Posts by turrican9

Quote from pwsoft

Ok discussed issue with Jens. Signal was indeed omitted on purpose to make it compatible with more Amiga models. We looked together in design of the Indi ECS v1, and there we found an alternative implementation for border blanking without requiring the sync/blank input of the chip. So I've implemented that method in the v2 firmware now. Let me know if that solves the blanking issues you observed.

indi_ecs_v2_20200327.zip

wow. I had just finished replying to your last post and here you are with a possible fix for Border Blank! Will test it and report back!

Thanks

Quote from pwsoft

I'm aware of the blanking behavior, no easy fix I'm afraid.

The Denise chip only really knows about single lines, which is also true for the emulated one in the Indi ECS v2. The vertical blanking is controlled by the Agnus chip and there is a signal called CSync/Blank, this is not connected on the Indi ECS v2. That either is an oversight or more likely done to make the product compatible with more Amigas, so it can live on a Paula adapter for example. I might have to ask Jens about his reasoning there. That said I did implement an emulation of a part of the Agnus sync logic to get video modes like the SuperPlus mode to work. Those mode kinda creep in into what normally would be sync area (and therefore require the ECS chipset to work). I only implemented the minimum there to get those mode work. And that is the very top part of the screen. So yes the bottom part doesn't have proper blanking behavior at the moment.

So I know from a youtube video I saw the other day that trying to use a real Super Denise in an older Amiga 500 motherboard would not work. Because one of the pins on Denise was not connected on the older A500 motherboard. I think it had something to do with clock signal (probably the Csync/Blank pin you are talking about) or something. So a bodge wire would be needed. However, the Indivision ECS V2 would work just fine without that wire and at the same time run as a full Super Denise in that same motherboard (Rev.3 motherboard). So I think that is probably what you are talking about here. The missing pin, compatability and the emulation you made.

So if this is true I would guess Jens did this to get wider compatability as you said.

So maybe it would be possible to emulate the border blank fully and make it work properly. Only you would know. 100% Denise compatability would be nice of course.

Thanks

Quote from pwsoft

A possible fix for the reported overscan issues. Seems the flickering borders and the missing pixels in Arkanoid do have the same underlying cause.

Unpack the archive and transfer the included rbf file to your Amiga. Then use the "Flash firmware File..." under the "Firmware" menu in the IndivisionECSv2 configuration program. I've tried to minimize the impact of these changes. So I hope it doesn't create any regressions in the functionality. Let me know if it solves any of observed over-scan issues.

indi_ecs_v2_20200326.zip

Wow. That was fast customer support! It seems to have fixed the issues from my testing thus far. Arkanoid shows the full horizontal overscan area, the games that had flashing borders now seems to work as they should, with no flashing border! Great work! Thanks!

Did my testing using a BenQ BL 702A connected directly to RGB and at the same time a BenQ BL912 connected to VGA and using overscan profile with full horizontal overscan (736 pixels). Tested in PAL.

I tested what Drewlio mentioned. I tried the feature called 'BorderBlank' in classic workbench. For me it shows black borders on top, left and right side. But the bottom is not blanked and still has the grey background colour. Minor issue which I'm sure is easy to fix. I believe the older firmwares do not have that specific issue if I remember correctly. I normally don't use border blank.

I have quite bad ghosting on BenQ BL702A and BL912 when using ECS V2 VGA output. It get's a little bit better when using scanline emulation. It seems like the ghosting on the ECS V2 is even worse than on the ECS V1. ECS V1 has quite mild ghosting. Have no ghosting if using RGB output instead of VGA. Tried it on A500s, A500 Plus and A600s.

Quote from Rapid_75

Hello all,

I just received a used Indivision AGA MK2cr that gives me a black picture, or rather no picture at all.

After some 5-10min the MK2cr feels hot to the touch, is this to be expected?

Is there something I should try to make it work?

The seller seems trustworthy and says it worked for him.

The pins in the brown socket on the AGA MK2cr seems nice and straight and it attaches to LISA chip with a firm grip. I have cleaned all the pins using cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol. The MK2cr has been handled using anti-static wristband and resonable force during installation. The A1200 is outputting picture through the VGA connector on my other flicker fixer/scandoubler, DCE FlickerMagic. Booting into AmigaOS 3.1.4 from SD-card adapter is ok and also using Gotek floppy adapter works fine loading adf games from USB stick.

