Note: I had to re-upload the video with some adjustments : the audio comparison at 4:51 is interrupted by some of my music as it was flagged for copyright, but you should still get a good sense of how the audio compares with an original system.
I find a lot of the Retro Clone consoles are all pretty much hit n miss these days. I am hoping that we get something from one of these companies that is given the proper respect and support from the original companies, and I'm not talking about consoles like the SNES and NES Classics
I would either go with a SNES Mini and just hack it to add the games I wanted, or go Android TV box and a nice controller, or up the tech tree even more a media center PC can emulate so many of these older systems and I enjoy doing all these things (except the SNES Mini I don't have one yet... lol) Emulation has gotten so good for these older systems that, if not for the feeling or holding a physical copy of something that just can't be emulated, I would go all emulation. But it looks like even a cheap 50 dollar Android TV box from China with 16GB's of storage (more than enough for every SNES game made) and a controller would be a better option than this. (with the right emulator of course there are a couple of them on the playstore that DO sound worse than this machine he is reviewing.)
The reason you don't see a Cortex CPU is because this system has a true-sh 6502 in the form of the traditional Chinese TCT-970 series SNES ASIC set. It's more or less a SNES in and out. However, the HDMI is available only through some very shoddy upscaling. Looking at the board, you can see a distinct lack of filtering in the ADC lines, which will surely garble the signal. You can always wrap the console in aluminum foil to see if that helps the video quality :P
Don't blame the SPC700 clone for the abysmal bass levels, blame the HDMI chipset. There are certain HDMI scalers in these clones that absolutely destroy the lower end of the audio spectrum and I am unsure of any way to remedy this short of tossing out the scaler and devising a new one from scratch. If this carries over to analog audio as well, blame the audio amp. The SPC700 clone used in Super NES hardware clones is actually pretty damn faithful to the original, but on many clones, its output is mangled by a half-baked audio amp. Those that get it right, though, do a stellar job with audio. Also, mono audio over HDMI looks to be the result of a massive oversight on the HDMI scaler where only ONE audio input is provided. It's as if the scaler was designed for NES clones first, then just tossed directly into MegaDrive and Super NES hardware clones without ever considering their stereo output. As for the chipset, it's a pure hardware clone reverse-engineered from an actual Super NES chipset. The TCT-976 is a single-chip clone of the twin PPUs, the TCT-978 is a clone of the 5A22 CPU and the TCT-975 is a single-chip clone of the SPC700 audio hardware with an integrated DAC. The smaller rectangular chips around those are RAM, and be sure to inspect those, there's a major problem with these clones using 3.3V RAM directly connected to the chipset with either 3.3V power or a total overvolt to 5V. Neither are good for the system's longevity as the RAM, if powered by 3.3V, will stress the chipset (and possibly the cartridges, I didn't check if the cartridge slot is connected to any of the RAM, so don't take my word for it regarding cartridges) by dropping voltage at the I/O pins due to the ESD diodes in the RAM, which will cause the chipset to push an excessive amount of current to compensate for the voltage drop. Having the RAM running at 5V, well, that is going to irreparably damage the RAM over time and require replacing the faulty chip(s) entirely. Lastly, what is that little Ni chip near the white ribbon cable? It looks to be taking in the analog RGB video output from the TCT-976, but I can't say for sure (normally, this would be encoded to Composite and S-Video by means of a CXA1645, KA2198BD or similar video encoder, but I don't see anything like that with this system).
this is good info. if what you are saying is correct then via the AV out i should get much cleaner audio? i will try it tonight and see if there are any differences.
You might, but you also might get the same crappy audio as the HDMI output. There is no consistency between clones, so what you get on one system may not carry over to another. If your TV is able to override audio over HDMI with audio from an analog input and it's in stereo with less distortion, I would suggest going that route to get better sound out of these cheapo HDMI clones. Even a capture device with an analog audio input should do the job.
After a ton of digging, I know what that chip is. It's a GT204 by the chip markings. I've encountered GT208's a lot in my Genesis teardowns, and what I do know about them is that the 208's provide only mono sound and a composite rail with a sense path that disables itself when an HDMI connection is found. The good news is, if it's anything like the GT208, it is fed pure, sexy RGB, and the pins can be lifted, passed through probably something as simple as a THS7314, and straight into a scart cable for some great audio and video from a clone console. But like what Ace said, this may not be the same for every console they produce. It's likely they're sourcing the board as a whole from different suppliers. The GT20x series of composite feeds are common, but I don't have enough data to ensure that they're available everywhere.
