FPGA Based Videogame System

[roots.genoa]

10 hours ago, Austin said:

For those that don't have a PCE collection already, a Turbo Everdrive and a stack of CDr media isn't that expensive. Some of us have been going that route for a long time. Likewise, the thing will probably also end up jailbroken eventually, if the MegaSG and SuperNT are anything to go by. So it's still a solid deal IMO. Original PCE DUOs are some of the most flaky consoles out there (which is unfortunate, because they are awesome systems) and so a modern replacement is a great idea for fans of the platform.

Then I hope the Duo won't emulate the original hardware too closely, given that CD-Rs damage CD-ROM² drives in the long run. 🙂

8 hours ago, Pixelboy said:

I'm curious: What if they jailbreak the Duo and suddenly, you're able to play PS1 discs on it? Would that make you change your mind?

That's precisely what I would like people not to think about. 😑 I'm starting to be really tired of people grabbing Analogue systems without thinking, then complaining because they don't offer features that were never promised but that idiots kept fantasizing on. If my math is correct I own 54 PC Engine games (most of them being CD-ROM² games), so I'll be very pissed off if I can't get a hold of a Duo on Friday. 😒

[DragonGrafx-16]

1 minute ago, roots.genoa said:

Then I hope the Duo won't emulate the original hardware too closely, given that CD-Rs damage CD-ROM² drives in the long run. 🙂

That's precisely what I would like people not to think about. 😑 I'm starting to be really tired of people grabbing Analogue systems without thinking, then complaining because they don't offer features that were never promised but that idiots kept fantasizing on. If my math is correct I own 54 PC Engine games (most of them being CD-ROM² games), so I'll be very pissed off if I can't get a hold of a Duo on Friday. 😒

CD-Rs have not damaged my DUO RX at all and I've been using them for years.

[roots.genoa]

1 minute ago, DragonGrafx-16 said:

CD-Rs have not damaged my DUO RX at all and I've been using them for years.

Well, good for you, but every time I used one, it would have trouble reading it (longer load time), then it would have the same trouble reading original games next!! So maybe you don't realize it if you only use CD-Rs, but I don't think it's such a good idea.

[DragonGrafx-16]

1 minute ago, roots.genoa said:

Well, good for you, but every time I used one, it would have trouble reading it (longer load time), then it would have the same trouble reading original games next!! So maybe you don't realize it if you only use CD-Rs, but I don't think it's such a good idea.

I don't have long loading times at all. Nor does it seem like it is taking longer to seek. I can't afford to buy the games. I do plan on getting some higher quality CD-Rs when I have the money, though. I am sure that as late as the DUO RX was released in the PC Engine's retail lifespan that it is much safer to use CD-Rs. It's not like I'm using the CD addon from 1988. I have a mid 90s NEC CD drive in my DOS PC and no issues with CD-Rs on that either.

[DragonGrafx-16]

I really only play CD games once or twice a month at max... I mostly play my HuCard games.

[roots.genoa]

35 minutes ago, DragonGrafx-16 said:

I do plan on getting some higher quality CD-Rs when I have the money, though.

It's not really a question of quality, unfortunately. The best is to find small CD-Rs (600M) which are quite rare these days, but also to have them burnt professionally, which is impossible for most people. 😩

[Austin]

4 hours ago, roots.genoa said:

Well, good for you, but every time I used one, it would have trouble reading it (longer load time), then it would have the same trouble reading original games next!! So maybe you don't realize it if you only use CD-Rs, but I don't think it's such a good idea.

1. Crappy CDrs,

 

and

 

2. Bad caps,

 

=
 

Really fickle systems.

 

Blame the system, not the media (not entirely, anyway).

[Tanooki]

I wonder if it would be jailbroken though.  I saw that comment saying it happens to their systems.  Well those systems also were older and didn't run on their Analogue OS they have various designs for.  Just the Pocket exists so far with that OS on it, and it's not jailbroken.  People just don't seemingly care since you can just add cores if you want to opt into it.  This should run the same bare OS the Pocket does because that's where they've gone with future designs, and likely why they killed off their popular SNES and Genesis/MD models too.  I doubt we've seen the last of those two, surely one running that OS will pop up considering they can much better control what they want to run or not on it.  It's either fact or overly assumed looking into what the JB is on those two old consoles, but seemingly they have been slipping those jailbreaks out themselves if that's right, and if that is, they've not slipped out anything for pocket.  So if A to B is right then B to C would be them not breaking Duo either.  Their original long term take on that OS of theirs was maybe to go as far as like another gaming store front, DRM, making it comfier for game publishers to put stuff on there too secured.  I've not seen a peep about that since before Pocket group A arrived, but is it buried?

 

$250 is a killer deal if you have original games, I guess if you have a flash kit and ISOs too, but at that rate why bother?  I imagine a core for the Duo to do both will drop and you can just run the stuff off a micro SD card slotted into the console itself would get that job done anyway within days/weeks of release as people port over cores from Pocket itself, if not just from mister etc.

