Recalbox RGB Dual: Raspberry Pi + RGB Scart out

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

So this thing is a HAT for the Raspberry Pi, it's 40 Eurobucks, and it has a number of features:
- It'll give you RGB via Scart and VGA. I'm using it with my CRT TV via Scart.
- It works in tandem with Recalbox (= a frontend/ emulator combo similar to Retroarch). Every emulator apparently uses the original resolution and FPS for every game; games are supposed to look and feel exactly like the originals.
- It really is plug und play: you install Recalbox on your RP, clip on the RGB dual, and you're good to go. No fucking around with drivers; it worked from the get-go. Every game I've tried so far looks gorgeous (NES in RGB, wonderful!) and plays very well. Plays nicely with the 8Bit-Do SN30Pro I'm using it with (it thinks it's an Xbox360-controller).
- It comes with different homebrew games and conversions, among else Doom, Quake, Cave Story, and Rick Dangerous.

I'm using it with a Rapsberry Pi 4, and so far I'm really happy with it. Playstation, Saturn, and N64 emulation are supposed to be excellent as well, but I haven't yet had the time to try them out. Haven't noticed any lag, but that doesn't say much (played a couple of credits of Dodonpachi and died a bunch, which is pretty normal for my mediocre DDP skillset). I've only found lag tests for much older versions of Recalbox from 2018 (which do have considerable lag), I guess now that Runahead has been a thing for quite a while, the developers of Recalbox have worked on reducing lag as well.

I'll probably stick one of these in a homemade arcade cab - finally, an easy solution for when you want to use a real CRT in your cab.

Spoiler

[fernan1234]

I'm a fan of Recalbox as a frontend over other options, so I was always intrigued by this little hat though I've been okay using the HDMI 15khz output on a Pi 3. I've heard it's not easy or even possible to do the same with the 4s and even some late 3s, so this will be a great option for those cases.

Do you know if the VGA output works the same as the SCART one, meaning it can also output the same 15khz video? Or is the VGA output only meant for 31khz on VGA monitors?

Also how would you get audio when using the VGA output, from the Pi's analogue output? It'd be nice if you could still get digital audio from the HDMI output, which is something I've also enjoyed about going the HDMI route.

[Fudoh]

Thanks for the reminder! I missed the Kickstarter last year and was waiting for them to become available regularly. Excited to give this a try!

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

Do you know if the VGA output works the same as the SCART one, meaning it can also output the same 15khz video? Or is the VGA output only meant for 31khz on VGA monitors?

I'm afraid I don't know since I don't use/ will never the VGA out... some dude on the youtubes stated that VGA output is supposed to give you 31khz, but I suggest you ask one of the developers on the forum to make sure...

Also how would you get audio when using the VGA output, from the Pi's analogue output? It'd be nice if you could still get digital audio from the HDMI output, which is something I've also enjoyed about going the HDMI route.

Yeah, you'll have to use the audio jack of the RP. I guess the RP will not give you an HDMI signal while you're using RGB/ Scart or VGA out?

[kitty666cats]

The VGA out should work for any resolution you have it set to, it probably just outputs strictly RGBHV. It’s definitely *intended* for 31+kHz but should work with 240p as well. You’ll just be hard pressed to find many 15kHz RGBHV monitors

[fernan1234]

The VGA out should work for any resolution you have it set to, it probably just outputs strictly RGBHV. It’s definitely *intended* for 31+kHz but should work with 240p as well. You’ll just be hard pressed to find many 15kHz RGBHV monitors

There's some but yeah they are in the minority. At the same time, there's plenty of Extron RGB interfaces and such that will convert it to RGBS, which should also work well for anyone who also wants to avoid SCART connectors and cables.

Anyway good to know the "VGA" out can be set to 15khz too. I still wish there was a way to also get the best of all worlds with digital audio though.