FPGA Based Videogame System

[Wolf_]

 

I think the chances that he's working on something for RetroArch are close to zero. He has a long working relationship with Analogue and the timing of this work fits perfectly with Analogue's development cycle. Plus, RetroArch wouldn't have a reason to require an NDA nor would they likely have the funds to hire kevtris. As far as I can tell they've never actually sold anything.

I have no clue what the development cycle of Analogue is, but new technologies don't follow a cycle, they come out when they are invented/put together/a million other things.

 

As for retroarch not having an nda, every company should use them. It is standard practice and keeps the company in charge of the news that gets released and in control of their technologies. Retroarch has a fairly profitable patreon they use to pay for development (like coders) and is in development of an fpga console which they can't give away for free so the implication is they would sell it.

 

I do agree that Kev's work history with Analogue would make them more likely but right now we simply don't know that Analogue is actually making any new products. So we have one company that is definitely doing something and one company that might be doing something and our only supporting evidence is that around this time they usually talk about something new. With the evidence available currently the most likely choice would be Retroarch, at least until Analogue gives any kind of hint they have something planned.

Edited July 29, 2017 by Wolf_

[cacophony]

I have no clue what the development cycle of Analogue is, but new technologies don't follow a cycle, they come out when they are invented/put together/a million other things.

 

As for retroarch not having an nda, every company should use them. It is standard practice and keeps the company in charge of the news that gets released and in control of their technologies. Retroarch has a fairly profitable patreon they use to pay for development (like coders) and is in development of an fpga console which they can't give away for free so the implication is they would sell it.

 

I do agree that Kev's work history with Analogue would make them more likely but right now we simply don't know that Analogue is actually making any new products. So we have one company that is definitely doing something and one company that might be doing something and our only supporting evidence is that around this time they usually talk about something new. With the evidence available currently the most likely choice would be Retroarch, at least until Analogue gives any kind of hint they have something planned.

 

See the edited version of my post re: libretro's funds. Also, Analogue has hinted at a SNES as their next product in the past (I think it was either twitter or a response to posts on their forums/messages section).

 

So, yeah, I think the changes that Libretro is behind this is probably less than 1%. But <1% is still a chance!

 

[Wolf_]

 

See the edited version of my post re: libretro's funds. Also, Analogue has hinted at a SNES as their next product in the past (I think it was either twitter or a response to posts on their forums/messages section).

 

So, yeah, I think the changes that Libretro is behind this is probably less than 1%. But <1% is still a chance!

 

If Retroarch is a <1% chance then Analogue is currently a <0.1% chance.

 

Probabilities change and with no solid evidence Analogue is working on a product that makes them less likely of an option than if I were to post a picture of an fpga chip on a table from my garage.

 

Do I think Analogue is the most likely option? Absolutely. Would I put money on them over Retroarch? Hell yes.

But statistically, they are not even on the board yet because all we have are rumors and gut feelings.

 

Something we know exists will always be a more likely outcome than something we think exists. That is all I'm saying.

[cacophony]

If Retroarch is a <1% chance then Analogue is currently a <0.1% chance.

 

Probabilities change and with no solid evidence Analogue is working on a product that makes them less likely of an option than if I were to post a picture of an fpga chip on a table from my garage.

 

Do I think Analogue is the most likely option? Absolutely. Would I put money on them over Retroarch? Hell yes.

But statistically, they are not even on the board yet because all we have are rumors and gut feelings.

 

Something we know exists will always be a more likely outcome than something we think exists. That is all I'm saying.

 

Totally disagree. Also, these two statements are in direct contradiction:

 

"If Retroarch is a <1% chance then Analogue is currently a <0.1% chance."

and

"Do I think Analogue is the most likely option? Absolutely. Would I put money on them over Retroarch? Hell yes."

 

Anyway, at this point we're just speculating. We'll see soon enough (hopefully!)

[Wolf_]

 

Totally disagree. Also, these two statements are in direct contradiction:

 

"If Retroarch is a <1% chance then Analogue is currently a <0.1% chance."

and

"Do I think Analogue is the most likely option? Absolutely. Would I put money on them over Retroarch? Hell yes."

 

Anyway, at this point we're just speculating. We'll see soon enough (hopefully!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_razor

 

Analogue having less factual supporting evidence and simply being more likely because we want it to be doesn't contribute any numerical value to its likelihood.

