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General Arcade & Retro Chat' Special Championship Edition

1…3738404243…142

Comments

  • #1952
    Inviere
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,755 ✭✭✭Inviere




    Can't say I'm overly impressed ^^

    The emulation is using an updated (by the original author) Kega Fusion, which isn't cycle accurate and has some (addressable) issues as shown above (timing not perfect, colour palette not spot on, tinny sound). Those issues are fixable in software (assuming the PolyMega allows you to update base software).

    What I was more surprised at though, is that the expansion units are simply interface units for the carts & controllers. He doesn't show the hardware inside them, but from the description, there's not a whole lot going on possibly other than translating controller inputs & feeding cart info to the base unit. So you can install your carts, and then never need that particular expansion again....that feels a bit 'flat' after dropping $80/€80 on one. Yes they come with an apparently decent per-system controller, but I was hoping the expansion units would have a bit more 'character' to them, other than being glorified pas-through hunks of plastic.

    The scanline options seems heavily limited compared to whats available on other (free) solutions like RetroArch too. Image dimming seems evident in the above video, with the games lacking that visual punch if using scanlines turned on. Finally, unless the game exists on the PolyMega Database, the system won't boot/install that cart...so some homebrew might be affected by this. It's a bit disappointing as this meant there was no way to run the MegaDrive Tone Generator homebrew in order to properly test the audio. They need to implement a way to direct boot a cart, regardless of whether or not there's a DB entry for it.

    The UI looks very nice on the unit I'll give it that.

    Retro Computers/Consoles Repair/Restoration List



  • #1953
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 51,829 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    Any word on the analogue pocket? Really enjoying my gameboy at the moment and would love one with a better screen and support for other systems!
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  • #1954
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 51,829 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    Also another lock down question for you guys:

    What's the most disappointing game you ever bought.

    For me it was Sparkster on the Megadrive.

    Sparkster is far from a bad game. However I loved Rocket Knight Adventures so much. It's pretty much my second favourite megadrive game of all time just behind Gunstar Heroes.

    I always loved Konami games ever since playing them in the arcade and was so jealous of the NES and SNES getting great Konami games. I was really excited when Konami started making Megadrive games. Their first few weren't great, mediocre conversions/remixes of SNES games like Hyperstone Heist and Sunset Riders. Rocket Knight was Konami's first original game on the Megadrive and they really went all out. I loved the characters, the between stage vignettes, the charm running through it. And that soundtrack was insanely good, up there with Streets of Rage 1 and 2. There was so much variety. And best of all so many bosses!

    So I was so excited when I picked up a magazine and saw a preview of Sparkster. It looked a little off, not as good looking as the original. I put it down to the art style. But how could it be bad? It was Konami and Rocket Knight!

    Release Date came along and I couldn't find the game anywhere. Not sure why but it just couldn't be found in Dublin. I eventually found it for a budget price of 30 euros in Game a few months later and used all my pocket money to buy it.

    I got it home and was so disappointed. Levels were now sprawling with little of the clever design of the first game. The game controlled differently from Rocket Knight Adventures and felt very different. There were less boss battles and the ones that were in it weren't as well designed as Rocket Knight. And after a cracking opening stage theme the music wasn't as memorable. I played the game multiple times willing myself to love it and while it was a good game, it was far from a top tier platformer.

    However.... nothing could prepare me for the ultimate betrayal. I picked up a copy of Gamesmaster a few weeks later and in it was a 2 page spread advertising Konami games on the SNES. Animaniacs, Tiny Toons... WTF is this! Sparkster!

    Rocket Knight Adventures was a megadrive exclusive. The SNES had a load of Konami classics, Axelay, Tiny Toons, Castlevania IV, Contra 3. But as a megadrive owner Rocket Knight Adventures was mine, was ours! And Konami had put a Sparkster game on the SNES. Not just that, it looked so much better than the Megadrive Sparkster. The gameplay looked more like the first Rocket Knight game. The bosses looked really impressive and there were loads of them. The SNES got the superior game!