[RobDangerous]

Pocket is not "jailbroken" because the dude who releases the jailbreaks instead released a bunch of openfpga cores. Practically it's the same thing.

Duo will not support openfpga (it is mentioned on the very bottom of the webpage) so an eventual jailbreak seems likely - but is of course not guaranteed.

[Ricdeau]

Here's hoping the Duo preorders go over better than the Pocket. I just recently came into possession of PCE/TG16 collection. Any time they openly state limited quantities I feel like it further drives the craze of people buying simply to try to flip them. I have a reminder set for tomorrow this time around so barring any work emergencies I hope I can get one.

[Atariboy]

Hopefully it's more like how they handled Nt Mini Noir preorders. Those lasted a week or two as I recall instead of 60 seconds like the Pocket's 1st round did.

[Tanooki]

That would be nice if they learned their lesson. It's a struggle not wanting to put down on it, I mean I can, but my games are long gone and I'm happy with a PCE Mini.  I'd have to go off the deepend or get an everdrive at this rate again which seems pointless given the track record with analogue and jb/cores to run stuff.

[roots.genoa]

It's not entirely their fault, though, especially if scalpers buy them as well. 😩 On paper, the Duo should not interest that many people since PC Engine is a lot more niche than previous systems, and it's doesn't have openFPGA, but I'm convinced a lot of retrogamers will buy it anyway because of FOMO or because they can't help but hoping it will get jailbroken or something. 😒

[Bill Loguidice]

10 minutes ago, roots.genoa said:

It's not entirely their fault, though, especially if scalpers buy them as well. 😩 On paper, the Duo should not interest that many people since PC Engine is a lot more niche than previous systems, and it's doesn't have openFPGA, but I'm convinced a lot of retrogamers will buy it anyway because of FOMO or because they can't help but hoping it will get jailbroken or something. 😒

I would have agreed with that in the past, but I'd say the esteem/regard for the PC Engine family has grown dramatically over the past decade, making this a logical next platform, and these relatively pricey FPGA systems are for a hardcore niche anyway regardless of how popular in the west any of this stuff was.

I personally already have a Terra Onion Super HD System 3 Pro/CoreGrafx II in hand (among other solutions) and a Polymega with all modules eventually coming, but I'm still getting this.

[SegaSnatcher]

9 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Just the Pocket exists so far with that OS on it, and it's not jailbroken. 

The Pocket is "jailbroken", just using OpenFPGA as the Jailbreak.   It was a clever move to be honest.   

The only thing OpenFPGA is missing are the video modes. 

[Reaperman]

Kind of a bummer, but I'm noticing it takes pce controllers vs tg16. (Must be what they used in euroland.) I have one controller adapter (the one that comes with the new-ish hyperkin) so I can probably put the adapter on my turbo tap and get all my tg-16 controllers working, but for such a premium solution, with about a $0.10 fix, you wouldn't think I'd have to.

 

also all the other controller adapters I've seen go the other way, using more plentiful pce controllers with tg16 systems, so kind of lucky hyperkin decided to make one recently. Anybody getting one of these might want to consider that controller, just for the adapter.

 

I might also just mod in my own controller port borrowed from a connector robbed from one of those cheapo TG16 SNAC adapters from china. I'll have to see what there is for space in that shell. Heck, maybe they left an unpopulated spot on the board for it for all I know.

 

That's assuming the wife manages to secure a preorder tomorrow. Good news, as of today I've also got a semi-important meeting at this exact time. Maybe next time a little more than 48hrs notice, analogue. I have tons of use-or-lose, and would have taken the whole day off, as usual.

Edited May 18, 2023 by Reaperman

[SegaSnatcher]

27 minutes ago, Reaperman said:

Kind of a bummer, but I'm noticing it takes pce controllers vs tg16. (Must be what they used in euroland.) I have one controller adapter (the one that comes with the new-ish hyperkin) so I can probably put the adapter on my turbo tap and get all my tg-16 controllers working, but for such a premium solution, with about a $0.10 fix, you wouldn't think I'd have to.

 

also all the other controller adapters I've seen go the other way, using more plentiful pce controllers with tg16 systems, so kind of lucky hyperkin decided to make one recently. Anybody getting one of these might want to consider that controller, just for the adapter.

 

I might also just mod in my own controller port borrowed from a connector robbed from one of those cheapo TG16 SNAC adapters from china. I'll have to see what there is for space in that shell. Heck, maybe they left an unpopulated spot on the board for it for all I know.

 

That's assuming the wife manages to secure a preorder tomorrow. Good news, as of today I've also got a semi-important meeting at this exact time. Maybe next time a little more than 48hrs notice, analogue. I have tons of use-or-lose, and would have taken the whole day off, as usual.

