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General upscaler thread


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Introduction

There are topics and mentions in several of the boards dedicated to specific platforms, but I thought it might be a good idea to have a general upscaler thread here in General Gaming, as the typical use of an upscaler is to play older console games on modern flatscreens.

 

First of all, why consider using an upscaler?  While the NTSC standard was for 480i (interlaced) video, classic consoles took advantage of a happy coincidence to play games in a much more stable (non-flickering) but lower resolution, 240p (progressive).

 

The problem with (most) flatscreens is that they mistakenly interpret 240p as interlaced, deinterlace it, and then upscale it to whatever resolution the screen supports.  This not only can drastically ruin picture quality (interlacing artifacts and a generally blurry picture), but often introduces up to several frames worth of lag.

 

Using a (quality) upscaler can provide several benefits, including less lag and a more accurate (better) picture.

 

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The Upscalers

There are three major upscalers that most people use for gaming.  The Framemeister (FM), the Open Source Scan Converter (OSSC), and the Retrotink (RT) family of products (in order of features and cost).  Of these, I own and use the FM and RT 2x Pro.

 

Framemeister

PRO

  • Generally excellent picture quality that is very tweakable with an easy-to-use menu
  • Can upscale up to 480p, 720p, or 1080p for very sharp video
  • Very nice support for artificial scanlines
  • Accepts composite, S-video, component (D-terminal), and RGB input
  • Up to 20 profiles can be saved for easy switching between consoles

CON

  • No longer manufactured
  • Adds a small amount of lag (though less than if the console were plugged straight into the TV)
  • Requires some extensive tweaking to get it looking fantastic
  • Expensive
  • Poor handling of 480p content
  • Some issues with noise in large areas of single color
  • Very poor handling of resolution switching in-game

 

Retrotink 2x Pro

PRO

  • Very reasonably priced
  • No additional lag (in real terms)
  • Very clean output
  • Plug-and-play
  • Support for artificial scanlines
  • Accepts composite, S-video, and component input
  • Decent comb filter for composite video sources
  • Much better support for resolution switching in-game than FM

 

CON

  • "Upscales" (line doubling) only to 480p
  • No options to tweak image at all
  • No support for games running natively in 480p at all

 

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Short Reviews

In my setup, both have their uses.  The FM looks absolutely stunning with a console that supports RGB video, and it's very easy to adjust the picture to get a true 4:3 aspect ratio even for consoles that rely on your TV stretching a lower resolution to fill the screen (for example, PC Engine, NES, and SNES).  The RT, on the other hand, does wonders with composite video thanks to its comb filter, and handles in-game resolution switching much better than the FM (an absolute must when playing certain PSX games such as Silent Hill or Chrono Cross!).

 

There is sadly no one perfect solution (though the OSSC may be close; I don't have one to compare but have heard good things).  The FM imo does not handle composite and S-video particularly well, and the added lag can push overall lag past the threshold at which you are comfortable if you are lag-sensitive like me.  On the other hand, the RT does not offer any means to adjust the image... so no gamma boost if you chose to enable scanlines and (more crucially) no way to correct aspect ratio issues with particular systems (i.e. those that expect the TV to stretch a sub-320x240 image to fill the screen at a 4:3 ratio).

 

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Recommendations and Closing Remarks

As much as I like the Framemeister, it's hard to recommend it due to it being out of production and the high price it was sold for even when it was still available.  If you are just getting your feet wet with this, the Retrotink is your best bet as it is a plug-and-play device that requires nothing but plugging some cables in, supports everything from composite video to component video, provides a nice clean image, and will ensure you are playing with the least lag possible for whatever your setup is.

 

I would like to hear others' experiences with these devices, and would be really interested in commentary on the OSSC (which is actually not much more expensive than the RT 2xPro...).

Edited by newtmonkey
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I'm quite surprised this thread didn't exist already as far as I know. I thought about making this thread myself a few times but I never did. Nice to see that someone made it!

 

The OSSC is great and I love it, but it has a few issues. First, it's apparently not compatible with all displays, and not all displays are compatible with all of the OSSC's output options. The line quintuple option literally does not work at all on my monitor and some of the others give me a 16:9 aspect ratio, but the line triple mode is always perfect for me and it seems that it's also the best option for the PC Engine according to junkerhq. My monitor is not capable of changing aspect ratios of some images, so I basically just always use the 3x mode since it looks fine.