I'm not so sure using a THS7314 is a good idea, at least not when poking around the 8-Bit HD. Unless I have the wrong signals, it looks as though the RGB signals are at a voltage of 4Vpp, which is far too much for any device (those want 0.7Vpp, so the signal needs to be at 1.4Vpp and passed through a 75ohm resistor to the TV/converter, etc.). I'm also not convinced that GT204 is the actual scaler; it might be something else in the video conversion chain that takes the analog RGB out of the TCT-976 and does something to the signal before reaching a GT208 or equivalent that could possibly be hidden under the motherboard. Board shots from both the top and bottom would be welcome here.
I have the datasheet for the type of ram used in this console, and it seems it supports a maximum voltage of 5v. How is running it at 5 volts going to damage the chip exactly if that is the rating its made for?
You rock my world MVG. Very thorough and honest video. It takes guts and courage to share your honest opinion about something when it is gifted to you (especially when you have a negative opinion about it), but it is the right thing to do. Much respect! And you did it with class. You didn't just come out and bash them, you also pointed out the positives. Extremely well done. You are now my #1 trusted reviewer!
The sound is mono like you said, but I noticed too that it's extremely crackly as well! That's a bit of a deal breaker for me. Thanks for this in-depth review!
Let's have a look at the "big" chips: TCT-978 is the main CPU, TCT-976 are the PPU's (both of them in one chip) and the last one is a TCT-975 which is a Sony SPC700 clone. This system from the looks of it does not emulate in a "modern" sense that the rom is dumped into the memory etc...This is a CPU and PPU clone. The Retro3N uses the same chips btw.
because of your honest opinion i just subscribed to your channel. im a collector and im some kind of a purist. but im trying to get an alternative snes for my channel. i almost bought this and i stumbled upon your review and the sound is also a deal breaker for me. thanks my friend. ill check more of your videos. btw i have an original snes and a super famicom. im just looking for something practical and easy to plug in but at the same time i want the sound and picture to be loyal to the original source. thanks again.
Thank you ! - i want to be as honest as possible about what you are buying I don't want to be known as just another 'reviewer' who praises the system because it was sent from the company. If you own the original SNES and Super Famicom then sadly you wont be happy with this. Hopefully my video will act as a reminder to these company's to do a better job of releasing clone consoles going forward. Thank you for watching!
I appauld you for making a true review of the system we need more CZcamsrs like you.As you mentioned before others have done videos on this and say I highly recommend this system and I'm like did other true gamers like myself not see and listen to the video that was shown?I even wrote to one big time CZcamsr about being honest and not sugar coating the reviews on all these systems and of coarse no response...but wont be long I'm fixin to unsubscribe to a lot of the CZcamsrs that are spreading false information on anything gaming related being retro or current gen.Thank you for being honest and keep up the good work :)
Regarding the "cartridge lock" feature: it was missing in the vast majority of North American SNES consoles. The cartridges were even redesigned to defeat it some time in 1993 (sloped face that pushes the bolt back). Only early SNES consoles have the lock. None of them with the sticker about powering off before inserting or removing the game had the locking mechanism.
Great in depth review! I personally like the concept of these systems a little more than the "Mini 30 built in game" consoles/systems, even though I always prefer original hardware. But agreed, the terrible sound on it's own would be a dealbreaker for me!
Same problem with the Atgames Sega handhelds, and the Neo Geo X - all just rushed out with aweful sound etc. Tat seems to be the best word to categorise these all as lol.
MsMadLemon And considering just how lovely the SNES can sound, the lousy audio in this console just kills it for me! I think I'll keep my Super Famicom on my TV and run the sound through a hifi system.
Wow, another great video. Sadly a great video of a turd of a console. I guess you won't be on Gamerztek Christmas card list! It really is sad to see a "review" of something like this and they never mention the terribad audio or noisy video. As you mentioned, many of the retro gamer channels need to really raise their game and stop padding out their channel content with junk reviews of flawed products.
Huh, only mono audio at low quality & noisy digital video? Well i hope this review will force the company to fix these issues before bringing this unit on the market because they should know by now that nobody wants this unit because of these issues, unless they will fix it.
Good thing I got an actual Super Famicom in Akihabara, instead of an SFC Compact or that thing you’re reviewing and something similar. Later on, I received an American SNES from my Bro as my late Birthday present😊
I love your channel because you do real Amiga and computer things. Please do not go the track with the others and get lost by doing these sort of things. Everyone is doing this.
