GBS 8200/8220 CFW Project

[rama]

Okay, that's why we have options

It might be that some displays work better with 1080p, particularly if that's their native resolution.
My test displays like x960 for NTSC and x1024 for PAL best.

It'll probably be different again with capture cards, so best try them all

[Eduardoml]

I meant to have scanlines in different source resolutions than 240p, the webui explains that for now scanlines only work with 240p sources, it would be nice to have in other sources too.

[rama]

Yes, wouldn't it? :p

[AndehX]

curious why you would want scanlines on anything higher than 240p? you don't see scanlines on 480i content on a CRT...

[goji]

I thought about testing 240p upscale to 480p on my Naomi cabinet :









Pictures are for exemple and don't do justice, irl display is awesome. The Gonbs is going to be a very useful tool in my setup.

[Iraito]

Hi guys i just bought these, from what i understand from an hardware perspective i need to:

1: Create a female scart cable to connect near the VGA IN

2: Connect the arduino

3: Mod the board or either use a sync stripper (which is better ?)

4: Power supply bypass capacitors (is it necessary ?)

This should be everything in the hardware side right ?

[Iraito]

Hi, i just bought the GBS 8200 and arduino module, can i ask some question regarding the hardware modifications ?

[rama]

Oh, is that Naomi cabinet 640x480 compatible?
If so, that'd be a reason to keep the 640x480 preset and fix it up a bit.
I've neglected it because I could never find a good use for it.

As a result, it's pretty noisy and the YUV pixels don't align well.
It can be better ;p

[Eduardoml]

curious why you would want scanlines on anything higher than 240p? you don't see scanlines on 480i content on a CRT...

In my memory all systems prior to ps2 had scanlines, but I think I was wrong, now I'm in doubt.

In any case I think it would be nice to have this option to have a cool retro style, but I understand that it is not a priority and may go out the scope of the project.

[Ryoandr]

curious why you would want scanlines on anything higher than 240p? you don't see scanlines on 480i content on a CRT...

There are some ports that are on 480i/480p only systems.
There are some PC games that can benefit from scanlines
There are some arcade games that are 480i/480p only but use 240p assets.

[goji]

Oh, is that Naomi cabinet 640x480 compatible?
If so, that'd be a reason to keep the 640x480 preset and fix it up a bit.
I've neglected it because I could never find a good use for it.

As a result, it's pretty noisy and the YUV pixels don't align well.
It can be better ;p

Yes, it's 640x480 on the cab .

In my case picture is noise free, and perfect on the Naomi cab. But yes, 640x480 preset is a very useful tool for naomi owners^^.

[AndehX]

curious why you would want scanlines on anything higher than 240p? you don't see scanlines on 480i content on a CRT...

There are some ports that are on 480i/480p only systems.
There are some PC games that can benefit from scanlines
There are some arcade games that are 480i/480p only but use 240p assets.

Yes, but enabling scanlines on 480i would look very wrong, simply due to the nature of interlaced video.

[SuperSpongo]

I'd also be interested in an optimized 640x480 setting for my Sony PGM (VGA only)
Right now, I'm using it with the OSSC.

[tomrev]

I'd also be interested in an optimized 640x480 setting for my Sony PGM (VGA only)
Right now, I'm using it with the OSSC.

Me too.

[rama]

Iraito:
Just follow the guides on the Wiki and you'll be fine ;p

You don't need to do any of the extended modifications. Those are suggestions to improve some things, should they affect you.

[NoAffinity]

Hey rama!

It's been a little while since I've toyed with my GBS - last updated in early May.

I just updated to the latest github release, and man is the picture beautiful. Color balancing and brightness is perfect, out of the box!

Spoiler

I'm having trouble connecting to the ESP via wifi, tho. I have gbscontrol login saved on my phone, but I can no longer connect. I deleted the network, refound it, and re-entered the password qqqqqqqq, but it is not connecting. I'm within 4 feet of the ESP with my phone, and the network seems to be coming and going.

