Wii 480p Bug and Revisions?

[mrsmiley381]

Is still an early version, but there's an Aroma plugin to apply patches to the Wii U's DMCU, it's already a great improvement over the default unmodded Wii U's Wii mode output.

Here are some test screenshots with the 480p setting, note that all of them they were made with a 1:1 output resolution set in the software through homebrew or the software itself already supports that by default:

Oh wow. For those of you who are more sensitive to these sorts of things, what issues are still detectable? Seems kinda silly that after all this time there was a way to fix the odd scaling artifacts on vWii after all. With a fix like this (and maybe some other finer detail fixes) what is there that a Wii or GameCube can do that a Wii U cannot? Physical memory cards, the GameCube microphone, GBA-link cable functionality, and Game Boy Player functionality (GameCube only, obviously, though I heard some people praise the Wii U GBA VC)? I think the Wii U has successful BBA functionality now. It has HDMI output by default, can run GameCube and Wii games with increased CPU speed via hacks, and maybe now can finally have proper video output. Only took until you could no longer buy games from the eShop

[Rulumi]

GameCube ports, real GameCube mode, the VI emulation doesn't properly support some "non-standard" resolutions (not a problem for most official software, maybe all official Wii software? But may cause in some specific things and homebrew settings).

The handling of the 4:2:2 chroma sub-sampling isn't perfect, albeit usually fine. But there's also the sometimes prevalent problem of the chroma shift.

No 240p output (it always scales it and often as trying to somewhat deinterlace it), also the interlaced output is a bit weird (although progressive is probably preferably to use on the three systems with modern displays when possible).

As some examples, albeit some may not really be a big problem for a lot of people? Some may be possible to fix on software in the future.

[kimbapslice]

I have the same issue. Tried multiple revisions from 01, 20, 40, 60. The only wii that worked with the 480p fix seems to be my original wii a 01 that is bootmii boot2 capable. I do not see any clarity differences or enhances with or without 480p fix on revisions 20, 40, or 60 - they all look very blurry when running the 480p checkerboard test in 240p test suite beta. The theory that later wii revisions have better picture quality I think is not true. I don't have the nongamecube port revisions or wii mini.

The 480p fix on the og wii looks twice has sharp. So for now with my incomplete testing, it seems the best wii for picture clarity is the wii rev 01 that are bootmii boot2 capable + 480p fix.

I'm not sure in how to exactly ask this, but is it possible that the Wii 480p fix only works on some of the affected revisions?

I tried both homebrew using the old SDK version without the fix and the latest SDK with the fix in this console, but I can't see any difference from the direct captures on this console I'm trying it on in any of the homebrew I have tried.

But it doesn't look like the results with the fix properly working or one of the newer boards, it's as nothing changed, 480i doesn't have the problem as expected.

It's not a launch day Wii, while I don't have the screwdriver around to check the board version right now, I'm sure it's not a later RVL-CPU-40 or higher either, since BootMii as boot2 can be installed and works fine on this console.

Could it be that something with the fix and this revision or an external factor can make the fix not work properly as well?

Images:

Spoiler

Old SDK without the Fix

New SDK with the Fix

Any with 480i

[WobblingPixels]

Yeah the bug was definitely not fixed by Nintendo in later wii revisions (tested with rev04, NTSC & PAL + rev06 NTSC thanks @kimbapslice). The 480p fix has also no affect with the later revisions..

https://twitter.com/WobblingP/status/16 ... 2645112832

[bobrocks95]

I'm looking into all this again, just curious about the best picture you can get out of a Gamecube or Wii.

I wanted to ask though, what's the most streamlined, fastest way you can boot Gamecube or Wii games with patches? Deflicker removal, 480p bug fix, 1:1 horizontal scaling, whatever else.

Swiss can be autobooted with a Gamecube modchip (PicoBoot and Kunai as modern examples), but it has several menus to go through and I think you lose the classic Gamecube startup video. Are there any settings to autoboot a disc game with your global setting overrides? I do think there's an option to play the stock IPL animation after booting at least.

For Wii it seems like you have to boot into USBLoaderGX or you get nothing. An HDMI mod will get you the 480p fix, but the deflicker filter seems to be on in 480p in a lot more Wii titles than in Gamecube titles from what I've read and seen, so it's a much more important improvement. Can USBLoaderGX be setup to autoboot from disc with global overrides or anything like that?

