Anyone playing around with MiSTer?

[RIP-Felix]

A word of advice, the BluRay's daughter board is married to the Motherboard. So if you replace the BR drive do not forget you need to swap the daughter board from yours with the new one. Also, in case you were thinking of just replacing the laser assembly with a cheap one off ebay, in order to calibrate a new laser you need an oscilloscope. I finally bit the bullet and bought one (a RIGOL DS1054Z O-scope for $350, hands down the best value). Now I can properly diagnose problems, ripple voltages, read sync voltages, calibrate lasers, all kinds of useful stuff.

I recommend you delid your CPU and RSX, if you haven't already.

 

Make one of these to delid the CPU:

Heat up the end of a fingernail file (buy one from the store, don't grab one from the GF or Misses unless you have a death wish). Use a lighter to heat the tip up and make the metal malleable, then bend ~1cm of the tip to an angle with pliers. Now use a dremel with a sanding stone to grind away the bottom of the tip and make it very thin. It needs to be able to fit underneath the heat spreder on the CPU. Notice there is a gap in the silicone glue on one side:

Use sand paper to blunt the bottom edge of the tool so it can't dig into the substrate, where the traces are on the CPU. That'll destroy them. Just rub the tool along some paper and if it glides smooth you'll be fine. Now use some vasoline or grease to get the tool started. Place it under the edge of the heat spreader and use firm steady pressure. Brace with both hand so you don't slip. Once the tool begin cutting it will ride along a cushion of silicone and the blunt edge will force the sharp cutting edge against the Heat spreader. Now just cut along the edge of the chip, all the way around it. Be careful at the end, when you're about to cut through or you can slip and cut something you don't want to. Just watch this video and you'll have a good idea how to do it.

For the GPU, you need to use a different method:

NSC is pretty long winded, but he shows how to safely delid the RSX earlier in the video. His method is good for doing it cold, but I don't really like his method. It's longer and hard to get a good angle. I prefer to use hot air (hair drier works too) to warm the RSX for a minute or so (not directly on the chip, but in circular motions 4-5 inches above it just, to get the glue warm, not hot). This softens the thermal adhesive enough so you can pop off the RSX heat Spreader. I use a card and a thin butter knife. The side that faces the CPU, with traces going between them, doesn't have any SMD components like the other 3 sides do. So you can only do this on that side. Heat, insert the card, then use the butter knife to get under the edge of the heat spreader. Be sure you get under the heat spreadder, not just on the egde of it. You actually need to get underneath it so you can gently add prying force. Slowly add pressure until the glue gives and the heat spredder pops off. The card protects the substrate from the blunt metal edge of the butter knife. Use something thinner if you can't get under the edge with your butter knife, but be sure it's blunt or it can ding into the substrate (even digging through the card first). It need to be thin enough to get under, but have enough girth to not bend when you pry up.

Sounds complicated but the process is actually quite easy, only takes a few minutes. The hardest par is making the proper CPU deliding tool. It took me about an hour shaving down the tip to get it thin enough to fit under the IHS. I'd shave it a bit, test. Shave away a bit more, then test. Sand, test. eventually I got it to work. I have delided about six consoles now and the CPU is the easiest because of that tool. Most people can delid their RSX pretty easily, but are deterd by the silicone on the CPU. The CPU really needs it or the console will suffer from overheating.

If the fan ramps up even one audable step louder, that means the temp is above 85C, which is too frigging hot! Jailbreak and use webMAN to a setpoint of 67C and a base fanspeed of 29%. That'll be way safer and keep the YLOD away for the foreseeable future.

[tthurman]

What thermal paste did you use?

Cell lid removal looks a bit risky, but I would like for it to last longer.

[tthurman]

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/02/hardware_review_mister_fpga_-_a_tantalising_glimpse_into_the_future_of_retro_gaming

 

 

There is also a Saturn Core in the works, not done/working, but the fact it is development is exciting.

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[RIP-Felix]

On 2/11/2021 at 7:25 AM, tthurman said:

What thermal paste did you use?

Cell lid removal looks a bit risky, but I would like for it to last longer.

