FPGA Based Videogame System

[Lexibug]

I'm not a picky person and never return/refund purchases, but if I had preordered a transparent SNT I'd be demanding a refund. It was the sexiest of the renders, but what they shipped is downright offensive.

[Mattelot]

I'm waiting for the next batch, too as I'd love to swap out my transparent SuperNt for a SF or Classic one.

I expected the transparent case to have a smoke / clear look, more like what was shown on their website, not as much of that frosty look that it has now... same goes for the 8bitdo controllers.

 

I thought about waiting but based upon all the reading, I do not want to assume there will be more. I can always order a Classic one later if they sell more.

 

I'm not a picky person and never return/refund purchases, but if I had preordered a transparent SNT I'd be demanding a refund. It was the sexiest of the renders, but what they shipped is downright offensive.

 

Did I miss something? What was offensive?

Edited March 2, 2018 by Mattelot

[kwnage]

I'm not a picky person and never return/refund purchases, but if I had preordered a transparent SNT I'd be demanding a refund. It was the sexiest of the renders, but what they shipped is downright offensive.

 

Same here... I mean, I love the SuperNt, it's a great system, but the transparent case looks almost like it has tiny cracks everywhere, I don't like it at all. Still I won't be returning it.

I thought about asking them if I could buy a different case... maybe I should do that, could be worth a try.

Edited March 2, 2018 by kwnage

[Lexibug]

 

Did I miss something? What was offensive?

 

the render:

 

 

the reality:

 

[kwnage]

Mine is even worse. It looks like there's plastic shreds/particles everywhere around the cutouts, it looks cracked, especially the controller. It doesn't have that cool smoky dark look at all.

Edited March 2, 2018 by kwnage

[Schizophretard]

Without analogue, my FPGA stuff might never have saw the light of day. They provided an outlet for my cores and other work so that thousands of people can use it, so I think that counts for something. What's a "long term solution"? emulators and ROMs?

 

That definitely counts for something and I thank both you and Analogue for that.

 

I was thinking something along the lines of the spirit of emulators and ROM's but not at that unlimited supply extent since we are talking about hardware. Something more like everyone that has an NES and actively uses it instead of stored in their attic or somewhere either has an Nt Mini if they are a super fan or a new cheaper model with the Super Nt treatment as their main way of playing the NES.

 

To paint a picture, when I go to Disc Replay instead of seeing whatever crappy NES clone I always see there I would see the Nt Mini. Everyone that would own both an NES and Nt Mini when thinking about which one to play and which one to sit on the shelf as a collectible would choose to play the Nt Mini with the NES on the shelf because the Nt Mini wouldn't have any rare limited edition collectibility to it. In other words, I would consider a long term solution to be the Nt Mini and/or a cheaper iteration of it becoming replacement hardware for both the NES and every other NES clone out there. Or to put it another way, instead of the Nt Mini being the NES of the year 2017 for some fans it becomes the NES of the 21st century for most fans.

[Riptide]

I am being realistic though. If after all of the NES clones that have existed we finally get the end all be all ultimate one that renders all clones and even the NES itself pointless to own then I think it is a reasonable and realistic assumption to assume it would be on the market at least until the demand has been met to an extent that ones being resold aren't going for over $1000 in NES Classic Edition Scalperville. Especially if there was no clear indication that it was intended to be a limited edition console.

 

Everyone may have had a chance to get an Nt Mini last year but everyone didn't know that last year was their only chance. I decided to buy one on day one but didn't because from my point of view all the way up until it recently appeared that it may be discontinued it seemed to me that everyone that had bought one up to that point were early adopters and I would be able to buy it later at my convenience. On the other hand, if they would have made it abundantly clear from the beginning that it was limited edition then there is a good chance I would have one now because it would change my purchasing behavior to not wait. They probably would have sold a lot more that way too because there are just as many people if not more that wait to buy at their own convenience when they believe that is an option as there are of people that buy things ASAP. To use other retro things as examples, there are all kinds of mods, flash carts, homebrews, etc. that I intend to eventually purchase but I feel no urgency to spend thousands of dollars buying them all today because I believe I will still have the option to tomorrow. However, the ones that are marketed as limited runs I feel some urgency to put near the top of the list to purchase first. I had no indication that the Nt Mini belonged on the top of my list. If I would have known otherwise it would have been in the #1 spot at the very top of the list.