The PC board is nearly identical to the main board holding the SNES cartridge connector (the FC Twin's second PC board holds the connector for NES carts) in the 2006 Yobo FC Twin: From: www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread.php?30576-Yobo-FC-Twin-SNES-clones-chipsets-questions about the FC Twin: _"From what I can tell, it looks like a hybrid of the original 1990 chipset design as well as the later SNS-CPU-APU-01 board which uses a single chip for the SPC700-based audio hardware. On modern chipsets, the CPU is the TCT-978, the two S-PPU chips (PPU = Picture Processing Unit) are combined into the TCT-976 and the TCT-975 is the single-chip SPC700 (S-SMP, the SNES audio processing unit) clone."_ The main chips used in the GamerzTek Super Nintendo Famicom Clone, TCT-975, TCT-978, and TCT-976, are the same as those used in the Yobo FC Twin's SNES clone section. Also: forums.nesdev.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12508&start=15 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Twin The FC Twin can play both NES and SNES cartridges: www.amazon.com/SNES-NES-Video-System-Nintendo-Super/dp/B000R2I68O
All of these clones use a 1chip that is seemingly identical to Nintendo's own 1chip (internally). I don't think it ever had an SPC in it though. How do the other clones handle SPC audio?
The SNES has an SPC700 based chip (called the Nintendo S-SMP) as for other consoles, they use some sort of clone or a newer compatible IC. You could also integrate all of the chips in one package...making it a SOC SNES :)
Thatguy101987 Amazon US has SNES scart cables for $8. They work well with HDMI converters. Ive a more expensive Scart cable I imported from Poland, but both seem to work just as well.
Great review. What I like most is opening case and see what is inside. I support projects that develop their own hardware instead of doing software emulation on plain RPI. This might be good product if they address issues you takled about.
It still looks pretty promising though other than the sound. These retro remake devices always seem to cheap out on sound -- almost like it's an afterthought.
I think you are doing sound comparisons you should play the same clip on the clone AND on the real system back to back. People may not be familiar with the samples you chose. I love you honest reviews though. Too bad so many people on CZcams just give things good or even neutral reviews because they got the product free.
GadgetUK164 - Retro Gaming Repairs & Mods How do you feel about the Analogue Super NT? It's from Kevtris who also made the Hi-Def NES but due to the way the various SNES PPU configurations a retrofit for a real SNES isn't feasible. It also replicates the SNES from scratch without basing it on any existing clone hardware so I don't expect the same kinds of issues. If I have to take a clone, it's going to be the Analogue Super NT... unless jwdonal's VeriSNES results in an even better FPGA SNES product or kit! ;)
It's a wonderful accomplishment, and I can see why some people are drawn to them, but emulation isn't so far off the quality you get from an FPGA based system, that's the main thing I have a hard time understanding. If I was going to go down that route I would have a hard time justifying something like the Analogue Super NT vs a Rasberry Pi. Technically the FPGA based system is better, especially if Kevtris worked on it, but a Pi is like $30 and neither are actually original hardware, so I guess that's why they just don't appeal to me.
GadgetUK164 - Retro Gaming Repairs & Mods I see it as functional replication on a logic chip level rather than emulation. With the Hi-Def NES and NES RGB you were already using an FPGA to replicate the PPU and audio functions. It's the only way to get anything other than composite video from an NES and it's as original as possible (even to the point of fitting between the original PPU). For NES, it's a compromise I'm willing to accept. For the Super NES, CPU/PPU/PPU2 configurations force any similar device to also replicate the CPU functions and then you are still left with awkwardly interfacing between a QFP on a 1chip console. I don't think a kit can reasonably sell an interposer for a QFP, so I'm willing to accept the Super NT. That said, if someone decides to do it anyway (with, say, VeriSNES), it'll be just the excuse I need to get that equipment and install the mod! A VeriSNES-based FPGA SNES HDMI mod that replaces the original CPU/PPU could be considered MORE original than the original in some ways, considering that clones use the exact same 1chip core as the late SNES consoles and that even the real SNES consoles with it had the same "clone" issues.
Great review mate. Guess I won't be getting this clone. An irrelevant question: I'm about to order one of those SNK t-shirts from fangamer. What's your height and which size t-shirt did you go for cause I know these can be way off compared to the EU size chart. Many thanks.
Growing up with Nintendo and Sega Genesis, while compared to now the visuals in games are not much to look at but it's always about the sound for me. The sound of a game brings back memories and what should count in my mind. Otherwise the immersion is ruined.
Everdrive support is key in my honest opinion. For some reason the sound and visuals of the Snes/Superfamicom clones often is quite good but not on this one. A crying shame PAL isn't supported :(
If other reviewers didn't mention sound or video issues, maybe it is more likely that there was something wrong with your unit than 4 other reviewers not noticing distorted sound or noisy video? Also, did you try using the included power adapter? You mentioned plugging it directly into your TV for power, but a lot of the USB ports on TVs provide either noisy power or insufficient power for something like this.
I noticed Turrican as a review title...amazing how cheap titles are on the Genesis and Snes that were for the Amiga...too bad regarding flaws...cheers.
