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SegaSnatcher

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Posts posted by SegaSnatcher

  1. Posted · Edited by SegaSnatcher

    What I meant was the mvs and aes carts have two slots each so the system would need a total of 4 card slots to accomodate both cartridge types. I assume the only difference between an mvs and aes cart is the pinout, like nes and famicom?

    I believe its the same number of pins just in reverse order. Perhaps via software the datalines can be changed depending on whether you have a AES or MVS cart inserted.

     

    Edit: Rats I was wrong, MVS slot has more pins than AES.

    • Like 1

  4. Posted

    We need to get you up to speed on this..

     

    Basically the plans for the Zimba 3000 is on (indefinite) hiatus.

     

    Kevtris partnered with Analogue and developed the Analogue NT mini which utilities his NES/famicom core and released many of his 8-bit cores on a jailbreak firmware. This unit is out of stock and most likely won't be in stock again anytime soon if at all.

     

    Next Kevtris was hired to produce a SNES core and the Analogue Super NT launched earlier this month. It's looking like this one is only going to support the SNES core, but who knows. This unit has already nearly sold out it's second run so if you want one get on it.

     

    Did I miss anything?

     

     

    Looks good to me, but you did forget to mention that Kevtris can rock purple like no other.

     

     

    post-63404-0-63491200-1519857132_thumb.jpg

    • Like 3

  5. Posted · Edited by SegaSnatcher

    Most 10-15 year "lifetimes" for flash assume it's in read/write use. Assuming the Super NT only writes to it when you actually choose "save settings" or upgrade firmwares, the lifetime is likely to be considerably longer than the "average." Also, whether it has wear leveling or not. Most modern flash does, but embedded flash certainly may not. The 10 year average is often based on an arbitrary number like 100,000 write cycles (which is per sector, so if you're only using 10% of your storage capacity, and it's wear leveled, you're not likely to see data loss for a LOT longer than 100,000 writes).

     

    Flash is actually a pretty decent storage for read-only uses. As long as it's kept in a good environment, and not written to often, it'll last quite a long time.

    I'd wager much longer than EPROMs.

  6. Posted

    The preservation angle in marketing is just for marketing. The console has flash memory inside and therefore is only good for maybe 10-15 years. Unless they spec'd a high lifespan part.

    That is if you are doing tons of writes. Flash memory just doesn't die in 10 - 15 yrs. If that were the case then we'd see the majority of console Memory cards fail by now since a lot of them use flash memory. My PS1 memory cards are still going strong.

    • Like 1

  8. Posted · Edited by SegaSnatcher

    I just hope Analogue gives us some kinda multi-console next. I really hate the mess I have under the TV.

    I mean they have the means to do it, but aesthetics is obviously important to them and I don't know if you can make a multi-console system look nice, They definitely don't want their console to appear similar to a freaking Craptron 5.

     

    RetroFreak doesn't look too bad though at least for a multi-console machine. Just a bit bland looking with the off-white color scheme.

    • Like 3

  10. Posted

    As for the cyclone V not being around forever, this is true but I will most likely be making FPGA videogame systems for a long time to come. I have already brought my NES core through the cyclone 1, 3, and now 5 on the nt mini. I am not going to abandon it so long as people wish to use it and buy hardware. Every time someone buys a system containing my code, it gives me another little shot in the arm to keep developing new stuff and fixing the existing stuff. I don't think that driving force would be so strong if I was not getting paid and using my time away from things I want to do for unpaid support on a free project.

     

    Even if I do not open source my core work, I *have* released multiple documents on how various videogame systems work that I have personally reverse engineered. These documents are valuable in their own right if you wish to know something about how those previously undocumented or underdocumented systems work. Pretty sure there will never be a homebrew scene for such fringe systems, but not at least it'd be theoretically possible. I am planning on releasing my SNES technical notes when I get a chance to clean it up, too. I found several previously unknown and underdocumented things during my research for the project.

    That makes me very happy. I was scared that the combination of Hi-Def Nes, NT Mini and Super NT might have burned you out. I mean 10 hr work days for God knows how long would burn out a lot of people, but I guess the difference is you love doing FPGA work and probably doesn't just feel like a job to you. LOL, I hope you will get some time off before you work on your next project.

    • Like 1

  11. Posted

    I think it's safe to say that we haven't seen the last FPGA NES clone, even if the Retro USB AVS was discontinued tomorrow and Analogue never attempts a Super NT style NT Mini successor. As for the Super NT, when they're selling preorders out this quickly, I don't think there's any major risk of this being the last production run.

     

    The NT Mini only finally disappeared from sale just a relatively short time time ago. I wouldn't risk holding out until 2019 though, but if one hasn't made their purchase by the end of this spring, I imagine several more opportunities will still present themselves throughout the remainder of this year.