 

They literally said "Limited quantities available." I don't think RabidWookie or I are saying that they definitely aren't going to make more or that we even want that to be true; all we're saying is that its a distinct possibility. Which it is.

[Mattelot]

 

the render:

 

 

 

the reality:

 

 

 

As Bad Santa said "they can't all be winners..."

 

Even if they looked like the render, I'm weird and would still stick with the classic. I'm a default kind of person I think the lights, etc would be distracting.

Edited March 2, 2018 by Mattelot

[NE146]

These days if you see something you like, you gotta secure it when you have a chance.. unless it's something with massive production like Tide Pods

 

I kind of learned this at Costco where they get something cool and then it disappears within a few weeks never to be seen again.

 

[Mattelot]

Tide Pods

 

 

 

 

I have a challenge for you...

[dave83]

has there been any news on an update that will add built in game genie support? I emailed Analogue a couple months back if built in game genie/cheats would be included, like the NT mini. They replied with a simple "YES" But so far nothing...is this still in the works? or should i grab a actual game genie?

[Jakir]

 

the render:

 

the reality:

I can see why people would be disappointed with the difference between the two but at the same time I just dislike transparent things in general because once they get dust in them they look like crap until you take them apart and clean it. Depending on the device that can be a real pain in the ass. Black has never let me down yet though.

[Andromeda Stardust]

 

The level translators present 5V logic level to the cartridge bus. So wouldn't that that extra bit of voltage get shorted out in the same way if the chips inside the cartridge aren't 5V tolerant, so the level translators would suffer a little bit, too?

Even if the level shifter's output got pulled down to 3.9V or whatever it would not hurt them. In fact the level shifters offer pretty good protection against rogue carts. A level shifter and a 3.3v non-5v tolerant flash chip walk into a bar and get into a fist fight. Let's just say the level shifter beat the flash into submission. Whether the bootleg stops working after hours or days or weeks or months of operation I have no idea, but it is not going to fry your Super NT or original hardware. Just know that whether played on real hardware or the Super NT, the 5v console chips are stronger will outlast the 3v flash repros. Every time. Your hardware is safe but the repro cart may quit working at some point in the future because the flash chips are being operated out of tolerance.

[Andromeda Stardust]

I've seen people mention Retro Circuits in this thread. They're a good place to purchase high quality SNES repro carts? Do they use the correct voltage in their carts for use in a real SNES and the Super NT without the possibility of being damaged?

 

There's two games I'm looking at on their site I want to possibly buy. I see they also take requests.

My New Starfox 2 uses an original Super FX2 PCB with OEM 5v parts. It doesn't even look like a repro board at all but a genuine game PCB. I can barely even tell the solder work where they added in the new ROM chip. You pay for quality though. It's the Aliexpress junk you have to worry about.

[kwnage]

Even if the level shifter's output got pulled down to 3.9V or whatever it would not hurt them. In fact the level shifters offer pretty good protection against rogue carts. A level shifter and a 3.3v non-5v tolerant flash chip walk into a bar and get into a fist fight. Let's just say the level shifter beat the flash into submission. Whether the bootleg stops working after hours or days or weeks or months of operation I have no idea, but it is not going to fry your Super NT or original hardware. Just know that whether played on real hardware or the Super NT, the 5v console chips are stronger will outlast the 3v flash repros. Every time. Your hardware is safe but the repro cart may quit working at some point in the future because the flash chips are being operated out of tolerance.

 

Thanks for the explanation I get the whole theory behind all this, but I don't have an awful lot of experience with level shifters and haven't read the datasheets of those used in the SNT, so I don't know if they're comfortable with being pulled down the hard way by ESD protection diodes. And quite frankly, this whole debate about 3.3V carts on 5V hardware is quite confusing... seems like nobody really knows for sure and believes in either theory about what will happen to our old hardware if we torture them with 3.3V carts.

 

 

My New Starfox 2 uses an original Super FX2 PCB with OEM 5v parts. It doesn't even look like a repro board at all but a genuine game PCB. I can barely even tell the solder work where they added in the new ROM chip. You pay for quality though. It's the Aliexpress junk you have to worry about.