Did something change that I missed?

[rama]

Sure, lots changed, but the problem with the WiFi was always there. It's just that the radio frequency where it blocks the ESP8266 antenna is shifting, depending on the configuration.

Try to connect when your source is off. It should work then.

[NoAffinity]

Sure, lots changed, but the problem with the WiFi was always there. It's just that the radio frequency where it blocks the ESP8266 antenna is shifting, depending on the configuration.

Try to connect when your source is off. It should work then.

I understand lots has changed. To clarify, has something changed that would affect the ability to access the ESP's wifi? I never had a problem connecting and maintaining a connection, at least as of the May release, and many releases before that.

I am able to connect to the wifi with no source, but as soon as I have a source, it goes away. I haven't changed anything with my setup except update to the latest and greatest firmware.

Suggestions?

[maxtherabbit]

Sure, lots changed, but the problem with the WiFi was always there. It's just that the radio frequency where it blocks the ESP8266 antenna is shifting, depending on the configuration.

Try to connect when your source is off. It should work then.

I understand lots has changed. To clarify, has something changed that would affect the ability to access the ESP's wifi? I never had a problem connecting and maintaining a connection, at least as of the May release, and many releases before that.

I am able to connect to the wifi with no source, but as soon as I have a source, it goes away. I haven't changed anything with my setup except update to the latest and greatest firmware.

Suggestions?

you can change the wifi channel, or move the antenna physically away from the scaler

like rama said, the problem is not new - but the specific frequency at which it manifests itself is ever shifting

[AtariBits]

Hello all,

I just joined this forum because of a GBS-8200 project I am working on. Basically I am making a carrier board for the GBS-8200 that will drop into an alternative newly designed Atari 8-Bit computer system called the 1088XLD. This carrier board facilitates mounting, and also will have the micro to reprogram the GBS-8200 TVIA5725 chip. I created an initial prototype based on an ATTINY681, and it worked using the code from bhabbott's website. However for the last 4-5 days I've been attempting to recode this in Great Cow Basic for eventual use in a Microchip PIC, but haven't been having much luck getting it to work. Looking at the Arduino code hasn't helped a whole bunch since I am totally unfamiliar with it. So on my first attempt, I didn't get nothing, just a black screen. But when I switched to an 8-bit I2C slave address 0x2E I did get a picture, but it was an out of sync mess with horizontal tearing and a greenish color (no other colors visible). However when typing or loading programs I could vaguely make out that it was trying to display the information, but just wasn't fully locking in.

My assumption was that the register table was set up as 6 segmented 256 bytes each containers, so I simply used 2 loops, one for the segment (0-5) and a nested inner one for the register (0-255). I also tried 0-239 and adjusted the table read index each time the inner loop ended to compensate for less table reads, but got the same exact results (I wasn't sure if the additional data writes beyond 239 would screw something up).

Anyway here's my Great Cow Basic code (hopefully someone can point out where I'm going wrong).

Code: Select all

  #chip 16F1847

;Define I2C settings

  #define I2C_MODE Master
  #define I2C_DATA PORTA.0
  #define I2C_CLOCK PORTA.1
  #define I2C_ADDRESS 0x2E      ;address of the slave device

;Define Switch and LED ports

  #define LED PORTA.2

;NTSC/PAL Tables

  #include "288p_50Hz_1280x1024.h"

;Set-up

  Dir LED Out
  LED=0

;Set-up variables for use by

  Dim index As Word          ;Parameter Table Index (1-1537)
  Dim seg As Byte             ;Register Segment (Bank 0-5)
  Dim reg As Byte             ;Register Address (0-239)

