NESRGB board available now

[BitFaced]

I had forgotten another reason a GBATV might be desired, the Gameboy Player suffers from a little bit of input lag on GBA games and a quite noticeable amount of it on GB/C games, something that the speedrunning community especially would probably like to put an end to.

EDIT: Now I'm starting to feel bad for this derail, we should be celebrating an amazing creation not wishing for more.

Ya sure we can't also ask about a GameCube Component board?

I'd love a board that would allow EU GC Components TOtally buy it and get it into my regionfree console!

Damn I was just going to mention that again. Anyway, in theory since NGC Component could be hacked to get both RGB and VGA, VGA could, in theory, also be included besides RGB like another user theorized earlier.
But back to the main topic at hand, does this mean you have some kind of rivalry between people behind the Universal PPU and HDMI NES projects?

[EmperorZelos]

But back to the main topic at hand, does this mean you have some kind of rivalry between people behind the Universal PPU and HDMI NES projects?

HDMI NES project? Tell me more!

[Fudoh]

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... hilit=hdmi

[EmperorZelos]

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... hilit=hdmi

Looks like an emulator with none of the original hardware o_o

[antron]

I'd love a board that would allow EU GC Components TOtally buy it and get it into my regionfree console!

I read that a modchip can force 480p on a PAL GC. So why not get a component cable and a PAL GC with the digital output?

[Konsolkongen]

Forcing the games in 480p with my Qoob chip almost never works.

[BitFaced]

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... hilit=hdmi

Looks like an emulator with none of the original hardware o_o

I meant this:
http://www.nintendoage.com/forum/messag ... d=92557%22

I'd love a board that would allow EU GC Components TOtally buy it and get it into my regionfree console!

I read that a modchip can force 480p on a PAL GC. So why not get a component cable and a PAL GC with the digital output?

No it can, you just need NTSC or 480p-forced PAL games.

[mickcris]

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... hilit=hdmi

Looks like an emulator with none of the original hardware o_o

I meant this:
http://www.nintendoage.com/forum/messag ... d=92557%22
[/quote][/quote]
They are the same thing. It started out as an add on to an original nes, but they ran into problems. Now it is no longer built on original nes hardware.

[EmperorZelos]

They are the same thing. It started out as an add on to an original nes, but they ran into problems. Now it is no longer built on original new hardware.

You mean it is no longer built on original hardware? But new instead?

[mickcris]

They are the same thing. It started out as an add on to an original nes, but they ran into problems. Now it is no longer built on original new hardware.

You mean it is no longer built on original hardware? But new instead?

Yes. Sorry, was supposed to nes not new. Here is what bunnyboy wrote in that thread on page 22. i dont know how to link to a specific post:

This is my dream project (no, the add on board was never the big one) and has been in active dev for a full year not including planning. It is the main reason why I shut down so much of the website and don't have time for other projects. The add on board could still happen using what I have developed but certainly not during 2014. It hit problems in Feb that made certain TV not work. It was essentially done, unless you had a Samsung. Rather than spending the time to fix that I moved onto the real project:

It is a clone that uses an FPGA to run the whole system, no software emulators or NOAC. Includes NES and Famicom slots, they are the same thing. Other cool stuff like Game Genie and Scoreboard built in.
It has 5 control ports with built in Four Score plus the Famicom expansion port.
It can run HDMI out for HD quality video, CD quality audio, and no frame buffers that add lag. Other than the expansion audio input from the cart there is no analog in the system.
It will be released some day at least 6 months from now. Fabrication and shipping takes 3 months alone!
It will cost money to buy, hopefully less than $150.
(thanks Mark!)

There will be the obvious comparisons to Retron 5 but I see them very different. I will never be able to compete on price against a large company with chinese factories and retail connections, so that alone makes the target market different. I am aiming for the smaller group that can tell when a clone has issues, instead of the mass who can't tell or don't notice and aren't thinking about quality. The people who want to use obscure controllers, original equipment, and play new homebrews. Even the styling is designed to remind you of the system you love. It certainly isn't insulting to me if you pick the Retron 5, their system will do well and sell lots. This system just has a different mentality from the start.

Mine is a huge financial gamble for me that is still scary...

[BitFaced]

They are the same thing. It started out as an add on to an original nes, but they ran into problems. Now it is no longer built on original new hardware.

You mean it is no longer built on original hardware? But new instead?

Yes. Sorry, was supposed to nes not new. Here is what bunnyboy wrote in that thread on page 22. i dont know how to link to a specific post:

This is my dream project (no, the add on board was never the big one) and has been in active dev for a full year not including planning. It is the main reason why I shut down so much of the website and don't have time for other projects. The add on board could still happen using what I have developed but certainly not during 2014. It hit problems in Feb that made certain TV not work. It was essentially done, unless you had a Samsung. Rather than spending the time to fix that I moved onto the real project:

It is a clone that uses an FPGA to run the whole system, no software emulators or NOAC. Includes NES and Famicom slots, they are the same thing. Other cool stuff like Game Genie and Scoreboard built in.
It has 5 control ports with built in Four Score plus the Famicom expansion port.
It can run HDMI out for HD quality video, CD quality audio, and no frame buffers that add lag. Other than the expansion audio input from the cart there is no analog in the system.
It will be released some day at least 6 months from now. Fabrication and shipping takes 3 months alone!
It will cost money to buy, hopefully less than $150.
(thanks Mark!)

