The MSTR Case

[akicus]

I agree. I would love to have a case where the power/ethernet/whatever is on the backside and a few ports up front for controllers. Tis appears to tick that particular box for me.

If you just want USB jacks on the front and the rest of the ports on the back then the smaller version of the MSTR case could be for you.
We have not posted any images of it yet.

[hernan43]

Well it's probably safest to just buy both....

[boilop]

What a cool project, thank you for working on this!

[akicus]

I had a couple of questions sent to me about the "auto-hinge" idea and how it would be implemented. It is similar to the picture below but on the inside (the wall side). These will sit on both hinges and help open up the lid of the case automatically and hold it there once it's been "activated" through a button on the bottom of the case. I know as well that a lot of you don't want/need this feature. We will figure it out.

HingeAuto.jpg

What a cool project, thank you for working on this!

Thanks. I love arcade games a lot, that's what first drew me into the MiSTer project and it's capabilities. Hopefully we will have a lot more to show everybody next month, especially how the Player Cartridge System (PCS) works and it's special features.

Well it's probably safest to just buy both....

That could work also I guess hehe. When you have full specs on both I think you will find what you are looking for though.

[akicus]

Here is also a little sneak peak into how the mechanism of the PCS (Player Cartridge System) will work. This is a earlier version but just so you get the idea.

https://akicus.co/EjectPCS.mp4

[Bennehana]

and we both speak Swedish.

So if you both speak Swedish. That means shipping to Sweden i dont have to pay taxes or PostNords import fee

[akicus]

and we both speak Swedish.

So if you both speak Swedish. That means shipping to Sweden i dont have to pay taxes or PostNords import fee

I wish ^_^. He lives in Finland, I live in Sweden but we both speak Swedish.
Also, if everything was manufactured in Sweden the price would be pretty high I think.

[akicus]

Player Cartridge System (PCS)
This system is designed to tackle a variation of different controller ports and ways of connecting with your controller.

It is a cartridge based system where there is a fingerboard sticking out on the back of the cartridge that goes into a connector that is mounted inside the MSTR.

This system will enable easy swapping of different controller ports as easy as it can be.


Player Mode
The third LED on the MSTR will tell you which mode you are in (USB is blue, SNAC is red and Extra is green). It wall always start in ”USB-Mode” after powering the MiSTer on.
”Extra” will be discussed at a later date.

Modes can be changed ”on the fly” using just your controller, this means that you can for example start browsing around in the menu system in ”USB mode”, select a SNAC core, put the controller into ”SNAC mode” with an easy button/time press combination and carry on playing like normal.


Controller Ports
The PCS will handle as many different controller ports as possible like NES, SNES, PSX, Saturn DB9, DB15 et.c. Because of the size it will also be possible to handle for example four NES ports, four DB15 ports et.c.

If anyone got any questions just let me know and I'll try and answer them. Please remember that more in depth info will be posted about this as time goes on.

PCS.png

[Slipard]

It's getting more and more interesting.

[grizzly]

PCS sounds really interesting, more then the case itself to me.
One question!
Does the switching need different cores or do the official work?
Guessing it needs different cores/core update to work.

[akicus]

PCS sounds really interesting, more then the case itself to me.
One question!
Does the switching need different cores or do the official work?
Guessing it needs different cores/core update to work.

The case has a couple of more features so maybe it will be more interesting in the near future once we have the whole spec list.

The switching will work with any core, we will not produce special cores in order for it to work. If you chose a SNAC core for example then you just switch it to "SNAC Mode" and you are on your way.

[twocuddlefish]

Interesting, I had the same idea for building a 'PCS' system for my case based on DaemonBite. Started watching videos on KiCAD, should be a fun first pcb project.

Neat lid opening concept. Noticed the lid has/had some interference in the animation (maybe an older video, saw a notch in one of the other pictures)

When designing kinematics it's best to design both closed and open positions in the same assembly (I'm lazy so I'll do concepts in a component with formulas and links). It's easier to maintain clearances and track your instantaneous centers if you have both positions in mind. Most people try to design starting with closed and make the links, but to me that's backwards. All I care about are open and closed (and closed is generally fixed). The link centers are free to move, most of it's 2d, with lines between centers and their plotted arcs (simple-ish)

[akicus]

Interesting, I had the same idea for building a 'PCS' system for my case based on DaemonBite. Started watching videos on KiCAD, should be a fun first pcb project.

