FPGA Based Videogame System

[retro_fan]

I know you have yet to officially say whether or not you plan to jailbreak the new super nt, but I was wandering if hypothetically you did would it support msu-1 games like the sd2snes does.

 

Kevtris wrote (Tue Oct 17, 2017 1:06 AM): "I have not tested the MSU-1 but since the SD2SNES itself works 100%, I don't see why this won't work either. I will try it soon just to confirm." I would be (pleasantly!!) surprised after reading this if there was built-in MSU-1 support on the release day. Anyway, the chip is open-source, so let's hope that this might make the things easier for Kevtris.

Edited January 24, 2018 by retro_fan

[cacophony]

It's maddening thinking about the delays and import fees I'm gonna get stuck with shipping to Canada even though I'm only a two hour drive from where Analogue are located

If it makes you feel any better, I think the Analogue office relocated to China. Also, they're using another company to handle the shipping, which could be anywhere in the US.

[kevtris]

 

Kevtris wrote (Tue Oct 17, 2017 1:06 AM): "I have not tested the MSU-1 but since the SD2SNES itself works 100%, I don't see why this won't work either. I will try it soon just to confirm." I would be (pleasantly!!) surprised after reading this if there was built-in MSU-1 support on the release day. Anyway, the chip is open-source, so let's hope that this might make the things easier for Kevtris.

The MSU-1 does work 100% on the super nt, I checked it, via the SD2SNES. It does not have it built in.

[Wolf_]

The MSU-1 does work 100% on the super nt, I checked it, via the SD2SNES. It does not have it built in.

Does the fpga in the super nt have the resources to run both the snes and a msu1 chip if someone wanted to buy one and code their own completely unrelated to the super nt?

Edited January 24, 2018 by Wolf_

[Andromeda Stardust]

Does the fpga in the super nt have the resources to run both the snes and a msu1 chip if someone wanted to buy one and code their own completely unrelated to the super nt?

Assuming a core needs to be written for every chip, doubtful. But I imagine a potential jb release can play standard roms.

 

Why is everyone so fascinated by the msu chip? It's only supported in a handful of obscure famicom games. The only expansion chips that got widespread support in more than a couple games are dsp1 (supported by Everdrive) and sa-1, fx, and possibly that megaman x2, x3 chip. I fail to see value in the sd2snes over everdrive until sa-1 and fx are supported. I think sa-1 and fx are doable privided the fpga have enough leftover gates, fx2 idk, might exceed the memory bandwidth of the ram at 22mhz, but otherwise good.

 

Reality check: Armchair developer blogging random ninsense again; ignore previous paragraph as it contains pure speculation. But if you got this far, you already read it! XD

[Atariboy]

Popular SNES classics are getting new MSU1 soundtracks regularly.

 

I'm not aware of any obscure Famicom games getting ported to the SNES/SFC with new soundtracks or full motion video added. I have a feeling you're not aware of what we're even talking about with this enhancement chip. It's a modern design that I believe was developed by the same guy that made the cycle accurate SNES emulator Higan, that provides multiple gigs of storage space for fmv or cd quality audio.

 

It's not some old chip used by a couple of obscure Japanese only releases.

Edited January 24, 2018 by Atariboy

[Wolf_]

Why is everyone so fascinated by the msu chip?

Because of hacks. One of the first things it did was restore the lost voices (and in English for the first time ever) to Ancient Stone Tablets (Zelda downloadable game from the snes era, yea that's a thing)

 

And since then it has added amazing audio reworks to a ton of games.

 

 

[RabidWookie]

Is there a site that hosts the latest Nt Mini jailbroken firmware updates?

[cacophony]

Is there a site that hosts the latest Nt Mini jailbroken firmware updates?

