Super Nt

[MarioMania]

I don't even have it & I'm talking about it..Looks Cool

Now I would get one if I had the $$$

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXnmhsKVr50

[Frank_fjs]

Overpriced emulation doesn't excite me

[MarioMania]

It's not emulation ..It's FPGA

Watch the Video

[Frank_fjs]

Still emulation, just hardware based as opposed to software based. Better in the sense that you remove the software overhead, but still emulation. FPGA is just being used as a marketing ploy to make people think it's more than what it actually is.

[Frank_fjs]

Just stating that it's still emulation. Seems to be lots of people throwing the 'it's not emulation, it's FPGA' term around and this is inaccurate. It most definitely is emulation, hardware based yes but emulation nonetheless.

Whether it's worth $310 US with 2 x matching controllers and delivery is for each individual person to decide.

[aitsu124]

Whether it's worth $310 US with 2 x matching controllers and delivery is for each individual person to decide.

Why buy it when you could just buy a PVM and original hardware for the same price or cheaper and have it as authentic as possible?

[P]

I agree but it's still cool that the hardware is being documented in detail. The Super Famicom isn't going to last forever so it's good to think of ways to reproduce the hardware in the future. Wish it was open source though so the documentation was shared by the public.

FPGA is just being used as a marketing ploy to make people think it's more than what it actually is.

It's a lot of work for a simple "marketing ploy" though. Call it hardware emulation or not but don't lump it together with software emulation that simply can't work exactly identically because of how CPUs work. Programmable logic can reproduce digital logic 100% in theory but in practice of course there will be major or minor differences depending on how well it's implemented. But different hardware revisions of the real Super Famicom will also have minor differences so it's just a matter in how much detail you are willing to go before you consider it accurate enough.

[Frank_fjs]

I don't mean to sound harsh, not knocking the product, the idea or FPGAs. Just don't appreciate deceitful marketing tactics or the belief that programming a chip is the same as real hardware. Great substitute but you can't say it's the same. I've already seen reports of it not working with certain carts, that should be impossible if 'it's not emulation'. Why do genuine SFC consoles play these carts as intended but not the Super NT? Because it IS emulation and will never be 100% accurate.

[P]

I understand your concerns, but by "programming a chip" you set physical gates to produce the digital logic you want instead of using discrete components or ASIC chips to do the same thing. So it should be able to be the same thing on a digital level. Of course on a microscopic physical level there are differences due to laws of physics but that goes for different revisions of the real SFC as well, and even different SFC consoles of the same revision, every SFC is unique after all.

I also thing you are a bit fast to judging FPGA technology just by the fact that certain games doesn't work on the Super NT. Not everything about the SFC is fully understood yet so it's still not possible to remake a 100% identical machine. We probably need some chips to get de-capped which is an expensive and delicate process.

[L___E___T]

 



I have to be honest, I do love the machine but als think they've deliberately suggested there's no emulation involved at all, and FPGA is still 'emulating/cloning' hardware.  Yes it's accurate, but to me it's still like saying NOAC is "real hardware, real chips, real cartridges" type of marketing line.  But then that's just what marketing is, making the most of your product.

I've watched a lot of reviews, it is pretty much unanimously deemed an amazing product.  It doesn't have everything I'md want to get one now, but I will get one at some point.  At present, my SNES mini ticks the 'games on an HD screen via HDMI' checkbox, but as soon as extra cores get added and there's an HDMI downscale option, I'll grab one!

[P]

Well it's no doubt a clone but if we can reliably produce a clone that works 100% the same as the original on a digital logic level the SFC's future is saved. The digital logic is the spirit of the machine.

You can define the word emulator however you want but when I hear the word I think more of software emulation and Retron 5 and such things which isn't really what we want. And NOAC is just a funny clone that manages to get a lot of things wrong.

[L___E___T]

 



Yes NOAC is a quick and hasty hardware emulation - but to me they are in the same family as FPGA.

That aside, I totally get the appeal and why people love FPGA solutions.

I also saw that the first jailbreak homebrew appeared for it as well:
http://www.retrocollect.com/News/recently-released-analogue-super-nt-snes-console-gets-jailbroken-firmware.html

Would love it if this thing could run NES, Megadrive, Neo Geo and heck maybe even CPS2.  Not sure how powerful it is.

[aitsu124]

I still don't have a Super NT, however, people keep telling me to get one. Not sure what the point is when I already have the original hardware (which I prefer playing anyway). Is it worth it? 

No, I wouldn't recommend one. If you don't already and can afford it, I'd recommend picking up a PVM and getting RGB out of your hardware. Much better idea.

[Ghegs]

CRTs aren't going to last forever, and they're extremely inconvenient in the time of flat televisions that don't break your back when trying to move them. Having a good system with HDMI out basically future-proofs your SNES gaming.

Disclaimer: I have three CRTs, one of which I play my RGB-modded AV Famicom on, and I still think the Analogue NT Mini was an excellent purchase.

[L___E___T]

Already have a really nice PVM. Still need to get RGB out of the SFC though! 

The SNES original model 1s output RGB by default...  So all you'll need is an RGB / SCART cable

The discussion you'll see online is about the output visual quality of that RGB signal.  Original model 1s tend to have a 'white stripe' down the middle that is very soft, and less crisp pixels, but it's still legit RGB and better than component.

The model 2s aka Jr / Mini models have to be modded to output RGB, but it's an easy mod and once done they output very crisp RGB basically on par with the 1CHIP SNES you may have read about.

I still think the SNES looks way better on a CRT or PVM/BVM than on any flatscreen, but I also am looking forward to getting a Super NT at some point hopefully soon - especially now that the (first?) unofficial firmware has been released.  Now if only that can add one or two systems on to that!