    Now it was a while before I played the SNES version of Sparkster on emulation. It was indeed a great game, far better than the Megadrive version and played very like the first game. But it wasn't the classic Rocket Knight was. But I'd never felt such betrayal in my life. Let's just say that Konami are lucky Megadrive Probotector was so much better than Contra 3 otherwise I'd have fire bombed their head offices.
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  • #1955
    Inviere
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,755 ✭✭✭Inviere


    Retr0gamer wrote: »
    Any word on the analogue pocket? Really enjoying my gameboy at the moment and would love one with a better screen and support for other systems!

    Haven't heard anything of it since the initial hype. Lovely little device, but I must admit their whole "NO EMULATION!" marketing thing is a bit eye roll inducing for me. Are they comparing it against emulators from 1998 or something? :o Sure, it's FPGA so it's hardware accurate (for the most part, I recently learned that Snes FPGA cores are still not 100%)...but we're talking about 8bit & 16bit games here....they've been perfected* in emulation for ages now

    *perfected in the sense that I'd say anyone that can like-for-like distinguish between modern 8/16bit cycle-accurate emulation and an FPGA 8bit core with their eyes, hands, & ears alone is probably bluffing.

    It's great that there's FPGA solutions for these consoles & hardware, both from a preservation and playability point of view...but the whole toffee-nosed view of lowly emulation from these companies is disingenuous as a sales tactic, and somewhat insulting to the amazing work that emulator authors have done for decades now.

    Retro Computers/Consoles Repair/Restoration List



  • #1956
    DaveyDave
    Registered Users Posts: 6,287 ✭✭✭DaveyDave


    I completely forgot about the Polymega. I think someone posted a video a while back that I was meaning to watch but never did. Haven't seen anything come up about it on YouTube either.

    Have people been getting parcels? Still waiting on one from the US and one from Australia since the end of March. Haven't gotten anything with AnPost lately so don't know if they're delayed. Couriers seem ok. Bought a game from Smyth's the other day which hasn't shown up yet.


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  • #1957
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 51,829 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    Lots of post delays here.
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  • #1958
    Jack burton
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,790 ✭✭✭Jack burton


    Yeah it's hit and miss.

    I've had international stuff arrive quickly enough and things nationally be delayed by 3-4 days.

    Just best to sit back and wait for things. One of my friends world's for a parcel company and he said it's just crazy the at the moment


  • #1959
    CiDeRmAn
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 34,630 CMod ✭✭✭✭CiDeRmAn


    I'm waiting on a bunch of repros from Aliexpress for months now, wonder if they'll ever make it.
    Same though, I had the PC Engine Mini delivered from Japan in next to no time.


  • #1960
    o1s1n
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,253 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Yeah it's all over the place at the moment.

    I've noticed my parcel motel packages taking about a week longer than they should.

    Even within Ireland, I've had a few courier deliveries which should really have been next day take over a week.

    I guess everyone is sitting at home, bored out of their minds and shopping...I know I am :o


  • #1961
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 51,829 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    It's very annoying for me. Have a chair getting delivered. Within ireland. Next day delivery. But the website never said it's on back order and waiting ages for it. Really need it as my neck and back are getting crippled from the piece of **** chair that was included with my rented room.
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  • #1962
    o1s1n
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,253 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Yeah we decided to get rid of the dining table and chairs last year. Weren't being used and they took up too much space.

    If I'd known this was going to happen I may have thought twice :eek:

    Got a pair of these in the end but they took an age to come from IKEA. Still don't have a proper chair setup though and am working from a couch.

    https://www.ikea.com/ie/en/p/vittsjoe-laptop-stand-black-brown-glass-00250249/


  • #1963
    o1s1n
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,253 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Weird one, but are any of you lads into VHS collecting at all?

    I see there's been a little bit of an upsurge in it, especially been reflected in the price of decent working VCRs.