Yes, kevtris.org. See the first post in this thread for download links.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Because of hacks. One of the first things it did was restore the lost voices (and in English for the first time ever) to Ancient Stone Tablets (Zelda downloadable game from the snes era, yea that's a thing)

Ha! So it's not even a real enhancement chip, just something byuu made up. I checked the wikipedia "list of snes enhancement chips" page only to find it isn't mentioned. I suppose there are reasonably affordable repro pbcs (besides sd2snes) utilizing this chip? After all, homebrew flash mappers for nes are a thing. If mot, one could argue it's not a real chip, exists only in emulation, and therefore doesn't exist.

[Wolf_]

Ha! So it's not even a real enhancement chip, just something byuu made up. I checked the wikipedia "list of snes enhancement chips" page only to find it isn't mentioned. I suppose there are reasonably affordable repro pbcs (besides sd2snes) utilizing this chip? After all, homebrew flash mappers for nes are a thing. If mot, one could argue it's not a real chip, exists only in emulation, and therefore doesn't exist.

It exists on the sd2snes which is not emulation... also even if it was an "emulation only" chip why would that magically make it not exist and be a thing people wouldn't want to see the super nt mini capable of replicating as a result?

[Andromeda Stardust]

It exists on the sd2snes which is not emulation... also even if it was an "emulation only" chip why would that magically make it not exist and be a thing people wouldn't want to see the super nt mini capable of replicating as a result?

For a msu-1 to be considered a "legit" expansion chip, two things must happen: (1) a "legit" game release must exist that utilizes it, not a repro, hack, or bootleg, and (2) must have been available for sale for some duration of time, limited edition or not, as a physical cart release. Playing a ROM on a flashcart does not count as a physical game release, and hacks are not legitamate original games.

 

It's just not a real expansion chip without a legitamate physical game release that utilizes it.

 

Plenty of homebrew mappers exist for other consoles. Memblers GT-ROM uses flash saving and 4-screen mirroring on actual nes, and Melody uses an 70mhz ARM cpu to boost the processing capability of an Atari 2600. Physical homebrew releases support these expansion chips. Where can I find new, original games supportung msu-1, available for purchase as physical carts? Oh, wait, there aren't any games yet that utilize it.

[Wolf_]

For a msu-1 to be considered a "legit" expansion chip, two things must happen: (1) a "legit" game release must exist that utilizes it, not a repro, hack, or bootleg, and (2) must have been available for sale for some duration of time, limited edition or not, as a physical cart release. Playing a ROM on a flashcart does not count as a physical game release, and hacks are not legitamate original games.

 

It's just not a real expansion chip without a legitamate physical game release that utilizes it.

That's pure bullshit that you just made up on the spot. There are no rules for what is a legit chip or for that matter any rules that legit chips are the only ones people would want to see on the super nt.

[Andromeda Stardust]

That's pure bullshit that you just made up on the spot. There are no rules for what is a legit chip or for that matter any rules that legit chips are the only ones people would want to see on the super nt.

what "homebrews" use the msu-1? Please tell me? Where can I buy these carts? I'm sure they'd have no trouble running on the Super NT, if they existed...

 

Further reading...

https://forums.nesdev.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=10929

[Wolf_]

what "homebrews" use the msu-1? Please tell me? Where can I buy these carts? I'm sure they'd have no trouble running on the Super NT, if they existed...

I said hacks use them, and I provided videos of 4 of them... You wouldn't happen to be a flat earther would you?

[Andromeda Stardust]

Please delete.

[keepdreamin]

Ha! So it's not even a real enhancement chip, just something byuu made up. I checked the wikipedia "list of snes enhancement chips" page only to find it isn't mentioned. I suppose there are reasonably affordable repro pbcs (besides sd2snes) utilizing this chip? After all, homebrew flash mappers for nes are a thing. If mot, one could argue it's not a real chip, exists only in emulation, and therefore doesn't exist.

 

Ugh, you sound like Tanooki. Stop that.

