Hey all,
I picked up a MiSTer board recently (DE-10 nano) and now have a working CPC setup.
Right now, it only supports the 664 and 6128, but some hardware such as the Multiface 2 is already implemented.
https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_MiSTer/wiki
Is anyone else playing with MiSTer?
Hello!
@breiztiger (https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=612) does since the MiSTer exist. Probably he should inform you if required.
I own MiST and MiSTICA as FPGA platform. Amstrad CPC is well simulated as other platforms like Spectrum, snes, nes, C64, Plus4, Vic20, MSX, Atari 800, 2600, and so on...
It's a good t replacement for the original machine. I hope in a future CPC Plus of the core, even for what I Know there isn't any FPGA project of this machine on the net. That's a pity !
For now I am having fun with my Amstrad retro-machines (464, 464+ and 6128+) ;)
Quote from: mattl on 23:01, 20 April 20
Is anyone else playing with MiSTer?
Yes.
I just loved playing with my MiST. I'd like to get a MiSTer but you've got to buy bits and bobs to put it together...
I've been meaning to put one together for ages (especially since they've made it even easier to connect to a CRT) but recently I got the real hardware bug and all my funds went into that.
Still want it, but probably the moment I finally make my mind up they will stop subsidising the board and it'll get uber-expensive :)
I bought a brand new mister, but the azerty keyboard were missing.
You can found this rom here : https://github.com/jeromelesaux/Mister_AmstradFrenchRom (https://github.com/jeromelesaux/Mister_AmstradFrenchRom)
You need to copy the boot.rom at the root AMSTRAD folder.
Regards
Sid
Quote from: Gryzor on 11:27, 23 April 20
I'd like to get a MiSTer but you've got to buy bits and bobs to put it together...
Actually, you don't need that much. The only one of the "bigger" things is SDRAM. 32MB is enough for most cores, (only some NeoGeo games require more than that).
The I/O and USB boards are not necessary - you can just get a cheap OTG hub instead. Plus a cheap heatsink/fan, and that's that.
I finally got mine together last week, after many months of mulling over it and being generally a bit skeptical (some of the more zealous FPGA proponents can be irritating) and I must say....now I'm a convert too :) It may actually be just a feeling, but the zero-lag experience really makes a difference. And the immediacy of it all, the insta-access times and general snappiness is also very liberating.
For a CRT freak like me there is an added bonus of super-accurate display, out of the box...no more agonizing tweaking of various variables. My holy grail of getting proper Amiga display from non-original hardware has finally been completed too.
Highly recommended, if you can get it without VAT then the whole lot should cost less than 200USD.
I'll still keep my original machines, but the thought of getting rid of them is not as painful anymore, and I might actually do some downsizing soon.
Of course I keep my old CPCs ^^. Just an nice alternative, and try some demos with CRTC0.
Just a pity not to see overs CRTC like 2 and 3 and amstrad Plus core ^^.
Can the MISTer for the CPC speed up the CPU? The one for the PcW can do 8x!
Yep you can speed up the fdc and cpu.
Quote from: Sid_ on 10:27, 13 August 20
Yep you can speed up the fdc and cpu.
Good, but how quick? 2x, 4x, more?
Mister is great, and new core are coming out all the time. It can display on CRT and via HDMI at the same time. The CPC Core has fast tape load fortunately and if you are really sadistic you can load tapes via audio in.
It's a real shame there is no Plus support. With the Plus/ GX4000 cart ports it would make for a great addition.
It would be great if this core got more development love.
Well, now I do seriously consider to get familiar with this nice system. :) :) :)
Quote from: GUNHED on 01:34, 21 August 20
Well, now I do seriously consider to get familiar with this nice system. :) :) :)
And it support the PlayCity! ;)
Quote from: TotO on 02:08, 21 August 20
And it support the PlayCity! ;)
An even better argument! After finishing my current project, I'll have a deep look at it :)
@GUNHED (https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=2029) I forgot to answer to your question. It exits just two speed, original and speed ^^.
Quote from: Sid_ on 14:59, 25 August 20
@GUNHED (https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=2029) I forgot to answer to your question. It exits just two speed, original and speed ^^.
You mean it runs 100% and 200%, right?
100% for sur and max I don't really know I'll measure.
Yes, please do that. :) :) :)
well, I did some tests, and unfortunately no differences.
