RetroN5

[Zero]

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/12/all-i ... or-pre-or/

Anyone hear about this?

Haven't done much research on it yet, but assuming this is all hardware based and not just emulation using real carts, I think it could be pretty cool. Thoughts? (besides that horrible controller)

 

[grossaffe]

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/12/all-in-one-retrogaming-console-retron-5-now-available-for-pre-or/

Anyone hear about this?

Haven't done much research on it yet, but assuming this is all hardware based and not just emulation using real carts, I think it could be pretty cool. Thoughts? (besides that horrible controller)

With the features such as save-states, I'm gonna venture to guess it's an emulator that uses carts.

 

[Kickback]

If this is emulation, I don't see the point in real carts at all

 

[grossaffe]

If this is emulation, I don't see the point in real carts at all

Maybe it makes use of the extra processing on the carts like SuperFX and the like.

 

[Zero]

Yeah, looks like it is emulation. Apparently runs on an ARM processor. I mean, it's still neat but it's disappointing to hear it's not a hardware-based clone. They do claim 100% compatibility, but I'm not quite sure how that's possible.

Here is a picture that's not a render:

 

[XCVG]

If it's just emulation, I can get an Ouya or an Android TV unit that does basically the same thing for the same price, except then I don't have to bother with carts. Your mileage may vary, of course- I used to like having the real deal, real hardware with real controllers and real cartridges (clones sort of count), but now I have less time and less money so pragmatism wins out. Even my retro-gaming setup is redundant because I can emulate basically everything pre-Dreamcast on my XBOX vanilla (because we can't call it the XBOX 1 anymore). I do understand there's a certain feel associated with actual cartridges, and my response to that is it depends how well this thing works.

Also, I like how that LED light bulb's heatsink looks like part of the fixture.

 

[Zero]

If they let you extract and write saves to the carts it might be worth it. I think the device that lets you do that on PC ends up being over $100 for just 2-3 systems iirc.

 

[XCVG]

It's probably a cheap tablet without the screen wired up to just enough circuitry to detect what a game is and a very large USB drive with all the ROMs on it. Also some chunks of metal super secret Chinese technology so you think there's stuff in it.