Spectrum Next core on MiSTer fpga?

[akeley]

MiSTer FPGA doesn't cost 130EUR. ZXUNO+ is active development. ZXDOS+ runs Next 100%. I don't know what you win spreading Bull???s here and in other forums against me:

https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?p=10708#p10708

Glad you posted that link to MiSTer forums, so more people might be aware of your false and dishonest advertising regarding that composite add on.

As for this thread:
-MiSTer costs 130USD. With 32 SDRAM (which is what's needed to run 99% of stuff) and OTG USB its price is ~135 Euro.

-I was talking about ZX Uno, not ZX Uno+. My comments are based on the fact that I bought it few months ago, because of extra cores, used it for few days and bought MiSTer straight away. The extra cores are half baked and trying to update it or find any information is a nightmare. People on its forums said its abandoned, and that's how it certainly looks to me. So if somebody wants to buy Uno+ for extra cores, they really should do little research beforehand.

I've never said Next does not work. What I said was "if it really works 100% then it could be a selling point". So, yes, in that case it would, if somebody really wants Next and does not care about the extras MiSTer offers. But seeing as my experience with your explanations regarding that composite adapter (which was supposed to be flawless) are very far from satisfactory (putting it mildly) then I'd wait for second opinion on that.

I'd appreciate if you thought your reply through, if you intend to make one, because I have no intention of participating in yet another surreal back-and-forth like in that MiSTer thread.

[PeterJ]

Please keep things friendly everyone. Thanks

[akeley]

Sorry [mention]PeterJ[/mention], but this is about commercial products. Sometimes it's not possible to talk about them without comparisons to other ones or pointing out flaws. I'm always trying to maintain a civil tone though.

[PeterJ]

Thanks [mention]akeley[/mention],

Valid comparisons are fine.

[antoniovillena]

As for this thread:
-MiSTer costs 130USD. With 32 SDRAM (which is what's needed to run 99% of stuff) and OTG USB its price is ~135 Euro.

This is completely false. Put me a link where I can buy for that price. Also for Next core you need another SDRAM+SRAM module that costs 38 EUR+shipping.

-I was talking about ZX Uno, not ZX Uno+

ZXUno and ZXUno+ shares the same cores. It's clear you have no idea of my products. You never have bought from me and your hate messages against me has no foundation.

I'd appreciate if you thought your reply through, if you intend to make one, because I have no intention of participating in yet another surreal back-and-forth like in that MiSTer thread.

Well shut your mouth if you don't know what you're talking about

[antoniovillena]

Thanks @akeley,

Valid comparisons are fine.

The comparisons are not valid. Because of this person now I have to show a video of ZXDOS+ working. Nothing he said against me can prove it. Not even well informed about my products

[PeterJ]

Just as an impartial person in this discussion, the cheapest price I can find for the DE10 only is £103.97 (UK Pounds). I believe this includes VAT and shipping.

This is approximately 113.24 Euros and 133 USD.

https://www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDetail/ ... dJ5w%3D%3D

If quoting prices please add a link and remember tax and shipping. Then hopefully everyone will be happy.

[antoniovillena]

Just as an impartial person in this discussion, the cheapest price I can find for the DE10 only is £103.97 (UK Pounds). I believe this includes VAT and shipping.

This is approximately 113.24 Euros and 133 USD.

https://www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDetail/ ... dJ5w%3D%3D

If quoting prices please add a link and remember tax and shipping. Then hopefully everyone will be happy.

VAT is not included. This is only the DE10 nano. With VAT is about 140-145 EUR. Also I need a link for a SDRAM+SRAM module+shipping. Not the standard 32MB because is not capable to run Next core.

[PeterJ]

Thanks [mention]antoniovillena[/mention],

I have never purchased from this company so happy to take your word on this, but when I go to checkout it says:

All prices include duty and customs fees on select shipping methods.

It is normal for these types of companies (RS and Farnell do the same) to display prices excluding VAT so I'm sure it's down to my incorrect interpretation.

So including VAT for this part only we have £124.76

[PeterJ]

Also I need a link for a SDRAM+SRAM module+shipping. Not the standard 32MB because is not capable to run Next core.

Assuming this is the correct part, they are for me £21.49 (32MB) or £53.99 (128MB) with free UK shipping.


https://misterfpga.co.uk/product/mister ... don-board/

https://misterfpga.co.uk/product/mister ... mb-module/

[antoniovillena]

I buy from digikey and mouser, mostly digikey. About 20 units of de10 nano every week. This is my current stock

[antoniovillena]

Assuming this is the correct part, they are for me £53.99 with free UK shipping.

https://misterfpga.co.uk/product/mister ... mb-module/

This not the correct part. Next core needs SRAM memory. That module is only SDRAM. There is no official part for 32MB+2MB module. This is the part:

https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Hardwar ... SDRAM_SRAM

It's a prototype developped by Sorgelig 3 years ago. It costs 38 EUR without shipping. So the total is at least 183 EUR without shipping. That's for a limited MiSTer (not all NeoGeo games available) without case, without IO addon (analog outputs), without hub, but capable to run Next core

[PeterJ]

I buy from digikey and mouser, mostly digikey. About 20 units of de10 nano every week. This is my current stock

Thanks for the correction [mention]antoniovillena[/mention].

Wow, can I play Jenga please!

[ZXDunny]

Damn. Now I'm wondering if once the SRAM issue is resolved I might be able to run a MiSTer inside a Next case for the ultimate in FPGA fun.

[Seven.FFF]

The Next design pushes async SRAM access patterns beyond what sequential SDRAM can keep up with. Typical solutions like SDRAM cache don't work well enough here, because much of the timing pressure comes from video RAM, which can't slow down the machine when cache misses occur. Misses would give video glitches or sparkles. Most of the Next's video RAM is in fast BRAM inside the FPGA, but because of the way layer 2 can be moved around over almost the entire memory map within a few Ts to facilitate multiple back buffers, at least 1792KB of SDRAM would need to be cached, which is unfeasible. DMA is another pressure on the timings, but this has a sequential pattern so a fancy cache algorithm with privileged knowledge of the DMA program might be able to do DMA without too much slowdown. Because of the first issue, I'm not expecting SDRAM to be implemented for the Next core any time soon (although I will be pleased if it is!). Perhaps it can with higher speed SDRAM, but that doesn't help the MISTer.

[akeley]

Well, I was quietly hoping for this core to appear on a basic MiSTer, but I guess you can't have everything

It's supposed to work with this special SDRAM module: https://manuferhi.com/p/dual-memory-for ... b-2mb-sram
Costs ~40E though, which is a bit dear for those like me who already have normal SDRAM. Unless you're building a new one...

Or I guess I could try to sell mine and get this one. Hmmm. Have to mull it over...

[Seven.FFF]

It's supposed to work with this special SDRAM module: https://manuferhi.com/p/dual-memory-for ... b-2mb-sram
Costs ~40E though, which is a bit dear for those like me who already have normal SDRAM. Unless you're building a new one...

Yes, this is the current workaround that makes it possible at all. It is using the extra SRAM inside that module, not the SDRAM. I guess they made it a dual module so it's also useful for other MISTer cores that use SDRAM without having to constantly switch modules.

The real issue here is that base board hardware (outside the FPGA) has some real effect on the kind of machines you can design or implement with it. MISTer is coming from a background where designs are friendly to sequential access from the beginning, whereas Next design is coming from a background where async access is pushed close to a limit without considering how to make it sequential-friendly.