Indivision ECS V4: New features, development progress

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Don't Panic. Please wash hands.
    Quote from amiga1260

    Will everyone which has backordered also get the A600 CIA adapter?

    Only the ones who have an A604n in their order history, or the ones who let me know after they order. Until I get around to re-configuring the shop without the whole thing imploding on itself, then you can choose the A600 version as a separate version.


    Jens

    GBAPII++ VGA connector slot board assembled and tested

    - Indivision ECS v4 EDID working from monitor on GBAPII++ VGAout port

    - Indivision ECS v4 Video out passing-through GBAPII++ 12 pin ribbon port


    New on left ........................ Old on right



    2 layer PCB Gerber if anyone needs:
    RTG_Slot.zip

    Working on supporting the last native monitor driver on Indivision ECS V4: The A2024 monitor for the Amiga, which was also known as the "Hedley Hires" monitor. Monochrome, 15-inch and high resolution with 1024x800 pixels, even on OCS machines (only drawback on OCS: Maximum width was 1008 pixels).


    On PAL-OCS machines, is even goes to 1008x1024 pixels, but on ECS, it always defaults to 1024x800.

    There are patched drivers out there that allow you to use 1024x1024, but I can't do the patch on my own, because I don't have the right binary of the A2024 monitor driver. Can anyone out there help and send that patched driver via e-Mail?



    Jens

    Repaired an A500 Rev.3, inserted an 8371 Agnus, so we had a PAL-OCS test bed. This forces 1008x1024, which is now working. As expected, the test-circle is wider than high, but not as bad as we had expected.


    Would love to test 1024x1024 on ECS...


    Jens

    Thank you for sharing the file. I think very useful for V4 users. Didn't you have one empty pcb left?

    The A2024 was a black&white monitor, high resolution (at least for the time), with a built-in frame buffer that would display these modes even on an A1000 with only 512k chip ram. We know that it works, but we also know that only very few people have seen a working A2024 mode, because the monitor is so rare.


    This was a "bucket list item" for me since 2008 when I introduced the first internal Indivision flicker fixer. I've postponed it often enough, mostly arguing that HighGFX is better than A2024, but I thought that in the year 2024, the last screen mode in the standard WB list should be supported. This makes documentation easier: Just choose any screenmode you like. Seeing that it offers high resolutions even on the lowest-end Amigas, it really does make sense - especially because HighGFX is not of much use on an OCS/ECS computer.


    Jens

    Framebuffer developoment progress:


    - 256 colour mode works

    - palette can be set from the CPU side

    - Palette memory is unified with Graffiti palette, saving scarce blockram in FPGA

    - side effect: Graffiti now supports the full 18-bit colour palette (was 12 bits before).

    - 5-6-5 hi-colour mode works

    - 1-5-5-5 colour mode added on request of Thor

    - memory controller has been updated to handle writing data at any given address from the CPU side

    - memory controller can now handle lines starting at any address in flickerfixer mode (this eliminates a nasty hack that's currently employed for A2024 mode)


    Next item on the list: Hardware sprite in framebuffer mode.


    Jens

    Quote from Jens
    • add a framebuffer mode with 256 colours out of 21 bits colour, 1024x768 and 1280x1024 pixels
    • implement P96 driver for framebuffer mode - don't expect wonders here! It's questionable if Picasso-II performance can be reached.

    And can you explain what this frame buffer mode is all about? Is it going to be such a pseudo graphics card mode with its own graphics memory that will allow WB to run at a higher resolution in 256 colors without losing Chip memory?

    Quote from RokiS

    Is it going to be such a pseudo graphics card mode with its own graphics memory that will allow WB to run at a higher resolution in 256 colors without losing Chip memory?

    Remove the "pseudo" and the answer is yes. See first post in this thread: The goal is to have 2D acceleration (aka "Blitter") and a P96 driver. Speed-wise, it'll be among the slower Amiga gfx cards, but it will work with a 512k-chipmem Amiga and 68020+ CPU.


    Jens

    As far as I can guess, there are no drivers for it in the P96 package yet, not even the alpha version :)

    If you're looking for beta testers, I'm happy to help :)

    Driver development can only start when FPGA core development has finished. At this point, all FPGA development is only verified with small test routines, not with a P96 driver.


    Jens

    New Indivision ECS V4 config tool in the Wiki (and in iComp drive already for a few days now). Main focus on easier usability: More focused on "selecting" things rather than tweaking numbers.


    Jens

    Hello there.


    I still use my IndiECS V1 in my A600 with the A604 not n and i have no complaint at all about this product which has always been perfectly fine.

    I might upgrade to V4 when it will be available to benefit from the modern features but i read everyone just talk of the A604n.

    Is the older A604 still good for the V4?

    Besides, i remember that the V3 would not let the user close the A600 case unless a thinner socket was used. Is the V4 a good fit for the case as is?

    Quote from Xanxi

    Is the older A604 still good for the V4?

    Yes. The reason why it's not specifically mentioned is that it's not made any more.


    Quote from Xanxi

    Besides, i remember that the V3 would not let the user close the A600 case unless a thinner socket was used. Is the V4 a good fit for the case as is?

    Yes. The low-profile socket adapters are standard with Indivision ECS V4.


    Jens

    Good Morning,


    Did I understood well, the v4 will work with the A500?

    When will we be able to purchase it?


    Thanks!

    Claude