I've been toying for a while with getting a crt for a bit of classic console gaming but have a slight issue in that I don't have a huge amount of spare space in my office. So I've been looking at the retrotink partly as a compromise and partly as a way of future proofing (plus it'll likely be a lot more reliable than a 20 plus year old crt!) Does anyone here have experience of using both together? Just how good / close is the retrotink and an oled to a genuine crt experience?
CRT Vs Retrotink 4k
- Thread starter Vorbis
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kingtreelo
Active member
i cant answer your question directly, but i have an OSSC and while it does a good job, it really isnt like playing on a proper CRT, i know the tink range is a lot better, but nore sure how they can replicate the sound
its not just the picture quality, its the sound for me, probably more so than the picture these days, plus the buzz off my CRTs drive my son crazy which is a good thing now he is a smart arse who knows everything
personally, if you are going to start going down the OSSC/tink route and using a new modern TV, you may as well be using a miSTer or something like that rather than the original consoles, it does the same job
There's always the 10in portable CRT option ... some are mightly usable ... and it doesn't need to be one of them PVM/BVM fings, either ...
Heck ... often times games just feel a bit more ... right ... on the kind of TV that you'd have been able to afford as a kid in your bedroom.
I genuinely have too much shit at the moment and really need a place of my own ... but ... need a job first ... le sigh ... sorry ... digressing ... I'll allow the thread back now! 😅
Heck ... often times games just feel a bit more ... right ... on the kind of TV that you'd have been able to afford as a kid in your bedroom.
I genuinely have too much shit at the moment and really need a place of my own ... but ... need a job first ... le sigh ... sorry ... digressing ... I'll allow the thread back now! 😅
I use a RT4k on a 65" OLED G4. games from 16bit consoles can look really really good, especially if you turn on HDR in the Tink settings, it really helps with the dimmer picture when using simulated scanlines.
Beam emulation, and other fancy options are all good too, but no matter what I do or enable, it really isn't the same as a CRT.
games that switch resolutions, will sometimes trip up the RT4K and produce some weird artefacts or strange behaviour
sometimes you'll spend more time fiddling with settings than actually playing the game.
Depending on your consoles, you might find other weird picture issues being amplified at 4k, like Jailbars or other noise in the analogue signals etc
at the end of the day its a step closer and using HDMI out from a mister and into the Tink can produce some unbelievably clear images but motion clarity and overall feel, just doesn't convince me its the same as playing on a real CRT.
I have multiple cabs, and a bunch of CRT monitors and the CRT's always win I get the most fun playing on a 14" Philips monitor, not even high end!
But if you really need to play on a larger TV that needs a scaler then RT4K is the best at the moment.
Beam emulation, and other fancy options are all good too, but no matter what I do or enable, it really isn't the same as a CRT.
games that switch resolutions, will sometimes trip up the RT4K and produce some weird artefacts or strange behaviour
sometimes you'll spend more time fiddling with settings than actually playing the game.
Depending on your consoles, you might find other weird picture issues being amplified at 4k, like Jailbars or other noise in the analogue signals etc
at the end of the day its a step closer and using HDMI out from a mister and into the Tink can produce some unbelievably clear images but motion clarity and overall feel, just doesn't convince me its the same as playing on a real CRT.
I have multiple cabs, and a bunch of CRT monitors and the CRT's always win I get the most fun playing on a 14" Philips monitor, not even high end!
But if you really need to play on a larger TV that needs a scaler then RT4K is the best at the moment.
Definitely no space for a crt projector 😁
The problem with the crt is mainly the depth. It needs to go on a fairly shallow unit and I barely have enough room for the lcd screens I currently have whilst leaving room for keyboards etc. unlike my wife whose junk seems to spread to the entire how, I'm limited to the space available in my office 😭
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I can't see any space at all. 😆 Maybe a corner/wall-mount stand for a CRT, like they use to have in pubs etc. It would need to be securely fixed though, and not just screwed into plasterboard.
Plan is to maybe get rid of the 2 Dell LCD's and then maybe get an oled and a retrotink. I could put a crt there but I'd end up with a keyboard on my lap. Only other option is to maybe relocate the pc to under the desk and shuffle the 57" screen along but not keen as the PC has gone up in value by 2k since last year apparently and my dog sleeps under the desk while I'm working. Walls are all plasterboard and has the electric and boiler cupboard behind the only one in a suitable position (I did once mount a flat screen there but resulted in being without electric for 2 days whilst someone fixed the cable I drilled into 🤣)
If you have no choice but go with a flat screen, then I think the newest CRT filters are a good option if you want to go with a slightly more authentic look.
A slight aside, and this is just personal preference: But when I'm on a modern flat screen I want everything to be as crisp as possible, but then use CRTs for the original experience. I like both, basically for different reasons.
Back on point though, the CRT filters are good but it's not quite the same.
A slight aside, and this is just personal preference: But when I'm on a modern flat screen I want everything to be as crisp as possible, but then use CRTs for the original experience. I like both, basically for different reasons.
Back on point though, the CRT filters are good but it's not quite the same.
adammoogle
User
You've gotta start small and see if you like it. Crt's are large and prone to failure. Playing original games on original hardware on a crt is fun as hell. But expensive and requires plenty of maintenance. If you're wanting to try a crt, I'd recommend getting a B&O, maybe an MX4000. Not too big, look nice enough in a room, have great in built speakers and sound and have a decent picture that's pretty arcade like. Get your favourite console and start playing. If you really like it, you can look into a bigger TV or a PVM / BVM, more consoles - whatever.
I'd echo what others have said on the high end stuff. It's good, really good. But not very authentic. If you can't cope with consumer geometry and convergence or bad linearity, but you're really enjoying the crt, then look into them.
If you don't like fiddling with settings etc then the mister / retro tink combo - as good as it is - will never make you happy.
I'd echo what others have said on the high end stuff. It's good, really good. But not very authentic. If you can't cope with consumer geometry and convergence or bad linearity, but you're really enjoying the crt, then look into them.
If you don't like fiddling with settings etc then the mister / retro tink combo - as good as it is - will never make you happy.
For me, unless there's effort made to simulate (even a flattish) curvature the effect is missing a fundamental part of the experience. A PC running shaders at 4K gets you there. As others have said, it's not the *same* as a CRT, but a modern 4K OLED with a good shader is the best alternative available at the moment. The MiSTer can't drive a 4K display fully to work well at the distance you're viewing from, and (I believe) the Retrotink can't do curvature.
Depends whether you're fixed on original hardware. The state of emulation on PC is phenomenal https://github.com/antonioginer/GroovyMAME/blob/groovymame0289/docs/groovymame/emusync.md
Depends whether you're fixed on original hardware. The state of emulation on PC is phenomenal https://github.com/antonioginer/GroovyMAME/blob/groovymame0289/docs/groovymame/emusync.md
I'm hoping to run mainly original hardware, mostly as with emulation or the mister I find myself endlessly browsing lists of games rather than actually playing anything plus vintage computer stuff just doesn't feel right without the original keyboards
Yes, that's exactly my issue. Infinite choices isn't always a good thing. With the mister I spend more time scrolling and in settings than actually playing the bloody thing.Choice paralysis is the worst when it comes to modern gaming! Give me 5 carts and I'll play them all to death on repeat
Already decided to get a riser where the 2 LCD screens are to make room to fit an Amiga or whatever under but the stand on the 57" screen is massive. I have thought about using an arm but it's difficult to find one suitable not to mention a pain in the arse to fitI'd be raising it all up one (or two tiers) to get more efficient use.
