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

[Artemio]

Hello guys,

I am developing this software suite for the Sega Genesis/MegaDrive, Sega/Mega CD, PC Engine/Turbografx-16, Wii, Gamecube, Super Nintendo/SFC and Dreamcast; all code is open source and available to the public. It is a homebrew suite for video game consoles developed to help in the evaluation of upscalers, upscan converters, line doublers and of course Tv processing of 240p signals. As a secondary target, the suite aims to provide tools for calibrating colors, black and white levels, geometry and overscan for specific console outputs and setups.

It has tests designed with the processing of 240p signals in mind, although when possible it includes other video modes and specific tests for them. These have been tested with video processors on real hardware and a variety of displays, including PVMs, commercial CRTs and Arcade monitors via RGB.

It includes, amongst other things: a PLUGE pattern, Color Bars, Gray Ramp, Grid and Drop Shadow tests.

Here is the link with all the information:

http://junkerhq.net/xrgb/index.php/240p_test_suite

And the downloads:

https://artemiourbina.itch.io/240p-test-suite

If you are interested, all you need is either a Dreamcast and a CD-R, a homebrew capable Gamecube of Wii, a flash cart for the Genesis, a flash cart for the SNES or a CD-R for the Sega/Mega CD/CD-ROM2/SCD. I want to port it to other platforms which have a viable SDK, and all suggestions are welcome. I intend this tool to be community driven, so shoot with your features, graphics and code =)

[antron]

cool, I'll check out the genesis version

[ZOM]

Awesome!

PS1 & PCE versions pleez.

[fagin]

Sounds great....

SNES
SATURN
PS2

please.

I have not seen your current version but things like test grids, page of white text (with black border on text) on blue background etc would be good.

Ability to flip between 480p, 240p & 480i ( on applicable consoles, i.e. PS2) would be cool.

[emphatic]

A very nice tool indeed.

[Artemio]

Sounds great....

SNES
SATURN
PS2

please.

I have not seen your current version but things like test grids, page of white text (with black border on text) on blue background etc would be good.

Ability to flip between 480p, 240p & 480i ( on applicable consoles, i.e. PS2) would be cool.

I can probably do Saturn and PS1, will see if viable. The problem there is that you need a modded console, unlike with the DC.

It already has switchable resolutions when applicable, the Dreamcast for instance =)

[HDgaming42]

Is DiscJuggler required to burn the DC version(s)? Any suggested version? I seem to remember there was a sweet spot for DC burning, where later versions did not work as well for auto-boot...

Thanks!

[Artemio]

I've used the demo version without any issues. I can provide other formats if needed.

[headlesshobbs]

I just want to point out that genesis/megadrive 224p resolutions will also come with boarders as the system is still outputting a full 240p signal.

[BuckoA51]

I can probably do Saturn and PS1, will see if viable. The problem there is that you need a modded console, unlike with the DC.

I'd still find them useful in spite of this

[Artemio]

I'd still find them useful in spite of this

My problem is that I don't have them modded neither a legal SDK for them...

[Artemio]

New versions available:

Dreamcast Version 1.06 with help option, which describes several test patterns and how to use them. It also adds the option to Pan the grid since the last pixel line is not shown over RGB and composite.

Genesis version 1.04 adds help. Corrects gray ramp and pluge to use better use the Genesis palettes. Adds better scroll test with layers and water animation. Changed font for in rom drop shadow, and several small bug fixes. Up to date with the Dreamcast version.

EDIT:
Genesis version 1.05: Improved color accurancy on Gray Ramp, Color bars and PLUGE. It now goes down to 6% black thanks to the Shadow/highlights mode of the VDP.

Grid, Gray ramp, color bars and PLUGE are now drawn from single tiles saving tons of space and reducing the size back to 2mbits. They now have 12 shades plus black on each pattern.

Added scroll and layers to the sonic backgrounds on the Drop Shadow and striped sprite tests, with palette animations for the water and sprite direction.

Downloads and source code are available at: http://code.google.com/p/240p-test-suite/downloads/list

Please let me know if you have any more suggestions, bug reports or modifications you'd like to see.

[Konsolkongen]

Hey just tried out your new version. Only with VGA this time though. This time the rightmost side of the colorbars all blending together as well as the 1 not showing either. Using your help menu's I found that if I raised the Gefen's Brightness from default 45 to 59 I can see the 1's on the green and white bars, but not the two others. And if I added scanlines with the SLG 3000 the rightmost part of all bars became clearly visible and different. Setting anything on the TV didn't seem to help anything so I think the Gefen scaler is to blame here... Never has been a problem for me, but would be nice to set the picture 100%. Will have to try again tonight and with 240p also as the sun is reflecting on the TV screen atm, so this time isn't really ideal

Here is a lightscribe label I found and edited for this version:
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e236/ ... 1298742964
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e236/ ... 1298721261

[Artemio]

Hello Konsolkongen, I don't have a Gefen but I do have an SLG 3000 and the DC VGA box, so I just went ahead and tested it. Of course the scanlines darken the image.. and also change the way the signal arrives at my LCD (I cannot set my TV to display the whole 320x239 if I do it with the SLG 3000, but I can without it.. that I am sure has something to do with my set only).

