UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

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devsfan1830
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by devsfan1830 »

ldeveraux wrote:
NeverCameBack wrote:Hate to break it to you, but you have 0 control over me, so nah, I won't STFU. You're the one using strong language in a feverish attempt to tell me off; Getting all worked up over the internet. Take your own advice: It won't work. I'm asking for answers to a very basic question, sharing my theories in a calm manner. Theories becoming more likely with each passing day... You have to be delusional if you're making excuses for lack of the most basic piece of information that would set one back all of 30 seconds to communicate. When simple things like this aren't being disclosed; There is a reason. This is how great products die, people like me wondering what the status is and being left to suppose with no info? Funny, I thought it was eccentric creators agreeing to sell their product but then deciding they have no interest in following through after collecting all the money, poor customer service, or complete lack of communication. They wouldn't need to lose money in the refund process if they just refund minus whatever fees. Nobody has a right to blame them if it turns out the creator stiffed everyone. It would be as easy as telling us "he has your money, and he hasn't sent the kits like he said". Or even "we have x number of kits on hand, but will be putting ourselves first to recover from the damage" - Of course, take all the time you need. But to avoid being up-front and transparent for months now about the announcement of a second shipment of 200+ kits being on the way. There is no excuse.
This is how you get blocked at Shmups:
1) have 7 total posts.
2) Mouth off like you own the place. Nobody owes you anything pal.

Too bad I won't be seeing your reply.

Frankly I think people who act like him on here should be refunded and culled from the list. To be so willfully ignorant and run your mouth, you don't deserve anything. I personally am fine waiting for my turn. If an N64Digital swap is still available by then Id prefer that and I would even offer to pay any difference. But if not I'll take what I can get even though I admit I knee jerk emailed and posted for a refund request when the N64Digital was announced. If I get an UltraHDMI I might still try and source an N64Digital on my own and if I can then maybe sell the UltraHDMI myself at cost on ebay or something. Just because I have the DCDigital and PS1Digital already and love them so Id rather have the N64 in the same family as well since they appear to have very active support. Above all I realize and respect the position the brothers are in and am happy to wait.

Edit: Honestly now that I found and saw the recent videos from them about the tornado damage. If it helps at all in the slightest I'd be fine with no UltraHDMI and they keep the money. Its money long gone at his point and I'm not hurting for it. So even if it at least helps blunt the fees they're eating from refunds I'm all for it.
capsule01
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by capsule01 »

I am not a part of this community :cry:
Last edited by capsule01 on Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:35 pm, edited 2 times in total.
NeverCameBack
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by NeverCameBack »

2) Mouth off like you own the place. Nobody owes you anything pal.
Have to disagree that reminding a keyboard warrior I won't obey a command to STFU is mouthing off, or acting like I own the place. The fact that I've resorted to coming up with theories on my own about the status of this group buy is a clear symptom of things gone terribly wrong. I thought I'd be playing games in HDMI about now, but instead find that games are being played with me. I'll tell you what somebody does owe me: clear communication, to not be lied to or have information concealed, or teaser updates like saying "a package arrived" and then....??? This goes without saying in any business deal that isn't a SCAM. Why can't they just say "we don't know what is going on - Marshall ghosted us". Big idea: They can give refunds minus the fees. Is that crazy talk? Hell keep $10 or $20 for their time - Had they just been real with us, I'd say they deserve it. Unless of course the money is not there to refund anymore, and what we're witnessing here is damage control / time buying tactics. The attempts to suppress my imagination are only igniting it further. The sad reality is that there is no excuse to not give a 30 second update over the span of weeks. I'm sure people know it's as dire as I do regarding the rest of the kits... Whether they're willing to admit that to themselves is another story... If I had to find a silver lining in all this it's that at least RetroHDMI is probably getting duped and reamed with the rest of us.
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RIP-Felix
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by RIP-Felix »

NeverCameBack wrote:Have to disagree that reminding a keyboard warrior I won't obey a command to STFU is mouthing off, or acting like I own the place. The fact that I've resorted to coming up with theories on my own about the status of this group buy is a clear symptom of things gone terribly wrong. I thought I'd be playing games in HDMI about now, but instead find that games are being played with me. I'll tell you what somebody does owe me: clear communication, to not be lied to or have information concealed, or teaser updates like saying "a package arrived" and then....??? This goes without saying in any business deal that isn't a SCAM. Why can't they just say "we don't know what is going on - Marshall ghosted us". Big idea: They can give refunds minus the fees. Is that crazy talk? Hell keep $10 or $20 for their time - Had they just been real with us, I'd say they deserve it. Unless of course the money is not there to refund anymore, and what we're witnessing here is damage control / time buying tactics. The attempts to suppress my imagination are only igniting it further. The sad reality is that there is no excuse to not give a 30 second update over the span of weeks. I'm sure people know it's as dire as I do regarding the rest of the kits... Whether they're willing to admit that to themselves is another story... If I had to find a silver lining in all this it's that at least RetroHDMI is probably getting duped and reamed with the rest of us.
TL;DR:
Does it make you feel better traveling through life being cynical? What do you hope to accomplish? Are you hoping to rub our faces in defeat when you finally get to say "I told you so?" You earned a STFU coming in here like you did.
Spoiler
NeverCameBack wrote:...The fact that I've resorted to coming up with theories on my own about the status of this group buy is a clear symptom of things gone terribly wrong. I thought I'd be playing games in HDMI about now, but instead find that games are being played with me.
What you call "theories" are a thin veil for slander. You don't accept the reasonable answers they have already given you. Namely, that they are buried in e-mails, recovering from disaster, short on inventory, and unsure when Marshall will ship them the next installment of boards. In the mean time they are asking for patience while they dig out from underneath the pile of e-mails, rubble, fulfill the orders they have inventory for, and process refunds. Mistakes are going to happen, people will fall through the cracks and e-mails might get missed. Someone might have to wait for months for a refund, or remind them several times. A reasonable person can empathize, even though it sucks to be inconvenienced. And yes, it's not how we all wanted it to go down. Shit happens and we do the best we can. Are the brothers doing their best? From what I've read, they have been doing everything one can reasonably expect. But you don't like that answer and feel entitled to one that admits guilt and liability. Case in point...
NeverCameBack wrote:... I'll tell you what somebody does owe me: clear communication, to not be lied to or have information concealed, or teaser updates like saying "a package arrived" and then....??? This goes without saying in any business deal that isn't a SCAM...
Are you mistaking clear communication with frequent updates? Imagine the complaints they'd get then. "Why don't you stop twatter-boating our eye-holes and get back to work!" It's a no win scenario! Or maybe you're fishing for a confession...
NeverCameBack wrote:...Why can't they just say "we don't know what is going on - Marshall ghosted us".
They aren't going to let you put words in their mouth! Just because you come up with a "theory", doesn't make it true. You don't know these guys at all...clearly. So your cynicism is pretty insulting. It frustrating for those of us who prefer to give people some leeway. If the shoe were on the other foot would you do better? The truth is no one knows until it actually happens to them. If they say they are trying their best, maybe they are! it's not just trolling to call it a scam without evidence to back up the claim, but it's slander.

Marshall has always been distant, reclusive, and intermittent with communication. Who knows why, I don't want to speculate. I can think of many good reasons that don't immediately jump to "it's a scam." I certainly don't see any reason that the orders won't eventually be filled. Especially since he has a track record of being slow, but still delivering. If you don't want to wait, that's fine. Ask for a refund, and keep asking until you get it. I've seen people say they've had to wait for awhile (months even) and posted on the forums about it before. Eventually the brothers got back to the forum and processed these (that I've read). Based on that, it sounds like they are making an effort.

