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New Retrode production run, back in stock at Dragonbox.de!

So, a few months ago the guys that run DragonBox (makers of OpenPandora handheld amongst other things) announced that they had bought the rights or the designs or whatever to the Retrode. Well, they just announced today that they in stock!

About $60 for the device, and the slow shipping isn't too bad (expensive if you do like 4 day UPS).

https://twitter.com/EvilDragon1717/status/581447066532069377

https://www.dragonbox.de/en/consoles-and-tools/71-retrode-2-1.html

Pretty excited, gonna probably order one of the new Raspberry Pis as well.

edit - For those unfamiliar with the Retrode.

The Retrode will be available again end of 2014 / early 2015 - we will produce it ourselves (licensed from the original designer).
Use the eMail-Reminder on the Product Page to receive an eMail when it will be ready!

The Retrode is the world’s bestest USB adapter for vintage video games. Play your 16-bit console games on your computer/cell phone/tablet/whatnot, using your original cartridges and controllers!

What’s needed?
•Game cartridges, and lots of them
•Game controllers
•Emulators for SNES/SFC and Genesis/Mega Drive
•A computer with a USB port, running any of the above (Windows/Linux/MacOS/*NIX) - Caanoo and Pandora work fine as well.
•A Retrode!

The Retrode is for you if…
•you like playing legacy video games on your PC, Pandora or Caanoo and doing so legally
•you want to preserve your investment in these games, even after all hardware has expired
•you want to back up your game progress, e.g. before replacing the cartridge battery
•you like emulator cheats, but prefer to finish the boss on the real console
•you simply think it’s cool to plug huge game cartridges into a PDA or cell phone

The Retrode is not for you if… you don’t see the difference between making private backup copies of games that you own, and downloading 10,000 ROMs from the internets.

Features
•Cartridge slots for Sega Genesis/MD and Nintendo SNES/SFC games. Access ROM (program/data) and SRAM (savegames)! Custom-made connectors of video game quality.
•2×2 ports for Sega and SNES controllers.
•USB 2.0 Full-Speed composite device for driverless operation under any OS, using any emulator.
•Easy to use, configure and update.
•Expandable using plug-in adapters.
•Made in Germany.
•Dimensions and weight: 162mm x 80mm x 42mm, 200g (6.4″ x 3.2″ x 1.7″, 0.4lbs)
•Includes USB cable and instruction sheet.
•Download the manual here.

Demo Video
 
They're also getting ready to release the successor to the Pandora, the Pyra. Now that Craig isn't involved, hopefully users are more happy with the delivery experience.
 
Just bought one of these with signed mail shipping. Ended up being $66 plus change. Not bad considering these things are hard to come by. It's going to be awesome collecting Genesis and SNES carts again. I plan to get the N64 and Gameboy plugins once he releases those too.
 
They're also getting ready to release the successor to the Pandora, the Pyra. Now that Craig isn't involved, hopefully users are more happy with the delivery experience.

I vaguely remember the pandora and how awfully ridiculous the shipping wait time was. What was the story behind this Craig guy?
 
They're also getting ready to release the successor to the Pandora, the Pyra. Now that Craig isn't involved, hopefully users are more happy with the delivery experience.

I was so excited to get this, but I chose the cheapest delivery method and I hope it doesn't take a month to get here. I took a chance never having ordered from Dragonbox so I will see how this experience goes. If it all goes smooth I will be eager to buy the N64 and Gameboy plugin from Dragonbox as well.
 

Lafazar

Member
I vaguely remember the pandora and how awfully ridiculous the shipping wait time was. Was that's the story behind this Craig guy?

The short and simplified version is that Craig started the Pandora project but was really bad at organizing and communication, screwing a lot of people over (there are today still around 500 people who paid and never got one) and almost killing the project.

EvilDragon (who has turned out to be competent and is a really great person) was left alone to pick up the pieces and pretty much single-handedly saved the project by moving the production to Germany at great financial and personal cost (he says he slept less than 3-5 hours a night for a while because he had to keep his day job). He still offers a Pandora (and soon its successor Pyra) at production costs for those screwed over by Craig and hopes to finally get out of the red with the Pyra and side projects like the Retrode.
 

Borman

Member
Need to buy one to dump some prototypes. Was hoping to borrow one since I really dont need to own one, but no one ever followed through.
 
Need to buy one to dump some prototypes. Was hoping to borrow one since I really dont need to own one, but no one ever followed through.

What kind of prototypes do you have? Did you spend alot of money on them and how did you come across them?

I am going to start off buying some of the cheaper, but essential SNES and Genesis games then graduate to some of the more coveted expensive games, but I will have to buy those gradually.

When I dump them I am going to experiment with different emulators and filters for the best experience. I am really excited for the N64 plugin, because I have GoldenEye and Perfect Dark waiting to be dumped. I also want to track down Rocket Robot on Wheels as I have yet to experience that game.
 

Borman

Member
What kind of prototypes do you have? Did you spend alot of money on them and how did you come across them?

I am going to start off buying some of the cheaper, but essential SNES and Genesis games then graduate to some of the more coveted expensive games, but I will have to buy those gradually.

When I dump them I am going to experiment with different emulators and filters for the best experience. I am really excited for the N64 plugin, because I have GoldenEye and Perfect Dark waiting to be dumped. I also want to track down Rocket Robot on Wheels as I have yet to experience that game.

