STICH666 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 So what's the news? Does the OM still have composite A/V output or was that scrapped? We're not sure yet if the OM will have A/V output or not. We have a pretty good idea of what we want in terms of basic features, but we haven't really discussed extras. In its current design incarnation, the OM's A/V output would be an extra. (Do correct me if I'm wrong, Eduardo.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STICH666 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 (edited) So what's the news? Does the OM still have composite A/V output or was that scrapped? We're not sure yet if the OM will have A/V output or not. We have a pretty good idea of what we want in terms of basic features, but we haven't really discussed extras. In its current design incarnation, the OM's A/V output would be an extra. (Do correct me if I'm wrong, Eduardo.) Perhaps a special model for a couple extra bucks? ;) Edited January 24, 2009 by STICH666 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted January 24, 2009 Author Share Posted January 24, 2009 Audio output is possible with the current OM, but not video output. Video output would require a new video chip, since the CV doesn't send the VDP signal to the expansion port. I considered a new VDP for sometime, and that's why I mentioned A/V output in the past, but it isn't the case anymore, for several reasons (price and availability mainly). So it isn't a matter of A/V output being an extra or not, it's just that video output is not possible. So what's the news? Does the OM still have composite A/V output or was that scrapped? We're not sure yet if the OM will have A/V output or not. We have a pretty good idea of what we want in terms of basic features, but we haven't really discussed extras. In its current design incarnation, the OM's A/V output would be an extra. (Do correct me if I'm wrong, Eduardo.) Perhaps a special model for a couple extra bucks? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STICH666 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Oh i see. Ah well. I'm still looking into the OM when it's released. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcoleco Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Your new BIOS looks very good. However, it will not fit to be used with some games like "it's only rock'n roll" and "kevtris" to name only these two. But, yes, it's a good idea and I hope you did take care of this compatibility issue as usual. Keep doing your good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Your new BIOS looks very good. However, it will not fit to be used with some games like "it's only rock'n roll" and "kevtris" to name only these two. But, yes, it's a good idea and I hope you did take care of this compatibility issue as usual. Keep doing your good work! Since I have practically all the CV games at home, I will be able to test the OM prototype with every game for compatibility. There's also the AtariMax 128-in-1 USB cart that could come in very handy for testing. I'm sure we'll be able to iron out a few kinks in our new BIOS that way. But I'm also sure it will be quite a challenge to include all the new BIOS features while still retaining maximum compatibility. Good thing Eduardo likes a good challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcoleco Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 First thing to consider is that modifying the charset corrupt the possibility of using the charset for the text mode which is 40 characters per line, so it need 6x8 patterns. So, if you want to use the "arcade-like font", you may have to sondier putting it outside the bios. And if I remember right, some projects, specially those made by Marcel de Kogel, do use this bios fontset and bold it mathematically, which results into a not readable thing when changing the default coleco charset. Also, I think "it's only rock'n roll" do use the text mode, with of course the charset from the bios, andwithout a 6x8 font set, the result will be a not so readable display. And, I know that to make the "reverse" ColecoVision presents screen, Kevin Horton did use the bios charset and based on what I see from your screenshot, the result on screen will not looks good. To be perfectly honnest, I did think in the past to "update" the coleco bios, also do a french version based on the suggest of my friend Sylvain, but more I did learn about the coleco bios, more I see that impossible to do. why? well, in some cases, there are values and routines that need to be exactly where there are and some others like the charset need to be as-is, not altered. There are things you can do and keep 100% of the compatibility, but what you are doing here should be outisde the bios if you want to keep the compatibility, not replace what is inside the original we all use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph74 Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Forgive my intrusion, Daniel, but would it be possible to have a 'dual' or expanded bios? It is after all, and expansion module of sorts. Or possibly incorporate the bios into a pass thru cart, or directly on the carts themselves (IE parker brothers-- or was that just a bypass routine?)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcoleco Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Forgive my intrusion, Daniel, but would it be possible to have a 'dual' or expanded bios? It is after all, and expansion module of sorts. Or possibly incorporate the bios into a pass thru cart, or directly on the carts themselves (IE parker brothers-- or was that just a bypass routine?)? A "bypass" is theorically possible, and should be part of the schematics, yes. Doing a memory module is a great idea, it's almost like using the extra memory from the Adam computer. But a super module... it's impossible to make it compatible with every games, and it's only what my message is talking about. After testing, "it's only rock'n roll" works with a modified charset, it's readable because it's not the text mode (40 chars per line, 6x8 pixels for each character). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 But a super module... it's impossible to make it compatible with every games, and it's only what my message is talking about. Impossible is such a strong word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted April 14, 2009 Author Share Posted April 14, 2009 I found a funny bug in the original CV BIOS. I am calling it the "1988" bug, because it is at memory address 1988h... Byte should be 07h, but it is 0Fh instead. As it is, the bug is trying to set the value of VDP register #15. Since the TMS9928 has only 7 registers, it ignores bit 3, and the correct register (#7) is set. However certain TMS-compatible VDPs do have a register #15, causing games that use the buggy routine to freeze.... But not anymore... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Thag Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 I haven't checked this thread in a while. Good to know it's still being worked on! So many awesome projects like this never see the light of day. Can't wait for this one. Keep up the excellent work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 I found a funny bug in the original CV BIOS. I am calling it the "1988" bug, because it is at memory address 1988h... Byte should be 07h, but it is 0Fh instead. As it is, the bug is trying to set the value of VDP register #15. Since the TMS9928 has only 7 registers, it ignores bit 3, and the correct register (#7) is set.However certain TMS-compatible VDPs do have a register #15, causing games that use the buggy routine to freeze.... But not anymore... Makes you wonder how many other BIOS's have similar bugs but still manage to work. I hear the Atari 8-bit OS still has bugs in it that were never fixed but worked around instead. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcoleco Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 I hope you are not going to fix the bugs you found in the original bios because we don't know for sure which game did use a workaround and what will be the implication of the fix versus the workaround coding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 I hope you are not going to fix the bugs you found in the original bios because we don't know for sure which game did use a workaround and what will be the implication of the fix versus the workaround coding. I own a large collection of ColecoVision carts at my place, so we'll be able to thoroughly test almost every original cartridge (as well as homebrews) with the Opgrade Module. And for the few I don't have, I can still test them with my AtariMax USB cart. So whatever issues pop up with the new BIOS inside the module, we'll find it and fix it somehow. If it comes down to a few games not working, and you really want to play those games, just unplug the Opgrade Module from the expansion port. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubledown Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Or instead of having to unplug it, you could add a switch to "turn it off". That'd be a preferred method I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted April 16, 2009 Author Share Posted April 16, 2009 I hope you are not going to fix the bugs you found in the original bios because we don't know for sure which game did use a workaround and what will be the implication of the fix versus the workaround coding. That was the only bug I fixed so far, and I cannot see how fixing it would adversely affect any game. The routine is trying to set a register that doesn't exist in the original CV VDP, so that's why nothing wrong happens, because the original VDP ignores bit 3 and sets the correct register. For more advanced VDPs, where such register does exist, the routine was causing the games to freeze. That specific routine is used only by Coleco games that display that standard blue game selection screen, though not all of them. So far all Coleco games I tried work with the fixed BIOS and advanced VDP... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ten-four Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Hi Eduardo... Do you have any news about your Opgrade Module for our Cv's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted May 27, 2009 Author Share Posted May 27, 2009 Hi Eduardo... Do you have any news about your Opgrade Module for our Cv's. I took a month vacation of all video game related things and just returned yesterday. The last time I messed with the OM, the first prototype PCB was ready to go to manufacturing. However, since I stayed a month away, there are others Opcode activities requiring my total attention at the moment so the OM will need to wait a bit. I believe August is a good guess for the first OM prototype. I created several possible configurations for the OM, and once I have the working prototypes, I will discuss them here and we can decide which one we will go with based on features and cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metal Ghost Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Hello all....wow, I was looking back through the posts that realized that December....of 2007 (?!?!) was the last time I had personally bumped this thread. And has a alot been discussed since then! Eduardo.....I'm glad that you had a change of heart on making the OM perfect and have instead re-focused your attention on what originally drew you to the homebrew scene. Please know that for every person who posts an encouraging word on this thread and hoping that this project comes to fruition, there are probably 20 others that are thinking the same thoughts! In any event, I saw thta you had taken some time of this summer and then had to hit some other projects, but had mentioned that you thought some progress was going to be made in/around August. I was just curious if there had been any developments since then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 Hello all....wow, I was looking back through the posts that realized that December....of 2007 (?!?!) was the last time I had personally bumped this thread. And has a alot been discussed since then! Eduardo.....I'm glad that you had a change of heart on making the OM perfect and have instead re-focused your attention on what originally drew you to the homebrew scene. Please know that for every person who posts an encouraging word on this thread and hoping that this project comes to fruition, there are probably 20 others that are thinking the same thoughts! In any event, I saw thta you had taken some time of this summer and then had to hit some other projects, but had mentioned that you thought some progress was going to be made in/around August. I was just curious if there had been any developments since then? You can keep track of the new developments here: http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/152166-the-official-super-expansion-module-thread/page__pid__1907802__st__40entry1907802 We are getting closer to production... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted January 27, 2010 Author Share Posted January 27, 2010 Just to let you guys know that I am alive and working full steam despite the lack of updates. I hope to have an announcement in a couple of months, with near production versions of everything including a few surprises... Much like Pac-Man Collection that for a while looked like a never ending mess of a game that would never make it to the market but eventually did, I ask you guys to keep faith on this project, because we are getting close and we are going for a big splash... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ransom Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Looking forward to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corby Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Just to let you guys know that I am alive and working full steam despite the lack of updates. I hope to have an announcement in a couple of months, with near production versions of everything including a few surprises... Much like Pac-Man Collection that for a while looked like a never ending mess of a game that would never make it to the market but eventually did, I ask you guys to keep faith on this project, because we are getting close and we are going for a big splash... Just read my DISCLAIMER!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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