And if it does go upside down beyond sideways, that's the risk you took. This isn't amazon.com! Don't risk money you aren't willing to loose.
NeverCameBack wrote:...Big idea: They can give refunds minus the fees. Is that crazy talk? Hell keep $10 or $20 for their time...
If it comes to that perhaps they will. Last I heard they were eating the cost and not in jeopardy of going bankrupt. Why would a scammer do that?
NeverCameBack wrote:...Unless of course the money is not there to refund anymore, and what we're witnessing here is damage control / time buying tactics. The attempts to suppress my imagination are only igniting it further.
There you go again making baseless claims. I really don't get it! You must be beyond reason at this point. What could they possible say to get you to believe that they are not a scam? I feel like you would just twist their response into another "theory." Perhaps they have better things to do than answer your questions until you run out of "theories."
NeverCameBack wrote: The sad reality is that there is no excuse to not give a 30 second update over the span of weeks.
Would you honestly be satisfied with a 30s response? I'm sure you would if it confirmed your theories. "Haha...you caught us. It really was a scam after all. Na na-na boo boo, stick your head in doo doo!" You'd say, "I knew it!" We'd all say, "Good for you. It changes nothing."
NeverCameBack wrote:I'm sure people know it's as dire as I do regarding the rest of the kits... Whether they're willing to admit that to themselves is another story.
The only thing that's "dire" is your attitude. You don't know shit about the challenges of making the UltraHDMI, or what it takes to bring it to market and support it. If you have some concrete evidence to support your claims, that's one thing, but you don't.

That's why you earned a STFU
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kronflux
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by kronflux »

NeverCameBack wrote:This goes without saying in any business deal that isn't a SCAM.
This isn't a business. At all. Nobody said it was. If you believed it was, you simply lied to yourself. This is an attempted group buy of a "product" that is not mass manufactured, nor sold at any official store. There is no business backing this. This is an exchange between a very small number of people who are trying to cater to a MASSIVE amount of participants.
There have been updates, albeit very infrequent and lacking, but they are there. There's literally a global pandemic going on right now, people have real lives to deal with which are far more important than something they do on the side.
They literally owe you absolutely nothing. This is a risk for anyone in a group buy situation. It's like backing a kickstarter, you're not guaranteed ANYTHING.
I, and many others here, fully accepted this risk and the potential to lose the money we put into it. That said, they are slowly processing requested refunds as well - which tells you a lot about character.

On top of that, other options are being investigated, while original orders are still going to be processed as possible - they have to test each board, and are also waiting on flex cables. Shipping also takes time.

I'm not sure why you feel you're so entitled, but you really aren't. As per the previous reply, STFU.
nmalinoski
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by nmalinoski »

kronflux wrote:They literally owe you absolutely nothing. This is a risk for anyone in a group buy situation. It's like backing a kickstarter, you're not guaranteed ANYTHING.
Gonna disagree with this bit. Backing a crowdfunding campaign is a glorified donation, and you are correct that anyone to whom you give your money in this fashion does not legally owe you anything; however, this group buy is explicitly money in exchange for goods and/or services, with the understanding that the collective payments will be used to purchase the product--this is more akin to preordering or backordering product, not making a donation with merely a hope that you will get a selected kickback.

I would say those who would prefer a refund are entitled to it, but with the understanding, and the patience that should come with it, that you expressed about this being run by a small team that has been inundated with reasonable and excusable setbacks.
devsfan1830
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by devsfan1830 »

kronflux wrote:
NeverCameBack wrote:This goes without saying in any business deal that isn't a SCAM.


On top of that, other options are being investigated, while original orders are still going to be processed as possible - they have to test each board, and are also waiting on flex cables. Shipping also takes time.
On top of THAT a literal friggin TORNADO direct hit wrecked their house and the surrounding area and one of them royally injured his shoulder. Something that jerk has willfully ignored in his tantrum. This group buy hasn't gone smooth but NONE of it is any of their fault. Multiple acts of nature have compounded into a nightmare and its on US to be patient and cut them some goddamn slack while they rebuild their lives. I for one will be attempting to obtain an N64DIGITAL myself since I have a DCDIGITAL and PS1DIGITAL so I kind of like their hardware and software support now given the option. I would also gladly forfeit my money handed to this group buy if it saves them even the slightest hassle.
SonicAdvDX
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by SonicAdvDX »

devsfan1830 wrote:This group buy hasn't gone smooth but NONE of it is any of their fault. Multiple acts of nature have compounded into a nightmare and its on US to be patient and cut them some goddamn slack while they rebuild their lives.
Seconded.
NeverCameBack
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by NeverCameBack »

ahh yes another week with not a single update... You'd have to be out of your mind if you don't know that something is wrong here, and that the people running this group buy aren't purposefully withholding information. No sign of more kits coming. People aren't even getting refunds anymore. Then you realize someone's been holding 100k for about a year in a roaring stock market. You know some of these commands to "STFU" strike me as coming from losers, AKA people of weak character who get on the internet to try and feel big - They'd never say this stuff to anyone's face. Just a hunch. You got an argument with me? Cool. I'll listen. But save the self loathing virgin talk. The only thing that bugs me here is the lack of honest information. Honesty is truly too much to ask for anymore. Such entitlement.
capsule01
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by capsule01 »

I am not a part of this community :cry:
Last edited by capsule01 on Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
ldeveraux
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by ldeveraux »

capsule01 wrote:and there’s been absolutely no communication from OP. The tornado could have blown my house away completely from the foundation, but I would still find a way to let me customers know what’s going on.
The brothers have replied countless times to this thread since the announcement of the competing N64 mod. Go back a few pages for their responses. Which by the way include a tornado hitting them. Just let that sink in...
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RIP-Felix
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by RIP-Felix »

NeverCameBack wrote:...You know some of these commands to "STFU" strike me as coming from losers, AKA people of weak character who get on the internet to try and feel big - They'd never say this stuff to anyone's face. Just a hunch. You got an argument with me? Cool. I'll listen. But save the self loathing virgin talk. The only thing that bugs me here is the lack of honest information. Honesty is truly too much to ask for anymore. Such entitlement.
The OP has been more level headed than you. He hasn't resorted to insults. I broke your posts down and added my perspective point for point. Throwing a tantrum is not going to change the facts. Just stick to them and warn people with reasonable arguments. It's more persuasive. I'll even play devils advocate...

Your best argument is the length of time this round has been open and unfulfilled. Hindsight being 20/20, they held the round open too long, accepting too many participants for the number of kits that Marshall could produce in a reasonable period of time. You could point to changing dates for shipping and long pauses between when kits were shipped and when people received the kits. They were unprepared for the influx of people interested in this mod and bit off more than they could chew. This is proven by how long it is taking for them to respond to e-mails and refund orders. They need to hire more employees to scale up, but were not prepared for that. You could make the argument that they didn't properly research how to efficiently handle customer service, and took people's money before they were ready to handle the responsibility. I think the best evidence would be from people who haven't received their refunds, like @capsule01. These claims are at least backed up by facts. And they serve as caution against trusting group buys in internet forums.

That's a fair argument.

I'm trying to be reasonable. I'm trying to cut the brothers some slack. I'm frustrated that anyone would think giving money to strangers on the internet, even on the SHMUPS forms, is somehow a safe transaction for services. There are no safety nets to protect you here. Paypal has a 180 day window that's it. Don't stay in a pre-order longer than that unless you're willing to take the risk of never seeing the money again. That should be common sense, but I guess some people need to learn the hard way.

