Introducing the RetroTINK-6X CE

We're excited to introduce the RetroTINK-6X CE (RT6XCE): a brand-new, all-analog-input, 1440p-class scaler built around the same advanced image processing framework as the 4K models.

The RT6XCE is $230 USD (plus sales tax). International pricing includes all applicable VAT, taxes, duties and import fees at checkout. There will be no further charges by the courier.

Orders placed today begin fulfillment next week. No preorders necessary.

Here's what you need to know:

• Native 2560x1440p output designed to operate at the full 300 MHz maximum for HDMI 1.4b. Additional support for 1920x1080p120 as well as 3840x1080p60 ("quasi-4K" CRT mask mode).

  
  

• RT4K-class 12-bit linear light pipeline supporting the latest CRT simulation effects, including true HDR10, energy conservation scanlines, spatial redistribution masks and variable MPRT black frame insertion (BFI).

  
  

• Console-sharp profiles made by legends Wobbling Pixels, FirebrandX and the amazing Tink community, as well as the ability to cross-import RT4K profiles (like Kuro's meticulously calibrated HDR CRT model simulation profiles).

  
  

• Pricing: $230 USD (plus shipping). Note for international customers: pricing is higher due to the inclusion of all applicable taxes, duties and import fees. Orders ship under "DDP" terms, meaning everything is paid at checkout. No courier charges on delivery.

  
  

• In stock, fulfillment starts immediately this week (August 24th, 2026). Depending on volume, it may take a few days to two weeks before the warehouse can dispatch your order.

  At present, only standard speed shipping is available to the USA since all product is in our Asia based location. Once the item is dispatched it takes about 5 to 10 working days to arrive. Last mile delivery is via USPS. International transit times are roughly one week via DHL Express.

  
  

Check out this video by RetroRGB or read more below, including more exciting developments to come!

Output Resolution

Let's start with the basics: the RT6XCE is built on the same platform as the RetroTINK-4K CE, but targets 1440p (300 MHz) maximum rather than 4K (600 MHz) as part of our cost reduction efforts.

Despite optimizing for cost, however, the 300 MHz output is designed to be native (that is, no overclocking or pixel doubling) to preserve the full fidelity of CRT masks and to allow for unrestricted non-integer horizontal scaling.

The RT6XCE can also use that same bandwidth to target advanced resolutions like 1080p120 for black frame insertion or, if your TV supports it, "quasi-4K" modes like 3840x1080p60 to produce aperture grille type mask (vertical stripe) effects that are almost as good as 4K.

Close-up, off-screen photograph of Kuro's FV310 profile output on an LG C1 OLED at 3840x1080p ("quasi-4K") resolution in HDR. Native 2560 or 3840 wide pixels preserve the fine details necessary to simulate CRT masks. Like the 4K devices, the RT6XCE can also apply a slight vertical misconvergence for that final touch.

And, of course, lower resolutions like 1080p are fully supported, as are custom modelines up to the maximum 300 MHz pixel clock and as low as 480i (for niche standard definition capture and passthrough).

Inputs and Physical Design

The 6X shares the same premium industrial design as the 4K, so no surprises here if you're already familiar with the 4K CE or Pro. Other than the missing HDMI input port, the RT6XCE has the same variety of options to support virtually every legacy analog source:

Front composite and S-video ports can be hidden by a slider when not in use.

• Universal VGA port (back) supporting all analog formats: RGBHV, RGBS, RGsB, YPbPr, S-video and composite, plus serial communications for Scalable Video Switch integration and custom controllers like the donutswdad dongle.

  
  

• RCA port (back) supporting RGsB, YPbPr and composite.

  
  

• SCART port (side) supporting RGBS, RGsB, YPbPr, S-video and composite.

  
  

• S-video and composite on the front, hidden behind a sliding door.

Full array of analog video ports plus an optical audio input.

The RT6XCE supports the exact same range of analog input resolutions and standards as the 4K models, maxing out at 1920x1080p60 (148.5 MHz) for PC VGA sources. Every input port has a dedicated stereo analog audio line, and optical digital audio is also supported via a TOSLINK input on the back panel.

Image Processing Now to the most important part. The RT6XCE is built off the same software platform as the 4K devices and is specifically designed to keep full lockstep with the RetroTINK-4K CE in features, just at a lower resolution.

Off-screen photograph of the "E-Con BVM" profile included on the SD card. Even on standard dynamic range displays, the Energy Conservation scanlines can recreate the unique look of high TVL professional CRT monitors. Linear light processing preserves the shadow detail, avoiding gamma shifts and black crush.

Here's an abbreviated list of features highlighting the advanced capabilities of the RT6XCE. Click on the links to see more details if you're interested!

• Auto Sampling / Auto Phase: Analog video needs precise sampling to capture the moment when the signal is stable to get perfect "sharp" pixels. The RT6XCE can analyze the incoming image in real-time and select the best phase for you automatically. Combined with the pre-made profiles below, you get a pixel-perfect image without ever touching a test pattern.

  
  

• True HDR10 and HLG: The RT6XCE performs true linear light HDR processing: tone mapping and accurate color correction into Rec. 2020, computed in linear space, then converted to whatever format your display supports. This is the brightness headroom that makes the CRT effects below possible. If you haven't jumped to an HDR solution yet, don't worry and keep reading.

  
  

• Polyphase Filtering: Like the 4K devices, the RT6XCE has production-grade polyphase filters with multiple interpolation options. You can achieve sharp pixels even at non-integer scaling factors or use more traditional Lanczos (with anti-ringing) and cubic filters for video content.

