Arfink, you are definitely a hero amongst men. Once this product matures a bit more, I will definitely snap one up.
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blargg wrote:
And the PC-to-NES cable is as simple as it comes. It's basically just a USB-to-serial cable connected to the controller port, with the NES doing a software-based UART running at 5.7 KB/sec. And yes, the NES can send data back to the PC. One interesting program I've made using this link is an NSF player that runs on the PC, but sends the sound chip writes to the NES for more authentic sound (and even suppots DMC samples).
I smell a use for the new output plugin format in famitracker .. 
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rochester, ny
blargg wrote:
The idea is for the code to go into the 128K/256K/perhaps larger Flash chip, and leave the battery RAM open for the code to use. The older design before these Flash chips was to use battery RAM (that's how all my current carts work).
And the PC-to-NES cable is as simple as it comes. It's basically just a USB-to-serial cable connected to the controller port, with the NES doing a software-based UART running at 5.7 KB/sec. And yes, the NES can send data back to the PC. One interesting program I've made using this link is an NSF player that runs on the PC, but sends the sound chip writes to the NES for more authentic sound (and even suppots DMC samples).
does this mean you could use a computer to sync an NES and LSDJ via an arduinoboy?
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Minneapolis
nickmaynard wrote:
blargg wrote:The idea is for the code to go into the 128K/256K/perhaps larger Flash chip, and leave the battery RAM open for the code to use. The older design before these Flash chips was to use battery RAM (that's how all my current carts work).
And the PC-to-NES cable is as simple as it comes. It's basically just a USB-to-serial cable connected to the controller port, with the NES doing a software-based UART running at 5.7 KB/sec. And yes, the NES can send data back to the PC. One interesting program I've made using this link is an NSF player that runs on the PC, but sends the sound chip writes to the NES for more authentic sound (and even suppots DMC samples).
does this mean you could use a computer to sync an NES and LSDJ via an arduinoboy?
Short answer: yes.
Long answer: pretty much just yes. Someone has to code the interface for it, of course, but yes.
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA
if the NES software could accept a pulse signal via a song playback mode that basically ran it's song playback speed based on an incoming clock signal via the controller port it could very easily be done.
My advice... make it a simple analog clock 1/4note per beat type. or simply.. midi clock.
which then allows you to use any number of clock conversion devices already out there in production.
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Minneapolis
low-gain wrote:
if the NES software could accept a pulse signal via a song playback mode that basically ran it's song playback speed based on an incoming clock signal via the controller port it could very easily be done.
My advice... make it a simple analog clock 1/4note per beat type. or simply.. midi clock.
which then allows you to use any number of clock conversion devices already out there in production.
Sounds fine, but again, it's all up to the imagination and skills of he who chooses to code the interface. In fact, I think it'd be easier to actually build a special-purpose interface for MIDI type syncing, since the cable being used for this project will have a MAX232 on it, and there has certainly got to be an easier way than using a PC as the sync device. 
But, one project at a time! At least for me. For the curious about how this stuff works on a technical level, may I suggest ingesting as much technical documentation as you can handle from this location:
Documents of interest for MIDI cable builders would include the NES general reference section, the NES hardware section, and especially a document called "NES hardware development guide."
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Is there any schedualed release or beta for this? Sign me the fuck up!
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Minneapolis
Well, here's the way things are: the designs are pretty much made, Blargg has got a couple conceptual bootloaders done already, and I'll be getting parts for our prototype hopefully in a week. If it works as planned I could be taking orders by mid August.
EDIT: The primary slowdowns are twofold- I have no capitol right now (so what little money will be spend with prototypes will be coming from my pocket) and Blargg seems to be in a different time zone than me. For both of us this is a free-time project, it's just that i'm unemployed and have lots of free-time and I'm pretty sure Blargg has alot less than me.
Last edited by arfink (Jul 29, 2010 6:30 pm)
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I prefer taking things a step at a time, so right now the phase is "build a prototype and see how it works". I'm pretty optimistic, but I've never used these Flash chips before, so there might be some snags. I don't want to make any big promises. Heh, I'm in a US-Central time zone, I just have an odd sleep schedule right now.
Last edited by blargg (Jul 29, 2010 6:20 pm)
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Minneapolis
I guess we are in the same time zone! Cool. I have been thinking of taking one (and only one) preorder right now in order to get the ball rolling, since I have no money. If any of you readers want to invest in this project (since I'm broke) and would like to ensure you get cartridge number 1, please send me a PM and we can talk.
As for the prototype, I have some of the parts I need now, but I need some more. I'll be pillaging my bonepile and "shelf of technology" looking for flash chips.
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA
if u need board design work done let me know.
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Minneapolis
PlainFlavored wrote:
Arfink, you are definitely a hero amongst men. Once this product matures a bit more, I will definitely snap one up.
You're too kind. However, I'd like to specially point out a real hero- node has very generously made a donation to help get this project going. Thanks so much node! I'll have to send you some special goodies as thanks!
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Minneapolis
OK, actual chopping and hacking begins today on the prototype. I got a donor board that needs to have the PRG desoldered and I found a flash chip in an old computer BIOS that looks compatible. Hopefully my rather brutish extraction of the chip hasn't damaged it! Also, cable construction can soon begin as well, since I have got some broken controllers to hack cords off of.
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Abandoned on Fire
From 8bc thread (does this count as cross-posting?):
arfink wrote:
One other thing- the PowerPak does not allow runtime modification of the rom. Properly used, the Munchausen cartridge can have its data changed on the fly. This allows coders to use lots of cool tricks by feeding the NES data from their PC while it's running. It also makes this cartridge better for doing stuff live (chiptune, VJ, whatever) since you don't have to restart the NES, re-pick a ROM, etc etc, because the data can be manipulated on the fly if you want. This cartridge gives the developer (and subsequently the user) alot of extra freedom.
I don't think you've laid out this difference quite as bluntly on this forum yet. For me, this is the really unique part of this project. Rock it!
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Minneapolis
Oh, yes maybe that wasn't so explicit on here. Thanks for that egr. If you want to see a nice practical example of how cool this kind of thing is, look at No Carrier's new GlitchNES 2 (not released quite yet) which allows for pattern/pallette/nametable/strobe etc. changes on the fly because it's constantly polling the cable for new data to insert into the system.
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The sector size on these Flash chips is in the 16-32K range, so you can't easily just rewrite a small portion of code, as you have to erase a whole sector. I'd think if you want to receive data from the PC while running, you'd put it in the 8K WRAM area. This allows working on other programmable cartridges as well, which I think is a good thing.