Bob

RetroTINK-Ultimate EOL Update

Mike Chi has just announced that his “TINKUltimate” Raspberry Pi hat is approaching it’s end of life (EOL).

Update – CastleMania is now carrying them:  https://bit.ly/2QTc5IG

I have mixed feelings about this.  First and foremost, the Ultimate offered a way for people to get RGB, VGA, Component Video, S-Video and composite from their Pi, making it by far the most versatile solution for Pi users.  Luckily, there are alternatives out there.

For RGB SCART users, the RGB-Pi is an excellent solution and one that I’ve been praising since I first tested the original prototype!  Their software is also some of the best I’ve tested and overall is a great solution for people who choose to emulate their games (I emulate arcade boards, but game on real consoles…to each their own!).

Next, there has been quite a lot of progress in manipulating the Pi’s HDMI output.  We’re now able to output CRT-compatible 240p right from the HDMI port, meaning you can use a cheap HDMI to Component or HDMI to VGA box (plus sync combiner) to convert this HDMI signal into something your RGB monitor or consumer-grade TV will accept.  I’ve personally tested some of these boxes (links below) and while I’d prefer a direct “HDMI to SCART” cable, these boxes seem to work well and don’t add any measurable lag to the signal.

So if you’re looking for a multi-outputting Raspberry Pi hat, make sure to get an Ultimate while they’re still available:  RetroTINK Ultimate

 

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