Retron console

[Robert Sublett]

Given the age of current hardware out there and the slim to none chance of ever getting a Flashback with a cart slot, what about a retron with Intv and Coleco support? Thoughts?

[pimpmaul69]

It would be cool but i would think the atari would get emulated first based on "popular" vote. but i havent seen retron produce anything older than nes. The retron 5 is pretty cool, would be nice to have one made for older consoles

[+Lathe26]

I got the chance to ask the Retron 5 folks this question (Intellivision + ColecoVision + Atari). What they said was:

• Such a console would like sell well at conventions, but not likely outside of one (in short, wouldn't sell enough).
• The controllers are very different from each other and it would be hard to design a one-size-fits-all controller that would ship as the default controller. Designing multiple controllers would cost more.
• They will watch the market and see if it changes enough to change their mind.

[+Rick Reynolds]

Interesting... I've mentioned (on the podcast?? just to other podcasters "off-mic"?? mumbling to myself in my living room??) that I would definitely like to see a Retron 5 kind of console for precrash systems. I'm sure you could start a laundry list of consoles that we'd like to see in such a beast, but I would think an Atari 2600 + 5200 + 7800 system might sell well just because of the Atari name. Then I'd like to see Intellivision, Colecovision, and Odyssey2 added in also. Maybe emulated Vectrex? But that's problematic because the real joy of Vectrex is the vector screen, I think.

 

Anyway, my real hope is that I can make such a beast from an ultimate flashback kind of project so that it just has my rom collection in it and I don't have to mess with any of the carts for all those systems.

[Nutsy Doodleheimer]

I think it would be a great idea. The only issue is being the controllers as CV and INTVs numeric pads are layed out different. Because of Clear 0 Enter on the INTV bottom buttons and * 0 # on the CV bottom buttons. I don't know, but maybe If It happens they can try to do it as an all in one format. But nonetheless I wouldn't be surprised to see something like this. I'd buy it. Call it the Retron Double Vision. :-)

[freewheel]

I think it would be a great idea. The only issue is being the controllers as CV and INTVs numeric pads are layed out different. Because of Clear 0 Enter on the INTV bottom buttons and * 0 # on the CV bottom buttons. I don't know, but maybe If It happens they can try to do it as an all in one format.

 

Maybe they could over lay a plastic sheet on top of the keypad to indicate which button is which, depending on system.

[Bill Loguidice]

Well, we know it's never going to happen from the usual companies. I would think the only viable option would be for someone to marry something like a Raspberry Pi or Android-based micro-system with turn-key emulation and a Retrode (with the right slot adapters), as well as something like a 4-Play or other adapter to solve the controller issue. That would be a whole lot of work, but the end result would be the same as the RetroN 5, albeit a bit more flexible and quite a bit more cumbersome.

[+Lathe26]

Well, we know it's never going to happen from the usual companies. I would think the only viable option would be for someone to marry something like a Raspberry Pi or Android-based micro-system with turn-key emulation and a Retrode (with the right slot adapters), as well as something like a 4-Play or other adapter to solve the controller issue. That would be a whole lot of work, but the end result would be the same as the RetroN 5, albeit a bit more flexible and quite a bit more cumbersome.

I agree. I don't know if the profitability is enough to entice a large or medium-sized company. If it happens, it will be more of a labor of love.

 

Also, just to date when I talked to the Retron 5 folks, this happened at SRGE in 2013. Thus a little bit of time has passed.

[Robert Sublett]

This is probably not forum to ask this question, but since we are talking about the retron I will ask. Does the retron 5 save system eliminate the need to rely on the battery back up of the SNES carts to save games? The batteries in my carts are nearing their life cycle and I am disabled. I only have one fully functional hand so changing them myself is out. I hate the idea of sending my carts to have them replaced as I may not get them back. My video game collection is priceless to me, it consists of Nes, SNES, CV, Intv, GB, GBA, GBASP, XBOX, XBOX 360, GC, Wii, PS, PS2, PS3, PS4, PSP, and PSV. Plus a full set of the last round of flashbacks. This summer I am thinking of doing a complete game inventory to see what I have.

Edited June 18, 2015 by Robert Sublett

[soporj]

I thought the movie was called Tron 2!!!