Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

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Fudoh
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by Fudoh »

what if you apply the SLG3000 after the already-roatated image?
then you a) don't get the right number of scanlines and b) your scanlines would have the wrong orientation (horizontal instead of vertical).
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orange808
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by orange808 »

Sorry for the bump. I'm revisiting all my machines.

For people that want instant 480i to 240p transitions and 240p compatibility, the Silicon Optix IA-100 does that and does it instantly/seamless. That's probably the only thing I can add that hasn't already been said.

Even though this one is a bit dated, it's still a pretty good little machine. It sure does a lot of stuff for the money.
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CRDRC
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by CRDRC »

Hello, recently got a SOIA but am running into huge issues and looking for any potential help. This seems to be pretty much the only place I could think of that may be able to figure out what's gone wrong.

I went through the process of updating my SOIA just the other night with PCLoader and went about using the three hex files mentioned by Retroman:
AnyPlace_v200_021_96M.hex
AnyPlace_Sidekick_FPGA_v1004.hex
BEX_hdtv_fpga_200K_rev7020.hex

However, now my device seems to refuse to display content. On screen I get a "No Input Signals" message, but on the device itself, it says "SDC2= NTSC" so it's accepting something. I've just been feeding it a signal from my AV Famicom that has worked with the device prior to test it.

Other information from the status screen:
FPGA revision 1.0.04
HDTV FPGA revision 0000
CPLD revision 3.3.00
Firmware revision 1.200.021

Please, any suggestion or ideas would be greatly appreciated
Guile
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by Guile »

CRDRC wrote:Hello, recently got a SOIA but am running into huge issues and looking for any potential help. This seems to be pretty much the only place I could think of that may be able to figure out what's gone wrong.

I went through the process of updating my SOIA just the other night with PCLoader and went about using the three hex files mentioned by Retroman:
AnyPlace_v200_021_96M.hex
AnyPlace_Sidekick_FPGA_v1004.hex
BEX_hdtv_fpga_200K_rev7020.hex

However, now my device seems to refuse to display content. On screen I get a "No Input Signals" message, but on the device itself, it says "SDC2= NTSC" so it's accepting something. I've just been feeding it a signal from my AV Famicom that has worked with the device prior to test it.

Other information from the status screen:
FPGA revision 1.0.04
HDTV FPGA revision 0000
CPLD revision 3.3.00
Firmware revision 1.200.021

Please, any suggestion or ideas would be greatly appreciated
I had the exact same problem, I managed to solve it but it was a nightmare. I think the BEX fpga firmware only works on units that have the eWarp option unlocked, otherwise it totally messes up everything and the HDTV firmware will say 0000 and it won't be able to output anything.

Here is what worked for me:

AnyPlace_v200_016_96M.hex
AnyPlace_Sidekick_FPGA_v1004.hex

and the important one that managed SDTV input:
IMB_hdtv_top_rev202_30000.hex

If you want sharper and faster deinterlacing use "Static Mesh" for the SDTV deinterlacing mode.

You could also probably go higher on the firmware (the one starting with v200) but I went with the lowest one available with rotation 016 and it works fine so I'm not going to mess with it further unless I feel like it.
shmupsman
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by shmupsman »

BTW:
is there a database somewhere for eWarp grid files?
almnk
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by almnk »

Internals of the Flexible Picture Systems Image AnyPlace 200 (FPS IA-200) that actually seems to be SiliconOptix WhiteHorse.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F8dT3U ... sp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GMTJH4 ... sp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NhIei0 ... sp=sharing

Does anyone have a software CD for that processor (FPS didn't reply to a request)?
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by almnk »

One kind person from Greece shared with me a copy of a software CD for the FPS IA-200 and since there is no such freely available CD on the web, here it is: https://archive.org/details/fps-ia-200-cd-v.-1.17
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by ChronoLe »

I hope this is not redundant, as I mainly lurk around every couple of months or so. Is this processor still the only option as a standalone box for image rotation? Also, will try to hunt one down, but an untested unit is listed on ebay with no remote. Any owners know if all the features can be used without the remote?

I don't have any suitable sized crts that I can flip to the side anymore, so hoping to just be able to casually play some tate games on the larger flat panels.
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Fudoh
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by Fudoh »

Aurora Dido Jr:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/155404285702

Which unit to choose, really depends on your actual sources (15khz or HD)...
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by ChronoLe »

Fudoh wrote:Aurora Dido Jr:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/155404285702

Which unit to choose, really depends on your actual sources (15khz or HD)...
Thanks Fudoh! Mainly PS1, Sega Saturn, and maybe PS2 and Dreamcast eventually.

Would this Dido Jr be suitable paired up with a retrotink 5x pro to a hdcrt?

My chain would look something like this:
Home console -> some combination of Dido Jr. + 5X pro ---> large lcd TV or Sony 40" hdcrt
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bobrocks95
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by bobrocks95 »

Looks like S-Video only for 240p sources on the Dido Jr, based on orange808's old thread? Can you configure the output to 240p and let another scaler handle the upscaling at least it sounds like?
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by ChronoLe »

bobrocks95 wrote:Looks like S-Video only for 240p sources on the Dido Jr, based on orange808's old thread? Can you configure the output to 240p and let another scaler handle the upscaling at least it sounds like?
Yeah, it looks like Silicon Optix would be the route to go if I want to maintain RGB or Component video from the consoles. Will likely wait for one with a remote control to pop up at a reasonable price. Although the price of the Dido Jr that is available right now would be good to get the feet wet on a scaler.

