MiSTer

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Revision as of 13:41, 21 June 2019 by FosterHaven (talk | contribs) (there are still areas that can be improved, but it's no longer a placeholder page.)
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MiSTer
Developer(s) MiSTer-devel
(MiSTer Team)
Latest version Git
Active Yes
Platform(s) Terasic DE10-nano (with add-ons)
Architecture(s) FPGA
Emulates Various
Compatibility Varies, see supported systems
Website MiSTer wiki
Support ($) PayPal
Patreon
Programmed in Verilog, VHDL, SystemVerilog
License Varies between GPL3 and MIT
Source code GitHub

MiSTer is an open source hardware reimplementation project designed to be used on an FPGA. It reimplements various console, arcade, and computer hardware on the Terasic DE10-nano development board as opposed to running projects like Lakka on an ARM-based DIY emulation box. MiSTer is a fork of MiST, which is a similar project; the difference is that MiSTer targets a more powerful board to allow for more complex hardware implementations.

Contrary to what one might think, the Terasic DE10-nano doesn't just have an FPGA; the system also contains an ARM processor and DDR3 memory which is used with an optimized Linux kernel to interface with files-- the system can even run Lubuntu 16.04 if one wanted to. The difference between a board like the DE10-nano and, say, a Raspberry Pi is the addition of an entire FPGA which handles the bulk of the system core.

MiSTer also maintains schematics for a few additional boards; some cores will often require the SDRAM board, as it allows for better handling of memory than what the DDR3 unit provides. The DE10-nano only includes HDMI output so the I/O board is needed if VGA connectivity is desired.

Setup

Follow these two pages to get started (and this one if you plan on using a core that requires SDRAM).

Overview

Supported systems

System Classification Status
Bally Astrocade Console SuperStar
Atari 2600 Console SuperStar
Atari 5200 Console SuperStar
ColecoVision Console SuperStar
Nintendo Entertainment System Console SuperStar
Nintendo Gameboy Console SuperStar
Odyssey² Console SuperStar
PC Engine/TurboGrafx 16 (SuperGrafx) Console SuperStar
Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Console SuperStar
Sega Master System and Game Gear Console SuperStar
SNES/Super Famicom Console SuperStar
Vectrex Console SuperStar
Amstrad CPC 6128 Computer SuperStar
SNES (Super Famicom) Computer SuperStar
Atari 800 XL Computer SuperStar
Amiga Computer SuperStar
Commodore 64 Computer SuperStar
Commodore 16 / Plus/4 Computer SuperStar
Commodore PET Computer SuperStar
Commodore VIC-20 Computer SuperStar
ao486 Computer SuperStar
SAM Coupe Computer SuperStar
ZX Spectrum Computer SuperStar
Apple II+ Computer Good
Apple Macintosh Plus Computer Good
Altair 8800 Computer Advanced
DEC PDP-1 Computer Advanced
Neo Geo Console WIP
Sharp X68000 Computer WIP

Add-on boards

The project also maintains schematics for add-on boards that users can add onto the DE10-nano. All of them are optional for the basic usage of the FPGA, but some cores may require the SDRAM board.

SDRAM
Allows FPGA cores to use memory that's better suited for reimplementations.
I/O
Adds a VGA connector, a 3.5mm audio jack, optical audio, three buttons, three LEDs, a secondary SD card slot, a USB 3.0-like expansion connector, and a fan that cools the FPGA. The DE10-nano only includes an HDMI connector, so this board is needed if one wants VGA support.
RTC
Provides a real-time clock for enthusiasts. The clock can be automatically configured if the FPGA is connected to the internet via the DE10's Ethernet port, and only two cores make use of it anyway.
USB hub
Adds seven USB ports under the main board.

Resources