Analogue Pocket (FPGA GB/GBC/GBA/NGP/LYNX)

[parodius]

Kamiboy’s words pretty much summarize my own thoughts.

[kamiboy]

I already own several PC Engine systems, from the suitcase to the Duo and GT, plus accompanying evedrive. Alas, the super sexy LT always eluded me, sigh. Anywaste, I want this potential new revision because I like to have a modern hardware alternative, if for nothing else, then just for posterity. Also, their design is really nice looking, and it is easier to incorporate in a more clean multi console setup I am planning.

Of course, given that the Pocket will get official PC Engine support in the near future, I technically already have a modern PC Engine alternative, though only for hucards. Unless I get that new Everdrive with CD support and can live with mono CD audio. Then there is the current PC Engine CD core, which is glitchy, but could potentially improve.

If one is content with the unofficial cores then the Pocket is several generations of FPGA console implementations in one. Pretty much a Mister, but cheaper, more compact, has a screen and can be taken with you. Not to mention the so far untapped potential of analogue video output so it can be used with CRTs.

I used to haul my various bulky consoles, adapters, cables and cartridges to retro gatherings, in the future I would certainly prefer to just bring a Pocket and dock.

[fernan1234]

Pretty much a Mister

With the big caveat tbat all of the corresponding cores on MiSTer are currently more accurate, mature and full-featured, including the cores for GB/C/A.

[bobrocks95]

Like I said, Analogue is the only company making this stuff. They're boutique products with very slick modern designs. I'd just love to see actual competition though from anybody else, because it's their business practices that rub me the wrong way.

Why am I literally funding their next production run by paying in full 6-12+ months in advance with virtually zero updates from them? Why is the MegaSG apparently still full of bugs? Why does shipping a tiny-ass box cost so much, with no way to reasonably combine orders? Why are they discontinuing wildly popular products and creating artificial scarcity to drive FOMO for some short-term sales (not seeing much discussion on this one)?

[Guspaz]

I agree with a lot of your criticism (still waiting for my DAC to output valid sync, they don't do enough firmware updates, and their shipping prices are insane), but the discontinuation is quite understandable. Like any manufacturer, they've got large minimum quantities for production runs, and they can only do so many production runs before the sales don't justify another. All the products that they've discontinued (which is everything but the Pocket at this point) have each had multiple production runs, and they've probably been watching the sales soften over time for each of them (taking longer to sell through). There's also logistical concerns with trying to build and stock too many different SKUs simultaneously, so it's understandable that they want to focus their attention on their current product (the Pocket) and their next product (the Duo). Of course, it's a bit frustrating that the products they discontinued still have known bugs that have yet to be fixed...

[bobrocks95]

I get the argument for sure. But then I look at sold Super NT units on ebay going for $3-400 open and like $6-700 sealed and I really question how sales could have slowed so much they've decided to never produce it again.

If sales are "slow" by their standards maybe it's because they're still putting them up for sale like 6+ months before they're actually available.

[fernan1234]

The second hand limited/out-of-stock market is a completely different market with different sizes and flows. And they also depend on specific conditions. Sounds irrational, but many of those buyers are also FOMO buyers who may not have even bought an Analogue product if it weren't out of production and with inflated prices.

What it comes down to on the Analogue side is that their chosen risk models tell them that this kind of production run is preferable even if riskier ones could get them more sales and profit.

The lack of support for bug fixes is terrible though and should be a red flag to anyone still thinking about buying their stuff going forward.

[bobrocks95]

Fair enough. I am honestly mostly worried they hyped up these "final restocks" for Super NT and Mega SG and then are going to release a unified modular home system with multiple cartridge port options, like the Polymega was originally going to be. Maybe either way the resale value on the older systems will keep though.

[ldeveraux]

Of course they will rerelease all of their products if they know they can make a few bucks on it. They aren't in business to make great products at affordable prices. They're in business to make money, and they do it by intentionally shorting the market. Case closed. You can have your FOMO, I'll have my money.

[kamiboy]

In regards to the risk of them planning a future multi console product, I would say another approach would make much more sense. They could treat the Pocket as a hub for all sorts of consoles by way of selling dongles that interface with it. Think something akin to the handheld cartridge adapters but for consoles. These dongles could hook into the cartridge port of the Pocket, or more logically, into the dock via usb.

The dongles would just be minimal device with space for a cartridge of a system of choice, plus controller ports. This would hook into the Pocket which would take care of all processing. That way the discontinuation of all their other devices would make sense, and even the Duo could be scrapped for a dongle version and all their efforts would be focused on one device, simplifying things tremendously.

I would certainly be interested in such a future direction. I already have all the bulky legacy hardware and the headaches they come with. I could certainly use a more compact less cluttered hub approach in my setup.

[Taiyaki]

I'd love for them to make a Super Pocket, a similarly high resolution device but at 4:3 device optimized for 240p games with filters made to replicate to the best they can different type of CRT's.

[evil_ash_xero]

The DAC update is ridiculously late. I a dock sitting here, and it's just collecting dust.

I think Kevtris is the main guy behind all this, so I'll blame him.

