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NO SOLDERING REQUIRED! Now that you can buy RAM modules the title is technically inaccurate, but it makes me laugh. MiSTer is an FPGA-based open source platform that emulates classic consoles, arcade games, and computers. Each core aims to fully map and replicate the original hardware so even work-in-progress releases tend to have remarkable compatibility. There's also built-in stuff like cheats, scan lines, LCD effects, and custom Game Boy palettes. Far more accurate than emulation, with no perceptible input delay, the MiSTer currently plays: Nintendo: NES + SNES + Game Boy + Game Boy Color + Game Boy Advance Sega: Master System + Genesis + Sega CD + Game Gear SNK: Neo Geo NEC: Turbo Grafx 16 + Turbo Grafx CD Misc: Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Vectrex, ColecoVision, Astrocade, Odyssey2, C64, Apple II, tons of other old computers Arcade: CPS1, CPS1.5 (The Punisher!), Donkey Kong, Burger Time, Arkanoid, Black Tiger, Tapper, Rampage, Spy Hunter, Centipede, lots more In the Works: PSX, Saturn, CPS3, Jaguar, Lynx What if MAME was hardware-based with a broader scope? What if the Super NT/Mega SG required a bit more tinkering but had the potential to emulate nearly everything up to the Saturn and N64? What if my clunky rhetorical questions painted a decent enough picture of the MiSTer for you to let this paragraph slide? It's not only a great platform for playing a shitload of your ROMs on a single authentic-feeling device with no perceptible input delay, but a genuine ongoing effort to preserve the inner workings of classic hardware. Getting Started I just set mine up this morning, so the process is fresh in my head. Purchase the board, a Terasic DE10-Nano for around $110-140. Slap on any addons you want (more on those below). Format the included SD card and cram it full of cores, ROMs, and the latest system files. Hook it up to your display along with a keyboard and controller. Plug it in and after a few seconds you'll see a menu like this:  Hit ALT+F12 on the keyboard to bring up the Menu core's settings. Here's where you'll define and remap your controller. Be sure to assign a button or combination of buttons to the OSD menu. Now you will no longer need a keyboard. Save your settings. Launch a core, open the OSD to tinker with its settings and define the button mapping, pick your game, and play. Add Ons MisterAddons.com is the go-to seller if you're in the US, and the official forums maintain a list of additional sellers. SDRAM - Most cores require an SDRAM module. 128MB is the biggest you can get, and that's what I recommend. Settling for 64MB means missing out on some Neo Geo titles, and dropping to 32MB means not having access to chunks of the GBA library. Besides, with more cores for more demanding systems on the way you'll want all the memory you can have. USB - The DE10-Nano's mini-USB port won't quite get the job done. You're going to need an otg USB hub for your keyboard/controller/Bluetooth dongle. I got this $7 hub which works perfectly and can be tucked under the MiSTer. There are also addon USB boards/connectors available from the above sellers. Cooling - At the very least you'll want a 22mm x 22mm heatsink for the FPGA chip. I'd recommend this PCB Fan Plate + Heatsink combo for $15. If you need an IO board, it should also come with a heatsink + fan. IO Board - Are you one of those PVM/KVM weirdos with a tv stand that has slowly turned into a drawn bow? I fear and envy you. The IO board has all the analog outputs you're looking for. Links MiSTer Project Wiki and forum Detailed Setup Guide RetroRGB - An excellent source of MiSTer news and retro gaming news in general. If a new core appears it will be covered here within a day or two. Retronauts Episode 261 - The first interview is worth a listen, but the real MiSTer meat (???) starts at 41:30. Corin Tucker's Stalker fucked around with this message at 19:20 on Mar 4, 2021 |
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Nov 30, 2019 15:04
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FAQ & Tips Why isn't this thread subtitled: Tinker, Tailor, Solder, Sprite? gently caress. How do I get rid of the static background? Hit F1 to cycle through different backgrounds. If you want to make a custom background, just name it menu.png or menu.jpg and place it in your SD card's root then cycle to it. FPGA? Huh? Check out this summary or jump to 46:50 in the Retronauts interview from above. How do I add arcade cores? The process will be streamlined in the future, but for now it's a slightly clunky process involving bat files.
