I have been wanting one of these for a while, continuously pulling out at the very last minute to then be immediately disappointed that they've sold out or the custom order window has ended shortly after. And that's exactly why I am writing about this today, because there's a window of availability between 29th August and 6th September 2026 to snag one of these incredible creations.
Quite simply, a talented individual by the name of JC Ayala is behind a brand called RetroldTech, a small business that creates custom, handmade miniature LCD TVs that pair perfectly with retro game consoles and are designed to look and feel like a CRT. You can pick your size between 8" and 10.5", and you get to choose between 28 different shell colours to better suit your games room and retro console match-up.
JC has a background in industrial Mechanical Engineering and Project Management, he likes to merge technical precision and project planning with artistic sensibility, a combination that has allowed him to refine his approach to miniaturisation in ways few have achieved. His journey began with the recreation of classic consoles, controllers and cartridges. Over time, his work evolved, leading to his most ambitious and acclaimed projects to date: fully functional compact PVM monitors.
Over the months and years, JC has created numerous versions of these adorable TVs, from slim models for those who want compactness, to Pro models for those who want high resolutions, and even Wide PVMs for those who want a 16:9 ratio. The choice is yours.
The unit features HDMI and VGA inputs for you to use it with old and new consoles; it has a 60Hz refresh rate, volume knobs, bass control, auto input detection, and pro speakers for those who want to splash out. Some of the controls on the front are:
- Front-facing functional buttons for power, input selection, and OSD adjustments (4x dark gray buttons + power button).
- Volume knob on the rear (also functions as an audio on/off switch).
- Bass and treble adjustment knobs on the rear.
- Comes with a fully functional remote control for OSD navigation and input selection.
- Remote control requires CR2032 battery (not included).
- Power LED indicator located on the front panel.
And, when I say splash out, I mean splash out. These custom TVs are not cheap; it's what has put me off in the past, but again, they're handmade, not mass-produced, so no wonder! These PVMs can range from anywhere between $825 and $1,475, depending on your unit choice. He's even made 3" versions in the past, starting at $600- yes, 3 inches! They are available on RetroldTech.com.
This is not a cheap product by any means, and I know a lot of you will pull a sour face when seeing those prices, but people are buying them; they sell out, and they look incredible. I'd love one on my desk, or one specifically for my PS One; that thing would fit it perfectly. There's also some exta notes that I wanted to add here as it adds some extra information:
- This is a fully functional product but is NOT mass-produced; each unit is handmade, which may result in slight imperfections.
- Some front-facing buttons are purely aesthetic and do not function. The actual functional controls include power, input selection, and OSD navigation.
- The inside components are fixed and are NOT meant to be removed or modified. Expect all components to be securely mounted.
- Tested with a wide range of retro consoles (NES, SNES, N64, Saturn, Dreamcast, PS1, PS2, Xbox, etc.). However, due to the variety of consoles and video signals, some systems may benefit from an external scaler like RetroTINK, OSSC, or Morph 4K for best results.
- Many retro consoles were not originally designed to be used with LCD screens, as they were built for CRT displays with analogue signals. While the Retroldtech monitors are designed for the best possible experience with modern display technology, some consoles may output video signals that require additional processing to look their best on an LCD.
- Slight changes to the shown design may happen due to improvements at any time.
- Power supply is NOT included. You will need a 12V, 3A minimum (5A recommended) power source.
