Wavebeam NES Palette for NESRGB, NT Mini, Emulators, etc

[nakedarthur]

I updated the NES Palette page with all the links and details, including explaining the weird quirk of the NESRGB requiring palette #3 being the middle toggle position:

http://www.firebrandx.com/nespalette.html


-FBX

Nice! Thanks for the diagram, makes much more sense now haha.

[austin532]

Who knew Arthur and Firebrand would someday join forces?

BTW FBX, since you modded your NES do you still need your other JTAG adapter?

[werk91]

Thanks very much Arthur! I've just posted my Famicom for a NESRGB mod

[The_Atomik_Punk!]

Thanks once again FBX for the palette pack release. Between the FBX Smooth and nakedarthur Wavebeam palette, things are looking better than ever with the NESRGB; thanks you to both of you for your incredible efforts!

[strygo]

Does anyone happen to sell a JTAG adapter? I really want these palettes - they are amazing.

Despite my best efforts, anytime I do something involving a soldering iron, no good comes of it.

[nakedarthur]

You're welcome guys, glad to hear people are enjoying it.

Regarding the JTAG adapters, perhaps if you ask someone like retro_console_accessories on eBay they'd sell them? She probably just doesn't know there's any demand for them. The parts are very cheap, especially if you buy them in bulk. Everyone can just buy a super cheap blaster here, and then the parts list for the JTAG adapter:

- 1x OSHPark JTAG Adapter
- 1x header | square-post | 0.100" pitch | 2x5-pin | male | shrouded
- 1x header | square-post | 0.100" pitch | 1x6-pin | male

And the directions for assembly are here. I'm just using the factory variant where you set the adapter in the holes and lean it forward to make contact.

[FBX]

BTW FBX, since you modded your NES do you still need your other JTAG adapter?

I still have it, but I don't need it. It's got the thicker square pins on it, which makes it better for a temporary adapter. If you wanted to make it permanent like I did, you need to find pin sockets that fit those thicker posts.

[PascalP]

I just cut off one connector of the USB Blaster cable and soldered that end to the NESRGB pcb.
The other end of the cable is router underneath the expension port cover, easy to flash new palettes

[strygo]

header | square-post | 0.100" pitch | 1x6-pin | male

Thanks for the instructions and parts list. This doesn't seem too bad. One question about this item: you mention only needing a single one, but when I click through, the picture on digi-key shows what appears to be only 4 pins. Is the picture incomplete/wrong, or am I just missing something? Thanks for your help!

[nakedarthur]

header | square-post | 0.100" pitch | 1x6-pin | male

Thanks for the instructions and parts list. This doesn't seem too bad. One question about this item: you mention only needing a single one, but when I click through, the picture on digi-key shows what appears to be only 4 pins. Is the picture incomplete/wrong, or am I just missing something? Thanks for your help!

Yea it's fine, the picture just isn't really accurate to the exact item. It's a single row of 6 pins.

[strygo]

Cool, thanks.

[FBX]

Added switch installation pics, JTAG adapter pics and links (in the firmware instructions section), and rearranged the web page:

http://www.firebrandx.com/nespalette.html

So the site should have everything covered now, from proper palette order to links to the adapter boards.

Cheers!
-FBX

[nakedarthur]

Added switch installation pics, JTAG adapter pics and links (in the firmware instructions section), and rearranged the web page:

http://www.firebrandx.com/nespalette.html

So the site should have everything covered now, from proper palette order to links to the adapter boards.

Cheers!
-FBX

Nice, looks great! I'll have to play with my switch when I get some time.

[tjstogy]

Don't threaten me with a good time...

Nice, looks great! I'll have to play with my switch when I get some time.

[xadox]

Great to see there are finaly the new firmware files.
Big thanks for this great update!

[copy]

FBX: I was wondering what your current thoughts are on the PVM Style palette, since you didn't include it in the Wavebeam firmware sets. Does this mean you think PVM Style is obsolete/unnecessary? I know you said NTSC Hardware (now Smooth) looked better than you expected on digital displays.

Assuming PVM Style still has a place... would there be any chance at all of getting a Smooth>>>PVM Style>>>Composite Direct firmware? I would chip in a donation if needed.

(No disrespect to your efforts, nakedarthur!)

[FBX]

FBX: I was wondering what your current thoughts are on the PVM Style palette, since you didn't include it in the Wavebeam firmware sets. Does this mean you think PVM Style is obsolete/unnecessary? I know you said NTSC Hardware (now Smooth) looked better than you expected on digital displays.

Assuming PVM Style still has a place... would there be any chance at all of getting a Smooth>>>PVM Style>>>Composite Direct firmware? I would chip in a donation if needed.

