GBS 8200/8220 CFW Project

[rama]

Yeah, that's very likely to be EMI related. We can only speculate though, and the effects on the GBS heatsink situation are unknown.
I can't reliably say that the heatsink is responsible for bad WiFi either.

I ended up soldering wires onto my ESP8266 adapter WiFi antenna. That works pretty well so far

[RockeTim]

Ah, the page was on my Wiki! And that's even the reason I made it public :p

Okay, I'll edit some details.

Edit:
I removed a few items that I didn't know of and that didn't make sense to me.
Particularly "Add wire to ground on component input shielding" is an odd one. The metal on those inputs is very well grounded
I also reordered it a little, so the list starts with important items.

Thanks a lot, RockeTim!

Sounds good to me!

Edit: just checked it out and everything looks great.

As for the ground to component, I thought I remembered someone posting pictures of their gbs hooked up to an arcade board, and they had done something like this. Not sure what page it's on.

I am also thinking about doing another wiki page for the buttons in the web UI. More documentation = more potential interest in the project (imho).

[rama]

I agree, and I'll certainly help out where I can. Thanks again

Grounding onto an external chassis is probably a good thing. So that video you saw would be correct.
It doesn't matter too much where the grounding connections are made though, as long as it's a good connection.

[fluxcore]

Having trouble getting an image displayed from my 50Hz PAL N64 (which I've just RGB modded using etim's N64RGB).

Let me know what log output you want to see, here's the basic stuff that gets printed when the console is powered on:

found: 5 getVideoMode: 0 input: 1
SOG level: 8
RGBS
New Input
50Hz
post preset done (preset id: 11)
Base: 2167 Best: 2160

The TV is just showing 'not supported' , but seems to be detecting the GBS as outputting 60Hz.

[Higgy]

Fluxcore - have you tried the 4 different screen resolutions?

And have you tried with any other RGB consoles? Or is just the N64 not showing?

My N64 is not moddified so just S-Video for me

[fluxcore]

Fluxcore - have you tried the 4 different screen resolutions?

And have you tried with any other RGB consoles? Or is just the N64 not showing?

My N64 is not moddified so just S-Video for me

Other 60Hz consoles are working fine at least, including a NESRGB using the same scart cable. I haven't tried any other 50Hz stuff yet, because gosh I've tried pretty hard to get rid of it all. NTSC 60Hz N64 is hard to get here

[NoAffinity]

Fluxcore - have you tried the 4 different screen resolutions?

And have you tried with any other RGB consoles? Or is just the N64 not showing?

My N64 is not moddified so just S-Video for me

Other 60Hz consoles are working fine at least, including a NESRGB using the same scart cable. I haven't tried any other 50Hz stuff yet, because gosh I've tried pretty hard to get rid of it all. NTSC 60Hz N64 is hard to get here

Let's rule out the cable. What type of cable is it, and what sync is it wired for? Have you ensured that the appropriate sync output is wired for the what the cable supports?

If it's a csync cable, and assuming you have csync wired appropriately to the output connector on the NES, then make sure you have N64RGB CS# wired to the same sync output pin on the N64. Make sure that that pin in the N64 isn't part of another circuit, or disable that pin's connection to the native circuit somewhere before any of said circuit's components come into play.

[NoAffinity]

Question on this optional mod:

Add 10uf / 22uf ceramic caps in parallel to stock electrolytic caps (x4) C23 C41 C42 C48

It looks like I've got SMD ceramic caps at the locations already. Board version is V4.0 2015.01.15. Is there anything else to be done at these locations, then?

[rama]

Hey ho, another PAL enthusiast

SOG level: 8
RGBS
New Input
50Hz
post preset done (preset id: 11)
Base: 2167 Best: 2160

This all looks great on the input side. The trouble must be your TV not supporting the resolution in 50Hz.
Is it straight VGA into the TV or via an HDMI transcoder? Once it's HDMI, the support from TVs gets pretty spotty.
Straight VGA should work with at least some output resolutions.
The TV reporting 60Hz is a telltale sign of no 50Hz support, at least on that resolution.

[rama]

Question on this optional mod:

Add 10uf / 22uf ceramic caps in parallel to stock electrolytic caps (x4) C23 C41 C42 C48

It looks like I've got SMD ceramic caps at the locations already. Board version is V4.0 2015.01.15. Is there anything else to be done at these locations, then?

It should say in parallel to the already installed SMD capacitors. Fixed

[NoAffinity]

Question on this optional mod:

Add 10uf / 22uf ceramic caps in parallel to stock electrolytic caps (x4) C23 C41 C42 C48

It looks like I've got SMD ceramic caps at the locations already. Board version is V4.0 2015.01.15. Is there anything else to be done at these locations, then?

