Breakthrough for the ao486 core announced - Cache

[Caldor]

my guess would be a Tseng Labs ET4000

You’d guess correct. That was the driver referenced in Sorg’s screenshot preview.

Its going to get VESA support I have been missing that. Quite a few games, especially with the core now being so much faster, requires VESA support to work and seems to be the only thing in the way of playing them.

I have been using the Cache20 versioin and an otherwise fully updated MiSTer. I ran the update script earlier today, my old SD card shorted or something and now becomes super hot when plugged into anything. Seems to be a problem Sandisk has now and then.

Anyway, I did not use the MiSTer thing that comes with the Cache20 core, so that might be why when I set mine to more than 30mhz, it becomes... irratic with its speed. Doom seems to run almost perfectly when I set it to 30mhz though, but it is losing some frames. Faster speeds makes sound effects and music much too fast, and even the game itself becomes too fast.

I was not sure if I needed to replace the MiSTer file with this one or if I just had to keep it in the folder I had the AO486 core in, but I guess it works better if I do that. Will give it another try.

One strange thing is that DOS and everything seemed to run a bit too fast at some points but also still slow down now and then, when setting it above 30mhz... but then I played Destruction Derby and it ran perfectly for some reason at 100mhz. I am guessing its just programmed in a way that takes it into account. Which I was pretty sure Doom did as well, but.. apparantly there are different ways to ensure the timing is correct.

[tlaloc]

...
Anyway, I did not use the MiSTer thing that comes with the Cache20 core, so that might be why when I set mine to more than 30mhz, it becomes... irratic with its speed. Doom seems to run almost perfectly when I set it to 30mhz though, but it is losing some frames. Faster speeds makes sound effects and music much too fast, and even the game itself becomes too fast.

I ran into this too.
I couldn't get it to run with music+soundFX at 100Mhz like user:flynnsbit showed in the video link provided earlier in this thread.
I WAS able to get it to run with music+soundFX at 56Mhz, using the same approach as that demonstrated in user:flynnsbit's youtube vid, but switching out 100Mhz with 56Mhz instead as the variable to be used in this very hodgepodge/seesaw-like approach/workaround towards finally getting both music+soundFX to work on these earlier ID software games, such as doom and Wolf3d (I'm trying out Spear of Destiny next, btw

[IAmParadox]

https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_Mi ... ff322095e4


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mahen]

Did you people manage to get the scanlines applied properly ?

[Cebion]

Never even thought of that on ao486, I only knew scanlines on dos when the monitor was not calibrated right or on wrong resolution.

[mahen]

Just asking because I'm so used to them (on the Minimig etc) it looks super pixellized / blocky without them - some ppl like that though It seems they are not applied properly ATM because of the internal resolution which is already upscaled ?

[Caldor]

...
Anyway, I did not use the MiSTer thing that comes with the Cache20 core, so that might be why when I set mine to more than 30mhz, it becomes... irratic with its speed. Doom seems to run almost perfectly when I set it to 30mhz though, but it is losing some frames. Faster speeds makes sound effects and music much too fast, and even the game itself becomes too fast.

I ran into this too.
I couldn't get it to run with music+soundFX at 100Mhz like user:flynnsbit showed in the video link provided earlier in this thread.
I WAS able to get it to run with music+soundFX at 56Mhz, using the same approach as that demonstrated in user:flynnsbit's youtube vid, but switching out 100Mhz with 56Mhz instead as the variable to be used in this very hodgepodge/seesaw-like approach/workaround towards finally getting both music+soundFX to work on these earlier ID software games, such as doom and Wolf3d (I'm trying out Spear of Destiny next, btw

I already had gotten Wolfenstein 3D and Blakestone running, but have not tried Spear of Destiny yet. I found that my problem with the speed was that I was not using the new MiSTer file supplied with the Cache20 release. With that added, everything was a lot more stable and running as you would expect it to run on the original hardware. I also used the trick to start the game at 30mhz and then jump to 100mhz once the music was playing. No framedrops at all, awesome to see this running on an FPGA.

I saw someone use this core to also run Duke Nukem 3D, so that will be one of the next things for me to try. Its a good test I think, because I remember a friend of mine could not run Duke3D on his 486 because... it only had 66hz? Not completely sure, but his CPU was one generation too old. Was probably DX instead of SX? But Duke3D is more demanding, so its a good test. Ohh... and Quake? 100mhz might actually be enough for Quake using software rendering... that would also be a good test.

But then I want to try Windows 95/98 using CD emulation software and see what games can run there.

[robng15]

I have compiled ao486 dev branch up until 0ee2f22 (posted by RobertPeip this morning). I don't have a FULL Quartus, so I am unable to generate an .rbf, so have to upload the .sof file manually.

With WIN95 I can up the resolution, but not the number of colours.

