Hey yall,
I asked a similar question in the technology section a while ago but didnt really get an answer that fit my uses.
What are yall using for TVs for your setups? In my case, its very mixed use. I have original ataris, nes/snes, n64/ps1, ps2/Xbox 360. Basically the whole lineage of systems. My issue is the tv.
I was using the POS Insignia (which is also used for my media pc and for dvd watching) but the lag is generally awful for games (unless i reboot it weekly it gets laggier and laggier.) I have every possible “enhancement” turned off on it
This prompted me to move some of my systems to the other room with my CRT, which i much prefer. I have a projection sony tv in the other room that is great too.
My question is, are there any boxes that have improved gaming on modern tvs? It would be kind of nice to be able to use it as its larger which for multi-player is nice. And I dont always want to run the crt.
Im not sure but maybe its called an upscaler?Not sure. I really dont care much about quality, mostly just response time. I guess if the box could make it look exactly like a crt id prefer that anyway, dont really like the look of modern tvs at all. And a lot of inputs would be nice, i have a 4 input rca Switcher right now which works well.
Upscaler is the correct term. If you are looking for the best possible image to recreate a CRT, the retrotink 4k is the best option. It will require a good TV though, something like a LG C4. The reason being to get good looking scanlines, you need 4k, 120hz, and vrr.
The retrotink 4k also supports all your inputs (Xbox 360 HDMI, n64 s-video, snes rgb, PS2 component, etc…).
Here is a good video why the 120hz is important for recreating the crt feel (a little old and retrotink 4k has only gotten better since then) https://youtu.be/3ZmPkozY6Cg
You other options for a good scaler are the Morph 4K and the ossc pro. This spreadsheet has a good in depth comparison between all three https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16FBPBD3A1vN_khznTUO1bGrb3LxTIQXfwWfusPeNSsw/edit?usp=drivesdk
Thr LG C5 came out in 2025. It has better scores across the board.
https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/lg/c5-oled
Can someone buy me a 42" one? 😁
YOU ARE AWESOME.
What a nice put together list !! I really appreciate how much work must have gone into this. Im gonna study up.
I have a feeling I may stick with my crt for now and buy a couple more of them…and then 20 years from now when theyre all gone ill cry and get an upscaler, ha!
Quick question, would the ossc also need a super fancy tv or could I still use my crappy insignia and have an improvement ?
I would say “probably”. A lot of TVs don’t have great scaling from 240p, 480p, and 480i content so a dedicated scaler will look better in most cases. Also be aware that the Ossc Pro does need an additional add-on for S-video (which for an unmodified N64 is its best output).
My n64 and most consoles only have rca out (US)
If you’re going with a scaler, it’s definitely worth it to invest in better cables (even though the n64 uses the same connector as snes, it does not support rgb without mods)
https://insurrectionindustries.com/product/nintendo-s-video/
https://insurrectionindustries.com/product/sony-playstation-rgb-scart-cable/
https://insurrectionindustries.com/product/super-nintendo-entertainment-system-rgb-scart-cable/
https://www.amazon.com/HD-Retrovision-Premium-YPbPr-Component/dp/B07TL6L7MY
Some helpful videos: https://youtu.be/VYkWtkvhS9c https://youtu.be/fi7csYj00BU
Also if you’re not too attached to using original hardware, you might want to take a look at getting a mister to play ps1 and before systems (the new super station is a good choice https://retroremake.co/pages/superstationᵒⁿᵉ )