the best and worst gaming hardware you bought this year?

[Classicgamer]

Now that we are coming to the end of 2018 (wtf!), what is the best thing you bought (for gaming) and what are the worst purchases that had you wishing you saved the money?

For me, 2018 was the year of the gun. The best thing I bought was a PS2 with a Guncon 2 along with all of the available Time Crisis and other Namco shooting games. It's just awesome.

In second place is my Operation Thunderbolt Arcade gun with an Apac to connect the pots and buttons to my PC.

The worst item is my Aimtrak recoil kit. It's just terrible.

How about you guys?

[juji82]

Top : DCHdmi + GC And wii hdmi from citrus3000psi
Worst : Xbox one X

[Classicgamer]

That's interesting. I have never owned one of the Xbox consoles before but I was thinking of picking up the original Xbox to give it a try.

What didn't you like about the Xbox One?

[nmalinoski]

I think the best thing I've purchased this year has been the UltraHDMI. It's nice to be able to play N64 games without needing any scalers or legacy AV equipment; and, paired with an EverDrive 64 (which, to be fair, I bought during last year's Black Friday sale on Krikzz's website), I'm able to play games I otherwise wouldn't be able to, including romhacks and homebrew. Everything looks crisp and clear (well, as crisp and clear as it can get), and I can bring it to a friend's house and play on their TV without any issues.

I also bought an EverDrive N8, but I haven't yet gotten a chance to play with it.


As for the worst thing, I'm undecided between a spare NES Classic controller and the PSIO.

First, I bought an NES Classic controller from Amazon back in June. I simply wanted to add it to my collection and display it with the NES Classic box. Unfortunately, the packaging is very thin, and whomever packed it simply tossed it in a large padded envelope, so it arrived with the packaging crushed. I returned it, but they couldn't replace it because they had sold out. They gave me a refund and a $5 voucher.

I tried again in September, when they got more stock in; and, because there is no place on the order summary page for notes/requests, I immediately got in touch with Amazon's support via chat and requested that it be shipped in a box. I was told my request was added to the notes; however, it had once again been shipped in a padded envelope and arrived with its packaging crushed. I got in touch with Amazon's support, which again offered a return and a $5 voucher, to which I declined, and instead received a no-return refund (as in I got my money back and I got to keep the controller). The moral of that story is, if you care about the condition of the packaging of stuff you're buying for a collection, don't buy from Amazon.

Secondly, and lastly, I have a tinge of buyer's remorse regarding buying a PSIO (paid in January, received end of November), which I have opened but still have yet to install. I think this thing ostensibly could have been designed from the start to avoid requiring permanent and irreversible modification to install. I'm also really not a fan of the anti-consumer approach CybDyn has taken regarding distribution of firmware updates, and moreso what they're supposedly planning (making you create and log into an account on their website to download updates that are locked to the serial number of the unit you bought), and I don't want to support that.

[Deubeul]

Best: Super SD System 3

Worst: Super SD System 3

[Mobiusstriptech]

Secondly, and lastly, I have a tinge of buyer's remorse regarding buying a PSIO (paid in January, received end of November), which I have opened but still have yet to install. I think this thing ostensibly could have been designed from the start to avoid requiring permanent and irreversible modification to install. I'm also really not a fan of the anti-consumer approach CybDyn has taken regarding distribution of firmware updates, and moreso what they're supposedly planning (making you create and log into an account on their website to download updates that are locked to the serial number of the unit you bought), and I don't want to support that.

You can revert the ps-io mainboard modification. Although you really wouldn't ever need to do so since it still operates with the CD drive. The only way to overcome the need to modify the console would have been to offer a laser replacement device akin to the GDEMU, Rhea/Pheobe, etc. The issue with that comes down to a no longer universal main component which complicates the ordering and production instead.

I get where you are coming from though.

[nmalinoski]

Secondly, and lastly, I have a tinge of buyer's remorse regarding buying a PSIO (paid in January, received end of November), which I have opened but still have yet to install. I think this thing ostensibly could have been designed from the start to avoid requiring permanent and irreversible modification to install. I'm also really not a fan of the anti-consumer approach CybDyn has taken regarding distribution of firmware updates, and moreso what they're supposedly planning (making you create and log into an account on their website to download updates that are locked to the serial number of the unit you bought), and I don't want to support that.

