MC Cthulhu or Brook Retro Board?

[Syntax]

Yeah nah....

Brooks don't even have the Retro Board on their site, Its made by Jansens Customs who has complete radio silence for this board from what I can tell.

I asked both companies some time ago to add SOCD cleaner options to the retro board so it would perform the same as the Universal its stacked with, and a 3rd option to run no cleaner at all (so much fun with a hitbox and fighters.)

They did not deliver.

[bobrocks95]

Yeah nah....

Brooks don't even have the Retro Board on their site, Its made by Jansens Customs who has complete radio silence for this board from what I can tell.

I asked both companies some time ago to add SOCD cleaner options to the retro board so it would perform the same as the Universal its stacked with, and a 3rd option to run no cleaner at all (so much fun with a hitbox and fighters.)

They did not deliver.

Oh, wow, that's disappointing, considering there were updates at all I figured they were on top of it.

And no SOCD cleaner at all, or does it just have 1 set behavior? Disappointing either way, feature parity on a nearly identical board isn't much to ask.

[Syntax]

I started sending emails to Brooks and other distributers to see if we can maybe get some updates to make these boards function as intended.
Brooks don't even have the board on their site anymore so contacting them is a pain but can be done still via the support page.

If anyone else wants to join in im sure it will help.

[bobrocks95]

I started sending emails to Brooks and other distributers to see if we can maybe get some updates to make these boards function as intended.
Brooks don't even have the board on their site anymore so contacting them is a pain but can be done still via the support page.

If anyone else wants to join in im sure it will help.

Full RMA form or just the Contact Us form (for anyone else who needs it) with "General Inquiry" selected?

I think I did the general inquiry asking if PCE had 6-button support and never heard back.

[Syntax]

I did RMA, emailed Tim as he is the Aussie distributer, and another email into the abyss of Jansens...
FB messages to Brooks also and posts on their page, but it seems mostly controlled by bots.

[bobrocks95]

I'll throw one in when I get my Retro Board in.

Other than the PS1 problems (PSIO + certain revisions, can't use 2 at once, anything else?) did anyone get a chance to confirm that PCE still doesn't offer 6 button support?

[Syntax]

Tim was nice enough to pull out and test some Retroboards for me and confirmed the PS1 dropout issue being related to the newer firmware, and Brooks tech has been emailing me so looks like we may get a fix.

Anyone here able to confirm if the PC engine 6 button stuff is working correctly while I have Brooks attention?

[NoAffinity]

You could ask them to confirm 6-button pce support is implemented. Doesnt work for me, on latest firmware.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[BlueDusk]

So it has been some time since someone posted here. I use a multi console Cthulhu, on a old Xbox 360 Madcatz arcade stick. and mainly used it on Ps2 or 360 with some odd ps2 to Xbox adapter. now i want to use it on my switch with May flash and it dose work well. My problem is i can not for the love of God, Find any software. if anyone could post the last firmware or software as a mirror it would be a Godsend!

[BazookaBen]

Does anybody know of button presses or combinations to force specific console modes with the Brook Retro Board?

Like, according to their patch notes, Kick 4 will force N64 mode. But I can find any commands for the other consoles.

As mentioned in another thread, my Retro Board is struggling to switch/detect PCE mode when my Turbo Everdrive Pro is in the card slot.

[NoAffinity]

Thank you for posting this. I wasnt aware there is a new firmware update. Anybody know what this note from the revision notes means?


Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[BazookaBen]

I'm not sure, I've been trying to figure it out too.

One time my PC didn't detect the stick when I plugged it in, so I held the select button when I plugged it in again, and it worked. My have been a coincidence, I don't know.

[Syntax]

I found this whilst searching for MC firmware, its in regards to the MC, but may be the fix we need to sort Brooks on PS1.

[bobrocks95]

The latest update makes it sound like you now HAVE to hold down Select to make the thing work... Which would be very weird and not appreciated.

I've had continued minor problems with my Brook board, but I still think it's a nicer package overall than the MC Cthulhu. What we really need is an open-source board piggy-backing off of say BlueRetro's code base (which the license allows), at least for the console signal end of things. I think it's completely doable, if the right person had the interest.

[alamone]

Another option is to use a Bliss-Box Bridge, it's a bit DIY since you have to build the cables yourself (HDMI is the intermediary connector), but it supports a pretty wide number of consoles, and they are planning to mass produce the cables in the future.

http://alamone.net/bridge.jpg

[BazookaBen]

The latest update makes it sound like you now HAVE to hold down Select to make the thing work... Which would be very weird and not appreciated.

I think that's the default mode, because I didn't need to hold down Select for either my PC or Sega Saturn. I think it might be needed to reverse another mode, like if you held kick4 for N64.

