Lu

MiSTer FPGA News – Secret Core, Konami CPU, S-Video How-To & More

Posted on by Lu

GunCon 3 IR Towers

I have a video tutorial that will show you how to make your own infrared emitters for the GunCon 3 light gun. However, Laserbear is now offering pre-orders for premade and DIY kits. You can either get the components for $18 and assemble them yourself (which involves soldering), or buy them pre-assembled for $32. You will still need to provide USB cables to connect and power them.

Usually, the lightgun itself can be found at a reasonable price without the emitters, but when you add the emitters, it can become quite expensive. This is a chance to save some money.

 

S-Video & Composite Video

I recently created a video that guides you to the recent s-video and composite updates to the MiSTer framework, particularly in regards to using an active adapter design by Mike Simone with an analog IO board. I also showcased image quality comparisons between composite, s-video and component connections.

 

MT32 USB Class Compliant

The MT32-pi project from d0pefish is soon going to make it so that people can use the MT32-pi as a class-compliant MIDI and audio recording device. This means that any PC will be able to detect the device without any extra intermediary programs. This should make it show up on your digital audio workstation application. The feature will only work on Pi Zero 2 and Pi 3A+ devices.

For the MiSTerFPGA, it won’t change anyhting you’re doing now with the MT32-pi, but cores that support MIDILink might be able to use the MT32-pi when it is connected via the standard USB ports instead of the serial USB port of the MiSTer. We will have to wait and see if this works, but it looks promising.

 

Konami CPU

Jotego has recently shared news of the progress made on the Konami CPU. The team had a positive experience and Jotego is now more confident in tackling other CPU designs. A deadline of March 24th has been set to finish a functional CPU. It won’t be a full arcade core, but it can be used for multiple cores.

The first arcade core to be worked on will be Haunted Castle. Other games that use this CPU are Aliens and The Simpson, but development for those game has not been annouced.

 

Mystery Core

Robert Peip, who has developed several cores including the PSX core, has recently provided an update regarding the secret core he is developing. Audio is now implemented! On his Patreon page, he shared a clip of the software emulator for the core playing a cover of a tune from a PSX game. Additionally, Robert offers additional details on the progress of other components of the core. Read the complete details on the Patreon post.

 

Arcade Updates

Mike Simone has updated a whole bunch of cores to use the new framework and also with aspect ratio updates.
The framework updates should allow these cores to use s-video and composite if they output standard TV refresh rates.

Core updates:
ATetris, Athena, Bagman, Bank Panic, BombJack, Breakout, BurgerTime, BurningRubber, Chameleon, CongoBongo, Cosmic, CrazyBallon, CrazyClimber, CrazyKong, CrystalCastles, Defender, DonkeyKong, Druaga, ExpressRaider, FoodFight, Galaga, Galaxian, Galivan, Gaplus, Joust 2, LadyBug, MarioBros, MCR3Scroll, MrDo, MysticMarathon, NinjaKun, PacMan, Pengo, Phoenix, Pooyan, Popeye, Qbert, Robotron, RushnAttack, Scramble, SEGASYS1, SlapFight, ,SolomonsKey, Sonson, SpaceRace, Tropical Angel, TurkeyShoot, Ultratank, Vball, Xevious, ZigZag