 

MSU-1 is implemented on the SD2SNES by FPGA instruction. It could either be done directly on board the Super NT, or not. The fact there was never any actual physical carts that used it is irrelevant.

[leods]

Hey there, A friend of mine is asking: Will the Super Scope work with the DAC? I said I thought it was going to, but just checking for confirmation.

 

Soprry. I made a twitter account to be able to read the comments. It's beed answered. As expected they said it's going to work with the SScope.

Edited January 24, 2018 by leods

[Andromeda Stardust]

 

Ugh, you sound like Tanooki. Stop that.

Agreed. I was being a donkey earlier. Blame it on the boxed wine.

 

But leave Tanooki out of it. I consider him a friend and rather enjoy reading his rants.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Hey there, A friend of mine is asking: Will the Super Scope work with the DAC? I said I thought it was going to, but just checking for confirmation.

 

Soprry. I made a twitter account to be able to read the comments. It's beed answered. As expected they said it's going to work with the SScope.

That's awesome. AVS (the NT Mini's main competitor) already explicitly doesn't work with the Zapper, though you can play Super Russian Roulette with it.

 

The Super Scope has six wires connected and is I believe one of the only accessories to use pins 5 and 6 of the controller ports. Most clones leave them disconnected and extensions are 5 wires. Afaik the multitaps are just multiplexed like the Four Score. I have no idea the communication protocol but it uses ir to communicate the trigger presses.

 

Yoshi's Safari is really the premeir title to play with the scope.

[SubElement]

Super Russian Roulette.

 

So sad I missed out on getting that game.

[Sneakyturtleegg]

Ha! So it's not even a real enhancement chip, just something byuu made up. I checked the wikipedia "list of snes enhancement chips" page only to find it isn't mentioned. I suppose there are reasonably affordable repro pbcs (besides sd2snes) utilizing this chip? After all, homebrew flash mappers for nes are a thing. If mot, one could argue it's not a real chip, exists only in emulation, and therefore doesn't exist.

 

You don't even have your facts straight about MSU-1, evidenced by your last 2 posts. Then you post like you have authority based on your false assumptions. Even Kevtris has corrected you because of this. You have an opinion like everyone else and it is ok to share it, but please get your facts straight.

[Guspaz]

It's a homebrew enhancement chip that exists as a documented public interface rather than an actual chip or implementation design. It's been implemented both in software (emulators) and hardware (FPGA on SD2SNES), but the MSU-1 spec says nothing about how it should be implemented, only the interface itself. There is nothing stopping somebody from producing a cartridge with a small FPGA/CPLD implementing an MSU-1 onboard as well as the required DAC. The reason nobody has done so is due to the large amount of effort, not to mention that it wouldn't be very cost effective. All the stuff about file structure (the XML/PCM/etc files) is just how the existing implementations were done, and aren't actually related to the MSU-1 itself.

[Riptide]

tldr

If you were wondering if the cart you put into the Super NT which has an expansion chip in the cart itself ("original legit" like fx/sha1/etc as well as the MSU1) will work then you can rest assured the Super NT will play it.

If you are trying to run roms of these games off an SD card in a hypothetical jailbreak situation and are hoping that kevtris has found the time to reverse engineer all those chips (MSU1 may not need that step I guess?) and implement them in whatever space the FPGA has leftover after the SNES core itself is loaded... then I wouldn't get to excited just yet.

[RabidWookie]

tldr

If you were wondering if the cart you put into the Super NT which has an expansion chip in the cart itself ("original legit" like fx/sha1/etc as well as the MSU1) will work then you can rest assured the Super NT will play it.

If you are trying to run roms of these games off an SD card in a hypothetical jailbreak situation and are hoping that kevtris has found the time to reverse engineer all those chips (MSU1 may not need that step I guess?) and implement them in whatever space the FPGA has leftover after the SNES core itself is loaded... then I wouldn't get to excited just yet.

It seems the question is if it's possible, not if it's already been done.