Mister

The MiSTer is an open-source project that emulate consoles, computer and arcade boards via FPGA.  At the moment, information technology's yet a device that requires "tinkering" to configure, but it'southward no more difficult than setting upwardly a Raspberry Pi.  We'll have an introduction and setup video shortly!

Getting Started:

The DE-x is the merely required component to get started, but we also suggest a USB hub and RAM module:

FPGA Kit

DE-10:  These are ofttimes out of stock due to the part shortage.  Here's the principal page of the device, but you can often find information technology through other resellers:  https://www.terasic.com.tw/cgi-bin/page/archive.pl?Language=English&CategoryNo=167&No=1046

RAM Module

Just the DE-10 lone can utilize a few cores, but a 128MB RAM module volition allow for every core including Neo Geo!:  https://amzn.to/2G5YfAg  https://misteraddons.com/products/sdram-xsd-ii-5-128mb

RGB Output:

There are two ways to get RGB from a MiSTer:  Using an I/O lath, or an HDMI to VGA adapter.  At the moment, the I/O lath is nifty for people who need contained dual-output for things like 240p or 480p over analog and 1080p (or others) over HDMI.  Yous can all the same get dual-output for streaming with Direct Video by using an HDMI Splitter to route the point to a capture card as well – You'll just need to compensate for the lower resolution in OBS.

I/O Boards are available from many sellers.  I recommend getting one bundled with your favorite style case.

Direct Video:  https://www.retrorgb.com/mister-240p-over-hdmi.html

Both methods of outputting RGB SCART (I/O lath and directly video) output voltage levels designed for RGB monitors.  If you're going direct into a PVM or BVM, a cheap "VGA to BNC" cable volition be fine.  If y'all're going into any SCART equipment similar a switch, you'll want a cable or solution that provides a 470 ohm resistor on the sync line.  Some setups might benefit from just ownership a "MiSTer SCART cablevision", while others might exist amend using a VGA cable into a SCART adapter – Operation is identical, it'southward just a matter of what connector and equipment is easier for you lot:

More info on MiSTer SCART Cables:  https://www.retrorgb.com/beware-of-mister-scart-cables.html

Shielded VGA Cable / BNC cable   retrorgb.link/amazon

SCART Adapter:  http://HD15-two-SCART: https://www.retrorgb.com/hd15-two-scart-adapter.html

USB Hub

The but USB port accessible for use with controllers and keyboards is the MicroUSB port in the front, all the way to the right.  You lot can get a cheap, passive hub if you merely need a controller adapter.  A powered USB hub is required for almost (only not all) WiFi modules.

Passive USB Hub: https://amzn.to/2CM5YjP

Powered seven-Port USB Hub – (both cable and hub are required):
https://amzn.to/2T6J3o7
https://amzn.to/2W5he1c

Powered four-port USB Hub (currently untested!!!) & Required Cablevision
https://amzn.to/2T8Bc9q
https://amzn.to/2T6Jwqn

A USB keyboard is also required for setup (hit F12).

This can beany USB keyboard and isn't something specific to the MiSTer projection.  This ane has been my favorite lately and is an easy, meaty fashion to take full keyboard & mouse admission:  https://amzn.to/37A52NM

WiFi / Bluetooth Modules

I've been liking these Bluetooth + Wifi (2.iv & 5GHz) modules, equally they're cheaper than many of the wifi-merely ones and work just likewise:  https://amzn.to/3eH1097

Here'southward some wifi-only ones I've personally tested if you're interested:

TP-Link:  https://amzn.to/3lAoeyC
D-Link:  https://amzn.to/2RP2tRS

MiSTer Hardware (RAM, VGA, etc):

Most cores crave at least the smallest module, simply if you're looking to play every game possible, go for the biggest one.  Likewise, try to buy from known sellers like the ones listed below, as at that place'southward been a history of eBay scams for RAM modules.  As an FYI, one or two cores tin can run on merely the DE-10 alone without the RAM expansion, then y'all can fix and start playing around with it as soon as the dev board arrives.

https://misteraddons.com/
https://www.misterkits.com/products/jammix

European Seller:  https://www.facebook.com/pg/retroshoppontopt/shop

Software Setup:

The master MiSTer WiKi has excellent documentation on software setup.  You can ever erase and first from scratch, and then my suggestion is to use any MicroSD card (including the one that comes with the DE-x) and practice on that.  The procedure is pretty unproblematic though:  Properly erase your SD card (SD Formatter is a proficient tool), use the MiSTer tool to rebuild it (one button press), then plug it in the DE-10 and run an over-the-network update.

Hither'south the page:  https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_MiSTer/wiki

MiSTer As a Test Tool:

The MiSTer hardware can also be used equally a tool formany dissimilar uses.  My favorite so far, is using it to examination the latency of third part controllers.  Porkchop Limited has been maintaining a database of latency results – And once again, MiSTer is the tool, not the test subject.  These latency numbers would apply regardless of where information technology'southward used (although some 3rd part / clone consoles / properly emulated systems/compilations can add their ain lag on top of this):  https://rpubs.com/misteraddons/inputlatency

How Does MiSTer Work?

The MiSTer platform runs a separate "hardware emulation cadre" for each console, figurer or arcade board you run.  In lodge to accurately create those cores, you substantially need to recreate the original hardware in HDL (Hardware Clarification Language), which is more similar to a schematic than traditional coding.

To do this, you map out each component on the motherboard, trace all the lines and analyze how they "talk" to each other in existent time.  Some of the components on the lath may be common off-the-shelf parts that offer datasheets about how they work.  If not, someone else may accept already opposite-engineered the 'generic' component and take FPGA data on information technology already. These modular parts are commonly referred to as "soft cores" and can exist 'plugged' (via software) into a core, almost like a socketed IC.

The custom, proprietary fries are where things get even more complicated, every bit MiSTer developers demand to reverse engineer each of those chips too. A good way to visualize what's inside a complicated processing chip is this:  Imagine that main motherboard the chip is on.  Movie all the components, traces and configurations.  At present movie that shrunk down to i/100th of the size, all jammed into a 1-inch-squared device and coated in a hard blackness opaque material.  Crazy right?

So afterward doing the tremendous work of reverse-technology the motherboard, developers then need to follow a like process on the decapped chip, using a microscope.  Depending on the complexity of the lath and platform, this total process can take hundreds, if non thousands of hours to complete, just if done correctly, it tin can result in a cycle-authentic FPGA core. These hardware "cores" are then flashed to an FPGA (such as the one included in the DE-10 Nano), whose logic elements are then physically rearranged to match.

For things like computers and consoles, all that work translates into hundreds or thousands of games per platform.  For arcade boards, that might only issue in a scattering of games, making the mark that much more than impressive and painstaking.

The terminate results of all of this, is a core that when existence played is completely indistinguishable from original hardware, which results in both an amazing gaming experience and an incredible way to preserve and archive the hardware they were congenital on.  Some other bonus of HDL, is information technology's the actual blueprint that's sent to fabricate real fries for manufacturing.  That means once all the original hardware is expressionless and gone, it can exist recreated on a fleck…provided it was recorded perfectly in HDL.  Theoretically, you can model any digital circuit in HDL as a 1:1 exact copy, indistinguishable by man or machine, but few cores volition e'er reach that level of perfection. Still, this perfect accuracy is the stop-goal of any FPGA endeavor, even if it is very long-term.

The MiSTer platform is truly a remarkable accomplishment and a help to both gamers and preservationists alike.

hugheshoser1971.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.retrorgb.com/mister.html

Share this post