The RetroUSB AVS is technically not a new system, but it might as well be one. It was the first and only FPGA based NES system for a long time when it was released in 2016 but it has been off the market for the past three years and now it is back, but should you get one? Ask your RU-vidr if the RetroUSB AVS is right for you?
[00:00] Introduction
[00:34] Overview/Global Manufacturing Woes
[01:41] Design
[03:29] FPGA NES!
[07:04] Famicom Disk System Tests
[10:10] Options Menu and graphics options
[16:36] Left Side Hide and Super Mario Bros. 3
[17:05] Famicom Expanded Audio Test with Castlevania 3 FC
[17:39] Conclusions
This is a high-end FPGA-based NES/Famicom clone system made by a company called Retro USB but they didn’t ship any new units for 3 years until now because of the global chip shortage that COVID exacerbated. I missed the boat on getting an AVS 3 years ago before the global computer chip shortage and I was literally following the GPS tracking on the container ship that was carrying the current batch of systems from Shenzhen China as it made its journey across the Pacific. They are taking pre-orders for the next batch of systems and I'm glad I didn't lose faith and cancel my pre-order. The computer chip factories were busy cranking out more profitable chips than making the HDMI encoder for the retro USB AVS. Things are finally right with the world since they're finally able to restart production on this critical retro entertainment infrastructure. This is the first time in 3 years that new units have finally shipped.
Now the industrial design on this thing is amazing. It feels like Nintendo hardware but it's not. They did an excellent job of recreating the design language of the NES. There's no wireless card, but there are four NES style connector ports and my 8bitdo wireless controllers work like a champ. On the back there is a Famicom controller expansion port, a USB port for power and a single HDMI output port. On the inside of the cartridge Bay you will find a 72 pin NES connector port which accepts cartridges, horizontally and directly without this whole fake VCR popping action that the NES had, on the inside there is a Famicom 60 pin cartridge slot. It is physically impossible to have an NES cartridge and a Famicom cartridge inserted at the same time. And the FC cartridges look a little awkward with the cartridge door either open at a 90° angle or slanted awkwardly on the top of the Famicom cartridge. It's a minor gripe but I understand why they did it for a technical reason. Now my only real design complaint is that it's a little wonky to use a real Famicom disc system because the ram adapter either has to have the cord crunched or you have to put something on the back of it to weigh it down to keep the connection flush. Overall, I am completely digging the design of the unit and I showed it to someone who works at a game store and she legitimately asked "Did Nintendo make that". That's how good it looks, aesthetically it's on point.
FPGA means that they are not running an emulator but instead are recreating actual chips using programmable gate arrays instead of running a program that pretends that it's NES hardware, it's like the FPGA system is a liquid shape shifter from the future but instead of trying to kill Sarah Connor, it is taking the form of insanely accurate 8-bit Nintendo hardware.
Link: RetroUSB AVS
www.retrousb.com/product_info...
6 июл 2024
