Is anyone going to get a Analogue Duo?

[guitarmas]

Just out of curiosity, is anyone here going to place a preorder for the new Analogue Duo?

I think it's a pretty neat concept.

 

Their website and info can be found here.

[+Gemintronic]

I'm tired of chasing expensive systems that are real easy to miss then get flipped on eBay for even more buckazoids.

 

Tempting but not tempting enough.

[Tanooki]

Nope.  Given their long term (18+mo now) behavior, unfulfilled promises (amounting to sales fraud), and antics in general around the Pocket but more so the dock itself -- I won't give them anything.  I even went third party to buy an unused Game Gear adapter for mine from anyone else but them when I got it for the actual price and not some scalper level.  I feel like i was taken advantage of and lied to in buying the pocket because I got it with the dock as my primary use for it, and GBA aside, the dock sucks given its defaults along with all the other features that still are broken, buggy, or just not added that should have been long ago.

 

I'm guessing many are feeling burned or lack of trust, mixed to be fair with the more obscure nature of the system, as they can't seem to still sell through their (if being honest) limited preorders of the hardware as it's still open for sale on both colors.

[dudeguy]

fool me once, shame on you. fool me twice, shame on me. The Pocket was a huge letdown for me. The TG-16 and its library of games is a rich man's hobby, same with the Neo Geo. I have a Turbo Everdrive and thats good enough for me

[BassGuitari]

I'm tempted. I've never had a PC Engine or TurboGrafx but have been considering dipping my toes into the pool for a while (thanks, Dracula X!). On paper, the Analogue Duo seems at least as good a way to go as a PC Engine Duo/R, and it's already future-proofed (meaning, it has HDMI and doesn't need to be recapped). And it's probably actually cheaper than a recapped Duo/R shipped from Japan.

 

On the other hand, the things I read about the way Analogue has been conducting this (and other things) don't inspire a ton of confidence.

[Tanooki]

Had I kept my final PCE Library of games (largely a mix of cards and CDs too) I can honestly say with zero question I still wouldn't trust them.

 

While it's bare bones output because no analogue/emulator fluff, the multi-av out I found they did for SNES/N64/GC which can pump out 720p clarity fairly close to the SuperNt I would have picked up their other one which works for the TG and the Sega thing too.  I'd rather give hyperkin $30 than analogue, as least their product does what it says on the box without features maybe if you're lucky being finished up or coming at all later.  No with no games, no everdrive anymore, no cds, and the bs prices they're at it's a no win situation.

[roots.genoa]

I've pre-ordered one given that:

- I own 54 PC Engine games (HuCards or CD-ROM²)

- Both my CoreGraphx and my Super CD-ROM² require a recap

- I'm getting too lazy to use them, because they're connected to my old CRT, and I always lose my saves because I don't let it plugged so I need to transfer my saves from the Tennokoe Bank every time, etc.

 

So for me it was a no brainer. Also I'm happy with my Pocket because I'm not a sad person like Tanooki. 🙂

[+jgkspsx]

I ordered one. I have a lot of CD games I just rip and play on my SSDS3. I kind of want to have the experience of playing them in a real console at least once, and this is a lot cheaper than trying to find a working TurboCD unit.

[+GoldLeader]

I Pre-Ordered one!   Super Stoked!

[Razzie.P]

Yep, I pre-ordered.  

[T.A.P.]

I'm sure it's a nice system and the 12 people that actually have Turbografx games will enjoy it.

[Razzie.P]

I can't speak for the other 11, but I'm sure I'll love it.  

[Austin]

I ended up ordering one. My DUO is flaky and so this should theoretically be a more reliable replacement. I have a MegaSG and SuperNT already, and so this will go with them nicely. I also have a DAC and will be able to route it into my CRTs when I feel like it too. Really looking forward to it!

[Reaperman]

Yep, I preordered. I have a TG-16/Express and a bunch of games, but this could be the first system I'll have that will do my PCE cards (unless the pocket adapter arrives first), and I've never had any of the CD attachments.

 

I warmed up the ol' MiSTer to try CDs out, and was really pleased with the Private Eye Dol english translation--I love murder mysteries. Also at a glance the TG/PCE cd library just seems to 'click' much better with me than Sega CD--far less reliance (if any?) on FMV titles, and I think I prefer that more 'video-gamey' style of storytelling. 

 

I do think the DUO should have built in support for US-style controllers, and I'm pretty surprised no inbuilt turbo tap. Odd omissions for a system shooting for being the definitive duo experience. (NT&NT-Mini got the full controller treatment) I may poke an extra hole in mine for a US controller din plug at least. The 8bitdo wireless controllers feel pretty nice, outside of using annoying turbo buttons vs sliders. I also bet we'll have to flash them with non-standard firmware for this. 

 

Is the weirdly hostile vibe around the TurboGraFX library a new thing? I don't get when or why that happened, but I'm seeing it around all of a sudden.