It's a breeze once you make the tool, easier than the RSX. Once it's off you can replace the TIC as often as you want, there's no need to glue it back on as the thermal paste will hold the Heat spreader in place. I use MX-4. Arctic silver is conductive, and not as good. I'ver heard good thing about cryonaught, but haven't tried it. Good old MX-4 is what I buy in bulk.

A saturn core is very exciting! Man I hope they can get it ironed out, because that would be amazing. I imagine then PS1 is also doable? Damn MR is getting more and more enticing.

I actually just installed a Satiator in my Saturn and love it. It's the most expensive of the Saturn ODE's but I like that it just goes into the VCD slot on the back and that's it. No mods, soldering, nothing. Compatable out of the box with the redump set. All I had to do was DL 2 files (menu and FWupdate) and place them on the SD card. It automatically recognized and installed them. After that, boom! My Saturn became a 100x more awesome.

[tthurman]

This is really looking like it will be at the very least the stepping stone to bringing retro gaming to a entire new level of accuracy, sustainability and lossless type modern display output.  

In just a few short years the development is seemingly blazing along with no signs of slowing down. 

 

 

 

 

[Draco1962]

A good read:

https://www.theverge.com/22323002/mister-fpga-project-retro-computer-console-early-pc

[tthurman]

 

 

 

[RIP-Felix]

I just wish there was a way to flip vertically scrolling SHMUPS on an arcade monitor 90-degrees (like can be done in MAME). I'd love to replicate his setup with a CRT, but NEED my 1941 and MS. Pac Man to be orientated correctly!

However, for fighting games it'd be great! 1ms Lag on the USB controllers to a CRT is basically zero! Now if you don't pull off that babyality (why didn't they call it an infantality...rolls off the tongue easier!), it truly is your fault!

[tthurman]

 

[tthurman]

 

 

[tthurman]

These guys have really developed something a cut above what's currently available.  That's not intended to be an insult to all the other great components at all, this is just next level, IMO.

 

[tthurman]

They also have an amazing retro themed office.  

 

[RIP-Felix]

PS1 games are starting to work on MiSTer now too. I've been seeing some preliminary tweets (yes, I finally gave in).

Starting to get very inciting with Saturn and PS1 being worked on. Kinda crazy! I never thought the DE10nano could handle those systems. Honestly, I don't know why I keep putting this off. I know I'll want one eventually. I guess it's because I'm satisfied with having real HW instead!

But really, I can't justify buying a PC Engine Duo just for bonk! And I have been wanting to build a MiSTerCade. It's just another big project in an already long line of projects I haven't gotten to.

[tthurman]

Those cores may end up requiring more memory, but that's still unknown at this time.  

Those cores are all just really nice extras to me, I never got a console system post SNES until the XBOX, so I have no nostalgia there tempting me.  I had gone back to PC's after SNES and stayed put until the XBOX bug bit and my wife got me one for Christmas.  This turned out to be mostly so she could pound me like a drum in NFL Fever, which had be going back to the PC in short order.

To me the MiSTer is really about accuracy of arcade titles, but I've got to admit I may pick up some of those 8bitdo SEGA controllers just to see what all the fuss is about.

[tthurman]

I find this thing amazing, reminds me of MAME in the early days, when new developments of all shapes and sizes almost occurred daily.

Rare console news in this update, as well as plenty about the popular cores being worked on.

 

 

[tthurman]

 

[tthurman]

Another custom board, this one for designed with ITX cases in mind.  

https://www.d3fmod.com/product/mini-itx_ironclad_plus/

 

[tthurman]

 

 

[tthurman]

 

 

[tthurman]

 

 

[tthurman]

 

 

[tthurman]

The MiSTer seems to continue to gain in popularity.  Check out this introduction video, clocking in at nearly three hours.

 

 

[tthurman]

MiSTer FPGA DE-10! PlayStation 1 Final Core Preview Before Release! PS1 is Basically DONE on MiSTer!

[tthurman]

I don't get a lot of free time to play these days, but last night I spent some time updating my MiSTer and I'm still amazed by this small machine that offers so much.  It's really quite amazing!

[Draco1962]

Did you ever purchase and try out the 8BitDo controller?