FPGA Based Videogame System

[mikem]

Hey everyone!  I’m the guy who started the petition and frankly I’m not surprised how much traction it’s getting. Look at how much these things go for on eBay. Clearly there’s a ton of unfilled demand! I’m glad Analogue set a realistic goal ? ... I think we’ll have 1,000 signatures by tomorrow! I can’t wait to get my hands on that aluminum goodness!

[SegaSnatcher]

1 hour ago, mikem said:

Hey everyone!  I’m the guy who started the petition and frankly I’m not surprised how much traction it’s getting. Look at how much these things go for on eBay. Clearly there’s a ton of unfilled demand! I’m glad Analogue set a realistic goal ? ... I think we’ll have 1,000 signatures by tomorrow! I can’t wait to get my hands on that aluminum goodness!

Goal has been met!!!  Though I signed the petition I still hope Analogue considers a $200 NT Mini. 

[SlCKB0Y]

10 hours ago, phoenixdownita said:

Pretty sure he's also designed the PCB and everything related to it (choice, values, and placement of components etc.... etc...).

 

If you mean he doesn't hand solder the components himself ... well then sure I hope he doesn't, his skills are more valuable in designing and implementing new cores/products however he sees fit.

 

NOTE: writing in VHDL/Verilog bears only a superficial semblance to write SW (Verilog being more similar in that sense) but that's it, it would be like comparing writing a poem vs the  ingredients on the back of pack of crackers .... not the same skill, not the same intent! Kevin is their HW guy in the more complete sense of the term, and their SW guy as I believe he develops also the SW that runs on the microcontroller as well as the console (to render the UI/menu etc...).

no, all the PCBs are done on a production line with little if any human interaction.

 

i would also argue that HDL and traditional software development both have foundations in theory with regards to Boolean logic and operations.

[RetrogamerX]

It’s well over 1000 already.  I wonder if we are looking at a year before we even see these?

[atmn]

I hope this last batch NtM will get some traction on the firmware fairys intv core.

 

Are there any intv core at all out in the wild?

 

 

[bikerspade]

On 11/13/2019 at 1:47 AM, ErebusMaligan said:

I know at least my Startropics rom works on my everdrives just fine but doesn't play audio on the JB core.

Smokemonster made fixes to these a few years ago. You can find them here under NES/NT Mini/NT Fixed/

[Andromeda Stardust]

Just put it in a plastic case, scrap the analog outputs (the dac will cover those needs) and sell it for $200.

 

Or get an AVS.

 

Hold the aluminum bilet. The world needs more beer cans... ?

Edited January 31, 2020 by Kosmic Stardust

[Andromeda Stardust]

17 hours ago, Atariboy said:

If it's plastic and $200, count me in.

This.

[jamon1567]

58 minutes ago, Kosmic Stardust said:

Just put it in a plastic case, scrap the analog outputs (the dac will cover those needs) and sell it for $200.

 

Or get an AVS.

 

Hold the aluminum bilet. The world needs more beer cans... ?

I feel like I can say with about 99% certainty that when they say "get 1000 signatures and we'll make another run of the Nt Mini", that is exactly what they mean. If they had plans on making an Nt Ultralite, they would do that and wouldn't have bothered replying to this. If they do it, theyre gonna spin up production again, slap together however many they think they can sell, and call it a day. If they wanna get a lil crazy, they may offer a few more colors, but can't imagine anything past that.

[phoenixdownita]

12 hours ago, SlCKB0Y said:

no, all the PCBs are done on a production line with little if any human interaction.

 

i would also argue that HDL and traditional software development both have foundations in theory with regards to Boolean logic and operations.

So does digital HW design, they are connecting AND/OR/NOT gates (or if you prefer any complete subset of boolean operators of your liking) plus registers (flip flop if you prefer) but the point stands, just because you understand boolean logic doesn't mean you can program SW or design hardware via HDL, it's a basic block for it but by far not all of it.

 

When it comes to analog HW it's a different game but I bet Kevtris designed the analog section of the DAC as well.

 

As I said "writing a poem vs the  ingredients on the back of pack of crackers" both deal with words but they ain't the same.

[Razzie.P]

16 hours ago, mikem said:

Hey everyone!  I’m the guy who started the petition and frankly I’m not surprised how much traction it’s getting. 

 

And for that, I say "thank you!"

[SegaSnatcher]

I just realized Pocket will have the first NGPC and Lynx FPGA cores and the fact you'll be able to play them on the big screen makes it even better.  I think I've played a Lynx once and never had any experience with NGPC.  Is the NGPC any good?

[ijor]

2 hours ago, phoenixdownita said:

So does digital HW design, they are connecting AND/OR/NOT gates (or if you prefer any complete subset of boolean operators of your liking) plus registers (flip flop if you prefer) but the point stands, just because you understand boolean logic doesn't mean you can program SW or design hardware via HDL, it's a basic block for it but by far not all of it.

 

IMHO, the most important part for developing these "retro" systems is not the design or the developing itself. Not the software, not the HDL core, not the hardware. They key is the research and reverse engineering, and it's the most time consuming work, by far.