  
  

• Energy Conservation / Energy Normalization Scanlines and Spatial Redistribution Masks: These techniques, inspired by Tim Lottes, break the conventional tradeoff with CRT effects by using linear light processing to redistribute light energy, avoiding the catastrophic loss of brightness that scanlines and masks normally cause. Rather than throwing light away, the RT6XCE re-concentrates it into the visible beam analogous to how a CRT focuses its beam into the visible portion of the image. The result is masks and scanlines that keep their punch, even without an HDR OLED.

  
  

• Variable MPRT Black Frame Insertion: For 120 Hz+ capable displays, BFI dramatically cuts motion blur and gets you close to that legendary CRT motion clarity. Variable MPRT is Lottes' temporal counterpart to the energy techniques above: it achieves the clarity of BFI while minimizing brightness loss by shifting the emission pattern into something that closely resembles CRT phosphor decay.

  
  

• Smooth I/P: True seamless switching between 240p and 480i without visible glitches, just like a CRT. Perfect for games like Chrono Cross.

  
  

• Expanded Gamut: This feature allows HDR capable displays to recreate the out of range colors produced by analog CRTs from composite sources like the NES. Recreates the intense blue-purple sky in SMB1. If you’re interested in more details, check out Dan Mon’s article.

  
  

If all of this sounds overwhelming, don't worry. Check out the next section on how pre-made profiles do the heavy lifting for you and make setup just a few button presses.

Profiles and System Support Out of the box, the RT6XCE ships with profiles crafted by Wobbling Pixels for a wide variety of systems, tuned specifically for 1080p and 1440p. Pick your console, load the profile, and you're getting a properly tuned picture without any manual guesswork.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/36c4ce_4eb50fba7ed342a78a680fe86216b62d/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Browse the comprehensive profile pack on the included SD card to quickly get set up!

If you're after the other end of the spectrum, the CRT starter packs are pre-loaded too: browse through a range of mask and scanline looks and find the one that feels like the TV you grew up with.

And because the 6X CE shares the same profile format as the RetroTINK-4K, you can import 4K profiles directly. That means the work of legends like FirebrandX, Kuro and the rest of the amazing Tink community are fully accessible on the 6X from Day 1. Need to do VHS capture at 480i? Download RetroRGB’s VHS pack. The compatibility goes the other way too: profiles made on the 6X CE seamlessly load on both 4K devices.

Loading a 4K profile engages the auto-import process which does its best to intelligently resize things for the 6X's output modes. On many profiles, the scaling is perfect but on some more advanced, free-form types, you may need to do some final manual trims. Don't be afraid to fine-tune and re-save (the save process creates a separate 6X copy with its own icon so you can tell them apart from the originals).

It goes without saying that profile creators are a huge part of what makes this platform special. We owe a huge debt of gratitude and thanks to everyone in the community who has poured hours into calibrating, testing, and sharing. The RT6XCE is built on this foundation and could not exist without it.

And last, but not least, PIPe’s incredible web-based profile editor works for 6X profiles too. It was a huge help during development and migration of the included profile pack!

What's the Catch?

We've redesigned the board and worked hard to reduce as many costs as possible to achieve the target price point of $230 while still providing a full range of premium features. That said, a few items are missing. Key points include:

• Maximum output pixel clock of 300 MHz, no 4K support. Overclocking or tricks like pixel doubling to go beyond this limit are not possible.

  
  

• Output modelines that operate at 120 Hz may be restricted to a maximum of 720p sources due to reduced memory bandwidth. Standard 60 Hz output modes can accept up to 1080p inputs, as usual.

  
  

• Only weave, bob and blend deinterlacing for 1080i sources due to reduced memory bandwidth. Standard definition interlaced signals have the same multi field look back motion adaptive deinterlacer as the 4K CE.

  
  

• No HDMI input. Please take note if your setup includes consoles like the GameCube or more modern systems like the PS3/Xbox360.

  
  

• No Inverse 3:2/2:2 Telecine for movies or 30 fps interlaced games (not present on the 4K CE but offered on the 5X).

  
  

• No mounting threads on the SCART port. As a side note, we strongly encourage considering HD15-type solutions for durability reasons.

  
  

• No USB serial port (SVS and peripheral control over the VGA’s serial port works as usual).

What's Next? The natural question is: what's happening to the 5X, and what is the next step? At present, the 5X remains available for sale. The 5X is arguably the most important product we've ever launched. It was not our first product, but it was the one that made us what we are today, and we plan to continue backporting features where the hardware allows.

However, we have to acknowledge just how much has changed. In 2021, even 1920x1440 meant experimental overclocking, 4K was assumed impossible, and HDR CRT simulation wasn't even a concept. Since then, OLED TVs went from exotic to ordinary, and HDR and 120 Hz went from premium extras to expected features. The bar has been raised across the board: what people expect from video equipment, our scalers included, is simply higher now. The RT6XCE is built for that new baseline: even an "entry level" product should carry the latest advancements in upscaling.

RetroTINK-6X CE retail packaging. (Photo credit: Austin Troth)

And finally, as you might ask after seeing the "CE" name: is there a "6X Pro"? The answer is yes! There will be a RetroTINK-6X Pro, mirroring the 4K series! The 6X Pro, to be announced in the coming months, will be the true successor to the 5X. While the full details are not ready yet, we can say that it will have unique features not found in any other retro gaming scaler, and that if your use case goes beyond gaming and into legacy analog media and preservation, please stay tuned.

Thank You

As always, thank you for the incredible support that makes projects like this possible. It has been a long road since the first Raspberry Pi hats in 2017 and the original plexiglass 2X in 2018. We couldn't have done it without this community. Feel free to drop a line on the Twitter post or come join the RetroTINK Discord!