    Was tempted to pick one up and get a few choice titles. I know the quality is crap but I do kind of miss the 'CA-CHUNK!' of putting in a tape and movies being cropped to 4:3 :D


  • #1964
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 51,829 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    Some people like to also be hooked up to a ceiling by chains and hooks through their skin.

    Not for me but I'd take it over watching a vcr.
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  • #1965
    o1s1n
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,253 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    But the screen noise! The loss of tracking! the machine eating your tape! What's not to love? :pac:

    What I was thinking of doing was picking up a few big box ex rentals of some of my favourites growing up as a kid, like Aliens, The Terminator, Predator etc and have it hooked up to one of my CRTs.

    I've seen them all a billion times now in ultra 4K HD picture so sharp your eyes will bleed quality, but it's been many years since I saw the fuzz that is VHS.

    ...

    This might be me just starting to lose my mind because of the lockdown.


  • #1966
    CosmicSmash
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,906 ✭✭✭CosmicSmash


    o1s1n wrote: »

    I've seen them all a billion times now in ultra 4K HD picture so sharp your eyes will bleed quality, but it's been many years since I saw the fuzz that is VHS.

    You could always just smear your eyes with Vaseline for a similar experience.


  • #1967
    Tom Mann Centuria
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,067 ✭✭✭✭Tom Mann Centuria


    So we strive for a perfect picture, unless we're emulating classic video games, where in that case we spend infinite time fiddling with settings to make them look old and not picture perfect.

    Oh well, give me an easy life and a peaceful death.



  • #1968
    CiDeRmAn
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 34,630 CMod ✭✭✭✭CiDeRmAn


    Some things, like the 80s classics like Robot Jox or even Escape from New York work well on VHS because all of our memories are from watching them on our CRTs with low def picture and audio.
    That said, I had mine piped through a surround system, so they sounded a lot better than they looked!


  • #1969
    Tom Mann Centuria
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,067 ✭✭✭✭Tom Mann Centuria


    Betamax ftw. Better quality, smaller tapes and we (my dad) bet on that particular horse. And we cried as that section of QQQ video rentals got smaller, and smaller and smaller.

    Oh well, give me an easy life and a peaceful death.



  • #1970
    johnny_ultimate
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 29,716 CMod ✭✭✭✭johnny_ultimate


    Listen: I grew up with VHS, recall with fondness the anti-piracy warnings, and have some unshakable affection for the VHS aesthetic.

    All that said: watching a film in that format these days is an act of absolute madness :p

    The ****test quality possible, crimes against original aspect ratios and the sheer space needed to house the damn things combine to make the format's continued death a cause for celebration!


  • #1971
    o1s1n
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,253 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »
    So we strive for a perfect picture, unless we're emulating classic video games, where in that case we spend infinite time fiddling with settings to make them look old and not picture perfect.

    Perfect picture...on the correct display!

    Classic videogame on a modern display is never going to be picture perfect.


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  • #1972
    o1s1n
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,253 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    johnny_ultimate wrote: »
    Listen: I grew up with VHS, recall with fondness the anti-piracy warnings, and have some unshakable affection for the VHS aesthetic.

    All that said: watching a film in that format these days is an act of absolute madness :p

    The ****test quality possible, crimes against original aspect ratios and the sheer space needed to house the damn things combine to make the format's continued death a cause for celebration!

    Still the only way to own a legit copy of Song of the South! :D


  • #1973
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 51,829 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    o1s1n wrote: »
    Still the only way to own a legit copy of Song of the South! :D

    Disney lawyer squad is on route.
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  • #1974
    o1s1n
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,253 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Retr0gamer wrote: »
    Disney lawyer squad is on route.

    I genuinely loved that film as a kid! My mam taped it on RTE for me and I'd watch it all the time.

