It turns out Unico Traveller ULW10, a retro console LCD monitor that looks like a CRT, is already in the hands of creators. That may come as a surprise, especially since its Kickstarter campaign previously used AI imagery in place of product photos. However, there's now a video out there that reveals the prototype's innards all while highlighting a pretty nasty lag issue.
The early look comes courtesy of RetroRGB, as fellow CRT lover Robert Neal was sent a Unico Traveller ULW10 to review ahead of the Kickstarter campaign. In the video, the creator and website founder says that while he "loves the idea" of the faux PVM, the company put him in a "pretty bad situation" by going ahead with the launch despite various issues with the prototype.
One of the biggest flaws with the Traveller ULW10 lies in lag, as Neil measured over 100ms of delay, which translates to 6-9 frames. Those stats apply to both the HDMI and RGB outputs at 1080p, 720p, 480p, and 480i, and it turns out the screen both lacks 240p support and doesn't actually have composite input. RetroRGB has summed up the situation in a Shorts video, but the bottom line is that it's impossible to recommend the display in its current form.
Effectively, the Traveller ULW10 prototype is currently miles away from the same latency levels as a good-quality upscaler connector to a gaming monitor. It's certainly miles away from being a CRT alternative, but Unico claims the issues will either be remedied through firmware or using a completely different panel.
After catching RetroRGB's video and included teardown, I am relieved to see that there's not a cheap security camera LCD stowed away in the shell. While the prototype is 3D printed, the box also seems to be pretty sturdy and physically well designed. At the same time, it's extremely clear that the accompanying innards, the part that you'll ultimately be playing games on, aren't fit for purpose.
In a harsh early verdict, RetroRGB says Unico has "taken about $250,000 of your money for a product that's not finished and was never properly tested." That much is clear from the absurd lag measurements, but I'm also scratching my head at the fact that there's no composite connection, which you'll need for the NES or if you're looking into how to play N64 games, and the fact that it converts 240p signals to 480i, jitters and all.
That said, I want to join RetroRGB in saying I don't remotely think Unico intentended to decieve anyone with its faux CRT. The issues seem to be down to a lack of testing or awareness of what is required to make a screen like this. I also fully believe the company is listening to feedback, as it previously promised to purge all the AI images from its marketing and will avoid the tech in the future.
I also think that the Traveller ULW10 has lots of potential as a retro gaming panel. It's never going to be a replacement for an actual CRT, but features like scanline emulation, having flat sides so you can flip it vertical for TATE arcade shooters, and the internal storage for systems like the MiSTer are pretty appealing. The issue is that for $300, minimal latency and full connectivity are a bare minimum, and Unico has fallen at the first hurdle.
Check out the best retro handhelds if you'd rather take your classic console collection on the go.
