Play the NES in 4K? We Can Now With the RetroTink 4K

We have been huge fans of the RetroTink line of upscalers since the original RetroTink 2X, having owned every single version Mike Chi has ever released. Just a few days ago he put out information regarding one of my most anticipated releases of 2023, that being the RetroTink 4K. That's right, we will be able to upscale our retro consoles all the way up past 1440p to 4K. Let's take a look at the RetroTink 4K which looks to become The Ultimate Retro Upscaler and is Coming in Late 2023

From Mike himself:

What Inputs are Supported?
We've designed the RT4K to accept virtually all retro video sources to best serve everyone's unique requirements. On the back, we have a component, HD-15 (VGA), and HDMI inputs plus a TOSLINK receiver for optical audio.

The SCART port lives on the side, and the front has an S-video and composite jack hidden behind a sliding door.

We've also tried hard to make the RT4K accept signals from non-mainstream console sources such as PCs and arcade boards. There are currently settings for standard consumer video (240p/288, 480i/576i, 480p/576p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p) as well as retro PCs (EGA/DOS 70 Hz, VGA, SVGA, XGA, UXGA). Custom profiles with the correct sampling and cropping can be quickly set up for sources that do not yet have built-in definitions using the menu.

The HDMI inputs can accept virtually any custom resolution and frame rate within the maximum bandwidth of the receiver. This means that the RT4K will fully support off-spec sources, such as MiSTer DirectVideo.

What Does it Output?
The primary output of the RT4K is, of course, 4K60 (3840 x 2160, 60 Hz). Other standard built-in modes include 1080p, 1440p and 480p. If you need a custom resolution, drop a modeline text file on to the SD card and they'll automatically appear in the menu!

The RT4K HDMI 2.0 transmitter also supports high frame rate outputs (with some input side limitations) for advanced users.

The RT4K inputs are super flexible. Both the HD-15 and SCART inputs can accept any analog format (with the exception of RGBHV for SCART), opening up options for streamlining your switching setup.

How Does it Scale?
In short? Whatever you want. The RT4K scaling engine lets you scale/crop your source precisely to your individual specifications. Aspect ratio correction and filtering mode (sharp pixel, bilinear, etc.) are adjustable. Or use a free-scaling mode to just define the exact pixel numbers you need.

At 4K resolution, you can perform perfect integer scaling for many common resolutions with perfectly sharp pixels, if you prefer that versus a CRT look. Even non-integer scales look great with bilinear sharp filtering that maintains a crisp look.

And yes, you can get optimal sampling at perfect 4:3 aspect ratios at the same time! The RT4K can automatically perform the necessary PAR transforms for you as well.

Don't worry if this sounds like too much work, by default, most sources will automatically be centered and cropped correctly. The RT4K also has modes to automatically expand/shrink the image while keeping the correct proportions to make adjustments quick and easy.

Other Common Questions
Does it work with MiSTer/Analogue - Yes! The MiSTer direct video mode works great with the RT4K. Analogue consoles may require a little more adjustment, but we expect pre-made profiles to appear in no time.

Rotation -- theoretically possible, but not planned for release.

Smoothing -- same as above.

Movies -- the goal of the TINK products has always been games and games first, but expect to see developments for options to enhance video playback and the movie experience.

Control/Integration -- the RT4K has facilities for control via the HD-15 as well as USB ports. We are planning on some sort of command interface, to be developed post launch.

Does it take TTL sync -- yes on the HD15. SCART port is protected against TTL damage, but would recommend caution as always.

Power -- USB-C 5V 2A.

Is it 4:4:4 -- The RT4K is exclusively RGB444 with an internal deep color processing pipeline and can output deep color HDMI to compatible displays. Sources that are not natively RGB444 (such as composite video) are converted to RGB444 at the front-end.

Is the TINK-5X dead -- we still plan on supporting the TINK-5X and will continue to share development across the two platforms as much as possible. Keep in mind though, that we are still very much a 1-person team :)

What do you think about the RetroTInk 4K? Let me know in the comments!

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