 

Sounds interesting. Just out of curiosity, would you mind taking a photo of that pcb?

Edited March 2, 2018 by kwnage

[Jagasian]

Analogue sent me an email today notifying me that my second Super NT shipped today. This one is black and from the second batch. Ive been enjoying my classic colored Super NT from the first batch. It helps that it is a sleek, low latency SNES replacement that can be hooked up to my huge flatscreen TV in my main room. I get more SNES time because of that accessibility.

 

I am also very impressed with the Cirka S91 SNES controllers. They have clearly pirated Nintendos original design, they cost under $10:

CirKa "S91" Premium Controller for SNES https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PIZMB6S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_CXxMAbYYZ5D6E

[romevi]

 

Ok.. and what?

 

[romevi]

Something awesome came in the mail today from Retrocircuits!

Star_Fox_2_Super_NT_Med.JPG

 

How did you get it in a different shell?

 

Edit:

Never mind; you have to contact them to get different colors. Well, I guess I know where I'll be ordering SF2!

[RabidWookie]

My New Starfox 2 uses an original Super FX2 PCB with OEM 5v parts. It doesn't even look like a repro board at all but a genuine game PCB. I can barely even tell the solder work where they added in the new ROM chip. You pay for quality though. It's the Aliexpress junk you have to worry about.

Is there a way to confirm all of the parts are 5v? I've yet to get any homebrew carts because I'm terrified of damaging my precious original hardware, and don't want to buy something that will slowly fry itself.

[Schizophretard]

They literally said "Limited quantities available." I don't think RabidWookie or I are saying that they definitely aren't going to make more or that we even want that to be true; all we're saying is that its a distinct possibility. Which it is.

 

I just now looked at the marketing for it on their page to see if somehow I overlooked it and don't see it. Can you show me where this was said?

 

I'm not in disagreement that it is a distinct possibility.

[cacophony]

 

I just now looked at the marketing for it on their page to see if somehow I overlooked it and don't see it. Can you show me where this was said?

 

I'm not in disagreement that it is a distinct possibility.

 

Don't feel bad if you missed it. I apparently missed that statement too and I've been following Analogue very closely since before the Nt Mini announcement.

[Riptide]

 

I just now looked at the marketing for it on their page to see if somehow I overlooked it and don't see it. Can you show me where this was said?

 

I'm not in disagreement that it is a distinct possibility.

 

https://www.facebook.com/analogueco/photos/a.318270344900261.74407.154162094644421/1411245785602706/?type=3&permPage=1

 

Not just limited but *Highly* limited lol

That wording had me sitting at the PC ready to order and hitting refresh right as the clock ticked over. Felt like an idiot when they stayed in stock for so long after that, but w/e.

Edited March 2, 2018 by Riptide

[cacophony]

According to Smokemoster, official firmware bugs can be posted here as well, which I guess means Analogue is monitoring this Github issue list:

https://github.com/SmokeMonsterPacks/Super-NT-Jailbreak/issues

 

That seems like a good idea because then the issues can be organized and tracked, as opposed to accidentally being lost in a forum thread.

Edited March 2, 2018 by cacophony

[romevi]

That wording had me sitting at the PC ready to order and hitting refresh right as the clock ticked over. Felt like an idiot when they stayed in stock for so long after that, but w/e.

 

Ha! Me too.

I ordered within the hour and was surprised it was in stock for so long.

[Sneakyturtleegg]

I am also very impressed with the Cirka S91 SNES controllers. They have clearly pirated Nintendos original design, they cost under $10:

CirKa "S91" Premium Controller for SNES https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PIZMB6S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_CXxMAbYYZ5D6E

 

I've replaced the rubber contact pads in various OEM retro controllers with mediocre success at best. At this point, I prefer new, 3rd party replacements. Hyperkin has been selling the Cirka S91 for a while and it is good. I am also a big fan of Hyperkin's new Scout. It is also a fantastic 3rd party SNES controller. This controller with the Raphnet SNES to NES adapter is a great wired combination with the NT Mini. The scout can be purchased with a SNES connector, a USB connector, or wireless for the SNES Classic. I've had good luck with Castlemania games lately.

 

https://www.hyperkin.com/scout-premium-controller-for-snes-hyperkin.html