X68000 information sponging

[Fudoh]

haha, thanks! In other words: worst case scenario for any monitor requirements

A few years down the road we'll hopefully have an upscaler with HDMI 2.1 and VRR support and TVs that wil be able to display any of these timings in their original refresh rates.

[famiac]

Thanks a lot for the info, and for testing it on a BVM. Once i finish moving I'll try to use either an OSSC or an XPC-4 to feed HDMI to my D20 using a SPI converter. What a handful this machine is.

[leonk]

I was thinking XPC-4 as well (even though it costs more than XRGB mini!) but then I read that it has a major flaw. It converts all output freq to 60hz. Not good for a lot of games.

The most common method these days seems to be an OSSC into a PC monitor.

[DejahThoris]

Ugh...

So I just got my 68k up and running (recap). Decided to play the new Beep release of Valist Lesnalt because it just came in the other day, and the drive chewed a bit of disk A. Any chance anyone on here has a copy and can send me a proper backup of that one disk so I can replace mine? Either file or full disk.

Not trying to ask for "teh romz" or anything, I'm just a bit gutted I murdered my new game.

:/

[SuperDeadite]

If you read the manual the small English print says they will replace the disks if they don't work. Not sure about this case since you mangled them, but I doubt they would charge too much. Just send a nice email to Beep in simple English and you should be fine.

[DejahThoris]

If you read the manual the small English print says they will replace the disks if they don't work. Not sure about this case since you mangled them, but I doubt they would charge too much. Just send a nice email to Beep in simple English and you should be fine.

That's good to know. I reached out to FromJapan since I ordered through them. I'd reach out to Beep personally, but I don't have an order number or anything else.

Thank you for that bit of information! I'm sure it'll help.

[AAA]

Am very close to pulling the trigger on an MU2000EX MIDI module, to get more out of X68K etc. music. Couple of questions if I may:
- Re using XM6 emulator for X68000 games. Understood that I can have XM6 emulator output MIDI game music to the MU2000EX, with the MU2000EX then processing and outputting its particular flavor of sound. To use USB for connecting PC and MU2000EX seems a good way to go, but I am gathering this can only be done to output MIDI data from PC to the MU2000EX, but not from the MU2000EX back to the PC as well. Is that right?
And following up - to output from the MU2000EX then... assuming USB is only for inputting into the MU2000EX, I could have the MU2000EX output via optical/SPDIF straight to my AV receiver which has a nice DAC built in. So far so good. But how could I then output the rest of the audio to have a complete MIDI music & sound effects etc. mix? My PC motherboard doesn't have optical audio input (though it does have an optical output and an analogue line in), and my PC is connected to my TV directly for HDMI 2.1 features, with PC audio then being sent to my AV receiver via eARC.
Would getting a PC sound card with optical input solve this? Ideally there's an option where I don't have to buy more kit of course, though I do want quality/digital wherever possible too.
Thank you so much.

[SuperDeadite]

If your PC has spidif output, you should be able to select your pc's audio output device at any time. So output audio via spidif instead of hdmi.

Then you just need a digital mixer of some sort.

Personally I use Yamaha UW500 as it is both a MIDI interface and analog/digital usb audio device all at once. So MU's output goes into UW's digital input, and pc outputs it's audio to the UW over USB. It works as MIDI interface via USB at the same time, so I have MU connectef that way. This is useful for other modules that only do standard MIDI ports like MT/CM units.

Note before you buy anything, you should consider your usage. MU1000 and MU2000 are exactly the same for music output. 2000 adds sequencer and sampler. I use the sequencer a lot, but if you won't, MU1000 is much cheaper.

Also, MU is great for GM/GS based games, but useless for the LA based games.

[AAA]

Hi SuperDeadite, thanks very much for your reply. I have seen some of your other posts and videos and I appreciate your contributions; your X68K setup is wonderful!
I understand that my PC can be set up to output audio via optical/SPDIF. This is why the possibility of getting PC sound card with optical/SPDIF input, is of interest to me - assuming that such a card could combine and output a complete audio mix that is "MU audio via optical + other PC audio" of course.
It's the audio mixing that I want a best solution for. This is given that MU doesn't output back to PC via USB... please do correct me if I'm wrong on that, as if MU USB connection allows two-way data transfer I might be able to avoid getting more hardware and/or software.
I'm aware of the Yamaha UW500 device and it's great to understand its ability to mix audio inputs into one combined output. That said my ideal solution is one involving as few additional pieces of hardware and software as possible, especially the external variety.
I'll keep looking into the sound card route for now, and return to something like the UW500 should I need to. It does seem like a fix, though I suppose I want to make things harder for myself ha.
Also understood that I could use MU1000 if just for playback purposes - though I would only kick myself for not having the extra features should I go further into Alice's MIDI Wonderland. There's also something about the 2000 being a final bastion for a generation of MIDI, that adds appeal.
As for LA games, I'll use MUNT in order to keep the number of devices down.
Thanks again, am looking forward to experiencing another sector of VGM etc.

