Adapter Compatability

[stevethesquid]

I'm not too experienced with all the electronic stuff that it seems a lot of people around here know about, but will the adapters for the retrode fit with my Retro Duo Portable? I am especially interested in the N64 adapter.

Thanks!

[tamaness]

From this page

These adapters are made for use in the Retrode only. We promise they will NOT work in any other device. In order to prevent possible damage (and disappointment), please don't even think of trying it.

I'm sure the adapter will fit. I'm pretty sure that best case, it'll simply not work; worst case, it'll fry your console and/or cartridge.

[korori]

It would fit but it will not work on the console. Since the retrode basically dumps data the rom/save into a readable formate you still need the emulation to run the game. Also the hardware on those duo would not support n64 games.

Korori

[Matthias_H]

(sigh) This has been brought up so many times. No, the plug-in adapters won't work on any system other than the Retrode. Yes, it is likely that you break something if you still try.

[stevethesquid]

(sigh) This has been brought up so many times. No, the plug-in adapters won't work on any system other than the Retrode. Yes, it is likely that you break something if you still try.

Haha, looks like I might have to get a retrode too

Do you plan to make a portable retrode? I would SO trade my Duo for one of those

[Matthias_H]

The Retrode is as portable as your computer - after all, it's just another USB device. When I travel with my laptop (conferences etc), I always take a Retrode, a bunch of cartridges and a pair of controllers for situations that call for a Tetris Attack duel

[stevethesquid]

Well I'm a sucker for consoles, and to be quite honest, I have a laptop from 2003, it's portability and chare time is far from ideal. I think it would be neat if one could mount a screen on a retrode, and have enough buttons for most consoles/handhelds, even if it is a more DIY thing (make it in the shape of a GC controller and I'm sold!). A laptop and everything is too much of a setup for me in a car or airplane.

I don't suppose a raspberry pi would be able to handle a retrode?

[Matthias_H]

I've only started experimenting with the Pi and a Retrode. So far, my results are quite positive: there are emulators for most systems running on the Pi; the Retrode works with the Pi as well - carts and controllers. I have successfully played SNES and Genesis games on original controllers, even including on-cart savegames. Somehow, the loading times are significantly slower, and the user interface is far from comfortable. The worst is that you have to mount/unmount the Retrode on every cartridge insertion. Also, some emulators (DGEN) need the savegames in a specific directory and named in a special way, etc.. I guess someone with a solid understanding of Linux (unlike myself) would have to invest some time and write a bunch of scripts to get everything to work smoothly, i.e., in a plug-and-play way.

Even better, the Pi fits completely into the Retrode case if you're willing to destroy both.

[Muzer]

I've only started experimenting with the Pi and a Retrode. So far, my results are quite positive: there are emulators for most systems running on the Pi; the Retrode works with the Pi as well - carts and controllers. I have successfully played SNES and Genesis games on original controllers, even including on-cart savegames. Somehow, the loading times are significantly slower, and the user interface is far from comfortable. The worst is that you have to mount/unmount the Retrode on every cartridge insertion. Also, some emulators (DGEN) need the savegames in a specific directory and named in a special way, etc.. I guess someone with a solid understanding of Linux (unlike myself) would have to invest some time and write a bunch of scripts to get everything to work smoothly, i.e., in a plug-and-play way.

You haven't said anything that doesn't apply to Linux in general (apart from AFAIK the loading times). It'd be nice if there wasn't a USB reinit on cartridge reinsertion (I don't know how possible this is) so that remounting is unnecessary - but then again, I'm not sure the OS would be happy with the contents of the drive mysteriously changing either.

[Matthias_H]

Agree. Except, when aiming for a tiny size factor you might want to have a fully automated system that doesn't require you to grab a keyboard on each cart change...

[korori]

I have tried the Retrode on the Pi. I got it to pickup the retrode automatically but I had to restart the emulationstation for it to pick up a new game. It really isnt worth it too much because it tends to have terrible frame rate. At least each time I tried. I am actually waiting on the Ouya. It will be much more powerful but a bit bigger than the pi.

Korori

[Muzer]

I might try writing some scripts to be able to use the Pi nicely with the Retrode. Of course, it still depends on the emulators being fast enough - I doubt you're ever gonna get N64 speed, for instance.