FPGA Based Videogame System

[Guspaz]

Analog output isn't critical, we just need 240p output over HDMI, at which point several HDMI-to-VGA converters will work with it to produce 15 kHz analog RGB video output... albeit with separate sync, although that's not an insurmountable problem either.

[Radfoo]

Analog output isn't critical, we just need 240p output over HDMI, at which point several HDMI-to-VGA converters will work with it to produce 15 kHz analog RGB video output... albeit with separate sync, although that's not an insurmountable problem either.

Sounds good, would the HDMI-to-VGA converter produce lag? I am not at all familiar with how HDMI works and no idea what is in these converters, is it a circuit/decoder/encoder widget of some kind or just a pin adapter?

[simbin]

Sounds good, would the HDMI-to-VGA converter produce lag? I am not at all familiar with how HDMI works and no idea what is in these converters, is it a circuit/decoder/encoder widget of some kind or just a pin adapter?

 

I know you can pass VGA to component with something like the Audio Authority 9A60 and get no lag. Not sure about HDMI to VGA though.

[Guspaz]

Sounds good, would the HDMI-to-VGA converter produce lag? I am not at all familiar with how HDMI works and no idea what is in these converters, is it a circuit/decoder/encoder widget of some kind or just a pin adapter?

 

Most of them are straight up digital to analog converters: no lag because they don't have framebuffers and aren't doing any scaling or fancy processing, they just convert directly with the timings unchanged. A lot of effort has gone into looking into them for use with the OSSC, since it only has DVI/HDMI output. People want to use the OSSC on VGA PC monitors, since the OSSC is also lag-free. IIRC it was a Tendak unit that ended up being the recommended one for the OSSC due to being cheap ($14 IIRC) and having decent quality output (no crushed blacks, a common issue with these sort of things), but I don't know if it was one of the units that worked with 240p HDMI signals. The OSSC can output 240p HDMI (just plug a 240p console into it and set the output mode to passthrough), but it's a somewhat useless use case to convert that to analog, because it would mean you're outputting to a 15 kHz CRT, and if you're doing that, you could just plug the console directly into the monitor instead of going through the OSSC. In the case of the Super Nt, however, it's a potentially valid use case.

Edited October 18, 2017 by Guspaz

[simbin]

 

Most of them are straight up digital to analog converters: no lag because they don't have framebuffers and aren't doing any scaling or fancy processing, they just convert directly with the timings unchanged. A lot of effort has gone into looking into them for use with the OSSC, since it only has DVI/HDMI output. People want to use the OSSC on VGA PC monitors, since the OSSC is also lag-free. IIRC it was a Tendak unit that ended up being the recommended one for the OSSC due to being cheap ($14 IIRC) and having decent quality output (no crushed blacks, a common issue with these sort of things), but I don't know if it was one of the units that worked with 240p HDMI signals. The OSSC can output 240p HDMI (just plug a 240p console into it and set the output mode to passthrough), but it's a somewhat useless use case to convert that to analog, because it would mean you're outputting to a 15 kHz CRT, and if you're doing that, you could just plug the console directly into the monitor instead of going through the OSSC. In the case of the Super Nt, however, it's a potentially valid use case.

 

Thanks for sharing this info. I'm curious if I can use this solution for my RetroPie box. I was planning on getting the RetroTINK but it won't fit in my case.

[Guspaz]

 

Thanks for sharing this info. I'm curious if I can use this solution for my RetroPie box. I was planning on getting the RetroTINK but it won't fit in my case.

 

Probably: I've not looked into it specifically, but I don't see why you couldn't.

 

There are other solutions for analog video output from the Pi, though. Bob's covered a bunch of them here:

 

http://retrorgb.com/rpi240p.html

 

The RGB-Pi is probably the "smallest" solution, since the PCB is entirely within the SCART head, so there is only the connector and a ribbon cable to go inside the Pi.

Edited October 18, 2017 by Guspaz

[simbin]

 

Probably: I've not looked into it specifically, but I don't see why you couldn't.

 

There are other solutions for analog video output from the Pi, though. Bob's covered a bunch of them here:

 

http://retrorgb.com/rpi240p.html

 

The RGB-Pi is probably the "smallest" solution, since the PCB is entirely within the SCART head, so there is only the connector and a ribbon cable to go inside the Pi.

 

Since I don't have any RGB SCART monitors, I decided to set everything up for Component. HD Retrovision cables for the win! I can easily transition everything over with the OSSC when CRTs are extinct. My local Goodwill stopped carrying CRTs about two years ago

Edited October 18, 2017 by simbin

[GAME1213]

@kevtris

 

Was wondering if the Super Nt will emulate/simulate some of the chips like Super FX, DSP1, SA1 sort of like the Nt mini did with mappers. Know it is probably a long shot, but was just wondering.

 

Thanks for your work!

Edited October 18, 2017 by GAME1213

[Guspaz]

@kevtris

 

Was wondering if the Super Nt will emulate/simulate some of the chips like Super FX, DSP1, SA1 sort of like the Nt mini did with mappers. Know it is probably a long shot, but was just wondering.

 

Thanks for your work!

 

Those would only apply to a jailbreak firmware, to which he's already said he can't comment at the current time.