You can revert the ps-io mainboard modification. Although you really wouldn't ever need to do so since it still operates with the CD drive. The only way to overcome the need to modify the console would have been to offer a laser replacement device akin to the GDEMU, Rhea/Pheobe, etc. The issue with that comes down to a no longer universal main component which complicates the ordering and production instead.

I get where you are coming from though.

The use case would be removing the switch board to install a different ODE, should another be designed/released. If I'm no longer using the PSIO, the only reason to keep the switch board in place would be to keep the severed traces bridged; and, should I want to resell the PSIO, I'd want to remove the switchboard to include it in the sale (no telling if CybDyn will be around to sell additional switchboards, and it'd be easier to make the sale with everything included).

As for repairing the traces, what's involved? Dropping a glob of solder in the gap? I imagine it's not as easy or straightforward as simply desoldering a wire.

[Kez]

Repairing traces isn't too hard, you can use jumper wire or old capacitor/resistor legs. Scrape away the solder screen on either side of the cut to expose some copper and solder the wire across. A blob of solder would probably do the trick as well.

I am still not really a fan of cutting traces though.

[Mobiusstriptech]

You could potentially bridge the cut with solder, wire, or a component leg. The switchboard isn't propretiary and is very easy to make or acquire. I have 5 extras myself.

I do get it though. I would prefer to not need to cut the traces as well but at least it's not like trying to repair cut plastic.

[mvsfan]

I think the best was the Snes classic.

The worst was the extron crap and cables i bought trying to get my original snes working on a flatscreen.

[Bratwurst]

This year I've made a total of two video game purchases for myself, so how neat that they can be categorized as such?

Best: SD2SNES. Been wanting this one for a long time- and I'll even get some extra functionality out of it when I load light gun type games to test my Super Scope clone (hacked out of a Saturn Stunner's innards) as I make it.

Worst: Objectively, a pair of the Pro Controller clones for the Atari Jaguar released just a month ago. There's absolutely nothing wrong with them and they're extremely well made in fact, but it's still the Atari Jaguar.

[Triple Lei]

Best: SD2SNES

It's not the flashcart I needed the most (that would be one for the Genesis), and I'm still slowly collecting all the Super FX and SA1 games anyway, but man, what a treat. And coming from the Everdrive N8, it's just so nice to have a menu that doesn't look like ass and the OK/cancel buttons are actually what I'd expect.

Runner-up: Tendak HDMI to VGA converter. No need for my powered HDfury3 anymore.


Worst: Yet another PS4 joystick: Hori RAP V Hayabusa

To be fair, it is a very good stick, it just wasn't a must-have. I read "the one with the headphone jack was faster" than my old one and then seeing it cheap on eBay I had to get it. Then I remembered this tweet and saw that it wasn't even the fastest Hori... so yeah. At least it pairs nice with my old one which has the exact same shape, and maybe I can have a dedicated 4-way stick now.

Runner-up: Pandora's Box 5. I only found out after I bought it that (1) it wasn't even the latest version, and (2) I could've gotten it cheaper on Aliexpress. At first I didn't like that it was HDMI-only, but that just lets me hook it up to my DVDO Edge easier so I could correct the forced 16:9 aspect ratio. As for the games themselves, there's more wrong than right with them (I mean, even Final Fight wasn't perfect), but it plays Armed Police Batrider well enough for me to scratch that itch, at least.

[theclaw]

Best has to be a Geforce 1070. Much, much more stable than 960 for the time being (unidentified crashing in graphics intensive games).

Worst, maybe the Xbox One S. Microsoft lost all the Japanese support 360 struggled to gain.

[Classicgamer]

Best: Super SD System 3

Worst: Super SD System 3

That might need a touch more explanation (unless it is the only thing you bought this year?).

[nmalinoski]

I'd like to revise my worst hardware purchased this year. Hands-down, it is now the S-993A desoldering gun I bought from an eBay seller with stock in the US. (I've requested a refund; should the seller refuse, I'll publish the link and seller name.)

