Analogue Pocket Lynx Adapter Now Part of $99 Package

[jfbfr75]

Hi guys,

my good old RetroHQ Lynx SD (from 2017) is unfortunately not working on the Analogue Pocket with the adapter. Of course I tested on real hardware and it is working like a charm. I'm just getting a white screen with "error" written in red on the analogue 😞 

Any idea if someone can fix this with a new menu?

edit: my original games are working on the pocket with the adapter

thanks

JF

Edited March 5 by jfbfr75

[SainT]

I'm guessing the AP doesn't keep retrying long enough. The original Lynx cart takes quite a while to read the menu into memory and release the bus for the Lynx to actually read it. The new LynxGD model works, however.

[Turbo Laser Lynx]

Nice that they really did come out with the adapter in the end! Are there any nice looking "lcd screen filters" for the Lynx? I've seen in some youtube videos that some of the gameboy filters look really fantastic on the hi-res screen.

[Fadest]

There is an Analogue mode, a Lynx mode and a Lynx+ mode. Did not dig into them to compare yet.

[+madman]

3 hours ago, Fadest said:

There is an Analogue mode, a Lynx mode and a Lynx+ mode. Did not dig into them to compare yet.

Analogue mode appears to me to be just what you'd get on a modern LCD via an emulator. Or I suppose one of the LCD mods on original hardware. Lynx mode (without comparing side by side to a real Lynx) does a good job emulating an OG Lynx screen while Lynx+ is sharper, has better colors and contrast. A future Analogue mode w/scanlines would be nice, but as is, I think people will be happy w/what's available now.

[roots.genoa]

2 hours ago, madman said:

Analogue mode appears to me to be just what you'd get on a modern LCD via an emulator.

Analogue mode is always a 'basic' pixel perfect mode, regardless of the system emulated.

[+madman]

1 minute ago, roots.genoa said:

Analogue mode is always a 'basic' pixel perfect mode, regardless of the system emulated.

There you go, that's a better way to describe it. 

[+jgkspsx]

I am very happy with it so far. It is very accurate and the Lynx+ mode usually looks great. Sometimes I have used the regular Lynx mode because the saturated colors in Lynx+ mode sometimes look off. I don't often use the Analogue mode.

 

The way it is designed also does not risk label damage as the Game Gear module does.

[kevtris]

I was unaware that some cartridges might take awhile to become ready, so I just test once.  it's been changed to test for 2 seconds, and show the error screen, but it will keep rescanning continuously and will boot if the cartridge ever becomes ready eventually.  the fix will go out with the next update. 

[rockman_x_2002]

I finally got my adapter set in.  One thing I have noticed, and it's of absolutely no consequence because the feature would be practically useless on the AP and the AP has its own built-in feature for this, but if you hit PAUSE + OPT2 to flip the screen like you would on a real Lynx, the graphics rendering on the screen is quite wonky.  Even if it did work, of course, you'd have to hold the whole unit (or controller if docked) upside-down, so again, of absolutely no consequence at all.  But for the Lynx core's completeness sake, it is an observation.

 

See the two attached screenshots from Toki, for example.  Otherwise, outside of this and the face that the original 2017 Lynx GD that I have doesn't load (already addressed previously), the thing works great!

Edited March 7 by rockman_x_2002

[+jgkspsx]

I tested all of the games from the LynxJam 2023 cart and everything looks good.

[GrizzLee]

Is there a guide to button mapping when using the dock?

 

I am using a 360 controller with the updated d-pad. Seems to work well. I’ve discovered the flip controls feature by accident… right shoulder button. 
 

[kcsims]

On 3/7/2024 at 2:12 AM, kevtris said:

I was unaware that some cartridges might take awhile to become ready, so I just test once.  it's been changed to test for 2 seconds, and show the error screen, but it will keep rescanning continuously and will boot if the cartridge ever becomes ready eventually.  the fix will go out with the next update. 

