240p test suite for DC,PCE,Wii,SNES,GC,MD and SCD

[the Goat]

So am I just burning the 240p_MegaCD_USA (Disc Image File) to the CD? When I download it to my PC I get a whole bunch of files and folders, etc. Or am I supposed to burn everything that was downloaded?

Just burn the disk image file (.iso or .bin & .cue)

[James-F]

@Artemio

Is there a room in the SNES 240p test suite for a 512x224 pesudo transparency test pattern?
Some games like Kirby 3 and Jurassic Park use this technique to fake transparency on a bad CRT with a poor Composite signal .

[Artemio]

[quote="James-F"]@Artemio

Is there a room in the SNES 240p test suite for a 512x224 pesudo transparency test pattern?
Some games like Kirby 3 and Jurassic Park use this technique to fake transparency on a bad CRT with a poor Composite signal .

I did consider it early on, but ended up finding no use for it. What use case do you imagine?

[James-F]

This image can test the sharpness of a CRT with various SNES outputs (Composite, S-Video, RGB).
I guess people can just run Jurassic Park on a flash cart.

[rama]

Well, it can be used to check rainbowing and such on NTSC signals (PAL doesn't appear to suffer from rainbowing, as far as I can tell).

But the already existing checkerboard test does that job, too :p

[Artemio]

I know it has been a while, I've busy for the last few months with this project that will be integrated into the 240 Test Suite.

Here is a small description of what it is:

Code: Select all

MDFourier is an open source software solution created to compare audio signatures and generate a series of graphs that show how they differ. The software consists of two separate programs, one that produces the signal for recording from the console and the other that analyses and displays the audio comparisons.

The information gathered from the comparison results can be used in a variety of ways: to identify how audio signatures vary between systems, to detect if the audio signals are modified by audio equipment, to find if modifications resulted in audible changes, to help tune emulators, FPGA implementations or mods, etc.

And this is the kind of output it can give, comparing a Sega Genesis Model 1 VA3 vs a Sega Nomad:



Please check out http://junkerhq.net/MDFourier for the full documentation, interpretation informatiom and downloads.

[donluca]

*MASSIVE* release right there. Thank you so much for providing such a tool, it will be of immense utility, especially in the Mega Drive/Genesis community.

[Artemio]

especially in the Mega Drive/Genesis community.

For now, as detailed above more consoles will be targeted later on.

[pezmed]

Can anyone here provide seller/retailer information to purchase SNES and Genesis physical cart with 240p Test Suite?

For the Wii and GameCube, is the SD Media Launcher from codejunkies reliable for running 240p TS?

Thank you for any feedback.

[Artemio]

Can anyone here provide seller/retailer information to purchase SNES and Genesis physical cart with 240p Test Suite?

You can use an everdrive, or buy one from these (they kindly provide the service and there is no business relationship)

https://www.retrocircuits.com/product/240p-test-suite/
https://megacatstudios.com/collections/ ... test-suite

(They both have both versions)

For the Wii and GameCube, is the SD Media Launcher from codejunkies reliable for running 240p TS?

Yes

[PinoBatch]

Today I finished adding Super Game Boy enhancements alongside the existing Game Boy Color enhancements. (Screenshots in this Tweet.) Once I release the SGB version, owners of a Super Game Boy accessory will be able to order 144p Test Suite on a Catskull 32K cartridge by choosing Custom ROM. (Also no business relationship... yet.)

Compared to the Super NES version, I had to leave these out because of SGB limits:
Color Bars (present on GBC), SMPTE Color Bars (present on GBC), Mode 7, Alternate 240p/480i

But just about everything else is present:
PLUGE (including PLUGE Contrast), Color Bars w/ Gray Ref, Color Bleed Check, Grid, Linearity, Gray Ramp, White & RGB Screen (with custom color), Motion blur (replaces 100 IRE), Sharpness (including brick wall), Drop Shadow/Striped Sprite, Lag Test, Manual Lag Test, Scroll Test (horizontal and vertical), Grid Scroll Test, Horizontal Stripes/Checkerboard, Backlit Zone Test, Sound Test

[PinoBatch]

240p Test Suite (NES, GB, and GBA) v0.19 is out

It took another heroic compression effort, but I freed enough space to add a Super Game Boy border and colorization to all tests that would benefit from it. Not a lot of changes on NES and GBA though.

