Atari 7800 / 2600

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NML32
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by NML32 »

paulbnl wrote: Sun Sep 06, 2020 10:27 am The problem with the Pac-Man game is that it never enables VBlank and MiSTer uses that to generate Vsync.

Try this version. It generates VBlank from VSync instead which also fixes the centering on HDMI compared to a CRT. For example the "1981. Atari. Inc" text from Asteroids.

The blanking has been set to reduce black borders on HDMI for most games but some games use more of the screen so those might be cropped.

It also has an option to output the original VBlank.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DQR_S5 ... sp=sharing
Thank you!! Looks good to me :D
D.K. VCS bonus countdown is also fixed. :D
It also seems to fix Github issue #21
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by rhester72 »

Atlantis doesn't have the shakes anymore!!!

PLEASE make this vblank change official!
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by kaz321123 »

wonderful stuff. Gonna try it out. :)

I cleaned up the entries for Dintar's Pac-Man on the compatibility list. Hope that's ok.

Had duplicate entries, basically referring to the same game.

I also named it "New Pac-Man". Seems a bit more catchy than 'Dintar's Pac-Man'.

Some people might like the 'non-cornering' pac-man variant. It could be listed as a 'different' game, since the two are pretty different for gameplay.
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by NML32 »

kaz321123 wrote: Sun Sep 06, 2020 8:46 pm wonderful stuff. Gonna try it out. :)

I cleaned up the entries for Dintar's Pac-Man on the compatibility list. Hope that's ok.

Had duplicate entries, basically referring to the same game.

I also named it "New Pac-Man". Seems a bit more catchy than 'Dintar's Pac-Man'.
Thank you. :D
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by kaz321123 »

The new .rbf works great for pac-man. I also tested Princess Rescue (smb1), and it also works fine.

Thanks for the fix!
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by Sorgelig »

What is the core settings for D.K. VCS? i don't see mario and other items when game starts. Also there is no audio at all.
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NML32
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Re: Atari 2600

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Sorgelig wrote: Mon Sep 07, 2020 6:17 pm What is the core settings for D.K. VCS? i don't see mario and other items when game starts. Also there is no audio at all.
Try setting Joystick Swap Yes then jump button to start
It's a superchip game.

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/206497-dk-vcs/
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by Sorgelig »

NML32 wrote: Fri Sep 04, 2020 11:16 pm - TIA: transparent latches for the color registers (D.K.VCS)
this fix doesn't change bonus label display.
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by NML32 »

Sorgelig wrote: Mon Sep 07, 2020 7:57 pm
NML32 wrote: Fri Sep 04, 2020 11:16 pm - TIA: transparent latches for the color registers (D.K.VCS)
this fix doesn't change bonus label display.
The changes paulbnl made fixes the Bounus label.
viewtopic.php?p=9875#p9875
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by NML32 »

Thank you to all involved in the updates/fixes for core Atari2600_20200908.rbf
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by eewoke »

eewoke wrote: Thu Aug 20, 2020 10:13 pm Unfortunately Asteroids not working. Hopefully next time 🤞
Now it does! Great!!!
-= MiSTer FPGA enthusiast =-
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by redsteakraw »

Can confirm that PacMan is working fine after the update on my Component CRT TV setup. Asteroids works but seems to still be a bit jittery with the video. Custer's Revenge works but still has the menu bug where it won't show the menu after the game is launched over the IO Analog output but is shown on the HDMI video out.
Fear is the mind killer!
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by NML32 »

No issues with Custard’s Revenge OSD if you select VBlank Regenerate.
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by Pepeart »

Am I the only one having problems with tapper running on a sony pvm? The video its very jumpy. Reason why I ask its because on the comp sheet it shows working. Im also running the latest core. Thank you
Ps. A big thank you to nml32 who has helped me before on his youtube channel
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by skooter »

Tapper runs interlaced (480i), it is jumpy on the real hardware through 2600RGB + Framemeister or OSSC too.

It wasn't jumpy on MiSTer through HDMI in the old core version, but now it is if you turn on VBlank Regeneration. If you turn it off, it is not jumpy, at least on HDMI. Have you tried this on the PVM?

I have fixed ROMs that run in 240p if you want. Check here: https://www.skooterblog.com/2017/07/26/ ... memeister/ (in Portuguese).
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by NML32 »

@Skooter, thank you. Do you mind if I link to your blog on my A2600 Google sheet for the patched ROMs?
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by skooter »

@NLM32, I don't mind. Feel free to link it.
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by NML32 »

skooter wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 3:14 pm @NLM32, I don't mind. Feel free to link it.
Thank you.
FYI, "Tapper (fixed) - original NTSC version with Omegamatrix fixes" The link requires permission to download the file.
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by Pepeart »

I will try it tonight when I get home. Thank you for your help
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by skooter »

Thanks. I just changed the permissions and it should be available for anyone now.
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by Pepeart »

Tapper works great!! It looks like turmoil its also 480i. Do you know if its been fixed like tapper? Thank you for your help.
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by skooter »

