FX CAST Atari ST core

[ijor]

I did report (http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.ph ... 96#p355872) that the only messages I saw were concerning the visibility status of the OSD and nothing about button press events - like I did see with the initial version of FX CAST. At that time I was using the physical USB serial console (not the SSH method) + 4 watt PSU + powered USB hub... (https://youtu.be/ANGUdFz7AQ0)

Perhaps that (the lack of button press events messages) is related to running the most current 'MiSTer' bin and is unrelated to the version of the FX CAST core?

Yes, of course, it's the MiSTer binary. Can you run the old MiSTer I provided at the time? If not I will try to build a special MiSTer version with more input debugging.

Does it freeze the whole input, keyboard and controller? Or you can bring the MiSTer menu?

[BBond007]

Yes, of course, it's the MiSTer binary. Can you run the old MiSTer I provided at the time? If not I will try to build a special MiSTer version with more input debugging.

MiSTer version 'HPST181010' does not seem to work with fxcast-013-StandardMister.rbf ('.ST' files fail to load) so I tested with fxcast-01.rbf.

Initially I was using the SSH method which is more convenient with my setup, however (because I was still not seeing the expected additional events) I did switch over to the physical USB serial connection and the result was exactly the same.

Using MiSTer version 'HPST18101' and fxcast-01.rbf and USB serial connection, I did get a controller freeze, however there is no additional data - just the messages about the visibility status of the OSD. This is on my MiSTer with 4 amp PSU + powered USB hub using the USB serial connection. I have included the log even though I don't believe it will not be of much (if any) value.

My conclusion is that MiSTer version 'HPST181010' provides absolutely no additional debugging data then the mainstream one provides. The controller and keyboard events are present when running in the menu.rbf core (as shown in the log), so it is my belief/theory that something needs to be enabled/implemented in the FX CAST core...

Does it freeze the whole input, keyboard and controller? Or you can bring the MiSTer menu?

Yes, (just like in the video) the OSD was still fully functional when the controller freeze occurred. The keyboard still works in the OSD but respective to the core I believe it was also frozen. Bubble Bobble says "PRESS 1 OR 2 TO PLAY" and pressing '1' did nothing - typically that would start a new single player game.

[Paradroyd]

I've seen exactly the same thing..I'm able to easily reproduce the controller freeze multiple consecutive times, but there's really no useful debugging info going to the console port when it happens.

This may or may not be useful, but I can use the "cold reset" option from the F12 menu when the input isn't working in the core, and when the core resets, input is working again, (until it eventually stops again). It does not require a complete reset of the DE-10 / MiSTer itself to get input back, which since F12 still works to get in and out of the menu, makes sense.

It seems (as I believe you said above) that we're going to need a version of the core with additional debugging enabled to find anything useful here.

[Lroby74]

Hello,
like object, i am wondering if Atari ST core is missing for Mister.. i can't find it nowhere

EDIT : found FX Cast Atari ST core (my friend told that)

[SaschaFFM]

I know I have already asked quite a few times like 6 or 7 months ago, but it is time to renew my humble request, I suppose:

Is there going to be support for 15kHz VGA output any time soon? Me personally I am a CRT fan (for retro games at least) and would really love to use the Atari ST MiSTer core. Crossing my fingers.

[bedfellow]

Is this core still under active development?

[ericgus]

Is this core still under active development?

Hard drive support would be nice and a fix to the video issue .. (though you can sorta work around it with blind keypress for the initial setup)

[uigiflip]

STE and ddr3 ram maybe use minimig implementation

[paulwratt]

re: input freeze
I just cam across this video of someone showing the FX-CAST core in a live stream on Jun 18, 2019:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl4qaLS6cXo

It shows his (hardware) setup, and the first 2x he tries to run Artic Moves he gets controller input freeze. Dont know if it help for a diagnose-ish.

I think its the guy from RetroShop on facebook (on the local sellers page). I get the feeling he had previously tested Artic Moves and not had any problems, which is why he chose it to start the stream with (but dont quote me on that).

Anyway he is technical, so he might be able to help diagnose the issue if someone wants to contact him...

Cheers

Paul

[Shazz]

Any chance to get a 2MB RAM version to run https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=81777 ?

[retango]

Is there going to be support for 15kHz VGA output any time soon? Me personally I am a CRT fan (for retro games at least) and would really love to use the Atari ST MiSTer core. Crossing my fingers.

Just in case you didn’t know, the core already supports 15kHz (at least in monitor: Color mode). I have it working on a sony pvm in rgb mode (Mister vga out to bnc).You must wait approx 1 minute with a white screen (the atari is looking for a floppy) until the desktop appears. Good luck!

[SaschaFFM]

@retango

Just tried it again. No luck with my Sony BVM. I am using FXCast Version 1.2. is there any newer?
Probably your TV supports 30khz as well (mine doesn’t).

[slingshot]

Somebody can check please if two demos are working on this core:
-Electra
-European Demos
I have some problems with these in the MiST core, and just want to make sure if it's not a CPU problem before I start to debug.
Thanks.

[ericgus]

@retango

Just tried it again. No luck with my Sony BVM. I am using FXCast Version 1.2. is there any newer?
Probably your TV supports 30khz as well (mine doesn’t).

No I think thats the latest.. the core has sorta been either put on hold or abandoned .. unfortunately its closed source so no one else can pick it up and improve on it, bug fix it / extend it.. And boy it has a lot of glitches that need fixing..