Is that it though? Is everyone out their money? The reason I don't think it's that dire yet is because the brothers have given us sufficient updates, albeit sparse at times, explaining each delay. They kept us apprised of the situation and challenges they faced along the way. They began shipping the 230 kits they received in February, people are receiving them and HW2 consoles are popping up on e-bay (which prove they exist), people are getting refunds, and Marshal is shipping 300 more and producing another batch that hopefully will satisfy the remaining orders. That and the brothers are looking offer the N64Digital an option to participants. I mean, that sounds like they're trying. I've seen scams, they don't try this hard to convince you of their legitimacy.

The brothers were candid about not agreeing with Marshall's decision to attempt a HW revision mid round. That really ate 2019. But that's not something they have control over. Neither are the natural disasters, global pandemic, and IC chip shortages that ate 2020. They made it clear in the initial post they are just hoping to group orders together in order to make a purchase from Marshall at near wholesale prices. That means everyone is waiting on Marshall. The brother were candid about Marshall not being good at communicating. That they were frustrated with his lack of updates. And the brothers "say" they're working as hard as they can to fulfill orders, respond to emails, and process refunds.

Now some users have posted on the forums that they did receive their refunds. That should alleviates some concern. Now we're again seeing more posts, @capsule01's current situation serves as fair concern. But does one missed refund mean it's a scam at this point? No! The more of these complaint we hear, without the OP addressing them, the more concerned we will get. And if that continues, then yeah people are right to get pissed. But, based on past behavior, I expect the OP will address the mounting claims of non-refunded kits before it cascades - because it will if they don't stay on top of it. I don't think the situation is that dire, yet!

If I were to dream, I wish Marshall & Ryan from Castlemania Games could partner to get a medium production run manufactured. Say 10,000 units and sell them on a legit website. I don't understand why Marshall insists on doing this all by himself, it clearly isn't working and He's about to have serious competition from PixelFX. This is the type of deal he needs to compete.
samson7point1
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by samson7point1 »

It's not my intention to interpret anyone's actions or guess at their intentions. It has been four months since I started asking about a refund and there has been no acknowledgement from Ichinisan or CZroe. I get that Marshall is not a great communicator, there was a virus panic, and a tornado and that a lot of people have feelings about this that inspire them to argue on the forum and nothing I can say is going to alter any of that. My sympathies on your personal hardships and no hard feelings for anyone. I'd just like some idea that my request for a refund is eventually going to be acknowledged and I plan keep gently, respectfully asking every once in a while in hopes of getting a reply from Ichinisan or CZroe.
CZroe
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by CZroe »

We tried to resume group buy work immediately but things have only become more difficult. The last console sent to us has been bouncing around for weeks & finally got returned even though we wasted hours on the phone & FedEx assured us that wouldn't happen. I had to spend the check for my totaled car on medical expenses so Ichinisan has even less time after shuttling our mom and me to work, doctor, food bank, laundromat, PT, etc. I'm training someone new at work so I have had no downtime to spend here. Demolition forced us into an unfinished place where we aren't comfortable holding consoles... there was even a shooting last weekend (retaliation for a murder a block away) but my alibi is solid [Part 2, since Imgur split it up]: roofers at the old place didn't finish before Saturday's storm, forcing me to skip work to protect my stuff. We transferred Internet service but we lack other utilities & appliance connections (hence: "laundromat"). Our friend graciously cleared some overgrowth & replaced a door to provide storage that hasn't been used for 20 years but we came back crawling with ticks every time.

MRI revealed a fracture at the rotator cuff (bone and tissue damage) so I can't even lift groceries & my bro still needs help moving large items. We were lucky to have some help moving on demolition day but our neice has since returned to SC. Ichinisan also needs electrical help installing a stack of large flourescent light fixtures at the workshop we are renting.

My brother planned an update tonight but ran out of time so expect it tomorrow. I plan to make individual responses as well. Gotta respond to some PMs first.
CZroe
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by CZroe »

appletesticle wrote:Is it possible to change over to the N64Digital and be guaranteed it? If not, I'd like a refund and attempt to acquire the N64Digital whenever it drops. I've sent an email regarding this and my alias is appletesticle. I've paid the minimum $130 through Friends and Family on PayPal so there there aren't any fees that you need to absorb.
Thank you. N64Digital cost more than UltraHDMI and we were not promised nearly enough to satisfy everyone in the first round. The immediate plan was to incentivize everyone seeking installation to BYO N64Digital so that the ones we receive directly for the group buy could stratch further down the list. I believe Ichinisan is planning to offer heavily discounted installation.

If he has to eat the cost difference then we certainly can't send multiple N64Digitals to a DIY installer, so there will be limits, like limit them 1 per person for self-installs.

We were supposed to have all of this laid out by now but... nature. Despite our attempts to get things moving again we are still having extreme difficulty even receiving consoles so we have made very little progress in weeks. I mean, check out the FedEx tracking history for group buyer fluxcapacitor15:
773347410415

It actually said it was on the truck for delivery many more days than the history shows but they would often delete it from the previous day's history and copy it to the next. FedEx would repeatedly assure us that it was actually out for delivery this time and would definitely be delivered today or that they definitely stopped it from returning to sender and there was no way it would go back. All lies, of course, wasting untold hours and we still don't have it.
alucard971 wrote:Oh, I was looking at the main post for this channel for updates. I was unaware there was a list for trade up as well. Honestly, I would much rather have the digital. No offense to Marshall, I appreciate all he's been through to get high quality retro gaming to the consumer. It's just the digital seems to have a bit more features that I want. Where is the list for the trade up and how does #318 fit in on that list?
Yes, I am not able to edit that post and it seems a lot of people have the impression that no update there means no update anywhere. Internet was never restored to the old place and demolition finally started this week, forcing us out. We had Internet service transferred to the new place and are finally back online. Ichinisan has a lot of catching up to do but he's busier than ever since he has to shuttle everyone around now.
Syphron wrote:
CZroe wrote:UltraHDMI installations have resumed! Syphron and hidef.vega’s installs:
https://youtu.be/AOf9Tq2oxJ8
Thanks for posting the video. Pretty neat to see you working on my system specifically.

Just got my N64 back and everything looks/works great. Thanks for putting this group buy together and for offering the install service.

Obviously this batch didn't go as planned and took way longer than any of us hoped, but you guys aren't at fault for that, and you were very up front when I asked to join in the group buy that things might take a while based on how long the last batch took to get your hands on them. I just want to remind folks that at the end of the day we are talking about video games and a shared passion for an awesome retro console. Please be excellent to each other.
Thank you! My intent was to demonstrate that installs would continue with little disruption since power was restored and shipping services resumed. I was wrong but I had every reason to believe we'd be able to continue doing installs like yours without bizarre shipping disruptions that are somehow still happening. This is another reason I want to just go ahead and do every group buyer's console we have on-hand regardless of their position in the list but the main reason is that it's risky to have all those consoles in any of the places we have available to us (temporary place in a bad neighborhood; unsecured workshop; unlocked home with roofers, restoration service, handymen, etc in every day; etc). Yes, many sent extremely early and we literally have a room staged with their consoles. We shouldn't have a problem bringing a stack of them to the post office. :)
ThinFizzy wrote:@CZroe and @Ichinisan I sent in a request for a refund on Feb 1, 2021, and have still not received a response. My alias is ThinFizzy. If you could please process my refund it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Sorry for the delay. He will get to you!
Kithron wrote:Please remove me from the spreadsheet (slot 341) for the UltraHDMI, I do not want anymore and want the N64 Digital instead which I want to pay more for when it comes out.
I understand. If you were seeking installation Ichinisan should be contacting you with an option to help you transition to N64Digital or to get your refund.
trsteve87 wrote:When will we know if we can switch to the n64 digital?
Wirewizard wrote:Hi Guys,

I'm 298 on the list (Wirewizard). The more I read about the n64digital, the more I think I want to switch to this (if possible). I will be trying to purchase one on release, but my luck with these things are usually not great, so I'm holding on for an either or situation at the moment.

