EDN8 OS v20-BETA. Large update incoming

[Sarge]

Is there any chance that, if this was the last update the older cart will see, that the firmware could be made open source?  I have to think some folks in the community would be interested in continuing to work on it a bit.

[leonquest]

Is there any chance that, if this was the last update the older cart will see, that the firmware could be made open source?  I have to think some folks in the community would be interested in continuing to work on it a bit.

X2 on this.... Pretty please krikzz?

[nastc1]

I'm curious as to why they are working on a N8 pro, while the latest firmware for this version is loaded with issues???

[EmperorOfTigers]

I'm curious as to why they are working on a N8 pro, while the latest firmware for this version is loaded with issues???

Because this older N8 cart will not get any more updates at all so OS16 and betas for OS20 will be the end of the road for the N8.
The N8 Pro will get new firmware.

[nastc1]

I'm curious as to why they are working on a N8 pro, while the latest firmware for this version is loaded with issues???

Because this older N8 cart will not get any more updates at all so OS16 and betas for OS20 will be the end of the road for the N8.
The N8 Pro will get new firmware.

But people already spent a lot of money on this version. I disagree with the decision to make a new one altogether. Saying "Because this older N8 cart will not get any more updates at all" is not a reason.

[fernan1234]

An N8 Pro has not even been announced, has it? Anyway, if it is released, it shouldn't be a problem even for people who recently bought an N8. Like with the SD2SNES Pro, it's pretty easy to sell your old cart at almost the same price you paid, since tons of people are happy with the old features and don't need the new more expensive cart. That example also shows that the way forward to add new features requires new hardware.

[nastc1]

An N8 Pro has not even been announced, has it? Anyway, if it is released, it shouldn't be a problem even for people who recently bought an N8. Like with the SD2SNES Pro, it's pretty easy to sell your old cart at almost the same price you paid, since tons of people are happy with the old features and don't need the new more expensive cart. That example also shows that the way forward to add new features requires new hardware.

SD2SNES is a completely different situation. It feels like a finished product. The N8 does not. Someone linked the Twitter announcement for the N8 pro in a group i'm in. So it has been announced. Which would be fine...if this one had better firmware.

[nastc1]

Announcement is on this forum as well.

http://krikzz.com/forum/index.php?topic=8938.0

[Relikk]

I've never complained about this stuff before because it has always made sense, upgrades are necessary, but I don't agree with leaving the original N8 as it is. Krikzz needs to finish the v20 firmware he started.

[SkinnyV]

I'm curious as to why they are working on a N8 pro, while the latest firmware for this version is loaded with issues???

From what I could gather from years of following the board, theres this idea among krikks’s fanboy that whatever came on your cart when you bought it is what you’re entitled to and any new update or firmware release is a gift from the almighty creator that should make you feel eternally grateful. I also think Krikks believe he supported his old product long enough.

My take is, he had ideas for a firmware, it didn’t work as well as he tought but seem to work for some, his attention went to something else and he is not willing to put the time needed to figure what is wrong, specially with yet another model on the horizon. I also have the feeling the fact the everdrive n8 was cloned and is now being sold by the chineses helped divert his already quite divided attention to newer, more protected and profitable models.

Personnaly, I think that, while he doesn’t necessarily owe anybody anything, he should fix up the bugs in the final update since he started it and got a lot of people’s hope up. Peoples discussed and tried to come up with what hardware combination might be responsible for the issues and tried to disgnoses this for months. It would just be good practice and pr in my opinion to fix it.

Now I’m just hoping we’re going to start seeing open source flash cart project because there is just too many products for a single person to support and I’m getting dizzy trying to figure out which everdrive version is what, what is old and unsupported, what is new or what is a “Pro” version.

[Jdurg]

There's also the possibility that in investigating the issues further, he discovered that the problems absolutely cannot be fixed on the current hardware, so why waste time?  May have been what helped push the creation of the the updated version.

[nastc1]

I remember a while ago when Krikzz and Analogue tried to work together to make the N8 more compatible with the larger NT models. Then it ended on bad terms with Krikzz slandering their systems. Hind sight is 20/20 and time seems to have proven that the N8 was ultimately the issue between the 2. Then the NT mini comes out and the SD card slot jailbreak wipes the floor with N8 compatibility. Seems pretty relevant if they really decide to abandon the original N8.

[Sarge]

I don't think it's the hardware causing the issues, since you can clearly see that things get less stable progressing through firmware.

Anyway, if we don't get any extra functionality, that's fine, but the v20 firmware definitely feels unstable.  Really, that's all I care about at this point.  I've stopped at RC3, since with my current console (front-loader NES), it behaves properly.  Everything later doesn't, which has to indicate some changes made that impacts how well it runs on various systems.  (For instance, the weird screen-tearing I was seeing in Ultima IV shows up on two of my systems, and on one it doesn't.  Then there's games like Batman which outright freeze, very quickly.)

That's why I proposed that KRIKzz open-source the firmware.  If the hardware has already been cloned, and the device is effectively being discontinued with no more work on it, then what's the harm of letting someone else take a crack at getting it more stable?  I appreciate all the work KRIKzz has done on it (and I know it's a lot!), so don't let it go to waste!

[leonquest]

The new N8 model is being made because the FPGA on the current one has reach end of life, same as with the SD2Snes, and also with the mega everdrive X7. Anything else being said on this thread is an assumption.

That being said, Krikzz has a history of dropping support for discontinued products, so my vote is on open sourcing the firmware.

[nastc1]

The new N8 model is being made because the FPGA on the current one has reach end of life, same as with the SD2Snes, and also with the mega everdrive X7. Anything else being said on this thread is an assumption.

That being said, Krikzz has a history of dropping support for discontinued products, so my vote is on open sourcing the firmware.

End of life? Are all of old Flash Carts going to die soon? Or because the sales have slowed down. Still doesn't explain why the N8 firmware can't be fixed. But yes please open source it so the thing is at least usable....