It should say in parallel to the already installed SMD capacitors. Fixed

Great thanks! Digging through my stockpile now...

And to be clear, it can be either 10uf or 22uf? But I'm assuming it should be all of the same, whichever value is chosen?

[rama]

Yep, the exact value is not critical, as long as it is a lot (for SMD type anyway).
These additional capacitors are meant to help extend the filtering range of the stock caps.

[NoAffinity]

Fluxcore - have you tried the 4 different screen resolutions?

And have you tried with any other RGB consoles? Or is just the N64 not showing?

My N64 is not moddified so just S-Video for me

Other 60Hz consoles are working fine at least, including a NESRGB using the same scart cable. I haven't tried any other 50Hz stuff yet, because gosh I've tried pretty hard to get rid of it all. NTSC 60Hz N64 is hard to get here

Let's rule out the cable. What type of cable is it, and what sync is it wired for? Have you ensured that the appropriate sync output is wired for the what the cable supports?

If it's a csync cable, and assuming you have csync wired appropriately to the output connector on the NES, then make sure you have N64RGB CS# wired to the same sync output pin on the N64. Make sure that that pin in the N64 isn't part of another circuit, or disable that pin's connection to the native circuit somewhere before any of said circuit's components come into play.

Correction to my statement here. The sync output should be wired for whatever your display is. If going through a scaler, you probably need CS75. Either way, make sure the same output pin is being utilized for sync, on the N64 as it is on the NES. Then make sure the appropriate sync (CS# or CS75) is wired to that pin from the N64RGB.

[rama]

Quick question to anyone reading:

Is your gbs producing a very red'ish hue on the output?
It would show up in dark gray / near black, which would look almost red tinted.

I just came across one that does this, and for some reason the DAC blanking level is skewed on it.
It must be the chip or some passive components since the software is the same, but it's hard to explain how.

[AndehX]

Well I have one of the original 2017 (v4.0) and I don't get any red tint

[fluxcore]

Hey ho, another PAL enthusiast
This all looks great on the input side. The trouble must be your TV not supporting the resolution in 50Hz.
Is it straight VGA into the TV or via an HDMI transcoder? Once it's HDMI, the support from TVs gets pretty spotty.
Straight VGA should work with at least some output resolutions.
The TV reporting 60Hz is a telltale sign of no 50Hz support, at least on that resolution.

Believe me, I get rid of all the PAL stuff when I get NTSC equipment, some is difficult to find though.

Straight VGA in. I didn't consider that the TV might not support the same resolutions/frequencies through the VGA as HDMI, I guess there's no reason to assume it though. That there are no specs on supported VGA modes that I can find is pretty irritating.

I plugged the GBS into a BENQ computer monitor and it works, although the presets aren't very well aligned most of the time (auto adjust on the monitor isn't coping with them well either. The 720p wide mode works okish though, although it does drop sync every so often.

Once I can get through the 50Hz menu mode on an everdrive and load up an NTSC ROM (which switches the N64 into 60Hz mode), I can plug it back into the original TV and get a pretty good image through the 480p preset. Of course if I want to switch games, I have to reset to go back to the menu... which is back to 50Hz and can't handle the signal.

Maybe I'll pick up a VGA->HDMI device and see what happens with that.

PAL. LOL. Knew I should have tried importing an NTSC N64 rather than modding this one.

Thanks for the troubleshooting help

[AndehX]

PAL. LOL. Knew I should have tried importing an NTSC N64 rather than modding this one.

Yup, that's exactly what I did Bought a Japanese N64 and RGB modded it

[fluxcore]

Yup, that's exactly what I did Bought a Japanese N64 and RGB modded it

Only real reason I didn't is because not all models are RGB moddable.

[NoAffinity]

Revised resolution switching test and deinterlacing test video. Figured out what I was doing wrong, making some captures too dark. Also added an n64 resolution switching game. Lots of dithering on that Star Wars Ep1 Racer.

https://youtu.be/pAYj-13mJQg

Rama - got your message, will put the new master dev through its paces with some 480i. Looking forward to it and thank you as always for continual improvments!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[rama]

Rama - got your message, will put the new master dev through its paces with some 480i. Looking forward to it and thank you as always for continual improvments!

