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[Chittagong]

I will be doing the Analogue NT OT shortly, but this is pretty huge news, Analogue have *finally* posted an actual video showing the product is real. They claimed to be superior to Framemaster and show off some of the functionality of the HDMI add on:

http://youtu.be/NN6qtbWRC5Y

http://youtu.be/CXsZ3LvdfCs

Analogue Nt: HDMI

There has been just as much dedication into developing the HDMI upscaler side of the Analogue Nt as the rest of the system. We knew we had to develop something that blows away what is currently available on the market: poorly designed, laggy analog to digital video converters.

We’re fortunate to have some incredibly talented people on our team.

From our lead video hardware engineer Kevin Horton “There is no analog to digital converter. The HDMI adapter upscales digitally — directly from the digital signals on the PPU and CPU. This means no lag and zero signal degradation since it’s handled digitally. Not to mention digital audio: 48KHz, 16bit. Unlike a traditional scaler, upscaling works without a frame buffer. The HDMI adapter directly up converts the NES’ video as it is being generated. This results in absolutely no lag.”

Upgrading your Analogue Nt with HDMI is the highest quality way to play NES, Famicom and Famicom Disk System games in HD. The HDMI upgrade not only offers reference quality video, but an unparalleled degree of control over the way your games are formatted on your TV, monitor or projector.

**Your Analogue Nt can be upgraded with an internally installed daughterboard that provides unparalleled digital features. If you’re Analogue Nt does not already have an HDMI upgrade, you can upgrade at any time by contacting us directly at info@analogueinteractive.com.

HDMI at a Glance

HDMI Upgrade Video Features

• Zero lag, zero signal degradation - 148.5 million pixels/second, direct conversion of video, no frame buffer
• 480p, 720p, and 1080p in NTSC/60Hz
• 576p, 720p, and 1080p in PAL/50Hz
• other features: scanlines, scalers, palettes, cropping, horiztonal position, horizontal stretch, overclocking & more

HDMI Upgrade Audio Features

• 48KHz 16 bit stereo audio
• full panning and volume support for all audio channels
• full audio chip support (VRC6, VRC7, MMC5, sunsoft 5, FDS, N106)
• overclocking without audio pitch shifting

 

[Juice]

Well, it's impressive. Definitely a luxury good given the myriad other ways to play NES games without specialized hardware.

 

[alr1ght]

Wait, that HDMI upscaler isn't even included in the $500 package? What.

 

[ElTorro]

I don't care anymore until they actually start shipping that thing. They have been delaying the release in month-by-month steps for ages now. Makes everything look shady or at least incompetent.

 

[kamakazi5]

How does this thing compare to a Framemeister? I can't imagine it being worth the price to play a single system.

 

[protomouse]

Wait, what? You have to pay another $80 on top of the $500 just to get HDMI out?

 

[Chittagong]

Wait, what? You have to pay another $80 on top of the $500 just to get HDMI out?

Yeah it now seems to be an integrated version HDMI modkit Kevtris has been working on

 

[Jamix012]

How does this thing compare to a Framemeister? I can't imagine it being worth the price to play a single system.

The framemeister won't match this if you're using composite out from your NES. I imagine they'd be very comparable for an RGB modded NES going in.

 

[BriGuy]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but what is the point of this? I could think of a million better ways to spend $500.

 

[Superblatt]

Well, it costs around $400 to get a top loader modded with Tim's Nesrgb board, so for another $200 including tax you'll get a very fancy version of the same thing with more options. Very cool, but hard to justify.

 

[Zaptruder]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but what is the point of this? I could think of a million better ways to spend $500.

It's for people that want the most authentic and best possible NES gaming experience possible, at any cost.

In other words, the potential customer base numbers in the hundreds... perhaps thousands if they're lucky.

 

[Chittagong]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but what is the point of this? I could think of a million better ways to spend $500.

Analogue NT targets a very narrow luxury market, people who

- want to play NES games
- want a slick looking device instead of NES or Famicom
- can't be arsed to get an NES RGB board ordered and installed
- can't be arsed to order a Framemeister
- want to play both NES and Famicom games with a single device without adapters

It's basically an expensive vinyl player of the gaming market

 

[CHC]

Analogue NT targets a very narrow luxury market, people who

- want to play NES games
- want a slick looking device instead of NES or Famicom
- can't be arsed to get an NES RGB board ordered and installed
- can't be arsed to order a Framemeister
- want to play both NES and Famicom games with a single device without adapters

It's basically an expensive vinyl player of the gaming market

Out of curiousity I really wonder how big this market is? A few hundred people at most?