Hmm... Gordon Ramsey and the other guy that just abruptly appears on screen at 8:34 was rather confusing :O Oh and you mention that people reviewing this type of stuff should put the systems more like under a microscope. Personally I felt you could've done the same; I was expecting more info about the innards of the machine, especially, highlighting the chips used and going through their technical details and how exactly do they operate (Emulation or FPGA-type of SoC etc.). I'm sure one can get info on them simply by googling the models? If not, that would've been worthy of mentioning, so the viewers know that you've done your research. However apart from these things, a good video.
For $50 you can get a Raspberry Pi 3 with a case and power supply and get all the games and EmulationStation for free. Search CZcams on how to do this (and examples of it working). On a plus note, you would also be able to play: NES Amiga 500/600/1000/1200 (I think) Atari 2600/600/800/ST Sinclair Spectrum Commodore 64 MAME (Arcade games) Genesis Master System Game Gear PC Engine (Turbo Grafx 16) and LOTS more!
JustWasted3HoursHere exactly what I do. I use OSMC for the base install and then added RetroPie via the Retrosmc install script. Having both co-existing and being able to easily switch between them is awesome.
says that the review community needs to get better yet totally misunderstands the internal components and labels the device as emulation... just plain stupid
Yeah, once I heard the sound I was never going to buy this. Scratchy audio is worse than none at all. Wonder why the SOC solutions like this all have noisy audio?
I hate to be so nerd about it, but the Super Famicom is probably the most stunning looking console ever made (along with the Dreamcast and PC Engine). I always wanted one to get my retro on, but unfortunately they have that same yellowing-plastic issue the SuperNES did. Beyond that, anything emulated is going to have shortcomings, unfortunately. Now, if they made a Super Famicom that didn't go yellow, I'd pretty much be set. :)
People hate on the clone systems and everything I get it that a lot of people want the original systems but I feel like the original systems are getting really old and I feel like eventually they're going to break down just from old age unless you know how to fix them or know a repair shop that refixes old games like that that's why I feel like these clone consoles help out
I own this and I`m happy with my purchase.It plays all my games,and chinese multicarts.The controllers are pretty good and close to the original SNES.I recommend it.
Is not a emulation is a true hardware clone build with new higher quality parts next to cart slot is the video ram (your console may be faulty as the sound of my is much louder and clear the on original snes, wach other reviews. .)Single difference between the two, I like more the original snes controlers
There must be something I'm missing because the audio sounded perfectly fine to me...if you wanna talk about horrible audio, go get yourself an AtGames Genesis (Mega Drive to you, I'd imagine) Classic, _then_ tell us how bad the audio on this SNES clone is lol Picture looks fine, too. I dunno, maybe I'm not as much of a stickler as I thought I was. I'd buy it.
Honestly the audio isn't a deal breaker for me because most of the time nowadays even when I'm playing like a game that actually has sound effects and a lot of talking in it I have the TV down so it doesn't really matter to me I'm just looking for a cheaper newer alternative to playing my old games and honestly as long as it plays them and has decent quality I don't care
Note: I had to re-upload the video with some adjustments : the audio comparison at 4:51 is interrupted by some of my music as it was flagged for copyright, but you should still get a good sense of how the audio compares with an original system.
indeed - it sucks :(
I find a lot of the Retro Clone consoles are all pretty much hit n miss these days. I am hoping that we get something from one of these companies that is given the proper respect and support from the original companies, and I'm not talking about consoles like the SNES and NES Classics
I would either go with a SNES Mini and just hack it to add the games I wanted, or go Android TV box and a nice controller, or up the tech tree even more a media center PC can emulate so many of these older systems and I enjoy doing all these things (except the SNES Mini I don't have one yet... lol)
Emulation has gotten so good for these older systems that, if not for the feeling or holding a physical copy of something that just can't be emulated, I would go all emulation.
But it looks like even a cheap 50 dollar Android TV box from China with 16GB's of storage (more than enough for every SNES game made) and a controller would be a better option than this. (with the right emulator of course there are a couple of them on the playstore that DO sound worse than this machine he is reviewing.)
You ruined the compasion section with techno. Only 1700 views. It's not too late and re-cut the video with >10 second audio clips.
+trixter192 i tried that and the video was immediately flagged. Either way you get the idea about the sound .
The reason you don't see a Cortex CPU is because this system has a true-sh 6502 in the form of the traditional Chinese TCT-970 series SNES ASIC set. It's more or less a SNES in and out. However, the HDMI is available only through some very shoddy upscaling. Looking at the board, you can see a distinct lack of filtering in the ADC lines, which will surely garble the signal. You can always wrap the console in aluminum foil to see if that helps the video quality :P
great info - thank you very much
Don't blame the SPC700 clone for the abysmal bass levels, blame the HDMI chipset. There are certain HDMI scalers in these clones that absolutely destroy the lower end of the audio spectrum and I am unsure of any way to remedy this short of tossing out the scaler and devising a new one from scratch. If this carries over to analog audio as well, blame the audio amp. The SPC700 clone used in Super NES hardware clones is actually pretty damn faithful to the original, but on many clones, its output is mangled by a half-baked audio amp. Those that get it right, though, do a stellar job with audio.