 

That is the difference between statistical likelihood and intuition. While intuition is valuable and can be more correct than statistical evaluations (like in this case I think it will be) it is also highly subject to personal bias so if I'm going to speculate on something I prefer stick strictly to hard facts. The second Analogue gives me some I'd be more than happy to call it case closed in their favor.

[Bakeriffic]

Reading about all the trouble that Kevtris had getting the Everdrive N8 to work on the NT mini made me wonder if BunnyBoy (Brian Parker) had similar issues when designing/programming the AVS. I imagine that he and Kevtris both had to develop solutions independently and I wonder if they arrived at the same solution.

 

Also, perhaps Kevtris could answer this: If/when cartridge adapters are released for the NT mini, would other varieties of Everdrives be compatible or is there potential for further complications? I know that this would be unnecessary given the support for roms via the NT mini's sd card slot but I'm just curious.

 

Personally, I like to use my Everdrive N8 with my NT Mini rather than load roms via the sd card in order to take advantage of the Everdrive's save state feature.

[cacophony]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_razor

 

Analogue having less factual supporting evidence and simply being more likely because we want it to be doesn't contribute any numerical value to its likelihood.

 

That is the difference between statistical likelihood and intuition. While intuition is valuable and can be more correct than statistical evaluations (like in this case I think it will be) it is also highly subject to personal bias so if I'm going to speculate on something I prefer stick strictly to hard facts. The second Analogue gives me some I'd be more than happy to call it case closed in their favor.

So what exactly is this factual evidence you speak of? Libretro has shown evidence that they are developing some cores, with the only specifics being a screenshot of a nes core. Analogue in comparison has already shipped a nes fpga system that happens to also support ~15 other completed cores.

 

As far as I can tell there's no actual evidence that either is actively working on an snes core, so all we really have to go on is intuition.

[Great Hierophant]

 

I think it is hit and miss. I have 2 FDS RAM adaptors, HVC-02, and HVC-FMR-04 (one with SRAM and one with DRAM) and both of them crash early during disk loading, no matter whether it's from a real disk or FDSStick. Looks like it might be a lack of filtering for the IRQ line in the NT mini... (Let's hope you are lucky.)

 

Actually I have to correct an error I made. Kevtris and I were talking about the FDS RAM Adapters and he pointed out that the "SRAM" chip on the later adapters is really an unusual DRAM chip. Looking at the schematic shows that the chip is wired like a DRAM chip, with CAS and RAS signals that you won't find on a real SRAM chip. Still, it is good to know that the problem is not an FDSStick issue.

[Wolf_]

So what exactly is this factual evidence you speak of? Libretro has shown evidence that they are developing some cores, with the only specifics being a screenshot of a nes core. Analogue in comparison has already shipped a nes fpga system that happens to also support ~15 other completed cores.

 

As far as I can tell there's no actual evidence that either is actively working on an snes core, so all we really have to go on is intuition.

Libretro is working on a fpga console. True they have not confirmed that snes will be covered but we do know they are working on one which is more than we know about Analogue.

 

While it is possible they just plan to cut into Analogue sales of the nes fpga market by making a more affordable console because Analogue refuses to make one that isn't solid gold, they could never hope to make a better programmed one so it seems likely they would reach higher.

 

Either way the situation remains the same. We know Libretro is working on something and we have no word from Analogue. It is possible all they are doing is carving out solid blocks of aluminum trying to keep up with Nt mini sales.

[Keatah]

While it is possible they just plan to cut into Analogue sales of the nes fpga market by making a more affordable console because Analogue refuses to make one that isn't solid gold, they could never hope to make a better programmed one so it seems likely they would reach higher.

 

Anything is possible when talking about making something better.

[brentonius]

Speaking of anything being possible we must all accept the possibility that Kevtris is working on something really boring (to us) for the "big" money... I know that Microsoft, Tessa, Google, Boeing, and others could have hired Kev as a contractor for something custom for their company... could totally be not video game related.

 

While I dream that it is indeed an SNES I'm just saying... don't get your hopes up!

Edited July 29, 2017 by brentonius

[Wolf_]

Speaking of anything being possible we must all accept the possibility that Kevtris is working on something really boring (to us) for the "big" money... I know that Microsoft, Tessa, Google, Boeing, and others could have hired Kev as a contractor for something custom for their company... could totally be not video game related.