I can understand why you haven't replied to my email a little while back now and no stress / dramas as I can sympathise with your predicament at the moment, not only with this group buy and Marshall, but your housing situation and the storm as well (that's just S**T luck).

Can you confirm / deny if you will be offering the n64digital (depending on stock of course) and if we will be offered a swap?
The plan was to continue processing UltraHDMI and allocating N64Digital as we worked our way through the list until we had all of them allocated ahead of the launch, then create an incentive for people to BYO N64Digital that would extend the allotment even further through the list. The tornado messed that plan up. We just got moved into another place but we certainly aren't settled enough to catch up before N64Digital preorders start. My advice for anyone on the list is to attempt to get your N64Digital directly from PixelFX. If you manage to get one then I'd love to offer installation. Ichinisan is working on a special offer of sorts for BYO N64Digital which should reward people who have waited on the list for essentially no other reason.
blurt92 wrote:I asked for a refund on February 4th via email. Username is Blurt92 and I'm #222 on the list. Would you please process it when able?

Thanks!
Sorry for the delay. Even after the tornado I expected to be well beyond that point, but we've been paralyzed with all the unexpected hang-ups.
Simoncino wrote:Hello to everybody. I'm the n. 113 in list, and should be one of the next. However, i think it's creating a big confusion for ichinasan.

Those who wants refunds, just take refunds and go off list, and be deleted.

But, for guys like me that is waiting the N64, ichinasan can you tell us when is preview the next round of shipping?

I'm trying to contact him with email... but no answer. Maybe he is very busy with work, mods, etc and plus ... it's creating a lot of confusion the n64 digital and those who wants the refund.

@ichinasan, can you reply us and ship who want hdmi mod?

Thanks.
Hey, Simone. I know you've been one of the most excited and you sent your console many months ago. For months I've been pressuring Ichinisan to let me go ahead and do yours since I'm excited to try the dual frequency, dual region, UltraPIF mod you requested. It seems that circumstances are forcing us to prioritize consoles we have on-hand, especially the international ones like yours. It still isn't my call but I expect Ichinisan to announce this change today, which means I will be able to finish your console. :)
dubesinhower wrote:Where does the second piece of foam go? I know one of them goes over the multiout pins, not sure about the other one
I didn't get to answer here before your YouTube video because that was the day the doctor put me back in the sling for two weeks (follow-up visit after MRI revealed a fracture at the rotator cuff). I answered in your YouTube comments but for anyone wondering the same thing:
According to the install guide the soft foam goes under the AV multi-out pins and the hard foam goes under the UltraHDMI where a part would otherwise be floating in the bottom shell... that would be the programming header for HW1 and under the DAC module's HiRose connector for HW2.

The No-Cut kit is not part of the official instructions and does not need the foam that goes under the UltraHDMI board since the riser is designed to fill that spot. Since the UltraHDMI sits higher and closer to the N64 board some installers place the extra piece of foam on top of the UltraHDMI to further isolate it from the main board.
samson7point1 wrote:I've been emailing about a refund since January 30. My first message was asking for a refund. My second message in late February was expressing my interest in swapping my order with an N64Digital before it was obvious that at #403 on the list there was no way I would get in on that. My last message was earlier this month confirming that I just need a refund since it's obvious I won't be getting an N64Digital via this preorder. None of these messages have received replies. Ideally I'd like to receive my refund before I shell out for an N64Digital (assuming I manage to get one), but I'm not asking that you prioritize my refund as I know there are a lot of people in line, but can I get some acknowledgement that you received my request?
Even if he did not get the message, he will reach out to you before proceding with anything. I'll make sure he gets the message but he still can't process it until he gets to it. Once UltraHDMI and N64Digital were allocated he was supposed to offer everyone remaining who requested a refund a BYO N64Digital installation deal or a refund, but the tornado disaster meant we still haven't got that far. :(
jfosheezy2 wrote:I am in the exact same situation as you. Multiple emails, no reply, for months.
At this point I'm thinking about just doing a paypal dispute and trying my hand on the n64 digital.. Really a shame. He was quick to respond when I wanted to join the GB way late, but completely ghosted when I wanted to leave.
Yeah, it's been difficult to even get online after the tornado and he was already prioritizing people in order of group buy position. We obviously weren't planning around a natural disaster like this so we expected to be done and you'd have your response weeks ago. It seems you may not have been aware of what was going on which is why I suggested an auto-responder or something that explains the tornado situation if he is going to continue processing in order. He didn't want that to concern people and instead wanted to resume processing as quickly as possible.

That proved to be overly optimistic since we only finally got out of the destroyed house a month later and we still need to empty the garage and basement. The basement still has my old workbench that we need at the new workshop but we couldn't get it out with the collapsed balcony. A contractor finally removed the debris from there today but we have already returned the landlord's truck and my orthopedic surgeon will not even let me pick up groceries, much less, workbenches and tables and shelves. I'll be asking my friends if they can help.

Someone came in the house a couple days ago to "pick up equipment" so I followed him into every room of the mostly-demolished house. He didn't find any of the equipment he was supposedly looking for and claims to have been at the wrong address, which is especially concerning since he saw our collection in the basement/garage and commented on it. No telling how many of the other handymen, roofers, framers, etc have been down there. I know they've been rooting around in the garage since they moved my PS2 kiosk to plug in and use one of my microwaves when I wasn't there. I mean, it's no big deal since they were authorized to be there but so was that FEMA inspector who came back and murdered some dude for his gun collection.
shadestreet wrote:@CZroe @Ichisan

I am currently 183 on the list - should I ship you my N64 now? Is the address you provided a year ago the same?

Sent email as well, but last one didn't get reply due to how busy you guys have been so cross posting here.

Thanks
If you are number 183 then it is definitely past time to ship except that the postal service and even private carriers have been ridiculously inconsistent since the tornado disaster. I mean, the roads have been passable but it seems the carriers are still disrupted somehow (see my posts about DHL, FedEx, etc). Despite limited utilities, one of us has stayed watch at that address every day since the tornado until demolition started earlier this week, so now we are setting up address forwarding to our mother's place. Ichinisan should contact you with instructions.
NeverCameBack wrote:I remember reading that the next batch of kits were on the way and expected any day now (month or two ago). My theory on the current situation is that Marshall told the brothers the next batch was as good as sent. Then proceeded to ghost out as per always. The kits never showed up. The brothers are probably sitting there thinking "wtf do we do? - We can't tell everyone that Marshall is clowning all of us on the rest of the kits - it would be a mass rush of refund requests - We need to buy time". Why is it that Marshall can't comment once on this forum. Does he not have access to this part of the internet. Zero interest? People don't deserve a transparent update every now and then? Is it that he considers himself a celebrity and is just too legendary status to read anything here? Can't find a couple mins to jump in and write a quick response? I get the mad genius persona and all, but once you agree to sell to 800+ people, maybe then they deserve a little transparency.

My other theory is that the bulk of the money is tied up in DOGE coin, or another investment vehicle and is doing too good to cash any out - Meaning they never manufactured more HDMI kits. Just an initial 200 some and the rest of the money went to buy investments. Well played boys, well played
I had a good chuckle at the last scenario but I wouldn't be spending the insurance check from my car on my medical expenses if that were true. ;) However, there is a kernel of truth to the previous speculation.