;====================================================
; MAIN PROGRAM LOOP --- BEGIN
;====================================================

  wait 250 ms
  index = 1                         ;Skip Table Size

  for seg = 0 to 5
    ;----------
    ;       Write to One Control Register TVia5725:
    ;   -Start Signal
    ;   -Slave Address Byte (R/W Bit = Low)
    ;   -Base Address Byte
    ;   -Data Byte to Base Address
    ;   -Stop Signal
    ;----------
    I2CStart
    I2CSend I2C_ADDRESS
    I2CSend 0xF0              ;Point Address to Bank Register
    I2CSend seg               ;Set to New Bank
    I2CStop
    ;----------
    ;     Write to Consecutive Control Registers TVia5725:
    ;  -Start Signal
    ;  -Slave Address Byte (R/W Bit = Low)
    ;  -Base Address Byte
    ;  -Data Byte to Base Address
    ;  -Data Byte to (Base Address + 1)
    ;  -Data Byte to (Base Address + 2)
    ;  -Data Byte to (Base Address + 3)
    ;  -Stop Signal
    ;----------
    I2CStart
    I2CSend I2C_ADDRESS
    I2CSend 0x00                ;Register Base Address
        for reg = 0 to 255
        readtable PAL, index, data
        I2Csend data              ;Data Byte
        index = index+1
        next reg
    I2CStop
  next segment


  Do Forever:
    wait 500 ms
  LED=1
    wait 500 ms
  LED=0
  Loop

Currently the Atari system is setup as PAL, hence the reason I am using the 50Hz register table which I converted for GCB by removing the commas and changing the header to: Table PAL as Integer and the footer to: End Table, otherwise it's identical to the original 288p_50Hz_1280x1024.h file.

Thans for any help,
Michael

[AtariBits]

Hi I'm new to this forum, and tried to post in this topic earlier, but it didn't appear to go through. Just seeing if I can post now.

[themaxx2k]

Hi. thanks for this great piece of Software!
Got it running well on Amigas but i want to get it more generic and use a scart-input socket for several systems. Is that possible? Whats the most generic wiring
for the scart connector to GBS input and which one to use? the poles or the DB15-input?
Do i need a sync stripper and where should it be installed? after Input socket or for each system cable one syncstripper?

[rama]

The problem I have, development wise, is that I'm pretty much locked in on the web ui for configuration now.
It was the obvious choice when deciding how to make lots of controls accessible in a way that's easy to use and doesn't require extra parts.

All I can do now is recommending to move the ESP8266 module away from the EMI field the scaler generates.
It seems to reach out pretty far, too..

[maxtherabbit]

is there a similar module that has the same control IC paired with an ethernet interface?

[rama]

Probably, and maybe there are Ethernet shields or things like that.

The issue seems to be with the ESP8266 module's rather minimalistic antenna design.
I've tested a few other WiFi devices placed directly on top of the GBS, and they aren't affected at all.

So it might work to just get an ESP8266 module with external antenna port.

Maybe it'd work with an ESP32 (more advanced radio on these).

Whatever I want to try and develop should be similarly cheap and plentiful as the ESP8266.

[AtariBits]

Ok sorry if you see an additional post. I didn't see the message when the first time I hit submit that said the post would not appear without moderation. Hopefully that is only because I'm new here. This post will also be delayed probably for the same reason.

Anyway I discovered rama's version of GBS-Control and noticed that his profiles were commented as to what segment and what register each parameter was being used for. This gave me a better foundation in which to create an equivalent in Great Cow Basic. So here's what that code looks like now...

Code: Select all

;Default to 8 Mhz internal factory calibrated oscillator

  #chip 16F1847

;Define I2C settings

  #define I2C_MODE Master
  #define I2C_DATA PORTA.0
  #define I2C_CLOCK PORTA.1
  #define I2C_ADDRESS 0x2E      ;address of the TVia5725 Scaler

;Define Switch and LED ports

  #define LED PORTA.2

;NTSC/PAL Tables

  #include "PAL_240P.h"

;Set-up

  Dir LED Out
  LED=0

;Set-up variables for use by

  Dim index As Word          ;Parameter Table Index (1-1537)
  Dim Segment As Byte     ;Register Segment (Bank 0-5)
  Dim Register As Byte      ;Register Address (0-239)