 

One thing that I've found with the OSSC is that there does not seem to be an actual 4:3 option, but there's no interpolation anyway so it would result in uneven pixels if it did exist and you used it. There is an option for 256x240 modes that lets you change between 4:3 and 8:7, but the 4:3 is a bit wide to actually be 4:3. From what I've seen, 320x240 will always give you square pixels like you see on the Genesis Mini/Mega Drive Mini. It's the wrong aspect ratio, but it still looks nice with my Mega Drive, Nomad, Saturn, and Neo Geo.

 

I've heard it has some issues with something to do with the SFC/SNES, but I don't know what those issues are, just that the Framemeister handles that system a bit better. I've also heard similar things about it with the PS2, as well, and although I've actually got a cable to connect my PS2 to the OSSC, I really don't have a reason to do so since I can use my PS3 instead so I never have aside from testing it once.

 

Finally, there is no RCA audio input, which is annoying since that means you need an RCA audio to 3.5mm converter. There is also no support for S-video, composite, or RF, so if your system doesn't have anything better than those, the OSSC is a waste of your money. It also doesn't accept JP21 if you have JP21 cables.

 

I should perhaps mention that it's a pain to set up and it's possible that you may not be able to set it up perfectly, as well. You can use the "generic" settings, but if you want the image to be really excellent, you have to configure it yourself, and for some systems, like the MSX, there are no timings over on junkerhq, so you need to know what every setting does and how they interact with each other or you won't get a good image. The sampling phase is particularly annoying to configure, and if you don't have it absolutely perfectly configured, you'll see pixels flickering and bleeding into other pixels. I have never been able to get my Mega Drive + Super 32X sampling phase configured properly, and it looks absolutely terrible in After Burner Complete when either the entire HUD, including the crosshair, or your F14 are super blurry and the other element is super sharp. I'm guessing this is related to how the systems are responsible for separate screen elements, but it's still disappointing that I've not been able to find a solution.

Edited by Steven Pendleton
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Worth mentioning the upcoming OSSC Pro. It looks set to be the top of the line option in this area, will include lots of extra features beyond the upscaling realm (It's a fpga, so it will also be able to function as a fpga game console), will be receiving updates for years to come, and should be available for about the price of a new fpga system from Analogue.

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I have the OSSC and I like it quite a bit! Most of my systems I'm able to run at 5x with the exception of at least one Genesis homebrew game that only seems to work and look proper at 3x mode. That makes the image a bit smaller than I would like but not bad. It is true that the OSSC doesn't like the SNES too much. My SNESjr kept dropping out on my OSSC until I installed a de-jitter mod into my SNESjr. The OSSC also doesn't work with the current Intellivision RGB mod from a few years back but there is a thread in the Intellivision forums where a new RGB circuit is being looked into that hopefully can be made to work with the OSSC.

 

My AV setup is now the norm but the OSSC is at the heart of. I use an Extron 7SC for all of my analog inputs and it in turn, outputs everything as a VGA signal. I can set the Extron output resolution, but find it works best at 640x480 as I can then use 2x mode on the OSSC. If I use any higher resolution, the OSSC will essentially ignore them and just pass them thru as is but that results in a slightly blurrier picture on my TV doing that. So yeah, I have my Genesis/32x/SegaCD connected to the OSSC component input directly and that looks fantastic! I use the VGA input on the OSSC from my Extron handling all the older analog sources. And I have the SCART input handing the few devices I'm using on RGB scart. Currently that is my SNESjr, Jaguar, and Saturn.

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I picked up a RetroTink 2X Pro a couple weeks ago. I haven't had much time to mess around with it yet, but I like it so far. I've only tested it with my NES and Model 1 Genesis, both outputting Composite A/V. I have an older Panasonic Viera 42" 1080P Plasma TV as the display, which lets you display 4:3 for some video sources, which is perfect for retrogaming, but it never looked quite right hooking the consoles to the TV. The RT2X solves that.  

The NES looks great, even over Composite. I noticed zero lag when playing a few games; everything felt, looked, and sounded perfect! 

