FPGA Based Videogame System

[NE146]

I'm kind of amazed how many westerners are familiar with correct FDS sound.

[SnoopKatt]

I'm kind of amazed how many westerners are familiar with correct FDS sound.

Yeah apparently everyone's an expert!

[phoenixdownita]

Yeah apparently everyone's an expert!

Don't need to be an expert, just have hears.

I for one have an Twin Famicom and a couple of original games on floppy that I can compare with .... I also have an original Jap CV3 to compare it with for VRC6 etc...etc...

Some of the FDS music is so out of tune (well, I have not tried v20 yet so I should say was out of tune) that one would think he's in the presence of an Atari 7800 and it's beautiful DK/MarioBros games music in all TIA out of tune glory ...... it's not that bad, I am exaggerating but it's obvious nonetheless.

[Sho]

Don't need to be an expert, just have hears.

I for one have an Twin Famicom and a couple of original games on floppy that I can compare with .... I also have an original Jap CV3 to compare it with for VRC6 etc...etc...

Some of the FDS music is so out of tune (well, I have not tried v20 yet so I should say was out of tune) that one would think he's in the presence of an Atari 7800 and it's beautiful DK/MarioBros games music in all TIA out of tune glory ...... it's not that bad, I am exaggerating but it's obvious nonetheless.

 

Is your Twin Famicom RGB modded? If so, how or who did you go to to mod?

[Newsdee]

To the FPGA gurus out there, would it be physically doable to load a NES core into a OSSC? Think its an Altera IV.

Or isnt it any memory on the hardware to make this possible?

 

Just a question..

 

There isn't any memory, which is also why the OSSC does not have a framebuffer and - for example - can't convert 50hz video (PAL) to 60hz (NTSC).

 

But even if it was doable, I don't see why anybody would be interested in doing that.

One can just get a MiSTer (DE10 Nano + memory expansion) for less than $200 (inc shipping) and use the NES core for it.

 

Plus, you also get a bunch of other cores:

https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_MiSTer/wiki

Edited May 19, 2018 by Newsdee

[phoenixdownita]

 

Is your Twin Famicom RGB modded? If so, how or who did you go to to mod?

Yes, with Tim Worthington NESRGB board, I did the mod myself and never connected the RGB, at the time SVideo was all that I needed and I bought an XRGB Mini much much later, I may decide to connect the RGB signals one day.

[sofakng]

 

But even if it was doable, I don't see why anybody would be interested in doing that.

One can just get a MiSTer (DE10 Nano + memory expansion) for less than $200 (inc shipping) and use the NES core for it.

 

Plus, you also get a bunch of other cores:

https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_MiSTer/wiki

 

How is the MiSTer with the NES core? It seems like Analogue isn't going to produce any NT Mini's (or at least for a while) so there doesn't seem to be too many options.

 

Also, regarding the Super Nt... is there any disadvantage to using the jailbreak firmware versus the real firmware? I do use a SD2SNES but I'm wondering if it's worth using the jailbreak firmware anyways.

[cybercylon]

 

How is the MiSTer with the NES core? It seems like Analogue isn't going to produce any NT Mini's (or at least for a while) so there doesn't seem to be too many options.

 

Also, regarding the Super Nt... is there any disadvantage to using the jailbreak firmware versus the real firmware? I do use a SD2SNES but I'm wondering if it's worth using the jailbreak firmware anyways.

If you continue to use your SD2SNES, you can still play some of the games that require special chips (e,g, CX4, DSP-1, and Super FX if you use beta firmware for the SD2SNES). Not sure if all of that is available with the jailbreak.

[brentonius]

I will have to figure out soon how to get the Super FX chip working on my SD2SNES. I hear it is in pretty good shape now.

[NE146]

I will have to figure out soon how to get the Super FX chip working on my SD2SNES. I hear it is in pretty good shape now.

 

Just put the last fw release on first. v0.1.7e https://sd2snes.de/files/sd2snes_firmware_v0.1.7e.zip

Then install RedGuy's GSU v010 over it. https://github.com/RedGuyyyy/sd2snes/releases/download/gsu_v10/sd2snes_gsu_v10.zip

Done.

[brentonius]

Cool, will see how this functions. I am a purist, so if Super FX has any issue, I won't be able to deal with it... Good luck to those guys to get it 100% accurate. I do hear it's like.. 99% ish.

[cybercylon]

There are still some issues, but my memory is too fuzzy to notice. I am sure I would spot some of them if I pulled out my SNES, but haven't gotten around to it.

