What is DiagROM?
DiagROM is a diagnostic tool for the amiga computers.
And it is to be used on defective machines, trying to help no-boot situations etc.
You simply replace the Kickstart roms in the Amiga with the DiagROM. and when poweron. your Amiga will start a diagnostic software. It will try to dump info on the serialport (and actual menus etc aswell) while also trying on the screen.
Changelog:
- Well decided to release 1.3 far too many people are still using 1.2.1 so this is now the releaseversion.
- Read the text “FuturePlans.txt” for more info.
- three might be updates. as V1.3 please check the date. but it will be bugfixes only.
- Now default also produces a CD32 image to be burned on 27C800 Proms.
- Fixed issue with ghostfastmem found on AA3000+ boards (detectes fastmem that isn’t there)
- Fixed Addresserrorissue while playing testmodule on 68000 machines.
- Fixed issue with Autoconfig printing forever (actually 65535 times) if there was no cards detected.
- On RGB test. added white bars at every colorchange to make it more easy to count out what color is shown.
- RTC test: added a adjustfunction telling how many frames between everytime RTC changes (second) to help adjusting RTC.
- Added function to constantly monitor one memaddress. This is for dev of new hardware and not to diagnose issues.
- Fixed addresserror crash on audiotest using 68000/010 CPU
- Changed memorytestroutines to the new updated.
- Fixed autoconfig so it would not end in a endless loop if no autoconfigcards was detected.
- Fixed autoconfig with outside checking from github to handle boards with an illegal configuration better.
- Simple Audio waveformtest now supports volumechanges and also HOPEFULLY oddbyte-bug in Sinuswaves are fixed
- Some minor undocumented bugfixes.
- Now the new memtestroutine actually seems to work “x” is just hardcoded testareas, but the manual option “7” now lets you
- select what area to test and the depth of check (how many longwords between all tests 1 being every byte checked) (higher=faster test)
- AGAIN Long pause.. ERASED the memtestroutine I was working on redid it TOTALLY!. available as “x” in memtest menu!
- New Memtestroutine now should handle when colliding with workareas.
- Manualtest routine now swapped to the new testroutine. you can now enter selected area to scan AND change blocksize.
- higher blocksize=more accurate addresstest check.
- also if you enter wrong order of area to scan it will be handled. 0 byte scanarea will cancel.
- New experimental memtestroutine in the works. right now only doing a test of HARDCODED 16MB fastmem on A4k/3k
- Should be much faster, ASWELL as it should handle address-error issues! TEST IT HARD PLEASE!
- Also contains bug in Zorro handling asking boards to be shut down, issued via Github! (thanx!!)
- Noticed that CSPPC did not work on DiagROM. This as it seems the board needs time to startup (HEY P5.. handle it with RST??)
- so doing some waiting and resetmagic if a CSPPC is detected. not it starts OFTEN! (not always, if not. do a reset and it will start)
- Fixed bug so if no chipmem available at boot, it doesnt try to do a addresserrortest of that area anyway.
- Fixed scrollbug leaving traces of lowest pixelrow.
- Added function in Autoconfig mode that lists a summary of detected boards.
- Added About text.
- Added support for handling 2 different workmem areas: Chipmem and Fastmem, showing info about it in systeminfo screen.
- Systeminfo screen if detecting a 060 will show PCR registerbits.
- If A3000/A4000 motherboard memory or CPU slot memory is found scanning of A1200 CPU Slot memory is disabled, This will hopefully stop
- machine to crash with a 3640 installed and maprom enabled.
- Found a interesting behaviour on Amiga 4000. If you have no chipmem, and write something to any chipmemaddress and then
- read anything from any chipmemadress (not even same as you wrote to) THAT value will be read! so on an A4000 with no chip.
- the memorydetectroutine would say that it finds a shadowram. also the UDS/LDS test said “ok” even it it impossible could be.
- so fixed that by doing a write to chipmem with $ffffffff so it will read that if you do not have any chipmem. making the tests more true.
- A1k Version have not been working for a while due to spaceissues. removed more or less all “not important” tests tomake it fit into the
- very limited 64k bootrom. so it should work again.
- Fixed bugs when using a 68000 CPU (010 aswell?) that crashed IRQ/CIA tests and also Extended chipmemtest. (Addresserror etc)
- Also fixed more information in crashscreen.
- During Startup, UDS/LDS test was done by writing $ff to diferent places, this could be wrong as no memory can also
- show up as $ff changed value to $aa to be more “random” if memory is not present.
- At startup, chipmem is filled with its memoryaddress, while doing this you see a checkered-pattern on screen.
- After that, it verifies that the address contains that data, while doing this you see a distorded colorpattern on screen.