I have used the following hardware during troubleshooting:

- Second hand Indivision AGA MK2cr with original DVI-I output connector cable

- Amiga 1200 with a Rev1D motherboard, not recapped yet but new capacitors just arrived, PSU is original Commodore 80 W model

- ACA1221EC installed, still no picture if removed

- "Nice quality" DVI-D cable, rather thick model with large ferrit cores, cable apparently ok as it gives me picture from my PC

- "No name" DVI-D cable, thinner model and also working with my PC

- Monitor Dell UltraSharp 2709Wp, 27" 1920x1200 monitor, tried both DVI-D 1 and 2 inputs

- Monitor Alienware AW3418DW, 34" 3440x1440 monitor, using HDMI input with the adapter below

- HDMI adapter for the MK2cr, made by Ayley over at AmiBay, many happy users vouching for it, I guess mine should also be ok

The card has no warranty left I guess, I don't know where it was originally bought but it has a silver sticker with QR code and warranty code.
I might consider sending in the MK2cr for checkup/service to Individual Computers if this option is available?

Any help appreciated!

Thanks, Hans

Display More

So maybe the previous owner had set a profile which does not work with your display. Do you have a screen you can connect to composite or RGB then install the AGA MK2 utility and set everything to default?

I know I have had black screen many times when messing with my AGA MK2 where I had to connect a screen to RGB to change settings on the AGA MK2.

Quote from Jens

I have scheduled looking into this issue later this week. From what I get from Timm's first check into this, it's really only happening on the far right of the overscan where no important information is displayed. On a setup with real Denise and 1084 monitor, it's even likely that that part is not seen at all, which is probably the reason why you've been the only one to report this issue. However, we'd like to be 100% compatible with the original Denise, so yes, this issue should be fixed.

I was actually thinking the same. I use LCDs so they will show more of the overscan area than CRTs. Thanks for confirming you will be working on this and that you want it to be 100% compatible with the original Denise! Hopefully you get the flashing bars in various games sorted and maybe the full overscan. I use this ECS V2 as a Super Denise replacement in an A500 Plus build I did recently. Bought the motherboard with no chips and donated chips from a 6A board I have. Had to buy the 8375 NTSC Agnus from you guys (icomp) since the PAL version is not in stock and also wanted to have the full Super ECS so that is where the ECS V2 comes in so 100% compatability with a real Super Denise would be awesome.

Quote from pwsoft

Sure, when we look into it, we will consider both bugs. I can't tell how difficult it will be to fix at this point in time. It could be that both issues share the same underlying problem and the different visual appearance is just the way the games configure the screen. So fixing one also fixes the other. However it could just as well be two different bugs. You can never tell with these emulation issues, it is often a complex interplay between the chip-set behavior and the game code.

Thanks for the answer. I really hope you get this fixed

Edit: Menace also has the flashing borders. Finding more and more classic games with the issue. Last firmware for the ECS V2 came out almost a year ago. This really needs to get fixed.

Edit2: Skidz (Only tried whdload version) actually had flashing borders with the original Denise aswell. The rest of the games I mentioned only had blinking borders with the ECS V2.

Even the game Super Frog has the flashing borders. So that's 3 games I've found so far with flashing borders. There are probably more. This needs to be fixed.

Quote from pwsoft

That is correct. We have implemented a fix for overscan in the past so very old firmwares will show more overscan issues as newer firmwares. Those fixes were for the game "Siedler" if I remember correctly. For some games it is only a few pixels that are missing and don't impact the game play. We do understand that a flashing border is undesirable and so we need to look into that. As the bug is likely located in the Denise emulation part of the product it will impact both RGB and VGA output in the exact same way.

No, as this product is still produced and sold. It is still under support. We have been testing the games you mentioned last week.

Thank you for answering. Even though some games like Arkanoid only misses a few pixels, would it be that hard to change it so we get the full overscan area in a future firmware, if you're gonna look into the flashing border issue anyway?