Grab the latest filter pack release. Put the Gamma and Filters folders in your SD card's root. Once you're inside a core, pull up the OSD and go to the second page. Under HDMI Scaler change the setting from "Filter - Internal" to "Filter - Custom". Now you can choose and apply a filter from the menu option below. Which controller should I use? If you want something with analog sticks and a second pair of triggers the 8Bitdo SN30/SF30 Pro line seems popular. I like the Retrobit 2.4GHz Saturn controller, modeled after the Japanese Saturn pad with included dongles for USB and the original Saturn port. Of course, there are MiSTer addons that let you plug in all sorts of classic controllers. Corin Tucker's Stalker fucked around with this message at 18:26 on Nov 30, 2019 |
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Nov 30, 2019 15:04
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I'll be sure to keep the OP updated with new cores. I do have a question. I've seen some videos in which people organize their cores in folders, like Arcade, Console, etc. I created an Arcade folder in my SD card's root and put all my arcade rbfs+roms in there, but when I pull up the Core menu that folder doesn't appear. Is there anything I'm missing?
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Dec 1, 2019 21:57
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Thanks, that worked perfectly. I'm having fun tinkering with the settings to get this set up exactly how I want. Tweaking the Mister.ini to enable 1080p and try integer scaling, finding the best scan line settings, etc. Honestly, the image looked great to begin with so I don't need to do much.
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Dec 2, 2019 02:07
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Mega/Sega CD core just went up. Haven't tested it myself, but holy cow this project's progress is wild.
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Dec 4, 2019 21:53
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Jotego just put out a public release of another Capcom arcade title: F1 Dream I'll be updating the OP this week with all the latest + upcoming cores at the top. Glad to hear arcade games will be easier to set up.
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Dec 24, 2019 19:06
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I'd be into a spinner controller as well. Arkanoid is one of my favorite games and nothing else feels quite right. For arcade games I've been using a Neo Geo Arcade Stick Pro. It's overkill, and feels absolutely ridiculous to play Neo Geo games on the MiSTer using a stick with a board inside that can also play Neo Geo games.
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Dec 31, 2019 02:43
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Yeah, the three week gap between getting my MiSTer and the RAM + cooling PCB arriving was painful. To get by I pretended it was a nicer Genesis Mini.
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Jan 9, 2020 12:44
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I've been thinking about video settings lately. Stock MiSTer looks pretty dang nice on a 4K tv, but I'm a fan of razor sharp pixels and pronounced scanlines so I dug into the ini file and changed vscale mode to 2 for .5 integer scaling then installed the custom filters and went with Scanlines (Sharper) at 30 weight. This looks a little crisper to my eye, but not perfect. I might try tinkering with the resolution and 1x integer scaling. Does anyone have a setup they're particularly happy with?
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Jan 12, 2020 00:49
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Jotego is setting up the CPS1 core github, so it's officially a work in progress. Who knows when we'll see the first public test release but it's good to know this is on the way.
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Jan 12, 2020 16:21
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You know those 8Bitdo wireless Gamecube/Wii controller adapters that are on sale every other day? I picked one up to see if I could use my SNES Classic controller on the MiSTer, and sure enough it works. It's a wireless adapter but you can just plug the USB cable right in and use it in wired mode. The adapter's buttons can also be mapped in MiSTer so you could do something like set the little home button to pull up the menu. Pretty cool if you have an NES/SNES Classic, Wii Classic, or GameCube controller laying around. I'm very happy with my Retrobit Saturn pad for Sega stuff, but Super Mario World didn't quite feel right with those buttons. Also, I played Kirby's Block Ball for the first time today and it rules. Corin Tucker's Stalker fucked around with this message at 18:23 on Jan 18, 2020 |
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Jan 18, 2020 18:20
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CPS core beta begins today, presumably only for jotego's Patreon supporters. https://twitter.com/topapate/status/1231210959504539648
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Feb 22, 2020 19:24
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The Double Dragon arcade core is now up for the public. Definitely going to check this out tonight, I think my only experience with the game was on NES.
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Mar 17, 2020 20:21
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Aaand here's Double Dragon 2. Jotego's on a roll.
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Mar 19, 2020 19:48
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Looks like the PC Engine CD core is on its way. Sorgelig started creating the commits this morning. Nothing we can actually play yet, but if the past is any indication it shouldn't be too long. Also, if you want a simple top and bottom protective MiSTer shell, this one on Etsy looks pretty nice and comes in a few colors.
