Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 3:21 pm
by insanityprawnboy
Hi. I'm completely new to the Mister. I bought one from eBay after seeing some videos about it.
Described as follows : "Mister FPGA - top of the range fully built ready to go! DE10 Nano, IO Board 6.1, RTC, tape input, 128MB, Blisster board!..
complete with UK power supply!.. 8gb card pre installed to get you going. Condition is "New"."
It also came in a nice case.
It arrived today. I plugged it in, and I can see all the cores (I can't see a Commodore Amiga one though, but I'll sort that out later, no doubt). I've added nothing to the Mister at all. The only games I got working were when I tried the Sega Genisis core - I found two there, Sonic and Ghouls and Ghosts.
There's a tiny SD card in the Primary SD port, and no SD card in the Secondary one.
I'd just like a pointer in what I should do next? Should I go buy another SD card? To put in the Secondary port? Is that where I'd put the ROMs on to? And where's the best place to get the roms?
Also, how does the Primary SD card come out without taking the case off? It seems almost impossible to get to.
I probably sound a bit daft, but like I say, I've just started here.
Thank you for reading.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 3:48 pm
by Chris23235
Welcome to the MiSTer world. No need for a secondary SD card at the moment (some cores can utilise the secondary SD card, but most cores don't need it). What you definitely need is the sdram module. Can you check the description if your MiSTer is equipped with an sdram module?
The genesis core is one of the few cores that can use the DDR3-RAM of the DE10-Nano. Most cores expect a separate RAM module attached to your MiSTer (varying in Size between 32MB and 128MB).
To get the cores updated attach a LAN cable to the MiSTer and run the update script from the main menu.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 3:53 pm
by Bernouilli
The amiga core is called minimig.
The second sdcard isn't necessary, it can be used by some core but I don't know which.
You can remove the sdcard using a toothpick and push it slightly, it will get out. But there is no need to take it off. You can upload al the roms using the network.
Look in the script lists to see if you have a script call "get rom mame" or something similar.
You can also search the web for roms, hints : roms pack site:archive.org
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Welcome to the MiSTer world. No need for a secondary SD card at the moment (some cores can utilise the secondary SD card, but most cores don't need it). What you definitely need is the sdram module. Can you check the description if your MiSTer is equipped with an sdram module?
The genesis core is one of the few cores that can use the DDR3-RAM of the DE10-Nano. Most cores expect a separate RAM module attached to your MiSTer (varying in Size between 32MB and 128MB).
To get the cores updated attach a LAN cable to the MiSTer and run the update script from the main menu.
The amiga core is called minimig.
The second sdcard isn't necessary, it can be used by some core but I don't know which.
You can remove the sdcard using a toothpick and push it slightly, it will get out. But there is no need to take it off. You can upload al the roms using the network.
Look in the script lists to see if you have a script call "get rom mame" or something similar.
You can also search the web for roms, hints : roms pack site:archive.org
Thank you. I'll look now...
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
The amiga core is called minimig.
The second sdcard isn't necessary, it can be used by some core but I don't know which.
You can remove the sdcard using a toothpick and push it slightly, it will get out. But there is no need to take it off. You can upload al the roms using the network.
Look in the script lists to see if you have a script call "get rom mame" or something similar.
You can also search the web for roms, hints : roms pack site:archive.org
I clicked on Scripts. I can't see the one you mentioned.
Run the update_all script to bring all arcade games up to date and update all the other cores.
I did that. What should I do now? Sorry, I'm a bit lost here.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 5:34 pm
by DiamondDave
Go on YouTube and look for "MiSTer FPGA setup" videos, there are dozens, and they will show you what to do step by step. Far easier to do it that way than posting individual questions.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Go on YouTube and look for "MiSTer FPGA setup" videos, there are dozens, and they will show you what to do step by step. Far easier to do it that way than posting individual questions.
