donutswdad has just released the latest version of the “gSerial Enabler” (gSE) – A device that installs in any of the gscart/gcomp switches with an EXT port and allows them to be controlled by the RetroTINK 4K’s serial commands. This latest version connects externally, either via the latest model of the switches that have the EXT port populated, or if you’ve added your own pin header to the switch (if your switch has an EXT port). The price is about $40 plus shipping and they’re available now:
Purchase Here: https://ko-fi.com/donutswdad
Open Source Files: https://github.com/svirant/gSerialEnabler
EXT Port Header: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/amphenol-cs-fci/78207-108HLF/1002752
Once again, I need to be very clear: The gSE is only compatible with gswitches that have the EXT port and only the newest have them pre-populated. It’s my opinion that I’d prefer this external version though, as it’s a cleaner installation and you only need to disassemble the gswitch once; While disassembly is easy, it can be tedious and time-consuming. This way, people who need to add the EXT header can just open it once and if there’s ever a change to the gSE, you can simply unplug and re-plug it, with no future disassembly required. And, of course, if you have the latest versions of either switch, there’s already an EXT header, making this truly plug & play.
Software installation is the same as the previous version and the same as all RT4K auto-switching methods – First, make sure you’re on the latest firmware with “Auto Load SVS” enabled in the Profiles menu. Then, create a /profile/SVS/ directory and copy your existing favorite profiles for each console. Rename the profiles: “S201_<user defined>.rt4” – “S208_<user defined>.rt4” for Inputs 1 – 8 respectively.
You can actually connect up to five gswitches to allow for auto-switching via a headphone jack splitter, however you’ll need to re-flash the gSE’s firmware with offset variable set so SVS profile numbers don’t overlap. While setting up one gswitch seems really easy, multiple switches are obviously harder to configure, so refer to the Github manual for that.
*Thanks to Greg from LaserBear for the 3D render of the gswitch, which easily highlights the new right-angle ext header!
