Checkmate Retro Display Kickstarter

[derkom]

I just learned about this Kickstarter campaign today, less than 3 days from its end, the Checkmate Retro Styled Modular IPS Display.

It was covered on the Nostalgia Nerd YouTube channel here:



Looks like a pretty cool project, a nice all-in-one solution if properly kitted out. I wouldn't mind setting up the MiSTer version and having a fancy "every platform" luggable. But it's looking iffy on getting funded before the campaign is over. Maybe there is some interest here? :)

[exxos]

Looks interesting. Have a proper look when I have more time tomorrow. Hope it is just not another "Pi in a box though".

[derkom]

Looks interesting. Have a proper look when I have more time tomorrow. Hope it is just not another "Pi in a box though".

It could be, if you want it to be. Basically it's a good IPS panel and speakers, with a bunch of inputs on the back in default config, but it can accept plugin modules to add capabilities, which could be a Pi board if you want, or a MiSTer, or some oddball new inputs, etc. It's all modular. Looks pretty neat.

[stephen_usher]

It's very expensive for what it is and a test of a previous prototype by RMC about 18 months ago found it worse than far cheaper solutions involving a cheap telly and an OSSC.

[derkom]

Seems it went over the funding goal last night. I guess we'll find out!

You're certainly right about it being expensive, @stephen_usher, particularly given that the Kickstarter price does not include the IPS panel, which is to be selected at a later date. But for me, the attraction is the all-in-one luggable format, which isn't really duplicated by anything else out there.

[terriblefire]

Really glad this made it over the line. I wanted one but couldn't go for it right now unfortunately.

[derkom]

Stephen mentioned in last night's fairly entertaining Q&A video that for those for whom the money is tight right now, but still want one, they can sign up at the £100 "Festive Placeholder" support level and they still still be able to get a monitor, albeit later than those who paid the full amount upfront.

He also strongly implied that he would continue to sell the monitors as a commercial product after Kickstarter campaign is over (despite seemingly saying otherwise at the beginning of the video--he wasn't quite sober, hence the "entertaining" :lol:).

[mrbombermillzy]

I had this come through my emails as I was already a previous backer for the Checkmate 1500 case.

Looked really good, but what stopped it for me (IIRC; the video was rather long and I was constantly distracted, so I may have been mistaken) was the lack of 15Khz RGB (I think he uses an RGB to Component converter board on the Amigas video port) and the lack of interlace for anything but the composite video signal.

No high quality interlace is maybe ok if it was aimed at the ST, but for an Amiga monitor, I would have really wanted this to happen (I have an NEC 1990 and a TV to VGA box that can go a fair way to doing most of the stuff on this monitor).

[derkom]

the lack of 15Khz RGB (I think he uses an RGB to Component converter board on the Amigas video port) and the lack of interlace for anything but the composite video signal.

According to the Kickstarter, these are the inputs supported with the default configuration:

b8f509ab0aeb64f7ffa5c080daba5c38_original.png

And these are the ones supported with the optional GBS-Control module...

c9b0a93bab7c509df469990acc475b9d_original.png

Theoretically almost anything else can be added with a custom "pod" insert.

[mrbombermillzy]

Right. So the RGB/interlace @15Khz is available through the extra GBS board then.