Antonio villena's decapod issues

[cruz1383]

Hello I have Antonio villena's mister setup the one with room for the USB drive on the bottom of the case. I also have a decapod. I was playing NES double dragon 2 with original NES controllers on the up to date mister core through the decapod with no issues.

I paused the game and went to get some water and make a phone call(10 min tops) I came back and the start button on the original controller wasn't working I then pressed the A button and it was acting like start and the B button was acting like select I then unplugged the first controller and switched to my other original controller and it was the same thing A was start and B was select.

I tried to restart the core (and reapply the snac option in the settings) and that did not work. I then tried to reassign the buttons to the NES core and mister will not recognize any inputs from both original NES controllers. I have a USB 8bitdo sn30 controller and Bluetooth controller sn30 controller and those work fine.

I then switched to the llp alternative core(can't remember the full name) and that did not work as well.

I really don't know what could have happened I don't have any other original controller like Genesis controllers to test out the other decapod ports and see if maybe the decapod went bad somehow?? (I'm assuming it's not because it never moved from when I have it but who knows)

The only other thing I'm about to do is redo mister on a small 64gb SD card and put double dragon on it and see what that does ? Maybe my SD card corrupted itself somehow??

[cruz1383]

Ok so I purchased the retrobit big6 Sega wired controller in order to see if that controller would have issue and some how I was able to use that controller without issues and then I retried the the original NES controllers and now they work.

I don't know what could of happened my only hypothesis is something went wonky in the snac code on the Mister and then inputting the Sega 6 button controller into the decapod must have reset the code and now it works. My best guess cause no setting were changed when I retried the NES controllers and the controllers were the only ones I have for the NES.

[dshadoff]

There is no "snac code" on MiSTer. At least nothing that has a state machine - it's just "wire" connections.
When SNAC is enabled, the GPIOs at the SNAC port are connected to the inputs as the console implementation has them.
Whatever desynchronization occurred seems to have been within the decapod. I've never heard of this type of thing using any other method of input.

If you experience this again, I would suggest turning everything off for several seconds, and then back on (not just resetting the core).
Maybe Antonio will be able to help you and explain what happened, as this is his design and implementation.

[cruz1383]

Thanks dshoff for your suggestions and the insight about the snac not having code i really didn't have a clue and was just guessing at what happened (still am really).

I had turned it off for more then a couple of seconds lol as I had a day to contemplate the purchase of the Sega controller and a couple of days to wait for it to arrive. And it never worked until the Sega controller was plugged in, then it started working which is weird.

Heck only reason why I had purchased the Sega controller was to see if the decapod was broken or (hoping to God it wasn't) the db9 port on Antonio's mister system.

Edit: You know what dshadoff I think your right on the decapod theory because I did redo the mister on a small 32gb card like I said I was going to try on the original post and the NES controller was not working on that build (different card) as well. I had forgot about doing this until I reread your post about turning off the mister for a couple of seconds.

[cruz1383]

Well it looks like I am having more issues with the decapod. Whe I use the NES core suggested by Antonio with the DB9 support on update all with the NES controller on port one of the decapod the core screen menu (The one with load * .NES, fds nsf) will continually scroll up after I tick the option for snac controllers. It will not stop unless I unplug the controller from port one.

I don't know what is going on so tried switching to a different core. I switched to the LLAPI NES core and it doesn't have any issues don't really know what the difference is haven't really looked to be honest.

I'm assuming this is a core issue or something going on with the decapod. I don't have any issues with the Sega controllers though, only when I plug in an NES controller no matter which one that the issues arises.

I have an 8bitdo NES controller that I just purchased about 2 days ago and 2 original NES controllers and it still has the same issue as soon as the snac is ticked on (controllers) it starts scrolling up like I'm pressing the up direction but nothing is being pressed.

[HerrBerzerk]

Yes, I have seen some fancy things with decapod also. I also had this upward scrolling in some cores, don't remember wich one. Usually that went away when I did a reboot with the Decapod already connected. I experience the most problems, when I connect the decapod to an already running mister.

On the other hand, there are issues with the Decapod with some computer cores. What I experienced is, that with the Decapod connected, my keyboard does not work on the c64 core and the amiga core will not boot, instead it starts in some kind of boot menu. Basically it's always a procedure of plug or unplug the decapod a restart the mister. BTW: Reset is sometimes not enough, really turn off and on again.

[cruz1383]

Yes, I have seen some fancy things with decapod also. I also had this upward scrolling in some cores, don't remember wich one. Usually that went away when I did a reboot with the Decapod already connected. I experience the most problems, when I connect the decapod to an already running mister.

On the other hand, there are issues with the Decapod with some computer cores. What I experienced is, that with the Decapod connected, my keyboard does not work on the c64 core and the amiga core will not boot, instead it starts in some kind of boot menu. Basically it's always a procedure of plug or unplug the decapod a restart the mister. BTW: Reset is sometimes not enough, really turn off and on again.