The Genesis has a few issues. The video is better than hooking it up to the TV for sure, but it still has some noticeable noise. The cable is an old, crappy one, so that's probably part of it. The biggest problem is that the audio doesn't output to the TV at all. This is something known to happen with the Genesis, so I have it connected to a stereo via the headphone jack on the console. That's somewhat annoying, but it's worth the trade-off. I'm going to upgrade to a better cable soon. 

I will be testing additional consoles soon and will report results. 

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Thanks everyone for posting info about the OSSC!  I might get a Pro whenever it comes out just to fool around with.

 

@Silverfleet

I'll be honest, as a big Framemeister fan I was not expecting much from the Retrotink-2X Pro... but ended up being VERY impressed.  I actually prefer it for systems with "problematic" output quality (consoles limited to composite [Famicom and PC Engine], N64 with its naturally blurry image quality, PSP Go with its dark and blurry output).

 

I think you'll be very impressed when you upgrade to a nicer cable for your Genesis.  The leap from composite to RGB is MASSIVE for the Genesis (from among the worst quality composite output out there to among the best quality RGB output you'll find).  It really is night and day!

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One of the reasons I wanted to start this topic was so that we'd have a central place on AA to give recommendations and ask questions about these devices.  With that said, I'd like to comment on my experiences using the Retrotink-2X Pro over the last week or so.

 

First of all, I am very impressed with this little device.  I didn't expect it to compare with the Framemeister (and in terms of features and tweaks, it does not)... but it offers VERY impressive image quality even at 480p, and imo works wonders with composite video sources (or for consoles that don't benefit from having their flaws magnified by something like the Framemeister [i.e. N64]).

 

One thing I'm not sure of is whether the RT outputs full range or limited range RGB over HDMI.  Everything I've read indicates it outputs limited range, but setting my TV to limited results in crushed blacks and grays from the RT, making the image almost unplayably dark.  Setting the TV to full range RGB brought back details in dark colors for a much more natural looking image.

 

I've found the RT to be the ideal device for playing PSX games on the PSP Go through the component video cradle.  (For those who are unaware, PSPs that support video output will run PSX games fullscreen in their native resolution [240p or 480i depending on the game], but the output mode needs to be set to "interlaced" in the PSP menu.)  The 480p output of the RT does a lot to hide the flaws of the image output by the PSP Go (dark, blurry), and the scanline filter looks really excellent at this low resolution.  One of the benefits of the RT is how smoothly it handles resolution switches, so games that switch to 480i resolution for menus (such as Silent Hill and Chrono Cross) are much more playable on the RT than the Framemeister.  Finally, the lack of aspect ratio correction in the RT is not much of an issue for PSX games, as most run at 320x240 and will display at 4:3 just fine.

Edited by newtmonkey
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On 7/31/2020 at 9:48 AM, Silverfleet said:

I picked up a RetroTink 2X Pro a couple weeks ago.

<omitted for space>

The NES looks great, even over Composite.

I dragged my AV Famicom out and tested it with the Retrotink-2x Pro, and you are 100% right!  It looks fantastic with the comb filter set to "retro" mode.

I may even prefer it to the clean output of the RetroUSB AVS, to be honest.  The NES/FC has a certain unique grittiness over composite video, which is lost with RGB (even if the palette is corrected).

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How good are the fake scanlines on the RetroTINK?

On 7/31/2020 at 9:48 AM, Silverfleet said:

The Genesis has a few issues. The video is better than hooking it up to the TV for sure, but it still has some noticeable noise. The cable is an old, crappy one, so that's probably part of it. The biggest problem is that the audio doesn't output to the TV at all. This is something known to happen with the Genesis, so I have it connected to a stereo via the headphone jack on the console. That's somewhat annoying, but it's worth the trade-off. I'm going to upgrade to a better cable soon. 

HD Retrovision will fix everything~

 

It also fixes everything for SSDS3 for PC Engine if you have those, and with the proper adaptors, PS1, PS2, Saturn, and Neo Geo if you are fortunate enough to find the now discontinued adaptor for it. I know that they were considering making a new batch together with CastleMania, but I'm not sure what became of that. If you don't have the 32X attached, be sure to get the converter cable.

