The Official Turbografx 16 Thread!

[CatPix]

Oh, fair enough. I thoguh you meant for the PC-E as well.

[+Black_Tiger]

One controller port is fine and I can see how two hardwired in could lead to compatibility issues with the Taps, considering the existing quirks.

 

What they should have done is ship the TG-16 with a TurboPad that has a 2nd player port on it, like some PCE controllers do.

[Tanooki]

A daisy chain of control pads could have been slightly odd, but I think that would have made some good sense given the PCE itself that little square is about the same size around as like a few CD cases stacked on top of each other. THere really was no more room for another plug on that thing, I've opened it up and it's well filled in for space there.

[+Black_Tiger]

A daisy chain of control pads could have been slightly odd, but I think that would have made some good sense given the PCE itself that little square is about the same size around as like a few CD cases stacked on top of each other. THere really was no more room for another plug on that thing, I've opened it up and it's well filled in for space there.

I think that it would have been fine just for the TG-16 pack-in, and maybe another option to buy over a standard TurboPad.

 

After your second TurboPad you might as well buy a Tap.

[Eltigro]

The one port never bothered me much. Most games were 1 player only and most of the time I was the only one around to play it. I did (and still do) have a multi tap and second controller... but they were seldom used. I would take my TG-16 over to a friend's house sometimes and we really only used the multitap on World Class Baseball.

 

That said, it was seen as a weakness in the system and therefore was probably one of several reasons why people went with the Genesis instead.

 

Edit: Oh, and one of the ports on my tap has some issues, too... didn't stop working, but can be finicky... think it's port 2...

Edited March 9, 2019 by Eltigro

[+GoldenWheels]

One controller port is fine and I can see how two hardwired in could lead to compatibility issues with the Taps, considering the existing quirks.

 

What they should have done is ship the TG-16 with a TurboPad that has a 2nd player port on it, like some PCE controllers do.

 

Not ideal, but a good cheap solution for sure!

[+GoldenWheels]

Oh, fair enough. I thoguh you meant for the PC-E as well.

 

I so wish they had just brought the PC-E over as is.

[cybercylon]

Good summary on the video options and pointing out caveats:

 

[CatPix]

Especially after they made the Coregrafx with A/V out....

 

We got it here although not very officially.

 

 

And for gray import it's reasonnable!

1 Coregrafx+ 1 game : 1290 FF. Given they sell the Supergrafx and CD-ROM² we can assume it's in 1989/1990.

Well wouldn't you know, it was the release price of the Megadrive, and later in 1992, the Super Nintendo's price was aligned on the Megadrive.

I dunno about the US prices, but it's a remarquable feat for gray import to have factory new consoles for the same price that the regular-sold systems.

[+GoldenWheels]

Yeah Core-garfx would have been great! (I've always wanted a shuttle myself, but can't justify the cost just to have that cool case design.....)

 

So far as import versions, I would buy a Vistar if I ever saw one I could afford....

[Tanooki]

Good summary on the video options and pointing out caveats:

 

 

I saw that video before and each of them are highly unacceptable to me so I'll be waiting for a 2019 surprise or 2020 option. Upergrafx is still incomplete but HDMI and costs over $400 US. The middle is not the kind of output I want and have no spare jack for that either now. And Terraonion with 3 revisions and all the abuses whining and denial I won't touch and again it's still SD.

 

I hope someone just creates a basic digital attachment for the device that has an HDMI port on the back, that's it. I don't need it to run a bunch of garbage, already have an everdrive as it is.

[+Black_Tiger]

I saw that video before and each of them are highly unacceptable to me so I'll be waiting for a 2019 surprise or 2020 option. Upergrafx is still incomplete but HDMI and costs over $400 US. The middle is not the kind of output I want and have no spare jack for that either now. And Terraonion with 3 revisions and all the abuses whining and denial I won't touch and again it's still SD.

 

I hope someone just creates a basic digital attachment for the device that has an HDMI port on the back, that's it. I don't need it to run a bunch of garbage, already have an everdrive as it is.

Keith Courage and turbokon have customized an hdmi cable for use with Turbo/PCE systems that have an RGB mod:

 

This is proabably the easiest way to contact KC:

 

https://www.facebook.com/turbografxfan/

[GarrettCRW]

And naturally I chose to have a component mod instead of RGB when I had KC refurb my Duo last year. *headslap*

[+Black_Tiger]

And naturally I chose to have a component mod instead of RGB when I had KC refurb my Duo last year. *headslap*

The most popular component board tends to lead to incorrect color brightness and color balance. The RGB mod tgat mickcris and KC is consistent and looks like emulation on a crt, only with much more correct color than something like Magic Engine.

[GarrettCRW]

I dont have the space or money for an RGB setup, and prefer to have HDMI with all things considered. But thanks for being condescending and trashing my setup and modding choice.

