
The open-source MiSTer FPGA project has been revolutionary since its inception a few years back. It allows users to replicate the performance of consoles, computers, handhelds, and arcade machines on a hardware level, offering superbly accurate emulation with very low latency.
In its most common form, MiSTer FPGA consists of a DE10-nano board, which is then connected to other boards which feature stuff like RAM, an I/O board, a USB hub and so on – creating the system's unique "sandwich" look.
Because it's open-source, we've seen a few spin-off projects appear, including Taki Udon's excellent MiSTer Pi and the forthcoming Replay2 – but if you're looking for a more streamlined experience, then the Multisystem will probably be of interest.
Created in the UK by Heber, the current MiSTer Multisystem Is a console motherboard for the MiSTer FPGA which aims to create a more console-like experience – but before you rush for that credit card, it's worth noting that it's getting a seriously promising upgrade in 2025.
The Multisystem 2 is billed as a "true all-in-one MiSTer FPGA gaming console" which is fully plug-and-play. Unlike current MiSTer FPGA options, it will be a complete system and will not require the user to add a DE10-nano (or clone), RAM or any other boards – everything will be included on the main motherboard.
It will also be backwards compatible with existing Multisystem cartridges, which add new features and expand the platform's functionality.
There's no word on pricing as yet, but Heber says it wants the price "to be as low as possible so many more people can get involved in FPGAGaming & MiSTerFPGA."
The Multisystem 2 is expected to launch next year.
[source x.com]
Comments 25
Could be interesting depending how this is priced.
Software emulation is at a point where it's more than good enough for me now and I already have too many different machines to play games on now
Great to have more options out there and I look forward to hearing about this one.
But at this point, I feel like the Pocket has effectively grown up to be an excellent MiSTer alternative with the additional benefit of portability. I'm not sure I need anything else!
I’ll say it again, all my old consoles from NES and SMS to PCE, MD, SNES, Saturn, etc., all plug into the dozen CRTs I got, no issues, no extras. So far, all these FPGA solutions do not have an easy way of doing that. For niche, enthusiast, fussy-about-performance, retro gaming products emulating old consoles with as much accuracy as they advertise, it’s strange that they can’t just connect to old TV’s. Like really strange to me that old TV sets are never part of this equation at the base of it
@NinChocolate You can absolutely use a MisterFPGA with a CRT. I do! Its not even a difficult thing to achieve - just use the IO board.
@mrfield I realize some people do this, but I believe it’s extra hardware with converters depending on the monitor, with VGA as the primary signal, and getting that into component signal (what all my old consoles and TV’s have) does not have satisfying results, from what I’ve read
I think the FPGA space is pretty cool with what is currently available with MiSTER and stuff, but I just don't really want to buy a MiSTER to download a whole bunch of ROMS, which I already prefer not to do in most cases, when with what I want software emulation gets it done for free. But I am much more interested in the FPGA devices that still act as normal consoles with the original mediums that they had like Analogue's products, so having a big all in one system that plays all types of cartridges, cards, and discs would be awesome and something I would definitely be wanting to get if it has a range to play almost everything possible physically
@NinChocolate I don't 100% remember if that is the case or not, but I know My Life In Gaming's video on the MiSTER have full guides on how to set it up on a CRT. Very good watch even if you aren't interested in setting it up on a CRT
I doubt this will be cheaper than £299 so will probably still be one for the already converted rather than someone taking a punt out of interest.
@Fighting_Game_Loser editing my reply. Composite connection is not mentioned in the MLiG vid, just RGB, component.
Might have some stiff competition seeing as Taki/Retroremake has three custom consoles based MiSTer in the works
I believe all including the flagship will cost less than the current price of the DE10.
@NinChocolate Have you checked out the RetroRGB video for composite/s-video? For best results, you're likely going to need Mike Simone's MisterCRT board.
It doesn't use VGA per se, rather the DE-15 port is configured to pass RGB signals through which are mixed and modulated via the adapter. Modulation, by its nature, is going to degrade the picture quality by virtue of the limited bandwidth. If you have S-video available, it's going to look significantly better with less smearing and light bleed.
@Fighting_Game_Loser How are you expecting this to be different?
@845H If you think this will be £299 or less I have a museum for you to purchase.