We were expecting and received the first package of the second HW2 batch literally hours before the tornado on March 25th. That's when we took a direct hit from an EF-4 tornado which completely wiped out houses only feet away and largely destroyed our place, but at least it was still standing... with no roof, balcony, crushed car, trapped car, etc and no power for a week. We were still stranded there when water started coming down directly on the UltraHDMI kits and I injured myself trying to put up a tarp (ceiling collapsed beneath me). It was a long time before we even got to look at the package to see that it didn't contain everything we ordered and even longer before we could get back online with Marshall. Couldn't test anything anyway with no power so we weren't in a rush to go through it.

I don't know if Marshall is even on Shmups, and I should clarify that the group buy was never his thing. The idea was to leverage our contact to place orders and put enough money on the table to motivate him to produce more. It worked several times and despite ENOURMOUS delays it still resulted in many of you guys getting UltraHW2 before anyone else. He only ever accepted payment for the kits he has produced (most, but not 800+).

So, yeah, the bit of truth is that Marshall is still being Marshall, though his intentions are not so sinister. For example, he told us that we didn't have to worry about any of the next 400 kits "walking away" from us (selling to someone else) like 50 of them he sold when we didn't respond within a half hour (yeah, we would have had 280 back in Jan/Feb). Since then he said that he offered GameTech 100 but GameTech prordered 200 to which Marshall said it was just Jason being Jason (whatever that means). I assumed that meant he still had 400 for us. I understand that he owed Jason after ghosting him for so long, and I don't begrudge either of them, but did Jason get 100 or 200? Did any of the 400 "walk away" from us or not? I still don't know for sure since we never got to order the rest. Why were we only allowed to order 300 in the second batch of HW2 if he had 400? We were ready to go. Even so, 530 kits was enough to make a huge dent in the queue ahead of N64Digital if the tornado had not disrupted things.

So GameTech's kits may not have come from the 400 he was offering us (in addition to the 230 we already had), but then why did he only let us order 300 more and why didn't we get them before GameTech when we ordered first? When we could finally ask he said that he wanted to provision the rest with a new firmware he was working on and they'd ship in the next couple days regardless. Of course, that's what held up the first 230 kits but I wasn't concerned since he was promising to ship them in the next couple days with the new FW or not. Recall that those 230 (really 280!) should have shipped back in August since he ultimately shipped without the new FW and they were just as done then (early kit he sent had the same FW). He also didn't want it to sound like history was repeating itself which is why he said he'd ship them in a few days regardless of whether or not he finishes the new FW. He probably feels the tornado disruption bought him time since it's not like we were ready for them with the aftermath but since it also disrupted communication he still should have shipped the rest by now. Talked to him last night to impress that on him and let him know that we shouldn't use that address.
devsfan1830 wrote:...Honestly now that I found and saw the recent videos from them about the tornado damage. If it helps at all in the slightest I'd be fine with no UltraHDMI and they keep the money. Its money long gone at his point and I'm not hurting for it. So even if it at least helps blunt the fees they're eating from refunds I'm all for it.
Thanks for offering but we still intend to eventually meet all our obligations including kits, installs, and requested refunds. The gesture still means a lot to us, so thank you, but we will be in touch to offer you what you are entitled to. :)
capsule01 wrote:Hi, all.

I requested a refund on January 31st and have yet to hear anything back from James/Evan. I actually tried to open communication through PayPal but was met with an instant denial as a potential case can only be opened within 180 days (I sent the money June 2020). Lovely.

If James/Evan is reading this; can you please just refund me? I know you guys are drowning in emails and other refund requests but it's been nearly three months. I've sent multiple emails over these past few months since 01/31 so I don't think I'm being impatient/unreasonable.
You definitely should have heard something and would have it if were not for a direct hit from an EF-4 tornado, which you probably were not even aware of, so you are not being unreasonable at all. I appreciate that you are being so patient. Let me reassure you that Ichinisan will get to you. Sorry for any distress this may have caused you.
kronflux wrote:
NeverCameBack wrote:This goes without saying in any business deal that isn't a SCAM.
This isn't a business. At all. Nobody said it was. If you believed it was, you simply lied to yourself. This is an attempted group buy of a "product" that is not mass manufactured, nor sold at any official store. There is no business backing this. This is an exchange between a very small number of people who are trying to cater to a MASSIVE amount of participants.
There have been updates, albeit very infrequent and lacking, but they are there. There's literally a global pandemic going on right now, people have real lives to deal with which are far more important than something they do on the side.
They literally owe you absolutely nothing. This is a risk for anyone in a group buy situation. It's like backing a kickstarter, you're not guaranteed ANYTHING.
I, and many others here, fully accepted this risk and the potential to lose the money we put into it. That said, they are slowly processing requested refunds as well - which tells you a lot about character.

On top of that, other options are being investigated, while original orders are still going to be processed as possible - they have to test each board, and are also waiting on flex cables. Shipping also takes time.
Thanks for reminding people that this is a group buy and not a for-profit business. People sometimes forget or equate us with GameTechUS or RetroActive. ...but I definitely have to disagree with the idea that we don't owe anyone. We do, and we still plan to follow through with our obligations with what you paid for, an agreeable alternative like N64Digital, or a refund.
nmalinoski wrote:
kronflux wrote:They literally owe you absolutely nothing. This is a risk for anyone in a group buy situation. It's like backing a kickstarter, you're not guaranteed ANYTHING.
Gonna disagree with this bit. Backing a crowdfunding campaign is a glorified donation, and you are correct that anyone to whom you give your money in this fashion does not legally owe you anything; however, this group buy is explicitly money in exchange for goods and/or services, with the understanding that the collective payments will be used to purchase the product--this is more akin to preordering or backordering product, not making a donation with merely a hope that you will get a selected kickback.

I would say those who would prefer a refund are entitled to it, but with the understanding, and the patience that should come with it, that you expressed about this being run by a small team that has been inundated with reasonable and excusable setbacks.
Yeah, and crowdsourcing is often a for-profit venture while the the group buy is not. I absolutely agree that we owe every participant their kit, an agreeable alternative (N64Digital option), or a refund and don't want anyone to think we would use the disaster as an excuse to reneg on our obligations.
capsule01 wrote:If this were the case, then why was it not stated in the main post? I personally would have never sent my money had I known that there was no guarantee of receiving the product I ordered.
I agree that we are still obligated to everyone and we still fully intend to meet all obligations no matter how long it takes.
capsule01 wrote:I am not going to pretend that losing $130 is going to irrevocably alter my life, so I may not be as enraged as others. However, none of this risk was ever mentioned in the main post and there’s been absolutely no communication from OP. The tornado could have blown my house away completely from the foundation, but I would still find a way to let me customers know what’s going on.
We did update here. Sorry you missed it since it wasn't in the OP. I also expected Ichinisan to find a way but after a week with no power or Internet at home I had to make the update here myself and, of course, I can't edit the OP. I essentially took over situation updates since I was the only one with semi-regular Internet access (public WiFi at work where I'm not even supposed to have my phone).

...and we very nearly had the house completely wiped off the foundation and the home was largely destroyed so that really isn't much of an "even if" exaggeration. We were extremely lucky the house was mostly still standing and only a hair away from losing everything.