There will be the obvious comparisons to Retron 5 but I see them very different. I will never be able to compete on price against a large company with chinese factories and retail connections, so that alone makes the target market different. I am aiming for the smaller group that can tell when a clone has issues, instead of the mass who can't tell or don't notice and aren't thinking about quality. The people who want to use obscure controllers, original equipment, and play new homebrews. Even the styling is designed to remind you of the system you love. It certainly isn't insulting to me if you pick the Retron 5, their system will do well and sell lots. This system just has a different mentality from the start.

Mine is a huge financial gamble for me that is still scary...

Well at least this is still around:
http://retroactive.be/tech_n64_hdmi.php

[EmperorZelos]

Well at least this is still around:
http://retroactive.be/tech_n64_hdmi.php

I wish someone could develop a board that could work across consoles

[acem77]

Wow very cool!!! I need to test one of these.
been out of the mod scene for while but this takes the cake!

[BitFaced]

Well at least this is still around:
http://retroactive.be/tech_n64_hdmi.php

I wish someone could develop a board that could work across consoles

You mean the same board that would work across several consoles? In what way?

[markfrizb]

TO all the people that will be installing the NESRGB pcb, a reminder that this would be a good time to replace the 18 year old caps that are on the boards.

mark

[Fudoh]

18 years won't cut it on most NES machines. '86 to 2013 ? More like 27 years...

[markfrizb]

Doh! That's what I meant to say!

[eightbitminiboss]

Hey man, the 90's were only 10 yea.......oh.

[leonk]

TO all the people that will be installing the NESRGB pcb, a reminder that this would be a good time to replace the 18 year old caps that are on the boards.

mark

Unless they're failing, do not replace them. I got some old TV's from the 70's with original caps that are running strong. For the most part, it is electrolytic capacitors that eventually fail. Ceramic caps (most used on these PCB's) can last many many decades and rarely fail.

Use an ESR meter to test the big caps in circuit (discharge first) if within range, leave alone.

I'm not a big fan of shotgun / capkit replacements. You run the chance of replacing a good cap made in Japan cap with 90's crap old stock, or worst yet, a modern made in China cap that will leak in 5 years (as we live in a disposable society, 5-10 years is the expect life span of most electronic devices these days)

[sammargh]

Most of the older consoles aren't plagued by the capacitor death that was so well known in the early 2000s. Reason being is that as stated they use ceramic capacitors and the electrolytic capacitors were decently built. In the 90s it was the surface-mount electrolytic capacitors that were prone to failure and can be seen across tons of consoles - Duo, Turbo Express and the Genesis/TG16 kits for the laser active are the most prone to failure. Aside from those the only major capacitor death I've seen is the clock capacitor on the XBox 1 but that's due to a terrible circuit design more than the capacitor used. You can replace that capacitor and it will still fail because it is over-volted.

[ApolloBoy]

You run the chance of replacing a good cap made in Japan cap with 90's crap old stock, or worst yet, a modern made in China cap that will leak in 5 years

Not unless you're careful about what you get and buy nice quality, recently manufactured Japanese caps, which is what I do.

[markfrizb]

Hi temp, low ESR, long life (3-5000 hours) caps is what I get. The cheap caps aren't worth it. And the 4 or 5 caps that are in these 27 year old consoles won't last forever.

[rCadeGaming]

How do you determine what is a good cap or not? I've gotten caps on Digikey made by Panasonic. Provided they fit the specs above, is that a good choice?

[ApolloBoy]

How do you determine what is a good cap or not? I've gotten caps on Digikey made by Panasonic. Provided they fit the specs above, is that a good choice?

Panasonic's a good brand, when I go cap shopping I get those along with Nichicon and Nippon Chemi-Con caps.

[markfrizb]

Just look at the spec sheets on the caps. Higher temp and service hours is main info you want. I don't buy any with less than 2000 hour ratings. Low ESR is good but not critical in the NES.

[frsj8112]

Any news regarding shipping?

[viletim]

Any news regarding shipping? :)

I've got a pile of packages to be posted tomorrow morning... I'll send an email to each customer once their package has been sent.

[EmperorZelos]

Well at least this is still around:
http://retroactive.be/tech_n64_hdmi.php

I wish someone could develop a board that could work across consoles

You mean the same board that would work across several consoles? In what way?

I meant like you got a board that is universal so if you put it into any console near its graphical thing it would be able to turn it to HDMI without substantial lag.

[frsj8112]

Any news regarding shipping?

I've got a pile of packages to be posted tomorrow morning... I'll send an email to each customer once their package has been sent.

Great!
Sorry for nagging, but I'm sooooo looking forward to this amazing product!!

[undamned]

I meant like you got a board that is universal so if you put it into any console near its graphical thing it would be able to turn it to HDMI without substantial lag.

"You do not have enough mana for this spell."
-ud