[cybercylon]

So I ended up selling by Super SD system 3 revision 3 model for the newest version. (The newer one has the audio and video fixes incorporated into the PCB). Aside from the gas and time, the cost was about the same as having my version 3 board sent off to have the bypass boards installed.

 

The diagonal lines of noise garbage across the screen are gone. Now that those are gone, it is like having the room painted but skimping on painting the ceiling. Next up is getting that jail bar fox and a recap. No board revision or better cables will get rid of that.

 

The audio sounds much better as well. There is still some noise on my setup with the sound bar, but my SuperNT has a bit of a hiss on that setup as well. Me thinks there is something else afoot with the sound bar.

[Tanooki]

Yeah that would would be the soundbar or something related to its output since it carries over multiple systems. I did much the same here when I went from a SuperED to the SD2SNES, made sure to get the right price and the high enough recovery on the older unit to get out of it dirt cheap as that's the best way to upgrade. Shame you're still using a TG16 I guess if you're getting bars, maybe look into dumping it for a core grafx?

[DragonGrafx-16]

My PC-Engine has background noise whenever a sound plays (instrument sounds, less so with just samples) but when nothing is playing it's pretty quiet minus a little but of hum. Is this normal or does it need recapped? It's just the original PC-Engine without CD-rom.

Edited March 18, 2019 by DragonGrafx-16

[CZroe]

 

I saw that video before and each of them are highly unacceptable to me so I'll be waiting for a 2019 surprise or 2020 option. Upergrafx is still incomplete but HDMI and costs over $400 US. The middle is not the kind of output I want and have no spare jack for that either now. And Terraonion with 3 revisions and all the abuses whining and denial I won't touch and again it's still SD.

 

I hope someone just creates a basic digital attachment for the device that has an HDMI port on the back, that's it. I don't need it to run a bunch of garbage, already have an everdrive as it is.

Turbo Everdrive doesn’t run Super CD-ROM² games though.

 

That said, RetroRGB’s recent video was very out of date in regards to the UpperGrafx UGX-02. I’d definitely hesitate to call it “incomplete” these days. Biggest issue is that the interface is very unrefined and clunky.

 

UGX-02 does have Turbo Everdrive and Super System Card 3.0 functionality built-in with an on-screen game list now. In addition to true digital video, it dumps games, saves digital screenshots, overlays grids/reticles, and many things SSDSys3 doesn’t do. About the only thing SSDSys3 does that UGX-02 doesn’t is run Arcade Card titles without an Arcade Card. On that note, it will let you do it without an Arcade Card Pro (Arcade Card Duo + UGX-02’s built-in Super System Card 3.0).

 

Keith Courage and turbokon have customized an hdmi cable for use with Turbo/PCE systems that have an RGB mod:

 

This is proabably the easiest way to contact KC:

 

https://www.facebook.com/turbografxfan/

Those “HDMI cables” they are repurposing are literally just a $25 RGB to HDMI box that only connects to one console. It has all of the same drawbacks:

deinterlaces non-interlaced graphics, destroying 60hz effect

doubles latency versus directly connecting

potentially forces widescreen

 

Unfortunately, it doesn’t bring anything to the table that an RGB to HDMI converter box doesn’t bring except the obvious:

no additional cable for one specific console

powered off the console

 

Hacking it apart to use with other consoles completely negates those advantages.

 

 

 

And naturally I chose to have a component mod instead of RGB when I had KC refurb my Duo last year. *headslap*

The most popular component board tends to lead to incorrect color brightness and color balance. The RGB mod that mickcris and KC use is consistent and looks like emulation on a crt, only with much more correct color than something like Magic Engine.

I dont have the space or money for an RGB setup, and prefer to have HDMI with all things considered. But thanks for being condescending and trashing my setup and modding choice.

???

 

It seemed to be solid info for anyone to consider if they were considering the same internal component mod you got. Don’t take it so personal.

 

It’s just an internal RGB to component mod. Sounds like RGB to component is better handled outside the console with HD Retrovision anyway. The cables will work with other consoles and the colors will be correct. Now people seeing the conversation your post led to know there is a better way. Why resent that?

 

Another option is RGB to Shinybow component converter or RGB to Framemeister XRGB Mini.

 

You say you prefer HDMI but I would not suggest their component mod as part of the path to HDMI with PCE/TG16. It basically undermines your attempts to get an accurate representation on modern TVs.

 

My suggestions for more-accurate HDMI for PCE/Turbo:

1) Composite or S-Video mod to RetroTink 2X

or

2) EngineBlock/dbGrafxBooster or internal 9-pin mini-DIN RGB mod>HD Retrovision>RetroTink 2x

or

3) Internal RGB mod>external OSSC or Framemeister XRGB Mini

or

4) UpperGrafx/UperGrafx UGX-02 plugged into the back of some consoles (not your Duo, unfortunately)

or

5) DE-10 Nano “MiSTer” open-source FPGA clone console

 

We have some great options!