I don't say this as a criticism by the way. Obviously it's their prerogative to pursue this niche market and as long as the production meets the demand and doesn't exceed it, it won't be a failure. So I'm only asking because I'm actually curious, not as a snide criticism.

 

[RadarScope1]

Those options looks insane. This is a really cool piece of kit. I'll be looking for reviews of this thing. Jeremy Parish is going to post a review sometime after the July 4 holiday.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but what is the point of this? I could think of a million better ways to spend $500.

Some people like to spend money on video games. You might can them enthusiasts.

 

[Chittagong]

Out of curiousity I really wonder how big this market is? A few hundred people at most?

I don't say this as a criticism by the way. Obviously it's their prerogative to pursue this niche market and as long as the production meets the demand and doesn't exceed it, it won't be a failure. So I'm only asking because I'm actually curious, not as a snide criticism.

Yeah I'd guess a few hundred people globally, maybe a thousand people in the absolute best case scenario. I can't see it being a big business, more a labour of love.

However now that they have done this once an Analogue SN or Analogue MD will be easier to do.

 

[VorTeX Raptor]

I still have my NES and I still play some games like Double Dragon 2, lol

 

[Tempy]

Out of curiousity I really wonder how big this market is? A few hundred people at most?

I don't say this as a criticism by the way. Obviously it's their prerogative to pursue this niche market and as long as the production meets the demand and doesn't exceed it, it won't be a failure. So I'm only asking because I'm actually curious, not as a snide criticism.

The retro enthusiast market isn't very big indeed, but there's plenty of hardware tinkering going about, like the Retrode, flash boards, NES HDMI, Colecovision Super Game Module, clone machines such as the RetroN, the FPGA-based retro-ish console with carts, tons of homebrew physical cart releases, and many more projects.

 

[TedHub]

Looks neat! The menu features could be real handy.

Colecovision Super Game Module

Speaking of this, have they released any games for this yet? I was on a real Coleco kick a while back and I was thinking of getting this.

 

[RetroReid]

Some guy in japan seems to have gotten his Analogue Nt.
These are the first images I've seen posted of someone who got their order.
He even opened it up!
Unfortunately it looks like he didn't get the HDMI upgrade.

Check out his twitter here, It's in Japanese: https://twitter.com/KAPPY_2164

 

[sixteen-bit]

I'm shocked Analogue came through after all these delays, lmao.

 

[baphomet]

It's literally Tim Worthington's NESRGB board installed. Apparently he had them manufactured in black though.

Edit - Wait, he's using unshielded copper wire? That's really odd.

 

[RetroReid]

It's literally Tim Worthington's NESRGB board installed. Apparently he had them manufactured in black though.

Pretty sure Analogue has already said this.
Apparently they had permission from him to manufacture his boards on their own.
But yes, it is his design.

That unshielded wire is the poster's own modifications.
Not sure what he's trying to do but I gathered that much from google translate.

 

[metsallica]

Back on my radar I guess, but as an owner of a NESRGB-modded NES and Framemeister I question this being better at all. Intrigued by the HDMI fluffery in the OP...

 

[baphomet]

That unshielded wire is the poster's own modifications.
Not sure what he's trying to do but I gathered that much from google translate.

OK gotcha, it looks like he added RGB to the VGA connector on the back. I was going to say, after spending all the time and money on designing such a nice board, why the hell would you use unshielded wire and run it that long. That's just asking for problems. But it makes sense that he added that himself.

 

[Insert Disk Two]

Seriously... should I run this thing, side by side a Raspberry PI running a NES emulator, and hide both devices behind the TV, how easy would it be to spot which is which?

 

[Deleted member 20415]

Back on my radar I guess, but as an owner of a NESRGB-modded NES and Framemeister I question this being better at all. Intrigued by the HDMI fluffery in the OP...

Framemeister can be a bit of a pain in the ass though. I have it, and I feel like I'm constantly fiddling as I move between machines.

This is a luxury good no doubt, but I'm interested in it because of the convenience and it seems to do the job really well...

 

[BluePigGanon]

Not gonna lie, I'm feeling like one of these is in my future.

 

[entremet]

I've always been interested in the project, but their rep with the Neo Geos turned me off.

It looks like they've took more time with this. Delays look to be worth it.

 

[Peltz]

Those fake scanlines are shit.

 

[RetroReid]

Back on my radar I guess, but as an owner of a NESRGB-modded NES and Framemeister I question this being better at all. Intrigued by the HDMI fluffery in the OP...

