Modder turns NES into a Windows-like desktop with original hardware
Throaty Mumbo turns his NES into a Windows-like desktop using an FPGA cartridge emulating an old Intel CPU, complete with a CD drive and internet capabilities, all without tearing the NES apart.
YouTube retro gaming channel Throaty Mumbo has created a Windows-like desktop environment on the NES. Utilizing the EverDrive N8 Pro, an FPGA-powered NES cartridge, the project relies on the NES' cartridge-side processing to handle x86 emulation. The NESPC project is available on GitHub, featuring firmware for a USB interface that allows keyboard, mouse, and MIDI functionality.
Throaty Mumbo began with ROMs found online, experimenting with a Chinese Windows 98 ROM that offered minimal functionality, including Paint and Windows Explorer. He later developed his own ROM after finding NES86 by decrazyo to be slow and unusable. The NES' 6502 8-bit microprocessor was too slow to emulate x86, so Throaty Mumbo employed the EverDrive N8 Pro, an ARM-based Cyclone IV FPGA, to make the NES act like an external graphics card.
Next186, an open-source FPGA soft processor core, is used to execute Intel 80186-compatible instructions. Throaty Mumbo showcased a command-line interface, where command-line programs like tty-tetris and a smooth-running train animation were demonstrated. He then created a desktop environment resembling a stripped-down version of Windows 98, featuring a functional menu replacement, a playable Minesweeper, and program icons for game ROMs and file access.
After struggling with a mouse and keyboard, Throaty Mumbo adapted a Family BASIC keyboard for the NES using an expansion slot and breakout board. However, this setup was ineffective, so he used an RP2350 microcontroller with custom firmware to enable smooth USB input, allowing keyboard and mouse functions. To handle MIDI, Throaty Mumbo connected a USB piano keyboard and utilized a basic digital audio workstation for playing Mario soundtracks.
Lastly, he added a 3D-printed NESCD project with a Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32, providing WiFi capability for internet access, albeit through a proxy due to limited internet capabilities.
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