This is literally my neighbor who lives feet away:
Image
https://weather.com/news/weather/news/2 ... ornado-ef4

Yes, that is an empty foundation (what very nearly happened to us). This is what it looked like before (car was parked in the garage):
Image

This is the geyser of water Ichinisan and I shut off:
Image

...not that it limited his property damage but maybe it helped restore a bit of water pressure to our neighborhood. Heck, that's Ichinisan you see at the end of this video where you hear us discuss retrieving the water meter shutoff tool we have:
https://i.imgur.com/3OEsv4L.mp4

The neighbor's exact home is where National Weather Service confirmed it was an EF-4 (red spots where the survey observed damage that requires 170MPH winds):
Image

The tornado varied between half a mile to a mile wide and covered 38.9 miles. It came from our direction and was still hitting us when it hit that neighbor so we definitely took a direct hit from the strongest part of an EF-4. Just because the foundation wasn't wiped clean like the neighbor doesn't mean we avoided catastropic damage. DHL even assumed our place was uninhabitable when they tried to deliver:
Image

My brother's footage of the tornado impacting us even shows that we almost lost it where you can see the basement wall starting to split just above the foundation level:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouzt7K3mjfU

The video would've shown him opening the basement door to discover the collapsed trees/balcony if the recording weren't interrupted by a call warning us of the toranado that had already hit us.

So, yeah, this was ALMOST as bad as your worst case scenario and the only thing that really distinguishes it is that the kits and consoles inside are mostly OK. The rest of the impact is largely the same since we literally went through the same tornado (utility and service disruptions, loss of transportation, impassable roads, exposed to the elements, physical injury, no place to sleep, etc).
samson7point1 wrote:It's not my intention to interpret anyone's actions or guess at their intentions. It has been four months since I started asking about a refund and there has been no acknowledgement from Ichinisan or CZroe. I get that Marshall is not a great communicator, there was a virus panic, and a tornado and that a lot of people have feelings about this that inspire them to argue on the forum and nothing I can say is going to alter any of that. My sympathies on your personal hardships and no hard feelings for anyone. I'd just like some idea that my request for a refund is eventually going to be acknowledged and I plan keep gently, respectfully asking every once in a while in hopes of getting a reply from Ichinisan or CZroe.
Rest assured: We will take care of you! Feel free to continue reminding us if you like. :)
SonicAdvDX
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by SonicAdvDX »

CZroe wrote:Someone came in the house a couple days ago to "pick up equipment" so I followed him into every room of the mostly-demolished house. He didn't find any of the equipment he was supposedly looking for and claims to have been at the wrong address, which is especially concerning since he saw our collection in the basement/garage and commented on it. No telling how many of the other handymen, roofers, framers, etc have been down there. I know they've been rooting around in the garage since they moved my PS2 kiosk to plug in and use one of my microwaves when I wasn't there. I mean, it's no big deal since they were authorized to be there but so was that FEMA inspector who came back and murdered some dude for his gun collection.
This right here sounds INCREDIBLY concerning... I've survived a few devastating hurricanes myself, and seen how the worst of humanity crawls out of the woodwork to exploit victims of disaster... Since it also sounds like you guys have had to temporarily shack up in a "bad neighborhood", if there's any way for you guys to get help cramming ALL of those kinds of valuables into your new workshop space, I would make that priority number one! (What kind of 'workshop' is it by the way, are you guys just working out of a storage unit or something?) It sounds like your house might already have a target on its back... Just getting a little frightened for you guys' well-being at this point. Please stay safe.
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Ichinisan
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Location: Newnan, GA 30263 United States

Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by Ichinisan »

Added to OP:

[TORNADO DISASTER UPDATE START]
[TORNADO DISASTER UPDATE START]
[TORNADO DISASTER UPDATE START]


I want to give everyone an update about the situation after the EF-4 tornado disaster.

We are working to restore communication and set up a usable work space to get back on our feet.

On March 25/26 (just after midnight), an EF-4 tornado tore through my neighborhood, turning this side of Newnan into a disaster area. In the “city of homes,” practically every home for miles around sustained some amount of damage from the storm.

My neighborhood (Woodrow Pl) is specifically where the EF-4 speeds were confirmed. Some homes were blown away with nothing left, so we are actually very lucky by comparison. We lost half the roof. The back balcony collapsed and crushed some equipment. My brother’s car was crushed by a tree and totaled by insurance. He tried to put a tarp on the roof during the rain just after the tornado, but fell through and injured himself (“non-displaced fracture at rotator cuff”). There have been multiple denied medical insurance claims, but he is resubmitting because he only did what they recommended. There is a lot of water damage inside the house. We still managed to keep nearly all the important indoor belongings safe and dry. Even with things distributed between 6+ locations, the garage and basement are still piled full of property that is somewhat at-risk while various contractors and subcontractors perform demolition work. We are still working to get everything out. Storage units all around are full because hundreds of people are in a similar situation. Another 10x10 unit just opened up ~21 miles away in the middle of nowhere and I snagged it. Making trips to fill the unit will be difficult while we have only one vehicle. It’s not nearly big enough anyway.

My twin brother could not assist with moving items due to his arm injury and work schedule. Many strangers and relief organizations offered help. Some were unable to assist when they realized we rent the home (we are not home owners). I declined most offers outright because others in my own neighborhood suffered much more severely. I thought we could handle everything with the help of friends and family. Perhaps that was naive.

Our older half-brother was preparing to come from out-of-state to help. He planned to bring his trailer, ATV + winch, chainsaw, and other tools. Unfortunately his clinically-diagnosed mental conditions caused paranoid delusions about previous encounters with my good friend. He threatened to mutilate my friend if they encountered each other. He and I both realized it would be a bad idea for him to come.

My niece and her fiance (also from out-of-state) offered to assist, so I continued to decline outside help. Their visit was delayed and ultimately they were only here to help for one full day. We finished as much as we could during that brief period.

When we moved here in 2019, the landlord (kinda my boss) did not provide a rental lease, so we could not get renter’s insurance. He was busy and I stopped asking after a while. I did not push him because I believe we have a great deal on the rent.

Communication after the disaster has been practically impossible. Power was out for a week. Internet service was never restored after multiple weeks, so I finally had the service transferred to the temporary home that my boss/landlord has provided (it was also an ordeal). Internet service is basically useless to me at that location. The place is much too small for our equipment and belongings. It’s in a very unsafe part of town and I will not bring other people’s consoles there. There are no curtains yet, but that’s the least of my concerns. The home was being renovated and renovation is incomplete. Electrical is a mess. Heat+AC does not work. I’m still trying to connect my appliances (various challenges). There has been a murder and another related shooting in the neighborhood just in the last 10 days. I cannot try to operate from this location.

Streets around the disaster area were not navigable for weeks. My landlord spent multiple hours over several days trying to get to the house and see it for himself. He always had to give up and return to manage his Thai restaurant. Many days passed before he could finally see the damage. After debris blockages were removed from streets, there were always utility crews working and blocking roads. I would often be diverted and sent around in circles for hours while trying to drive to a location that would normally take only 5 to 10 minutes. Now the streets are practically 100% navigable, but I’m still having lots of difficulty with package delivery. In particular, FedEx can’t seem to figure out what they are doing with a specific group-buy member’s console. The saga is absurd beyond belief, so I won’t waste time with it here. Note: Anyone sending a package at this point should use the PO box address (or the alternate mailing address for the PO box, which should work for any courier).

Red Cross placed a mobile display sign with their phone number just outside my neighborhood. I finally called them a little over a week ago, their phone system simply said they do not offer assistance to victims of the tornadoes in Georgia and Alabama. A couple days later the sign was finally gone.

I’m applying for assistance from Coweta Foundation, but I may have started the process too late.

Food is not a concern. Teams finally stopped roaming the neighborhoods to hand out food and water, but there are pre-existing free food programs that give out WAY too much food with each visit.

Our mother has cared for my brother’s small dog (“Ben”) for years. It helps her deal with life in an “empty nest.” The dog was diagnosed with diabetes at the end of October and it has been extremely expensive to deal with. Recently it seems that our mother is incapable of managing the diabetes and she’s telling me the dog seems to be dying. She has been sending hysterical messages and phone calls as I write this. We’ll need to visit the veterinarian again to see what can be done. It has been very expensive already. I expect euthenasia will be the only option we can consider. I have no idea how she will react to the suggestion (or for that matter, how my brother will react).