In the future, ideally the Wii's deflicker filter could maybe be completely removed at the system level, though I don't know if that's feasible. Is it invoked with an I2C command that could be ignored with GCVideo? Handled in hardware? Tied into IOS's that could be modified?

EDIT: Looking at USBLoaderGX's code for the deflicker patch it directly patches a branch command in the game's .dol executable files, so a system-wide change may not be possible. It changes a beq to a branch, which appears to be forcing the GX_FALSE argument to the function, ignoring any filter values the game tries to pass.

[Rulumi]

The 480p fix on the og wii looks twice has sharp. So for now with my incomplete testing, it seems the best wii for picture clarity is the wii rev 01 that are bootmii boot2 capable + 480p fix.

The first console that I was testing on this post (the 6 layer one) was actually an RVL-CPU-01, just not a launch one, compatible with BootMii as Boot2 and everything, but still didn't see the difference. If there's something related on the video output chain (maybe the AVE resvisions?) that affect the effectiveness of the software patch, maybe Nintendo changed it as production went out like they usually do.

I'm looking into all this again, just curious about the best picture you can get out of a Gamecube or Wii.

I wanted to ask though, what's the most streamlined, fastest way you can boot Gamecube or Wii games with patches? Deflicker removal, 480p bug fix, 1:1 horizontal scaling, whatever else.

You can install a custom MIOS and use a GameCube mode homebrew launcher like Swiss Booter (any of that launchers requires a custom MIOS that supports that) to load Swiss directly from an SDGecko from the homebrew launcher.

For the IPL startup animation, Swiss allows using an external copy from the SD card instead of the console's one if placing the file on the right directory. I can confirm the IPLs work just fine on the Wii in GameCube mode.

As for the copy filters, since the video is mostly set-up by the software and most things on the Wii also run on bare-metal hardware, the copy filter works pretty much the same way as in the GC. I don't think an universal patch for launching through the Home Menu would be very feasible.

[bobrocks95]

Less worried about Swiss on the Gamecube since deflicker doesn't seem to be as much of an issue, though I wish someone had a list compiled of games that keep the filter on in 480p. Cool that you can get the IPL animation running on the Wii though, I didn't know that was possible.

So many Wii games having the filter on in 480p makes it a much bigger deal imo, though like you said, a game calling GXSetCopyFilter probably directly sets up hardware registers, or something else low-level enough that it might not be interceptable.

Though the 480p bug being bypassed by GCVideo because it ignores I2C configuration makes me wonder if the deflicker filter also happens to be ultimately set up with an I2C command.
EDIT: I guess not because it looks like the 480p bug was directly an I2C configuration error for the encoder chip, whereas the deflicker filter has nothing to do with the encoding chip...

Well, time to look into forking Swiss/USBLoaderGX and adding autobooting, a much better use of my time probably.

[kimbapslice]

To Rulumi,

On a rev 01, I used the 240p test suite beta 1.11 posted on the first page of this topic and then changed the setting INSIDE 240p test suite beta to 480p 1:1. Then I went to video tests and Checkerboard. The difference in clarity is very noticeable with when the 480p fix is compatible and working. I could not see this in my rev 20, 40, and 60. I don't know if any of those have the BU99 ave chip, nor do I have a revision without gamecube ports to test. It can be observed that not all/if any 40 and 60 can use the 480p fix and not sure if they even have the hardware fix. We definitely need more confirmed testing from others using the same testing methods/tools.

[Rulumi]

I did try with the Beta as well on both systems from that images (the RVL-CPU-01 and the RVK-CPU-01), didn't see any differences (not much improvement with the image sharpness with 480p), either I did something wrong or there's something different (the CPU-01 isn't from the launch as said, I think I remember it hacing some parts from 2007inside).

Though the 480p bug being bypassed by GCVideo because it ignores I2C configuration makes me wonder if the deflicker filter also happens to be ultimately set up with an I2C command.
EDIT: I guess not because it looks like the 480p bug was directly an I2C configuration error for the encoder chip, whereas the deflicker filter has nothing to do with the encoding chip...

Well, time to look into forking Swiss/USBLoaderGX and adding autobooting, a much better use of my time probably.

If I remember well the copy filter is applied during the XFB copies.

[Link83]

I think I have mentioned this before, but there are at least four different revisions of the AVE-RVL video DAC/encoder chip used in the Wii, I believe two are manufactured by ROHM and two by Ricoh.

