RetroTube

Watch videos in retro graphics

Only for Mac

$4.99

Mac

Ever wondered how a modern movie would look on your old computer? Retro Tube plays any video through 12 retro graphics modes — Apple II to original Macintosh. Ever wondered how a modern movie would look on your old computer? Retro Tube plays any video through real-time graphics filters that recreate thirteen classic machines. Stream from the Internet Archive, play files from your Mac, paste a URL, or go live with your camera or any window on screen. Same picture, thirteen very different worlds. THIRTEEN SYSTEMS, 29 GRAPHICS MODES • Apple II: HGR, DHGR, LORES, DLORES, with an optional hardware-accurate NTSC artifact-colour encoder • Commodore 64: Hires, Multicolour • VIC-20: Hires, Multicolour • NES: the full 54-colour palette • Game Boy: DMG, four shades of olive green • MSX: Screen 2, Screen 3 • Tandy CoCo: PMODE 3, PMODE 4 • PC CGA: Cyan and Red/Yellow palettes • PC EGA: 320×200 and 640×350 • BBC Micro: Mode 1, Mode 2 • Amstrad CPC: Mode 0, Mode 1, Mode 2 • Macintosh: the original 1984 1-bit B&W screen and 8-bit colour • CRT TV: an 80s television in NTSC or PAL, 4:3 or 16:9, colour or black & white Every mode renders at its real native resolution, aspect ratio and hardware palette, with Floyd–Steinberg dithering. Switch while the video plays and watch the same frame re-drawn instantly. NEW IN 2.0: GO LIVE Use your Mac's camera, an iPhone via Continuity Camera, or any window, app or display as the picture, and see yourself or your desktop as a Game Boy, an Apple II or a C64 in real time. TUNE THE LOOK • Rotary knobs for scanlines, phosphor glow, brightness, colour and dithering • Every computer remembers its own settings; save your favourite looks as presets • Compare view: drag a divider to see the original next to the retro version • Authentic Apple II mode recreates how real Apple IIs filled solid colour areas, plus the soft colour fringing of composite video SHARE WHAT YOU MAKE • Export MP4 video with scanlines, glow and the original audio • Export looping animated GIFs with crisp retro pixels • Save or copy any frame as a high-resolution PNG • Mark just the part you want with two keystrokes; exports run in the background while you keep watching BOOT IT ON A REAL APPLE II Turn any clip into a bootable Apple II disk image (.2mg or .hdv) with its own 6502 video player. It runs in Apple II emulators, or on real hardware via Floppy Emu, wDrive or CFFA. What you see in the preview is what lands on disk. FIND SOMETHING TO WATCH • Internet Archive: search public-domain films right from the sidebar • Local library: add folders from your Mac; Retro Tube finds every playable movie and shows thumbnails • Bookmarks: keep favourites from both in one list • Drag and drop files or links, and pick up where you left off in any video MADE FOR THE MAC • Six retro UI skins re-style the whole app as an Apple II, Apple IIgs, Commodore 64 or Game Boy, with authentic bitmap fonts • Keyboard shortcuts for playback, seeking, modes and computers • Full-screen viewing with auto-hiding controls • Loop, play-through and shuffle modes • Hardware-decoded H.264 and HEVC REQUIREMENTS macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later. Apple Silicon or Intel. NOTES Search results and streamed videos come from the public Internet Archive. All videos remain the property of their respective rights-holders. Retro Tube does not host, redistribute or store any third-party video content. Apple, Apple II, Apple IIgs and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Inc. Commodore 64 and VIC-20 are trademarks of their respective rights-holders. Game Boy and NES are trademarks of Nintendo Co., Ltd. MSX is a trademark of MSX Licensing Corporation. BBC Micro is a trademark of the British Broadcasting Corporation. Amstrad CPC is a trademark of Amstrad. Retro Tube is an independent project, not affiliated with any of these companies; the names are used solely to describe the visual style each rendering mode emulates.

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Retro Tube 2.0 is the biggest update yet. GO LIVE • Point your camera at yourself, or share any window or screen, and see it live as an Apple II, C64, Game Boy, NES and more. SHARE YOUR CREATIONS • Export animated GIFs: crisp, looping retro pixels ready to post. • Mark exactly the part you want with I and O. MP4, GIF and Apple II disk exports all use it. • Exports now run in the background, so you can keep watching. • Save the current frame as a PNG (⌘S) or copy it (⇧⌘C). • The Apple II disk export shows how much video fits before you start. SEE THE DIFFERENCE • New Compare view: drag a divider to see the original next to the retro version. • Save your favourite knob settings as presets for each computer. • Videos resume where you left off. FASTER TO USE • Keyboard shortcuts for everything: Space, arrow keys, F for full screen, C to compare, [ ] and , . to flip through modes and computers. • Full screen hides the controls and cursor while you watch. • Internet Archive search keeps loading results as you scroll. • Thumbnails for videos in your local library. • The URL box picks up links from your clipboard. FIXES • Apple II disk videos now play at the correct speed. Some used to play in slow motion. • The app no longer freezes while building an Apple II disk, and Cancel now works. • Searches containing "&" now work, and fast typing no longer shows stale results. • Shuffle no longer repeats the video that just ended. • Smoother looping and many smaller stability fixes.

Version 2

The developer, Walter Tengler, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

  • Data Not Collected

    The developer does not collect any data from this app.

    Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

    Accessibility

    The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More

    Information

    Seller
    Walter Tengler
    Size
    2.6 MB
    Category
    Graphics & Design
    Compatibility
    Requires macOS 14.0 or later.
    • Mac
      Requires macOS 14.0 or later.
    Languages
    English
    Age Rating
    4+
    Copyright
    © 2026 Walter Tengler
  • Developer Website
  • Privacy Policy

    • Supports

    • Family Sharing

      Up to six family members can use this app with Family Sharing enabled.

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