We are setting up a workshop at another location. It has similar concerns regarding safety and security. I will want my brother to spend most nights there. We also need assistance with electrical wiring for lights and security. My electrician friend told me he was coming back to GA after the tornado (“to help”). but then stopped responding to me until after he returned to Michigan. Offers of assistance from out-of-state never seem to work out...

Our plan right now is to prioritize finishing the consoles we already have on-hand.

When we have a usable work shop (with lights and Internet access), we will sell nearly everything we own from our extensive retro gaming collection. There will be a lot of unusual + obscure items listed soon. Actually I had been pressuring my brother to do this even before the tornado disaster. I don’t like the idea of our shared collection becoming a ball and chain.

Many years ago, our father died and left 10.5 acres of land in a neighboring state without a will, so we have paid the taxes for ~15 years. I think it’s time to get the deed / title (or whatever) in our name so we can use the property or sell it. I’m told that I need to consult with an attorney to handle the procedure.

Back in January / February, Marshall told me that he would have at least 400 additional UltraHDMI units for me very soon (in addition to the 230 units he was already preparing). He assured me that the +400 units would not “walk away” and I would be able to purchase and receive them imminently -- well before the expected April launch of N64Digital. I received the first 230 units and was working through many challenges to get them allocated. I contacted Marshall on behalf of GameTechUS and Marshall said he would get in-touch. If I understand correctly, Marshall offered to sell some units to Jason / GameTechUS, but Jason announced a pre-order for more units than were offered to him. As soon as I saw the tweet, I contacted Marshall and he said he could only offer me 300 UltraHDMI units. I purchased those along with 185 DAC modules before the GameTechUS preorder ended. Since then, GameTechUS has received and distributed those units. We even managed to perform some install services for GameTechUS kits before demolition began in our home.

At some point I told Marshall I needed more DAC modules to finish allocating the initial 230 UltraHDMI HW2 units I already received. On March 25 I received 100 DAC kits from the +185 I had purchased. I was ready to hit the ground running and continue allocating the first 230 UltraHDMIs, but the tornado struck that same night and put a stop to everything.

I still have not received the 300 additional UltraHDMI units I ordered (just 100 of +185 DAC kits). Due to the unusual way I need to contact Marshall, currently I have no easy way to reach him. I can only attempt to reach him from the location that will be our new workshop. I have to tether my mobile phone (no Internet service yet) and send my message. I usually cannot wait around for a reply. We’ve only been able to communicate momentarily before I need to disconnect again and leave. Weeks ago Marshall said he was hoping to finish a new firmware in the next day or so before programming and sending my order. He understood that there was no easy way for us to communicate and he said he would send the units with current firmware if he didn’t finish the new one in the next couple days.


[2021-04-11 15:54] Ichinisan:
- Not sure if I missed anything from you in the meantime.

[2021-04-11 16:09] Marshall H:
- ok good to hear from you again
- you didn't miss anything
- i am trying to do a firmware rev quick before the boards are provisioned
- if it ends up working i will wrap it up soon

[2021-04-11 16:10] Ichinisan:
- Thanks.
- I'll hit the ground running when they arrive.

[2021-04-11 21:02] Ichinisan:
- Back for a moment.
- If the rev seems like it's good, email a link to [redacted to evade harvester bots]@gmail.com and I will test.
- (firmware)


For much of the weeks that passed, I found that Marshall was not reachable during the moments while I was at the workshop. It’s pretty unusual. I finally caught up with him late on April 30.


[2021-04-30 22:08] Ichinisan:
- Any word? I'll need to give people some kind of update tonight.

[2021-04-30 22:09] Marshall H:
- oy

[2021-04-30 22:10] Ichinisan:
- They've started to demolish the house so everything is being moved.

[2021-04-30 22:11] Marshall H:
- dang

[2021-04-30 22:11] Ichinisan:
- Filled a bunch of storage places, but the garage and basement at the house are still full with stuff we have piled there.

[2021-04-30 22:12] Marshall H:
- sounds pretty crazy
- are you at a point where you can work at the shop?

[2021-04-30 22:13] Ichinisan:
- Yes.
- ...but still no Internet connection.
- I have the mobile phone for that.

[2021-04-30 22:15] Marshall H:
- here's where im' at now
- solid work on next firmware is done, but i have to do more on it. i am pretty under the weather at work as usual
- would you like me to just ship current fw or hang on

[2021-04-30 22:17] Ichinisan:
- ship current fw
- We can absolutely update any boards we still have after the firmware comes.


Regarding N64Digital: Some time after it was announced, Dan Kunz (citrus3000psi) of PixelFx graciously offered 50 units of N64Digital for $150 each from the initial launch allocation to help with the group-buy. Dan said he will not allow me to pay for them until the units are in-hand. I haven’t received any word since. I expect that I will be able to pre-order as many units as we need from future batches of N64Digital.

People have waited so long for an opportunity to get a true HDMI upgrade for their N64s. Regardless of whether you want UltraHDMI or N64Digital, I want to help as many people as possible. If you’re in the group-buy and you manage to get N64Digital directly from PixelFx, I will offer nearly-free installation. That would help me reallocate one of my initial 50 units for someone else in the list. For USA, that’s $30 to cover install + return shipping with some amount of insurance and/or signature confirmation. International packages are more tedious to manage. I typically can’t just use a flat-rate box, so I need to perform lots of measurements and calculations. I can offer to do international installs for actual shipping cost + $20.

I apologize that I have been unable to communicate what has been going on since the disaster. I’ve had too many urgent priorities to work on. In the meantime I’ve had some concerning threats, but I totally understand why some people are upset. It’s clear that many (most?) participants still have no idea what has happened and I will try to get the word out. Perhaps I can spend some time to make this update more digestible and set up an email filter + auto responder.

[TORNADO DISASTER UPDATE END]
[TORNADO DISASTER UPDATE END]
[TORNADO DISASTER UPDATE END]
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citrus3000psi
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by citrus3000psi »

I need to send you a message James but will just do it here.

The original quoted price we gave you was based on a selling price of $160 which was in early Feb. But we had to raise prices as all chips are much higher now. So the sell price is now $175. So the group buy price has to reflect this which will then be $165.
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Ichinisan
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by Ichinisan »

citrus3000psi wrote:I need to send you a message James but will just do it here.

The original quoted price we gave you was based on a selling price of $160 which was in early Feb. But we had to raise prices as all chips are much higher now. So the sell price is now $175. So the group buy price has to reflect this which will then be $165.
That's unfortunate, but I understand. Some people already opted to switch to N64Digital and paid the difference when I previously contacted them. I will also need to contact them again.
bbsan2k
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2021 1:46 pm

Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by bbsan2k »

Hey @Ichinisan,

I'm in entry 110 on the list (directly after the Retro-HDMI Bulk Order). Haven't heard from you since last year via E-Mail, so (just if you have some spare minutes) could you check on my mail? Esp. regarding switching to the N64Digital.

Hope you are doing alright now in the new place...
Dolobill
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue May 04, 2021 11:05 pm

Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by Dolobill »

Hello all. First time poster, long time lurker. Just posting to notify everyone that Julian posted an update on Facebook showing that he received the remaining ~300 units.
ThinFizzy
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2020 6:22 pm

Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by ThinFizzy »

@Ichinsian and @CZRoe Thanks for the extensive update and I'm so sorry for everything you endured as a result of the storm. I asked for a refund a while back but I would like to donate the funds to you both instead. I know it's not much, but you guys got dealt a bad deck of cards and I would like to be one less person for you to have to worry about.