You're welcome! I just can't leave this stuff alone when it's almost great, but not quite! :p
The deinterlacer stuff is now finished and on master.
Overall, it is maybe 20% less effective in fast 3D. Still screenshots of motion would show more combing now, but in motion you usually can't see it.
The improvement is in still, or little moving scenes. The weird looking wobble in those scenes is greatly reduced now, so it isn't immediately obvious that a deinterlacer is working on the material.
Along with this, I worked some more on 240p/480i switches, which should be "green screen" free at least now.
I discovered a change to sync processing that could eliminate the screen jump, but that's for later (needs more testing).

Could you decrease contrast a few notches still? Cheers

Only real reason I didn't is because not all models are RGB moddable.

Check the serial number if the Ebay listing shows it. There are lists around that show the range of moddable consoles.
Many Japanese (black) ones are.
Once you have a 60Hz image, you could use the web ui and disable the sync watcher (near bottom of the page).
This will make it so that the scaler doesn't detect a signal change anymore, and stays at the 60Hz output.
Timings will be wrong but at least you can see the menu and choose a game.

I should add a "force 60Hz" option. Will do so some day.

the presets aren't very well aligned most of the time (auto adjust on the monitor isn't coping with them well either.

Most displays need a bright scene to auto adjust. They're literally looking at the active video content to determine borders.
Some day I'll probably find out how devices can align properly without calibration, but for now, all I can say is that it looks perfect on the scope :/

[AndehX]

Revised resolution switching test and deinterlacing test video. Figured out what I was doing wrong, making some captures too dark. Also added an n64 resolution switching game. Lots of dithering on that Star Wars Ep1 Racer.

https://youtu.be/pAYj-13mJQg

Looks good. Your contrast is still a little too high though. My suggestion is to lower it until "pure black" starts to look "grey" and then up it until it becomes "pure black" again, and stop there. That's how I dial in contrast.

[fluxcore]

Could I request web ui controls for +-10 of the various horiz/vert controls please? Stepping 1px at a time with the html button is pretty arduous sometimes. If it makes sense, of course.

[rama]

I still don't like adding more buttons for doing the same things.
I'll increase the default values though, those are still a little low (4 pixels though, not 1 :p).

Edit: Done

[Higgy]

Have people been trying Dreamcasts? I don't know if it is my cable, but I was getting quite a bit of glitching.
(although yes, I know it can output VGA for pretty much all titles)

horiz/vert controls please? Stepping 1px - yes quite often I tap too quick on my mobile phone and the screen zooms in on the phone and then my finger is selecting the opposite function!

[AndehX]

Dreamcast working fine here. I have some Soul Calibur footage in my video

[AndehX]

Tried out the new deinterlacing. To be honest, I don't really like it. The combing artefacts are very noticeable, even on slow moving stuff. Infact, it almost looks like there is no deinterlacing happening at all.... weird.

I've also noticed some periodic glitching (picture shifts down then up again) on my Super Nintendo

[NoAffinity]

Okay, I spent some time color balancing the conversion/capture chain, with sega genesis 240p test suite, before moving onto the PS2. I know it's not perfect, but hopefully better. Anyway, another pass, this time with only 480i content and the current master build.

https://youtu.be/0YpNopMAyZY

I have to agree that the combing is more noticeable than the last build from a couple weeks ago. However, all-around, I think it looks great. I haven't touched SFEX3 in quite a while, and decided it might be a good candidate for this latest video. I was in awe just watching the opening attract sequence. A little combing here and there is no big deal imho, the overall effect of this latest build is quite nice.

[rama]

AndehX:
Probably a saved preset. If it looks like it was off, then it is off :p

NoAffinity:
Hmm, your 2D games show a lot of combing. The Outrun look is what I aimed for, seems like the 2D titles easily break all the thresholds.
There's a few tweaks I can do still, but possibly we'll have to decide to go all high motion or all low motion stability.

Higgy:
The page was supposed to show the buttons at maximum size for the screen, 2 buttons per row.
Some CSS rule is breaking it though, I think.
If it was working correctly, the buttons should be pretty large on any screen.

[NoAffinity]

I can try some additional 2d tests. I think the quality on SFAA is on the lower side. Maybe wont make a difference but worth validating further.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[rama]

What may be the issue:
We see much more combing in those "not really 480i" titles that are actually 240p games that have been forced to 480i.
If I crank up the deinterlacer filters so they recognize motion in these titles, all the "real 480i" titles are almost purely bob.

So I don't know, I think I'll focus a little more on actual 480i content.
For the converted titles, it may be better to offer a pure bob mode (which is what gbscontrol had before the deinterlacer got first implemented).
Bob looks pretty acceptable on the converted titles, as it seems to flicker less than on real 480i stuff.
Of course, bob has no combing artefacts, since no weave is done at all.

Oh, and pure bob can do scanlines, although it's those interlaced ones. Still looks okay'ish ;p