Here you go. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/374225380585

[Atariboy]

With how spotty their USB support seems to be with the Pocket's dock, I hope they make sure that the TG16/PC Engine Mini controllers work on this (Including Hori's controller).

[cacophony]

On 5/17/2023 at 3:52 PM, NE146 said:

Yeah I was always considering it but I think this will be the first Analogue FPGA console I'm going to sit out on.

 

I do have a bunch of TG16 and PCE cards, but having the Analogue Pocket, the MiSTer, Emulation of all kinds including the TG16 Mini, the PCE Mini, my original two TG16s, my TurboDuo, and Everdrive paired with them (and a Retrotink 5x Pro)  it just becomes hard to justify the cost for more redundancy. Granted.. redundancy didn't deter me from the other consoles, but it's getting ridiculous. 😜 Not to mention, I was a early adopter of the Turbografx in the US at launch, and have pretty much played most any Turbo game I would be interested in to death over the decades, etc. as the library isn't exactly huge.  

 

So yeah.. looks great but I'm going to sit this one out. I do fully reserve the right to change my mind at any time though.

 

 

 

Out of curiosity, assuming Analogue introduced this as the next product, would you buy it?  openFPGA multisystem with built in CD drive, optional cart adapters and control adapters, and specs that would make it possible to port any existing/planned MiSTer cores

 

If so, how much would you be willing to spend?

[Steven Pendleton]

So apparently these guys finally fixed all of the broken stuff? Damn, it sure took them long enough! Now how long will it take for them to fix the apparent problems with the Dock? Mine is just used as a charging station and nothing more, so I don't know what's wrong with it, but apparently it's a pain to use or something.

[SegaSnatcher]

1 hour ago, Steven Pendleton said:

So apparently these guys finally fixed all of the broken stuff? Damn, it sure took them long enough! Now how long will it take for them to fix the apparent problems with the Dock? Mine is just used as a charging station and nothing more, so I don't know what's wrong with it, but apparently it's a pain to use or something.

What is wrong with your Dock?  Make sure its on the latest firmware and it should work fine.  No problems here. 

Edited May 19, 2023 by SegaSnatcher

[SegaSnatcher]

6 hours ago, cacophony said:

 

Out of curiosity, assuming Analogue introduced this as the next product, would you buy it?  openFPGA multisystem with built in CD drive, optional cart adapters and control adapters, and specs that would make it possible to port any existing/planned MiSTer cores

 

If so, how much would you be willing to spend?

I know you didn't ask me, but I would 100% buy this theoretical system and pay up to $349.99 for it. 

[roots.genoa]

1 hour ago, SegaSnatcher said:

What is wrong with your Dock?  Make sure its on the latest firmware and it should work fine.  No problems here. 

Well, @Atariboy and @Tanooki (among others) say the Dock is not working properly (controllers not syncing and settings not saved iirc), but I didn't use mine a lot to check tbh

[Tanooki]

1 hour ago, SegaSnatcher said:

What is wrong with your Dock?  Make sure its on the latest firmware and it should work fine.  No problems here. 

Most wireless controllers have problems not connecting or losing connection, and wired controllers many don't pick up either which has no excuse, and between both its still grayed out where you're not allowed to configure your own button layout which is beyond excusable.  All the video settings of the dock from the resolution, 7x size(or whatever choice), color choices, etc they largely work, but they are never saved.  Each power up if you're doing something other than GBA which has a native panel that fits a LCD TV you'll need to re-setup your options again because those square (GB/C, GG) games get cropped losing play space on the top and bottom on power up.  There are other features on the website up there 2 years now on what they sold you the dock for on the feature list that still are not even active yet or are only partially working.  The sales of the dock has been utter fraud.

 

I had four controllers here that should have worked.  Two failed, one (wireless 8bitdo) supposedly works with firmware change barely detected most power ups and the 1+2 buttons were backwards, and another had a scrambled eggs effect as it was all over the board.  I had to buy seeing reapermans video the 8bitdo SN30pro pad, the snes looking one with dual analogs since it defaults correctly to the right buttons for every single input and stick.  That put me out $25 I wasn't expecting because of their lies in peddling the dock.  The dock was the largest reason I got the damn thing so yeah, I'm vocal and furious about the thing.  I already have a small selectin of epic GB through GBA handhelds, a couple most fantastically modded (GBC and a GBA widebody original) so I didn't *need* the device, the dock really made it and the dock is a fucking charger for me at this rate.

 

Adding to the hate...the GB Operator that sells for $50, that thing runs more stable, honest, and correct on my computer with often firmware updates, now daily as they do nightly builds as of recent than this hundreds of dollars wallet buster.

Edited May 19, 2023 by Tanooki

[RobDangerous]

And the Dock doesn't have a zero lag option like the previous Analogue consoles do. Which means there's a stutter every few seconds to catch up to the internal framerate - and I see those and I can't stand them. As long as it doesn't provide that option the Dock is sadly useless to me.