Of course when scanlines are activated, the colors 0x1 colors are darkened as well.. If I set the RGB dip switches on the SLG 3000 I can barely view them with brightness all the way up.. Same happens with the PLUGE pattern blacks at 2%.

Uisng the XRGB or the DC directly does display the whole colors, so indeed.. the Gefen must be doing something more than it is asked to.

The disc looks awesome!!!! I'll look into doing one for me =) Thanks for sharing.

[Konsolkongen]

That's what I thought. Unfortunately my Panasonic S20 doesn't have a VGA input so I can't compare anything to the Gefen :/

I should point out that I found that GD-Rom template on assemblergames, only thing I did was to write on it using my tablet

EDIT: Just updated the label. The "Dreamcast"-font wasn't the right one. Should look better now.

[Artemio]

For the next Dreamcast release I am added an extra bar on teh PLUGE pattern, one at 6%. So they are 2, 4 and 6%, also added a few more lines to the help in that area to make that clear.

I also changed the metal slug bg for a sonic one, with sevral layers.. to match the Genesis version, an option to switch odd or even scanlines when using the VGA box and 480p mode, and a few bells & whistles here and there.

The Genesis version was reduced to 1 megabit, using tilemaps.. learning a lot on both systems.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions, changes or additions you'd like to see.

[Konsolkongen]

I found it a little bit confusing at first that the Start button worked both as the help and quit-button at the same time. Perhaps the L or R button could be used instead?

[Artemio]

How dumb of me. That's what happens when you are thinking in lowest common denominator... that being a 3 button Genesis controller as default. Thanks for bringing it up, will change it tonight.

[Konsolkongen]

Yes I was thinking that it might have been necessary for the 3-button Genesis controller. Do you have a 6-button controller for your Genesis? Some games, like Street Fighter II, Magical Quest 2 and Comix Zone uses a different control layout depending on the controller plugged in. I don't know how easy that would be to program though...

[Artemio]

Yes I do, but I wanted to make it so for the 3 button controller since it is the default after all. Though I grew with the 6 button one, and love it (it is what I used for my supergun) didn't want to support it and have two control schemes confusing users.

[Konsolkongen]

Makes sense The japanese 6-button controller (same as the US and EU one but a bit smaller) is probably the best controller I own

[Artemio]

New Dreamcast release 1.07: reduces memory footprint of most patterns, adds extra 6% black bars on the PLUGE pattern, moves HELP usage to the Right Trigger, adds multiple layer scrolling on several tests (Striped Sprite, Drop Shadow, Scroll), adds sprite flipping on the H axis when applicable and expanded some help texts.

When using VGA and scanline mode, you can now adjust the scanline intensity with Y pressed and the Dpad's left or right; you can also toggle scanlines between even and odd with the X button when in that mode. (That way you can verify how your SLG-3000 is configured).

http://code.google.com/p/240p-test-suite/downloads/list

[BuckoA51]

This time the rightmost side of the colorbars all blending together as well as the 1 not showing either

I can confirm my Gefen does this too, except I can see the colours at position 1. My DVDO Edge is broken down at the moment but I don't think I had a problem on there.

[Konsolkongen]

Thank you for confirming this
I'm very happy with my Gefen otherwise. It's probably one of my best buys together with the XRGB-3. I have never noticed the colors blending together when playing so this is no big deal

[Artemio]

I was wondering if it would be of any use to provide a PAL mode, and what would that be used for. Since I don't live in a PAL territory I wouldn't know.

[Konsolkongen]

I don't know if that will differ much from 240p mode. I'm trying to avoid 50Hz whenever possible.

[Fudoh]

I was wondering if it would be of any use to provide a PAL mode

I don't see any reason. The MD rom can be run in 288p50 anyway by switching the MD to PAL (will be shown as 240p with borders) or using a genuine PAL Mega Drive.

[Artemio]

I was wondering if it would be of any use to provide a PAL mode

I don't see any reason. The MD rom can be run in 288p50 anyway by switching the MD to PAL (will be shown as 240p with borders) or using a genuine PAL Mega Drive.

However I force the video to 224, and I could set it to 240 when in PAL mode (I would need to redraw most of teh patterns to fill it though).

And on the Dreamcast I could easily add the resolutions if a PAL machine is detected... But if there is no need, there is no point in doing it just because it is possible.

[Fudoh]

However I force the video to 224, and I could set it to 240 when in PAL mode (I would need to redraw most of teh patterns to fill it though).

that doesn't make any difference. No matter if you output 224 or 240 active lines, the "mapping" onto the 15khz output signals remains the same. The 224-line signal just uses a bit of actual underscan...

[antron]

I couldn't get the genesis version to run on my neomyth 3in1 flash cart. I haven't had any problems with other games, and bin is the supported format. No big deal, just thought I would let you know.