RetroTINK 4K Firmware Update Brings Preliminary Lumacode Support
Experimental firmware for the RetroTINK 4K adds preliminary Lumacode support, enabling pristine digital video from modded NES consoles.
Mike Chi has released an experimental firmware update for the RetroTINK 4K Pro and 4K CE, adding preliminary support for Lumacode. The feature allows consoles modded with a Lumacode encoder (currently only NES configurations have been tested) to output a HDMI-like digital signal through the scaler’s analog green input.
Lumacode is a digital video encoding method that bypasses analog noise by sending pixel data directly over a single line. For NES purists, it promises the cleanest possible image without the artifacts of composite or the compromises of RGB mods. The update also overhauls the horizontal blur filter engine on the Pro model, making dithering effects from RGB sources look more like a CRT’s composite output.
As always with experimental firmware, expect bugs, but the addition shows RetroTINK continues to push what a dedicated retro scaler can do. The firmware and Lumacode folder are available from the official repository.