MiSTer FPGA expansion kit: everything around the board, except the board

The FPGA board is not in this box. This kit brings together what you need to add around a Cyclone V development board you already own to turn it into a usable MiSTer: the 128 MB SDRAM module required by heavy cores, the I/O expansion board 6.1 with its VGA output, the USB hub, the clock board, the fan and a metal case with its screws. It is the logical complement to a board bought bare from a distributor.

What it does

• 128 MB SDRAM module: this is the external memory without which part of the core catalogue refuses to load. It is the most decisive part of the kit.
• I/O expansion board 6.1: VGA video output, 3.5 mm jack audio output, microSD card reader, and the project's three buttons — USER, OSD and RESET — with their LEDs.
• USB hub and real-time clock: controllers, keyboard and mouse plug in without an external hub, and the clock board keeps the date between power-offs.
• Complete metal case: chassis, three faceplates, fan, light guides, standoffs, screws and screwdriver. Nothing extra to buy to close it all up.

What it doesn't do

• Does not work on its own. Without a Cyclone V development board, this kit does not start: there is no processor and no FPGA inside.
• No microSD card is included, and therefore no pre-installed system. You have to install the open-source MiSTer system yourself.
• No HDMI output on this expansion board. Video comes out over VGA: you need a monitor that accepts it, or a converter.
• The CR1220 battery for the clock is not included. The board and its holder are, the battery is not.
• No games are included. Supplied without games, in compliance with the law.
• No controller, no mains power supply and no video cable are included.
• The mechanical compatibility of the case depends on the exact model of your board and your daughter boards. Check the dimensions before ordering if your build is not standard.

Compatibility

Designed for a MiSTer FPGA build around an Intel Cyclone V SoC development board. The SDRAM module fits on the board's GPIO connector, the I/O expansion board on the second connector. The expansion board follows the public I/O Board 6.1 layout of the MiSTer project, whose designs are open.

What is not covered: FPGA boards from other families — GOWIN, Xilinx, Lattice — whose pinout and dimensions do not match.

Skill level required

Intermediate. No soldering: everything plugs onto connectors and screws together. However, you need to know how to orient the SDRAM module and the expansion board correctly — reversing them can damage the FPGA board — and then install the open-source system yourself on a microSD card. The screwdriver you need is included.

In the box

• 1 metal case: chassis and 3 faceplates
• 1 I/O expansion board 6.1: VGA, 3.5 mm audio jack, USB port, microSD reader, USER, OSD and RESET buttons
• 1 USB hub board
• 1 128 MB SDRAM module
• 1 real-time clock board with CR1220 battery holder
• 1 fan
• 1 USB power cable to power connector
• 3 light guides, standoffs, screws and 1 screwdriver

No FPGA board, microSD card, CR1220 battery, mains power supply, controller or games.

Read before ordering: Premium & FPGA Consoles