, 20 years. finding someone to fix CRTs will certainly not be easy so i'm not counting on it personally.

[@JMLRetroRoom]

Amazon also has non-powered component switchers for about $18. It’s 3 IN 1 OUT so you don’t need to disconnect from the RT5X all the time. They’re no power so they don’t scale, just pass through at a push of a spring loaded button. I’ve connected 2 of them together.

[@tdtrecordsmusic]

some slick soldering there Mr :)

[@wettuga2762]

Due to the difficulty of these kind of mods, I prefer an RGB SCART cable + HDMi converter, from which I have none... yet. But it's still interesting to see so many mods being actively developed. Gotta love retro-tinkering!

[@MeowHoots]

Yah im waiting for the new ver of ossc rather than do a hdmi mod

[@majorgear1021]

Agreed. I killed my first PS2 doing a quiet fan mod. I bought another one and the fan mod went ok, but I decided that I’m no messing with the insides ever again.

[@supahas3821]

Been waiting for this for years. I wonder though, how does it compare to the PS2 mode on early PS3s? As right now that is my current PS2 HDMI solution.

[@MattacksRC]

Cool does the mod offer any Anti-aliasing or Anisotropic Filtering? Upscaling the resolution is one thing. It makes the games look a lot nicer. Adding AA gives these old games a face lift that really makes more recent then they are. I often use these features on PC emulators. Also is this a permanent alteration to HDMI or doesn't keep the original video outputs functional as well?

[@user-fe9yk5iy4c]

it just remind me how good composite cable is, back in day with my crt

[@vdfritzz]

wasn't there a homebrew you installed to the memory card and you could make games output at 1080i through component? that method looked so good! of course it didn't change the games internal resolution, but the sharpness of the extra output resolution gave similar results to these

[@shawnd567]

Would love to hear more about this. Personally the component cables at 480p make a huge difference compared to composite.

[@vdfritzz]

@@shawnd567 the homebrew is called GSM, the ps2 needs to be jailbroken in a way that allows boot from the memory card (i imagine literally any modchip does this)

[@fiery_transition]

What are the reasons to use this instead of emulation besides liking the physically of things? Are emulators still not good enough to replicate the ps2/1? Last time I tried them they were good, but I can't remember enough of my ps1/2 times to gauge if they deliver an authentic emulation or not.

[@soylencer]

There are still games that just plain don't run right on emulation. Then there are also tournaments and speed runs which may require original hardware (which I'm not sure if this would affect those requirements).

[@ians_parks]

It just comes down to preference. Emulation is also always going to have some quirks with certain games. Even if it's fine 90% of the time.

[@anderslarsen1321]

If you are ok with playing PS2 games on a pc, with windows tasks in the background, that is good enough for you. Not everyone has space/money/wife for every system made, anyway… Just atleast use a PS2like USB-controller…😊

[@Frank7G]

I bought an HDMI converter called Level Hike for $25 & It works great for the money. I got the PS1 & 2 converter & an SNES, N64, GameCube converter also works with monitors that have no speakers.

[@jonbonda1917]

Some old modchips actually have a IC clip on adaptor on top of the chip so that doesn't it need soldering as the flex tape is already soldered or attached to it. It's very board&chip location specific but it's a solderless mod that's easy once the case is removed. Maybe the next step is to add a daughterboard or on chip emulator that can load the game&an emulation/remastered upscale game profile is loaded, like a gameshark so that it's upscaled and better game operation as well as a translation. Overall you're still using the game's logic process but with upgraded game assets&environment.

[@fireaza]

I love the idea of the ribbon cable, means a nice clean and simple install. And hey, if it also means that a standard HDMI board can be used by multiple consoles and the only customized component needed is the ribbon cable, that should also mean more and cheaper HDMI mods for lots of consoles!

[@bassblaster505]

cheaper mods in theory, untill they put features behind software paywalls

[@Captain_Bollacks]

Was having a bad day but watching this really cheered me up, not a fan of the slim ps2, more of a fat man myself but seeing stuff still being made for the Ps2 slim or fat in general, its just fantastic :)

[@MrCamel-mb3nd]

it can be for PS1 and FAT PS2

[@Captain_Bollacks]

@@MrCamel-mb3nd im aware of that

[@kclancy2042]

i love the wanton disregard for ESD precautions.

[@Scoupe400]

Wow. I never knew this was a thing. I just know I still love my PS2 and a couple niche games on it.

[@PrimeRetroGamer]

Comparing this to RetroTink-2X is kinda inadequate. 5X would be more price and feature comparable. Also, picture quality difference would be narrower. Also, paying for software DLC is just scummy. Just make the price inbetween both versions and offer all features.