Queries on the Retro Duo - need some answers please!

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 3:16 am

I know the Retro Duo comes in two flavours, white/blue and black/red and they are designed to take NES and SNES games for NTSC, PAL and Japan.

There was a thread also about compatability, and I have searched on other sites about this. Seems the Retro Duo is far better than the FC Twin - I have some questions though:

* Am I right in saying the Retro Duo doesn't run as fast as an original SNES (lags if too many sprites on screen)?

*Are the graphics as good on the Retro Duo as on the original SNES, or do you get borders, incorrect colours, etc? The vast majority of any games I will play are only PAL.

* I e-mailed some sellers on e-bay (American sellers as not being sold in UK); had a reply from a seller selling the white/blue model who said the unit will output onto NTSC screens only and not PAL; and an e-mail from a guy selling the black/red one who quoted in his advert NTSC but e-mailed me to say it would work on PAL ok.

Can anyone give me a definitive answer please? I don't want to buy one of these units and find it doesn't work on a PAL PSone screen! I could buy one on the basis that the seller said it will work on PAL, but I would rather not then have the hassle of fighting for a refund if it doesn't!

Reason I am asking this is that I am thinking about making 3 systems in my new case (when mold done, etc); PSone, N64 and SNES/NES (Retro Duo) as the original SNES boards are too big for my new case. The Retro Duo is nice and small. I don't want to spend Â£50 ($80) including shipping and find out I then have to try and source a PSone NTSC screen as well, if I can help it (hence why I need it to work on PAL).

Ace_1 · Post by **Ace_1** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 6:39 pm

I heard there's a way to add a switch into the RetroDuo to make it output in PAL mode. You have to do 2 things:

1) Enable PAL mode on the Samsung KA2198BD(here's the datasheet: http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/datashe ... Xvvrux.pdf - you have to cut the trace leading to pin 6 of the chip and solder a 4.43MHz clock).

2) Enable PAL mode on the RetroDuo itself(not sure how to do it/if both the Super NES/NES sides output in PAL, but I believe it's only the Super NES side that will work in PAL mode

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 10:51 am

So, is the answer therefore that it won't work easily in straight PAL mode, if at all? Anyone comment on the other queries too?

Ace_1 · Post by **Ace_1** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 9:57 pm

It will work in PAL mode, but the unit needs to be modified in order to do so. I have to check for the NES side of things, as I have discovered how to get PAL mode working on its rival, the FC Twin, albeit with incorrect colors. Not sure if it'll work the same way on a RetroDuo(have to see a picture of the motherboard to be sure it works the same way on it).

EDIT: Found it! Here's how to get the Super NES side of the RetroDuo working in PAL mode: http://www.gatchan.net/index.php?archiv ... lected]=en

With that, you can then modify the Samsung KA2198BD to output in PAL mode(if it's still configured in NTSC mode, you will lose color in PAL mode).

There's another thing similar to that labeled SW2. What does that do?

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 11:32 pm

Ace_1 - thanks for your reply again, appreciated. Surprised no-one else has replied to this thread, especially in regards to any visual quality difference between an original SNES and the Retro Duo.

What I am planning on doing, as the Retro Duo doesn't natively support PAL and the NES part doesn't like it; is to get an NTSC PSone screen and get that working on a Retro Duo. It is supposed to be happy using PAL carts, so therefore the result will be fine. I will be running the system off batteries only (Li-ons) so it doesn't matter about mains voltages anyway.

Still interested though Ace_1 in your investigations and diagrams as to how to make the Retro Duo happy to take PAL signals properly!

Ace_1 · Post by **Ace_1** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 3:06 pm

You're very welcome, Bacteria. Now, all that's left is to figure how to get the NES side outputting in PAL mode(I think it may be that SW2 solder spot that controls it. Anyone care to see what that does?).

Metroid_343 · Post by **Metroid_343** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 9:05 am

In terms of video quality, I'd say that the SNES has better visual quality... the retro duo's sprites seem a bit enlarged (from what I've seen playing DK Country 3 and NBA Jam, which, for some reason, looks very poor on the RD). I don't get how the RD doesn't process PAL well though... lockout, maybe?

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 1:12 pm

Oh well, I will be able to test when I get it; as bought a Retro Duo and an NTSC PSone screen; both from USA, so will take a few days / couple of weeks to arrive.

Rekarp · Post by **Rekarp** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:13 pm

It looks the same visually on a 5" screen and smaller. Only difference I can tell is on the NES side. And its not visually its sound. Sound quality on NES is piss. (Tecmo bowl is a good example) SNES is near perfect (i cant tell)

jackfb13 · Post by **jackfb13** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:15 am

The NES side is a lot worse than the original console. The SNES I have no way to test.