Also, mono audio over HDMI looks to be the result of a massive oversight on the HDMI scaler where only ONE audio input is provided. It's as if the scaler was designed for NES clones first, then just tossed directly into MegaDrive and Super NES hardware clones without ever considering their stereo output.
As for the chipset, it's a pure hardware clone reverse-engineered from an actual Super NES chipset. The TCT-976 is a single-chip clone of the twin PPUs, the TCT-978 is a clone of the 5A22 CPU and the TCT-975 is a single-chip clone of the SPC700 audio hardware with an integrated DAC. The smaller rectangular chips around those are RAM, and be sure to inspect those, there's a major problem with these clones using 3.3V RAM directly connected to the chipset with either 3.3V power or a total overvolt to 5V. Neither are good for the system's longevity as the RAM, if powered by 3.3V, will stress the chipset (and possibly the cartridges, I didn't check if the cartridge slot is connected to any of the RAM, so don't take my word for it regarding cartridges) by dropping voltage at the I/O pins due to the ESD diodes in the RAM, which will cause the chipset to push an excessive amount of current to compensate for the voltage drop. Having the RAM running at 5V, well, that is going to irreparably damage the RAM over time and require replacing the faulty chip(s) entirely.
Lastly, what is that little Ni chip near the white ribbon cable? It looks to be taking in the analog RGB video output from the TCT-976, but I can't say for sure (normally, this would be encoded to Composite and S-Video by means of a CXA1645, KA2198BD or similar video encoder, but I don't see anything like that with this system).
this is good info. if what you are saying is correct then via the AV out i should get much cleaner audio? i will try it tonight and see if there are any differences.
You might, but you also might get the same crappy audio as the HDMI output. There is no consistency between clones, so what you get on one system may not carry over to another.
If your TV is able to override audio over HDMI with audio from an analog input and it's in stereo with less distortion, I would suggest going that route to get better sound out of these cheapo HDMI clones. Even a capture device with an analog audio input should do the job.
After a ton of digging, I know what that chip is. It's a GT204 by the chip markings. I've encountered GT208's a lot in my Genesis teardowns, and what I do know about them is that the 208's provide only mono sound and a composite rail with a sense path that disables itself when an HDMI connection is found.
The good news is, if it's anything like the GT208, it is fed pure, sexy RGB, and the pins can be lifted, passed through probably something as simple as a THS7314, and straight into a scart cable for some great audio and video from a clone console.
But like what Ace said, this may not be the same for every console they produce. It's likely they're sourcing the board as a whole from different suppliers. The GT20x series of composite feeds are common, but I don't have enough data to ensure that they're available everywhere.
I'm not so sure using a THS7314 is a good idea, at least not when poking around the 8-Bit HD. Unless I have the wrong signals, it looks as though the RGB signals are at a voltage of 4Vpp, which is far too much for any device (those want 0.7Vpp, so the signal needs to be at 1.4Vpp and passed through a 75ohm resistor to the TV/converter, etc.).
I'm also not convinced that GT204 is the actual scaler; it might be something else in the video conversion chain that takes the analog RGB out of the TCT-976 and does something to the signal before reaching a GT208 or equivalent that could possibly be hidden under the motherboard. Board shots from both the top and bottom would be welcome here.
I have the datasheet for the type of ram used in this console, and it seems it supports a maximum voltage of 5v. How is running it at 5 volts going to damage the chip exactly if that is the rating its made for?
You rock my world MVG. Very thorough and honest video. It takes guts and courage to share your honest opinion about something when it is gifted to you (especially when you have a negative opinion about it), but it is the right thing to do. Much respect! And you did it with class. You didn't just come out and bash them, you also pointed out the positives. Extremely well done. You are now my #1 trusted reviewer!
thanks Bill !
The sound is mono like you said, but I noticed too that it's extremely crackly as well! That's a bit of a deal breaker for me.
Thanks for this in-depth review!
Let's have a look at the "big" chips: TCT-978 is the main CPU, TCT-976 are the PPU's (both of them in one chip) and the last one is a TCT-975 which is a Sony SPC700 clone. This system from the looks of it does not emulate in a "modern" sense that the rom is dumped into the memory etc...This is a CPU and PPU clone. The Retro3N uses the same chips btw.
avfusion already mentioned it, so don't bother :D
Love these no-nonsense review. Keep up the fight against these cheap cash grabbing companies.
because of your honest opinion i just subscribed to your channel. im a collector and im some kind of a purist. but im trying to get an alternative snes for my channel. i almost bought this and i stumbled upon your review and the sound is also a deal breaker for me. thanks my friend. ill check more of your videos. btw i have an original snes and a super famicom. im just looking for something practical and easy to plug in but at the same time i want the sound and picture to be loyal to the original source. thanks again.