Nothing special since I dont really collect prototypes for cart-based systems. Just late versions of Leading Jockey 2 for the SFC and Stargate on the Genesis.
 

ElTorro

I wanted to dominate the living room. Then I took an ESRAM in the knee.
Bought one, works perfectly under Mac OS X. The cartridge is mounted as a USB drive with the game and the save state (and a configuration file for the Retrode) available as files. The controller ports are attached as simple controllers and work fine with Snes9x.

Hope they start making the N64 adapters, too.
 
Bought one, works perfectly under Mac OS X. The cartridge is mounted as a USB drive with the game and the save state (and a configuration file for the Retrode) available as files. The controller ports are attached as simple controllers and work fine with Snes9x.

Hope they start making the N64 adapters, too.

I bought this so I could have a legitimate collection of roms on my computer to enjoy with the latest and greatest emulators out there. I am big on retro games but not so much on the clutter of retro systems, so devices like this allow me to enjoy all these games without worrying about when and if they show up on the latest consoles.


The last I checked there was still 200+ Retrode 2's left on Dragonbox

And yes this site has some Sega Master system plugins right now with the N64 and GBx plugins coming sometime in the future.
 

Raw64life

Member
Bought this a few years ago and it was awesome. I always meant to buy the Game Boy adapter for it but then they stopped making them. I'd be all over the GB adapter if they make them again.
 
Well just got my Retrode today.
0NN9MHa.jpg


Can't wait to try this baby out.
 
Looks like Dragonbox is in this for the long haul. Currently it shows 861 Retrodes in stock with newly added plugins (with pictures and price) for N64 and GBx. Each of those will be $27+ when they come out in the near future, but right now it still shows out of stock. Link
 
Yeah, mine came in a couple days ago. Windows read it right away and my RetroPie was even able to detect the SNES controller I had plugged in to map the controller buttons.
 
Yeah, mine came in a couple days ago. Windows read it right away and my RetroPie was even able to detect the SNES controller I had plugged in to map the controller buttons.
The only trouble I had were with 2 of my cartridges. They weren't being read, but as soon as I cleaned the contacts with rubbing alcohol I had no problems whatsoever. This thing is unbelievable on how quick and simple it is.
 

Khaz

Member
Oh good, I have a Retrode 2 from when Matthias was making them directly and selling them at www.retrode.org.

I hope the guys from dragonsoft will also carry on developing new adapters.
 
Oh good, I have a Retrode 2 from when Matthias was making them directly and selling them at www.retrode.org.

I hope the guys from dragonsoft will also carry on developing new adapters.

I tweeted EvilDragon from Dragonbox asking about this and I am really hoping he does some official plugins for PC Engine/Turbo Grafx. I even asked for an NES plugin even though that is more difficult to pull off.
 
Looks like Dragonbox is in this for the long haul. Currently it shows 861 Retrodes in stock with newly added plugins (with pictures and price) for N64 and GBx. Each of those will be $27+ when they come out in the near future, but right now it still shows out of stock. Link

Awesome, hope ED gets a famicom one up too at some point.

Their SSL certificate is not safe. Buyer beware.

Firefox thinks it's fine. Where are you seeing it's not?
 

Iolo

Member
Am I missing something? Cause the cert looks good on my end...

cGoYhvD.png

Actually, you have a worse problem. Your antivirus program has installed a root certificate on your PC so it can masquerade as the encrypted site you are connecting to, then decrypt and scan all your SSL traffic. That means invalid certificates will show up as valid, since the cert your antivirus software makes up for your browser is signed by that trusted root cert. So, you can't see this problem.

In fact the real certificate is ultimately issued by Thawte CA.

If you want to know more then Google for "avast web mail shield root".
 
Actually, you have a worse problem. Your antivirus program has installed a root certificate on your PC so it can masquerade as the encrypted site you are connecting to, then decrypt and scan all your SSL traffic. That means invalid certificates will show up as valid, since the cert your antivirus software makes up for your browser is signed by that trusted root cert. So, you can't see this problem.

In fact the real certificate is ultimately issued by Thawte CA.

If you want to know more then Google for "avast web mail shield root".

I have a Thawte certificate but firefox says it expires 01/08/2017
 
Plenty. It only adds a new drive containing a ROM file, a savefile if available, and a config txt. Then you use them however you want, just like any ROM you would have downloaded from the Internet.
Ah, so it's just dumping the info and you still have to run it through an emulator?
 

Seik

Banned
Still have my good old 2012 Retrode on top of my PC, this is a good device, guys.

I'm glad there's a new batch, more people will have access to it. :)

Ah, so it's just dumping the info and you still have to run it through an emulator?

Exactly.
 

Khaz

Member
Ah, so it's just dumping the info and you still have to run it through an emulator?

Yes, it's a cartridge reader. Whatever you do with the files you get is up to you.
And because it's USB you can use it on plenty of things besides a desktop computer.

I used to have a system to automatically use a translation patch on the dumped rom then start an emulator, while my progress would be saved on the cartridge directly. It made a nice user experience where clicking that shortcut icon felt like pressing power on a real console.
 
Dragonbox now has the GBx plugin available for the Retrode 2 here.

There are 170+ in stock at the moment. As long as the stock holds up I am going to wait till he has the N64 plugin available(which should be soon) so I can order them both at the same time.
 
Just FYI for anyone who was still looking for one that the GBx, SMS and N64 plugin carts which have been out of stock for ages are available again at dragonbox.
 
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