- if fail, it will show what memaddress it fails at, memaddress as binary and also what it actually contained (should be its same address)
- So no more telling ram is ok when thee was shorted/missing addresslines. Now check actually checks ALL memory and not only beginning.
- Doing Addresserrorchecks on Chipmem AND workarea.. if left mousebutton pressed at poweron.
- fastmem is chosen ar priority ram, if no fastmem found, chipmem will be used but screen turned off.
- if addresserror found in chipmem, chipmem will be discarded. will be handled different later
- New initcode in start. at memfail bits read will be written as green is correct, red if failed.
- Also during error, a dividertext will be printed every 512k block
Download: DiagoROM v1.3 Stable (362)
source: diagrom.com
I also wanted to try the ODV-II converter to be able to use the OSSC also with CVBS and S-VIDEO inputs (OSSC does not natively support this type of video inputs).
I have chosed this product and not others for three reasons:
- The cost.
- Video quality, absolute perfection wasn’t important.
- Signal output converted to YPbPr.
The result went above expectations, works well, the output of the ODV-II is in component (YPbPr) so the SCART-RGB and VGA inputs remain free on the OSSC, furthermore the ODV-II has a third YPbPr input.
The ODV-II also has the possibility of selecting some Video filters via a small button, filters which i find absolutely embarrassing in fact i have configured it in pass-through mode and another small button to select the video inputs.
Below are the photos of some tests with the Commodore 64 where i have used the S-Video output and also the photos of the PCB because i didn’t find them on the net, i also attach the datasheets of the integrated circuits that are used.
Gallery:
Download:
ODV-II PDF Datasheet (283)
Ikari has released a new firmware for the SD2Snes / FXPAK Pro Flash Cartridge (Super Nintendo/Famicom). The upgrade instructions can be found here.
Sorry for the delay, but it just escaped me to post it here.
Features added:
- First firmware release to support FXPAK Pro Rev. D
- [All] USB (usb2snes) support by RedGuy.
- [All] save state support (via USB/savestate2snes) by acmlm, total, Myria, RedGuy, FURiOUS, ikari_01
- [All] stand-alone save state features by FURiOUS
- [All] some compatibility improvements and optimizations for stand-alone save states by ikari_01
- Add support for YAML list items for multiple savestate_fixes entries per game
- Add support for simple bitwise operations on savestate_fixes patches
- Add support for verbatim code execution on savestate_fixes patches – notably fixes Star Ocean (decompressed) save states (however the save state hook still needs CPU time optimization to prevent music glitches in Star Ocean.)
- Add IRQ support on top of NMI for the save state hook – this enables save states on Out Of This World and possibly other games that only use IRQ. Also fixes controller input capture on a number of games so the game-specific input hacks could be eliminated.
- Moved save state code outside of the USB hook area to make room for USB hook execution.
- [All] SGB support by Redacted173.
- [All] favorite games list by freelancer42
Fixes:
- [All] Fixed savestates crashing occasionally when loading (and sometimes saving)
- [All] Fixed Star Fox locking up during sortie sequence when in-game hooks are enabled.
- [All] Updated FURiOUS’s Savestates Readme to reflect changes pertaining to In-game hook.
- [All] Fixed data caching bug in MSU1 data extension which could cause wrong data to be streamed.
- [All] Savestates: do not try to capture data that is already in cartridge space anyway (e.g. SRAM). Fixes text distortion in Near’s Bahamut Lagoon translation when loading a state.
- [All] Fixed YAML config parser to support comment signs after list start items
- [All] Fixed SNES open-bus contamination (fixes sprite flickering in Near’s Bahamut Lagoon translation, certain speed runs that rely on open bus behaviour)
- [All] (hopefully) fixed rapid data line toggling sometimes resulting in address line glitches, causing random crashes in extreme cases, and occasional garbled graphics on SMRPG among others.
- [All] Fixed data integrity problems when loading BSX games.
Known issues:
- Due to integration of the savestate handler into the in-game hook, the SNES CPU cycle cost for the in-game hook has increased. This reintroduces some issues when in-game hook+savestates are enabled, such as a corrupted Equip menu in Final Fantasy III/VI. I am planning to do an overhaul of the savestate code which will address this issue as well.
- When in-game savestates are enabled and set to the default button combination, pushing the buttons to temporarily or permanently disable the in-game hook will result in a crash. This happens due to overlap with the savestate button combination.
- When in-game savestates are enabled and the “load state” button combination is pressed, the handler will try to load a state even if no state exists yet for the current game. This will lead to a crash and sometimes results in a still image being displayed from a previously played game’s savestate.