 

While I dream that it is indeed an SNES I'm just saying... don't get your hopes up!

It is video game related. If Kevtris wasn't under a nda or asked to keep it quiet then he would have told us to stop talking about it by now. That is really the only logical sequence of events.

[Keatah]

Again. We do not know that for certain.

[Wolf_]

Again. We do not know that for certain.

Again, if he wasn't he would have clearly said "sorry, it isn't happening" by now. Him not saying anything as we continue to speculate is clear proof.

[Keatah]

If you wish to believe that.

[cacophony]

Libretro is working on a fpga console. True they have not confirmed that snes will be covered but we do know they are working on one which is more than we know about Analogue.

 

While it is possible they just plan to cut into Analogue sales of the nes fpga market by making a more affordable console because Analogue refuses to make one that isn't solid gold, they could never hope to make a better programmed one so it seems likely they would reach higher.

 

Either way the situation remains the same. We know Libretro is working on something and we have no word from Analogue. It is possible all they are doing is carving out solid blocks of aluminum trying to keep up with Nt mini sales.

 

We also know libretro wouldn't be able afford to hire Kevtris for anything even close to a fair market rate given his experience. And we know Kevtris has a long-standing and successful relationship with Analogue. And we know Analogue finished the Nt mini work right around the time that Kevtris suddenly became busy again with a mystery project. So despite the fact that Analogue hasn't confirmed a new FPGA system (why wold they given the potential for competing products?), I'd say the facts support the Analogue theory far more strongly.

Edited July 30, 2017 by cacophony

[cacophony]

Speaking of anything being possible we must all accept the possibility that Kevtris is working on something really boring (to us) for the "big" money... I know that Microsoft, Tessa, Google, Boeing, and others could have hired Kev as a contractor for something custom for their company... could totally be not video game related.

 

While I dream that it is indeed an SNES I'm just saying... don't get your hopes up!

 

Yeah, I think there's a reasonable possibly of this, but the final line of this article made me hopeful:

 

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/d7q93x/kevtris-kevin-horton-cyrogenics-retro-gaming

""I am working on new stuff," he said, apologizing for not being able to reveal too many details, "and I think people will be happy with it when it finally gets done."

[kevtris]

All I can safely say I am not working on the Ataribox. hehe. Seriously though, thanks for the speculations, it brightened up the day a bunch for me!

[Andromeda Stardust]

I have no clue what the development cycle of Analogue is, but new technologies don't follow a cycle, they come out when they are invented/put together/a million other things.

 

As for retroarch not having an nda, every company should use them. It is standard practice and keeps the company in charge of the news that gets released and in control of their technologies. Retroarch has a fairly profitable patreon they use to pay for development (like coders) and is in development of an fpga console which they can't give away for free so the implication is they would sell it.

 

I do agree that Kev's work history with Analogue would make them more likely but right now we simply don't know that Analogue is actually making any new products. So we have one company that is definitely doing something and one company that might be doing something and our only supporting evidence is that around this time they usually talk about something new. With the evidence available currently the most likely choice would be Retroarch, at least until Analogue gives any kind of hint they have something planned.

Do we even have any evidence at all that Kevtris "secret" project is? He could be building a missile defense system for all we know, or something equally technical and boring.

[Great Hierophant]

His day job is working as an engineer for a cyrogenics firm. He would be working on improving cyrogenic techniques to preserve human beings with currently incurable diseases, so that they can be revived in 500 years instead of 50.

[atmn]

Reading about all the trouble that Kevtris had getting the Everdrive N8 to work on the NT mini made me wonder if BunnyBoy (Brian Parker) had similar issues when designing/programming the AVS. I imagine that he and Kevtris both had to develop solutions independently and I wonder if they arrived at the same solution.

 

Also, perhaps Kevtris could answer this: If/when cartridge adapters are released for the NT mini, would other varieties of Everdrives be compatible or is there potential for further complications? I know that this would be unnecessary given the support for roms via the NT mini's sd card slot but I'm just curious.

 

Personally, I like to use my Everdrive N8 with my NT Mini rather than load roms via the sd card in order to take advantage of the Everdrive's save state feature.

 

Speculation from my side.