The videos on there seem to be ones about putting roms onto the SD card. It's also possible to download them straight to the MiSTer via Lan, isn't it? Least, that's what I thought..? I've been trying to find info on that.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 5:53 pm
by insanityprawnboy
It's probably quite simple when you know how.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Go on YouTube and look for "MiSTer FPGA setup" videos, there are dozens, and they will show you what to do step by step. Far easier to do it that way than posting individual questions.
The videos on there seem to be ones about putting roms onto the SD card. It's also possible to download them straight to the MiSTer via Lan, isn't it? Least, that's what I thought..? I've been trying to find info on that.
There are videos on there that show MiSTers being built piece by piece, as well as setting up menus and settings and giving a basic overview about how the entire thing works. I really think you should just sit down and watch a couple hours of these videos because it will make things a lot clearer for you.
You can transfer games over LAN from a PC to the MiSTer, but the MiSTer cannot download ROMs itself (except for arcade games, using the update_all script)
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Go on YouTube and look for "MiSTer FPGA setup" videos, there are dozens, and they will show you what to do step by step. Far easier to do it that way than posting individual questions.
The videos on there seem to be ones about putting roms onto the SD card. It's also possible to download them straight to the MiSTer via Lan, isn't it? Least, that's what I thought..? I've been trying to find info on that.
There are videos on there that show MiSTers being built piece by piece, as well as setting up menus and settings and giving a basic overview about how the entire thing works. I really think you should just sit down and watch a couple hours of these videos because it will make things a lot clearer for you.
You can transfer games over LAN from a PC to the MiSTer, but the MiSTer cannot download ROMs itself (except for arcade games, using the update_all script)
I can see all the arcade cores, there's loads of them. I updated all, but none of them work. It's as though it goes to work, but then says it's not found. Like, for example, the vertical white screen shows for Burger Time. But that's it.
Sorry to be a pain here.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 6:15 pm
by jca
Did you enable Mame Getter and HBMame Getter in the update all script settings?
Start update all script, when it says it will start in 15s press the up arrow and go to Aracade ROMs Database and enable it, including HB ROMs.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Did you enable Mame Getter and HBMame Getter in the update all script settings?
Start update all script, when it says it will start in 15s press the up arrow and go to Aracade ROMs Database and enable it, including HB ROMs.
When I click on Update all, it then gives me the option to press up, and it goes to settings. It takes me to a blue screen with a white box in the middle - "Update All 2.0 Settings". Then a list of of options. I don't see it yet, but are Mame Getter and HBMame Getter somewhere here?
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Did you enable Mame Getter and HBMame Getter in the update all script settings?
Start update all script, when it says it will start in 15s press the up arrow and go to Arcade ROMs Database and enable it, including HB ROMs.
When I click on Update all, it then gives me the option to press up, and it goes to settings. It takes me to a blue screen with a white box in the middle - "Update All 2.0 Settings". Then a list of of options. I don't see it yet, but are Mame Getter and HBMame Getter somewhere here?
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Did you enable Mame Getter and HBMame Getter in the update all script settings?
Start update all script, when it says it will start in 15s press the up arrow and go to Arcade ROMs Database and enable it, including HB ROMs.
When I click on Update all, it then gives me the option to press up, and it goes to settings. It takes me to a blue screen with a white box in the middle - "Update All 2.0 Settings". Then a list of of options. I don't see it yet, but are Mame Getter and HBMame Getter somewhere here?
I had a brainfart moment there. But thank you (and to everyone else who commented too). I got the arcade games running.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 7:56 pm
by jca
With ROMs Arcades work way better
If you don't have enough Arcades and need more you can go back to the update all script settings:
Unofficial cores
Enable Coin-Op Collection and Arcade Offset folder.
Sorry for the Mame and HBMame Getter, there was a time when they were named like that and I still use these names although they don't appear any longer.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 8:00 pm
by jca
I also forgot to mention the setting JTCORES for MISTer, enable it and you will get some cool stuff:
SEGA16, CAPCOM and many more.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
I also forgot to mention the setting JTCORES for MISTer, enable it and you will get some cool stuff:
SEGA16, CAPCOM and many more.