But I only have 3 cables for it right now so I'm really not sure

Another option is to use a Bliss-Box Bridge, it's a bit DIY since you have to build the cables yourself (HDMI is the intermediary connector), but it supports a pretty wide number of consoles, and they are planning to mass produce the cables in the future.

http://alamone.net/bridge.jpg

This looks cool!

But I'm having trouble finding an overview of how this works. The main website is in broken english.

So do I get one bridge box, then build adapter cables for it? And the adapter cables use that little PCB in your picture? The bridge box looks to be about $50. But how much are those PCBs?

[alamone]

It will not work by itself, you will need at least a Gamer Pro + controller adapter for your controller (e.g. PSX adapter if using a PSX stick), or another LLAPI compatible USB controller.

This picture probably explains it better:
https://bliss-box.net/wp-content/upload ... scaled.jpg

So, 1-5 connects in a chain:
1. $DIY - Your controller (e.g. PSX controller, or arcade stick with PSX controller support)
2. $8 - PSX-to-HDMI Bliss-Box cable aka SNAC cable https://bliss-box.net/store/Bliss-Box-C ... -p65613202
3. $36 - Gamer Pro adapter https://bliss-box.net/store/Gamer-Pro-K ... p129163061
4. $49 - Bliss Box Bridge https://bliss-box.net/store/Bridge-p496816928
5. $DIY - HDMI-to-Retro console adapter, pinouts on Bliss Box website, this is DIY

For 5, you will need a HDMI breakout PCB so that you can easily solder to the HDMI pins, and a controller cable (e.g. an extension cable) for the target retro system (e.g. NES 7-pin connector).

[BazookaBen]

For 5, you will need a HDMI breakout PCB so that you can easily solder to the HDMI pins,

So that's basically same PCB you linked in the previous post?

And does the Bridge adapter auto-detect the correct console based on how that HDMI breakout is wired?

And have lag tests been done with this setup? Based on what they said about polling rate, sounds like it might be lagless?

[alamone]

Yes, the breakout board is available from adafruit for $3.50 each:
https://www.adafruit.com/product/3119

Regarding auto-detect, the website states "The Bridge... auto maps the button layouts for your ease of use... the adapter will know what controller is in use and what console is being used". So that should be yes for auto-detect.

As for latency, it should be very low since it's using LLAPI, which is the same protocol that MiSTer uses when using direct connection to original controllers via the USER port instead of USB polling.

[BazookaBen]

OK, that all makes sense, thank you. I may have to return the Retro Board and switch over. The stick is originally a Hori PS1/2 stick, so I'm already at good starting point.

[alamone]

I'm currently using a stick with a MC Cthulhu, but seeing that it's not actively updated anymore, I'm planning to migrate to using a Bridge as well.

[bobrocks95]

Seems needlessly complicated? I would prefer an internal solution, or at least a small box that handles everything instead of a giant daisy chain. All I need to have on hand right now with the Retro Board is an RJ45 cable for each console that I can tuck away next to it.

[alamone]

Seems needlessly complicated? I would prefer an internal solution, or at least a small box that handles everything instead of a giant daisy chain. All I need to have on hand right now with the Retro Board is an RJ45 cable for each console that I can tuck away next to it.

Nothing's stopping you from sticking the bridge inside the stick if you ONLY plan on using that stick. The reason why it's setup as a daisy chain is so you can plug in ANY controller you want, it doesn't have to be specifically Playstation - the supported protocols include Saturn, Wii, PSX, NES/SNES, N64, GC. So, if you have a favorite controller or arcade stick for one of these consoles, you can simply use a corresponding cable to use it with the Bridge. Personally I like the flexibility and don't care if it looks a big ugly with a lot of adapters, but again, you could make the Bridge internal if you wanted to, then your stick would have a HDMI port on it, and you would simply use a standard HDMI cable and a HDMI to console adapter instead of a RJ45 to console cable - it's a similar idea, but now you don't have to have separate cables for each individual console, just separate HDMI to console adapters - you can just use a bog standard HDMI cable to connect your stick to the various console adapters.

[bobrocks95]

I'm a bit reliant on arcade board interface options at this point unfortunately. The Brook Retro is handling the pin harness hookup for the buttons and stick and has a Hori PS4 board AND a directly connected DB15 cable, both connected to the screw terminal headers. I suppose I could replace it and the Hori with a Brook UFB and use its output as the input to the weird Bridge chain. I'd have to also buy all new cables though.

A lot of hassle just because it seems to be targeting a different market. It's not really arcade stick focused, but is an add-on for MiSTer users with SNAC cables who also might want to plug all those retro controllers into original hardware too.

