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[TintoConCasera]

So yeah, basically asking what the title says.

Some time ago I setup a retro space in my home and have a PS2 and a Wii plugged into a CRT, which also allows me to play Gamecube games.

Thing is, I don't know if I should be playing those on a CRT as they were designed to, or if I should just emulate, upscale to 4K and play on my HDTV.

What would you do? I love playing games up to the 5th gen on the CRT, love how they look specially the 2D ones, but I don't know about those from the 6th gen...

 

[Ceadeus]

The best option probably is having a CRT but you can find all kind of HDMI adapter that plugs directly into the console.

It's a cheap enough alternative when using an HDTV.

 

[TintoConCasera]

The best option probably is having a CRT but you can find all kind of HDMI adapter that plugs directly into the console.

It's a cheap enough alternative when using an HDTV.

Edited my post to make clear I already have a CRT, but thanks anyways!

 

[AV]

If you already have the original hardware set up on a CRT? Keep doing what you're doing.

 

[01011001]

GameCube imo is clearly better on emulation... you even have super easy ways to use original controllers

PS2 depends highly on the game as PCSX2 is good but far from perfect.

Xbox is also very much a game by game thing. all the emulated versions in Microsoft's backwards compatibility program are by far superior to the original hardware, but if you use CXBX or something on a PC it is very spotty, but at least Jet Set Radio Future is now very well playable

for most og Xbox games on the other hand, og Hardware is still the best way to play. some games do support HD output, and they will look pretty good on a modern TV too. like Amped 2 for example

 

[Ceadeus]

Edited my post to make clear I already have a CRT, but thanks anyways!

Oops my bad! I'm sorry.

 

[Happosai]

So yeah, basically asking what the title says.

Some time ago I setup a retro space in my home and have a PS2 and a Wii plugged into a CRT, which also allows me to play Gamecube games.

Thing is, I don't know if I should be playing those on a CRT as they were designed to, or if I should just emulate, upscale to 4K and play on my HDTV.

What would you do? I love playing games up to the 5th gen on the CRT, love how they look specially the 2D ones, but I don't know about those from the 6th gen...

There are a select few titles I've been okay with playing on HDTV but the majority that are 6th Gen and before...it needs to be CRT. I recall buying our first HD LCD TVs for the house. The main reason I kept the 5 CRT TVs was with the intention to watch VHS on those and run the older consoles.

 

[TintoConCasera]

I recall buying our first HD LCD TVs for the house. The main reason I kept the 5 CRT TVs was with the intention to watch VHS on those and run the older consoles.

You did very well! We had lots of CRTs at my parents house back in the day, and most of those ended up being thrown away... kinda sad since years later I found myself spending like 100€ on a CRT.

 

[ProgenitorCastle]

Generally real hardware and CRT is preferred, as you can enjoy light gun games and stuff like Eternal Darkness on there properly, but emulation and HDTV aint no slouch either. You can more comfortably play most games that way

 

[wvnative]

Gamecube - Emulator

PS2 - Original hardware

Xbox - Original hardware

Dreamcast - Emulator

 

[Belthazar]

I personally think PS2 game look great in HD/4K and filtered textures. So emulated is my choice

 

[Esppiral]

The poll is missing an option "Xbox Series S/X

 

[TintoConCasera]

Generally real hardware and CRT is preferred, as you can enjoy light gun games and stuff like Eternal Darkness on there properly, but emulation and HDTV aint no slouch either. You can more comfortably play most games that way

Lightguns! Man that's something I have to look into. Having a pair of guns and some games would be ballers.

Also, is there something wrong with emulating Eternal Darkness? That one's on my backlog and would like to play it the best way possible.

The poll is missing an option "Xbox Series S/X

Wasn't Microsoft closing the dev features and kinda stealing 20 bucks from everyone?

Anyway, I guess that would still fall under the emulation option.

 

[amigastar]

I'm all for emulation, i love emulation.

 

[Happosai]

You did very well! We had lots of CRTs at my parents house back in the day, and most of those ended up being thrown away... kinda sad since years later I found myself spending like 100€ on a CRT.

The lifespan on some of those CRTs is amazing too. Have two Samsung Tantus, a large Sony Trinitron and a smaller Emerson VCR combo. I imagine they'd been run 10's of thousands of hours and still flip on like they did in the 90's. I've had HD LCD TVs that only made it 3-years. My CRTs are all over 25-years old. The original reason for keeping was NES, Megadrive, Super Famicon and my SNES. I started running the 6th gens through the newer TVs initially -- but it just wasn't working for me. I recall when PS3 and 360 first came out trying to run them through CRT...and they needed that LCD HD screen. RCAs and cropping just wasn't working.

It's incredible that going back to buy CRTs that they'd be expensive but I know that. There was a time when people were giving them away almost for free.

 

[ProgenitorCastle]

Lightguns! Man that's something I have to look into. Having a pair of guns and some games would be ballers.

Also, is there something wrong with emulating Eternal Darkness? That one's on my backlog and would like to play it the best way possible.

I think old style lightguns work only on CRTs, so you may want to keep a CRT for them.

The sanity effects it's famous for depend on a CRT I believe

 

[Esppiral]

Lightguns! Man that's something I have to look into. Having a pair of guns and some games would be ballers.

