MiSTer: MiST on Terasic DE10-nano board.

[Sorgelig]

Linux has nothing to do about audio. HDMI audio is transmitted always regardless capability of monitor.

[Sorgelig]

I've tested HDMI audio on my home theater finally. Have problem as well. Audio 2 seconds ON , 2 seconds OFF and so on..
I know the source of problem - trying to fix it.

[NML32]

I’m glad you were able to find the cause of the sound issue.

[NegSol]

Sounds good to me. cheers!

[Sorgelig]

I've fixed HDMI audio in following cores:
ZX Spectrum
C64
FPGAGen

Please download and test audio in these cores. If it's successful, then i will fix it in all other cores.

Now default HDMI audio format is 96KHz/16Bit. Even my 11 years old TV supports this format, so it shouldn't be a problem. It's possible to switch to 48KHz/16Bit through ini file. You need to update MiSTer binary to latest version. MiSTer.ini file should be placed into config folder of SD card. Example of MiSTer.ini is in Main repository.
The reason i've switched to 96KHz are PSG chips used in many systems. They don't have constant sampling rates and 48KHz of sampling rate changes the audio tone on higher frequencies. That's why 96KHz is better choice.

[NML32]

The humming is gone when routing the sound through my soundbar but now I don't get sound through my TV. I tried both settings 96kKHz and 48KHz enabled through the MiSTer.ini. Same results with both audio settings.

Also, the sound isn't very good with the new settings.
I created a Youtube video showing the sound difference using FpgaGen_20170707.rbf vs FpgaGen_20170702.rbf
https://youtu.be/LXyVMN0bbes

[wongck]

Also, the sound isn't very good with the new settings.
I created a Youtube video showing the sound difference using FpgaGen_20170707.rbf vs FpgaGen_20170702.rbf
https://youtu.be/LXyVMN0bbes

On the 2nd test run, the sound is really funny... puts a smile on me first thing in the morning. I feel happy.... I guess until I step into office.

[Sorgelig]

but now I don't get sound through my TV. I tried both settings 96kKHz and 48KHz enabled through the MiSTer.ini. Same results with both audio settings.

are you sure audio is really switched to 48k? can you check it in TV menu? It seems you have 96k in both cases.

Also, the sound isn't very good with the new settings.

i think it's not relative to new audio. This happens because of metastability of FPGAGen core. Usually i verify on Sonic game sound. If it's wrong then i recompile with other parameters.
Anyway, FPGAGen is buggy by itself, so please test on C64 and ZX cores.

[Sorgelig]

hmm. i've tried "Fix it felix" and found no issue with sound.
May be your system doesn't support 96k audio, and you didn't switch it to 48k yet.

1) make sure you use MiSTer_20170707.
2) make sure you've rename it to MiSTer on SD card and it's replaced the older MiSTer.
3) make sure you have /config/MiSTer.ini
4) make sure audio_48k=1 in MiSTer.ini

[Sorgelig]

And by the way, Fix it felix is not working on FPGAGen. It doesn't react on buttons. May be it's related to 6-button joystick which is not emulated in FPGAGen.

[NML32]

Switching to 48k fixed the no sound coming out of my TV.
You are correct even Sonic sounds messed up on FpgaGen_20170707.rbf as far as I can tell the sound seems fine on C64 and ZX Spectrum.

[Sorgelig]

That's interesting. FpgaGen_20170707 has no issue with music for me.
Til now core behave the same for everyone. If it has problem for me then it has problem for everyone. If no issue to me, then no issue for others.

[NegSol]

First - Thank you again Sorgelig for finding and fixing the audio issue! Works now with my capture device in 96KHz mode (see videos below).

Second - Yes - NML32 - I see what you mean - Music in Sonic is really funky now. But that is the Genesis core only. The music in this core was always a difficult subject. It has speed and playback issues on MIST as well. We should try to get the original team who did the porting back together. Wonder if they are are also interested in this next Gen MIST

Anyway - I have not done any extensive testing but C64 core and spectrum core have great sound/music.

Below find some captured footage of the latest cores (c64 will follow later).

https://youtu.be/W5PRzW6C4Yk (Sonic 1)
https://youtu.be/UbCsyT-_EBw (Sonic 2)
https://youtu.be/P6cEsmWmMWo (Bad Apple (8MB))
https://youtu.be/Y4mbj8tPbD4 (Spectrum)

[Sorgelig]

Second release today.

You need to update both MiSTer and FPGAGen.
6-button pad support for FPGAgen.
Lock to joystick emu for some cores like FPGAgen where keyboard is not required.

I hope music in Sonic is fixed in this release.

[NML32]

Thanks, the update fixed the sound for me.

[NegSol]

I also can confirm, that the audio issue is history. Nicely done!
Here some more videos to let everyone see the progress.

https://youtu.be/p31JF5z4Gwk (Genesis Core - Music Fixed)
https://youtu.be/PJk7wDYexUk (C64 Core)

[Sorgelig]

unfortunately, it's not in history. FPGAGen has metastability issue. So any build may get such problem.
So every build need to be tested.

[NML32]

@Sorgelig, I just wanted to say thank you for all the hard work you've put into MiSTer. So far every game I've tried on the C64, ZX Spectrum, and FpgaGen looks and sounds great.

[Zarchos]

Seconded !

[NegSol]

Yes - testing is necessary and will go on. I like it
--
So - I did some testing on the C64 core for the MISTer. I also did a side by side comparison to the current version of the MIST core with the Desert Dream demo.

All in all very good. I noticed two things. The first picture in part 1 has a lot more noise or jittery movement on the MISTer's HDMI scaler than the VGA output of the MIST. This is also true for all "colour enhanced" pictures on the C64 found in other demo productions. The two pictures that are constantly switched are clearly visible on the MISTer. On the MIST the switch is much more subtle and barley noticeable. I do not have a working original C64 atm, but it seem to me the more subtle version is the one showing on the original hardware.

The second thing is that the core on the MISTer stops earlier than the MIST in part 1. The MIST C64 core will also stop video a few seconds later while audio on both continues.

I did some videos of the experiment.

https://youtu.be/turGPxRMBSE (Desert dream part 1 - comparison of C64 cores)
https://youtu.be/yZELrY0UPas (Desert dream part 2 - comparison of C64 cores)
https://youtu.be/IDGNoYpF9V8 (Part 1 of the Demo Desert Dream running on MISTer C64 Core)
https://youtu.be/IDGNoYpF9V8 (Part 2 of the Demo Desert Dream running on MISTer C64 Core)

[Sorgelig]

MiSTer uses scaler for HDMI output. Due to frame rate convertion (50->60) some effects and smooth scrollers will be affected. This is the price you pay for correct video output where you can use any modern TV/Monitor with HDMI.
I/O board of MiSTer has VGA where raw video is output. It will be identical to MiST one's with same problems like non standard frequencies.

As for Desert dream - its unclear why it stops earlier. I need to check this. Basically C64 is the same as on MiST.

[NML32]

As for Desert dream - its unclear why it stops earlier. I need to check this. Basically C64 is the same as on MiST.

@NegSol what C64 core are you using for the MiST demo? braincell1973's updated C64 core?

[Sorgelig]

by the way, do you use C64 MiST core from my repository or from somewhere else?

[Sorgelig]

haha. same question
Unfortunately other devs don't share their code

[NegSol]

Yes - I use the latest braincell1973 C64 core for the MIST. The one with CRT support built in. This is the most advanced isn't it.