My .sof file generated as above

[flynnsbit]

I have compiled ao486 dev branch up until 0ee2f22 (posted by RobertPeip this morning). I don't have a FULL Quartus, so I am unable to generate an .rbf, so have to upload the .sof file manually.

With WIN95 I can up the resolution, but not the number of colours.

Can you share that build? Also, your pictures are not loading.

[softtest9]

@mahen:
On a PC, on real hardware, low resolutions like 320x240 will usually (always?) be scandoubled to resolutions like 640x480 before they even reach the monitor.

It's always an integer scale, so good-looking scanlines are possible. But the scanline filter would have to omit every other horizontal line, or downscale the image before applying the scanline effect.

[IAmParadox]

EDIT:
vga: implement clock selection.
ao486_Cache20_ebe1bd5.zip

Hopefully, a newer compile will be added, soon.

[Juri]

I have compiled ao486 dev branch up until 0ee2f22 (posted by RobertPeip this morning). I don't have a FULL Quartus, so I am unable to generate an .rbf, so have to upload the .sof file manually.

With WIN95 I can up the resolution, but not the number of colours.

My .sof file generated as above

i think you need to install videocard drivers

[robng15]

i think you need to install videocard drivers
[/quote]

Yeah, have installed drivers on both Win 3.11 and 95.

[flynnsbit]

I have compiled ao486 dev branch up until 0ee2f22 (posted by RobertPeip this morning). I don't have a FULL Quartus, so I am unable to generate an .rbf, so have to upload the .sof file manually.

With WIN95 I can up the resolution, but not the number of colours.

Can you share that build? Also, your pictures are not loading.

does the sof2flash then flash2rbf file converter not work without the Pro version as well? I am just digging into options so I was curious.

[bertnorg]

i was reading through the dev files, for a greater resolution you need the new Bochs SVGABios.
it could be that sorg did some magic to that svgabios file.

[Caldor]

Its very amazing what can be done with the Cache20 core already.

I tested several games here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeidZSiQvhA

System Shock and Daggerfall seems to run perfectly... well, unless the running around in circles problem was not just a problem with my setup when it comes to System Shock. But pretty sure that is not the case, it ran the in game 3D stuff quite well, same with Daggerfall. Full audio, no lag that I noticed. Also runs Blood and Magic at full speed, I remember it being a problem to get to run on the Raspberry Pi using DOSBox.

VESA is going to open doors to a LOT more games, so I hope that is going to work as well... then the next thing is FPU I guess? Is it possible that can be added? No idea what the complexity is of these math coprocessors, but that should make it possible to run Windows 98 SE, Quake and more.

[robng15]

i was reading through the dev files, for a greater resolution you need the new Bochs SVGABios.
it could be that sorg did some magic to that svgabios file.

I'm using the latest BIOS from the Dev branch, but am happy to believe a different one will be needed.

[Caldor]

Looking good Have Win98SE running nicely, even have the MT32 Midi working mostly okay withe the Roland Seiral Midi driver!

You got Windows 98 SE running? Pretty sure second edition requires FPU, and I dont think the new core has FPU?

[bazza_12]

You got Windows 98 SE running? Pretty sure second edition requires FPU, and I dont think the new core has FPU?

setup /nm

/nm - Bypasses internal processor detection, to allow Win95/98 install on systems that do not meet Microsoft minimum requirements (i.e. 386, 486SX etc).

[Caldor]

You got Windows 98 SE running? Pretty sure second edition requires FPU, and I dont think the new core has FPU?

setup /nm

/nm - Bypasses internal processor detection, to allow Win95/98 install on systems that do not meet Microsoft minimum requirements (i.e. 386, 486SX etc).

Very good to know I will try installing Windows 98 SE again. I had hoped it meant there was FPU though and that it maybe just had to be disabled while testing the development builds or something. Oh well.

About to try the Cache24 core. Wondering how long it has been waiting there on the first page of this thread without me noticing. The menu now has options for bitmodes and bitformat.

[bazza_12]

i got 98 installed and converted to fat32 worked fine, also installed office97.

[Caldor]

i got 98 installed and converted to fat32 worked fine, also installed office97.

I am almost done installing Windows 98 SE now. But I just made the startup disk, and now it wants me to eject it... can you eject disks with the AO486 core? I have the same problem with VHDs. Does not seem obvious how to, if its possible.

Oh... by almost done installing, I meant, finished giving it all the required information about what parts to install, language setup, etc etc. So its now just begun to copy the files. I hope its wrong about its 202 minutes remaining estimate.

[Cebion]

i got 98 installed and converted to fat32 worked fine, also installed office97.

I am almost done installing Windows 98 SE now. But I just made the startup disk, and now it wants me to eject it... can you eject disks with the AO486 core? I have the same problem with VHDs. Does not seem obvious how to, if its possible.

