Sega Saturn Core in Development
-
- Posts: 111
- Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2021 5:30 pm
- Has thanked: 144 times
- Been thanked: 19 times
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
Woah, did this guy build the CPU and the graphics chips both from scratch? Saturn has a pretty oddball CPU.
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
CHD and BIN/CUE support is implemented entirely within Main_MiSTer, so it's basically independent of the core. There's a bit of 'glue' in Main that's specific to each core (since they all have some quirks) but the majority of the heavy lifting is non-core specific.douglasamcintosh wrote: ↑Tue Sep 14, 2021 4:48 pm When (if) this core is released will it accept CHD files like most of the other disc based consoles?
Assuming this core is implemented like other CD based cores, if the initial release doesn't include CHD support I'll add it like I did for the current CD-based cores.
- jdeberhart
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 11:41 pm
- Been thanked: 5 times
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
All of the CPUs in the Saturn are normal CPUs: it uses a pair of Hitachi SH-2s, an SH-1, and a 68000. Maybe you're thinking about the VDPs? Most machines of this and previous generations used custom chips for the graphics, but the CPUs are all normal parts that are used in many other devices.cathrynmataga wrote: ↑Tue Sep 14, 2021 5:00 pm Woah, did this guy build the CPU and the graphics chips both from scratch? Saturn has a pretty oddball CPU.
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
The SH family isn't all that common though - nothing like the M68k. So I could well imagine that srg wrote his own SH-1 and SH-2 implementations. Fortunately they have pretty small instruction sets, so as far as processors go, those should be pretty easy to implement. At least that's my experience from writing software emulators, though I don't know how well that carries over to FPGA development.
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
The SH-2 has an open source implementation now (J-Core) as Hitachi let the patents expire.mic_ wrote: ↑Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:10 am The SH family isn't all that common though - nothing like the M68k. So I could well imagine that srg wrote his own SH-1 and SH-2 implementations. Fortunately they have pretty small instruction sets, so as far as processors go, those should be pretty easy to implement. At least that's my experience from writing software emulators, though I don't know how well that carries over to FPGA development.
https://j-core.org/
The 68000 has already been done
The VDP1 and VDP2 would definitely need re-implementing from scratch
-
- Core Developer
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Sun May 24, 2020 6:24 pm
- Location: Ukraine
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 114 times
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
SH1/SH2 is not only a SuperH processor core, but also contains some peripheral modules. J-Core does not match me because it has separate buses for instructions and data as well as the caches, also does not contain most of the peripheral modules.throAU wrote: ↑Wed Sep 15, 2021 9:38 amThe SH-2 has an open source implementation now (J-Core) as Hitachi let the patents expire.mic_ wrote: ↑Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:10 am The SH family isn't all that common though - nothing like the M68k. So I could well imagine that srg wrote his own SH-1 and SH-2 implementations. Fortunately they have pretty small instruction sets, so as far as processors go, those should be pretty easy to implement. At least that's my experience from writing software emulators, though I don't know how well that carries over to FPGA development.
https://j-core.org/
The 68000 has already been done
The VDP1 and VDP2 would definitely need re-implementing from scratch
For 68000 I use fx68k core of course.
- Mr. Encyclopedia
- Posts: 111
- Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2021 1:52 am
- Has thanked: 50 times
- Been thanked: 47 times
- Contact:
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
The Cyclone V in the De10-Nano has 41,910 ALMS in 110k LEs, so according to srg's chart the SH1/SH2 chips seem to take up about one fourth of the FPGA capacity.
Also worth pointing out that the 32X and CPS-3 also use SH-2 processors so this hard work is paving the way for those cores in the future.
Also worth pointing out that the 32X and CPS-3 also use SH-2 processors so this hard work is paving the way for those cores in the future.
-
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2021 5:19 am
- Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Has thanked: 44 times
- Been thanked: 13 times
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
Did not know that!Mr. Encyclopedia wrote: ↑Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:57 pm Also worth pointing out that the 32X and CPS-3 also use SH-2 processors so this hard work is paving the way for those cores in the future.
It would be great to see CPS3 reproduced in MiSTer
- Waifu4Life
- Posts: 235
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 5:30 am
- Has thanked: 20 times
- Been thanked: 36 times
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
It would be nice, but I would much prefer that other systems being prioritised since the Dreamcast got 5/6 of the CPS-3 games.
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
It's not like there is anyway to port the Dreamcast on the Mister though ... Not in full FPGA way anyway.the_importer wrote: ↑Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:43 pm It would be nice, but I would much prefer that other systems being prioritised since the Dreamcast got 5/6 of the CPS-3 games.
- Waifu4Life
- Posts: 235
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 5:30 am
- Has thanked: 20 times
- Been thanked: 36 times
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
Doubt anyone in this community doesn't own a Dreamcast.Neocaron wrote: ↑Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:35 amIt's not like there is anyway to port the Dreamcast on the Mister though ... Not in full FPGA way anyway.the_importer wrote: ↑Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:43 pm It would be nice, but I would much prefer that other systems being prioritised since the Dreamcast got 5/6 of the CPS-3 games.
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
I have a used one actually XDthe_importer wrote: ↑Sun Sep 19, 2021 1:40 amDoubt anyone in this community doesn't own a Dreamcast.Neocaron wrote: ↑Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:35 amIt's not like there is anyway to port the Dreamcast on the Mister though ... Not in full FPGA way anyway.the_importer wrote: ↑Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:43 pm It would be nice, but I would much prefer that other systems being prioritised since the Dreamcast got 5/6 of the CPS-3 games.