Thank you ! - i want to be as honest as possible about what you are buying
I don't want to be known as just another 'reviewer' who praises the system because it was sent from the company. If you own the original SNES and Super Famicom then sadly you wont be happy with this. Hopefully my video will act as a reminder to these company's to do a better job of releasing clone consoles going forward.
Thank you for watching!
I appauld you for making a true review of the system we need more CZcamsrs like you.As you mentioned before others have done videos on this and say I highly recommend this system and I'm like did other true gamers like myself not see and listen to the video that was shown?I even wrote to one big time CZcamsr about being honest and not sugar coating the reviews on all these systems and of coarse no response...but wont be long I'm fixin to unsubscribe to a lot of the CZcamsrs that are spreading false information on anything gaming related being retro or current gen.Thank you for being honest and keep up the good work :)
They actually have this as a prize at the Kingpin's Arcade at Universal's Islands of Adventure for 75,000 tickets.
Regarding the "cartridge lock" feature: it was missing in the vast majority of North American SNES consoles. The cartridges were even redesigned to defeat it some time in 1993 (sloped face that pushes the bolt back). Only early SNES consoles have the lock. None of them with the sticker about powering off before inserting or removing the game had the locking mechanism.
Great in depth review!
I personally like the concept of these systems a little more than the "Mini 30 built in game" consoles/systems, even though I always prefer original hardware. But agreed, the terrible sound on it's own would be a dealbreaker for me!
Yeah, that sound was aweful lol! Makes you wonder if anyone clued up ever tests these things before they start to sell them!
it's so painfully obvious lol! I think the same when I see tat like that! I'd be freakin embarrassed to put my name on it!
Can't believe other YT reviews of this unit don't mention that! For crying out loud...
Same problem with the Atgames Sega handhelds, and the Neo Geo X - all just rushed out with aweful sound etc. Tat seems to be the best word to categorise these all as lol.
MsMadLemon And considering just how lovely the SNES can sound, the lousy audio in this console just kills it for me! I think I'll keep my Super Famicom on my TV and run the sound through a hifi system.
Wow, another great video. Sadly a great video of a turd of a console. I guess you won't be on Gamerztek Christmas card list! It really is sad to see a "review" of something like this and they never mention the terribad audio or noisy video. As you mentioned, many of the retro gamer channels need to really raise their game and stop padding out their channel content with junk reviews of flawed products.
Huh, only mono audio at low quality & noisy digital video?
Well i hope this review will force the company to fix these issues before bringing this unit on the market because they should know by now that nobody wants this unit because of these issues, unless they will fix it.
Thanks for doing an in-depth analysis, and for your honest opinion on this machine 👍
great video, best to have honest reviews imo
Having an aspect ratio switch on the back is something I haven't seen there, although it seems like one of the very few positives this thing has.
Good thing I got an actual Super Famicom in Akihabara, instead of an SFC Compact or that thing you’re reviewing and something similar. Later on, I received an American SNES from my Bro as my late Birthday present😊
I love your channel because you do real Amiga and computer things. Please do not go the track with the others and get lost by doing these sort of things. Everyone is doing this.
Retro Collector couldn’t agree more
Omg brutal review!
Does it also have sound Problems when using Analogue Output/CRT/Not HDMI?
The PC board is nearly identical to the main board holding the SNES cartridge connector (the FC Twin's second PC board holds the connector for NES carts) in the 2006 Yobo FC Twin:
From: www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread.php?30576-Yobo-FC-Twin-SNES-clones-chipsets-questions about the FC Twin:
_"From what I can tell, it looks like a hybrid of the original 1990 chipset design as well as the later SNS-CPU-APU-01 board which uses a single chip for the SPC700-based audio hardware. On modern chipsets, the CPU is the TCT-978, the two S-PPU chips (PPU = Picture Processing Unit) are combined into the TCT-976 and the TCT-975 is the single-chip SPC700 (S-SMP, the SNES audio processing unit) clone."_
The main chips used in the GamerzTek Super Nintendo Famicom Clone, TCT-975, TCT-978, and TCT-976, are the same as those used in the Yobo FC Twin's SNES clone section.
Also:
forums.nesdev.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12508&start=15
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Twin
The FC Twin can play both NES and SNES cartridges:
www.amazon.com/SNES-NES-Video-System-Nintendo-Super/dp/B000R2I68O
Nice! I have that same Commodore monitor. :)
All of these clones use a 1chip that is seemingly identical to Nintendo's own 1chip (internally). I don't think it ever had an SPC in it though. How do the other clones handle SPC audio?
