Show HN: Yet another Homebrew Video Game Console, this time FPGA-based(internalregister.github.io)
internalregister.github.io
Show HN: Yet another Homebrew Video Game Console, this time FPGA-based
https://internalregister.github.io/2021/08/08/Another-Homebrew-Console.html
3 comments
What is the difference from a mister?
A Mister uses a more powerful FPGA + ARM CPU board along with extra SDRAM (I believe) to simulate known retro systems.
This was a personal project to make a custom video game console in this case using an FPGA, a couple of years back I finished one using microcontrollers and an actual CPU.
This project uses just enough SRAM and external components and a just enough powerful FPGA to be a retro-styled video game console. I wanted to learn how to use FGPAs and continue to learn how video game consoles worked while building something unique.
So in a way, in terms of the technology, they're similar, except of course a Mister is something a lot more useful, I would say, as it simulates "real devices" and has a huge game library and this is just an educational project.
This was a personal project to make a custom video game console in this case using an FPGA, a couple of years back I finished one using microcontrollers and an actual CPU.
This project uses just enough SRAM and external components and a just enough powerful FPGA to be a retro-styled video game console. I wanted to learn how to use FGPAs and continue to learn how video game consoles worked while building something unique.
So in a way, in terms of the technology, they're similar, except of course a Mister is something a lot more useful, I would say, as it simulates "real devices" and has a huge game library and this is just an educational project.
Looks like you’re having fun. While you’re having fun you should really try getting your hands wet with electronic design :)
I've been prototyping for some time now and never really focused on getting my projects into PCBs.
But yeah I guess you're right I can't really argue with you, I should improve my electronic design skills.
No pressure, I just think you’d enjoy yourself!
Isn't this already quite an involved electronic design project?
I could be over exposed to the wrong data but I looked at getting some board spins recently and it seems to be very expensive at the moment.
Retail Chinese PCB fabs are up a bit, PCBA like macrofab seems up a lot.
Retail Chinese PCB fabs are up a bit, PCBA like macrofab seems up a lot.
I got some PCBs made a couple of years ago from JLCPCB and it wasn't that expensive, with shipping, 5 boards of small size (cheapest ones, not suitable for every project) was about €10 or €12.
Of course for hobbyists who are going to need several tries it makes it expensive, still it's a lot cheaper than before where I could only get PCBs for a much higher price.
Couple of years ago was before current shortages, they seem to be effecting the price.
It's like an NES with a Z80 heh. Cool project!
More like a Colecovision that used a Z80 CPU.