Best of luck to you guys and I hope things start looking up soon.
CZroe
Posts: 141
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2018 3:19 am

Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by CZroe »

NEWS!

We received two large boxes from RetroActive yesterday with the rest of the order. He overnighted them to us (!) so we took them to the new workshop and did an unboxing and rough count:
https://youtu.be/TY0rsQs4pMs

It seems we got WAY too many DACs. ;)

Anyway, I hate that Marshall spent so much to overnight these when we won't be able to start testing until tomorrow at the earliest. I've been out of work sick with the flu and still can't get to the shop to do anything since my brother had to meet with a cable tech and shuttle our mother around as the last of us with a functional car. The check from my crushed car doesn't even cover medical expenses so I just picked up a stop-gap electric scooter to reduce the burden on my brother and his Volt (very useful for his charging situation).
SonicAdvDX wrote:
CZroe wrote:Someone came in the house a couple days ago to "pick up equipment" so I followed him into every room of the mostly-demolished house. He didn't find any of the equipment he was supposedly looking for and claims to have been at the wrong address, which is especially concerning since he saw our collection in the basement/garage and commented on it. No telling how many of the other handymen, roofers, framers, etc have been down there. I know they've been rooting around in the garage since they moved my PS2 kiosk to plug in and use one of my microwaves when I wasn't there. I mean, it's no big deal since they were authorized to be there but so was that FEMA inspector who came back and murdered some dude for his gun collection.
This right here sounds INCREDIBLY concerning... I've survived a few devastating hurricanes myself, and seen how the worst of humanity crawls out of the woodwork to exploit victims of disaster... Since it also sounds like you guys have had to temporarily shack up in a "bad neighborhood", if there's any way for you guys to get help cramming ALL of those kinds of valuables into your new workshop space, I would make that priority number one! (What kind of 'workshop' is it by the way, are you guys just working out of a storage unit or something?) It sounds like your house might already have a target on its back... Just getting a little frightened for you guys' well-being at this point. Please stay safe.
Thankfully, there is reason to believe the guy about it being the wrong address since he did go to my neighbors next... though they looked just as confused. Doesn't change the fact that the the house is open to a revolving door of strangers every day (contractors, subcontractors, inspectors, etc) so I'm still concerned. Luckily, electronics and retrogames don't bring the same kind of violence that dude faced.

"The shop" is a small, rotting, cinder block building at the corner store in the neighborhood I grew up in. It's not on Google Street View and the only picture of it I can find in my camera roll is this:
Image
Image

Yeah, that's Ichinisan. No, I wasn't going to be much help hanging those overhead lights with my arm in a sling. ;) You can't tell but it already has windows broken and boarded up. It's a real dump, but we don't need much for a workshop.

We were a little iffy about keeping other people's stuff at that place too until getting Internet service today (still need a router). That's because drunks and losers with nothing better to do would buy their drinks from the store and sit behind the shop for hours every day. That's not what the gazebo back there is for:
Image
It's supposed to be for July 4th grillouts and other stuff hosted by the store.

With Internet service we can finally set up our Nest security cameras that haven't been useful since the tornado knocked them down and cut power/Internet at the old place. This means two Internet bills but we can't keep operating the paralyzing way it's been for the last month where no place is safe to bring/do anything. Thankfully, my elderly mother still lives one block away and I used to stay there frequently as her official caretaker. I haven't stayed there in over a year due to the pandemic but I am now fully vaccinated and she needs help with the diabetic dog so I will resume after I get over the flu I have. That way I can respond quickly to any security alerts and stay late at the shop without transportation.
bbsan2k wrote:Hey @Ichinisan,

I'm in entry 110 on the list (directly after the Retro-HDMI Bulk Order). Haven't heard from you since last year via E-Mail, so (just if you have some spare minutes) could you check on my mail? Esp. regarding switching to the N64Digital.

Hope you are doing alright now in the new place...
You'll be hearing from him very soon. :)
ThinFizzy wrote:@Ichinsian and @CZRoe Thanks for the extensive update and I'm so sorry for everything you endured as a result of the storm. I asked for a refund a while back but I would like to donate the funds to you both instead. I know it's not much, but you guys got dealt a bad deck of cards and I would like to be one less person for you to have to worry about.

Best of luck to you guys and I hope things start looking up soon.
Thanks for the generous offer. I truly appreciate it but Ichinisan will still be contacting you with the same options as everyone else (UltraHDMI HW2, N64Digital, or refund). You'll have to force him to take it. :)
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djc5166
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by djc5166 »

I've emailed several times, but you're probably still just catching up.

I wanted to add the DAC to my UHDMI order (sounds like you got extra now!)

If there is room for the N64Digitals then I was looking to additionally get one of those as well.
juji82
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Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2013 3:05 am
Location: Tokyo, Japan

Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by juji82 »

@Ichinsian and @CZRoe
about what number will you get covered with the batch that you just received? If I will be in I will send my n64.
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wart
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by wart »

juji82 wrote:@Ichinsian and @CZRoe
about what number will you get covered with the batch that you just received? If I will be in I will send my n64.
Would love to know this as well. I'm number #348, though I suspect that means I'll have to wait for the next shipment to arrive :)
PCiTEK
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 3:39 am

Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by PCiTEK »

juji82 wrote:@Ichinsian and @CZRoe
about what number will you get covered with the batch that you just received? If I will be in I will send my n64.
I would like to know also! I'm #324, I hope that reaches out to me but, after doing the count, I'm 8 away. There might have been refunds that might move me up. Thank you and stay safe!
CZroe
Posts: 141
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by CZroe »

Spent most of yesterday and today in bed sick with the flu (tested negative for COVID-19) but made it back to the shop:
Image

That’s Ichinisan talking to someone scammy since I was too sick to share a phone or get close. Regardless of whether it was a scam or not, he couldn’t help her jump the car since his Volt doesn’t have a normal battery.

We found the door was very difficult to open and my brother insisted that someone tried to kick it in. We still don’t have WiFi and Nest cameras going so I was going to stay the night there but we ended up getting locked out. I finished a couple consoles and was sleeping off the flu in the car when he removed and reassembled the door knob and now it can’t be turned. It’ll need to be drilled out but the drill is in the workshop. Might need to crowbar our way through the boarded up window.

Anyway, we’ll be up trying to grab N64Digital in the morning. Hoping I’ll be back at work and he’ll get the door situation taken care of. Also dealing with water in the basement at the old place after the rain you could hear in the unboxing video.
djc5166 wrote:I've emailed several times, but you're probably still just catching up.

I wanted to add the DAC to my UHDMI order (sounds like you got extra now!)

If there is room for the N64Digitals then I was looking to additionally get one of those as well.
Yeah, when we were actually in the shop he and Marshall discussed the extra DACs. We definitely have too many so he can help. :) Still getting situated but he will reach out.
juji82 wrote:@Ichinsian and @CZRoe
about what number will you get covered with the batch that you just received? If I will be in I will send my n64.
I don’t have any way to estimate that but it’s much more than half way through the list for sure. We seem to be getting deliveries to the PO Box easily enough so he will start requesting consoles again very soon.
Lethal
Banned User
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by Lethal »

Ichinisan wrote:.
CZroe wrote:.
Last edited by Lethal on Wed Jun 09, 2021 5:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
ldeveraux
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Re: UltraHDMI group-buy ROUND 7 - 2021-01-30 UPDATE

Post by ldeveraux »

Remember how we discussed not needing to provide your life story to justify the group buy progress? That still applies. Trolls will be trolls; stop justifying your life to them.
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