[dj_convoy]

1 hour ago, SegaSnatcher said:

I just realized Pocket will have the first NGPC and Lynx FPGA cores and the fact you'll be able to play them on the big screen makes it even better.  I think I've played a Lynx once and never had any experience with NGPC.  Is the NGPC any good?

Yeah, there are some fun games. Lots of chibi fighters, a fun strategy game or two, some stripped down Metal Slugs, etc.

[phoenixdownita]

5 hours ago, ijor said:

 

IMHO, the most important part for developing these "retro" systems is not the design or the developing itself. Not the software, not the HDL core, not the hardware. They key is the research and reverse engineering, and it's the most time consuming work, by far.

I hear you and by now many chips have been decapped and gave up their most intimate secrets.

I like how many many arcade locked microcontrollers have been defeated by decapping, nail polish and UV light to get their key/roms dumped.

 

Kevtris has done tons of work in the reverse engineering department, I think once he showed us an x-ray machine or something (I know I know it's used for solder joint analysis but that's not all you can do with it right?)

If memory serves he was the first with a zero lag HDMI device to simulate a console and he did it by slowing down/speeding up every so slightly the base clock of the console in question .... pure genius.

 

EDIT: ... and thanks a lot for the FX CAST core on MiSTer (haven't had a chance to try it yet but I heard great things about it)

[Toth]

I'll be curious how they package the Nt Mini and how much it will cost for this final run.  The 8bitdo controller that originally came with the system is no longer made.  I wonder if they will include the newer model and a retro receiver or if they will omit the controller.

Edited February 2, 2020 by Toth

[Sneakyturtleegg]

The original 8bitdo controller that came with the NT Mini was first generation and the d-pad was garbage. Analogue would likely sell an 8bitdo controller separately. The interwebs would melt down because the first two runs of NT Minis came with controllers. It wouldn't affect sales. Analogue's later offerings (SNT and MGG) didn't come with controllers. They had to be purchased separately. Besides, who doesn't have a bunch of NES controllers laying around?

[RetrogamerX]

I find it weird that there has been no response from Analogue officially other  than the original post on Facebook saying they’ll do a last run Nt mini?  
 

You would think they would reply by now with some official word on the subject?

[Intense.Mark]

I opened a ticket with Analogue yesterday when we reached more than 1000 petition votes and here’s their reply 

 

If this is true, they are missing the boat here to grow marketwise. 

Edited February 3, 2020 by Intense.Mark

[CZroe]

I opened a ticket with Analogue yesterday when we reached more than 1000 petition votes and here’s their reply 
 
If this is true, they are missing the boat here to grow marketwise. 

Weird, considering that they never explicitly said that before and now they say this right after hinting that they would be open to a new MFG run.

[Laner]

Might be a case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. Either someone made a promise on social media and didn't relay that to the support team, or the person who suggested they would restart production was speaking out of turn.

[Pixelboy]

Who is Jonie? If he/she is just an online receptionist of sorts, then he/she is just replying with the same form-letter response that he/she has been using for the last several months.

 

Just because the petition target was reached, it doesn't mean that the decision-makers at Analogue are going to organize an emergency meeting in the middle of the night in order to plan a new run of NT Minis in all deliberate speed. They're currently busy with the Analogue Pocket, and there's no reason to think they're going to split resources to multitask two parallel projects.

 

I would tend to think that if the Analogue 8 is a version of the Zimba 3000 with cartridge adaptors, then this petition only served to demonstrate that there would be a definite interest in an NES (and maybe Famicom) cart adaptor.

 

[RetrogamerX]

I had a feeling it was bullshit.  I hope I’m wrong.  We’ll know soon enough?

[Intense.Mark]

I do hope Christopher Taber is the one who replied in behalf of Analogue in FB and not another online receptionist ?. Btw, I just shared what they mentioned in my RECENT ticket. You take it with a grain of salt but I always ask them the same question every quarter. The last time I did was October 2019 and said that they are focusing on Super NT and Mega SG and would like to put the proper amount of dedication and attention to *any* Nt Mini release as this is the only way to do it correctly.

 

 

They always answer with this everytime I asked in the past. So now is the 1st time they replied to my inquiry that it's discontinued

Edited February 3, 2020 by Intense.Mark

[Andromeda Stardust]

3 hours ago, Intense.Mark said:

I opened a ticket with Analogue yesterday when we reached more than 1000 petition votes and here’s their reply 

 

If this is true, they are missing the boat here to grow marketwise. 

Considering that Analogue is NOT the author of the petition, it holds no salt. A petition is exactly that. It could have gathered 100,000 signatures.

 

Unlike the crowdfunding model, the target has no contractual obligation to produce anything, and the signee has no obligation to buy any product.

 

For better or worse, Analogue is not going to pursue an NES solution at this time. Those desiring an HDMI NES with similar feature sets and price point to the official stock firmwares on Super NT and Mega SG, can buy the RetroUSB AVS. If ROM loading is desired, use a Powerpak or Everdrive for playing ROMs in lieu of jailbreak firmware. 

Edited February 3, 2020 by Kosmic Stardust