Oh... by almost done installing, I meant, finished giving it all the required information about what parts to install, language setup, etc etc. So its now just begun to copy the files. I hope its wrong about its 202 minutes remaining estimate.

On the disk selection screen press Backspace

[Caldor]

i got 98 installed and converted to fat32 worked fine, also installed office97.

I am almost done installing Windows 98 SE now. But I just made the startup disk, and now it wants me to eject it... can you eject disks with the AO486 core? I have the same problem with VHDs. Does not seem obvious how to, if its possible.

Oh... by almost done installing, I meant, finished giving it all the required information about what parts to install, language setup, etc etc. So its now just begun to copy the files. I hope its wrong about its 202 minutes remaining estimate.

On the disk selection screen press Backspace

Ahh, thank you. That is also very useful to know.

I should maybe not have decided to install Windows 98 before testing some games that requires VESA in DOS first. It does seem like this will take hours. Oh well, it will probably be worth it.

Anyone got VESA games working using the Cache24 build?

[Chris23235]

Anyone got VESA games working using the Cache24 build?

I tried the Tie Fighter CD version, but had no luck, the game crashes, the moment it should switch into actual gameplay (the bitmap screens work fine, but I think they are not Vesa). The game uses Univbe and detects a Tsang Labs ET4000.

[Caldor]

Anyone got VESA games working using the Cache24 build?

I tried the Tie Fighter CD version, but had no luck, the game crashes, the moment it should switch into actual gameplay (the bitmap screens work fine, but I think they are not Vesa). The game uses Univbe and detects a Tsang Labs ET4000.

I found a bunch of VESA stuff. I think the Collection of drivers seem interesting, because it has a TSeng ET4000 specific VESA driver. What version did you use?

https://dosdriver.de/graph.php

[friendly.joe]

Wonderful staff!! Kudos for all enthusiastic core developers... Especially Mr. Sorg!

[Caldor]

I tried all the ET4000 drivers I could find for Windows 95 and I tried several different DOS drivers as well. Nothing seems to work for me... but in many cases it does seem to run except it just freezes the display. I suspect if I connect the MiSTer to a CRT monitor, it might switch to VESA mode... but in Windows it keeps seeing it as a display driver problem to go into any VESA mode, even 640x480 with 256 collors.

But also, it shows it to only have 256kb RAM when I run Univbe in DOS, but then I try the one that comes with the game Z, it sees the GPU as a Tseng ET6000 with 2MB RAM.

So I think I will just wait and see what gets released, and play around with non-VESA stuff until then.

Ahh... the problem seems to be a new BIOS has to be compiled, the new BIOS for this has not been released yet.

But it seems it might be possible to compile one.
https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/ao486_MiSTer/tree/dev

This explains how to compile a VGA bios... but, guess its not simple to compile a SVGA bios with this guide only explaining how to compile the VGA one. Ahh well.

[IAmParadox]

I tried all the ET4000 drivers I could find for Windows 95 and I tried several different DOS drivers as well. Nothing seems to work for me... but in many cases it does seem to run except it just freezes the display. I suspect if I connect the MiSTer to a CRT monitor, it might switch to VESA mode... but in Windows it keeps seeing it as a display driver problem to go into any VESA mode, even 640x480 with 256 collors.

But also, it shows it to only have 256kb RAM when I run Univbe in DOS, but then I try the one that comes with the game Z, it sees the GPU as a Tseng ET6000 with 2MB RAM.

So I think I will just wait and see what gets released, and play around with non-VESA stuff until then.

Ahh... the problem seems to be a new BIOS has to be compiled, the new BIOS for this has not been released yet.

But it seems it might be possible to compile one.
https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/ao486_MiSTer/tree/dev

This explains how to compile a VGA bios... but, guess its not simple to compile a SVGA bios with this guide only explaining how to compile the VGA one. Ahh well.

The actual bios file is in there, in releases directory, but, to get it completely working, a different bios may be required, and, that one hasn't been implemented, at all, afaik, although, there is apparently, a closed source bios, floating around, that works, I might have actually seen a system using this bios that seems to be doing pretty good, with it, but, since it is closed source, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to share it, here. it is et4000 and has a crc of 713CB637 from what I hear.

[RealLarry]

The actual bios file is in there, in releases directory, but, to get it completely working, a different bios may be required, and, that one hasn't been implemented, at all, afaik, although, there is apparently, a closed source bios, floating around, that works, I might have actually seen a system using this bios that seems to be doing pretty good, with it, but, since it is closed source, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to share it, here. it is et4000 and has a crc of 713CB637 from what I hear.

I'm sure that somewhere in my attic stands a box with some ET4000/W32 cards (VLB? PCI? Definitly not ISA.). Maybe it's worth to get look at them and their BIOS, in hope that they're in readable form/xPROM?