The game Skidz has the same problem as Disposable Hero. Flashing bars on left and right sides. Again, when using Amigas RGB output. I'm gonna see if I can try some older firmwares or something

Tried all firmwares from 1.7 and onwards. The first 1 or 2 firmwares have an even bigger border (missing overscan on the right side. Then from there on all of them have a small missing right overscan area. They all have blinking/flashing borders in games like disposable hero and skidz. There could be more games with this issue.

And this is tested using RGB. The software will do nothing when in RGB mode. But the same issues are there when using VGA. We need a new firmware and fixes for these issues.

Have you stopped supporting this product?

So I built myself an Amiga 500 Plus. I bought a 500 plus motherboard with no chips and also bought an Agnus 8375 NTSC from icomp. Then took the rest of the chips from a Rev.6A motherboard I have minus the kickstart. Using it together with my ACA 500 + ACA 1221. Also forcing PAL with my ACA 500.

So at first I installed the regular denise from the 6A board. Then I was thinking I should install my Indivision ECS V2 for full Super Denise support on the A500 Plus board. To my surprise the issues with Arkanoid and disposable hero was also present when using the RGB output instead of the VGA output! So what I discovered when I swapped the real Denise for the ECS V2 was this and that my previously centered image had a small black bar on the right side of the screen even though the picture was still centered. Noticed this in workbench. So this small black bar is probably the missing pixels in Arkanoid. It seems the ECS V2 is missing part of the overscan area on the right side. Keep in mind, still using the RGB output.

I was under the impression the ECS V2 could be a direct replacement for the real Denise and that it should work like the real Denise. Especially when using the RGB output?

Here is a picture of the missing pixels on the right side in Arkanoid, taken when using the RGB output. Same thing happens with VGA output aswell, no matter what adjustments or profile I use (externally-hosted picture removed - please upload pictures here)

I would need to film the flashing vertical bars on left and right side of picture in Disposable hero. And as I said, this is even when using the RGB output. I haven't even installed the ECS V2 software on this A500 Plus yet. This is clearly beyond a software problem. We need a new firmware

So have this been looked into yet?

So when using profiles that shows full or partly overscan area I get issues in Disposable Hero and Arkanoid. I have the latest firmware and tool for the ECS2. I have tried the two overscan profiles that comes with it. Like 736x548 50Hz and 720x548. Including profiles I have made myself for full overscan.

In Disposable hero I get a blinking border on the right side when playing the game. Adjusting the picture right with the ECS2 tool will eventually cause a blinking border to be on both left and right side of the picture.

For Arkanoid a small part of the right side of the picture still does not show fully. overscan became a bit better after the last few firmwares but still not fully showing as it's supposed to. I know how it's supposed to look because the Indivision ECS V1 shows the full overscan correctly and I have connected my screens directly to the RGB aswell.

I want you devs to try these games using overscan profiles. I hope this will get fixed eventually. Thanks

Edit: Turns out I had already mentioned these issues in september last year and they never got resolved Indivision ECS V2 720x576@50Hz

Quote from Tobias

As for the "memory clearing".... usually there is no need to clear the memory, so most of the time just dont bother. there are basically two situations where it matters:

a) an original (not cracked) game, which tries to check if the memory contains hacking tools/cartridges/whatever. those checks require a "powerup" RAM pattern. to get this, just powercycle the c64+chameleon, it will init the RAM with such a pattern at poweron. fortunately these cases are rare.

b) buggy programs that somehow rely on the ram content prior running. with these its trickier, sometimes a powerup pattern will do the trick, sometimes you need to fill the memory with some other value. hard to find out, impossible to give a general rule. fortunately also rare a few known such programs are listed at the bottom of our Core Bugs Page.

Welcome back and happy new year. Thanks for the answer. So basically I start games, press the left button (black one) on TC64 V2 to get back to the menu, load up other games and so on and should for the most part be fine then

So a few questions.

So I use BenQ BL 702A and BL 912 LED screens for my TC64 V2 setups. I use them in cartridge mode. I have resolution set to 800x600, 50Hz and synced to VIC II. They work fine with smooth scrolling. So question about the scanline settings. There are 4 options. No scanlines, 25%, 50% or 75% scanlines. So what does the percentage numbers mean? I find 75% tend to give more washed out colours. 50% gives okay colours and 25% gives the most vibrant colours. However, 25% seems to give the most intense scanline effect then 50% and then 75% seems to give less intense scanlines. Why does 75% give washed out colours but going more intense scanlines intensity gives more vibrant colours?

