Random thoughts:
I did a Leo Bodnar test. Latency varied between one and two frames at any given time. I am guessing the machine always maintains a full buffered frame and the additional variable latency is related to some kind of frame rate conversion. Even with the Leo Bodnar and the Dido Jr both outputting "matching" 60Hz frame rates, it was there. The latency jumps to about two frames, drops to a single frame, and jumps back to about two frames. Worst case was about 33ms.
** The Dido Jr's claim to fame is plug and play tate mode rotation with nice even scanlines and it does the job pretty well. It's definitely the easiest and cheapest way to get it done right now. **
I'm not a huge fan of the 240p upscaling, but I have gotten it to accept 240p over composite and svideo. As far as I can tell, it handles it properly and doesn't try to deinterlace 240p at all. Unfortunately, I can't get it to accept 240p over RGB or component video. It refused to handle component, RGBHV, RGB composite sync, and RGBS 240p. It's too bad it won't take 240p over RGB.
I'll hook up the Atari 2600 later and throw a few torture tests at it. From what I can tell, the video inputs have some tolerance for VCR inputs and it might hold sync with some tricky games. Lots of video processors choke on Atari.
With svideo, N64 Resident Evil 2 is seamless and all transitions between screens are seamless. Same thing when switching between 480i and 240p with the SNES. Because the Dido Jr performs frame rate conversion, this isn't really shocking, but that's something it does. I wish it accepted 240p as RGB.
The Dido Jr also has programmable output. I decided to try downscaling 480p to 240p. It works well. Just add a custom resolution. The results are pretty good and my picky Sony TV has no issues accepting the output. If you're getting priced out of the Corio 2 and Emotia downscaling market, the Dido Jr does it, too. You can turn off the scaling filters for a reasonably sharp output.
Honestly, the frame rate conversion on the Dido Jr isn't terrible when compared lots of other frame rate conversion I've seen. I have a few machines where I can see nasty tearing. The Dido is much more subtle. I even had a very expensive Samsung television that used frame rate conversion and the results were much worse than the Dido Jr.
I didn't bother with deinterlacing. I remember being unimpressed before. It's not 4:4:4, so 480p upscaling isn't going to win much praise.
FWIW, it accepted OSSC linex2, x3, and x4 and outputs 1080p. Although, I doubt most people would use this one as an upscaler without using the rotation.
If you need a tate mode solution or you want 240p output, it might be worth getting one at the right price.
. High latency should help curb interest too.