Too much crazy taxi and soul calibur turned it into a very tired grandma. It goes back to the idea that hardware fails and dies. Especially that gen.
The idea behind FPGA is also to preserve forever the fonctional blueprint of a said hardware. At the same time it's probably close to imposible to create an FPGA implementation of the Dreamcast and up even with all the space in the world... at least in a time where it would make sense. Emulation is probably the only way to go from there.
- Waifu4Life
- Posts: 235
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 5:30 am
- Has thanked: 20 times
- Been thanked: 36 times
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
There's more to the MiSTer in terms of FPGA to preserve game. An ODE does have FPGA in it and what do you know, the Dreamcast happens to have a few ODE's at its disposal including one that's been cloned the easily obtainable on Amazon.Neocaron wrote: ↑Sun Sep 19, 2021 4:05 amI have a used one actually XDthe_importer wrote: ↑Sun Sep 19, 2021 1:40 amDoubt anyone in this community doesn't own a Dreamcast.
Too much crazy taxi and soul calibur turned it into a very tired grandma. It goes back to the idea that hardware fails and dies. Especially that gen.
The idea behind FPGA is also to preserve forever the fonctional blueprint of a said hardware. At the same time it's probably close to imposible to create an FPGA implementation of the Dreamcast and up even with all the space in the world... at least in a time where it would make sense. Emulation is probably the only way to go from there.
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
ST-V has an extra I/O chip to handle the standard player/coin inputs rather than routing those through SMPC, so it's not just a matter of loading the right ROMs into a Saturn core. That being said, the chip in question seems pretty simple, so a developer could probably deal with it after higher-priority stuff is done. Some games have protection chips or custom controllers, which would complicate things.
-
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2020 9:16 am
- Been thanked: 3 times
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
I going cry if this core comes available.. My Saturn games were stolen by the gameshop nedgame many years ago. The store owner promised to try and remove a few scratches that were bothering me. So I brought my games in and I never got them back. It included games like panzer dragoon, dragon force, shining Forge 3. The one I miss most is Story Of Thor 2. I never could find a affordable copy anymore. With this core I finally will be able to play them.
- Captain FPGA
- Posts: 371
- Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2021 9:19 pm
- Has thanked: 195 times
- Been thanked: 25 times
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
Does this forum have an add button? I'd like to add this user as a friend and give him my support. That sounds horrible!ClassicGamerNL wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:06 am I going cry if this core comes available.. My Saturn games were stolen by the gameshop nedgame many years ago. The store owner promised to try and remove a few scratches that were bothering me. So I brought my games in and I never got them back. It included games like panzer dragoon, dragon force, shining Forge 3. The one I miss most is Story Of Thor 2. I never could find a affordable copy anymore. With this core I finally will be able to play them.
To the person who said do Dreamcast instead of CPS3, while I agree the Dreamcast would be fire! It's attitudes like this that would prevent us from seeing Red Earth come to the Mister. That would be a strong selling point to the whole Mister set-up to me, so would Saturn and Playstation.
Personally I'm also keeping my fingers crossed for Panasonic 3DO. After all it's the Real Interactive Multiplayer System
Dreams don't die!
- pgimeno
- Top Contributor
- Posts: 679
- Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2020 9:44 am
- Has thanked: 260 times
- Been thanked: 210 times
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
Yes, in the User Control Panel, last tab.Captain FPGA wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:39 am Does this forum have an add button? I'd like to add this user as a friend and give him my support. That sounds horrible!
+1Captain FPGA wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:39 am Personally I'm also keeping my fingers crossed for Panasonic 3DO.
Converters I've written: Floppy DIM/FDI/FDD/HDM to D88, D88 to XDF, Tape SVI 318/328 CAS to WAV
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
I am so happy to see a Saturn core being dev'd! I don't yet own a MiSTer but a good Saturn core would help push me to buy for sure.
- Captain FPGA
- Posts: 371
- Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2021 9:19 pm
- Has thanked: 195 times
- Been thanked: 25 times
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
Shout out to Gex, Super Turbo, Sailor Moon, Crash N Burn.
The real interactive multiplayer system.
Dreams don't die!
- LamerDeluxe
- Top Contributor
- Posts: 1181
- Joined: Sun May 24, 2020 10:25 pm
- Has thanked: 828 times
- Been thanked: 266 times
- Mr. Encyclopedia
- Posts: 111
- Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2021 1:52 am
- Has thanked: 50 times
- Been thanked: 47 times
- Contact:
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
I asked srg on Patreon about the potential for a beta core release and he said it's not ready yet, and indicated his goal was to get it from dual SDRAM to single SDRAM before any public releases. Makes sense to me.
- Waifu4Life
- Posts: 235
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 5:30 am
- Has thanked: 20 times
- Been thanked: 36 times
Re: Sega Saturn Core in Development
Let us pray to the FPGA gods that he can make it happen!Mr. Encyclopedia wrote: ↑Wed Nov 10, 2021 7:51 pm I asked srg on Patreon about the potential for a beta core release and he said it's not ready yet, and indicated his goal was to get it from dual SDRAM to single SDRAM before any public releases. Makes sense to me.
-
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2020 7:52 pm
- Has thanked: 38 times
- Been thanked: 7 times