(No disrespect to your efforts, nakedarthur!)

Each palette has its merits. I don't mean for Smooth to replace the original NTSC Hardware palette entirely. It's rather a slightly altered hybrid. I just tend to like it better for personal tastes, because it adds in a bit of 'Sony consumer CRT' flavor to the mix without being overly saturated.

On the PVM palette, it's a novelty in that you'd use it if you wanted colors similar to a PVM on your digital display. It all just depends on what you like. RetroRGB says it best: "There's really no wrong or right choice, just whatever you like best, and that can change from game to game".

Anyway, if you'd like a Smooth >>> PVM Style >>> Composite Direct palette set, what I can do is send you a TDF file of the palette set. What you'd then do is send that to Tim Worthington and request a pof firmware of the set based on that TDF file. It saves him a lot of hassle when it is already in TDF format. I'll the TDF file later tonight for you.

[copy]

Thanks for the clarification, that's very helpful. With that explanation, I think I'll stick with the previous firmware I've been using (NTSC Hardware>>PVM Style>>Composite Direct). No need to do the TDF file for me, but I really appreciate the offer!

[nakedarthur]

Alright, I'm back with a big update. A few weeks ago I got a newer, more accurate CRT and have had some time to play with the latest Wavebeam NESRGB palette on it. Overall I was pretty happy with it, but I noticed a few major problems with the brightness balancing that started to bug me. The last time I attempted to balance it I came up with a convoluted, fully manual process in Photoshop that was tedious and very prone to errors. So this time I refined the process, and made a new palette tool to assist that features several different realtime brightness algorithms to help balance. You can also load up a comparison palette as a baseline, so I used FBX's Composite Direct palette since it's my favorite of his bunch, and then fully rebalanced Wavebeam against it using the HSP color model to gauge perceived brightness. The palette now feels MUCH more natural, with all the large brightness shifts with gone. I've updated the site with the latest .pal and full comparison. We'll need to do an NESRGB update again, so I'm hoping FBX is up for that

Here's the August release on the left, rebalanced on right:



And here's what the tool looks like for those interested:

[FBX]

Difference looks very minor in a lot of those screens. I'll make up new TDF files and send them to you if you're sure you've got it exactly where you want it now.

[nakedarthur]

Difference looks very minor in a lot of those screens. I'll make up new TDF files and send them to you if you're sure you've got it exactly where you want it now.

Yea, it's not radically different overall since I had it pretty dialed in before. The biggest visible change was to the reds and greens (not a surprise since they are easiest colors to perceive brightness differences). LCD pales in comparison to CRT in regards to brightness, so the changes should be much more visible on there. I just exported my full sheet for comparison but I can find some better examples when I have time. It's a little easier to see as an A/B test, so here's a few from above in an animated before/after:

[FBX]

Cool. Is the link on your page the one I should use?

[nakedarthur]

Cool. Is the link on your page the one I should use?

Yep, it's been updated to the latest. Thanks!

[FBX]

Okay cool. I'm working on a complete TDF set with various variations. In view of toggle switch wiring (which I've corrected on my own NES using a DPDT switch), where would you like your palette placed in the switch order? First, middle, or last?

[nakedarthur]

Okay cool. I'm working on a complete TDF set with various variations. In view of toggle switch wiring (which I've corrected on my own NES using a DPDT switch), where would you like your palette placed in the switch order? First, middle, or last?

Sweet! I'm fine with how the previous ones were unless you want to move things around. Doesn't really matter to me as long as it's on there

[FBX]

Done. I sent a package of 10 TDF files, so there should be a little something for everybody to enjoy if Tim makes them.

[nakedarthur]

Done. I sent a package of 10 TDF files, so there should be a little something for everybody to enjoy if Tim makes them.

Awesome, thanks man!

[austin532]

Now you're just nitpicking. There are very minor differences between those pics. The violet used for Battle of Olympus is probably the biggest change. Then the blue used for Punch-Out!! and Metroid.

[nakedarthur]

Now you're just nitpicking. There are very minor differences between those pics. The violet used for Battle of Olympus is probably the biggest change. Then the blue used for Punch-Out!! and Metroid.

It doesn't surprise me that the only ones you picked out were where the colors were touching. As I said above it's very difficult to perceive brightness differences on LCD, but having them next to each other certainly helps. Here's some more obvious examples:

[romevi]

Really dumb question, but where do I download Wavebeam2? Is it the link in the Wavebeam site? Just Co fused because when it downloads it's "Wavebeam" and not "Wavebeam2."
Cheers!