Any time frame on that update?  Just found this thread and explains why my old cart doesn't work. 

[+karri]

I just received my adapters and updated the firmware. So far no complaints. My carts just work.

 

One thing I do notice is how outdated the music of the games are compared to modern games. Less is more for the Lynx. I have to try writing less irritating tunes in the future.

[Giles N]

Question to everyone here:

 

I’ve gotten a few Lynx carts now that won’t be read (error screen).

 

I don’t have a real Lynx to test if they’re ‘bad dates’.

 

Can it be incompatibility with the adapter, due to whatever cart-build factors may be? PAL/NTSC, repro vs original?

 

Any good way of: 

1) checking whether they’re of poor quality/not working but sold anyway

 

2) cleaning…? (plug-in/out like crazy, isoprop…anol(?)…yl(?) (chemichal-something)
 

3) different A.P. settings which may make them be read…?

Edited April 2 by Giles N

[roots.genoa]

I had a similar problems with PC Engine HuCards on the Duo, but it was a region detection problem which could be avoided by forcing the region and was fixed by a recent firmware update. But obviously, I'm doubting there could be a region problem with the Lynx... So I would clean my carts with a contact cleaner.

[+karri]

Any cart that needs time to start up fails. Analogue just applies power and starts the game. If it does not recognize a game it cuts the power to the cart immediately. So anything with a microcontroller fails.

[42bs]

Got myself one now. Total > 400€ (shipping + taxes).

 

So far two of my intros are not working. So they need to work on the emulation a bit more.

 

The UI is a bit complicated to change a game esp with GD. Analog button, then cursor down, cursor up, confirm, confirm. And no "reset"

 

[+cubanismo]

@kevtris, didn't realize you were following threads here. I filed a support ticket with Analogue regarding Alpine Games not working as well, so just a heads up. Would be great to have that one supported, as it's one of my favorites.

[+madman]

On 4/2/2024 at 5:49 PM, Giles N said:

Question to everyone here:

 

I’ve gotten a few Lynx carts now that won’t be read (error screen).

Which games are they? I can see if I have the same issues.

[Giles N]

1 minute ago, madman said:

Which games are they? I can see if I have the same issues.

Thanks!

But I actually gave them one last try, and plugged them in real hard - like banging them into the adapter (something I for obvious reasons had waited to do), and for some strange reason both worked. It was Rampart and Toki. I wondered if they were either 1) wrong region 2) water-damaged 3) other internal damage.

 

I think it must have been oxidation on the contacts, since banging them in, made them read.

 

But thanks for offering help!

[42bs]

6 hours ago, Giles N said:

1) wrong region

There is no region for Lynx nor for Jaguar games to be taken care of.

[Giles N]

Ok - new cart/card not working properly:

 

Repro cart of Road Riot 4WD.

 

It starts. But, instead of putting me on the (green, 8-shaped) test track, I start at some other level, and there is a music track that plays and when it ends there are no sfx. 
If I lose the game, it goes black.

 

Is this a defunct repro cart, or won’t the Analogue Lynx Adapter ‘accept’ it…?

[42bs]

4 hours ago, Giles N said:

Ok - new cart/card not working properly:

 

Repro cart of Road Riot 4WD.

 

It starts. But, instead of putting me on the (green, 8-shaped) test track, I start at some other level, and there is a music track that plays and when it ends there are no sfx. 
If I lose the game, it goes black.

 

Is this a defunct repro cart, or won’t the Analogue Lynx Adapter ‘accept’ it…?

Did you try it on a real Lynx?

 

And: What is a repro-cart? Where did you get it from?

Edited May 9 by 42bs

[roots.genoa]

btw Alpine Games has been fixed, even though I guess we'll have to wait a little more for the firmware update. The reason it didn't work is that game has a protection against emulation (which is a little weird since one could assume the Pocket "feels" more like real hardware than emulation). iirc it exploits an error in the official Lynx documentation or something.