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Display updates Retrostone

Posted: Mon 14 Jan 2019 19:37
by zackxx
Hi there,

I know there's a couple of "display" related threads already but I thought I'd ask a couple of questions and see if you guys know anything...

I understand that many of you might disagree with my opinion, but given the price point of £150, I absolutely hate the display of the Retrostone and I know that custom hardware changes at this point will be extremely hard and pricey, so:

1. Will we be seeing any software updates that target the resolution of the display?, aka make it at least more readable, nevermind the color tones etc.
2. What do you guys think of a "clip on" / "slide on" external mini hdmi display to be developed so it just attaches on top of the analog display?

Re: Display updates Retrostone

Posted: Wed 16 Jan 2019 17:24
by Admin
Hi there,

Yes I know this composite signal is annoying lot of people. Software improvement will help for user interface (emulation station is the part that flickers the most, in games it's way better). But it will always be composite so it won't be still and perfect like digital LCD.

A HDMI overlay LCD is an idea but might be difficult to make. I will rather make a retrostone 2 with another SoC so it will have a direct LCD interface.

Re: Display updates Retrostone

Posted: Wed 16 Jan 2019 19:03
by Aggdaddy
How about a retrostone v2 that has a physical switch between the HDMI connected LCD screen and the HDMI external interface. That is my biggest problem with it. Hard to read the text on the retrostone screen. Works good everywhere else.

Re: Display updates Retrostone

Posted: Sun 3 Feb 2019 16:27
by catbiscuits
The problem with a direct HDMI will be that this will be too perfect. There’s no way to win. Unless maybe you can get Mike from RetroTINK on board. http://www.retrotink.com/

That said,

1. I love my Retrostone and think that for a small run product, it’s just great (I THOUGHT I made a longer post about that, but I guess it disappeared or wasn’t approved or something... which is the one thing I really don’t like about these forums ...), including the screen. I’d thought about spending twice as much on a PiGRRL that would have probably broken in a week.

2. I’d buy a Retrostone II with a better screen, onboard WiFi and Bluetooth and a better D-Pad (that’s number 1 for me).

Has anybody had any luck with shaders? I’m going to experiment at some point.

Re: Display updates Retrostone

Posted: Fri 15 Feb 2019 18:38
by OctavioS
catbiscuits wrote: Sun 3 Feb 2019 16:27 The problem with a direct HDMI will be that this will be too perfect. There’s no way to win. Unless maybe you can get Mike from RetroTINK on board. http://www.retrotink.com/

That said,

1. I love my Retrostone and think that for a small run product, it’s just great (I THOUGHT I made a longer post about that, but I guess it disappeared or wasn’t approved or something... which is the one thing I really don’t like about these forums ...), including the screen. I’d thought about spending twice as much on a PiGRRL that would have probably broken in a week.

2. I’d buy a Retrostone II with a better screen, onboard WiFi and Bluetooth and a better D-Pad (that’s number 1 for me).

Has anybody had any luck with shaders? I’m going to experiment at some point.
Definetly that would be a must.
Also the form factor should be the same, i just love the way it looks.

Re: Display updates Retrostone

Posted: Tue 12 Mar 2019 15:32
by Admin
RetroStone 2 is coming soon :)
Hope protoypes will be ready in about 2 weeks. Then 2-4 more weeks to setup everything and prepare the Kickstarter!

Re: Display updates Retrostone

Posted: Wed 13 Mar 2019 12:22
by ldeveraux
Admin wrote: Tue 12 Mar 2019 15:32 RetroStone 2 is coming soon :)
Hope protoypes will be ready in about 2 weeks. Then 2-4 more weeks to setup everything and prepare the Kickstarter!
So we'll be able to exchange version 1 for version 2?

Re: Display updates Retrostone

Posted: Wed 13 Mar 2019 15:52
by zxdunny
Cool, can you give any details on what's going to be changed this time around?

Personally, I'd like any of the following to be addressed:

1. Screen. Abandon that composite internal output so we can read the damned fonts. Use a better screen with a wider viewing angle vertically. Higher resolution so that RetrOrangePi doesn't have to scale down from 640x480 and lose detail in the process.

2. Better DPad - less stiff with easier diagonals would be super.

3. Battery indicator onscreen, with a "low battery" warning that allows us more than about a minute to locate a charger and shut down.

4. Bigger battery capacity so I can play for more than 3 hours between charges (significantly less with PS1 emulation).

5 Analog stick as standard...

Any of those would be a bonus, but if number 1 isn't implemented then I'll have to take a pass on the 'Stone 2.

Re: Display updates Retrostone

Posted: Thu 14 Mar 2019 01:23
by alumriel
I will also be happy to support a kickstarter for a version 2, IF:
1) It has a much clearer screen (digital, not composite)
2) Has a better D-pad
3) Has an analog stick and 6 top buttons

Basically, I want an LCL pi 3 gameboy, haha
(but he isn't responding to my messages)

Re: Display updates Retrostone

Posted: Sat 6 Apr 2019 01:30
by OctavioS
Besides the screen issue, which has to improve, it must come with 6 front buttons.