I created this picture to help show the four known AVE-RVL revisions:-


Unfortunately the motherboard revision doesn't help tell you which specific DAC chip you have, although based on Shank's post here it seems likely it could give you a general idea:-
https://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.p ... 9#p1329929

I'm assuming that the 480p fix currently only works on the ROHM BU9055EKV, and not the later ROHM BU9955EKV.
The Ricoh C8391 seems to be less common, especially the later Ricoh C4991 revision which I wasn't even aware existed until a few years ago. It would be interesting to find out if the 480p bug is even present on the Ricoh models.

It would seem possible that these different manufacturers/revisions use different/incompatible I2C register settings, so it would require someone to investigate further to see if a similar fix exists for each of them. Extrems said on twitter "I found the RVL-CPU-01 fix by fuzzing the most obvious register.":-
https://twitter.com/Extrems/status/1645597161512370176
So perhaps it just needs someone with experience to do the same for the other revisions.

It would also be very useful if there was a way to query the DAC type/revision in software without having to disassemble the Wii itself to identify the chip.

[Kez]

I just had my Wii disassembled the other day and it's a C8391.

[Konsolkongen]

Well, time to look into forking Swiss/USBLoaderGX and adding autobooting, a much better use of my time probably.

I would love those features. I think USBLoaderGX has a bloated interface so Autoboot would be great. Also if it could skip the HDD check that would be awesome too

I just want to use my discs with better image quality in the least hacker/homebrew way as possible

[kimbapslice]

Thankfully with the wii, there are options now to completely bypass this entire console lottery with the newer hdmi mod.

For those wanting the best image quality from a mostly stock/softmod/non-hdmi system, it's still not so clear cut. Yes, I do also hope there's a way (homebrew software) to determine the dac/ave without opening up the system to determine the common thread to this 480p issue.

[bobrocks95]

Well, time to look into forking Swiss/USBLoaderGX and adding autobooting, a much better use of my time probably.

I would love those features. I think USBLoaderGX has a bloated interface so Autoboot would be great. Also if it could skip the HDD check that would be awesome too

I just want to use my discs with better image quality in the least hacker/homebrew way as possible

Yeah same here, I want as close to a stock experience as I can get and I really don't like using USBLoaderGX at all. But after seeing deflicker before and after it's obvious why the Wii looks so bad in general if it's on for most titles in 480p.

[Rulumi]

Also if it could skip the HDD check that would be awesome too

Download the latest version and enable the SD Card mode.

-----

For digital HDMI I would still say for people here with a Wii U to give evWii a try and share their thoughts as it'll be interesting to see what people thinks of it here, I didn't comment this here, but it also enables 576p and 50Hz output for European games (or homebrew that uses the PAL video modes).

-576p at 50Hz:


-480p (1:1 horizontal patched) with less chroma shift:


Since people are testing the 240p Test Suite again, here are screenshots using the evWii plugin in 480p with both the 1:1 and scaled options of the Test Suite.

240p Test Suite (480p - 1:1):

Spoiler

240p Test Suite (480p - scaled 240p):

Spoiler

[bobrocks95]

I whipped up a version of USB Loader GX that adds a setting to bypass the menu entirely and boot whatever's in the drive immediately.

Can hopefully post a less janky version tomorrow, but a quick question for people who have used USB Loader GX a lot more than me: does the drive always reset twice when you launch a disc with it?

My best guess is it starts up, sees the game is requesting a different IOS, then resets the drive after loading it. I thought forcing an IOS was bad for compatibility, but maybe that's the solution? Or is something else causing the double drive reset? The system menu doesn't have to reset the drive to launch a game...

[Rulumi]

I haven't tried a disc again with it in a while, but I can try to later this week to see about the reset.

As for forcing an IOS, usually a custom IOS is used to be able to patch some extra functions, like the SD or USB loading for example. In the case of cIOS, for compatibility three patches of three (or four sometimes) different IOS versions are installed, which seems to cover compatibility with most software (albeit I think there are a few that may still have slight problems).

If I remember well, the latest version of USB Loader GX should be able to use the best cIOS for compatibility by comparing to the one the game uses originally, but the user needs to be using the recommended setup for it to do so with less reloads?

Maybe that's causing the reset, if you'll like to try arranging the cIOS in the recommended way there's the list: https://github.com/wiidev/usbloadergx#cios-guide

[bobrocks95]

I haven't tried a disc again with it in a while, but I can try to later this week to see about the reset.