    RTI7iZaT6dipmNY-R4oeWFosWZX9_gVpI9j-cq78UfTy6S05cJPZUnCh4pwk6p45rnM5MyiVqZKhtaCafb0-EU7-3sfNtkxs49oP


  • #1975
    johnny_ultimate
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 29,716 CMod ✭✭✭✭johnny_ultimate


    VHS enthusiast: “You might have access to an endless stream of content from cinema history in full HD and presented as the directors intended... but do you have a clam shell copy of Disney’s most racist film? Check. Mate.”


  • #1976
    Dr Bob
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 3,184 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dr Bob


    johnny_ultimate wrote: »
    Listen: I grew up with VHS, recall with fondness the anti-piracy warnings, and have some unshakable affection for the VHS aesthetic.

    All that said: watching a film in that format these days is an act of absolute madness :p

    The ****test quality possible, crimes against original aspect ratios and the sheer space needed to house the damn things combine to make the format's continued death a cause for celebration!

    I dunno , if I'm watching a really crappy 70s 80s horror movie , I'll throw on the Vive, start up retro neon arcade or emu vr , and watch it on an 80s tv in an 80s environment with the crappiest vhs effects possible.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN4X-mSUgD0

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW6QvItmD_o


  • #1977
    Doge
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,058 ✭✭✭Doge


    o1s1n wrote: »

    Got a pair of these in the end but they took an age to come from IKEA. Still don't have a proper chair setup though and am working from a couch.

    https://www.ikea.com/ie/en/p/vittsjoe-laptop-stand-black-brown-glass-00250249/

    BED SIDE TABLES EH?
    "Oh dear wife, have our butler bring some fresh produce up from the pantry post haste, my tummy is feeling rather empty!"


    o1s1n wrote: »
    Weird one, but are any of you lads into VHS collecting at all?

    I see there's been a little bit of an upsurge in it, especially been reflected in the price of decent working VCRs.

    Was tempted to pick one up and get a few choice titles. I know the quality is crap but I do kind of miss the 'CA-CHUNK!' of putting in a tape and movies being cropped to 4:3 :D


    I went mad on it there back in September, the best haul was the entire month python's flying Circus collection, the original format I believe with the class artwork.

    That high end Panasonic VCR I bought didn't work on arrival though but the seller was sound enough to give a full refund.

    I think it's the mode selection switch but didn't get around to fixing it just yet.


  • #1978
    DaveyDave
    Registered Users Posts: 6,287 ✭✭✭DaveyDave


    Anyone ever play Gripshift? Had it on PSP and again on Xbox 360 Arcade. I enjoyed it but I never see anyone talk about it.

    Mercury too, I enjoyed that than Lumines surprisingly.


  • #1979
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 51,829 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    johnny_ultimate wrote: »
    VHS enthusiast: “You might have access to an endless stream of content from cinema history in full HD and presented as the directors intended... but do you have a clam shell copy of Disney’s most racist film? Check. Mate.”

    Had some bangin' tunes in fairness.
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  • #1980
    Inviere
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,755 ✭✭✭Inviere


    o1s1n wrote: »
    Weird one, but are any of you lads into VHS collecting at all?

    God no. Unless there's a tangible reason to reignite the buying of old media formats, then it's only a nostalgia trip. Vinyl I get, there's a definite warmth in the sound that is lost on a digital copy....but VHS? It offers nothing imo :o
    Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »
    So we strive for a perfect picture, unless we're emulating classic video games, where in that case we spend infinite time fiddling with settings to make them look old and not picture perfect.

    The thing is, to make retro games picture perfect...you have to make them look old. Retro games are perfect on an old crt tv screen....they certainly don't look anywhere near as good on a modern display panel, and you can only hope to imitate the look of an old tv.

    Retro Computers/Consoles Repair/Restoration List



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  • #1981
    Inviere
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,755 ✭✭✭Inviere


    Hmmm

    https://twitter.com/libretro/status/1260439635299360768

    And to answer the inevitable regarding the recent source leaks...

    https://twitter.com/libretro/status/1260448346902315013

    Still, who's to say the code couldn't be glanced at, a solution or method observed, and then an 'alternate' developed on that basis...