Oh man thanks a lot, I though it was just me that has had these wonky issues and that it was my decapod that was defective.

When this happened I did power down the mister and unplug the decapod but it would come back with the same problem. I would always plug the decapod in first before turning the mister on just the practice I have always used. I will continue to mess with it to make sure I fully understand the decapod and all it's quirks.

I love the decapod but it seems to have some weird quirks which prompted me to think it was broken or malfunctioning.

[HerrBerzerk]

Oh man thanks a lot, I though it was just me that has had these wonky issues and that it was my decapod that was defective.

When this happened I did power down the mister and unplug the decapod but it would come back with the same problem. I would always plug the decapod in first before turning the mister on just the practice I have always used. I will continue to mess with it to make sure I fully understand the decapod and all it's quirks.

I love the decapod but it seems to have some weird quirks which prompted me to think it was broken or malfunctioning.

Yeah, I'm sorry I can't help you more, but there are strange things happening now and then. Also not everything works fine with the cores like Atari 2600 and Amiga have problems with db9. And indeed most of the time it is better to have the decapod connected but sometimes its better to connect it later. Don't ask....

[cruz1383]

Oh man thanks a lot, I though it was just me that has had these wonky issues and that it was my decapod that was defective.

When this happened I did power down the mister and unplug the decapod but it would come back with the same problem. I would always plug the decapod in first before turning the mister on just the practice I have always used. I will continue to mess with it to make sure I fully understand the decapod and all it's quirks.

I love the decapod but it seems to have some weird quirks which prompted me to think it was broken or malfunctioning.

Yeah, I'm sorry I can't help you more, but there are strange things happening now and then. Also not everything works fine with the cores like Atari 2600 and Amiga have problems with db9. And indeed most of the time it is better to have the decapod connected but sometimes its better to connect it later. Don't ask....

Wow I never knew such problems were being encountered with the decapod. Is there like a thread that shows all the wonky issues going on with it ? Or is this just your experience with it( I'm assuming it's not just your experience but just asking).

Also has Antonio addressed any of these issues? ( If you know ?)

[HerrBerzerk]

Wow I never knew such problems were being encountered with the decapod. Is there like a thread that shows all the wonky issues going on with it ? Or is this just your experience with it( I'm assuming it's not just your experience but just asking).

Also has Antonio addressed any of these issues? ( If you know ?)

This is just my pure personal experience. It is quite possible, that there are people with no issues at all. You don't read much about db9 here, I guess most people have the usual usb size snac.

[cruz1383]

Wow I never knew such problems were being encountered with the decapod. Is there like a thread that shows all the wonky issues going on with it ? Or is this just your experience with it( I'm assuming it's not just your experience but just asking).

Also has Antonio addressed any of these issues? ( If you know ?)

This is just my pure personal experience. It is quite possible, that there are people with no issues at all. You don't read much about db9 here, I guess most people have the usual usb size snac.

Thanks man, I was building another mister with the ironclad mister ITX board and the decapod for that mister came in with the USB and on board midi32.

The new decapod does the same thing with NES db9 core. As soon as I plug in the NES controller and tick the snac option to controllers and play a game it starts scrolling up on the DB9 core... played double dragon 2 and if you put it on 2 player without the second controller Jimmy's character starts scrolling up. This stops if you put a controller on the 2nd player port on the decapod though.

I don't have that issue on the LLAPI NES core though..

At least I can confirm it's not the decapod or else the new one wouldn't do it also(what's the likelihood of a brand new decapod doing that). I don't have the ironclad itx board yet so I can't say if maybe it's Antonio's mister or not or just the core but when I do get the ITX board and build the ironclad I will test everything out and see if it's Antonio's mister or not. I low key rather it be just a glitch in the core lol misters are .

[HerrBerzerk]

Maybe Antonio can verify/test that. I have no original NES Controllers. The only think I can tell is, I had the settings saved in the core to DB9 and then restarted everything connected. Then the scrolling went away. I will check later if this happens to me with other controllers on the decapod.

[HerrBerzerk]

I played nes now with two db9 atari joysticks connected to the decapod in genesis settings. That worked fine though it's not playable because they have only one button.

Setting was:

[cruz1383]

Yeah I can play NES with my genesis controller with no issues on the DB9 core(not ideal due to you know being an NES and not Genesis) it's with the snac ticked on and with NES controllers that I get the scrolling also it has to be while playing a game. I even have a 6amp power supply also by the way just if someone thinks it's power related but it still does it with original power and the 6amp one.

Right now I just leave a second player controller plugged in (which seems to stop the second character jimmy from DD2 from moving up but the scrolling still occurs in the core menu.....so it doesn't happen in the game but still in the menu lol) or just use the LLAPI core which doesn't have any issues but it doesn't have db9 support.