Edited by Steven Pendleton
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4 minutes ago, newtmonkey said:

@Steven Pendleton

The scanlines on the RT are pretty basic.  Since it only line doubles to 480p, it just blanks every other line so there's nothing to configure.  There's sadly no gamma boost option, though I understand the Retrovision cables have a contrast/gamma boost switch built in?

Yeah, the Genesis one has a gamma boost switch, and when you use this cable on the Saturn, it's actually intended to be used with the gamma boost turned on. If you don't, it's going to be super dark. For Genesis/Mega Drive, PC Engine with SSDS3, and Neo Geo, you can leave it off and it looks beautiful. Not sure about PS1 or PS2, though.

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It seems that I forgot to mention the fake scanlines on the OSSC. You can set them to horizontal, vertical, or a grid and have an option for hybrid scanlines. I feel that the built-in scanlines are pretty thin and wimpy, but the custom scanline thingy lets you create your own scanlines, and these can look as excellent or as terrible as you want them to be.

 

As for the OSSC's video output, I suppose I can take a few pictures with various systems, but everyone knows my photography skills are absolutely terrible, so I think I should refrain, although I could if you really want them, as it would perhaps be nice to see what kind of video output the OSSC and other options have in comparison to each other.

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Screenshots are always a good idea, though there will obviously be differences from TV to TV.  I might upload some pictures (if I remember...) of how my OLED TV handles 480p with the "dynamic contrast" option on.  Typically, I would disable all these "dynamic XXX" options as they make it impossible to accurately tune the image, but this option in particular adds no lag and results in a very pleasing "CRT-like" effect.  It's similar to the "hybrid" scanlines on the Super NT/Mega SG (or, I assume, the OSSC) in that it varies pixel brightness based on color; at 480P with artificial scanlines, this means that the height of pixels on each "scanline" vary based on the color/brightness, for a look very similar to a BVM/PVM, actually.

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49 minutes ago, newtmonkey said:

Screenshots are always a good idea, though there will obviously be differences from TV to TV.  I might upload some pictures (if I remember...) of how my OLED TV handles 480p with the "dynamic contrast" option on.  Typically, I would disable all these "dynamic XXX" options as they make it impossible to accurately tune the image, but this option in particular adds no lag and results in a very pleasing "CRT-like" effect.  It's similar to the "hybrid" scanlines on the Super NT/Mega SG (or, I assume, the OSSC) in that it varies pixel brightness based on color; at 480P with artificial scanlines, this means that the height of pixels on each "scanline" vary based on the color/brightness, for a look very similar to a BVM/PVM, actually.

Yeah. I generally recommend using the optimized settings on the OSSC for sure, too. Might as well post a few old pictures that I have. Here's Valis on my stock Mega Drive on the OSSC on my PC monitor using optimal settings and HD Retrovision:

 

Pic_0924_086.thumb.jpg.190b590a8bb0d57b1241758499dacd83.jpg

 

and here it is on my Trinitron, in case you want to see that. Same MD, same HD Retrovision:

 

Pic_1129_166.thumb.jpg.c0b05e1153d04fea1ffa995b51e016b7.jpg

 

You'll notice that Yuuko looks a bit thin on the OSSC, as I was using the 8:7 mode for this.

 

Edited by Steven Pendleton
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I would issue a word of warning on hardware upscalers to those looking to play on a modern TV.

 

I have an relatively high-end Samsung TV from 2018 (Q8FN) and got a "Mode Not Supported" error on my TI-99/4A and S-Video modded 2600. I bought a RetroTINK and that didn't work and had to return it.

 

During my research I found a Samsung TV owner with the same issue, but using a PS3! That was supposedly resolved by having the PS3 auto-detect what the TV was looking for. Something not possible in my situation.

 

And that's the issue with some modern TVs, they do NOT accept a 480p signal over the HDMI port, and at some point all of them will ONLY supply HDMI ports.

 

Again, this warning is for modern TV users. Thankfully, this shouldn't be that big of an issue for the foreseeable future for those that can setup a 2nd screen. Many naturally enjoy large, old tube TVs, but I'd imagine there would be a considerable amount of used 1080p sets out there with older connections.

 

Personally, I wish I could find something I knew upscaled all the way to 1080p from S-Video/Composite while keeping the aspect ratio, but I imagine I never will. 

