Micomsoft XPC-4 Information Thread

[NWrain]

I wanted to make a thread where we could collect any information people wanted to share regarding the Micomsoft XPC-4. I was wondering what do you use yours for, and what do you like about it?

I’ve noticed that there isn’t an English firmware as far as I know. If anyone has a translation for the OSD, and are willing to share I would appreciate it. I know what a few things are, but most settings are beyond me like the FPGA select option.

I’m getting excellent results with 240P after tailoring settings to each game. I have noticed that it also does not deinterlace 480i , and that 240P and 480i transitions are not working very well. If someone knows what is going on I would appreciate it.

[Opethian]

I have used mine with my X68030 and Towns II CX-40

all modes to my Acer LCD monitor and 640x480 to my CRT monitor (hp something?) had great results also adding crafty-mech's mini scanline adaptor

[Fudoh]

How exactly does the XPC-4 handle interlaced 15khz input ?

Will certainly be getting one later on this year - just for completeness sake.

[NWrain]

I have used mine with my X68030 and Towns II CX-40

all modes to my Acer LCD monitor and 640x480 to my CRT monitor (hp something?) had great results also adding crafty-mech's mini scanline adaptor

What kind of signal do those machines output?

How exactly does the XPC-4 handle interlaced 15khz input ?

Will certainly be getting one later on this year - just for completeness sake.

I'm not sure how to put it into words. It is very flickery because XPC doesn't de-interlace at all. I tried taking a video of a 480i title screen, but my camera records only at 30fps so you are unable to see the interlace flicker. In the photos you can see vertical bars. I'm getting these with any 15khz (240P/480i) input I have tried so far. I have to go into the menu and adjust the dot clock setting to get rid of the bars.






Once you adjust the dot clock setting to get rid of the vertical bars for 240P I was able to get results like this.

Pc Engine Duo->Sync Strike->XPC-4 @640x480-> SLG3000

I apologize for the terrible compression that photobucket puts on images. In person, the upscaling is stunning. It is much better than the Framemeister at 480P.

[Fudoh]

I'm not sure how to put it into words. It is very flickery because XPC doesn't de-interlace at all.

it's a 15 to 31khz conversion, so technically there has to be some kind of deinterlacing. Basically there're two easy methods: the XPC takes one field at a time and just doubles it. On a 480i input this causes a vertical tremor or jitter, but no combing. The other method is that it just weaves two fields and displays them (A+B, B+C, C+D and so on). This causes no jitter, but combing instead.

From your description it sounds like the first method. You would mind uploading a 30fps video of the result anyway ? To sendspace maybe ? And maybe with some vertical and some horizontal scrolling game ? I would appreciate it !

[NWrain]

Okay it must be the first option and it is processing the single fields.

I don't have a sendspace account, so I uploaded what I could to youtube. I really need some sort of tripod. I don't have steady hands.

Adjusting Dot Clock on 240P signal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojXjq2Sj8Xo

Playing Sengoku Blade one handed on XPC-4 after some adjustments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbW_oRclOok

Battle Garegga Tate on XPC-4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1Se-Eoc7pE

30FPS video of Radiant Silvergun's 480i title screen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq1ry2IIGKU

[Opethian]

If your sources are consoles why did you opt for the XPC4 over the Framemeister mini?

[NWrain]

I also have a Framemeister, but i'm not 100% happy with it. When I first got my Framemeister it was malfunctioning right out of the box, and had to wait over a month to get it fixed. During that time I saw on the Micomsoft website that the XPC-4 accepted 15khz. I ordered one out of curiosity because of my broken Framemeister. I'm just going through all the available scalers to find something that I like well enough.

[Fudoh]

Preparing for a XPC-4 review: 15khz sources are accepted with RGBs or only in RGBHV format ? I assume clean sync required ?

[NWrain]

I have only tried clean sync for 15 khz sources. I have not tried composite video for sync or 15khz RGBHV.

[Fudoh]

What do you use to connect your 15khz sources ? A Sync Strike ?

[NWrain]

Yes, that is what I used.



I said in the first post that 240P 480i transitions were not working well. In some cases it is broken. I don't know if there is anything in the options that can help.

[Fudoh]

What do you mean by 240p to 480i transitions ? When a game switches between the two resolutions ? And what happens in this case ? I assume switching inputs or power cycling the processor helps ?

[NWrain]

I'm primarily working with the Saturn. The Saturn logo and company logo, and opening cinematic might be 240P, but then the title screen is 480i. Or the title screen is 240P, but the options screen is 480i.