Also I read somewhere that using LCD screens on the TC64/TC64 V2 gives some ghosting which will not happen if a CRT is used on the VGA output. I have quite a bit of ghosting on the above mentioned screens. And yes, I have tried out various high quality VGA cables. Same results no matter what VGA cable I use. So is there any explanation for this ghosting and can anything be done in a future firmware?

Quote from el_pasi

Hi, I have no problems with L'abbaye Des Morts D64-version with TC64V1. At least it works if I mount D64-image and choose from menu "reset to basic". Then load"*",8,1 and it loads fine. Turrican9, try if it works this way with TC64V2 too?

I actually meant to try this shortly after I made my posts but forgot all about it. Mounting the D64 image then reset to basic and load"*",8,1 worked for both L'abbaye Des Morts and Rescuing Orc. Thanks

So Rescuing Orc gave me the same type of Syntax error while trying to load the D64 as L'abbaye Des Morts did. Rescuing Orc is another one of the games made in recent times. Here is a link to the official free download of Rescuing Orc https://www.usebox.net/jjm/rescuing-orc/

Edit: Again, as with L'abbaye Des Morts I disabled drive 8 on the TC64 V2 itself and loaded the D64 for Rescuing Orc from my SD2IEC which worked fine. So clearly there is some kind of compatability issue with the TC64 with this game aswell. Had the same problem on my second TC64 V2 aswell which is plugged into another one of my C64s.

Happy new year

Quote from Jens

TObias will be back from holidays on january 6th; he can then take a look at L'abbaye Des Morts.

Thanks. Another question. when you load up games then press the left (black button) to go back to the menu. Is it smart to clear the memory or reset the TC64 V2 before loading up another game? Will the game I loaded up first stay in memory? What's the best thing to do between loading up each game?

Quote from Jens

THe current emulation only takes care of the ROM part, which is very similar to Ocean cartridges. However, the saving part would mean to emulate the EEPROM that is mounted on the GMod2 cartridge. That is currently not emulated.

Please make sure to disable "most" options on the TC64 before trying new software. Especially the turbo and/or a second drive will mess up compatibility, as 99% of the software is written for a plain C64 with a single floppy drive. Some fast loaders even fail if a printer is connected and switched on, so enabling turbo or a second drive will most certainly cause the setup to be incompatible with many programs.

Thanks for the answer.

I am running the very basic setup with only drive 8 enabled and no turbo is enabled. No fast loader cartridges or anything is mounted.

As far as I understand Sam's Jounrney's cartridge is a so called Gmod2 cartridge and has 3 save states so you can save the game progress on the cartridge itself. When I tried the Cartridge image in my TC64 V2 it did not save the game progress. I had to use the D64 version if I wanted my game progress saved. Is saving to Gmod2 cartridges not supported by TC64?

Also, I bought the digital version of L'abbaye Des Morts. It comes with a cartridge image, one regular D64 and one D64 for SD2IEC. None of the D64 images seemed to work on my TC64V2. Started loading the game and just gave me an error. Cartridge image worked fine though. I connected an SD2IEC to my C64 and the D64 for SD2IEC worked just fine. So is this a know issue with the TC64/TC64V2? All other D64s I've tried so far works fine.

Quote from Jens

That's not possible, unfortunately, because we need to know the state of the six processor port bits in order to tell if an access to the $dxxx area is really going to the IO chips or not. It may become an option in the future after we have fixed the remaining CPU bug, but that will result in other drawbacks, such as a limited or maybe even non-working menu system after you have chosen to activate the tape port. Again, I'd like to emphasize that this is not possible yet, as we can't completely replicate the original behaviour of the CPU.

I wouldn't mind if it had other drawbacks as long as VGA output was working at the same time and everything went back to normal after a powercycle. So maybe it would be easier and more realistic to add TAP support as a feature? So we could load TAP files from the TC64 the same way Tapuino works. I would be totally fine with having the tape port disabled as long as I could load TAP files from the TC64 itself, the same way we emulate the 1541 disk drive.