As for forcing an IOS, usually a custom IOS is used to be able to patch some extra functions, like the SD or USB loading for example. In the case of cIOS, for compatibility three patches of three (or four sometimes) different IOS versions are installed, which seems to cover compatibility with most software (albeit I think there are a few that may still have slight problems).

If I remember well, the latest version of USB Loader GX should be able to use the best cIOS for compatibility by comparing to the one the game uses originally, but the user needs to be using the recommended setup for it to do so with less reloads?

Maybe that's causing the reset, if you'll like to try arranging the cIOS in the recommended way there's the list: https://github.com/wiidev/usbloadergx#cios-guide

As expected, my cIOS' are all over the place as I installed various hacks over the years. I'll clean them up before I keep testing. Not sure if I should stub out all the old ones or what though...

Code: Select all

IOS202[60] (rev 65535, Info: hermes-v5.1): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0
IOS222[38] (rev 65535, Info: hermes-v5.1): Trucha Bug, ES Identify, NAND Access, USB 2.0
IOS223[37] (rev 65535, Info: hermes-v5.1): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0
IOS224[57] (rev 65535, Info: hermes-5.1): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0
IOS236 (rev 54321): Trucha Bug, ES Identify, NAND Access, Beer Ticket
IOS245[37] (rev 21008, Info: d2x-v8final): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0
IOS246[38] (rev 21008, Info: d2x-v8final): Trucha Bug, ES Identify, NAND Access
IOS247[53] (rev 21008, Info: d2x-v8final): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0
IOS248[55] (rev 21008, Info: d2x-v8final): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0
IOS249[57] (rev 65535, Info: d2x-v10beta52): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0
IOS250[56] (rev 65535, Info: d2x-v10beta52): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0
IOS251[38] (rev 65535, Info: d2x-v10beta52): Trucha Bug, ES Identify, NAND Access
IOS252[37] (rev 21006, Info: d2x-v6): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0
IOS253[38] (rev 21006, Info: d2x-v6): Trucha Bug, ES Identify, NAND Access
IOS254 (rev 65281): BootMii
IOS255[55] (rev 21006, Info: d2x-v6): Trucha Bug, NAND Access, USB 2.0

[AuroraWright]

I have both an European white launch day Wii and an European RVL-CPU-060 black wii + an OSSC and an Elgato HD60s+ capture card so I figured I'd try taking some screenshots of both with ffmpeg, with both the beta version of 240p suite with the 480p fix and the current stable version. I also took pictures with default OSSC settings (the unbranded ones are with fine-tuned samplerate/sampling phase settings and Analog sync LPF set to OFF since it doesn't seem to be needed for the Wii.
You can get a zip with all the screenshots here https://mega.nz/file/K14CRYiY#QPlFyCYSl ... PqNBRW7GCs
TL;DR: with the stable 240p test suite (without the "480p fix") both Wiis look the same. The RVL-CPU-060 wii also looks the same with the beta. Finetuning the samplerate/phase with the ossc helps with clarity somewhat /you can get a checkerboard, but it's still kinda "blurry"). Launch Wii with the beta version looks much better (checkerboard has very clean blacks and whites), and I don't see any noise with the correct OSSC settings.

[Rulumi]

Your launch one looks like the patch was applied succesfully to me.

My RVK-CPU-01 (RVL-101) also looks just like your RVL-CPU-060, not quite correct.

Although on an earlier RVL-CPU-01 it seems to also work for me, the later RVL-CPU-01 that I tested here also seems to have no much improvement, so it may indeed have to done with something like the AVE-RVL's revisions. So really not all RVL-CPU-01 may be guaranteed to work properly with the current fix, but I imagine all of the launch ones from 2006 should.

[bobrocks95]

I'm slightly off-topic by now, but I can't find a settings combo that stops USB Loader GX from stopping the disc again before launching it. Doesn't seem to be an IOS reload since I can set it to use IOS 249 and force games to use IOS 249 as well. Maybe patching itself requires a re-init?

EDIT: If anyone wants to try it out here's my modified version of USB Loader GX: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T8uS-Q ... sp=sharing

Under GUI Settings there's 2 new options, Autoboot Discs and Autoboot Discs Delay. When autoboot is enabled, you have the number of seconds set for the Delay (0-5) to press B to cancel if you want to change settings or otherwise enter the menu. Or, you can boot without a disc in and the autoboot will just kick you to the menu. The message will look goofy if you have Use System Font enabled. Let me know if patches aren't working or you have issues saving settings like I did (hopefully it's my forwarder channel).

