// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did retrotink say to its friend? You're a link to the past.
.jpg) Retrotink 4K | |
| Manufacturer | Retrotink, LLC[1] |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 2018 |
| Type | Video scaler |
Retrotink (stylized as RetroTINK) is a series of video scalers oriented toward enthusiasts of classic video games. Each supports a wide variety of video signals, both analog and digital, across different video game and computing platforms. The first in the Retrotink line was released in 2018.
History
[edit]Retrotink was developed by Mike Chi, an electrical engineer based in San Diego, California, who works in the field of medical device design.[2][1] Chi developed the Retrotink in the late 2010s after revisiting his childhood pastime of video gaming. Dissatisfied with the quality of the built-in video scalers of his modern TV, he set out to create a standalone scaler that could outperform it in both picture quality and latency.[2] The first device in the Retrotink series, the Retrotink 2X, was released in 2018.[3]
The second in the series, the Retrotink 2X Pro, was released in 2020. It includes inputs for component, composite, and S-Video (with supports multiple regional analog signals including NTSC and PAL), outputting the converted and scaled digital video over HDMI.[4] A separate version supporting SCART input was also available. It received positive reviews, with The Sydney Morning Herald's Tim Biggs calling it a "handy gadget" that was easier to set up than the Open Source Scan Converter.[5] The third in the line, the Retrotink 5X Pro, was released in 2021. It added support for a number of output resolutions, as well as the ability to input SCART signal over composite cables.[6]
In the beginning of 2022, Chi began development of the Retrotink 4K, which he called the "5X on steroids".[7] The 4K adds inputs for HD15 (VGA) and HDMI 2.0, allowing it to receive signals from most personal computers and modern video game consoles.[8] It also fixed a number of bugs while adding support for more obscure devices such as arcade boards and some less commercially successful video game consoles.[7] It was released in late 2023 to wide acclaim;[9][10] Darran Jones of Retro Gamer called it "an upscaler without equal" that was a "mind-blowing follow-up to the superb Retrotink 5X", albeit quite expensive,[8] a sentiment shared by ComingSoon.net's Shaan Joshi.[11] A scaled-down alternative with less features, the Retrotink 4K CE, was released in early 2025.[10]
By 2025, Chi had sold thousands of units of the Retrotink, remarking that the market for classic video gaming was larger than he had originally anticipated.[12] In April 2025, Retrotink briefly suspended shipments within the United States as a result of the Liberation Day tariffs.[13] A successor to the 4K CE, the 6X CE, was released in August 2026.[14][15]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "USPTO Issues Trademark: RetroTINK". US Fed News Service. HT Digital Streams. October 22, 2020 – via ProQuest.
- 1 2 Kupferman, Steve (January 4, 2025). "Video-game companies are cashing in on nostalgia". The Globe and Mail. p. A16. Gale A822266641.
- ↑ Chi, Mike (August 17, 2020). "Introducing the RetroTINK-2X Pro Multi-format". Retrotink. Retrieved September 20, 2026.
- ↑ Lendino, Jamie (2023). Breakout: How Atari 8-Bit Computers Defined a Generation. Steel Gear Press. pp. 283–284. ISBN 9781957932040 – via Google Books.
- ↑ Biggs, Tim (May 3, 2021). "Extra life for old games". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. p. 16. Gale A660385142 – via Gale.
- ↑ Estrada, Marcus (April 30, 2021). "RetroTINK-5X Pro is Newest in Line of Retro Console Upscalers". Hardcore Gamer. Valnet. Retrieved September 20, 2026.
- 1 2 Staff writers (November 2023). "RetroTink 4K: Mike Chi talks us through his incoming upscaler". Retro Gamer. No. 253. Future Publishing. pp. 12–13. Gale A775900013 – via Gale.
- 1 2 Jones, Darran (February 2024). "RetroTink 4K: An Upscaler Without Equal". Retro Gamer. No. 256. Future Publishing. p. 94. Gale A784223075 – via Gale.
- ↑ McFerran, Damien (November 15, 2023). "The Amazing RetroTINK 4K Upscaler Finally Gets A Price". Time Extension. Hookshot Media. Retrieved September 20, 2026.
- 1 2 McFerran, Damien (March 10, 2025). "The Must-Have RetroTINK 4K Upscaler Now Has A Cheaper Alternative". Time Extension. Hookshot Media. Retrieved September 20, 2026.
- ↑ Joshi, Shaan (December 9, 2023). "RetroTINK 4K Review: A Must-Own For Retro Gaming Diehards". ComingSoon.net. Mandatory. Retrieved September 20, 2026 – via Yahoo! Entertainment.
- ↑ Baraniuk, Chris (September 12, 2025). "'You just can't recreate that glow': The people who hunt old TVs". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on September 20, 2026.
- ↑ Peters, Jay (April 17, 2025). "A retro hardware maker willing to pay Trump's tariffs is suspending US shipments anyway". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on September 3, 2026.
- ↑ McFerran, Damien (August 22, 2026). "The RetroTINK-6X CE Is A Powerful 1440p Scaler That Costs Just $230". Time Extension. Hookshot Media. Archived from the original on August 28, 2026.
- ↑ Lawler, Richard (August 22, 2026). "Retrotink's next upscaler aims for a 1440p sweet spot, instead of 4K or 1080p". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved September 20, 2026.
Further reading
[edit]- Hayton, Phil (August 24, 2026). "I still can't afford the RetroTINK-6X CE, but given its 1440p abilities for $230, it's more likely to become my next retro upscaler than its siblings". GamesRadar+. Future Publishing.