[Koa Zo]

Glow in the dark unit sold out in less than 3 minutes.
I was on the store as soon as it went live and within seconds had one in my cart. Checkout screen showed 11am and my wait was to be 1 minute, it hung for 2 minutes.
At 11:03 it then said Sold Out.
Bummer.

[XtraSmiley]

Glow in the dark unit sold out in less than 3 minutes.
I was on the store as soon as it went live and within seconds had one in my cart. Checkout screen showed 11am and my wait was to be 1 minute, it hung for 2 minutes.
At 11:03 it then said Sold Out.
Bummer.

I'm sorry you missed out! I started watching TV and forgot about this until 11:13, by which of course, it was too late!

This company is powerful in making the FOMO strong! LOL

I'm hoping for a new version of the pocket with a bigger screen and horizontal body at some point. Oh, and a more powerful FPGA wouldn't hurt either.

[spmbx]

I can't imagine anyone actually wanting to play a glow in the dark console

[Atariboy]

Especially one this ugly.

[Steven]

I can't help but think that it would be really annoying to play the thing at night. It seems like it would be super annoying, like you're sitting there in your perfectly nice dark room trying to play your game, but the beautiful darkness is ruined by this giant glowing piece of shit that you can't get rid of because it's the thing you are actually using to play your game.

Also, I'm pretty sure you could make this exact same thing yourself by getting the regular one and slathering it in glow-in-the-dark paint.

[BuffaloWing]

They said the glow could be recharge with light, but how many times could you do this? It can't be unlimited, right?

[Guspaz]

They're just mixing in a phosphor into the plastic, probably Strontium Aluminate, since it's 10x brighter than the Zinc Sulfide glow-in-the-dark stuff from when we were kids. They don't have a max "recharge" cycle count, and commercial manufacturers of the pigments claim 20+ year lifespans. Seems to be advertised a lot as an alternative to electric lighting for things like walking paths.

It depends on the density of the pigment they put in the plastic, of course, but looking at some of CoreGlow's products, they're claiming like 8-10 lux initially, and then 2 lux sustained for hours 2-10.

[Deubeul]

I'm hoping for a new version of the pocket with a bigger screen and horizontal body at some point. Oh, and a more powerful FPGA wouldn't hurt either.

Good news: You can buy a Steam Deck, for the same price shipped you can play up to ps3/xbox360

[XtraSmiley]

I'm hoping for a new version of the pocket with a bigger screen and horizontal body at some point. Oh, and a more powerful FPGA wouldn't hurt either.

Good news: You can buy a Steam Deck, for the same price shipped you can play up to ps3/xbox360

Well outside the obvious that the SD is not FPGA, I'm actually waiting for the SD2 b/c I think the screen on the SD sort of blows. I also just watched a video on the Lenovo Legion, and it's very cool. Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hql6doE-Ccw&t=1062s

[Lord of Pirates]

I'm hoping for a new version of the pocket with a bigger screen and horizontal body at some point. Oh, and a more powerful FPGA wouldn't hurt either.

Good news: You can buy a Steam Deck, for the same price shipped you can play up to ps3/xbox360

Well outside the obvious that the SD is not FPGA, I'm actually waiting for the SD2 b/c I think the screen on the SD sort of blows. I also just watched a video on the Lenovo Legion, and it's very cool. Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hql6doE-Ccw&t=1062s

Trackpad and a vertical mouse mode .

[tonyswish]

The DAC update is ridiculously late. I a dock sitting here, and it's just collecting dust.

I think Kevtris is the main guy behind all this, so I'll blame him.

I recently saw someone bring this up on a Reddit thread and it reminded me that it still hasn't come out.

I wonder if it's just vaporware at this point and we will never get another update.

[kamiboy]

People who are are lucky enough to have access to a NT mini noir already have the current only viable Analogue way of playing GB games on CRT screens. It works pretty well and both gameboy and Game Gear games look great played on a CRT I should add.

[Steven]

Does the Super Nt + Super Game Boy/Super Game Boy 2 not work with the DAC?

[kamiboy]

The deuce you say, I forgot about the super NT. Yeah, that should work, with actual cartridges too I might add. I've never tested it myself though.

[evil_ash_xero]

You know, the AP has a bit of lag on some systems. Ain't that a drag?

https://www.reddit.com/r/AnaloguePocket ... input_lag/

I guess there's no "perfect solution" for a lot of old handhelds. I didn't really notice, so it'll do. But it's a shame.

[DejahThoris]

You know, the AP has a bit of lag on some systems. Ain't that a drag?

https://www.reddit.com/r/AnaloguePocket ... input_lag/

I guess there's no "perfect solution" for a lot of old handhelds. I didn't really notice, so it'll do. But it's a shame.

That's some wonky testing right there. You have no idea from video which moment the console accepted the input, so you can't tell how long it took to reacted. You need a whole teaspoon of salt with that post.

[ldeveraux]

That's some wonky testing right there. You have no idea from video which moment the console accepted the input, so you can't tell how long it took to reacted. You need a whole teaspoon of salt with that post.

What? They used an iPhone app and were presumably consistent across tests.

[SavagePencil]

I think he's saying they're suspect because they used an iPhone app, and because they're only presumably consistent. That said, it wouldn't surprise me if the display added a frame of lag, even if the machine itself is generating the frame on time.