[Rulumi]

I tried with the disc again with the normal version, first it seems to mount the disc and show the user the banner and settings, after starting it, it looks like it may load some things and patches with the disc still mounted, then it does reloads and starts the game.

So I think one reload may be normal.

EDIT:You can also try asking about some things you aren't sure to add this as well as you want on USB Loader GX's forum thread on it's corresponding forum, the app's current developer tends to check it from time to time.

[bobrocks95]

There's a Quickboot option that skips the banner screen and all that- it still spins the disc up, stops it, then spins it up again. Maybe it's unavoidable but it takes you from 1 drive boot when running a disc normally to 3 when using USB Loader GX, so I don't like the amount of extra wear on the drive.

I have made multiple posts in relevant threads on GBATemp though, no response yet.

[bobrocks95]

The extra drive reset was not needed for anything except selecting the install disc option, where I've manually added it and removed it for all other disc boot activity. I also fixed the font changing on the prompt and an accidental bug that was stopping settings from saving if autoboot was enabled.

Boot times that I measured from console on to the Wii Remote screen for Zack & Wiki after my modification (didn't check the original version):
- 30s Regular Disc Channel boot
- 46s USB Loader GX channel forwarder from Wii Menu boot
- 41s Priiloader forwarder autoboot
- 38s Priiloader direct .dol autoboot

I'll try to do a PR on the github later, don't know if the creators are still active though. For now the latest version is here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pp2QrZ ... sp=sharing

Here's Zack & Wiki stock vs. deflicker removal + 480p fix

Spoiler

Priiloader has also added a deflicker option for the main menu

Spoiler

Here's Animal Crossing City Folk which doesn't appear to use the deflicker filter in 480p. The 480p fix is still active, but it's VERY subtle, to the point where I might not worry about it for those concerned. This is with a white launch console.

Spoiler

[Rulumi]

Tested it, it seems to work correctly for the autoboot.

I tested this with Kirby's Epic Yarn, I got the following results.

-Boot from the Wii Home Menu "Disc Channel" (counting from pressing start on the game banner, 7-8 seconds.

-Your USB Loader GX build, starting it from the Homebrew launcher 10 seconds until it starts the disc (after the 3 seconds wait), from loading the disc, 14 seconds. In total 22-24 seconds or so in average.

I tested this on an RVL-101 so the loading times may be a bit faster than ones from a unchanged RVL-CPU-01 from factory. Later Wii disc drive revisions in general can load slightly faster than the older revisions of the drives on both the later original 001s models and 101s (which all of the RVL-CPU-01 should have the older versions from factory, since that boards were produced around 2006 to 2008).

[bobrocks95]

Not much worse then- I was timing from hitting the power button on the Wii so I don't think the difference will be that huge between revisions, but now I'm curious to try out the black Wii in the other room.

You can cycle the Autoboot discs delay value to 0 to skip the small wait period too, though if holding down B doesn't work to skip it (in theory it should) you'll have to boot without a disc in to modify settings or launch other titles.

[Konsolkongen]

Seems to work well I only seem to get two disc spin ups though. One in the Wii Menu, then it stops when I run the USB Loader forwarder, and USBLGX then spins up the disc and boots it.

I have set the disc delay to 0 seconds, haven't tried setting it higher.

Here is a close up of Tatsunoku vs Capcom with all bells and whistles enabled. 480p fix, Deflicker off (extended), 1:1 framebuffer mode, the Wii Duals chroma subsampling fix enabled and linedoubled to 960p through the OSSC:

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/ ... G_2120.jpg

It is starting to look acceptable, though the chroma smearing is still really bad in some games.

EDIT:
Here is what it looks like without the 1:1 framebuffer fix:
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/ ... G_2128.jpg

[Rulumi]

If by "chroma smearing" you mean the GameCube and Wii's own chroma subsampling, there's not much to be done about that at the moment with real hardware.

[Konsolkongen]

Yes that's what I mean. I mentioned that I have a Wii Dual and its chroma subsampling fix does help a little bit. It aligns the color better, but it's still a smeary mess

[bobrocks95]

Seems to work well I only seem to get two disc spin ups though. One in the Wii Menu, then it stops when I run the USB Loader forwarder, and USBLGX then spins up the disc and boots it.

2 spinups should be unavoidable, it was 3 even with the autoboot added before my fix. Though I suppose I didn't look into if loading another program will always force a drive spindown, or if there's a way to force the Wii to not spin it up at boot, though I doubt it since boot0 or boot1 probably spin the drive up.