     

    There's no money to be had in turning away thousands of buyers. The limited label is used to drive sales of something that otherwise wouldn't of sold half as much if it hadn't carried that moniker (Like the shovelware that Limited Run Games usually sells to sealed game collectors), or to encourage people to be early adapters for something you don't intend to offer for the medium to long-term future.

     

    But it's not used as an excuse to prematurely cut production of an item that's selling briskly with a lot of unfulfilled sales potential remaining. The Super NT will disappear when the sales start to slow in the months ahead. A 3rd run at a minimum is all but a certainty given how quickly the second round of orders have been snapped up.

    Honestly, I wouldn't assume that. The amount of people very talented in FPGA work is limited as is, let alone that have the means to create a product out of their work.

    • Like 1

  12. Posted

     

    I'm not sure I'd call those done right (three revisions a piece), but a licensed clone is at least held responsible for problems.

     

    Unlicensed clones, are simply made to scam people out of their money, anyone selling them, assumes 100% of the risk, as the (chip) manufacturer is not going to be in business very long. Which is why Hyperkin (Retron) and Cybergadget (Retrofreak) both switched to SoC's and then stole open source emulators to run them.

     

    This is where the AVS, NT Mini and Super NT simply beat the ASIC clones at their own game. Sure they're not as cheap, but the FPGA implementations can actually fix bugs.

    They are still considered some of the best implementations of original hardware via an ASIC. Also. I was pretty sure the Flashback 2 only saw two revisions, unless you are counting the Flashback 2+ as well.

  13. Posted

     

    Some (presumably chinese) chip fab out there produces the same chip for all the clones. That's why every single ASIC clone is the same, and has the same problems.

     

    The build quality of most, if not all cheap clones is also abysmal with sloppy solder, jumper wires, and glue everywhere.

     

    The chips you see on SNES clones are TCT-975(APU), TCT-976 (PPU's), TCT-978 (CPU), there's an entire thread from 1995 on it over http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread.php?30576-Yobo-FC-Twin-SNES-clones-chipsets-questionsif you want to see what chipsets there are. There's basically 3 generations of chipsets. With the Retron 3 basically having the last version.

     

    Suffice it to say, any ASIC isn't going to get a revision. When they run out, they produce more. It's more likely The RetroFreak/Retron 5 is what we will be seeing more of since it's cheaper to buy a cheap ARM SoC than it is to produce more ASIC's. If you look on eBay you will see plenty fake NES Mini Classic and SNES Mini Classic's with those 9-pin controller ports on them.

    The Atari FlashBack 2 and C64DTV are two examples of ASIC clones done right.

  14. Posted

    Post release the Super NT got 2 (two) firmware updates. 4.1, that broke more than it fixed, and 4.3 that fixed a lot and added/corrected it's extra features. 2, not 5. not sure where you got your number from.

     

    Also, "He's fixing bugs you guys report in under a week" No he isn't. There are bugs reported for longer than a week that haven't been fixed. So these things you said are just wrong. And I'm not even being nitpicky about it, it's just completely wrong.

     

    Why are we having this discussion? What are you trying to defend?

     

    "Everything they said about it was true.": "total accuracy" and "We spent thousands of hours engineering the system via FPGA for absolute accuracy."

     

    So these two are true? Damn I wish they sold these fanboy glasses. I'd gladly wear them so I could live in fairy land, with the magic of the FPGA.

     

    Listen. This discussion is useless. I will not mention the false advertisement from Analogue in this thread anymore. Promise. But you guys come in here saying things that are completely wrong. People come in the thread, read "SNES ASIC are all terrible", and they'll believe this bullshit. So please, before writing things that are just wrong, please either do research, or just don't write it. This doesn't help anyone.

    Because they basically all are terrible, unless you can prove otherwise.

  15. Posted

    How do SNES on a chip clones work? Is it basically the same as an FPGA except not reprogrammable?

    They are ASIC based and I'm pretty sure everyone uses the same design that has been recycled for God knows how long. It was crap when it was first designed and still crap now. Just like the NOAC that has been floating around forever

  16. Posted

    "seeing that there's no other clone console that comes even remotely close in terms of accuracy. "

     

    I don't understand this. do these clone consoles out there have an accuracy problem? I searched the internet and didn't really find much. I had someone say those are actual 1 chips in those being produced by someone, somehow.

     

    If we're going to argue about this at all, I'd at least like to know what level of accuracy these clones like the Supa Retron, or these chinese clones that look very similar to the originals have.

     

    Not that being the best qualifys it as "total accuracy" or "absolute accuracy". Still doesn#t really change anything. But if you're going to say the Super NT is more accurate than a clone, can you tell me the inaccuracies in a Supa retron?

    Well, most of the cheap clones have awful sound reproduction. Retron 5's SNES audio is passable at best, but still not anywhere close to Kevtris's implementation of the SNES's APU.

  17. Posted

     

    I don't think it's fair to just call it a "good clone console" seeing that there's no other clone console that comes even remotely close in terms of accuracy.

