FPGA Based Videogame System

[NE146]

You know what they say about a watched pot!

[RetrogamerX]

+1. I'm gonna feel stupid if the day after I finally break down and buy the Gamerz Tech RetroGen, Analogue drops news of an

FPGA Sega console.

 

haha. Not

[Andromeda Stardust]

You know what they say about a watched pot!

 

It never boils.

 

Unrelated, but I have some ceramic baking in the pottery kiln outside (side hobby). I'm almost never there when the sitter cone melts and pops the breaker switch. I'll open the lid in the morning before work and hope it didn't explode or melt...

[CRTGamingKaraoke]

Since it seems like Analogue abandoned creating a DAC, can someone please recommend a good HDMI to SCART converter with low lag? I am getting my Super NT soon and need a solution. What are people doing to get get their Super NTs working with their BVMs/PVMs?

[cacophony]

Since it seems like Analogue abandoned creating a DAC, can someone please recommend a good HDMI to SCART converter with low lag? I am getting my Super NT soon and need a solution. What are people doing to get get their Super NTs working with their BVMs/PVMs?

 

There's zero indication that they abandoned the DAC. It's likely going to be announced with their next product, which could happen within the next few weeks.

[Atariboy]

Since it seems like Analogue abandoned creating a DAC, can someone please recommend a good HDMI to SCART converter with low lag? I am getting my Super NT soon and need a solution. What are people doing to get get their Super NTs working with their BVMs/PVMs?

 

How would you go about converting the Super NT's 16:9 picture to 4:3?

 

The Super NT's pillarboxing is baked-into the signal that it sends to a HDTV. It's not sending a HDTV a high-definition 4:3 signal with the television then pillarboxing it to maintain the proper aspect ratio.

 

Like what I've suggested a couple of times around here in various NES/SNES Classic Edition threads, I don't think there's a good solution here to get a proper full-screen 4:3 signal that doesn't suffer from significant signal degradation and create a lot of input lag.

 

In my opinion, it's best to wait and cross your fingers that Analogue follows through since anything else is unlikely to yield pleasing results. And if that fails to materialize and you simply have no interest in using a stock Super NT connected to a HDTV, the worst case is you sell it at a nice profit in a few months time when it's discontinued and invest the profits in original hardware and the appropriate cables.

Edited October 6, 2018 by Atariboy

[Toth]

Since it seems like Analogue abandoned creating a DAC, can someone please recommend a good HDMI to SCART converter with low lag? I am getting my Super NT soon and need a solution. What are people doing to get get their Super NTs working with their BVMs/PVMs?

I sort of feel like people aren't using the Super Nt with CRT monitors since the real Super Nintendo can do RGB.

[Atariboy]

I sort of feel like people aren't using the Super Nt with CRT monitors since the real Super Nintendo can do RGB.

 

I imagine that's the case for 99% of Analogue's customers. Can't picture this adapter having a lot of demand and probably most of those that do buy it won't be taking heavy advantage of it, but just like knowing that the option is there if they do want to use it.

 

The NT Mini was in a bit of a different situation considering the out of the box capabilities of original NES hardware and a lot of classic gamers being CRT purists. But I can't imagine there's a lot of demand here for this Super NT adapter given what original SNES hardware can do (Or can easily be made to do in the case of the SNES redesign from the late 90's).

Edited October 6, 2018 by Atariboy

[atmn]

+1. I'm gonna feel stupid if the day after I finally break down and buy the Gamerz Tech RetroGen, Analogue drops news of an

FPGA Sega console.

 

I cant understand how those clones even exist, feel sick when they get recommended by a youtuber that paid 0$ for that crap.

[phoenixdownita]

 

I cant understand how those clones even exist, feel sick when they get recommended by a youtuber that paid 0$ for that crap.

It's worse than that. They don't have to use it at all past the time of review.

That is why it's really really hard to listen to any of the youtube reviews when they are positive, as they don't have to do long term test with any of it to see if after say 1 week, 1 month, 1 year they are still of the same opinion (assuming they used the damn product).

The negative ones are easier to tease apart and either agree or disagree ... but the positive ones are hard to read these days when too many devices are thrown out with no planned support afterwards (well aside buying the next version if any and that gets me all riled up for its own reasons).

 

It's a little unfair that the positive reviews are the ones to be hard to trust but hey .... it is what it is.

[Keatah]

It's important to remember that none of these are serious "enthusiast grade" devices. These are cheap and disposable stocking-stuffers. Something to be played for a number of weekends or evenings and then that's it.

 

The genuine enthusiast will be seeking out original hardware, fpga, or properly set-up software emulation on a fast intel processor.

[phoenixdownita]

It's important to remember that none of these are serious "enthusiast grade" devices. These are cheap and disposable stocking-stuffers. Something to be played for a number of weekends or evenings and then that's it.

 

The genuine enthusiast will be seeking out original hardware, fpga, or properly set-up software emulation on a fast intel processor.

I hear you but still ... I would not want my stocking stuffed with horseshit no matter I was an enthusiast or just a novice. Would you? Literally would you want a stocking stuffed with horseshit on your mantel?

 

And the more we say it's fine the more we kind of enable the behavior .... they don't have to be perfect but believe me so many of them are so diametrical opposite of perfect that it is not even funny and they're gonna end up polluting the environment as garbage as, as you said, they are "supposed to last merely weeks". There should be a tax just on that. Obviously they pale in comparison with the hordes of crap-phone (aka feature phones, not-so-smart-phone etc...) not a reason to give in.