[SuperDeadite]

Yes, MU's USB is just a MIDI interface. No audio. MUNT is a good start, but it only supports MT-32 and CM-32L. CM-32P is not emulated yet. So games that support CM-64 will not work.

[AAA]

Thanks for confirming about USB spec.
Yes I am considering a CM-64 as well, yikes!

[AAA]

Am nearly there with my (emulation+MIDI module based) X68K setup.
Is there a definitive page or post detailing the keyboard button holds etc. needed for activating various MIDI options, by game?
eg:

Akumajo Dracula: game gives options on boot up. Press 1 for internal audio, 2 for LA, 3 for GS, 4 for GM (incomplete)
Chojin: game gives multiple options in configuration menu
Capcom games (Street Fighter II, Super Street Fighter II, Daimakaimura, Final Fight): game gives options for internal or MIDI, in configuration menu (games output GM when selecting MIDI option).
Gemini Wing: hold down keyboard button, when booting game. (F1: MT32 or CM32L, F2: CM64, F3: CM64 + SN-U110-10 (drums) expansion card, F4: CM64 + SN-U110-07 (electric guitar) expansion card)
Granada, hold down the 登録 keyboard button, when booting game (game outputs LA [?])

There are loads more of course - one big table would be awesome if such a thing exists.

[SuperDeadite]

List does not exist. Lots of games have weird hidden options. Like with Gemini Wing holding F7 will give you vertical (black bars on sides) screen mode.

The GM mode in Dracula is actually hold XF1 and push G. It does work but only with modules that will ignore a GS Reset message completely. Such as SG01k or NS5R.

[AAA]

I found this page - may not be comprehensive but has a fair amount of info at least
https://bitchinbits.foolproofdesigns.co ... -settings/

[SuperDeadite]

I found this page - may not be comprehensive but has a fair amount of info at least
https://bitchinbits.foolproofdesigns.co ... -settings/

Scrolled through, there are some errors but it's mostly correct.

[caincan]

weird that none outside japan figures or went to this cult event ? MI68 each year october in tokyo

https://x.com/i/status/1845345817407668629

https://x.com/hashtag/MI68?src=hashtag_click&f=live

even they actually talk live about shmups doujins,
https://www.youtube.com/live/JWPds1vnbnY

[kamiboy]

I’ve never heard of this event. It is an annual X68K meetup?

Not strange that it is unknown in the west, really. How many from Japan do you think follow overseas computer focused events like VCF?

I don’t much prioritize visiting Japan in Oktober, but if my on and off X68K game project ever gets to a sufficient state I might consider visiting this expo.

[SuperDeadite]

I'm well aware of it, but Tokyo is a bit too far from me. If it was closer, I would have gone for the MSX doujin hardware though.

[caincan]

well we could be surprised i guess, not everything is on the internet, i remember pics of japanese in south america attending obscure wrestling local tournament, japan is vast yes and not anybody figures straight even in suburbia tokyo what's going on the edge , but sure i would give this a ride once in a lifetime, if i lived in their islands. the weirdest thing it's located direct on Akihabara where mostly gaijins come & dont figure it..

video of each year , thanks to a local hobbyist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiwhLG4uzxI

[kamiboy]

Great video indeed. Seems mini systems are all the rage at the moment, but it sure is cool seeing so much actual hardware at the event. The 8bit micro days truly were the Wild West in Japan, so, so many weird and obscure hardware platforms, pretty much unknown in west, even among Japanese PC enthusiasts who mainly focus on the 16bit and beyond systems.

I really should make it a point to swing by that place once in the coming years. It looks and feels like Beep, but expanded to a giant venue.

Nice to see Japan is cooking up some good homebrew, that Battle Marine Game Gear game looked pretty good.