[ReedSolomon]

No I think thats the latest.. the core has sorta been either put on hold or abandoned .. unfortunately its closed source so no one else can pick it up and improve on it, bug fix it / extend it.. And boy it has a lot of glitches that need fixing..

Ijor was on holidays theres no reason to believe it's abandoned

[mfro]

... unfortunately its closed source so no one else can pick it up and improve on it, bug fix it / extend it...

... and that's not the whole truth as well. The author has clearly stated the intention to open source his work once he's satisfied with the code and has decided for a license.

Sometimes a little patience helps

[slup]

Well, to be fair, it is the whole truth. Until the minute it's open, it's closed! Right now, at this moment in time, it is closed source.

[ericgus]

No I think thats the latest.. the core has sorta been either put on hold or abandoned .. unfortunately its closed source so no one else can pick it up and improve on it, bug fix it / extend it.. And boy it has a lot of glitches that need fixing..

Ijor was on holidays theres no reason to believe it's abandoned

For several months? I suppose but seems like its gone dormant.. I certainly would love to see all the bugs and issues and problems addressed, like the weird default video issues that prevent you from even seeing the mister menu on some monitors that don't support it (mine for example, I had to do blind keypresses to get it to change the display output frequency, and the aspect ratio is broken), the inability to change the TOS {I would prefer a different and US flavor} etc.. .. it seems like a promising start but unless its actively being worked on and/or open its effectively defunct till he does.

[ericgus]

... unfortunately its closed source so no one else can pick it up and improve on it, bug fix it / extend it...

... and that's not the whole truth as well. The author has clearly stated the intention to open source his work once he's satisfied with the code and has decided for a license.

Sometimes a little patience helps

Well being a MIST owner, I have unfortunately seen this happen on more than one occasion. Core authors work on stuff, then it seem to loose interest in their cores and abandon them due to other life circumstances never to return to it (PlusTOO core anyone?).

[ReedSolomon]

For several months? I suppose but seems like its gone dormant.. I certainly would love to see all the bugs and issues and problems addressed, like the weird default video issues that prevent you from even seeing the mister menu on some monitors that don't support it (mine for example, I had to do blind keypresses to get it to change the display output frequency, and the aspect ratio is broken), the inability to change the TOS {I would prefer a different and US flavor} etc.. .. it seems like a promising start but unless its actively being worked on and/or open its effectively defunct till he does.

He already open sourced a part of it, the main cycle accurate CPU, which has been ported to the MiST systems Atari ST Core at the very least. So even IF ijor decided all of a sudden "screw fpga programming I want to dedicate my life to becoming a chocolatier" or something and did abandon it, the most important part is still out there, and someone could conceivably port the MiST ST Core to MiSTer. By the same token, it is highly unlikely he abandoned it IMHO based on what I've seen of his posts here he seems to be a perfectionist working very hard to recreate the Atari ST as closely as possible and is unlikely to give up on that goal. And I do believe his intention is to release the source code when he believes its ready. People just have to be patient. Rome wasn't built in a day.

[ericgus]

Yes true, the cycle accurate CPU core is an amazing creation..

As far as the ST core.. there is already something on the horizon and availavle which may rapidly superseded this core anyway.. "MiSTery Atari ST/STe core"

[slingshot]

Well being a MIST owner, I have unfortunately seen this happen on more than one occasion. Core authors work on stuff, then it seem to loose interest in their cores and abandon them due to other life circumstances never to return to it (PlusTOO core anyone?).

This statement contradicts the advantage of being open sourced. Most work an a core actually is not doing the coding, but make the proper research what needs to be implemented. And ijor shared a fair amount of his research work, too.

[ijor]

Sorry everybody. Real life is getting in the middle for the time being. But I am not abandoning this core at all, and hopefully I will restart development shortly.

MiSTery seems indeed a job very well done, both by Slingshot and by Till. I also see that Sorgelig plans to port this core to the MiSTer. That is great news as well.

Probably MiSTery is still not as accurate as my core in ST mode. But I expect it to mostly catch up sooner or later. Perhaps with the main exception of supporting copy protected images. Well, at least that would be difficult to implement within the limitations of the MiST hardware. This is a pitty, because copy protected images exercise and test core accuracy even more than demos. Might be possible, perhaps, with some pre processing performed at a PC.

[ijor]

Hi,

Somebody can check please if two demos are working on this core:
-Electra
-European Demos
I have some problems with these in the MiST core, and just want to make sure if it's not a CPU problem before I start to debug.
Thanks.

I can't test these demos right now. I think we tested almost every more or less known demo, and I believe these two are working with FX CAST. But again, I'll need to test them (again) to be sure.

Note however that some images out there are broken. Even a few images do run under emulation, but not under real hardware. You have to test it under real hardware to be sure 100%.

But perhaps what is more important, many demos depend on a specific configuration. You can't run all the demos under a single configuration. E.g., some demos require a specific wake state. A few extreme cases also depend on a specific chipset version. Some demos were later patched to have better universal compatibility. So sometimes, it depends on exactly which version of the demo you are trying. Of course, for the purpose of testing accuracy, it is better to test the original unpatched version (which sometimes is hard to find, btw).

[ericgus]

Ah thats fantastic news.. Thanks!

One thing you should do right off the bat is migrate to using the current mister framework and framebuffer to address that really ugly video mode issue the current release of the core has. I know on my display (and a large number of other people) it outputs a default video signal that is so out of spec for the display I can't even get the mister menu to show up (I was able to over come it with blind keypresses) .. and the other real bug is the broken aspect ratio, updating the framework hopefully should knock these two big bugs right off the list.. and thanks again..