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Apr 19, 2020 14:32
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Jolo posted:I'll be playing on a TV that can do 720 or 1080. Can anyone give me a brief "adjust these settings first" overview? I remember learning about integer scaling and shimmering and scanlines a couple of years back but I think I've forgotten most of it now. If I remember correctly integer scaling puts the exact pixels to the screen with no stretching and this eliminates shimmer from certain pixels being in between an exact position... something like that. vscale_mode=2 video_mode=8 That'll give you a 1080p signal with integer scaling at .5 steps for a super crisp picture that takes up as much of the screen as possible. Then within a core you can try applying custom filters to see what feels right. I'm a fan of sharp scanlines for most cores but there are all sorts of options and they're easy to test.
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May 12, 2020 10:52
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The beta's been kicking around for a while, but today Josh Bassett put out the public 1.0 release of Rygar.
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May 12, 2020 17:45
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A CAVE 68000 core is in the works by nullobject (the Rygar core dev). Never played DoDonPachi, look forward to getting blown up hundreds of times. This week I'll tidy up the OP with a list of the biggest developments that have happened since the thread was first posted.
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Jun 10, 2020 12:02
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Smarter people can help with your other questions, but I can chime in on a few things.Waltzing Along posted:I saw someone mention soldering somewhere. But from what I can see, it is all plug and play. Are there things that do need soldering? quote:What about the Mega SG / Everdrive vs Mister? With Analogue's stuff you're getting the ability to use carts, a case with good build quality, a custom UI with lots of bells and whistles, and something that works out of the box. You can also run games right off an SD card (as you can with the MiSTer) so you don't need an Everdrive. The biggest downside is that you have to buy a different device for each platform or set of platforms. With the MiSTer you're getting the same in-game experience. You only need one device for tons of platforms so you save a lot of money in the long run. The UI is simpler, and while I prefer it, that might not be to everyone's taste. If you simply follow a few tutorials and use an update script you'll be up and running in no time. The setup process felt pretty straightforward, but I'm one of those people who enjoy putting things together. Honestly, my favorite thing about owning a MiSTer is the feeling that there's always an unopened present just around the corner. I would have been more than happy to pay what I did for a combination NEO GEO and SNES box alone. Then came the Sega CD. And the GBA. And it always seems like some new core is being announced or released out of nowhere. Corin Tucker's Stalker fucked around with this message at 10:41 on Oct 23, 2020 |
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Oct 23, 2020 10:31
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Jotego released the first CPS 1.5 beta for his Patreon backers today. No sound in this version, but it supports Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, Warriors of Fate, The Punisher (pretty underrated!), Saturday Night Slam Masters, and Muscle Bomber Duo: Ultimate Team Battle. While he does amazing work, I find his pause screen tags offputting. On the one hand these games didn't even have pause screens so it's not technically changing anything, but on the other hand people who are into this hobby typically care about clean preservation of games.
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Oct 23, 2020 14:41
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WeedlordGoku69 posted:I feel like there's roughly an even mix between people who care about clean preservation vs. people who care about playability and QOL, and this is pretty clearly a concession to the latter. Which is not a bad thing. hatty posted:I have a set of these and it does its job of making the Mister look a bit more pronounced on my desk and it keeps it from sliding everywhere.
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Oct 24, 2020 00:19
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Time Pilot '84 has been released.
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Nov 27, 2020 21:35
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I love scanlines but have never been completely satisfied with them on MiSTer. No matter how many settings I tweak or what resolution I use they always soften the image too much for my taste. I'm finally going to run everything through my OSSC, and maybe get my hands on a PVM one day. The IO board is the obvious solution but I'm cheap and saw that zerohimself sells a $9 HDMI to DVI dongle. I just ordered that, a VGA cable, audio cable, and inline power switch for $30. My setup will be a bit messy but I plan to cram everything into a hollowed-out Super Famicom or Neo Geo X dock station one day. I'll check in with my thoughts when everything shows up.
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Dec 22, 2020 16:54
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Laxer3A posted a progress update for the PlayStation core, including video of a BIOS bootup and program launch on an FPGA board:quote:Xmas is around the corner but we can't give you a full working PSX for this Xmas.
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Dec 24, 2020 02:31
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Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal, it's a Space Invaders core!
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Dec 25, 2020 22:42
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Spent this morning tinkering with my HDMI to VGA dongle. It's pretty great! At first the entire picture was tinted green, but after changing zerohimself's recommended ypbpr=1 ini setting back to 0 everything was perfect. I'd like to get a PVM or good CRT but for now I'm running everything through an OSSC. Its scanlines are noticeably cleaner than the MiSTer's, and don't soften the overall image. It's also nice to let every core run natively then handle all upscaling/tweaking externally on the same device I use for my retro consoles. I also tried the dongle with my GameCube Carby, and it worked. I had to use the included USB power cable (which wasn't necessary on the MiSTer) but aside from that it was dead simple. 2x upscaling looks much sharper than my TV's internal 480p scaling.
