Tatung Einstein TC-01 Developer Update

[Xbytez]

Looks like Pierre Cornier (@pcornier) has been working on a Tatung Einstein TC-01 core!

[MiSTer_Kirk]

Excellent. A very MSX-like machine.
I have two machines here, they're monsters, and dwarf many 80s computers.

[ron]

Ohh my ! very nice !
Can't wait to test it !
Cheers

[Moondandy]

Was wondering what Pierco was up to, had been quiet for awhile, didn't expect this one - had thought he was working on Epoch Cassette Vision.

[ron]

Pierre started uploading code to git a few days ago and is already working on the floppy disk drive.
Like the CoCo / Dragon, it will be a great core. Pierre does an incredible job.

At this moment the core synthesizes and starts the machine, it is exciting and I really want to see it work when it is finished.

It seems to me that of the holy grails, only the Grundy NewBrain remains to be implemented, with this Tatung Einstein TC01 core a fantastic collection of cores closes. We already have almost all of them in FPGA !!!

[ron]

Pierre has updated the Tatung Einstein core with many improvements, although at the moment it's WIP and it starts and reads discs. Closer and closer. Very good news.
Regards

[ron]

The Tatung Einstein TC-01 core have been officially released by Pierre.
It's wonderful as I expected.
Thanks very much for the core.

[Xbytez]

The GitHub release is here:

https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/TatungEinstein_MiSTer

[Alkadian]

Execellent news!

[tontonkaloun]

Yes, Thanks very much for the core.

[Chris23235]

Thanks, only read about the Tatung so far, I am looking forward trying the core out (there is a version of Elite on this computer if I recall correct).

[NML32]

Thank you for this core. I tried a few disk games. They work very well.

[ron]

Thanks, only read about the Tatung so far, I am looking forward trying the core out (there is a version of Elite on this computer if I recall correct).

You're right. JetSetWilly, Manic Miner, Highway Encounter, Oh Mummy, Chuckie Egg are native Einstein TC-01 versions. And Now Elite works fine with keyboard.

There are a lot o XBasic programs, even BBC Basic programs, Xtal, CP/M ... lot of fun !

[EeDee]

Been wanting an Einstein for some Years and now it has arrived. Had one for a while in the 80's before passing it on to my brother-in-law.
Thank you Pierre and all who contributed

[teller]

Thanks for this core! I have to try Lazy Jones!
Update: Sound is buggy but the game is playable.

[ByteMavericks]

This is awesome, thank you! Will check docs for how to run things - always wanted an einstein

[ron]

Now you can select Tatung 256 from OSD.
Two micros in one core.
Great news !
Thx Pierco !!!

[kathleen]

Thank you @Pierco !

Hi @ron,
Have you already tried the Einstein Version 256 ? On my side I've this screen while the version TC01 works fine.
Could it be because I'm using the VGA out ?

NODATE-screen_0001.png (64.89 KiB) Viewed 18131 times

[Pierco]

It looks like a scandoubler problem. I think the new VDP chip for the 256 is directly connected to the scandoubler. I will look at it later.

[EeDee]

Thanks @Pierco, been waiting a long time for an Einstein emulator as I could never figure out how to work the MAME offering.
Not sure if this will be helpful but the 256 Games Pack demo program doesn't seem to display correctly.

Edit: Think it's related to @Kathleen's observation

[ponder]

Watching a real hardware stream tonight, Lazy Jones was played and the music was fine (it's static noise on the MiSTer core). I figured out how to get it emulated under MAME and the music on that, with the same disk image, is fine. Is this a known problem with the audio in the core?
Just about every other game he played matched the MiSTer core perfectly, even the ones that wouldn't load, so this a a damned close core, I'd just like to point out anything that might be missed

[EeDee]

It looks like a scandoubler problem. I think the new VDP chip for the 256 is directly connected to the scandoubler. I will look at it later.

Hi @Pierco, Have you forgotten?

[EeDee]

Thanks for this core! I have to try Lazy Jones!
Update: Sound is buggy but the game is playable.

Might there be a couple of fixes for this Core at some point?

[Flandango]

Had some spare time this weekend to take a look at this core and see if I can figure out why the sound wasn't working right and I think I found the cause.
Attached you'll find an "Experimental" build that, from what I can tell, fixes the sound issue.
I also added an additional drive. I can expand it up to a total of 4 drives if so desired but I doubt there was really any use of 4 drives at a time.
And while I was at it, updated the framework.
If folks who are familiar with the Einstein can test this build and everything looks good, I can go ahead and clean up the code and submit a pull request for Pierco to look it over and see if he's happy with it.

[EeDee]

Thank you for doing this @Flandango, Nice, also, to have a second drive.
There is some kind of screen problem, possibly with the scandoubler, in 256 mode

Thank you @Pierco !

Hi @ron,
Have you already tried the Einstein Version 256 ? On my side I've this screen while the version TC01 works fine.
Could it be because I'm using the VGA out ?

It looks like a scandoubler problem. I think the new VDP chip for the 256 is directly connected to the scandoubler. I will look at it later.

[Flandango]

There is some kind of screen problem, possibly with the scandoubler, in 256 mode

I'll see what I can do, but I don't think I can get to it this weekend. This one is a bit tricky due to having to handle two video processors at the same time (TMS9918 for the TC01 and the TMS9938 for the 256) and meeting timing requirements can be a pain, even between compiles of the same code.

[Flandango]

Ok try this one.
I still need to look at it closely and see what can be done to where timing constraints are met properly each time the core gets compiled before I feel comfortable submitting it Pierco.
Oh...and sorry for the LONG core name....

[EeDee]

@Flandango are you real?! I blinked and missed your update. Yes it works!
I understand what you say about proper checks so in the meantime I will test and wait patiently.
LONG core name excused
Thanks a whole lot!

[EeDee]

Hi @Flandango, Apart from display not being centered and Border not working in 256 mode all else, to me at least, seems to be working okay.

[EeDee]

I have found that in the 256 system disk compilation there is a basic demo called "rolldemo.xbas" which does not appear to be displaying correctly