Edited March 21, 2019 by CZroe

[CZroe]

That 8 pin din connector is not the same as the Genesis 2 connector (at least I don't think). I assume that it is the same pinout as found on a framemeister.

 

I could be wrong, so call be foolish, but I remember watching a video (maybe it is those retro RGB guys), and I think I remember there were cables that were BNC breakout on one end and component on the other. So could could you go with SCART-BNC breakout-component?

 

That seems like a good deal. Everything about this console is expensive, but lots of hidden gems.

He’s not talking about Mini-DIN. He’s talking about the standard Duo RGB mod where you replace the DIN-5 with a DIN-8 to carry the extra signals.

 

 

I've come across that one, but it's strictly a video converter- I need to pull the audio too, so it's not really the right one for me.

Weird that it doesn’t have an audio pass-through but you can break it out relatively easily. Even more easy: just get it from the headphone jack.

 

Why does everybody consider that one port is a mistake? is that so hard to get a multitap?

For one, the extra hardware discourages people from getting a second controller which, in turn, discouraged 2P software. Chicken and egg.

 

Even with a multitap the cable is too long to comfortably place in front of the console unless your shelf is 3x deeper and the console is 3x farther than it needs to be. It’s also much too short to position on either side. You’re almost guaranteed to have it dangling off your media center if you don’t game with your system on the floor like the cool Japanese kids (hence their shorter controller cords). It’s just the right length for maximum frustration!

 

I’ve seen three DIN connectors ripped out of controllers/taps and left dangling in the consoles. Having a rigid DIN sticking straight out with a huge box swinging on it and up to FIVE more huge DINs+cables dangling is kind of scary, honestly.

 

So, was is a mistake to make the PS1 with 2 ports when the N64 had 4? after all you had to pay more for another piece of hardware to do the same thing.

Msot consoles shipped with one controller so you had to already cash out to get that extra pad.

I’d say: Yes. Dominant as it was, PS2 was not the system to go to for 4p party games. It left that niche wide-open for XBOX, and Gamecube to exploit. Heck, even the short-lived Dreamcast had more of that kind of fun. It was one way in which the PS2 was decidedly inferior.

 

The requirement to buy extra hardware ruined the prospects and marketability of such games on the platform. It didn’t help that they forced you to buy new taps even if you already owned the PSone taps.

 

The one port never bothered me much. Most games were 1 player only and most of the time I was the only one around to play it. I did (and still do) have a multi tap and second controller... but they were seldom used. I would take my TG-16 over to a friend's house sometimes and we really only used the multitap on World Class Baseball.

 

That said, it was seen as a weakness in the system and therefore was probably one of several reasons why people went with the Genesis instead.

 

Edit: Oh, and one of the ports on my tap has some issues, too... didn't stop working, but can be finicky... think it's port 2...

Player 1 & 2 for me:

https://youtu.be/PidGLORq-bo

 

The consoles develop this problem often enough too, most likely due to loaded TurboTaps dangling off the port.

 

Especially after they made the Coregrafx with A/V out....

 

We got it here although not very officially.

 

 

And for gray import it's reasonnable!

1 Coregrafx+ 1 game : 1290 FF. Given they sell the Supergrafx and CD-ROM² we can assume it's in 1989/1990.

Well wouldn't you know, it was the release price of the Megadrive, and later in 1992, the Super Nintendo's price was aligned on the Megadrive.

I dunno about the US prices, but it's a remarquable feat for gray import to have factory new consoles for the same price that the regular-sold systems.

I’d really like to get my hands on a Sodipeng Soditap 5 so I can reverse-engineer it but it never shows up on eBay in the USA.

[HoshiChiri]

Weird that it doesn’t have an audio pass-through but you can break it out relatively easily. Even more easy: just get it from the headphone jack.

 

 

*utter confusion* How do I do that? Also, what headphone jack?

[CZroe]

 

*utter confusion* How do I do that? Also, what headphone jack?

The Duo has a headphone jack on the left side.

[HoshiChiri]

The Duo has a headphone jack on the left side.

 

It's not a Duo, it's a Duo-R. It doesn't seem to have one.

[CZroe]

 

It's not a Duo, it's a Duo-R. It doesn't seem to have one.

Gotcha. Well, then you’d need a different cable that breaks out audio from the SCART connector or an adapter like this:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F293002519500

[Tanooki]

CZ - I thought that was the case on stuff I read up on the UGX updates but it's hard to get info as they aren't so easy to come by to read up on. I still think the price is steep for it though so I've avoided it and also because of the glaring clunkiness and lack of good instructions around it as you pointed out.

 

Also I have to factor in when TIZ imploded it has been very hard to find reliable ISOs as it once was, and even then the TG/PCE is a hot mess of varying formats and then you get into hoping the one you have is in good shape and will handle a conversion or working right off. There's a big wall of annoyance to get it to do what you need and my time is limited enough and the HuCard (vs turbo chip) library is so much larger and of notably higher quality I kind of gave up caring as the PCEverdrive does all I need.