Fact of the matter is, it is better than using a Framemeister.
This is because the Analogue Nt uses a method developed by Kevtris to output a digital image that is 1080p.
The Framemeister takes an analogue picture and upscales it, thus adding 20ms of lag.
When done digitally however, there is absolutely no lag.
It's kind of like the NES had its cpu and ppu supercharged.

Check out Kevtris' YouTube channel for more details.
https://m.youtube.com/user/kevtris?

 

[PixyJunket]

Ugh, why does this default to square pixels?

You think an enthusiast device would output he proper aspect ratio.

 

[chuseph14]

That circuit board is giving me warm feelings in my loins.

 

[Khaz]

Wait, it doesn't do RGBS out of the box? You need to mod the VGA output?

 

[dark10x]

A friend and I are working on a massive comparison video showcasing the Analogue NT against various other RGB Nes solutions also planning to show all of the various output options on the Analogue. Hopefully we'all have something soon!

 

[Alcahest]

I highly doubt the pq / retro feel ends up matching that of the Framemeister, regardless if there's no D-A conversion. It's the quality of the scaler that ends up making a difference.

I can't wait to see/read a serious comparison versus an RGB modded NES + FM.

 

[Saroyan]

I have an AV Famicom and an NES RGB kit, I just need to install it one of these days. That will put my cost at about $180 plus a couple hours for the install work, yeah I think I'll stick with my Famicom.

This thing looks slick, but I think its way too expensive to be anything more than a super-niche device.

 

[Peltz]

Ugh, why does this default to square pixels?

You think an enthusiast device would output he proper aspect ratio.

This too. What the fuck?

 

[Beer Monkey]

I was there when Kevin Horton showed the final-ish Bankzilla to the public. I played with his SID player. We hung out a few times, I still have an original Kevtris catridge for the Colecovision that I bought from him. He modded my PC-Engine Duo-RX.

Anyhow, Kevin is a god. Everything he does in terms of his engineering is the best possible given the technology that exists, to prove it can be done. That he is making something that can be produced in quantity is a gift to you. Be thankful. If you can't afford it, that's OK. Really. I'm not being snarky.

 

[C-Sword]

Not that big of a fan of the NES. If this was a SNES, I'd seriously consider it, cause it does look sexy

 

[Ivan Amiibo]

I will stick with a framemeister + original console + dealing with the 1.5 frames of lag or w/e, but I'm excited to see comparison articles and such.

 

[AmaterasuOkami076]

I'd be interested in a Snes, don't think I'd get this though. It's super disappointing that you don't get the HDMI as standard.

 

[xemumanic]

Yeah it now seems to be an integrated version HDMI modkit Kevtris has been working on

Your wording has me a bit confused. It is LIKE Kevtris's modkit, or IS it his very same modkit?

NVM, RetroReid's post explains it is Kevtris's mod they are using. That and I should have read the WHOLE post.

 

[Acosta]

Do it with any 16 bits or a Neo Geo and I'm in.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Do it with any 16 bits or a Neo Geo and I'm in.

Analogue Interactive makes a consolized Neo Geo MVS already

 

[Khaz]

Analogue Interactive makes a consolized Neo Geo MVS already

Are they still selling it though?

[edit] yes they do. $649.

 

[Dereck]

Analogue NT targets a very narrow luxury market, people who

- want to play NES games
- want a slick looking device instead of NES or Famicom
- can't be arsed to get an NES RGB board ordered and installed
- can't be arsed to order a Framemeister
- want to play both NES and Famicom games with a single device without adapters

It's basically an expensive vinyl player of the gaming market

Cool description, thanks

A friend and I are working on a massive comparison video showcasing the Analogue NT against various other RGB Nes solutions also planning to show all of the various output options on the Analogue. Hopefully we'all have something soon!

Thanks man

 

[Alo81]

No Analog to Digitial conversion seems pretty insane. Grabbing the digital straight from the system before its converted to analog is really rad.

This should be basically equivalent quality to what a perfect emulator would output, just using real hardware yes?

 

[entremet]

Analogue Interactive makes a consolized Neo Geo MVS already

I heard the build quality on those is terrible.

 

[Enter the Dragon Punch]

That water mark better not appear on screen during actual gameplay. People are paying over $500 USD for this thing. That'd be unacceptable.

 

[thechristoph]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but what is the point of this? I could think of a million better ways to spend $500.

What's the point of 8GB of RAM when 4 is usually enough? What's the point of a GTX 980 when a 750 can run most games? What's the point of 1080 when 720 looks pretty much the same at a certain distance?