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Post by c64stuff on Dec 18, 2022 12:38:02 GMT
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Post by turrican9 on Dec 18, 2022 16:55:19 GMT
MiSTer looks like a nice device, but expensive these days. I am mostly interested in Amiga/C64. I have 2x Turbo Chameleon 64 V2s and alot of real C64s and Amigas together with all kinds of modern devices/expansions. So I wouldn't spend the money for a MiSTer just for Amiga/C64 cores when I'm not very interested in other cores. And since I already have so many options when it comes to Amiga/C64.
But I must say, MiSTer C64 core is starting to look pretty impressive.
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Post by c64stuff on Dec 18, 2022 17:31:38 GMT
Yes I only expect FPGA to get more and more popular for exact hardware "emulation". New cores are coming out all the time along with hardware interfaces to use devices meant for the original hardware it's emulating. LGR a few months back even did a video on a attachment for it that allows you to plug in all the arcade cabinet connectors for many arcade machines that were standardized among some manufacturers, such as coin mechanism, arcade controls, CRT, etc.
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Post by turrican9 on Dec 18, 2022 18:41:18 GMT
Yes, especially when the prices come down again and the supply problems are solved. However, I like software emulator based units aswell. Software emulator based units like TheC64/TheVic20 has one big benefit over FPGA units. Savestates. Having savestates is very practical for those old games and in many cases, very hard games.
btw, Turbo Chameleon 64 V2s are readily available here in Europe still and the price is not insanely high. Also has an excellent port of the AGA minimig core. And needless to say, a very solid C64 core. One of the cool things is that when you have the TC64 V2 in cartridge mode on your C64, many of the other cores can actually use the C64 keyboard and joystick while running the core. So you can boot up minimig AGA core and use the C64 keyboard and use the joystick plugged into your C64 port 2. But you need a PS2 mouse plugged into the TC64V2. If you run TC64 V2 from docking station you can use a real Amiga mouse and PS2 keyboard. The docking station even has support for C64 or A500 keyboard. And the TC64 V2 itself has a mini DIN serial port for real 1541 II floppy drive aswell.
TC64 V2 only has a few drawbacks. no D81 or tape file support. And it will disable the tapeport on the real C64. And the VGA picture output is rather soft. Giving a rather blurry picture and some ghosting, depending on the colours. But the soft image output looks kinda retro, and actually fits the old 8bit/16bit home computers in a way.
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Post by c64stuff on Dec 18, 2022 21:15:36 GMT
That setup sounds extremely cool. I wonder why it disables the cassette port on a real C64? Maybe they're embedding a little software in the memory used for cassette operation? I think certain old school software hacks designed to hide away from the programming you were running on the C64 used this small memory area to do certain override functions, and I think even one or two disk drive acceleraters used this small area of memory too?
I'm about halfway through watching the above MiSTer video and I must say it's pretty impressive. I especially like the video output connection options as well as the ability to run all kinds of screen filters if you want a more authentic experience on an LCD monitor or even a more authentic Commodore CRT monitor experience if you're using a different CRT. The idea of running filters on a CRT to mimic other CRTs or even mimic a video connector that isn't really being used is very cool.
What I think would be cool to have on one of these FPGA setups would be some kind of universal keyboard complete with function keys that featured translucent keys which would change to the proper designation label of whatever core you were running by using small LEDs under the key to light up what it's function is for that system's keyboard. Something like that would probably be cost prohibitive though.
Another option would be for somebody to start making clone cases of retro systems that are designed so you could quickly swap the FPGA inside one or the other. Short of that, somebody should just start making stand alone keyboards that look like whatever system core you're running so you can quickly plug in that keyboard and not have to figure out which key does what. I think it would be very cool to have say a C64, Spectrum, Atari, Mac, or Amiga styled keyboard all laying around on a table for whenever you wanted to run that core.
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Post by turrican9 on Dec 18, 2022 21:40:52 GMT
It's because the TC64 disables the real cpu in the c64 when in cart mode. It runs it's own fpga version of the cpu, kernals and ram. And it's own vic ii if you use it's vga out. Reason it disables the cpu is so it can run turbo mode and stuff. And the casette port cannot work without the real cpu, as it's connected directly to it
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Post by c64stuff on Dec 18, 2022 21:50:27 GMT
That makes sense. So I'm guessing that thing will even mimic the SuperCPU and run Metal Dust then? And btw, did they ever finish that game? I think I heard it was written for the SuperCPU back in the day to demonstrate it's ability but never fished. That scrolling shooting game looks like something from a 16 bit system like a Sega Genesis. Very impressive.
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Post by turrican9 on Dec 18, 2022 23:06:26 GMT
No, it will not mimic the super CPU and will not run Metal dust. Only turbo mode. And also REU memory of course.
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Post by turrican9 on Dec 18, 2022 23:42:07 GMT
Made a short video using my smartphone of using one of my TC64 V2s in cartridge mode.
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Feb 5, 2024 14:16:57 GMT
Feb 5, 2024 14:16:57 GMT