Neat lid opening concept. Noticed the lid has/had some interference in the animation (maybe an older video, saw a notch in one of the other pictures)

When designing kinematics it's best to design both closed and open positions in the same assembly (I'm lazy so I'll do concepts in a component with formulas and links). It's easier to maintain clearances and track your instantaneous centers if you have both positions in mind. Most people try to design starting with closed and make the links, but to me that's backwards. All I care about are open and closed (and closed is generally fixed). The link centers are free to move, most of it's 2d, with lines between centers and their plotted arcs (simple-ish)

This project will contain 100% DaemonBite pcb designs all over the insides, not only the PCS, so it will for sure be something special. Regarding the lid animation, we have many different versions of it and some goes back a couple of months, we basically just wanted to show the main idea, how it could work.
I posted another video below of another hinge type we played with.

Also, good luck with your project.

Hinge2.png

https://akicus.co/Hinge2.mp4

[twocuddlefish]

Thanks! I was down the 'rabbit hole' yesterday and today working on my MiSTer.

This iteration looks nice, thanks for posting an update

How are you making these? Machining? 3d print? Resin mold?

[akicus]

Thanks! I was down the 'rabbit hole' yesterday and today working on my MiSTer.

This iteration looks nice, thanks for posting an update

How are you making these? Machining? 3d print? Resin mold?

Base and lid will be done by 5axis CNC HAAS made out of once piece, similar to what Analogue does with their NES machines.

[robotnoise]

This case is amazing, I absolutely love the aesthetics. I own a consolised CPS2 multi and am in the process of converting another CPS2 case to house a CPS1 for the upcoming multi so this will fit right in.

I haven't jumped into Mister due to the lack of a decent console styled case but I will as soon as this version is available, keep up the good work!

[akicus]

This case is amazing, I absolutely love the aesthetics. I own a consolised CPS2 multi and am in the process of converting another CPS2 case to house a CPS1 for the upcoming multi so this will fit right in.

I haven't jumped into Mister due to the lack of a decent console styled case but I will as soon as this version is available, keep up the good work!

Thanks for the kind words! I too am a big fan of the CPS2 (minus the fan noise) and that is part of why the case design is what it is. Hopefully we get CPS2 for MiSTer by the end of the year, that is at least my hope.

Check this thread from time to time or look at the Instagram account if you want, updates comes regularly.


OT: One of the first logos we wanted to use for the MSTR had a "II" in it but we scrapped it as it could be confusing for the end user. Maybe in the future...

MSTRIILogo.png

[mr-box]

i think you should add a mini keyboard underneath were you can slide it in and out

[robotnoise]

Thanks for the kind words! I too am a big fan of the CPS2 (minus the fan noise) and that is part of why the case design is what it is. Hopefully we get CPS2 for MiSTer by the end of the year, that is at least my hope.

Oh man, that fan noise. It was the first thing I replaced, plenty of silent fan options available.

[akicus]

i think you should add a mini keyboard underneath were you can slide it in and out

I thought about it but it would just add extra cost for people who already use their own keyboard. This case will be pricey as it is because it's made with quality in mind so to add another cost to it could be a problem. I like the idea though.

[akicus]

Me and DaemonBite are still working on the MSTR case so don't let the lack of updates fool you .
We have updated a few things so we will post about it soon.

[akicus]

Sorry for the lack of updates, more updates will be coming this month. We are trying to include every possible thing + be future upgradable if needed (if new io board comes out or whatever.
Stay tuned...

[Bennehana]

I was just about to ask how's goin with this case i will buy one for sure.

[akicus]

Small update. This is just an early render of the pcb design of the MSTR (just so you get the overall idea of what it will look like).
More to come soon.

MSTRPCB1.JPG

MSTRPCB3.JPG

[akicus]

Here are also some more pics.

More detailed pic of the add-on pcb. One USB-jack will face inwards for adding WiFi or Bluetooth addon (it sits inside so no one takes it during tournaments or if you are at a gathering or whatever).

AddOn.png

Example of how the cassette pcb will look, more detail on this soon. 4 x DB15 will be possible.

CassettePCB.png

[ash2fpga]

More detailed pic of the add-on pcb. One USB-jack will face inwards for adding WiFi or Bluetooth addon (it sits inside so no one takes it during tournaments or if you are at a gathering or whatever).

Nice. I like the idea of the inward facing USB.

[PikWik]

7AujP3A.gif

[Bennehana]

So how is the progress going with this?

[akicus]

I think that after the recent Nt mini Noir that a gunmetal grey is the only way to go with this beauty now.

Not my photo, it's from the My Life in Gaming video.

Regarding the colors it all depends on what the customers want I guess, gunmetal should be no problem however.

So how is the progress going with this?

It is going forward, right now there are some holidays so update will come after that.

[derFunkenstein]

I'm very, very excited for this. I'd much rather have something a little bigger with ports on front/back than have the tiniest case ever with ports on all sides. Even in the MiSTer Addons PCB case (which is very nice for what it is) the thing looks hokey as all get-out. I just found out about this today and will follow with great interest.