[HerrBerzerk]

But why do you turn snac on? How is your decapod connected? Not via DB9?

My understanding is, that the snac setting is unnecessary whit the db9 port of the cores. It's just a leftover from the normal core with the usb shaped snac. You see in my setting snac is off.

[Armakuni]

Those new Megadrive six button DB9 controllers are no good with SNAC and cause issues

In some games they work fine and in others you can't control it and the character will always move in one direction, I tried one a few weeks ago

I believe some people believe it's due to the timing being slightly out compared to the original ones

[cruz1383]

But why do you turn snac on? How is your decapod connected? Not via DB9?

My understanding is, that the snac setting is unnecessary whit the db9 port of the cores. It's just a leftover from the normal core with the usb shaped snac. You see in my setting snac is off.

The decapod is connected with the DB9 port. If I don't turn on the snac option on the NES core nothing happens with the NES controllers ??? Don't know why that is. Basically the DB9 settings do nothing with am NES controller on the NES core it does work with Genesis controllers and the DB9 settings though.

So are you telling me that the DB9 setting should work with all the controllers ? It makes sense in my head because the decapod is connected to the DB9 port but it doesn't work or at least doesn't work for me.....

[cruz1383]

Well it looks like more problems, I got a new 8bitdo SNES controller 2.4g version to use on the decapod and and the SNES core it looks like the old decapod that I have has issues with that controller. It does not work on the old decapod tried playing super Mario world and you can only press the B(Jump) button and if you hold the A button you can move to the right with the d-pad and sometimes down but no other directions.

It does work on the new decapod with mt32 support. They are both connected with the DB9 cable and snac ticked on because that's the only way it works for me and the new decapod works with no issues on the snes core.... Man I don't know WTH is going on with this... I'm now assuming my old decapod has issue with SNES ports (I tried both the DB9 fork core and the LLAPI core and it still has issues the second player port doesn't even register any inputs when I swap joysticks but for some reason when I play the NES core the second player port works even with swapped...) and the new one seems to be ok with only the NES scrolling issue that I can tell so far.

Man I guess when it rains it pours lol

[HerrBerzerk]

So are you telling me that the DB9 setting should work with all the controllers ? It makes sense in my head because the decapod is connected to the DB9 port but it doesn't work or at least doesn't work for me.....

Well, that is just how I understand it and I might be totally wrong. Actually Mister Villena should be helping with this issues...

[HerrBerzerk]

Well it looks like more problems, I got a new 8bitdo NES controller 2.4g version to use on the decapod and it looks like the old decapod that I have has issues with that controller. It does not work on the old decapod you can only press the B(Jump) button and if you hold the A button you can move to the right with the d-pad and sometimes down but no other directions.

I read somewhere (I think on Villenas site), that you can update the decapod firmware. I think I remember it is based on Deamonbite or something like this. I never did that, but if you find out how to do that, you can post it here

[cruz1383]

Well it looks like more problems, I got a new 8bitdo NES controller 2.4g version to use on the decapod and it looks like the old decapod that I have has issues with that controller. It does not work on the old decapod you can only press the B(Jump) button and if you hold the A button you can move to the right with the d-pad and sometimes down but no other directions.

I read somewhere (I think on Villenas site), that you can update the decapod firmware. I think I remember it is based on Deamonbite or something like this. I never did that, but if you find out how to do that, you can post it here

I read that also, but unfortunately for me that's only for the new decapod mt32 with USB support and it only updates the USB deamonbite portion of the decapod from my understanding....

I did send Antonio a PM here asking him to chime in and help though... hope he sees it and does.

[cruz1383]

Those new Megadrive six button DB9 controllers are no good with SNAC and cause issues

In some games they work fine and in others you can't control it and the character will always move in one direction, I tried one a few weeks ago

I believe some people believe it's due to the timing being slightly out compared to the original ones

Sorry I didn't answer sooner I didn't see your comment. I don't have any issues with those genesis controllers it's with the NES scrolling up and now my old decapod (I have 2 ) on SNES ports don't work but port 2 work on the NES core which is just weird.

[cruz1383]

Ok I finally found out what the problems was, first the NES DB9 core has a bug (was told by Antonio villena on telegram) that make it scroll up infinitely when the NES controller is plugged in and you go to the ODS menu while playing a game. The solution was to use the original core without DB9 for now until it gets fixed.

For the SNES issue were port 1 wasn't working, after doing continuity test after continuity tests I found out that the DB9 cord was some how faulty( don't know why it was never kinked of bent in anyway as it was only in one place the whole time so I'm assuming it was defective from when I got the decapod), so I took the cord from the new decapod mt32 and the old decapod started working on SNES.

It was weird because a lot of other cores like Genesis and NES were able to be played but that was the problem soon as I switched it it worked.

Thanks to all that have helped me I really appreciate it.