The SNES has an SPC700 based chip (called the Nintendo S-SMP) as for other consoles, they use some sort of clone or a newer compatible IC. You could also integrate all of the chips in one package...making it a SOC SNES :)
SCART cable, sure let me get one of those here in the US
Thatguy101987 Amazon US has SNES scart cables for $8. They work well with HDMI converters. Ive a more expensive Scart cable I imported from Poland, but both seem to work just as well.
Great review. What I like most is opening case and see what is inside. I support projects that develop their own hardware instead of doing software emulation on plain RPI. This might be good product if they address issues you takled about.
It still looks pretty promising though other than the sound. These retro remake devices always seem to cheap out on sound -- almost like it's an afterthought.
Nice to see you still have those pricy AUS coded PAL region SNES games ;)
they are going to the grave with me!
Was the sound bad on the av as well, or just via hdmi? Did you try simultaneous video output to an analog and a digital display?
Thank you for your honest and thorough review.
Hi, nice video , may i know which brand Nintendo Famicom & Sega clone HD that is best can buy and not expensive in 2022. Tq
I think you are doing sound comparisons you should play the same clip on the clone AND on the real system back to back. People may not be familiar with the samples you chose. I love you honest reviews though. Too bad so many people on CZcams just give things good or even neutral reviews because they got the product free.
Good feedback - thanks
is its 240p on the CRT or 480i??
Sound always seems to be the dodgiest thing when it comes to these emulation consoles...
is there a socket on the bottom to allow connection to the associated Famicom Disc Drive.
wow... just realized how the US SNES looked. omg the european one is sooooo much prettier.
This is a snes hardware clone, the first is cpu, ppu, and sound processors respectively
Good review! I hate all these modern replica systems. Sure they give you HDMI but just seems they nearly all spoil our memories of the original games.
GadgetUK164 - Retro Gaming Repairs & Mods How do you feel about the Analogue Super NT? It's from Kevtris who also made the Hi-Def NES but due to the way the various SNES PPU configurations a retrofit for a real SNES isn't feasible. It also replicates the SNES from scratch without basing it on any existing clone hardware so I don't expect the same kinds of issues. If I have to take a clone, it's going to be the Analogue Super NT... unless jwdonal's VeriSNES results in an even better FPGA SNES product or kit! ;)
Yes, the original consoles still rocks. Better to buy a upscaler.
i preordered one, looking forward to getting it!
It's a wonderful accomplishment, and I can see why some people are drawn to them, but emulation isn't so far off the quality you get from an FPGA based system, that's the main thing I have a hard time understanding. If I was going to go down that route I would have a hard time justifying something like the Analogue Super NT vs a Rasberry Pi. Technically the FPGA based system is better, especially if Kevtris worked on it, but a Pi is like $30 and neither are actually original hardware, so I guess that's why they just don't appeal to me.
GadgetUK164 - Retro Gaming Repairs & Mods I see it as functional replication on a logic chip level rather than emulation. With the Hi-Def NES and NES RGB you were already using an FPGA to replicate the PPU and audio functions. It's the only way to get anything other than composite video from an NES and it's as original as possible (even to the point of fitting between the original PPU). For NES, it's a compromise I'm willing to accept. For the Super NES, CPU/PPU/PPU2 configurations force any similar device to also replicate the CPU functions and then you are still left with awkwardly interfacing between a QFP on a 1chip console. I don't think a kit can reasonably sell an interposer for a QFP, so I'm willing to accept the Super NT. That said, if someone decides to do it anyway (with, say, VeriSNES), it'll be just the excuse I need to get that equipment and install the mod! A VeriSNES-based FPGA SNES HDMI mod that replaces the original CPU/PPU could be considered MORE original than the original in some ways, considering that clones use the exact same 1chip core as the late SNES consoles and that even the real SNES consoles with it had the same "clone" issues.
Great review mate. Guess I won't be getting this clone. An irrelevant question: I'm about to order one of those SNK t-shirts from fangamer. What's your height and which size t-shirt did you go for cause I know these can be way off compared to the EU size chart. Many thanks.
I am 5 ft 7 and i wear a medium shirt. hopefully that helps!
Tell it like it is. A+ video.
Growing up with Nintendo and Sega Genesis, while compared to now the visuals in games are not much to look at but it's always about the sound for me. The sound of a game brings back memories and what should count in my mind. Otherwise the immersion is ruined.
Everdrive support is key in my honest opinion. For some reason the sound and visuals of the Snes/Superfamicom clones often is quite good but not on this one. A crying shame PAL isn't supported :(
Image quality, outdated box, crap sound... Ok.
But no PAL??? come oooon.
Nice vid Jimmako.