    Retro Computers/Consoles Repair/Restoration List



  • #1982
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 51,829 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    Clean Room engineering sounds like reverse engineering of the chipset with a view to cycle accurate emulation.
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  • #1983
    o1s1n
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,253 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Doge wrote: »
    That high end Panasonic VCR I bought didn't work on arrival though but the seller was sound enough to give a full refund.

    I think it's the mode selection switch but didn't get around to fixing it just yet.

    Oh yeah, I remember when you bought that alright! never got it working in the end no? that's a pain.

    They seem to be tricky things to buy alright as the failure rate looks to be high. Finding a refurbished one is probably the way to go.
    Inviere wrote: »
    God no. Unless there's a tangible reason to reignite the buying of old media formats, then it's only a nostalgia trip. Vinyl I get, there's a definite warmth in the sound that is lost on a digital copy....but VHS? It offers nothing imo :o
    .

    100% nostalgia! I'd almost put it in the same camp at vinyl. Most of the vinyl hype is fairly sketchy as people are buying new records mastered from digital recordings anyway. If you want to listen to music on physical media, cds are completely and utterly superior in every way.

    You'd be better off spending that money trying out different stereo/speaker combinations to play around with sound qualities.

    People really don't want to admit for some reason that the main drive for listening to vinyl is indeed nostalgia. The nostalgia of dropping the needle, the crackling, even that 'warmth' they're talking about is just low level distortion that they're nostalgic for.

    So I can fully admit I see absolutely no merit from a quality point of view with VHS, but I think I'm one up on vinyl lords in being able to say :pac:


  • #1984
    Inviere
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,755 ✭✭✭Inviere


    Retr0gamer wrote: »
    Clean Room engineering sounds like reverse engineering of the chipset with a view to cycle accurate emulation.

    It's called clean-room because it's supposed to be done without copying anything, & done entirely without using anything used by Nintendo (in this case). It's also the only legal approach to publishing the work, more so given we're talking open source here.
    o1s1n wrote: »
    Most of the vinyl hype is fairly sketchy as people are buying new records mastered from digital recordings anyway. If you want to listen to music on physical media, cds are completely and utterly superior in every way.

    Vinyl mastered off a digital recording does seem a bit sketchy in fairness. Though I will admit, to my ear, proper analog vinyl recording played through a proper hi-fi system does sound better to a digital recording on cd played through the same system. Not enough for me to start buying vinyl I'll admit, but I can certainly hear the tonal differences. But yeah, there's a huge hipster'y trend to it these days too.

    Retro Computers/Consoles Repair/Restoration List



  • #1985
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 51,829 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    And thus, on that day, the moniker of 'Hipster Lord' passed from Johny_Ultimate to pantryboy o1s1n.
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  • #1986
    o1s1n
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,253 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Inviere wrote: »

    Vinyl mastered off a digital recording does seem a bit sketchy in fairness. Though I will admit, to my ear, proper analog vinyl recording played through a proper hi-fi system does sound better to a digital recording on cd played through the same system. Not enough for me to start buying vinyl I'll admit, but I can certainly hear the tonal differences. But yeah, there's a huge hipster'y trend to it these days too.

    I suppose 'better' is the subjective bit really isn't it? Some people's ears just prefer that warm distortion. What's really happen is you're just missing out on some parts of the sound. Maybe we could view it as anti aliasing for your ears? :pac:

    Retr0gamer wrote: »
    And thus, on that day, the moniker of 'Hipster Lord' passed from Johny_Ultimate to pantryboy o1s1n.

    I shall prepare myself for the passing of the ceremonial fedora.


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  • #1987
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 51,829 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    o1s1n wrote: »
    Maybe we could view it as anti aliasing for your ears? :pac:

    I prefer CRT phosphor glow.
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  • #1988
    Jack burton
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,790 ✭✭✭Jack burton


    I've been collecting VHS players and tapes for a little while now.