@GlamorousAlpaca no, I believe it will be circa £349 at least but happy to be proven wrong. I'm more than happy with my atarashai emulations front end with everything setup for bezels and scanline filters (and the occasional BFI) to ever need something like this anyway. 10 years ago I craved original controllers as well but we have amazing usb and wireless options now too.
@NinChocolate you should possibly read up a bit more. you can do direct video into a crt using a relatively small DAC or get an IO board add on for true vga output which carries an rgb signal. vga to scart cables are not expensive. The quality of the signal is arguably higher than native consoles (snes and megadrive consoles both have video quality issues).
I mention my desire for on-board component output because this latest FPGA device is touted as ‘plug-n-play’ as written here. Well, accurate plug-n-play to the period of the hardware this is emulating would be composite, all my old consoles have it and all my tubes have it, and everything still works exactly as it did back then. It would be nice to see plug-n-play FPGA devices, but made so that if you’ve still got the old TV you played your 16-bit console on in the 90’s, it would be as simple as that as a substitution for that hardware (as the devices are, at least in part, intended to be).
Maybe I'm missing something obvious here, but I'm not seeing any cartridge slots on this device...
@NinChocolate I get that a lot of retro gaming enthusiasts are CRT fans and that's cool. I have one stashed away for when I need it. But you also need to recognize that CRTs are functionally endangered technology with a dwindling number of users, however devoted they may be. You are too niche an audience to be developing hardware for.
The vast majority of people interested in playing retro games are interested in playing them on screens they already have. Every extra port added to a board costs more and raises the asking price for a feature that most users just don't want or need. You can bemoan it all you want, but there's no mystery about why these devices aren't designed to support displays that are in a ever-declining number of households.
@Razieluigi I understand that fpga boxes at this stage are addressing the technical drawback of old consoles: lesser audio/image signal. It’s natural they would do that and perhaps natural to say that that aspect of old hardware never needs to be there again. You’ve got people showing off their mister running on PVMs on YouTube to impress their audience in this regard. But as fpga gaming awareness and availability increases, there will be folks happy with the way consoles originally were displayed and not feeling like they need RGB SCART converters or VGA computer monitors which are shorter in supply now than the average composite-in consumer CRT.
And sure, the 95% of users who just want to connect with HDMI to play old software would say not to bother with anything from the past. But that’s not really the spirit of the fpga development scene now, or the video game preservation supportive crowd. Those old TV’s were special to video games in hindsight, I choose to believe.
@ninchocolate
Not sure where everyone is getting their info from but Mister has built in support for y/c and s video.
The adapter i use goes from Mister vga to yc or svideo
@NinChocolate If you check out the Heber shop you will note that they have a composite/s-video module which clicks in and the suggestion is that all these modules will be compatible https://shop.heber.co.uk/super-video-custard-cartridge-for-multisystem-with-enclosure/
Its probably reasonable for any mister system to default to RGB but composite is there if you're some fanatic for it.
@NinChocolate A lot of consumer TVs have more inputs that just composite. In Europe most have RGB Scart for example
@city952 thanks for the information.
Not a fanatic for composite, but it’s the output/input all my old SD consoles have (over 12 systems), and all my CRTs have (8 of 9 of those), so that’s how everything commonly connects and I’m fine with that. A system replacing that setup ideally connects just as easily so I can still use any of my TV’s just as any of my 12+ consoles can connect to all them.
RGB Scart sounds great but it wasn’t a standard in Canada. Some of my stuff has S-video, some has component connections or both of those. Everything has composite connections and I’m happy with that signal.
@NinChocolate Its absolutely fair enough wanting to use original hardware. nothing beats the feel. interesting video from MVG yesterday about the state of retro games; at some point clone hardware will be needed for everyone as everything but Nintendo cart based systems are starting to breakdown and need serious maintenance. I’m hoping that one of the new fpga consoles will be able to do what i want (all systems under one roof) as I got out of game collecting a long time ago (it became a horrific FOMO collectathon of crap for me). There are new systems from Heber and Taki Udon which should be released in 2025 under the mister platform and hopefully provide the end game solution for pre-2000 consoles
@city952 ya, it’s something that bothers me on and off that the original experience is deteriorating in some way or another. I don’t do any collecting and I’m happy with the excellent emulation options out there now with equally excellent CRT filters. Keeping an eye on the possibilities with FPGA as it relates to my experience or wants with original gaming hardware, and keeping that going as long as possible
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