Download:
source: sd2snes.de
I have replaced my cheap SCART RGB to HDMI/DVI converter with the OSSC (Open Source Scan Converter)
I had been wanting to buy this interesting peripheral for some time and given the availability on Amazon with one day shipping with PRIME and the mature firmware and also the developing active, thanks to marqs, i did this crazy thing.
Some aspects of the software can certainly be improved but it already works just fine.
I’m not going to explain what this device does and doesn’t , you can find everything on the net.
Example:
Wiki: https://junkerhq.net/xrgb/index.php/OSSC
Firmware: http://www.infocult.com/m/ossc/fw/
Beta Firmware: https://videogameperfection.com/forums/topic/ossc-v1-xx-series-beta-firmware/
GitHub: https://github.com/marqs85/ossc
Texas Instruments PHA 2037 Connector FIX
Defect:
- Black Screen but sounds works.
Replaced parts:
Gallery:
Texas Instruments TI-99/4A Repair #1
Defect:
- Black Screen and deafening sound in background.
Replaced parts:
Texas Instruments TI-99/4A Repair #2
Defect:
- Wave/Raster Lines.
- Garbage on Boot Screen.
Replaced parts:
- 1 x Inductor 2 -> 4.5 μH (L100)
- 2 x TMS4116-15 RAM
Texas Instruments TI-99/4A Repair #3
Defect:
Replaced parts:
Video amplifier installation for Composite Video output including installation of the two female RCAs on the case.
I also made a simple fix of the metal PAD of the RESET that no longer stayed in place and consequently fell off inside the shell.
Gallery:
You shouldn’t turn on an Amiga that has been off for about thirty years without first running the usual Recap, but also following this simple rule it is not said that everything works as expected.
After the Recap i have realized that the RGB / Composite and RF output were not working properly.
From the RGB output the BLUE color was missing while the composite video and consequently RF show only a black screen.
After various measurements i came to the conclusion that the VP-101 (U30) DAC had to be replaced.
Once the DAC was replaced, the RGB output started working perfectly again, while the Composite/RF video signal they still didn’t work.
The failed component for the Composite/RF video output is the Z222 delay line, bypassing the delay line on the pins of the same one i have a “decent” composite signal but it’s not good, unfortunately this component is not easy to find, it could be solved by performing a “hack” i.e. by installing a different RGB Encoder that doesn’t need the delay lines and with some modifications on the PCB.
The game is worth the candle ? when will we use the Composite/RF video output ? probably never.
Gallery of the repair:
Commodore 64 (ASSY 250466) Repair
Defect:
- Black Screen and then Black Screen :-D
Replaced parts:
- 1 x Power Switch
- 1 x PLA 906114 (U17)
Commodore 64 (ASSY 250407) Repair
Defect:
- Garbled Screen and then No Sound.
Replaced parts:
- 2 x MOS 7708 [74LS257] (U13/U25)
- 1 x MOS 7709 [74LS258] (U14)
- 1 x MOS 6581 (U18)
Commodore 64C (ASSY 250469 REV-A) Repair
Defect:
Replaced parts:
A new firmware update for the ARM2SiD has been released by Nobomi.
ARM2SID firmware 3.15:
- Please don’t forget to download also a new configuration program.
- Fixed a bug with noise generation in the highest octave (reported for example in Crossroads II and Jumpman).
- SID type detection with this algorithm returns the actual type setting from the ARMSID configuration.
- Among other tracks, this allows you to play the last part of Wonderland XIII, at least if the ARMSID is set to emulate MOS6581. Prodigy rulez !
- Fixed bad music timing in Turrican 2 – The Final Fight (audible in track 2).
- Added undocumented playback of the “no” waveform, making, for example, the Boing Boom Tschak whistle significantly less (about 20dB down).
- Modifications in the generation of combined waveforms (not only) for MOS8580 emulation, where they are more close to the original (as close as possible for chips that are themselves different from each other, also dependent on temperature, voltage and time).
Download: ARM2SiD v3.15 [PRG/D64/CONFIG] (305)
source: nobomi.cz
The return of the Hybrid Sid Player by xAD/Nightfall & Gianluca Renzi (RetroBit Lab)
Based on the Project and Hardware Schematic by Markus Gritsch released in the years 2011-2015 on the forum dangerousprototypes. Thanks Markus.
Changelog:
v1.22 – 6/2/2023
Note:
- From this release the new versions will be developed and tested on the v2 prototype PCB and no longer on the Breadboard prototype.
Added:
- Software implementation of the new audio Switcher.
- Added a new value (0: Nothing) to the DEFAULT_SID_SOCKET in the configuration file (config.ini).
# Choose the default SID Socket on bootup (0: Nothing – 1:Socket #1 – 2:Socket #2) – default: 1
DEFAULT_SID_SOCKET=1
- Added control via MCU of the power-up led. It might come in handy for future implementations.
