SGI Indy / N64 dev kit clarifications...

[swcdx]

I've wanted one of these SGI Indy Nintendo 64 development kits for quite some time, especially as I am an SGI/Irix enthusiast, etc.

It's hard to find a lot of details, however, so before I start posting WTB, I have a few questions...

1. Does the development environment allow full screen game playing ? That is, could I use the dev kit to simply play N64 games ?

1a. If so, what does that mean for the effective resolution of a N64 game played in full screen ? I can get an Indy to output 1280x1024, which I think would be more than quad resolution for an N64 ... effectively upscaling it 4x. I wonder if this leads to a fantastic picture ... or is just weird ?

2. Does the dev board in the indy have a video out of some kind, so I could output to external video monitor while still seeing the debug, etc., in the irix desktop environment ? That is, does it have a secondary video output ?

3. What is the software component of this development kit, and does media exist for it, or does everyone just have whats loaded on their system disks ?

This is very important for me, as I am _very_ picky about how I load, partition, and configure an Irix system, and the first thing I would want to do with such a system is (after dumping its contents to backup) wipe the drive and reload the OS and applications from scratch.

Of course I can get Irix 5.x media, so that's no problem, but does the Nintendo development software exist anywhere in a form that I could load it onto Irix from scratch ?

4. Does documentation exist ?

Many thanks. All comments appreciated.

[kammedo]

In short :
1. Yes, the board has a N64 video output. But you will be able to only play up to 16 MB games as the board only has 16 Megs of RAM on it

1a. I think you can upscale it with the indy by looping the u64 output back in, but the results will be the same as scaling a normal N64.

2. See previous answer

3 & 4. Documentation and SDK can be found around. You just need to know what you have to look for.

I've wanted one of these SGI Indy Nintendo 64 development kits for quite some time, especially as I am an SGI/Irix enthusiast, etc.

It's hard to find a lot of details, however, so before I start posting WTB, I have a few questions...

1. Does the development environment allow full screen game playing ? That is, could I use the dev kit to simply play N64 games ?

1a. If so, what does that mean for the effective resolution of a N64 game played in full screen ? I can get an Indy to output 1280x1024, which I think would be more than quad resolution for an N64 ... effectively upscaling it 4x. I wonder if this leads to a fantastic picture ... or is just weird ?

2. Does the dev board in the indy have a video out of some kind, so I could output to external video monitor while still seeing the debug, etc., in the irix desktop environment ? That is, does it have a secondary video output ?

3. What is the software component of this development kit, and does media exist for it, or does everyone just have whats loaded on their system disks ?

This is very important for me, as I am _very_ picky about how I load, partition, and configure an Irix system, and the first thing I would want to do with such a system is (after dumping its contents to backup) wipe the drive and reload the OS and applications from scratch.

Of course I can get Irix 5.x media, so that's no problem, but does the Nintendo development software exist anywhere in a form that I could load it onto Irix from scratch ?

4. Does documentation exist ?

Many thanks. All comments appreciated.

[swcdx]

In short :
1. Yes, the board has a N64 video output. But you will be able to only play up to 16 MB games as the board only has 16 Megs of RAM on it

Pardon my ignorance - does that represent a lot of N64 games, or were only a few bigger than 16 MB ?

3 & 4. Documentation and SDK can be found around. You just need to know what you have to look for.

Ok. And is it correct to assume that there are conversion utilities (probably freeware ones) that can convert a rom that I create from a copier into the ROM format that the dev kit understands ?

Thanks.

[Barc0de]

Pardon my ignorance - does that represent a lot of N64 games, or were only a few bigger than 16 MB ?

games from 1997-8 at most should fit in the 16MB space provided by the U64 board - as well as more casual games released later on, but nothing important like, say, Turok 2, Banjo Tooie, Conker's Bad Fur Day etc.

Essentially look for 128mbit games max.

[retro]

Ok. And is it correct to assume that there are conversion utilities (probably freeware ones) that can convert a rom that I create from a copier, such as a SWC DX, or a Smart Bros, etc., into the ROM format that the dev kit understands ?

Thanks.

Umm, you want to create a ROM of a SNES game with a Super Wild Card DX, which plugs into a SNES, and then use it on an SGI Indy N64 development kit?!?!

Just get a V64. Once again, parallel port, it's a development tool as well as a copier. (or CD64 or Z64, of course!)

[swcdx]

Umm, you want to create a ROM of a SNES game with a Super Wild Card DX, which plugs into a SNES, and then use it on an SGI Indy N64 development kit?!?!

Just get a V64. Once again, parallel port, it's a development tool as well as a copier. (or CD64 or Z64, of course!)

No, no - I misspoke - I meant a N64 copier, not a SNES copier.

Just making sure that normal N64 roms can be imported, somehow, into the n64 dev kit on the indy.

[Calpis]

In order to have an ultra 1337 piracy box? :banghead:

[Barc0de]

yeah, not the greenest method of playing n64 games, considering the very low consumption of the retail unit. just get yourself a copier, they re much more flexible in many ways than using an indy+u64 - alas those were the earliest dev tools, if they were that ideal for development they wouldn't have been replaced by the KMC (modified retail) units.

[kammedo]

N64 ROMs are portable for all the hardware they have been developed for. That's why they come in binary form.
The only thing that may stop you from playing copier roms is that the ROM that you get dumped from the Dumping tool is byteswapped. Also, you may experience some difficulties when bringing the ROM to the indy - but if you are an IRIX / Linux expert it shouldn't be much of a problem for you to set up the indy in your network, so I don't count that as a major issue.

Why do you want to dump games for playing them on the u64? As I said, N64 is not able to output Hires natively.

No, no - I misspoke - I meant a N64 copier, not a SNES copier.

Just making sure that normal N64 roms can be imported, somehow, into the n64 dev kit on the indy.

[swcdx]

Why do you want to dump games for playing them on the u64? As I said, N64 is not able to output Hires natively.

There is really no good reason - as may have pointed out :)

I'll summarize by saying that, although the N64 was not my favorite console, I am a huge Nintendo fan _and_ a huge SGI/Irix fan ... so you can see how the intersection of those two things makes me very happy.

The question about the roms is merely confirming the manner of getting a game to it. Since it does not have a cartridge slot, it's one of the first things that comes to mind...

Thanks to all for the good information.

[kammedo]

The question about the roms is merely confirming the manner of getting a game to it. Since it does not have a
artridge slot, it's one of the first things that comes to mind...

Thanks to all for the good information.

There is a special tool for it, called gload which dl's your ROM image on the SGI u64.

[Barc0de]

Kammedo, is it possible to retrofit a cart-slot from a retail unit on the U64? the pins seem to be there, just the connector is missing I think.

Although i doubt anyone would dare modify their rare U64 board

[kammedo]

Kammedo, is it possible to retrofit a cart-slot from a retail unit on the U64? the pins seem to be there, just the connector is missing I think.

Although i doubt anyone would dare modify their rare U64 board

In theory yes. But why would you break such a nice piece of hw for testing?

[Barc0de]

lots of money and a small penis? neither of which I have.

[ASSEMbler]

You don't have a penis???

[marshallh]

lots of money and a small penis? neither of which I have.

He doesn't have a small penis, he has a VERY small one.


:P

[Barc0de]

I traded my penis for my n64 related hardware:P

[Matthijscoman]

Hahahaha, I had a good laugh, thanks.

[retro]

LOL, classic!

[graciano1337]

I traded my penis for my n64 related hardware:P

Whoever you traded with got ripped off. Take that anyway you want to.