For Battle Garegga. The title screen is 240P, and the options menu is 480i. I have no problems switching between the two.
Radiant Silvergun. Title screen is 480i. After running the cinematic, and demo in a loop the XPC tries to auto adjust the 480i making it look worse.
Thunder Force 5. Title screen, options screen, and stage select are all 480i. The game is 240P. Once you adjust settings for 240P, 480i screens no longer will display.

I believe there is only one DVI digital/analog hybrid input. I haven't tried power cycling yet. There is no off or on button, just the power adapter. There may be an option in the XPC that is causing issues. I still don't know what most of the menu does.

[Fudoh]

thanks! one more question - bear with me!

Once you adjust settings for 240P, 480i screens no longer will display.

what does "adjusting for 240p" include ? Just the dot clock or anything else ?

[NWrain]

Dot clock, skew, and geometry. Sometimes making 240P look perfect results in vertical lines on 480i sections.

[ruger]

Gave menu translation a quick try...
(using google translate and the XRGB3 wiki)

Main menu;

画面自動調整 Automatic Screen Adjustment
アスペクト Aspect ratio
画質調整 Image Setting
画面調整 Screen Settings
オプション Options
ズーム Zoom
TV出力モード TV output mode
D出力モード D output mode
RGB出力モード RGB output mode
スペシャル Special

Sub menus;

画質調整 Image Setting
明るさ Brightness
色調整 Color Adjustment
ガンマ Gamma
黒調整 Black Adjustment
R調整 Red Adjustment
G調整 Green Adjustment
B調整 Blue Adjustment
シャープ Sharp
フリッカ Flicker

画面調整 Screen Settings
表示幅 Display Width
オーバースキャン Over Scan
水平位置 Horizontal Position
垂直位置 Verical Position
水平表示幅 Horizontal Display Width
垂直表示幅 Verical Display Width
入力水平位置 Input Horizontal Position
入力垂直位置 Input Vertical Position
入力水平表示幅 Input Horizontal Display Width
入力垂直表示幅 Input Vertical Display Width
ドットクロック Dot Clock
スキュー Skew

オプション Options
TV比率 TV Ratio
自動表示 Automatic Display
フリーズ Freeze
オートスキャン Auto Scan
RESET Reset

ズーム Zoom
ズーム表示 Zoom Display
ズーム水平表示置 Zoom Horizontal Display Position
ズーム垂直表示置 Zoom Vertical Display Position
ズーム調整 Zoom Adjustment
ズームREC Zoom REC

スペシャル Special
AD調整 AD Adjustment
スルー水平同期REV Through horizontal synchronization REV
スルー垂直同期REV Through vertical synchronization REV
FPGA SEL FPGA SEL
CPU VER CPU VER
FPGA 1 VER FPGA 1 VER
FPGA 2 VER FPGA 2 VER
FPGA 3 VER FPGA 3 VER
FPGA 4 VER FPGA 4 VER
CMD VER CMD VER
OSD VER OSD VER
PLL VER PLL VER
PCB VER PCB VER
PLL BANK PLL BANK

[NWrain]

Thank you!

[Fudoh]

Got my XPC-4 today, but it will take some days to wrap my head around it.

Small beginner question though:

There's a DVI-A to D-Terminal adapter cable included with the XPC-4 which would mean that the DVI-A input accepts native YPbPr signals. Is this right ??

[SuperDeadite]

Got my XPC-4 today, but it will take some days to wrap my head around it.

Small beginner question though:

There's a DVI-A to D-Terminal adapter cable included with the XPC-4 which would mean that the DVI-A input accepts native YPbPr signals. Is this right ??

According to this, you can input up to D5 (1080p) via the DVI using the D-Terminal adapter cable.
When using computer "VGA", it can accept up to WUXGA input.
http://www.micomsoft.co.jp/xpc-4_detail.htm

[ruger]

There's a DVI-A to D-Terminal adapter cable included with the XPC-4 which would mean that the DVI-A input accepts native YPbPr signals. Is this right ??

I have not tested, but that is my understanding - at least progressive YPbPr signals.

For RGB signals the DVI-A input requires vertical sync to be present. Feeding it H-sync and V-sync obviously works. Feeding it C-sync (on the H-sync pin) and V-sync work. But only feeding it C-sync alone does not work.

To connect a typical 240p 15kHz system the Sync Strike is a nice solution, as already reported earlier in this thread, and that is because it generates the C-sync and V-sync combination needed.