Highlights on all platforms:

• Stopwatch: Bolder digits
• Help: Standardize phrasing: "stuck pixels", "hide or show", "start or stop"
• Help: List patrons as of release time

Highlights on specific platforms:

• GB: Super Game Boy colorization and border
• Backlight zone (NES, GB): Increase starting size to 2 pixels
• Color bleed (GBA): Fix frame # covering everything
• PLUGE Contrast and Vertical scroll (GBA): Center pattern horizontally
• README (GB, GBA): Explain rationale behind "144p" and "160p" titles

Behind the scenes:

• Help (NES, GB): Integrate Johnathan Roatch's faster DTE compressor written in C
• Linearity (GB): Compress with reflection
• GB: Improve incruniq tilemap compression
• GB: Compress font and large graphics with nibble-wise Huffman coding
• GB: Move variables to HRAM; other code size optimizations
• GBA: Use a more common makefile
• GBA: Specify each PNG's conversion settings in a grit file

Download: GitHub release | ROM and source zipfile (553 kB)

I plan to consider MDFourier tone generation once I get a chance to look at the Genesis and Super NES tone generators.

[Artemio]

Hey guys. A new update to the 240p Test Suite for Genesis, the others will gradually follow, and to MDFourier.

Release Notes 240p Test Suite:
- Both versions
- Added MDFourier: please read everything related to it at: http://junkerhq.net/MDFourier/
- Segmented menu structure: removes some clutter and made space for new tests.
- Added Hardware Tests: Controller, Z80 RAM, Memory Viewer and Sega CD Tests.
- Selection between resolutions is done before the tests, so all options are always available
- Updated all the help texts
- YM2612 sound test now supports stereo panning

- Sega CD version:
- Added CD-DA and PCM to the sound test
- Added frequency verification tests for PCM
- MDFourier
- Now supports PCM and CD-DA
- Compatible with the cartridge test
- Can be blindly accessed by booting the Suite with START pressed

- Sega CD tests:
These tests are intended for non booting systems. They can help identify the failing components
- Can identify BIOS by CRC, in both versions. Even byte swapped and known region free variants
- Can verify RAM (except PCM) and registers from cartridge/main cpu side
- Can verify R/W access to Sega CD registers and flags from cartridge/main cpu side
- Has a Memory viewer that can display ranges and jump between relevant sections and banks.
- When in cartridge mode, the memory viewer can also help to identify Program RAM issues.
- The Sega CD version has just a few of the tests, since the hardware is working and resources are being used.


I'll release the documentation changes fr MDFourier gradually, along with the PCM ad Sega CD measurements. There was also an issue regarding a doubt between Sega docs and emulators, due to the frequency used by the PCM chip. I also added a test to verify that and will detail that is a separate post and web page.

Downloads are at:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/testsu ... CD_MegaCD/

[nmalinoski]

If MDFourier is becoming part of the 240p Test Suite for Genesis/MD, would that open the door for supporting it on other platforms?

[Artemio]

If MDFourier is becoming part of the 240p Test Suite for Genesis/MD, would that open the door for supporting it on other platforms?

That's exactly the plan. I have PC Engine+CD ready for release, just need to document everything. And others will follow.

[donluca]

Amazing progress, especially on the SEGA CD side. I have a quite temperamental MegaCD which seems to work according to its own reasons, maybe I'll be able to to a bit of debugging and hope to see if something's wrong.

Great to hear MDFourier is now included in the 240p suite, I was just waiting for this to update it on my Everdrive.

[Artemio]

A small addition, and version change to 1.21 before moving to other platforms.

- Added convergence patterns for CRT adjustment: color and cross hatch
- Small interface fixes.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/testsu ... CD_MegaCD/

[Artemio]

So MDFourier for PC Engine is finally here, after months holding it back due to many reasons.

It is available for Hucard and CD-ROM, the Hucard version can test the PSG audio and Noise, while teh CD.ROM versions add CD-DA and ADPCM. Recordings are compatible and can be compared between CD and non CD systems.

I still need to write a report on the audio results form several hardware revisions.

It isn't just MDFourier on the PC Engine though. The 240p Test Suite has been updated to be on par with the Sega Genesis version, including:

- Memory Viewer
- Controller Test
- Convergence Tests for CRTs
- EBU color bars (For Bob!)
- Scroll Tests, Checkerboard, Stripes and Color bleed can now change resolutions
- Selection between resolutions is done before the tests, so all options are always available
- Segmented menu structure: removes some clutter and made space for new tests.
- MDFourier Can be blindly accessed by booting the Suite with START pressed

https://sourceforge.net/projects/testsu ... -TG16-SCD/

The analysis software for MDFourier can be downloaded from:

http://junkerhq.net/MDFourier/

Along with the documentation for the complete project and MD/Genesis version

[orange808]

Would it be possible to add a lag test with three bars that flash when a button is pressed?

That would open the door for lag tester devices that work as game controllers instead of outputting HDMI. Using it, we could test the latency of our real OEM hardware and the variety of emulation solutions.

It would be nice to move past high speed cameras and "what I heard" on neogaf.

Of course, we would still need the hardware, but I think adding the test mode would inspire development.

[Artemio]

Would it be possible to add a lag test with three bars that flash when a button is pressed?

Sure thing! Any layout in particular for the screen?

Of course the lag would be minimal, I'd do a palette swap and have it display the next vsync.