    I've just been getting the players from charity shops and been very lucky with a few.

    Maybe have 80-100 tapes now too so need to build a display for all of them.

    Definitely has been a surge in it recently, along with laserdisc, which I also collect, mostly just for the artwork and display

    Good luck finding a good laserdisc player for under €100 though.

    Even though I'm watching them on a good setup the picture quality is really ****e compared to Blu-ray etc. But there's definitely a charm to it too.


  • #1989
    Dr Bob
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 3,184 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dr Bob


    Jack burton wrote: »
    I've been collecting VHS players and tapes for a little while now.

    I've just been getting the players from charity shops and been very lucky with a few.

    Maybe have 80-100 tapes now too so need to build a display for all of them.

    Definitely has been a surge in it recently, along with laserdisc, which I also collect, mostly just for the artwork and display

    Good luck finding a good laserdisc player for under €100 though.

    Even though I'm watching them on a good setup the picture quality is really ****e compared to Blu-ray etc. But there's definitely a charm to it too.

    I love the cheap and nasty aesthetic (a e s t h e t i c ) that a lot of VHS era movies used , especially horror movies I remember as a kid seeing all these posters in our dodgy as hell 80s video shop and being terrified , watching the actual movies years later I can say that the posters aged way better than the movies!
    For example a film that is pretty much about killer yogurt!

    [big ass poster so changed it to a link]
    https://vhsrevival.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/The-Stuff-1985-poster.jpg


  • #1990
    Steve X2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,885 ✭✭✭Steve X2


    I have a fair few VHS tapes myself, nothing major, just some i liked as a kid or collectables from Japan(some games came with them).
    With laserdiscs on the other hands I'm always on the lookout for them, or an upgrade to my laserdisc player(better comb filter, more features etc). It can get pricey :0/


  • #1991
    o1s1n
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,253 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Dr Bob wrote: »
    I love the cheap and nasty aesthetic (a e s t h e t i c ) that a lot of VHS era movies used , especially horror movies I remember as a kid seeing all these posters in our dodgy as hell 80s video shop and being terrified , watching the actual movies years later I can say that the posters aged way better than the movies!
    For example a film that is pretty much about killer yogurt!

    [big ass poster so changed it to a link]
    https://vhsrevival.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/The-Stuff-1985-poster.jpg

    Yeah I know exactly what you mean, I think half the reason I went to videoshops as a very young kid was to look at the horror box covers. Would spend ages looking at them while my folks picked out a tape.

    Fright Night and Hellraiser always stick out in my mind for some reason.


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  • #1992
    o1s1n
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,253 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Any of you laserdisc dudes come across any disc rot yet actually?

    Something I've always heard horror stories about but never seen in person as I don't have any laserdiscs.


  • #1993
    sniper_samurai
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,696 ✭✭✭sniper_samurai


    o1s1n wrote: »
    Any of you laserdisc dudes come across any disc rot yet actually?

    Something I've always heard horror stories about but never seen in person as I don't have any laserdiscs.

    I've had it happen to a few of my older dvds. At least they were common enough titles that replacements weren't an issue. Replacements for laserdiscs would get pricey quickly.


  • #1994
    Inviere
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,755 ✭✭✭Inviere


    o1s1n wrote: »
    I suppose 'better' is the subjective bit really isn't it? Some people's ears just prefer that warm distortion. What's really happen is you're just missing out on some parts of the sound. Maybe we could view it as anti aliasing for your ears? :pac:

    There's a hugely subjective element to it for sure. I find vinyl a much 'warmer' & smoother sound, akin to using an old valve amp as opposed to a transistor based one for something like a guitar. On the same system, I find a CD will be more 'harsh', with a bias towards treble'y highs. We're talking minute details that you usually need audiophile level hardware to hear though.

