Compatibility with RetroUSB's AVS??

[Hanafuda]

Looked and didn't see a thread. Has anyone bought RetroUSB's AVS, and have you tested your N8 on it?? I'm not a fan of clone systems, but I have to admit it looks like they did a very good job on this. Slots for NES and Fami, 720p HDMI out, scanlines, and a price point ($185) that has me reconsidering my plans to NESRGB mod my AV Famicom. (which is pristine, and really doesn't deserve to be chopped even if the result is an improvement)

[Great Hierophant]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9lC68FNqpU

[Hanafuda]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9lC68FNqpU

Sweet.

[Hanafuda]

After watching some more videos about the AVS, I'm not so sure it's all that. I'm also not so sure I would even like the Hi-def NES mod or Analogue NT. NESRGB may be a slightly less sharp image due to it being a conversion of the analog signal, but that has its benefits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI60A3DpI6w

[thecavalry]

Being that the AVS is an FPGA solution, it has potential to add additional features and be continually updated. For $185 it provides great features, 100% compatibility with Everdrive/Powerpak/NES/Homebrew games, and value to retro enthusiasts -- in my opinion, much more so than the RGB mod and framemeister.

The NES-RGB solution loses some fidelity converting from analog to digital and requires expensive add-on hardware like the Framemeister to provide comparable high definition fidelity. It's definitely playing second chair to both the Hi-def NES and AVS, for me. (MUCH more expensive, less visual fidelity, no future updates outside of framemeister profiles). I have both an AVS and a Hi-def NES kit on order.

Hi-def NES and AVS both do not have any inherent lag introduced with the high def digital video output. --And both are compatible with Everdrive and all other NES games.

[Great Hierophant]

Being that the AVS is an FPGA solution, it has potential to add additional features and be continually updated. For $185 it provides great features, 100% compatibility with Everdrive/Powerpak/NES/Homebrew games, and value to retro enthusiasts -- in my opinion, much more so than the RGB mod and framemeister.

The NES-RGB solution loses some fidelity converting from analog to digital and requires expensive add-on hardware like the Framemeister to provide comparable high definition fidelity. It's definitely playing second chair to both the Hi-def NES and AVS, for me. (MUCH more expensive, less visual fidelity, no future updates outside of framemeister profiles). I have both an AVS and a Hi-def NES kit on order.

Hi-def NES and AVS both do not have any inherent lag introduced with the high def digital video output. --And both are compatible with Everdrive and all other NES games.

The Framemeister is a much more cost-effective solution if you have several RGB capable or modded systems you wish to hook up to your TV.  But if you are focused mainly on the NES, you may be better off buying an AVS. 

The AVS is not 100% compatible with the NES library, absent extraordinary measures there are 11 games that fail to work with the AVS. These are the games that require the Zapper and R.O.B.

[Hanafuda]

You both have some good points. One thing that concerned me after watching that video above (My Life in Gaming on NESRGB vs. Hi-Def NES) was the 'shimmer' effect on horizontal scrolling and uneven pixel sizes in any non-integer display ratio, but that there wasn't an integer ratio that produces a proper aspect ratio. The NESRGB mod doesn't have this problem.

Also, as for NESRGB's "no future updates", that's because it accomplishes all the console should do, i.e. output RGB. Any updates would be on the scaler end of things, which I need anyway because besides my AV Famicom there's also a bunch of other 240p output consoles here that need it too. 

In this more recent video specifically about the AVS, they had some very positive things to say, and again some not  so great (when comparing against NESRGB).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGSidnlOhd4

As they conclude, it's a nice compromise at a reasonable price for what it does.  It's tempting for me, as I'd really rather that my AV Fami remain unmolested. It's pretty nice. (pics)

[hunterk]

If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't want to mess with that sweet Famicom. Just FYI, Framemeisters do a pretty good job with composite, as well. so RGB-modding isn't absolutely necessary.

If it's a strictly either/or situation, I would recommend a Framemeister because it looks great and works with everything. I have an SNES over RGB, an N64 over svideo and a Wii over component running through mine.

I also preordered an AVS because my Analogue Nt has issues with my N8...

[Hanafuda]

If I were in your shoes ....

You cleared the haze a bit for me there. I appreciate your perspective on this situation. I think you're right about my AV Famicom ... I'm not gonna mod it. I get back to Japan every 2-3 years for vacation, so next time I'll just get another one, in more typical condition (which in Japan, would still be pretty good - they tend to take better care of their stuff).

As for the Framemeister, I think I'm gonna have to take that plunge too. I've been holding off because 1) it's been out for 5 years now, and I was hoping we'd see a 4k upgraded version announced soon, and 2) the dollar/yen rate has made it more expensive over the last year. But I also have a bunch of other consoles here that output 240p, so I definitely need the Framemeister. The only other retro console so far with an HDMI solution is the N64 (which needs it lol).

Thanks.

[hunterk]

I just received my AVS yesterday and haven't encountered any issues with my N8. Expansion audio works and sounds good (variable expansion volume is nice) and no crashes/freezes like I get with my Analogue Nt (tested SMB2USA and Ninja Gaiden 3, among others).

[Thomas83Lin]

I've been holding off on the AVS, If anyone could test Ultima Exdous, I'd appreciate it. Its got horizontal line glitches on the hi def kit. I'd like to see if they happen on the AVS too. Here's a video of the problem. Its happens on Org Cart and N8, either is fine to test for the problem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izHbbEa385U

[Slashbunny]

I got my AVS yesterday and tried it with the EverDrive N8. After playing Gun-Nac for about 30 minutes, I had a freeze. I tried Castlevania 3 and had the same problem in about the same period of time. The AVS was plugged into the USB to AC adapter. Pressing the AVS menu hotkey didn't do anything.

I played Castlevania 3 with an original cart on the AVS for over an hour without any issues, so it doesn't appear it's an issue with the AVS.

I also was one of the people with random freezing issues with the Analogue NT. So I wonder if there is some other compatibility issues with the AVS as well or perhaps my EverDrive N8 is the thing that's the problem (I'm using SanDisk Ultra 16GB Class 10 SDHC UHS-I card in it with current No-Intro ROMs).

[thecavalry]

Reformat the sd-card and restore the OS and ROMs from an original source. DO NOT just copy them from the card to your computer and then back again.

Download a new copy of the latest OS from the site here, and load the roms from wherever you store them on your pc. Then, test to eliminate the possibility that it is structure/file corruption on your card. Then test with a different SD card, if you have one, that is a different brand and possibly not UHS-I.

[ginoscope]

I've been holding off on the AVS, If anyone could test Ultima Exdous, I'd appreciate it. Its got horizontal line glitches on the hi def kit. I'd like to see if they happen on the AVS too. Here's a video of the problem. Its happens on Org Cart and N8, either is fine to test for the problem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izHbbEa385U

I just tested the org cart of Ultima Exodus on my AVS and I did not see those horizontal lines from that video.  It's a pretty good system for the price.  I have a nesrgb and a high def nes and I am quite impressed with the AVS.  Every cart I have thrown at it has worked just fine.

[mario64]

I just received my AVS yesterday and haven't encountered any issues with my N8. Expansion audio works and sounds good (variable expansion volume is nice) and no crashes/freezes like I get with my Analogue Nt (tested SMB2USA and Ninja Gaiden 3, among others).

You mention expansion audio. Does Retro USB have its own expansion audio support or does it rely on the N8?