![]() How is an FPGA-based solution different from a software emulator? Is it better? You’ll often see a hesitation to use the word “emulator” when talking about FPGA platforms. This is one of the most controversial topics in the retro gaming community. Intel / Terasic Why can’t I just use a software emulator to run roms? Why is the MiSTer better? Stock photo of the DE10-Nano development board, the heart of any MiSTer build. It’s a retro gaming platform you assemble yourself, but one that continues to evolve thanks to a dedicated community of brilliant hobbyists. This is where a lot of the confusion and complexity, but also the fun and excitement, of the MiSTer project comes from. ![]() Because it’s built on a standard, commercially available base, it’s expandable in lots of interesting, open-source ways. The MiSTer project picks up from that earlier project, but is built around a more powerful, readily available development kit with an FPGA - plus HDMI, USB, microSD, and more - at its core. If you’re familiar with Analogue’s Super NT and Mega SG clone consoles (which are designed to play 16-bit Nintendo and Sega games accurately), then you’ve got the idea.Īnd you can type it however you’d like! The capitalization conceit, and the title itself, comes from an older FPGA-based project called MiST that was designed to run retro computers like the Amiga and Atari ST. ![]() While most processors have a fixed architecture, FPGAs are designed to be reconfigured to clone whatever old gaming hardware they’re programmed to. To do this, MiSTers use FPGA (field-programmable gate array) technology. MiSTer is an open-source project designed to recreate the functionality of classic PCs, arcade games, and consoles as accurately as possible. ![]() And though my colleagues no longer answer their doors when they see me knocking, you, my dear reader, clicked on this story voluntarily! And I’m glad you did, so I can share this definitely-not-a-pamphlet explainer with you about why MiSTer is so exciting and why I think, maybe, you will find it exciting too! What is a MiSTer and do I have to type it that way? I’ve gotten a reputation around here as something of a proselytizer when it comes to the MiSTer project. ![]()
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