    Retro Computers/Consoles Repair/Restoration List



  • #1995
    o1s1n
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,253 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    sniper_samurai wrote: »
    I've had it happen to a few of my older dvds. At least they were common enough titles that replacements weren't an issue. Replacements for laserdiscs would get pricey quickly.

    Eeek, that's a bit concerning to hear! Always associate disc rot with Lasersdiscs, completely forgot it can happen to all disc media.

    Inviere wrote: »
    There's a hugely subjective element to it for sure. I find vinyl a much 'warmer' & smoother sound, akin to using an old valve amp as opposed to a transistor based one for something like a guitar. On the same system, I find a CD will be more 'harsh', with a bias towards treble'y highs. We're talking minute details that you usually need audiophile level hardware to hear though.

    Yeah you just get more dynamic range really with a CD, so if your ears are more tuned in to vinyl and prefer that sound then your trebbles will sound a lot more harsh and bright.

    I tell you what though, run a CD player through a good hifi system with big older wooden speaker cabinets and that treble'y cd sound goes away.

    I regularly bash out Rush and Led Zeppelin via CD over a couple of big wooden Celestion Ditton cabinets and tinniness is the last thing on me (or my neighbours :pac:) minds :D


  • #1996
    Steve X2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,885 ✭✭✭Steve X2


    o1s1n wrote: »
    Any of you laserdisc dudes come across any disc rot yet actually?

    Something I've always heard horror stories about but never seen in person as I don't have any laserdiscs.

    I've an old 1980's star wars laserdisc and one or two others that have rot. In some its just a bit of a cloudy appearance on the disc, on others it looks like a giant petri dish with something growing in it. All the discs still play, just sections have what looks like light interference or snow where the rot is.


  • #1997
    ShaneU
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,941 ✭✭✭✭ShaneU


    Hey guys, I'm doing a retro videogame quiz over on forum games, hope some of you join :)

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058077230


  • #1998
    Jack burton
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,790 ✭✭✭Jack burton


    I haven't seen any rot in my laserdiscs yet. Although been a while since I checked them all.

    Isn't it mainly the Sony NTSC catalogue that's notorious for mostly rotting?


  • #1999
    sniper_samurai
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,696 ✭✭✭sniper_samurai


    Jack burton wrote: »
    I haven't seen any rot in mine yet. Although been a while since I checked them all.

    Isn't it mainly the Sony NTSC catalogue that's notorious for mostly rotting?

    The dvds that I have that rotted were Lethal Weapon 1-4 and disc 4 of Zeta Gundam. Replaced all of them with bd copies, though LW are only the theatrical cut rather than the Directors Cut.


  • #2000
    Inviere
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,755 ✭✭✭Inviere


    Inviere wrote: »
    Hmmm

    https://twitter.com/libretro/status/1260439635299360768

    And to answer the inevitable regarding the recent source leaks...

    https://twitter.com/libretro/status/1260448346902315013

    Still, who's to say the code couldn't be glanced at, a solution or method observed, and then an 'alternate' developed on that basis...

    So it was a ground up rewrite of the RDP. Low Level Emulation, and for its first release, it looks like it's making huge gains in terms of accuracy. Future releases are eyeing up internal resolution increases, which seems at odds with low level emulation, but the author talks about using a discrete GPU to handle the upscaling, leaving the cpu to handle accurate emulation...so an interesting mix of authenticity mixed with some nice modern-day visual upgrades.

    I'll likely not use this at the moment, vanilla N64 graphics are beyond bad (I'll wait for the ability in increase resolution)...but to say that N64 emulation is in good hands is an understatement!

    https://www.libretro.com/index.php/reviving-and-rewriting-parallel-rdp-fast-and-accurate-low-level-n64-rdp-emulation/

    Retro Computers/Consoles Repair/Restoration List



  • #2001
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 51,829 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    Summoning Salt's latest Ninja Gaiden speed run documentary is well worth a look.
    Untitled Image




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