Retro Core - NEWS

I can do h264 with the software I'm using now but what would you say would be the ideal settings for a 720p video file kept at high quality?

 

I'd say you should probably use similar settings to what you use when you make Windows Media videos. When I convert videos to h264 with QuickTime Player 7 I usually just use the default settings apart from the resolution and framerate, and they always look great. For audio you should probably use either MP3 or AAC, around 256kbps. h264 and VC-1 have similar quality, but I think h264 generally has smaller filesizes. The main advantage for you is that h264 can be played for free on nearly any OS, whereas VC-1 requires proprietary software.

Thanks for taking this so well - I was worried you might be offended.

By the way, I saw Double Dragon in a PlayChoice-10 cab at an arcade the other day - basically the NES version I guess, which is a bit odd if you think about it. I didn't have time to play it, but it was a cool looking cab.

 

In my experiences, FM Synthesis on the YM2612 (And it's other sound chip from the SMS: The TISN76489A) are better suited for punchy rock type music than the SPC700(Though there are some that do end up working rather well. But few I prefer over MD counterparts.)

 

I know what you mean. The. spc tends to use samples which are quite often at a low rate giving the music and muffled sound. The SPC is fantastic for orchestral arangements though.

 

New Retro Core out now.



We're half way through summer and the hot humid weather is still here in Japan but that's not going to stop another Retro Core being put together. In this show there's a look at the Mega CD version of Road Blaster FX / Road Avenger VS the recently released SFC / SNES version. There's also a look at the unreleased prototype of FZ Senki Axis for the Mega Drive VS the final retail copy. This version of Axis has never been ripped so there is no ROM of it out there. Exclusive or what!.

Also featured in this show is S.P.Y. for the arcade, Burning Angle on the PC Engine, the total crap Survival Arts for the arcade, Chase HQ & S.C.I. for the Saturn and Hercequary for the NEC PC98 and yes, being a PC89 game it's got porn in it.

YouTube - Click the video above to see it in HD on YouTube

Official Site - http://www.segagagadomain.com/RetroCorepage-main.htm
HD video stream and max quality 720p mp4 download available at the official site.

 

Jesus Christ! Is that NSFW I take it?

No Arrow Flash in this episode sir?

 

That's stereotypical Japanese PC games. Mostly text adventures. Once in a while spread to consoles toned down somewhat. Heck, Saturn had NSFW mahjong or such.

 

Arrow Flash is in the next show its been filmed and just needs to be Edited.

 

Retro Core 3, Volume 21 out now

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a gamer in Japan? I bet you think it's heaven with a house full of games. Well, unless you are someone who is single or someone who cares more about their hobby than family, that dream could be true. For the normal guy with a family the idea of being a gamer in Japan isn't as great as you may think. For a start, Japanese homes are not so big plus the average woman isn't in to games unlike what the media will have you believe.

So why am I telling you this? Well, in this volume of Retro Core I give you a quick tour of my home and gaming set up. Also featured in Volume 21 of Retro Core is a look at Saturn Virtua Fighter VS the Arcade version, Stun Runner for the Arcade, Moto Roader II for the PC Engine, Time Killers for the Arcade, Arrow Flash for the Mega Drive and finally Metamoquester for the Arcade. So, quite a packed show and quite a lot of arcade stuff too.



YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5GGJ3oIEZ8

Official site with high quality 720p HD MP4 download - http://www.segagagadomain.com/RetroCorepage-main.htm

 

Yakumo-sama nice episode it was pretty damn good and thanks to for making me rekindle my love to 2D shooters . Even though you have done that for me, during the years. But yeah great episode

 

That was a good episode. Your house isn't that small. I've been in American houses that were smaller (though most are bigger). I like the front door camera and the robotic toilets. Those seem like they would come in handy. By the way, thanks for taking my suggestion about the video format. The new format plays just fine on my PS3. I was actually able to get the old videos to play on my PS3, but there's no sound - bit of a crucial detail.

 

Love the Arrow Flash title music!

 

Which one? The toilet or front door camera Actually, I hate using toilets that don't have washlets on them now. It just seems so dirty. 4 years ago I would have said washlet toilets were for health freaks or for those in to perverted pleasures or something. How stupid I was. The front door camera is pretty common in Japanese homes really. Older places only have intercoms but pretty much all modern homes have colour cameras with zoom and sound. It even works in the dark too which is cool.

No worries man. They still play on my 360 too in that format plus also on my BluRay player which is a bonus I guess. I could get the file sizes smaller but it seems that with the video software I'm using, TrakAxPC anything above high quality in h264 has noticeable quality issues when played on a big HD screen. I use the 80% quality option. It seem,s to give the best balance between size and quality. I can also encode in to uncompressed avi which looks shit hot but with a massive file size too. Seems a bit of a wast though since all the 720p captures I do are in MPEG 2 VBR from 8mbps to 14mbps. I can go up to 20mbps but it hardly seems worth it for most captures. I have thought about doing the show in 1080p since my equipment can capture in that resolution at up to 20mbps but the file sizes are pretty big and to be honest there isn't really that much difference in quality from watching a pure 1080p Retro Core over a 720p show up-scaled to 1080p.

The guy that encoded that video has done a better version of the song. The one on that video seems to be an American mix or an album version. The real single has much better synth drums and a faster BPM.

Truth be told, I had a crush for Kim Wilde when I was a teenager. Just goes to show you how old I am.

 

I hear you, I still remember buying NOW! 8 on double cassette album from Woolworths (and picked up my free copy of Tracks magazine) and that song was on Tape 2 Side 4 I think.

Kim Wilde was an absolute ride.

 

Bloody hell, that's actually quite scary... I just looked up the track listing and sure enough it was on Side 4 (aka tape 2 side 2).

Why can't I ever remember actual important stuff? :excitement:

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Now-Thats-What-I-Call-Music-8/release/2002834

 

Wow, I had that on double tape release too! I think I had from 8 up to Now 13 on tape and 3 to 7 on record. I can't believe they are still producing them. Up to volume 82!! I always preferred The Hits Album series. I'm talking about the UK ones by the way. I had 4 & 5 on record and the others up to 10 on tape. The odd thing is when I finally got in to CDs I stopped buying the compilation albums.

 

I never had Now 7, or the prior releases, I was living in Spain at that time. In Spain the equivalent of Now! Compilations was a series called Open Mix. Open Mix 5 was the earliest one I think I had.

You'd find the usual suspects on those albums, Matt Bianco, Johnny Hates Jazz, Spagna, T'Pau and Nick Berry. Just in mixed up Mark Goodyear format! Haha!

I remember the Hits! series too, first one I had was The Greatest Hits of 1987. The only reason I bought that was it was the only compilation with The Jets - Crush On You on it!

 

Oh man, I had a flexible disc of that single. It came on the front of the lookin magazine or was it No. 1 music mag? I know that the Rick Astley Megamix came with No. 1 magazine. Ah, the days of my youth.

 

Jesus, 7" FlexiDisc cover mounts. I remember those too... and LookIn magazine (featuring the 5 Star comic!).

Blimey I need a wash now, the reek of nostalgia!

 

Funny you should mention Five Star. Their album Silk & Steel was the first I ever bought along with the Transformer the Movie OST both on tape from woolworths. I actually did a bit of research on Five Star an was surprised to see how many none chart singles they produced and for how long they kept going. They're still going now! Odd how they went from being the British Jacksons to being nothing.