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7 minutes ago, WishItWas1984 said:

Personally, I wish I could find something I knew upscaled all the way to 1080p from S-Video/Composite while keeping the aspect ratio, but I imagine I never will. 

The Framemeister does this. However, it's difficult to justify the price these days.

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19 minutes ago, WishItWas1984 said:

I would issue a word of warning on hardware upscalers to those looking to play on a modern TV.

 

I have an relatively high-end Samsung TV from 2018 (Q8FN) and got a "Mode Not Supported" error on my TI-99/4A and S-Video modded 2600. I bought a RetroTINK and that didn't work and had to return it.

 

During my research I found a Samsung TV owner with the same issue, but using a PS3! That was supposedly resolved by having the PS3 auto-detect what the TV was looking for. Something not possible in my situation.

 

And that's the issue with some modern TVs, they do NOT accept a 480p signal over the HDMI port, and at some point all of them will ONLY supply HDMI ports.

 

Again, this warning is for modern TV users. Thankfully, this shouldn't be that big of an issue for the foreseeable future for those that can setup a 2nd screen. Many naturally enjoy large, old tube TVs, but I'd imagine there would be a considerable amount of used 1080p sets out there with older connections.

I already did~

 

Actually, here is some more information on OSSC compatibility, not only for displays, but for systems

 

http://junkerhq.net/xrgb/index.php?title=OSSC_potential_incompatibilities

 

http://junkerhq.net/xrgb/index.php?title=OSSC_Display_Compatibility

 

https://videogameperfection.com/forums/topic/tv-compatibility/

 

19 minutes ago, WishItWas1984 said:

Personally, I wish I could find something I knew upscaled all the way to 1080p from S-Video/Composite while keeping the aspect ratio, but I imagine I never will. 

Use something that accepts S-video or composite (I think one of the RetroTINK models does) and then run that signal through the Framemeister, since I think that can do it.

 

Disregard, just use the Framemeister, since that CAN do it without needing another thing.

 

..and Austin beat me to it anyway!

 

Also:

 

On the side of the OSSC pro is a 2×20 pin “GPIO” expansion connector. This connector has enough bandwidth for any number of expansion modules which will appear for the OSSC Pro in the future. One of the first planned expansions will be Composite and S-Video inputs (the upcoming Koryuu transcoder will also be fully compatible with both OSSC and OSSC Pro).

 

From: https://videogameperfection.com/2020/01/18/ossc-pro-is-coming/

Edited by Steven Pendleton
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"Just use the Framemeister" isn't really a good suggestion these days unless you already have one. Buying one new will cost you close to $600 now. They don't come up for sale used very often.

 

I love my FM and still use it as my primary workhorse for streaming and recording. It's flexible because of all of its inputs--composite, s-video, component, RGB and HDMI. It outputs a fairly standardized signal and works with pretty much any HDMI display. Its zoom functionality is excellent as well and I often use it for Super Game Boy stuff and other games with smaller viewing windows. However, it's super expensive and has many other flaws. I can only wholeheartedly recommend it these days to people that are serious about recording or streaming. Basically people that will be using it on a daily basis. If you want to hook up a composite modded Intellivision every now and then, it's not really a great option.

 

I have an OSSC as well and it outputs an amazing picture, but as it's been mentioned, compatibility is not great. Some televisions will refuse to work with it, or will only work with certain display modes and it won't look nearly as good as it should. It's also not as easy to work with as the FM. However, the price is significantly better, so if you have a display that is confirmed to work, it's my recommended solution for most people. You can take a RetroTINK and run it into the OSSC if you need Composite/S-Video. I currently use an older NEC Multi-Sync display (40") and it hates the OSSC. I can only get an image when it's set to Line2X mode, and even then it only displays in a tiny window. Thankfully this display has a zoom function and I can blow the image up. It looks acceptable, but that's it.

 

This is not for modern displays, but I also use a X-RGB 2+ on a VGA CRT monitor. This is something to consider for people that still rock old PC monitors or have displays with VGA ports on them. This particular model isn't known for having the most stable image, but on the CRT you don't notice it much and the image looks fantastic. Also takes the various low-end analogue inputs, as well as RGB.

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50 minutes ago, Austin said:

The Framemeister does this. However, it's difficult to justify the price these days.