Updated:
- Updated label on the oled display for the “sid switch” mode, now “sidSet” is written and not just “sid”
- Updated boot screen with the text “sorting files…” if the folder contains too many files (max 800).
Fixed:
- The encoder cannot be used for manual SID SWITCH mode in case the SID tune played is multitunes because the encoder is used to select the songs, so although the “sidset” option will be displayed on the display in this specific case the selection of the sid socket will not working.
- Logic for the switch of the Socket SID with which to play the song and the consequent LED.
- Default SID Socket if nothing is specified in the config file (config.ini)
- Manual “sid switch” mode, the SID that was played with this mode would stop after 2 minutes and start over.
A new version of the firmware for the AVGCART (SD multicart for 8bit Atari) by tmp is released.
The AVGCART is a FPGA based multicart for 8bit Atari computers, extensible with SIO and/or ECI/PBI cables.
- supports CAR (cartridge dump) files up to 1MB and most bankswitching types
- supports XEX (executable) files
- supports ATR (floppy image) files (read/write) – support is limited without an optional SIO or ECI/PBI cable due to Atari cartridge port constraints (e.g. SW that uses RAM under OS does not work)
- supports ATX (protected floppy image) files (read-only, SIO cable required)
- supports CAS (cassette) files (SIO cable required)
- supports AVF (video) files
- supports PDM (audio) files
- fast file search, file shortcuts, randomizer and tons of other features
- when used with optional ECI/PBI cable, it can expand ATARI memory to up to 576kB, it can also provide extra 48kB RAM to stock 16kB 600XL machines (some limitations apply)
- firmware upgradeable via SD card (no additional hw needed)
- SIDE2 emulation (compatible with U1MB and SpartaDOS X)
- ability to stack emulated cart with emulated SpartaDOS X cart, together with SIDE2 emulated HDD
- unlike some other products, most of the functionality is running inside the cart and not on the host machine’s CPU which makes it faster and more versatile (it can do stuff in parallel with host machine without having to gain 6502 control and doesn’t require soldering extra internal upgrades like Ultimate 1MB for some basic functionality like ATR emulation or memory expansion)
- compatible with 600XL, 800XL/XE, 65XE, 130XE, XEGS (cartridge shell is too wide for 1200XL, bare pcb will fit, it is also too tall for 800, can be used with cartridge door opened and door switch triggered)
Changelog (v0028):
- Added type 75 (Atarimax 1MB “new”)
- “About” (“?”) extended to show some useful information about current state/config.
- Launching ROM files lets you choose cart type.
- Menu (“CAPS” key)
- Ability to choose bg/fg/border color.
- OS choice (PBI/ECI cable), use included rompack.rpk to flash OS slots.
- Most settings are now saved to a new config file so the old settings will be replaced with defaults.
- Some random bugs fixed, some random bugs added.
Download:
source: atariage.com
A new firmware update for the ARMSiD has been released by Nobomi.
News features and fixes in FW 2.15:
- Fixed a bug with noise generation in the highest octave (reported for example in Crossroads II and Jumpman).
- SID type detection with this algorithm returns the actual type setting from the ARMSID configuration.
- Among other tracks, this allows you to play the last part of Wonderland XIII, at least if the ARMSID is set to emulate MOS6581. Prodigy rulez !
- Fixed bad music timing in Turrican 2 – The Final Fight (audible in track 2).
- Added undocumented playback of the “no” waveform, making, for example, the Boing Boom Tschak whistle significantly less (about 20dB down).
- Modifications in the generation of combined waveforms (not only) for MOS8580 emulation, where they are more close to the original (as close as possible for chips that are themselves different from each other, also dependent on temperature, voltage and time).
Download: ARMSiD v2.15 [PRG/D64/CONFIG] (354)
source: nobomi.cz
The High Voltage SID Collection (HVSC) is a freeware hobby project which organises Commodore 64 music (also known as SID music) into an archive for both musicians and fans alike.
The work on the collection is done completely in the Team and contributors’ spare time and is proudly one of the largest and most accurate computer music collections known.
This update features (all approximates):
- 890 new SIDs
- 26 fixed/better rips
- 0 repeats/bad rips eliminated
- 217 SID credit fixes
- 25 SID model/clock infos
- 4 tunes from /DEMOS/UNKNOWN/ identified
- 0 tunes from /GAMES/ identified
- 26 tunes moved out of /DEMOS/ to their composers’ directories
- 5 tunes moved out of /GAMES/ to their composers’ directories
After this update, the collection should contain 56,665 SID files!
Download:
source: www.hvsc.c64.org
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