Also, is there something wrong with emulating Eternal Darkness? That one's on my backlog and would like to play it the best way possible.


Wasn't Microsoft closing the dev features and kinda stealing 20 bucks from everyone?

Anyway, I guess that would still fall under the emulation option.

They backtracked, anyway you can install RetroArch in retail mode.... No need for dev mode....

 

[AJUMP23]

Whatever is most convenient.

 

[Happosai]

I think old style lightguns work only on CRTs, so you may want to keep a CRT for them.

The sanity effects it's famous for depend on a CRT I believe

This is true. Except this works more so with the CRTs that had the rounded screens (models pre-1999).

 

[ACESHIGH]

PS2 emulation is terrible. Lots of by game hacks. Cheap modded PS2 FTW.

 

[Max Payne’s Baretta]

Who voted against the CRT REVEAL YOUR SELVES

 

[TintoConCasera]

PS2 emulation is terrible. Lots of by game hacks. Cheap modded PS2 FTW.

Yeah that one is a given I think, can't think of any reasons to emulate PS2 if the emulation isn't perfect.

I even modded mine with a mini-router so it can read USB 2.0, neat stuff.

 

[nkarafo]

Emulation of 6th gen consoles isn't perfect.

Gamecube is nearly perfect.
PS2 is very good but a lot of games still have bugs
XBOX was bad, now i'm hearing is good, but still pretty early

 

[Happosai]

Yeah that one is a given I think, can't think of any reasons to emulate PS2 if the emulation isn't perfecr.

I even modded mine with a mini-router so it can read USB 2.0, neat stuff.

The poll's about to break! 50-50. How?

 

[TintoConCasera]

The poll's about to break! 50-50. How?

Yeah haha, I expected that GAF could convince me on which is the best way to play, but so far it's been a tie.

 

[Cryio]

1. If the PC port is good, then PC port.
2. If the port is seriously janky, then emulator.
3. If the game isn't properly emulated, is it available via back compat on a newer console? (Xbox 360 games on Xbox Series X)
4. Is the game not available on back compat? Then original hardware.

Bonus points: If you want to play PS2 titles that got a remastered HD release for PS3, play that game/collection via RPCS3 (PS3 emulator) in 4K60 for the best experience.

 

[chaseroni]

If the CRT is 480P then that's the answer.
So many assets were still designed around CRT's and look like ass when upscaled on an emulator (HUD especially can get messy)
Games like REmake just look insane on a CRT, the blending is real...

 

[eastcoastkody]

im so dumb for getting rid of my last CRT. my PS2 looks like shit on my new tv

 

[Drew1440]

PS2 - Actual hardware with component, many games like Ridge Racer V still have graphical issues on PCSX2, and you can expect to spend 10 minutes messing with the config to get the best graphics.
Xbox - actual hardware again, emulation is nowhere near mature
Dreamcast - this one emulates quite well on reasonable hardware, like the Nvidia Shield
Gamecube - either on Wii or Wii U or using dolphin, which has a few issues with some non-Nintendo games

 

[jshackles]

Gonna have to go with emulation on this one. PCSX2 (and it's associated Retroarch core) have really upped their game lately for emulating PS2 games. There are presently only 27 titles in their compatibility list that aren't playable from start to finish. 5 of those are different versions of Final Fantasy XI. 7 of them are duplicates (both NA and PAL version don't work). A handful of the others are PAL versions of games that have NA versions that work fine. Some games, like Everquest Adventures Frontiers, work fine with custom servers (they should probably update their compatibility list). 99+% of games work just fine.

Gamecube, Wii, and Dreamcast games I would argue are all also superior emulated. Upscaling, shaders, etc. all typically produce a better experience. You also have the convenience that comes with modern controllers (wireless mostly) and modern connectivity to larger TV sets (HDMI).

 

[baphomet]

Always original hardware running in the highest quality output possible into an upscaler (retrotink/framemeister/ossc).

Or into a crt with RGB/component if you have one.

These days you can store all the games worth playing for a given console on an SD card or hard drive and run everything from that.

 

[Esppiral]

Emulation of 6th gen consoles isn't perfect.

Gamecube is nearly perfect.
PS2 is very good but a lot of games still have bugs
XBOX was bad, now i'm hearing is good, but still pretty early

You forgot the Dreamcast....

 

[RoadHazard]

A very expensive Sony production quality CRT, obviously.

 

[Cohetedor]

I don't have a crt anymore but for GameCube original hardware 480p with Nintendo component cables still looks the best for me, even when blown up on a 100" screen.

 

[Soodanim]

Certain PS2 games were held back by the hardware, and are set free by emulators. Final Fantasy XII is the prime example. PS2 onwards is when games really start to benefit from emulation, to be cleaned up without having severe problems and still looking janky. PS1 games don’t clean up half as well as PS2 games.

A CRT is mandatory is it’s original hardware, because to use FFXII as an example again I remember when I first got an LCD to relate my CRT. The drop in visual quality for that game was astounding.

If I had known at the time, I’d have kept a CRT around. Even the little portable 15” thing I had.

 

[Graciaus]

If you have the PC specs to emulate it with multiple times the native resolution I would always recommend that.

 

[Ezquimacore]

Best way to play any game is PC. Including every emulator out there.