[haightc]

On my NEC XM29 I am using an HDMI to VGA adapter then in the advanced setting expanding out width. Strangely even though the AVS is 720p only it was automagically 4:3. I am still looking forward to the DAC so it can be true 240p

 

 

How would you go about converting the Super NT's 16:9 picture to 4:3?

 

The Super NT's pillarboxing is baked-into the signal that it sends to a HDTV. It's not sending a HDTV a high-definition 4:3 signal with the television then pillarboxing it to maintain the proper aspect ratio.

 

Like what I've suggested a couple of times around here in various NES/SNES Classic Edition threads, I don't think there's a good solution here to get a proper full-screen 4:3 signal that doesn't suffer from significant signal degradation and create a lot of input lag.

 

In my opinion, it's best to wait and cross your fingers that Analogue follows through since anything else is unlikely to yield pleasing results. And if that fails to materialize and you simply have no interest in using a stock Super NT connected to a HDTV, the worst case is you sell it at a nice profit in a few months time when it's discontinued and invest the profits in original hardware and the appropriate cables.

Edited October 9, 2018 by haightc

[Andromeda Stardust]

It's worse than that. They don't have to use it at all past the time of review.

That is why it's really really hard to listen to any of the youtube reviews when they are positive, as they don't have to do long term test with any of it to see if after say 1 week, 1 month, 1 year they are still of the same opinion (assuming they used the damn product).

The negative ones are easier to tease apart and either agree or disagree ... but the positive ones are hard to read these days when too many devices are thrown out with no planned support afterwards (well aside buying the next version if any and that gets me all riled up for its own reasons).

 

It's a little unfair that the positive reviews are the ones to be hard to trust but hey .... it is what it is.

I've gone as far as to put disclaimers on my review videos, that I purchased the hardware myself and received zero compensation for producing the review (none of my videos are monetised either). Most of my stuff is also unedited unless it warranted multiple takes.

 

How many big league youtubers can actually say with a straight face they received ***zero*** compensation for posting any review video?

[Keatah]

I hear you but still ... I would not want my stocking stuffed with horseshit no matter I was an enthusiast or just a novice. Would you? Literally would you want a stocking stuffed with horseshit on your mantel?

 

And the more we say it's fine the more we kind of enable the behavior .... they don't have to be perfect but believe me so many of them are so diametrical opposite of perfect that it is not even funny and they're gonna end up polluting the environment as garbage as, as you said, they are "supposed to last merely weeks". There should be a tax just on that. Obviously they pale in comparison with the hordes of crap-phone (aka feature phones, not-so-smart-phone etc...) not a reason to give in.

 

The people that know anything about these will say similar. It has been said that enthusiasts looking for perfection (or something to that effect) are not the target audience.

 

That leaves me to believe that "know-nothings" are the target and likely won't care much if it breaks in a month or isn't user-friendly.

 

 

How many big league youtubers can actually say with a straight face they received ***zero*** compensation for posting any review video?

 

Not a whole lot. For sure.

[Andromeda Stardust]

On my NEC XM29 I am using an HDMI to VGA adapter then in the advanced setting expanding out width. Strangely even though the AVS is 720p only it was automagically 4:3. I am still looking forward to the DAC so it can be true 240p

 

I don't think the DAC will function on AVS unless Brian of RetroUSB adds firmware support for the competing device. Existing Analogue hardware such as Super NT and NT Mini will need to be reflashed as well to use it. The DAC device only converts 240p signal which the HDMI will output natively when it detects the converter.

[Great Hierophant]

I understand the the relationship between a Youtuber and a product developer is one of mutual benefit. The product developer sends a review unit to the Youtuber and is out only for the cost of the product plus maybe shipping. It's cheap advertising. For the Youtuber, reviewing a new product brings views and likes to the Youtuber's video and ad revenue and hopefully subscribers to the Youtuber's channel. Plus the Youtuber also gets the thing for free, something the Youtuber didn't have to pay for.

[hyrulebr]

 

There's zero indication that they abandoned the DAC. It's likely going to be announced with their next product, which could happen within the next few weeks.

 

DAC still coming, but no ETA:

 

https://twitter.com/analogue/status/1049389048316354560

[Jurai]

fyi there's an SD2SNES firmware out with savestate support now

 

https://twitter.com/furious_/status/1049471954468696064?s=19

[Toth]

Wow, I didn't think that would ever be possible due to the music or some other technical issue. That's crazy.

[CZroe]

Wow, I didn't think that would ever be possible due to the music or some other technical issue. That's crazy.

Naki Game Saver/Game Saver+, Bung Professor SF/Dame Doctor, etc support it. They just have the wrong music until you do something in-game to reinitialize it.

[hyrulebr]

Wow, I didn't think that would ever be possible due to the music or some other technical issue. That's crazy.

Also superufo 8 do this. But it didnt work for every game and sometimes is very buggy. But its better than nothing.

[Jurai]

yeah the savestate firmware only supports games that aren't using extra chips, still pretty cool though

[hyrulebr]

yeah the savestate firmware only supports games that aren't using extra chips, still pretty cool though

Sure! Even owning a fancy SD2snes I bought a Superufo just for this feature!

But the better place to use it is between stages: this way you solve glitches and audio issues and cheat the game a little less!

[Tanooki]

Is that 1.8 firmware official for the SD2SNES or some off shoot work by someone looking to add things? Also that Naki thing, I've got one of those and I've been trying to sell it for awhile on SNES with little luck which is a shame. It just wasn't for me.