 

Someone has done some comparisons already. The whole discussion is on the overdrive forum

 

http://krikzz.com/forum/index.php?topic=7451.0

 

Looks like the recommendation is to keep the SuperFX speed to normal.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Super FX is stupid easy to overclock by swapping in a replacement crystal. For glob top Star Foxes that use thd snes 21Mhz clock, it is still easy through minor tweaks, to add in a 28Mhz clock for a substantial framerate boost.

[brentonius]

Does it merely speed up the game, or does it actually keep the game running at the same speed, but with more frames within that timeframe?

[Atariboy]

Nope, it ruins the game by making it run too fast, yielding an illusion of a higher frame rate by spoiling the pace of the game.

Edited May 22, 2018 by Atariboy

[Keatah]

That sucks. And that's something you never want to do.

[Tanooki]

The only game that really does benefit from faster crystal hack is Doom. That one runs a bit too slow as it was a rushed out game with a few corners cut (optimization, no battery (or save at all), and too small a chip to store all the needed data.) It's still a good game, but pretty sad with the cuts. At least the speed can be made more PC like with the update.

[AtariNerd]

Panicked expression of a mom who realizes they've misplaced one of their offspring at a busy travel terminal or perhaps left them ..home...alone...: "Kevin!"

[Andromeda Stardust]

Does it merely speed up the game, or does it actually keep the game running at the same speed, but with more frames within that timeframe?

Nope, it ruins the game by making it run too fast, yielding an illusion of a higher frame rate by spoiling the pace of the game.

If the mod is done right, a toggle switch can be added to allow the stock SNES clock to take over, or the custom timing chip.

 

I think a 4 position toggle switch with 14Mhz (underclock), 21Mhz (stock SNES), 28Mhz (faster), and 35Mhz (ludicrus speed) would be cool. Add three timing chips, toggle switch, and a rats nest of wites inside the cart!

[Newsdee]

 

How is the MiSTer with the NES core? It seems like Analogue isn't going to produce any NT Mini's (or at least for a while) so there doesn't seem to be too many options.

 

It's really good, here is a compatibility list:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13NnyBFQifHcut9VpkTuvZcIX6DBDSuroWicoEUAz1O0/edit?usp=sharing

 

The list is out of date, because save RAM backup to SD card has finally been added last month. Latest binary is here:

https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/NES_MiSTer/tree/master/releases

[Fafner]

 

 

Just put the last fw release on first. v0.1.7e https://sd2snes.de/files/sd2snes_firmware_v0.1.7e.zip

Then install RedGuy's GSU v010 over it. https://github.com/RedGuyyyy/sd2snes/releases/download/gsu_v10/sd2snes_gsu_v10.zip

 

Done.

Ive tried this but every time I boot a Super FX game I just get a black screen.

Any suggestions?

[R.Cade]

 

How is the MiSTer with the NES core? =

Not sure how great it is on mappers. I need to go through it and see...

[NE146]

Ive tried this but every time I boot a Super FX game I just get a black screen.

Any suggestions?

 

You sure you did it right? I just tried it from scratch right now on an empty SD card, and it started up Starfox and Stunt Race FX fine. The redguy GSU pack should overwrite 2 original files within the \SD2SNES folder: i.e. FIRMWARE.IMG and MENU.BIN

 

 

 

p.s. On a somewhat unrelated note.. if you're doing this from scratch don't forget about the .BIN files needed for stuff like Mario Kart & Pilotwings to work. I just got so used to those files already being present in the Smokemonster packs, I forgot about them. More info here.

[Newsdee]

Not sure how great it is on mappers. I need to go through it and see...

It's less compatible than the Everdrive but still decent. See my previous post for a link to a compatibility list of over 800 games tested.

 

Also the same machine runs other cores like PC Engine and Megadrive, plus several 8bit and 16bit computers. It's not perfect but gaining momentum.

Edited May 23, 2018 by Newsdee

[Andromeda Stardust]

How is the MiSTer with the NES core? It seems like Analogue isn't going to produce any NT Mini's (or at least for a while) so there doesn't seem to be too many options.

Well there's always this:

http://www.retrousb.com/product_info.php?cPath=36&products_id=78

 

So far Brian Parker (bunnyboy, RetroUSB) and Kevin Horton (Kevtris, Analogue) have independantly created separate nearly perfect implementations of fpga cores for NES and released them as commercial clone consoles. I would not expect either of these two talented professionals to contribute cores to the mister project anytime soon.