[orange808]

Would it be possible to add a lag test with three bars that flash when a button is pressed?

Sure thing! Any layout in particular for the screen?

Of course the lag would be minimal, I'd do a palette swap and have it display the next vsync.

Three bars positioned on the left side of the screen like the Leo Bodnar and Time Sleuth would probably be best.

[Artemio]

And do you know how it should work? I imagine it being a fully black screen and when the button press is detected the bars would flash white for 1 frame and back to blank the next. Would that be the required behavior?

[citrus3000psi]

And do you know how it should work? I imagine it being a fully black screen and when the button press is detected the bars would flash white for 1 frame and back to blank the next. Would that be the required behavior?

Yes that be fine. But it might make sense instead of a pure black screen to have some form of arrow off to the right so the user knows where to put the device before they hit they trigger the pattern. The hardware should also have ADC this time to get en exact measurement from the console. The current time sleuth waits for X brightness before the trigger is set. Some TV pixel response are notoriously slow, so an ADC would take care of that. So users wouldn't give incorrect measurements based on their tv. Or we say only test on OLED And there would clearly have to be some type of lcd on the device itself.

Are we thinking of modding existing controllers to get the button output (Think of just a wire(s) coming out of the controller and plugging into the device)? The device could be set to accept high or low inputs.

Or

Some generic DB9 input? Maybe there are cable sets already out there?

Also the OSSC might be a good candidate already? But has no ADC. So only oleds would give exact numbers.

[rama]

Thanks for your continued work, Artemio. This update is not for me this time, but I'm sure my consoles will see updates again

With regards to the lag tester hardware, may I propose we as a community build something *cheap* this time?
I think lag testers should be made to be commonplace, instead of professional use only.

A good starting point could be this nice idea from mybook4 on Github, the "The Ridiculously Inexpensive Lag Tester (RILT)"
https://github.com/mybook4/DigisparkSke ... 33RILT.ino

Arduino projects are relatively easily migrated to ESP32 hardware, which may offer some versatility needed to integrate with the 240p test suite.

Just my 2 cents, and call for collaboration! ;p

[citrus3000psi]

Thanks for your continued work, Artemio. This update is not for me this time, but I'm sure my consoles will see updates again

With regards to the lag tester hardware, may I propose we as a community build something *cheap* this time?
I think lag testers should be made to be commonplace, instead of professional use only.

A good starting point could be this nice idea from mybook4 on Github, the "The Ridiculously Inexpensive Lag Tester (RILT)"
https://github.com/mybook4/DigisparkSke ... 33RILT.ino

Arduino projects are relatively easily migrated to ESP32 hardware, which may offer some versatility needed to integrate with the 240p test suite.

Just my 2 cents, and call for collaboration! ;p

The Time slueth is open source. So I don't think anybody is pushing for some close source non collaborated project?

[rama]

citrus3000psi:
I've no doubt that the Time sleuth is great stuff, but it's simply not affordable enough for wide distribution, in my opinion.

For a task as plain as getting a lag reading of a system, something much more affordable should be available.
I would like such a thing, so I'd be willing to contribute.
Open sourcing the thing is a given, of course.

[orange808]

Given this device will be more complex than the (already reasonably priced) Time Sleuth, it will probably need to be a bit more expensive. I understand and the price will not deter me from purchasing a unit ASAP (upon availability).

The explanation is simple: things cost money and getting more things costs more money.

For those that don't purchase a unit, I'm sure plenty of other users will be happy to share details and results with the community. Even if you don't own a device, having access to benchmark information from other users would help everyone better understand hardware/emulator performance.

Very excited about this.

[citrus3000psi]

I actually think the price can come down quite a bit. (However I doubt I would ever do a manufacturing run on this) I'd rather just hand build 5-10 units and give them out to people.

The current Time sleuth has a FPGA that can drive a 1080p60 display and also has a dvi transmitter.

The new hardware would only need something to drive a small character display and counter. An ADC (Only for FPGA) + photo diode would be needed too. A cheap arm dev board should be possible along with a custom hat and would not need an ADC.

[orange808]

I apologise for gushing, but I want to go over all things we will be able to test and get real measurable metrics.

Real OEM hardware consoles
MISTer cores
Analogue consoles
MISTer input boards
"Classic" (cash grab) Rasp Pi consoles
Emulators
AMD/Nvidia GPU scaling
AMD/Nvidia GPU variable refresh
AMD/Nvidia low latency modes (reduced prerendered frames)
PC controller to USB adapters
Displays running at odd NES/SNES refresh rates
Potential bugs like the DVDO Edge issue

And, that's just off the top of my head.

[Artemio]

Any console you'd like this to see this implemented first? I was going to go for PC Engine since that is what I have been working on, but I am guessing only I use that ^^

I can implement it really fast, since it is a very easy test.