     

    We get that you don't like the Analogue marketing, but why does it bother you so much? Do you really think there are many people out there that feel taken because Analogue promised a 100% perfect recreation, but only delivered 99.99% initially, all while Kevtris works tirelessly to perfect the remaining .01%?

    This is why I can't wait for Kevtris to upload footage of all the work that went into making the Super NT possible. He says he filmed multiple hours of footage. I think the MLIG crew said they would edit it for him.

     

    That would be an awesome watch even if I don't understand the majority of what he's actually doing lol.

     

    Its really hard to appreciate how much time Kevtris really puts in all the products he works on, so I think it would be great to see the man in action.

  18. Posted · Edited by SegaSnatcher

     

    Yeah. I've seriosly criticsed Analogue's advertising of the Super NT. The truth is, it's just a clone console. Sure thing, Kevtris worked a lot, and yes, it's a good clone console, but it's reverse engineered just like any other emulator out there. Kevtris seems to be able to iron out the bugs with time, so maybe one day everything will work flawlessly, but the whole advertisement from Analogue does imply the system is perfect, and runs exactly like a Super Nintendo does. And that is not true.

     

    But just keep reporting any bugs, and eventually we might get there.

     

    Edit: This polymega is so obviously just a modular retron 5... There is no way they would do anything different.

    My guess is with Analogue's next project they will give Kevtris more time to work out bugs before release. Hopefully, they will give out more test units in advance next time around to help Kevtris out as well.

     

    That way they can avoid any potential "false advertising" that you take issue with. If its the Genesis then I definitely want Joe from Game Sack to get a test unit. He's a hardcore Genesis guy. Also, Ace from Sega-16 would be a great person to test for audio quality/accuracy since he's the creator of the Genesis Mega Amp and he knows what a Genesis is supposed to sound like.

  19. Posted

    After how long SNES took me, they have a looong road ahead doing multiple brand new emulators, if you want it to be accurate. They would need at least 1 person per system if not more to get it done in any reasonable amount of time I would think.

    Exactly, which is why I doubt this thing is going to come into fruition anytime soon if ever as an actual finished product. They probably could have had that FPGA TG-16 ready by now lol.

  20. Posted · Edited by SegaSnatcher

    This thing has to be snake oil vaporware right? I mean they've got a nice website and the renders look cool and everything, but I have no idea what is supposed to be meant by "Hybrid Emulation". A Linux OS running an emulator plus an FPGA doing I/O from the carts/controllers? They also keep saying that they're not using any open source emulators or frontends. So we're supposed to believe that they wrote cycle-accurate emulators for all of the systems they say the system will support in-house? I could see why someone might want something like this if the emulation is good and they wanted to simplify their streaming setup or something, but I'll be shocked if this thing ever comes out or comes out without some fundamental compromise that makes it not worth it.

    I remember reading that the original project was to make an FPGA Turbo-Grafx 16/PC-Engine, but then they decided to go for the "hybrid emulation" multi console route. Really wished they would have just made that FPGA TG-16 to be honest, as I really don't know if Analogue will consider doing that console. I just question how long they have been working on these supposed in house emulators. I mean thats a ton of work if what they are saying is true. Anyways, if they could somehow bring the input lag lower than that garbage Hyperkin Retron 5 system I think it will do really well if it actually gets released.

     

     

  22. Posted

     

    After testing both last night, I've resorted to sticking to 1080p. My TV does an okay job of not making them seem as jarring, but the 720p blended the lines too close to even notice them much, even with the depth set to max. The default 4:3 for 16:9 for 1080p also filled the screen beautifully. Plus, that lag was just unforgivable.

    So I'm sticking to 1080p and just take my glasses off to get that blurred look! :D

     

    For reference, I have the Samsung 55" Series 6 MU6300.

    Thats interesting that you are getting noticeable more lag using 720p given you have 4K Display.

  24. Posted

    I just did a long stream testing stuff. The result was:

     

    I couldn't crash monopily, but that game sucks, and you have little controll of what's going on.

     

    Cho aniki starts with the reset trick, but it crashes in the game latter. Crashed twice on me between fights.

     

    Front mission gun hazard worked well. I even went back to SD2SNES and botted the game agan to see wether I'd see a prolem, but it was fine.

     

    Flashback has the buzz in the inventory. That is consistent.

     

    Samurai shodown booted perfectly, and I played it for a while. Then hours latter I tried again and both samurai spirits and Samrai Shodown didn't do well at all. Either garbage gets displayed, or the game glitches out in the cherry blossom screen.

     

    Rendering ranger shows 2 spash screens and then stops. It just blacks out.

     

    Uniracers was fine, Couldn't crash Zelda.

     

    I guess that's all.

    Just keep pressing start before the cherry blossom screen. It will boot to the main menu.

     

    Also, can confirm this is a bug with the Super NT and not the SD2SNES since the game runs just fine on my OG SNES.

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