Tonight, I was preparing to recap my frontloader NES. I plugged in the desoldering gun to get it warmed up. This was only my second time using it. While that was warming up, I turned on my Hakko soldering station/iron to run some fresh solder into the joints for the power/RF module in preparation for removing it (easier access to the caps).

Perhaps only two or three minutes had elapsed. When I looked back at the desoldering gun, the heating element and nozzle were glowing orange (ostensibly whatever kind of temperature regulator it had had failed; it was only set to 360C), and the plastic piece that holds that part to the handle (and what keeps the gun upright while in its stand) had begun to melt, causing the element to sag. I imagine that, if I had not unplugged it, the element would have separated and it would have started a fire.

Granted, this was a significantly cheaper option to the Hakko FR-301, but a $100 piece of hardware should not try to kill you and destroy your life on its second use.

[Mobiusstriptech]

Best: Super SD System 3

Worst: Super SD System 3

That might need a touch more explanation (unless it is the only thing you bought this year?).

I don't know. I think that entire thing is pretty well documented by now.

[Deubeul]

Best: Super SD System 3

Worst: Super SD System 3

That might need a touch more explanation (unless it is the only thing you bought this year?).

I don't know. I think that entire thing is pretty well documented by now.

I'll still resume, because I need to rant.

Best because the ODE fonction works great, the fast loading times and the reliability are a blessing. I could finally beat Rayxanber 2, that b*tch always crashed at some point on real hardware, especially once you've finally managed to beat that bloody 4th level.

Worst because everything else has been so poorly thought technically. Add at least 100€ to the bill to have correct image and sound quality, that if you're skilled enough and have the tools to do it yourself.

Worst because Terraonnion communication was a disaster. Their firmware update system is a joke, if update there is because they don't even seem to care anymore.

[Classicgamer]

It's interesting (but not surprising) that most of the best purchases are related to vintage gaming hardware and so few mention the latest generation of consoles.

[SavagePencil]

Best: DataPath VisionAV-1. An excellent card that works in an enclosure to my laptop. No more futzing around with the XCAPTURE-1's finicky-ness. Doesn't pick up 15khz signals like the VisionRGB does, but I'm running everything through the OSSC anyway so it does what I need it to. Picked one up and the audio input daughterboard for cheap.

Worst: SSDS3. It was such a headache (socially, technically, and cost) to bring this great idea up to snuff. This could have been handled so much better.

[Kez]

It's interesting (but not surprising) that most of the best purchases are related to vintage gaming hardware and so few mention the latest generation of consoles.

I bought a PS4 (Pro) this year and it's probably my best gaming purchase overall, I was way behind on "current" gaming and spent a lot of this year catching up on games I have been wanting to play.

[DialKnight]

Best Purchase: NTSC-J Xbox 360. I have played that thing every day since I got it, after avoiding the other iterations for years. I got into that nice groove of finding stuff to feed it at a decent price, grooving on new sticks, and games I never played.


Worst Purchase: Broken Raiden II board, sold as working, only because trouble shooting a board without a data analyzer can be such a drag.

[BrianC]

Best purchase: Analogue Super NT - Sweet FPGA SNES with nice compatibility and options for HDTVs.
Worst purchase: SF30 Retro set - SNES blutooth Adapter is very nice, but controller has oversensitive diagonals on the dpad, which makes games like Mr. Do and Pac-Man harder to play.

[FBX]

This past year It's a tough call. I have to give the nod to the Super Nt, but the DCHDMI mod comes a close 2nd.

Worse thing I bought: Well I'm really careful about what I buy. Probably the NES Classic, though I just wanted it for collector-hoarding's sake. The SSDS3 gets a pass for me because I had no intention of using the video output from it, and the audio problems I was able to resolve pretty quickly once I took the time to have a look myself. It was one of those things where it took me all of 1 hour to solve the issues, but I had not bothered to even try for quite a long time since I figured other much smarter and more knowledgeable people would have sussed it out. Then I thought "what the heck, you never know" and cracked it open.