I like the ability to use your own cartridges, but flashing a classic mini sees/nes seems easy enough to make this a poor buying choice. Great video.
I have both the NES And SNES Classic Edition and they are both better than this!
If other reviewers didn't mention sound or video issues, maybe it is more likely that there was something wrong with your unit than 4 other reviewers not noticing distorted sound or noisy video? Also, did you try using the included power adapter? You mentioned plugging it directly into your TV for power, but a lot of the USB ports on TVs provide either noisy power or insufficient power for something like this.
I noticed Turrican as a review title...amazing how cheap titles are on the Genesis and Snes that were for the Amiga...too bad regarding flaws...cheers.
mono sound = epic fail :(
Hmm... Gordon Ramsey and the other guy that just abruptly appears on screen at 8:34 was rather confusing :O
Oh and you mention that people reviewing this type of stuff should put the systems more like under a microscope. Personally I felt you could've done the same; I was expecting more info about the innards of the machine, especially, highlighting the chips used and going through their technical details and how exactly do they operate (Emulation or FPGA-type of SoC etc.). I'm sure one can get info on them simply by googling the models? If not, that would've been worthy of mentioning, so the viewers know that you've done your research.
However apart from these things, a good video.
whats the name of the game at 3:25
That's it man, BOLTR!
Audio sounds shitty because its mono. Two channels improperly mixed together
For $50 you can get a Raspberry Pi 3 with a case and power supply and get all the games and EmulationStation for free. Search CZcams on how to do this (and examples of it working). On a plus note, you would also be able to play:
NES
Amiga 500/600/1000/1200 (I think)
Atari 2600/600/800/ST
Sinclair Spectrum
Commodore 64
MAME (Arcade games)
Genesis
Master System
Game Gear
PC Engine (Turbo Grafx 16)
and LOTS more!
JustWasted3HoursHere exactly what I do. I use OSMC for the base install and then added RetroPie via the Retrosmc install script. Having both co-existing and being able to easily switch between them is awesome.
says that the review community needs to get better yet totally misunderstands the internal components and labels the device as emulation... just plain stupid
I wouldn't be watching this video if I wanted an old, janky SNES console that has S video quality at best.
Yeah, once I heard the sound I was never going to buy this. Scratchy audio is worse than none at all. Wonder why the SOC solutions like this all have noisy audio?
Bummed about this unit. I guess I''m going to have to settle for vcon superNes games on the Switch.
i would do that or pick up a SNES Classic and hack it :)
I hate to be so nerd about it, but the Super Famicom is probably the most stunning looking console ever made (along with the Dreamcast and PC Engine). I always wanted one to get my retro on, but unfortunately they have that same yellowing-plastic issue the SuperNES did. Beyond that, anything emulated is going to have shortcomings, unfortunately. Now, if they made a Super Famicom that didn't go yellow, I'd pretty much be set. :)
pls do this on Classiq2 HD!
What a shame, if only the audio wasn't so awful
Hey man what about the Retroad clones? They sell on aliexpress
Sound great for $40 .... Nancy
People hate on the clone systems and everything I get it that a lot of people want the original systems but I feel like the original systems are getting really old and I feel like eventually they're going to break down just from old age unless you know how to fix them or know a repair shop that refixes old games like that that's why I feel like these clone consoles help out
No PAL support, crappy sudio... Sorry, but it is a no go for me. :-\
I own this and I`m happy with my purchase.It plays all my games,and chinese multicarts.The controllers are pretty good and close to the original SNES.I recommend it.
As usual, a cheap chinese (S)NOAC + a cheap chinese AV to HDMI upscaler in one box.
I like to Gamerz Tek 16-Bit HD with HDMI and AV Cable. I have still awaiting for Gamerz Tek 16-Bit HD release. Gamerz Tek update.
It's a verisnes
Is not a emulation is a true hardware clone build with new higher quality parts next to cart slot is the video ram (your console may be faulty as the sound of my is much louder and clear the on original snes, wach other reviews. .)Single difference between the two, I like more the original snes controlers
i would not buy it if not region free!
There must be something I'm missing because the audio sounded perfectly fine to me...if you wanna talk about horrible audio, go get yourself an AtGames Genesis (Mega Drive to you, I'd imagine) Classic, _then_ tell us how bad the audio on this SNES clone is lol Picture looks fine, too. I dunno, maybe I'm not as much of a stickler as I thought I was. I'd buy it.
130th comment! 🎉 🎉 🎉 !
Honestly the audio isn't a deal breaker for me because most of the time nowadays even when I'm playing like a game that actually has sound effects and a lot of talking in it I have the TV down so it doesn't really matter to me I'm just looking for a cheaper newer alternative to playing my old games and honestly as long as it plays them and has decent quality I don't care