In the HiDEF NES there is a "thanks to" list in the about section, bunnyboy was mentioned there. Think they have some kind of contact in between which is more than reasonable.

 

 

Really looking forward to the cartridge adapters, would probably buy them all.

The design-part is give or take done? Think there is some software-todo before it will be done? So "run cartridge" will be core depentent and all the pins will be mapped correct?

[Radfoo]

I'm convinced its a SNES core for a new Analogue product, they already have the controller to go with it - https://www.analogue.co/pages/8bitdo-x-analogue-snes. Its not like they made a sega version, i suppose that does not interest them (Analogue).

 

I'm sure Analogue benefited from the hype around the nes mini classic so I guess soon would be a good time to release snes version after the snes mini classic. Though think a SNES core to the same level/quality of NES core is a big challenge and will take some time. I'm guessing they would like to release a year on from the nt mini but i'm guessing that (imaginary in my head deadline) will have slipped, having said that, Kevin has popped up on youtube and making a few more comments on here so i wonder if he is a bit more relaxed about it now, seemed eager/stressed to get on with it (what ever it is) a few months ago.

 

Though if its not for Analogue then I dunno, lol.

Edited July 30, 2017 by Radfoo

[Wolf_]

His day job is working as an engineer for a cyrogenics firm. He would be working on improving cyrogenic techniques to preserve human beings with currently incurable diseases, so that they can be revived in 500 years instead of 50.

Once again, if it wasn't something to do with an fpga he would have told us to cut it out by now because we were wasting our time and spamming his thread. The only logical reason he would let us speculate is because he really wants to tell us something that he has been asked or is legally required not to.

 

And I doubt you can just moonlight in the cryogenics field. He already made it clear he was working a second job as in not by the same employers so at the very least he would need to have found someone hiring for a second cryogenics job and I'm fairly certain Frankenstein retired after his disastrous first experiment.

 

 

I'm convinced its a SNES core for a new Analogue product, they already have the controller to go with it - https://www.analogue.co/pages/8bitdo-x-analogue-snes. Its not like they made a sega version, i suppose that does not interest them (Analogue).

 

I'm sure Analogue benefited from the hype around the nes mini classic so I guess soon would be a good time to release snes version after the snes mini classic. Though think a SNES core to the same level/quality of NES core is a big challenge and will take some time. I'm guessing they would like to release a year on from the nt mini but i'm guessing that (imaginary in my head deadline) will have slipped, having said that, Kevin has popped up on youtube and making a few more comments on here so i wonder if he is a bit more relaxed about it now, seemed eager/stressed to get on with it (what ever it is) a few months ago.

 

Though if its not for Analogue then I dunno, lol.

That's just an 8bit product because they partnered with them for some reason, it has been around for ages and I wouldn't assume 8bit made it to support the analogue snes which won't even be released until years after the controller came out.

[Radfoo]

That's just an 8bit product because they partnered with them for some reason, it has been around for ages and I wouldn't assume 8bit made it to support the analogue snes which won't even be released until years after the controller came out.

 

They mentioned they partnered them with it, though obviously to what degree I don't know. Different question, but if Kevin is not doing more work for Analogue then what product could/should they release next? The NT Mini is brilliant but i'd be surprised if they are not already working on another product, SNES does seem the obvious choice to me and I can not think of anyone other than Kevin that could deliver that. Only other thing I can think of is a portable device for the existing cores, but that would not take kevin long enough, he said he was going to be busy for quite some time and its something we would be interested in.

[Wolf_]

 

They mentioned they partnered them with it, though obviously to what degree I don't know. Different question, but if Kevin is not doing more work for Analogue then what product could/should they release next? The NT Mini is brilliant but i'd be surprised if they are not already working on another product, SNES does seem the obvious choice to me and I can not think of anyone other than Kevin that could deliver that. Only other thing I can think of is a portable device for the existing cores, but that would not take kevin long enough, he said he was going to be busy for quite some time and its something we would be interested in.

Oh yea, the next product by nt will undoubtedly be a snes capable fpga. I was just saying that them using 8bit's controllers wasn't related because iirc 8bit already had the snes model controller out before they partnered.

 

The only point I was trying to make was that 8bit is just some controller company and not related to what goes on at Analogue. I sure wish 8bit would release some other controllers, like a nice 6 button Genesis controller and a gamecube one. Also receivers for a lot more consoles.