[BazookaBen]

yeah, I'd like to keep the Retro Board because it's nice and clean. But I'm waiting on an email from Arcade Shock to see if there's any workaround for my PC Engine issue.

I'm really hoping there are some undocumented button combinations I can use to force compatibility modes.

[BazookaBen]

Workaround for the Brook Retro Board when used with Turbo Everdrive Pro!

If you have the TED Pro set to "last game autoboot" it will skip the main menu, boot like a regular game, and the Brook Retro Board works!

This doesn't work with Chew Man Fu, for whatever reason, and I doubt it's the only one. Of course I can still play it if I back out to the menu from a different game, then select it

Why is this happening? Hard to say. But it doesn't seem like power issue. Could be something slightly different being written to memory?

Anyway, now I feel comfortable punching some holes in my arcade stick for the Neutrik connector and some extra buttons, now that I know the Brook board will work out.

[ZTylerDurden]

I'm happy enough with my MC Cthulhu, but I would advice against using it with Dreamcast. It gave me massive problems in some games. 3rd Strike will pause at random, making the game unplayable. Other games worked alright. I solved this by adding the PCB from a DC Agetech arcadestick, which also added VMU support so that was a nice bonus

According to this site the MC Cthulhu (in PS3 mode at least) has over 12ms of lag:
https://inputlag.science/controller/results

Maybe other systems have lower lag? I was never bothered by it, but if the Brook has lower lag I would probably get that.

I have the erratic pausing in Virtua Tennis and NBA Showtime. Are you running a 2 player configuration with 2 MC Cthulhu's when the pausing happens? Have there been any firmware updates that solved the issue for ya?

[Konsolkongen]

I'm happy enough with my MC Cthulhu, but I would advice against using it with Dreamcast. It gave me massive problems in some games. 3rd Strike will pause at random, making the game unplayable. Other games worked alright. I solved this by adding the PCB from a DC Agetech arcadestick, which also added VMU support so that was a nice bonus

According to this site the MC Cthulhu (in PS3 mode at least) has over 12ms of lag:
https://inputlag.science/controller/results

Maybe other systems have lower lag? I was never bothered by it, but if the Brook has lower lag I would probably get that.

I have the erratic pausing in Virtua Tennis and NBA Showtime. Are you running a 2 player configuration with 2 MC Cthulhu's when the pausing happens? Have there been any firmware updates that solved the issue for ya?

There has been no firmware updates for the MC Cthulhu for many years. I just gave up on the DC support and threw a DC controller in my stick. Adds VMU support as well so it was the better option for me regardless

[ZTylerDurden]

I'm happy enough with my MC Cthulhu, but I would advice against using it with Dreamcast. It gave me massive problems in some games. 3rd Strike will pause at random, making the game unplayable. Other games worked alright. I solved this by adding the PCB from a DC Agetech arcadestick, which also added VMU support so that was a nice bonus

According to this site the MC Cthulhu (in PS3 mode at least) has over 12ms of lag:
https://inputlag.science/controller/results

Maybe other systems have lower lag? I was never bothered by it, but if the Brook has lower lag I would probably get that.

I have the erratic pausing in Virtua Tennis and NBA Showtime. Are you running a 2 player configuration with 2 MC Cthulhu's when the pausing happens? Have there been any firmware updates that solved the issue for ya?

There has been no firmware updates for the MC Cthulhu for many years. I just gave up on the DC support and threw a DC controller in my stick. Adds VMU support as well so it was the better option for me regardless

The VMU was a major headache when required to be read from Player 1 with an MC Cthulhu. Fortunately the Wingman SD saved my freakin life with embedded 200 memory blocks. It didn't work at first but after notifying Brook they updated the firmware to support MC Cthulhu 2 weeks later. Total chads.

Might be worth checking out if you want to salvage/reuse your MC.

[bobrocks95]

I have the erratic pausing in Virtua Tennis and NBA Showtime. Are you running a 2 player configuration with 2 MC Cthulhu's when the pausing happens? Have there been any firmware updates that solved the issue for ya?

There has been no firmware updates for the MC Cthulhu for many years. I just gave up on the DC support and threw a DC controller in my stick. Adds VMU support as well so it was the better option for me regardless

The VMU was a major headache when required to be read from Player 1 with an MC Cthulhu. Fortunately the Wingman SD saved my freakin life with embedded 200 memory blocks. It didn't work at first but after notifying Brook they updated the firmware to support MC Cthulhu 2 weeks later. Total chads.

Might be worth checking out if you want to salvage/reuse your MC.

Polar opposite of my experience with Brook not doing anything at all to fix Retro Board issues, but how are you contacting them? I was going through Arcade Shock which might have been the problem.