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Jan 3, 2021 17:38
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https://twitter.com/topapate/status/1355206341493665796 CPS2 beta is out for Jotego's patrons. I read one comment that claimed this is just Puzzle Fighter so far, but any progress is welcome and that's a pretty darn good game.
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Jan 29, 2021 21:38
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Hot Stunt posted:This thing loving owns. The analog signal is way better than what I get out of my SNES and Mega Drive through my RGB to Component setup and being able to simultaneously output to a CRT and HDMI display is great. Can't believe I waited this long to jump in.
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Feb 18, 2021 17:30
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elf help book posted:IMHO get into for what it already has, if more comes, well you got that for free. I had mine set up before there even was SNES support, so this has been a real trip seeing it grow. But even if it never had grown, I would still be talking it up to my friends about how great it is. When I let myself daydream about cores we haven't seen yet, I find myself coming back to beat-em-up arcade titles like The Simpsons, Ninja Turtles, X-Men, and even that Data East Avengers game.
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Feb 18, 2021 20:39
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I'm lazy so I just update mine by taking out the SD card every month or so and moving files over on my PC. I really should set up some custom update download scripts. The only thing holding me back is a vague fear of overly aggressive scripts ignoring/redoing my folder setup.
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Feb 20, 2021 16:19
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This might be a dumb question: How do those integer scaling modes differ from running a core with the internal filter and vscale_mode=1 enabled? I don't doubt they're better, and the wiki suggests using custom filters, but as a layperson it seems odd.
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Feb 22, 2021 18:42
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It's awesome to see more people getting into this. Be sure to pop in here when you set everything up, everyone's super helpful and it's fun to see first impressions.
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Feb 24, 2021 22:14
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I've been thinking about picking up a Hori Fighting Commander Switch version. Seems to do everything I want aside from Neo Geo, which I have a proper stick for.
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Feb 27, 2021 22:56
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Only this week did I realize that in addition to the scaler filters, you can dig into each core's video setting and set CRT 25% 50% etc. Feels like something everyone knew about but I somehow managed to overlook all this time. To my eyes, it looks much cleaner than any of the filters I've tried.
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Feb 28, 2021 01:19
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I finally picked up one of those Hori Fighting Commanders: I'm pretty happy with it! I was tired of swapping between an SNES Classic controller and Retro-Bit Saturn pad. This feels like a happy medium between the two, with a larger body that doesn't cramp my weird long fingers. The d-pad and buttons feel great. The cord is super long so I no longer have to pull the MiSTer out and rest it on my coffee table. It's a bit odd to hold a modern-feeling controller that isn't weighed down by analog sticks and rumble motors, but I got used to the light weight pretty quickly.
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Mar 13, 2021 01:24
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A couple of new cores went up: Atari 7800 by Kitrinx The Speed Rumbler (public core) by Jotego
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Apr 17, 2021 20:00
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https://twitter.com/AzumFpg/status/1387430845997326337
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Apr 28, 2021 18:37
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I made a custom romsets.xml for the Neo Geo core, and thought someone else might get some use out of it. This takes the enormous roll-up pack and presents it in a much neater format which I prefer, sorted by year then alphabetically. So in MiSTer pulling up the rom list will give you: [1990] Baseball Stars Professional [1990] Cyber-Lip [1990] League Bowling [1990] Magician Lord etc. This is my first pass so there might be mistakes I overlooked, but so far everything looks right. I left off all the bootlegs/homebrew/prototypes in favor of actual titles (both published and complete but unpublished). This means you might need to trim some rom folders like columnsm, diggerma, etc. Or I might make a second version of the xml that leaves all that stuff in for people who want it.
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May 1, 2021 00:32
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FPGAzumSpass (who got save states working and is making the WonderSwan core I mentioned earlier) said that if no one picks up the PSX core by the time he's finished with his current project, he'll likely make it his next priority. So hopefully it will come together at some point.
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May 10, 2021 16:10
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Yeah, my MiSTer has been caseless since the day it was built and everything's great. One day I'll finally get a cheap Neo Geo X base station and turn it into a case, but that's just for novelty's sake.
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May 25, 2021 10:33
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