I did a simple loop in basic and measure the time.
Weird options.
Anyone still here? :D
I was wondering, am I the only one who can't scale image up to fill my monitor? I get a small window at the center of my screen...
HDMI, btw, not that it'd make much difference I think.
Answered by
@breiztiger on the MiSTer forum:
mister.ini needs
[Amstrad]
vscale_mode=0
@Gryzor you also should look at HDMI repeater ... because the DE10 Nano board has a crap HDMI implementation (hardware) and connects directly hardware that leads to all kinds of issues, starting with sync issues and ending with no screen at all.
Also I am here :-)
And if anyone is still interested, nowadays there are bundles available.
https://ultimatemister.com/product/ultimate-mister-kit/
I've read some stuff about the HDMI implementation, but maybe I've been lucky enough to have never have encountered any issues! Thanks for the suggestion though🙂
The bundles are great, but with the DE price nowadays... But really, along with the original MiST this is the best emulation emulation I've ever owned (and I've had a few)!
There is more an availability issue than a price issue I think.
Ordered one from mouser in November, the delivery date has been progressively delayed until June.
I have finally cancelled my order and bought one directly from terasic (and here it is the postal fees that hurt...).
I have not yet tested Amstrad CPC stuff (and will probably never do as I have the real machines at home).
Well, ordering from Terasic is an availability issue that affects pricing too (postage being a huge part of it...). And I can't make heads from tails regarding Intel's subsidy on it any more :D Lucky to have got it a while ago...
I do have real machines here of course, but for a quick play to check out a specific title it's so much easier - MiSTer sits directly beneath my laptop monitor, hooked to its second HDMI, so... :)
Btw,
@SerErris , the link you gave is the exact kit I got, with max mem. Nice piece of kit :)
Yep the hardware emulation of an FPGA is like real .. without the hazzle of the old hardware ;-) ... so it comes as close as possible to the original, but obviously a real 464 keyboard cannot get emulated.
I just love my MiSTer. Cheap it may be not, but it's awesome fun, especially coupled with the MT32-Pi hat!
When I got the 'original' MiST, I had no idea about FGPAs etc. I just got it because it sounded fun, mainly for the father-of-all ST core, and since I had some downtime at the time it seemed like a good idea. I still cannot explain why I feel this feels better than using emulators on my Windows machine, I really can't. But at the time MiST felt awesome and I ended up spending way too many hours trying all the different menu releases on it.
And now, all those machies and packages like the DOS top-300... wow.
I think jotego is releasing Sly Spy today, so it will be a good day :)
Quote from: SerErris on 16:33, 10 March 22Yep the hardware emulation of an FPGA is like real .. without the hazzle of the old hardware ;-) ... so it comes as close as possible to the original
That's the theory. In reality, an FPGA core is only as good as its implementation. And these are mostly not 1:1 replicas of the original chip logic, which is what many (most?) people imagine about "hardware simulation". Some are more exact, some less, and there are still bugs being found even in such super mature and scrutinized cores as eg SNES. Ao486 (the PC 486 SX) core, for example, is an emulator conversion, optimized for FPGA.
That said, it really does feel much better than emulation, but I always wonder how much of it is in our heads, and how many people would pass a blind test 8)
I can't imagine my retro-life without it thou, it's just so super convenient, and also the best solution bar none for CRT use. But I still do keep my real machines around, since they offer a totally different "feel".
Quote from: Sid_ on 15:07, 26 August 20100% for sur and max I don't really know I'll measure.
Any idea about maximal speed compared to a regular CPC?
Quote from: arkive on 14:13, 10 April 22I can't imagine my retro-life without it thou, it's just so super convenient, and also the best solution bar none for CRT use. But I still do keep my real machines around, since they offer a totally different "feel".
The thing is, I went into MiST without knowing what to expect, and it still felt so much better and intuitive. I just don't know why. But when it comes to MiSTer, those scanlines and filtering are just sublime :)
Quote from: GUNHED on 19:24, 10 April 22Quote from: Sid_ on 15:07, 26 August 20100% for sur and max I don't really know I'll measure.
Any idea about maximal speed compared to a regular CPC?
I think it is 2x
Is the Mister core based on the Terasic T-Rex core?
No, it is based on the DE10-Nano.
https://www.terasic.com.tw/cgi-bin/page/archive.pl?Language=English&CategoryNo=165&No=1046#contents