;Sub Routines

Sub I2CBegin
  I2CStart
  I2CSend I2C_ADDRESS
End Sub

Sub WriteByte
  readtable PAL, index, data
  I2Csend data
      index = index+1
End Sub

;====================================================
; MAIN PROGRAM LOOP --- BEGIN
;====================================================

  wait 250 ms
  index = 1                         ;Skip Table Size

  for Segment = 0 to 5
    ;----------
    ;       Write to One Control Register of TVia5725:
    ;   -Start Signal
    ;   -Slave Address Byte (R/W Bit = Low)
    ;   -Base Address Byte
    ;   -Data Byte to Base Address
    ;   -Stop Signal
    ;----------
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0xF0              ;Address Segment (bank) Register
    I2CSend Segment       ;and Set it to Current Segment
    I2CStop
    ;----------
    ;     Write to Consecutive Control Registers of TVia5725:
    ;  -Start Signal
    ;  -Slave Address Byte (R/W Bit = Low)
    ;  -Base Address Byte
    ;  -Data Byte to Base Address
    ;  -Data Byte to (Base Address + 1)
    ;  -Data Byte to (Base Address + 2)
    ;  -Data Byte to (Base Address + 3)
    ;  -Stop Signal
    ;----------
    Select Case Segment

    Case 0                           ;Segment (bank) 0
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0x40               ;Register Base Address
      for Register = 1 to 32
      GoSub WriteByte       ;Send Data
      next Register
    I2CStop
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0x90               ;Register Base Address
      for Register = 1 to 16
      GoSub WriteByte       ;Send Data
      next Register

    Case 1                           ;Segment (bank) 1
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0x00               ;Register Base Address
      for Register = 1 to 48
      GoSub WriteByte       ;Send Data
      next Register

    Case 3                           ;Segment (bank) 3
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0x00               ;Register Base Address
      for Register = 1 to 128
      GoSub WriteByte       ;Send Data
      next Register

    Case 4                           ;Segment (bank) 4
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0x00               ;Register Base Address
      for Register = 1 to 96
      GoSub WriteByte       ;Send Data
      next Register

    Case 5                           ;Segment (bank) 5
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0x00               ;Register Base Address
      for Register = 1 to 112
      GoSub WriteByte       ;Send Data
      next Register

    End Select
    I2CStop
  next Segment


  Do Forever:
    wait 500 ms
  LED=1
    wait 500 ms
  LED=0
  Loop

The end result with the PAL Atari 8-Bit with RGB video board connected to the GBS-8200 RGBS input looks like this...



I can unplug my RGBS input and still see just a solid green screen. So in this particular case it's not responding to that input. I did notice when looking at the profiles for rama's project, that segment 2 data is missing which I believe is associated with De-Interlace. And I realize that his project is meant to work through a browser interface to change settings, so perhaps the profiles are a bit thin based on that. Of course I'm just trying to create a stand-alone Microchip PIC based solution.

I also tried the pal_1280x1024.h profile, since my Sony RGB monitor's native resolution matches that, but no cigar either .

Michael

[AtariBits]

Yet another post that will have to wait for approval (how long does that normally take?), so you guys will see at least 3 consecutive posts from me.

I found the Deinterlace preset and combined it with the pal_1280x1024.h profile, and then modified my code to now load in segment 2.

