N64 Progress and Comparison

[leckel1996]

Here is a comparison between my rgb modded N64 with de-blur and mister running the N64 core with all the post processing options turned on except VI Bilinear. Can you tell which is which? They look, play, and feel so similar.

[Akuma]

I think the top one is the real N64 and bottom one is MiSTer FPGA

Reasoning:

• top one is blurrier

• bottom one looks sharper

• "continue" is greenish in the top one, yellow in the bottom one

and since I'm absolutely no expert in anything N64 I could be very wrong here

[thorr]

The Continue gives it away, although I don't have any experience with this game so I don't know which is correct. Other than the Continue, and the obvious changes in the pictures on the left and the position of the vehicle on the right, I can't spot any major differences. The sharpness differences change throughout the picture areas, so that to me is not a real clue.

[leckel1996]

The “Continue” actually flashes between green and yellow I believe. Overall one has a slight yellow/green tint to it and the other has more vibrant colors without an apparent tint. It’s pretty subtle though.

[Akuma]

There is a difference in the purple (see top left) between the two images. I figured that would also impact the color of the "Continue". However if its flashing between yellow and green than that theory goes out the window.

It still leaves the purple difference though.
The red in the powerbar is darker in the top.
There is more orange in the speedometer (bottom-right)

[leckel1996]

Top is MiSTer and bottom is original hardware. MiSTer looks better in my opinion and more natural/vibrant. Original hardware looks like it has a filter over the image in comparison.

[Bristles]

I was going to say the bottom one, because you mentioned in your original post that your N64 had a De-Blur mod, as well as RGB mod - which can make the N64 look quite sharp on a good CRT/PVM.
I don't get how you think the Mister is more natural ?
How can it be more natural than the real thing ?
Perhaps, your N64 mods are giving you an image that is too perfect from a non-modded N64 ?

[leckel1996]

I was going to say the bottom one, because you mentioned in your original post that your N64 had a De-Blur mod, as well as RGB mod - which can make the N64 look quite sharp on a good CRT/PVM.
I don't get how you think the Mister is more natural ?
How can it be more natural than the real thing ?
Perhaps, your N64 mods are giving you an image that is too perfect from a non-modded N64 ?

It’s hard to describe exactly what I mean, but when comparing them back and forth the colors coming from mister are more vibrant. Switching to original hardware makes it look like there’s a tinted haze over everything.

I’d say they’re almost exactly the same when it comes to sharpness.

[Akuma]

Crap, I was all wrong but that would mean the red is either off in the MiSTer or the RGB mod

[leckel1996]

Another comparison on an LCD display. I’m not sure I see any difference.

[Akuma]

• Something is different between the stairs
• Something is different between the suns
• The shadow on the bricks is only visible in the bottom, in the top the bricks are gone.
• There seems to be a gauze over the picture in the top.

Hard to tell which is which, flipping a coin here: top=MiSTer , bottom=N64

[Bristles]

I agree. Bottom pic has rainbow artefacting due to analogue to digital connection, something you wouldn't get with a purely digital to digital connection from the Mister.

[leckel1996]

The rainbow pattern is the result of taking a picture of an LCD. Try to ignore that.

[Bristles]

To be fair, a static image isn't really saying much. I mean, you could add a Raspberry Pi 4 running Retroarch, and it would still look almost identical across all 3 screens. The difference would be playing them, and the real thing, for now, would still win the battle. When Robert gets close to a full release, then the gap will be much closer, although never a match for the real thing, and I wouldn't expect it to be. Robert has already done a fantastic job so far, so even if we get close, it will be as close as a DE10 can get.

[leckel1996]

Have you compared them side by side? They feel exactly the same to me on a crt.

[Akuma]

The lower steps of the stairs are visible in the top one, not in the bottom one.