I'm pretty much a newbie, as the last product I purchased was an X-rgb3 when they initially came out. So all of this fancy tech is a learning process for me.
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Fudoh
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by Fudoh »

The Dido is for 480p+ sources, so if you want to pair it with regular consoles you need a linedoubler or upscaler upfront.

The SOIA can directly process 15khz sources, but it has more lag and you need a RGBs to YUV transcoder for best quality, so using the Dido - especially if you already have a scaler - makes more sense.

Other processors that can do rotation include the Datapath 4x (*), which can sometimes be found for $200-300. There are quite a few more, but those can get quite expensive.

* https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304804434764
* http://retrogaming.hazard-city.de/datapath.html
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by bobrocks95 »

Fudoh wrote:The Dido is for 480p+ sources, so if you want to pair it with regular consoles you need a linedoubler or upscaler upfront.

The SOIA can directly process 15khz sources, but it has more lag and you need a RGBs to YUV transcoder for best quality, so using the Dido - especially if you already have a scaler - makes more sense.

Other processors that can do rotation include the Datapath 4x (*), which can sometimes be found for $200-300. There are quite a few more, but those can get quite expensive.

* https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304804434764
* http://retrogaming.hazard-city.de/datapath.html
Oh, so an OSSC or RT5X feeding 1080p into a Dido Jr would work well? I suppose if it's always adding 1-2 frames of variable latency you'd only want it in the chain if you needed the rotation feature on though, unless it has a passthrough mode that disables processing.
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by ChronoLe »

Fudoh for the win!

So if I don't upgrade any of my current gear, it seams like the Dido Jr would accept a 480P+ signal from and Xrgb-3?

I also have a Xrgb-2 and a 2+. Eventually I would like to upgrade to the Retrotink 5x, but if any of my old 3 Micomsoft scalers can feed properly into the Dido Jr., I could at least see what the results might look like now. Really trying to find more reasons to use the monstrous Sony KV-40XBR800 that I picked up a few months ago.

Am I correct in assuming: RGB-->Xrgb-2 outputs via vga as 480p?
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by nam9 »

Silicon Optix IA-100 AnyPlace Video Processor/Graphics Scaler (Not mine).

$50

eBay link
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Fudoh
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by Fudoh »

Am I correct in assuming: RGB-->Xrgb-2 outputs via vga as 480p?
should work, yes. You need a VGA to DVI-A cable for the connection.
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by ChronoLe »

This post is related to questions about the Dido Jr. not the Image Anyplace.

Hey there shmuppers! I purchased an untested unit pretty cheap and it looks like it is arriving today. For anyone that still has one of these, wondering if you can let me know about the power supply.I took a look at the manual and it says 12V/15W. I may need to make a trip to a thrift store to pilfer the power adapter wall, but was hoping one of you could tell me if polarity is a thing with this device.

Last thing, some of the specialty cables, like component to dvi, bnc to dvi, etc. Should generic aftermarket cables be suitable? If it's a matter of trial and error, I'll just pick some up on the cheap, just hoping they are not proprietary. Thanks in advance for the help!

Okay, I had a brain fart. Everything I wrote in this post pertained to the Dido Jr. Sorry for the confusion.
Last edited by ChronoLe on Mon Jun 05, 2023 11:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Fudoh
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by Fudoh »

The SOIA doesn't have an external power supply. It takes 120V AC directly from the outlet.

The cables are all standard, yes. If you get DVI-A to RGBHV/BNC you can use it for component as well.

http://pms.hazard-city.de/SOIA_guide.pdf
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by ChronoLe »

Fudoh wrote:The SOIA doesn't have an external power supply. It takes 120V AC directly from the outlet.

The cables are all standard, yes. If you get DVI-A to RGBHV/BNC you can use it for component as well.

http://pms.hazard-city.de/SOIA_guide.pdf

Fudoh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to waste your time. My post was in reference to the Dido Jr. I didn't bother thinking about the thread I was posting in, as we had previously discussed the Dido Jr. here as well. I'll run a search to see if there is a Dido specific thread to keep this one clean.
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by kitty666cats »

Just chiming in - the Dido units accept 15kHz, just not 15kHz RGBS. They’ll gladly take 15kHz component, RGsB and RGBHV
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by ChronoLe »

kitty666cats wrote:Just chiming in - the Dido units accept 15kHz, just not 15kHz RGBS. They’ll gladly take 15kHz component, RGsB and RGBHV
Thank you! Do you have a unit? If so, can you let me know the polarity on the power supply? I need to track down a replacement to test the unit I just received.
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by cathodjunk »

I‘m sorry if this already been wrote but to clearify:
The silicon optix image anyplace 100 doesn’t except any form of lowres rgb input in contrast to the soia 200, which except „240p“ rgb(hv?). Am I right?
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Re: Project Yokotate mk2 - Silicon Optix Image Anyplace

Post by orange808 »

cathodjunk wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 12:49 am I‘m sorry if this already been wrote but to clearify:
The silicon optix image anyplace 100 doesn’t except any form of lowres rgb input in contrast to the soia 200, which except „240p“ rgb(hv?). Am I right?
IIRC, the SO IA-200 didn't have Faroudja processing, so it will not perform well with 240p input.

I can't remember anything remarkable or useful about the IA-200.
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