Racing Wheels on MiSTer FPGA – Setup Guide Dec 2022

Dec 26, 2022 Update: A MiSTer core update just dropped which says it integrates the atrac17 patch into the main MiSTer core. This means you do not need to manually enable the patch as I describe below, it should already be enabled after an update_all. From what I can tell in the patch notes, the rest of the article should still be relevant. I am currently on holiday in Japan (follow my twitter for daily Hard Off pickups!) and I will do a full update when I return in mid January

Analog racing wheel support is just starting to become a thing on the MiSTer FPGA with the popularity of the PS1 core and the upcoming Outrun arcade core.… Read the rest

Categories CRT

Lag Testing a Theater Grade Projector

As part of my day job, I present Stand Up comedy events and occasionally we get to work with some well known names. In this case it was two nights of the John Cleese show in Tallinn. You know, Monty Python Cleese, it was a pleasant experience to get to spend some time with a legend. It was like hanging out with comedy grandpa telling us stories of the old days.

On the second day the theater was setup and no preparation was needed in the afternoon. That is a ~1700 seat theater with a big rear projection screen setup and technicians on hand to help me. Why let that go to waste, I thought I would lag test the projector and then connect my MiSTer and play a few rounds in a unique environment.… Read the rest

Webhdx – Creator of the PicoBoot GameCube mod – Cathode Ray Podcast #30

30 episodes!

We are really happy to have Webhdx, creator of the Picoboot Gamcube mod chip. His real name is Maciej Kobus and he comes from Katowice in Poland.

A software guy by day, he fell in love with the GameCube hardware and has come up with some great projects. After Picoboot, we talk about his upcoming M2.Loader, which will allow an M2 SSD to be plugged in under your console. In the episode I ask Maciej “Why an M2? Just because it fits?” and his answers show he has really thought these things out.

He also has created his own aftermarket Wavebird receiver which he is almost ready to manufacture however the global parts storage is still a roadblock.

0:00 Start
01:10 Introduction to Maciej
07:00 Big GameCube fan
17:50 How did development of the PicoBoot start?… Read the rest

Crackhead PVM, Insurance Fraud & Market Manipulation w/ 8-bit Esquire – Cathode Ray Podcast #29

The Cathode Ray Podcast is a series with CRT shaman Steve from Retro Tech and Louis Zezeran from Zez Retro. Together we talk about CRTs, TVs and other retro gaming topics.

In this episode we speak to Twitter funny guy the 8-bit Esquire. An attorney by day and big old retro gaming fan by night, the 8-bit Esquire has a great collection and a bunch of good stories to go along with it.

This podcast starts as a casual chat between friends and gets louder the more beers that Louis drinks.

00:00 Start
01:00 The background of the 8-bit Esquire
07:00 Where did his retro collection start?
12:00 The origin of Steve’s collection
18:00 Is now the right time to sell into the market?… Read the rest

CRTs on Display at the Kumu Art Museum, Tallinn Estonia

Today is Sunday, a great day to leave the CRT workshop and head out into the wide world and not think about retro games for a while. Why not go experience some fine art?

Kumu is the main building of the Art Museum of Estonia and I took my camera to see if they had any visual art displays which involved CRTs. My friend Steve’s has been doing work at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts to help them preserve their CRT collection so they can continue to display visual art in the same way the artist intended. We made a whole podcast episode talking about the issues a museum faces when trying to display a visual art piece which was originally constructed with CRTs.… Read the rest

Categories CRT

Guide to Retro Game Hunting in Japan – My Hard Off Strategy

This is an article I originally wrote in 2017 on a trip to Japan. In Summer 2022 as the end of the Japanese travel restrictions are in sight, I wanted to move this article to our new blog. The information is still relevant: open google maps and go. You will have a great time.

I recommend you follow my favorite Hard Off hunter on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hardoffdiary. The man tours Japan, going by plane, train and ferry to find Hard Off stores.

There are quite a few articles online talking about Akihabara and a few more about Hard Off stores and which ones to look at. My article is rather more of a strategy guide, this is how I go retro game hunting.… Read the rest

Is a CRT market “price correction” due? Cathode Ray Podcast #28

There are some audio issue with this episode, I apologize for this and hope its not too bad for you to listen to

0:00 Start
1:00 Steve does Yoga with the Diamond Cutter
7:02 Steve selling fully serviced PVMs
14:10 More background on the MiSTer controller lag tester
30:00 Louis wants to lag test projectors now
34:00 Lag test a cinema projector?
43:40 Working on a Sony XBR CRT
52:00 eBay CRT “Market Watch” (with visuals!)
53:00 What does Steve look for in a cheap PVM
58:00 Is the retro market due for a correction? CRTs?

Lag Test Your Controller – MiSTer FPGA Input Latency Tester

This is the MiSTer FPGA input latency tester, basically its a lag test for your controller. It’s a homebrew device you can build yourself from an Arduino Pro Micro and a few cables. The test results are extremely accurate, down to fractions of a millisecond. If you have ever used the MiSTer Input Latency controller lag time database, those results were produced by this device.

I made a video about this project and below you can find the same instructions in written form.

The downside to this project is you will need to solder onto each controller you want to test. The Arduino needs a way to fire the button presses and we do that by connecting two wires onto the controllers PCB.… Read the rest

Repairing CRTs w/ Andy King – Cathode Ray Podcast #27

The Cathode Ray Podcast is a series with CRT shaman Steve from Retro Tech and Louis Zezeran from Zez Retro. Together we talk about CRTs, TVs and other retro gaming topics.

In this episode we talk to Andy King. Andy runs https://crtdatabase.com where he documents his work to repair and service CRTs. Andy also has a lot of experience RGB modding consumer sets and his website is one of the best resources available for that.

Andy runs a small CRT repair service based out of Northern California. If you are interested in his services, please reach out to him at https://twitter.com/dorksince93

Tales from the CRT workshop – Cathode Ray Podcast #25

This week Steve and I have a general catch up on what we have been doing this week.

00:00 Start
04:45 Tell Him He’s Dreaming’ recap
11:05 SECAM discussion
15:00 PAL / NTSC / SECAM
28:00 Steve’s video on those big ass CRTs
34:00 Tales from the CRT workshop
53:30 We react to eBay CRT listings (dreamin’!)

Steve and Louis maintain a blog about their projects “The Cathode Ray Blog”
https://www.cathoderayblog.com

You can find the audio on the web or your favourite podcast app
https://anchor.fm/zezretro

Catch us on Twitter
https://twitter.com/zez
https://twitter.com/usa_retro

For all your CRT repair needs, check out Steve’s channel
https://www.youtube.com/c/RetroTechUSA