:) Yeah, I should've mentioned an option that was within reason.

 

To be quite honest, I've just fully loaded a Retron77 and loaded up TI-99/4A on my RetroPie to compensate for my video issues in the living room.

 

In the future, I hope to grab a basic HDMI converter to get both original consoles setup in my office on my older 39" 1080p display I use in my MAME setup. I'm hoping that old HDMI port will accept the signal. If not, the TV has a component/composite I can hopefully utilize with a 2-to-1 splitter.

Edited by WishItWas1984
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13 hours ago, WishItWas1984 said:

And that's the issue with some modern TVs, they do NOT accept a 480p signal over the HDMI port, and at some point all of them will ONLY supply HDMI ports.

This is very alarming and would be VERY disturbing if it becomes a trend with TV manufacturers going forward.  480p has been seen as the "rock solid" (or, "last resort" if you like) option for getting modern TVs to handle older stuff.  There's no reason not to accept 480p signals over HDMI, other than to save $$$ I guess through incorporating a poor scaler, as it would not only break compatibility with older video game consoles (many TVs already do not properly recognize or even support 240p!) but could affect compatibility with DVD players as well.

 

Having said that, I wouldn't put it past these manufacturers in this age of disposable hardware and subscription services.

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9 minutes ago, newtmonkey said:

This is very alarming and would be VERY disturbing if it becomes a trend with TV manufacturers going forward.  480p has been seen as the "rock solid" (or, "last resort" if you like) option for getting modern TVs to handle older stuff.  There's no reason not to accept 480p signals over HDMI, other than to save $$$ I guess through incorporating a poor scaler, as it would not only break compatibility with older video game consoles (many TVs already do not properly recognize or even support 240p!) but could affect compatibility with DVD players as well.

 

Having said that, I wouldn't put it past these manufacturers in this age of disposable hardware and subscription services.

Agreed. I was honestly shocked when even with a RetroTINK I couldn't get an image, and my Samsung is not a lower end model for 2018.

 

I can easily see this as becoming the norm. Retail margins are razor thin, so if they can do the bare minimum, they will. I also don't particularly disagree with this change. We shouldn't expect businesses to make sure dead tech is supported.

 

Thankfully other technologies get around these limitations one way or another. For example, a Retron77, Raspberry Pi, and Blu-ray player can display retro games and DVD media just fine on my TV. Also, other, more independent devices will help to get old tech functional if there's a significant need.

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3 minutes ago, WishItWas1984 said:

We shouldn't expect businesses to make sure dead tech is supported.

I agree except for this.  I know we are being hurled rapidly into a world where we no longer own the things we pay for, or have any control over the products that we do buy, but I expect a display to, well, display things.  I 100% understand that TVs are not "displays" anymore but are instead quickly becoming (very expensive) terminals to access subscription services, but I don't like it and expect better from manufacturers selling us expensive hardware.  I expect to plug an HDMI cable into an HDMI port and get an image, or what's the point of having hardware standards in the first place (answer: licensing fees).

 

Now, if manufacturers are gonna start giving away 60" TVs to one and all, by all means lock it down to Netflix streaming for all I care :).

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9 hours ago, newtmonkey said:

I agree except for this.  I know we are being hurled rapidly into a world where we no longer own the things we pay for, or have any control over the products that we do buy, but I expect a display to, well, display things.  I 100% understand that TVs are not "displays" anymore but are instead quickly becoming (very expensive) terminals to access subscription services, but I don't like it and expect better from manufacturers selling us expensive hardware.  I expect to plug an HDMI cable into an HDMI port and get an image, or what's the point of having hardware standards in the first place (answer: licensing fees).

 

Now, if manufacturers are gonna start giving away 60" TVs to one and all, by all means lock it down to Netflix streaming for all I care :).

 

The thing is, what's travelling over that HDMI cable? If it's not remotely current resolutions, then I'm not surprised they've dropped support. I imagine their thought is, "let the device do the upscaling"

 

What I wonder is how much they are saving by strictly accepting only, lets say, a 720p and up resolution over HDMI. Perhaps it's enough in volume to make a difference. I'm trying to make educated guesses because if it's not a cost-saving measure, then I'm at a complete loss on why this would be the case.

 

 

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