From the beginning, when I was designing the Mini-ITX Ironclad Plus just for myself, I wanted to design something durable, resistant to the passage of time, and at the same time be customisable without sacrificing anything along the way while being standard for future-proofing, and it is proving to be just that!. But I also wanted it to be as integrated as possible, with the minimum of accessories hanging around it while still being fully functional, that way it is much easier to transport, less prone to issues with less weak spots, and much easier to look at, clean, and integrate in your entertainment center. All your retro-gaming in one single professional and beautiful box for many years to come, the MiSTer project deserves that and more!
Right now we have “almost” everything already, including SNAC+ with a DB9 Genesis gamepad port built in, dual RAM support, all official analog outputs available, two types of User I/O ports, remote control so you can operate it from the couch, but there was still an external box any retro-computer lover should have still hanging around…
Introducing the Ironclad’s Internal Mt32-Pi Hat:
Thanks to the amazing work in the development of the secondary User i/o port by Antonio Villena, now we can have everything inside our Mini-ITX case, even the MT32-Pi!
It is designed to work only with the Raspberry Pi Zero 2w, and future Raspberry Pi Zero models with the same footprint supported by the Mt32-Pi project, it connects to your De10-Nano directly positioned over the network port, it does fit inside the smallest 60mm thick cases, like the one in the pictures, and works at the same time with anything connected to the User port / SNAC, no more unplugging and plugging, no more switching devices, no more connect and disconnect, everything works at the same time, how cool is that?. You can change Synth and switch roms using the MiSTer OSD menu, but the hat also has properly labeled pin headers in case you want to wire physical buttons to your case for that functions, it has a header for an OLED display if you want it, and… I put some holes to screw a 40mm fan on top of the FPGA, not that it is needed by any means, but there is the possibility.
Finally i think i have completed the MiSTer FPGA setup of my dreams, and i really hope you like it.
I will be writing a manual for the HAT in the Ironclad’s manual section during this summer with all the information about hardware installation and core configuration well before shipping time.
The Internal Mt32-Pi Hat will be available for pre-order as an optional accessory along with the next Ironclad Plus batch, and will also be available to any previous Ironclad buyer, or anyone, with immediate shipping as soon as i receive the stock of manufactured final units, probably in late summer. Meanwhile i hope you all have enough time to source your Pi Zero 2w ;p
It’s time for celebration, the MiSTer FPGA project is on fire, what an epic moment we are living for retro-gaming!