EDIT:
The statement above is incorrect. The XPC-4 does accept CSYNC/RGBS without V-SYNC present. To enable this the input sync type need to be set to "CS" in the Special menu.

[ruger]

One thing I would like to understand is the A, B and C "home" buttons on the remote (ホーム).
There is a "register home" button (ホーム登録) next to them as well.

Is it possible to store presets?

[Fudoh]

As far as I understand A/B/C is used to store custom geometry settings created using the zoom modes (either in the menu or using the buttons on the remote right above the A/B/C buttons).

About the neccessary sync signals on the DVI-A input: there is at least one option in the menu which let's you choose a sync signal (Y, HV, C and one more) and another option which let's you chose a type of signal (Y, RGBHV, C) - maybe that's related to what the XPC-4 accepts and what is required.

Right now I have a XSELECT-D4 connected to the input and so far it accepts everything - 240, 480i, 480p, from all kinds of signals (RGB, Component, VGA) router into the XSELECT. Re-Sync speeds upon changing resolutions are nice as well.

[ruger]

About the neccessary sync signals on the DVI-A input: there is at least one option in the menu which let's you choose a sync signal (Y, HV, C and one more) and another option which let's you chose a type of signal (Y, RGBHV, C) - maybe that's related to what the XPC-4 accepts and what is required.

I hope there is something related to the input that I have missed.
There is the choice to select video output terminal, and also the sync type on the output.

[Fudoh]

The setting is labeled "component" in the special settings menu. There's Y, RGBHV and RGB_C. I assume this is for the analogue HD15 output then. The menu entry below allows for a sync setting (Y, HV, C and G) which would seem a bit redundant with the above selection available already (IF it applies to the same output, which I assume)

The XPC-4 does a forced framerate conversion to straight 60Hz and the output is not framelocked to the input. This causes a mild stutter and a probably a certain input lag. Likely still faster than the Framemeister though.

The auto adjustment function is a pain, especially since you can't reverse it's effect without doing a total reset of the unit. The auto adjustment function also engages on it's own once you manually adjust the dot clock or the skew setting. If you disable the auto adjustment function in the menu, manual dot clock and skew get disabled as well - - - I don't really see the point in this.

[ruger]

The setting is labeled "component" in the special settings menu. There's Y, RGBHV and RGB_C. I assume this is for the analogue HD15 output then. The menu entry below allows for a sync setting (Y, HV, C and G) which would seem a bit redundant with the above selection available already (IF it applies to the same output, which I assume)

There is something related to the input I have missed!

I did a quick test this morning;
1) The "component" setting seems to be related to the analog output. I use the digital output and it had no effect - as far as I could find out.
2) The setting below is however is for the DVI-A input. It is indeed possible to use CSYNC alone. The XPC-4 needs to be power cycled for changes to this sync setting to take effect. At least changes to the input sync setting does not go into effect right away automatically.

Thank you Fudoh for getting an XPC-4

[Fudoh]

I hooked up my 360 to the XPC. With a VGA connection the picture's great. Upscaling is fine. Using a HDMI to DVI cable instead I didn't have any success. I get a picture, but lots of artefacts (horizontal stripes) and the auto adjustment feature is disabled using the digital input. I tried a bunch of resolutions, 480p, 720p, XGA and 1080p.

Maybe somebody else could try a HDMI/DVI source, possibly even a 360, to verify this.

Then I tried a direct component connection using the included D-Terminal adapter cable. The sync setting in the special settings menu has to be set to "Y" for this. Instead of pulling the power cable, just hold the green button for 2-3 seconds, it will do a soft-power cycle and apply the new setting. Quality is a catastrophe though! Easily 4-5 mm of Y/C delay on my 52" display and I don't see any settings to correct this. This was using a NTSC PS2. Also as the update log on M's website suggests, 480p or higher is required on the input to make this work. I wonder what Micomsoft used to actually verify this function ?

SoG on the other hand works great.

[Fudoh]

The downscaling quality to FBAS is atrocious by the way If Micomsoft made the output 240p instead of 480i it would make a great down scaling box for RGB use.

[Fudoh]

Could anyone with a XPC-4 give it a try with a digital input signal ??

[ruger]

Could anyone with a XPC-4 give it a try with a digital input signal ??

I can do some tests, but right now it is hooked up via a Lumagen HDP. I can feed it 360/PS3 directly or via DVDO Edge. Should I try different input types (RGB, YCbCr etc.)?