Sorry, my explanation about Tapper was incomplete. The problem isn't the interlaced screen (480i) per se. The problem is that the programmer apparently attempted to make it interlaced but left some incorrect timings. This is the explanation posted by alex_79 in Atari Age forums in 2013:
BTW after looking more closely, the original NTSC version of Tapper seems to purposely enable and disable VSYNC on cycle 41 every other frame. Storing to VSYNC register takes 3 cycles, so the operation starts at cycle 38 which is exactly in the middle of a scanline. This could indicate that the programmer intention was to generate an interlaced signal, albeit the scanline count was wrong and the resulting "fields" had 261.5 scanlines each instead of 262.5 which should be the NTSC standard.
https://atariage.com/forums/topic/19345 ... try2872128

I don't remember any issues with Turmoil on the original hardware, even with 2600RGB + Framemeister/OSSC. I just tried it on MiSTer and it flickers when VBlank Regeneration is on, but works fine when this option is off. This is with the HDMI output.

There was a standard to be followed regarding the usage of VBlank and VSync in Atari 2600 games, as described in the Stella Programmer's Guide, so the game would work on any TV set, according to Atari research. But the programmers would often not follow the standard, either intentionally or unintentionally. CRTs were often forgiven about this, though I remember some poorly programmed games (like Condor Attack) failing even on CRTs (rolling image sometimes). Modern TVs don't like all those non-standard signals, though I don't know the exactly issues with PVMs, since they are still CRTs after all.

Now we basically have two paths: trying to fix each game that is out of the standard or adapting the Atari 2600 core to handle these issues in the best possible way. Either way I don't have the knowledge to handle these tasks. But I believe the second one is preferable, if possible.

As far as I know, Turmoil doesn't have a fixed version.
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by Pepeart »

Thank you for the explanation
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by skooter »

One more info: I just checked Turmoil in the Stella emulator and it produces 262 lines all the time. So whatever is its issue on PVMs, it is not the same of Tapper.
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by NML32 »

I wonder if someone could figure out why some of the Homebrew games have a messed up scoreboard in the MiSTer core?
The scoreboards look a little better with the latest 20200908 A2600 core but still a little off.

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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by commander »

Hi there,

I am a big fan of paddle games and Driving Games for the Atari 2600.
Stella Emulator for PC supports two USB Adapters for Atari 2600 in the past.
It is possible to make it work with mister?

Retronic Design
USB Joystick Adapter
https://www.retronicdesign.com/en/
Driving Controller for Games like Indy 500, Tempest...
Paddle Controller for Games like Kaboom, Warlords...


2600-daptor II
http://www.2600-daptor.com/
Driving Controller for Games like Indy 500, Tempest...
Paddle Controller for Games like Kaboom, Warlords...

Thanks for all efforts in the mister fpga world!!!
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by KremlingKuthroat19 »

I haven't seen it mentioned on the Github wiki on Retromaster's website or on the compatability list but does this core support Starpath Supercharger cassette games? The games seem to work perfectly on the Stella emulator, but I couldn't get any of them to run on MiSTer. I didn't notice any Starpath Supercharger games listed in the compatability sheet like Communist Mutants from Space or Swords of Saros. Also, some games like Escape from the Mindmaster and Party Mix are multi-cassette games so swapping them out should function like swapping out multi-disc games for CD cores like the Sega CD and TurboGrafx-CD.

Any plans on Starpath Supercharger implementation?
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by dshadoff »

I'm not sure about Sega CD, but TurboGrafx-CD has no multi-disc games.
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by NML32 »

KremlingKuthroat19 wrote: Tue Sep 22, 2020 12:16 pm I haven't seen it mentioned on the Github wiki on Retromaster's website or on the compatability list but does this core support Starpath Supercharger cassette games? The games seem to work perfectly on the Stella emulator, but I couldn't get any of them to run on MiSTer. I didn't notice any Starpath Supercharger games listed in the compatability sheet like Communist Mutants from Space or Swords of Saros. Also, some games like Escape from the Mindmaster and Party Mix are multi-cassette games so swapping them out should function like swapping out multi-disc games for CD cores like the Sega CD and TurboGrafx-CD.

Any plans on Starpath Supercharger implementation?
The MiSTer A2600 core doesn't support Supercharger games. I think the Starpath games on cart use the AR Bankswitching that isn't currently supported. There are a couple Starthpath games on the compatibility sheet.

No ADC support to load tapes. It would be nice to have Supercharger support one day.
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Re: Atari 2600

Unread post by KremlingKuthroat19 »

dshadoff wrote: Tue Sep 22, 2020 12:32 pm I'm not sure about Sega CD, but TurboGrafx-CD has no multi-disc games.
That's good to know regarding TurboGrafx-CD not having multi-disc games. The Sega CD has a few multi-disc games and it's easy to switch to them on the fly as long as they're in the same folder. The Atari 2600 has a few Starpath Supercharger games that have multi-discs that need to be swapped out when you reach a certain point in the game like Escape from the Mindmaster. If Supercharger support comes in the future, it'd be best to handle the cassette swapping like the Sega CD core handles disc swapping.
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