[Sneakyturtleegg]

Kevtris never mentioned that he replicated the special SNES chips (e.g. SA-1, Super FX) in the FPGA. To be able to play off the original carts directly he wouldn't have to do that anyway. You would only need replication of said special chips if trying to play from the ROM files themselves a la an SD card. It would be nice however if he has made some progress in replicating them though, since I believe that was his intention with the Zimba 3000.

 

Also, the various special chips on SNES cartridges use proprietary bios files. Those files aren't going to come baked in the Super NT code or with any jailbreak firmware. I know those bios files are necessary to play those games on the SD2SNES flash cart.

Edited October 18, 2017 by Sneakyturtleegg

[Guspaz]

That's not really a showstopper, bsnes supports using the bios binaries directly, but also provides high level implementations of them. Presumably a jailbreak firmware would either allow you to supply the bios files required, or would provide proper compatible re-implementations... Assuming that the enhancement chips are supported in the first place.

[Tusecsy]

The bios files will just be in the smokemonster pack. It's not like they were included in the the core store (illegal ones anyway).

 

I'd wager 90% the snes core will support superfx and sa-1, 10% it won't.

[Bruce82]

i am still waiting for reviews on super NT i bet it will be just as amazing as NT mini that i have love very much

 

only sad thing is that new super nt is not aluminium so no more gold plating it =,( as i plated NT mini

 

I was already very close to order super NT and maybe I will still order it just hard to choose what color hmmmm... options...

 

 

did I even post pictures of gold plated analogue nt mini here? I think I forgot ;D

Edited October 19, 2017 by Bruce82

[kublai]

Damn $38 bux to ship. Gotta be kidding me.

[Daschewie]

i am still waiting for reviews on super NT i bet it will be just as amazing as NT mini that i have love very much

 

only sad thing is that new super nt is not aluminium so no more gold plating it =,( as i plated NT mini

 

I was already very close to order super NT and maybe I will still order it just hard to choose what color hmmmm... options...

 

 

did I even post pictures of gold plated analogue nt mini here? I think I forgot ;D

You can gold plate plastic, using conductive paint:

[Laner]

Not Jaguar it's 32-bit

 

Genesis

Sega CD

TG16

TG16-CD

Neo Geo

and maybe CDI (although who cares)

 

As long as we're wishing, I'd also add the Commodore CDTV/CD32, the NeoGeo Pocket and the Wonderswan.

[Wolf_]

 

As long as we're wishing, I'd also add the Commodore CDTV/CD32, the NeoGeo Pocket and the Wonderswan.

Earlier Kevtris said a snes fpga might be able to do the 32x and as the Super Nt is a snes fpga that would mean it might be able to do the 32x and cover 32 bit system like the Gba. But honestly at this point all we are doing is speculating on something we probably aren't going to get any more info on for about 4 months.

[brentonius]

One thing to consider on the jailbreaking side of things:

 

The possibly-future-jailbroken Super NT may not be what the jailbroken NT Mini was. Remember, there's no actual need for Kevtris to have reverse engineered the SuperFX chip and certain other chips that were exclusive to certain games to make the Super NT an exact FPGA clone of the Super NES. So while technically yes, the Super NT *will* be able to play every single game for the SNES, even the SD2SNES, it may not play everything with only an SD card and a firmware update to jailbreak the system.

 

That said, I am still interested in buying one.

[Tusecsy]

Ya that's kinda the big question. I doubt Kevtris would release a snes core without supporting super fx and sa-1, just cuz he's a perfectionist. And you know there's gonna be a snes core at least. But there's always a chance there isn't time or he'd rather prioritize other cores.

[brentonius]

Yup. My dream is now for a Genesis core. Wouldn't that be neat.

[Andromeda Stardust]

 

They spent some money on those shipping supplies, certainly a lot more than RetroUSB (which just put the box in a fixed rate USPS priority box with a few pieces of bubble wrap on only the top.

Hehehe. Some USPS bozos played football with my AVS it seems.

 

Watch the first two minutes:

[Andromeda Stardust]

Analogue is asking what features people would like to see on the Super Nt on twitter, so voice your desires!

https://twitter.com/analogue_co/status/920703269084598272

(they took similar surveys for the Nt Mini, and some of the top asks actually got implemented, like custom palettes off the sd card)

Uggg. 140 character post limit. Is there any way to submit feedback without social media account logins?

[cacophony]

Uggg. 140 character post limit. Is there any way to submit feedback without social media account logins?

 

Not as far as I know. For the Nt mini they had a place on the official site where people could post ideas and upvote ideas they liked, but they don't seem to have that area any more. Hopefully they set up something similar for the Super Nt.

[cacophony]

Hehehe. Some USPS bozos played football with my AVS it seems.

 

Watch the first two minutes:...

 

Video proof that you protective packaging practices are a good idea! (glad it worked out ok in your case)

[Andromeda Stardust]

And FWIW, I was charged $22 for Super Nt shipping to California. It also sounds like they had some issues with their system that calculates shipping prices and are actively working on correcting it.

Nice, so earlybirds get to pay more...

 

Add some really fat 1" bubble wrap not the skinny stuff and put it in a large flat rate USPS mailer.