I'm just about to check that out. I really appreciated your help here. It's such a simple thing, but when you don't know, you don't know. I felt myself getting a bit frustrated earlier! (hence I somehow missed what you wrote).
I've not even got around to the console / computer roms yet. I just have to figure that out and then I'll all be set (that shouldn't be too hard to do either). Mostly, I'm waiting to get Atari 8 bit, Spectrum, and Intellivision Roms (three systems I had growing up).
I've been lost in these arcade games for the last couple of hours now!
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 10:05 pm
by jca
When you know it is easy but when you start it is difficult to find the right information or even to ask the right question. The forum is a good place to ask and get answers.
For consoles and computers you are on your own to find the ROMs. There is some help for BIOSes, there is a setting somewhere in the script setup but I did not use it, I look for these BIOSes myself. You also have to read the Wiki for these cores and set them up like how to name the BIOS, ...
Good luck and have fun.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 11:31 pm
by Malor
The simplest but most labor-intensive approach for loading console ROMs is to shut the Mister down, transfer the SD card to a desktop, and copy the ROMs you want into the games/corename directory. When you restart the Mister and load that console, you should then be able to load and run whatever ROM file(s) you copied.
A more complex but easier approach is to turn on the Mister's local Samba (Windows-style networking) server, map a drive letter from a Windows machine, and then copy the cores over the network. You can also turn on FTP and do it that way, but the SMB protocol is usually better.
The most complex to set up, but the easiest to load ROMs to, is using a NAS. You connect the Mister to the NAS, and then load ROMs there. If you use a wired Ethernet connection, this is also the fastest way to load and run cores and ROMs, because the Ethernet port has far more bandwidth than USB. (1 gigabit versus a supposed 480 megabits; in reality, it's more like 250Mbit, because USB is not very efficient. And that 250Mbit is shared across all the USB devices you connect, where the Ethernet port has a dedicated gigabit of its own.)
That's how I run mine; I already had a dedicated Linux Samba server, so adding a Mister share and connecting to that was pretty easy.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 11:53 pm
by insanityprawnboy
Another question here, which adaptor would I need for an Intellivision Flashback controller?
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
The simplest but most labor-intensive approach for loading console ROMs is to shut the Mister down, transfer the SD card to a desktop, and copy the ROMs you want into the games/corename directory. When you restart the Mister and load that console, you should then be able to load and run whatever ROM file(s) you copied.
A more complex but easier approach is to turn on the Mister's local Samba (Windows-style networking) server, map a drive letter from a Windows machine, and then copy the cores over the network. You can also turn on FTP and do it that way, but the SMB protocol is usually better.
The most complex to set up, but the easiest to load ROMs to, is using a NAS. You connect the Mister to the NAS, and then load ROMs there. If you use a wired Ethernet connection, this is also the fastest way to load and run cores and ROMs, because the Ethernet port has far more bandwidth than USB. (1 gigabit versus a supposed 480 megabits; in reality, it's more like 250Mbit, because USB is not very efficient. And that 250Mbit is shared across all the USB devices you connect, where the Ethernet port has a dedicated gigabit of its own.)
That's how I run mine; I already had a dedicated Linux Samba server, so adding a Mister share and connecting to that was pretty easy.
I'll be attempting to put console / computer ROMS on the MiSTer tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes!
Again, thank you to everyone for your help.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Another question here, which adaptor would I need for an Intellivision Flashback controller?
Not completely sure but the flashback controllers seems to not work on original intellivision.
But there are adaptors that will fix that like the ones shown here http://intellivisionaries.com/flashback/
Or rewire them to work
After that is done it will most likely work fine using a the DB9 adaptor on the blisster.
One point about that tough. https://bliss-box.net/blisster-quick-reference/
Q. Controller not being recognized.
A1. Some controllers have required button detection. ColecoVision,Bally,Intellivision, and sega 6 button require a button to be held down furring detection. This also means when exiting the menu. When in doubt hold the button indicated in the manual for your controller and hit reset.
