MiSTer Core Dev Update: VGA Output

[nico24]

All episode have been updated to now include optional code for VGA output rather than CRT output. Useful for anyone wanting to follow along without a CRT.

[Alkadian]

That's great, many thanks for adding this functionality.

[thorr]

I am not sure what this is exactly. I watched the video. How is this different than direct_video plus forced_scandoubler? Thanks!

[nico24]

Hi thorr - the tutorial series is building from the ground up. You could say that, currently, up to now we're only really using the DE10-nano with the added IO board. I'm not using any of the MiSTer framework that supports the HDMI, VGA port, USB etc. The reason is, if I included the framework it would be REALLY complicated and I want it to be as simple as possible. So up till now the output through the VGA port has been the exact output that would drive a CRT monitor. That's the same functionality as the original board. It keeps it simple, BUT doing that means you need to have a CRT monitor to play along. I want as many people to follow this as possible, and so by adding in the simple version of the scandoubler ONLY (without the whole framework), then people with VGA monitors can also play along too. The last things we'll do in the series is add in the MiSTer framework, actually when we need to implement the player controls on the game, and at that point all the other good stuff comes with it.
Hope that clarifies it a bit.

[thorr]

Yes, I now see that this is a whole series and of great interest to me. Thanks for putting these videos together! I am not sure when I will find the time, but I want to try all of this out at some point and maybe someday I can contribute to the development in some way.

[Slypty]

Curious if when you say in the video 'the old version that only supported HSync as a Composite signal (probably)'' and then trailed off a bit. Is the version you're referring to from the MiSTer framework or is it your own and still available?

Reason being I can't get the MiSTer to sync with a picky CRT that only accepts composite. From my understanding the DE-10 I/O board outputs H and V. Sync currently, and even using a sync combiner or straight H-Sync did not work with my CRT.

[nico24]

Slypty - the core that I'm developing - but I'd say many of the arcade cores are outputting a composite sync on the HSync input. That is, the VSync and HSyncs are superimposed on that input. The VSync is not needed under this configuration. Now I am using a PVM and this may make it a little more flexible in terms of what it accepts for sync but I'm not entirely sure.
Regarding the videos, all the videos that have FPGA code will have both conventional CRT composite syncs and also H,V Syncs for VGA timings going forward.