Framemeister vs CRT shootout! Pic from other scalers added

[Team Andromeda]

Anyway some more shots that I took the other day

























And here's the old consoles that's powering the Framister

[Decider-VT]

The way some of the retro bible basher's talk it's like we've never grown up with the classic consoles or owning a CRT , when most of us have and well all know too well the plus and minus points of those technologies .

Very, very true.

[speedlolita]

It wasn't until 2009 that I moved from composite... Hahaha

[Atticus]

It wasn't until 2009 that I moved from composite... Hahaha

You're certainly making up for it now

Team, stop making me want another Saturn. I've been good all year.

[Leon Retro]

Am I the only person who finds it funny that some of the framemeister devotees like to knock a crt image when all they're trying to do is replicate what it does?

Colin, when you buy a Framemeister, I reckon you'll think it's pretty good. People aren't knocking CRT - they're just saying it's cool to be able to make really old consoles look nice on big LCD screens that hate low resolution games.

When you put a SNES, Neo Geo, PC Engine, Neo Geo into an LCD, the image is terrible compared to CRT; when you use a Framemeister with an LCD, all of those consoles look really nice and close to how they should look on a CRT.

Of course, if people want to fight a corner, that's their choice. I use a Framemeister these days, but had CRTs for most of my life. I fully appreciate the good points of CRTs with retro consoles. So I wouldn't argue with someone who loves CRT, because I can understand why they still like to use them. I will state the fact that the Framemeister has a good purpose in the modern world: It makes retro consoles look nice on LCD screens. People can go on about the good points of CRT and the bad points of the Framemeister, but they're missing the point that both have good and bad points - and that, ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. As someone who doesn't have space for a nice big CRT, I'm loving my Framemeister because it allows me to enjoy my retro consoles on my LCD television. That doesn't mean I wouldn't have a CRT or BVM/PVM in my home if I could have a games room, as I would.

[Colin]

I won't be buying a framemeister Leon, I love the set up I have without need for one. I've not got anything against them, I had an xrgb-2 that was a great bit of kit, I'm just constantly amused by this whole thread now for various reasons.

[Leon Retro]

I won't be buying a framemeister Leon, I love the set up I have without need for one.

Yeah, if you're happy with your set-up, there's no need to buy one. I'm sure they'll be making Framemeister sort of scalers for many years to come, so if you ever need one, they'll be there, ready to make retro consoles look nice on an LCD.

I'm just constantly amused by this whole thread now for various reasons.

It certainly is a fevered battle of opinion and taste. I've just conveyed the message that I think the Framemeister does a good job at making retro consoles look good on even huge LCD screens. Anyone who's plugged a SNES into an LCD knows that even with RGB scart the image looks really bad. The Framemeister, at ?200, is for people who are sure they will only be using LCD. It's the only way to play retro machines on LCDs and have the image look nice.

Of course, we could bring plasma screens into the debate.

[speedlolita]

Of course, we could bring plasma screens into the debate.

They're not great. The end.

[Leon Retro]

They're not great. The end.

That's one opinion. I haven't really used them, so can't comment. Of course, I've heard all the positives from people who love plasma tech, but maybe that's no longer relevant?

[speedlolita]

I don't think plasma screens are even made anymore, at least not consumer grade ones. They kick out too much heat, consume too much power and generally don't have a great image (IMO).

Some of the 1024x768 panels on Panasonic handle an SD image fairly well though, I guess. Compared to an LCD at least. They're nothing special, IMO.

[Colin]

I love my plasma, I'll be really upset when it dies and I have to replace it with different tech.

[Team Andromeda]

They're not great. The end.

Speak for yourself . Always been a happy with my Panasonic Plasma and some cases it's better than LCD even though it years old and the Smart features are so basic and take an age to load . Really great TV for BluRay's and SKY Digital imo

I'm sure they'll be making Framemeister sort of scalers for many years to come,

And lets hope they add in VGA support too- That to me is the only downside to the Frame and that I can't use the DC via VGA . I love the big screen set up and have done since the days of the deluxe SEGA Coin Up's and their huge 50 Projection screen . It's ace being able to play the Saturn on the 50' Samsung and where it looks every bit as good as CRT image

[speedlolita]

Uh, every XRGB before it used VGA. Not sure why they would add it back.

The XRGB-3 can do VGA and DVI, so if you use adapter you can get HDMI and possibly route the audio seperately?

[wakka]

Plasma is a great technology for watching movies, and for me gives a much more natural and filmic big screen image than a clinical LCD.

They don't make plasmas any more, no - the last couple of rounds of Panasonics were superb though (I own one so I'm probably biased but there it is!). It has its drawbacks as a technology, e.g. power draw, less bright, heat. They're not showstoppers though, not in the slightest. However THIS is all for a different thread where we go at each other's throats over LCD vs plasma!

[speedlolita]

Gonna have to chuck OLED into the mix soon...