A2. Remember to wait 3 second after resetting before you press buttons.
What blissbox cables did you get in the fully built top of the range pack you bought?
To me that would atleast mean you got the 10 pack and said nothing about that in the ad. https://bliss-box.net/store/Bliss-Box-C ... p198410399
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 12:45 am
by jca
For the Intellivison controller start looking here: viewtopic.php?p=31457#p31457
You can copy your ROMs easily without removing the SD card (the less you remove it the better) by using WinSCP. It may be slower than moving the SD card to the PC but it is better for the life of the DE10 nano SD card socket. I never move mine.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 2:00 am
by Malor
SCP is another good option, but it can be a little more complex to use. I think the freeware Putty handles SCP.
What that means is 'secure copy' -- it's using Secure Shell to copy files from one place to another. SSH needs to be enabled on the Mister, but you probably want that anyway.
And jca has an excellent point about the life of the microSD socket. It seems made pretty well, but it's likely to wear out eventually. Network copies of any type put no wear on anything but the actual SD card.
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Another question here, which adaptor would I need for an Intellivision Flashback controller?
Not completely sure but the flashback controllers seems to not work on original intellivision.
But there are adaptors that will fix that like the ones shown here http://intellivisionaries.com/flashback/
Or rewire them to work
After that is done it will most likely work fine using a the DB9 adaptor on the blisster.
One point about that tough. https://bliss-box.net/blisster-quick-reference/
Q. Controller not being recognized.
A1. Some controllers have required button detection. ColecoVision,Bally,Intellivision, and sega 6 button require a button to be held down furring detection. This also means when exiting the menu. When in doubt hold the button indicated in the manual for your controller and hit reset.
A2. Remember to wait 3 second after resetting before you press buttons.
What blissbox cables did you get in the fully built top of the range pack you bought?
To me that would atleast mean you got the 10 pack and said nothing about that in the ad. https://bliss-box.net/store/Bliss-Box-C ... p198410399
I ordered the one last Intellivision Flashback controller that I could find on Ebay. And a DB9 adaptor. That should work fine, from all I've read.
The cables I got? Everything that could be seen in the picture, here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155168290641
There's one cable, I'm not sure what it is. I've not found a use for it as yet. I'll figure out how to upload photos here and show you. It seems everything's running good though.
I really was floored last night, after I put some Atari 8-bit roms on the sd card, just how great this little box is!
Re: Just Starting Out With MiSTer Some Basic Questions?
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 11:17 pm
by grizzly
Blisster can use two different "cables/adapters".
It can use a regular USB cable or adapter OR it can use a "LLAPI cable".
LLAPI cable is a HDMI plug on one end and a certain controller port on the other like DB9/PSX/SNES and so on.
LLAPI=Low Latency API
Too utilize the full LLAPI potential you also need LLAPI cores which needs to be downloaded separately OR use download all and go into settings and enable LLAPI to download the LLAPI cores.
Some cores do not have a LLAPI core at all like many computer and arcade cores.
But if no LLAPI core is used you can still use the LLAPI cables since the "HDMI input port" will work in regular usb mode then.
And like it said in the web page and video i linked it seems like the flashback controllers is not wired the same as a regular Intellivision controller, and "regular" DB9 adapter will probably not work, and the LLAPI DB9 to HDMI adapter will most likely not work either.
And what is the DB9 adapter you bought?
Is it a regular DB9 to usb adapter or is it "DB9 to HDMI"? Something else?
If it is a DB9 to usb i would normally say try and see if it works on a pc to see if it works at all.
BUT i´m not sure i will since there can be problems if somethings is not wired correctly.
I can´t remember exactly which controllers/system it is but if you for example plug in a sega megadrive/genesis controller into a C-64 (or the other way around) there is a chance that you will burn out the controller or the port.
For you the usb port will probably be fine but the controller or the adapter could be in risk.