Code: Select all

;Default to 8 Mhz internal factory calibrated oscillator

  #chip 16F1847

;Define I2C settings

  #define I2C_MODE Master
  #define I2C_DATA PORTA.0
  #define I2C_CLOCK PORTA.1
  #define I2C_ADDRESS 0x2E      ;address of the TVia5725 Scaler

;Define Switch and LED ports

  #define LED PORTA.2

;NTSC/PAL Tables

  #include "PAL_TEST.h"

;Set-up

  Dir LED Out
  LED=0

;Set-up variables for use by

  Dim index As Word          ;Parameter Table Index (1-1537)
  Dim Segment As Byte     ;Register Segment (Bank 0-5)
  Dim Register As Byte      ;Register Address (0-239)

;Sub Routines

Sub I2CBegin
  I2CStart
  I2CSend I2C_ADDRESS
End Sub

Sub WriteByte
  readtable PAL, index, data
  I2Csend data
      index = index+1
End Sub

;====================================================
; MAIN PROGRAM LOOP --- BEGIN
;====================================================

  wait 250 ms
  index = 1                         ;Skip Table Size

  for Segment = 0 to 5
    ;----------
    ;       Write to One Control Register of TVia5725:
    ;   -Start Signal
    ;   -Slave Address Byte (R/W Bit = Low)
    ;   -Base Address Byte
    ;   -Data Byte to Base Address
    ;   -Stop Signal
    ;----------
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0xF0              ;Address Segment (bank) Register
    I2CSend Segment       ;and Set it to Current Segment
    I2CStop
    ;----------
    ;     Write to Consecutive Control Registers of TVia5725:
    ;  -Start Signal
    ;  -Slave Address Byte (R/W Bit = Low)
    ;  -Base Address Byte
    ;  -Data Byte to Base Address
    ;  -Data Byte to (Base Address + 1)
    ;  -Data Byte to (Base Address + 2)
    ;  -Data Byte to (Base Address + 3)
    ;  -Stop Signal
    ;----------
    Select Case Segment

    Case 0                           ;Segment (bank) 0
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0x40               ;Register Base Address
      for Register = 1 to 32
      GoSub WriteByte       ;Send Data
      next Register
    I2CStop
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0x90               ;Register Base Address
      for Register = 1 to 16
      GoSub WriteByte       ;Send Data
      next Register

    Case 1                           ;Segment (bank) 1
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0x00               ;Register Base Address
      for Register = 1 to 48
      GoSub WriteByte       ;Send Data
      next Register

    Case 2                           ;Segment (bank) 1
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0x00               ;Register Base Address
      for Register = 1 to 64
      GoSub WriteByte       ;Send Data
      next Register

    Case 3                           ;Segment (bank) 3
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0x00               ;Register Base Address
      for Register = 1 to 128
      GoSub WriteByte       ;Send Data
      next Register

    Case 4                           ;Segment (bank) 4
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0x00               ;Register Base Address
      for Register = 1 to 96
      GoSub WriteByte       ;Send Data
      next Register

    Case 5                           ;Segment (bank) 5
    Gosub I2CBegin
    I2CSend 0x00               ;Register Base Address
      for Register = 1 to 112
      GoSub WriteByte       ;Send Data
      next Register

    End Select
    I2CStop
  next Segment


  Do Forever:
    wait 500 ms
  LED=1
    wait 500 ms
  LED=0
  Loop

Getting closer. Starting to see some video coming through, but apparently it's not locking in. So the register presets are still not quite right for my RGBS input.

[AtariBits]

Now I added the segment 2 data to the 240P.h presets and I'm starting to see some color besides green. And that blue would be the header on a setup screen going into the RGBS input on the GBS coming from my Atari 8-Bit system. Using the same Great Cow Basic code as on the previous post.



I really hope I'm not annoying anyone with these posts. Just documenting my progress with various changes.

[NoAffinity]

Thanks guys. I just dont get why its been working so well and now i cant get a reliable connection working at all. Tried setting my router to each available channel and its the same no matter what wifi channel i have the router set to.

Esp is stuck to the bottom of the gbs with some 3m velcro adhesive pads, just like it always has been. I get that some improvements may be having a negative affect on the wifi connectivity/control. Its just a shame.

I guess another option would be to do some longer wiring and move.the esp away from the gbs?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Nuck-TH]

Esp is stuck to the bottom of the gbs with some 3m velcro adhesive pads, just like it always has been.

ESP board antenna should be away from any metal plane like ground plane on bottom of GBS.