Edited May 27, 2023 by Reaperman

[roots.genoa]

See, there are at least 5 of us!

[Austin]

11 hours ago, Reaperman said:

Is the weirdly hostile vibe around the TurboGraFX library a new thing? I don't get when or why that happened, but I'm seeing it around all of a sudden.

What do you mean? I have been feeling the opposite, like more people are finally coming around on the platform.

 

Regarding US controllers, there are adapters out there. Just get one of those if you want to use the USA pad on the DUO.

[Tanooki]

Maybe he means the hostility of older TG fans, not many have got over the fact the prices went into stupid territory and tend to NOT want more people jumping into the hobby because each time something PCE pops up the prices get even nastier.  Far smaller pool of games, more people jumping in as many are quality, and the prices add another 25% or something to the pain and don't really retract.  That's how I saw it over the years and even larger so the last go around with a PCE/Duo setup I had for a stretch.  The fans on the other side, very friendly, when you're just discussing the games hardware and fixes but the getting the stuff side due to all the hateful pricing even on truly really bad games like Deep Blue for instance causes the bitterness to surface.

[Steven Pendleton]

Cannot afford due to 79.99 USD shipping cost on top of the exchange rate being in the toilet. Given how purchasing power parity works, I can't afford to spend the equivalent of $470 USD on a fake PC Engine.

[+GoldLeader]

17 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said:

Cannot afford due to 79.99 USD shipping cost on top of the exchange rate being in the toilet. Given how purchasing power parity works, I can't afford to spend the equivalent of $470 USD on a fake PC Engine.

OOF!

 

I say, Yes it's Ridiculously expensive!  And you can call it what you like...Fake PC Engine?...This thing's gonna be a precision,  upscale, no need to upgrade video, no recap, no "boost", no Add CD Add-On,  no "Arcade Card worries", wireless controller, Region Free, better than the real deal, LUXURY MODEL PC ENGINE/TURBOGRAFX!!

[Austin]

17 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said:

Cannot afford due to 79.99 USD shipping cost on top of the exchange rate being in the toilet. Given how purchasing power parity works, I can't afford to spend the equivalent of $470 USD on a fake PC Engine.

 

"Hey, I just bought this.. I just bought that.. Yayyyyy I'm buying this, yayyyyyy.."

 

(over the course of a two week timespan)

 

Yet.. man can't afford shipping on a console.

 

Cool story, bro.

14 minutes ago, GoldLeader said:

OOF!

 

I say, Yes it's Ridiculously expensive!  And you can call it what you like...Fake PC Engine?...This thing's gonna be a precision,  upscale, no need to upgrade video, no recap, no "boost", no Add CD Add-On,  no "Arcade Card worries", wireless controller, Region Free, better than the real deal, LUXURY MODEL PC ENGINE/TURBOGRAFX!!

He's in Japan, which is why the shipping is what it is for him. Like, it's Analogue's fault for that, amirite?

 

In all seriousness though, for us in the States, the average shipping cost seems to be closer to $30.

Edited May 29, 2023 by Austin

[Tanooki]

It's $30 in some places closer by, but I've seen the more distant states go up to $50 which is ridiculous in any metric.  It's not like it's freight shipping.  I wish they'd just admit they're charging a $15 handling fee or that they got suckered into a bad contract with their shipping partner.

 

 

[Reaperman]

On 5/27/2023 at 6:29 PM, Austin said:

What do you mean? I have been feeling the opposite, like more people are finally coming around on the platform.

 

Regarding US controllers, there are adapters out there. Just get one of those if you want to use the USA pad on the DUO.

I unsuccessfully poked around looking for whatever examples, but I've been around too many TG-16 spots lately to find them (as the duo has me on a tg16 kick). Obviously not as widespread as I was thinking a few days ago, but I'll keep an eye out for it. 

 

I do have a pce/tg-16 controller adapter that would work fine, I just don't think I should need one for a pricey 'definitive way to play' system, when a second plug could be put right on the thing. This might also be my excuse to get a 6-button pce pad--I hear those are only useful in very few games, though.

[roots.genoa]

11 hours ago, Austin said:

He's in Japan, which is why the shipping is what it is for him. Like, it's Analogue's fault for that, amirite?

tbf it's actually $80 for Europe and Canada as well, not just Japan.

[Austin]

4 hours ago, roots.genoa said:

tbf it's actually $80 for Europe and Canada as well, not just Japan.

I feel bad for you guys in Europe, because you get screwed on shipping for anything outside of the EU.

[roots.genoa]

6 hours ago, Austin said:

I feel bad for you guys in Europe, because you get screwed on shipping for anything outside of the EU.

It depends. Actually shipping from Amazon Japan is quite cheap and there are no taxes. That's what makes Analogue's shipping particularly infuriating.