RE: ASCD 0.90 W.I.P. (and anyone interested in MIDI)
Aley Keprt wrote: Thanks. I tried it but can't manage to get it work in WinCoupe (I need to test i there). Whenever I start playback, the message press symbol to exit shortly appears and then it immediately closes (going back to main menu), like I presses symbol shift. But I don't press anything. Thanks for giving it a go... It sounds like you are not loading an e-tracker file (there a one or two on the disk). The Midi-tracker file is just a bunch of settings specifying how each instrument in the e-tracker file should be played (program number, velocity, etc.). So to hear anything you have to load both an e-tracker file *and* its corresponding Midi-tracker file before pressing play. Other MIDI program MIDI Sequencer works in WinCoupe, but there are some other problems with it. I'd like to know whether the emulation isn't correct, or the original program is ehmm... not-very-good. It takes over 10 seconds to redraw whole screen in edit mode, and whenever I start playback a very loud home-less tone is generated before starting the actual playback. Yes, I remember MIDI Sequencer being quite slow! A lot of the user interface is in BASIC IIRC (as is my program!) Also, I think it wouldn't be very clever to use MIDI simulator in DOS, because it would degrade digital-audio playback quality. Of course, this doesn't affect using real MIDI devices like MPU401. Btw.. SimCoupé does no internal sequencing at the moment to give correct MIDI _output_ timing (it tries to get the timing as SAM sees it correctly of course!) - it just writes the data straight out to Windows when it gets it. An implementation would be a lot easier than managing the SAA output, but has not been done yet... Adding MIDI interrupts for demos gives more sense. I'd like to see it. Please could you tell me where can I get those demos? I can put mine up soon... I might just, err, sort out the scrolly text first.. :-) I'll reply again when it's sorted. I'm not sure if anyone else thought about using MIDI for timing... Note: PAL speed is 1/64MHz. MIDI speed is 1/32MHz. It means that 2 bits are transmitted per line. Am I right? Yep, that's right... How many bits are transmitted to complete one byte? If you say interrupt is generated 5 lines after issuing MIDI out, it means that one or two (start/)stop bits are added to each byte. I assume MIDI out interrupts are generated on line basis, exactly as the line and frame interrupts. Am I right? Two extra bits are sent, yes. The interrupts are not linked to screen lines though. When an output is made to a MIDI port the transmission starts more-or-less straight away... although the MIDI hardware seems to have a resolution of 32 T-States (apparently at offsets of 12, 44, 76, etc from the beginning of the frame). The interrupt occurs one half-bit (96 T-States) before the transmission completes, and lasts for those last 96 T-States (so, shorter than other interrupts). The TXFMST bit in LPEN is set throughout the transmission, and outputting to the MIDI port is ignored if a byte is already in the process of being sent. Dave. Aley
Re: ASCD 0.90 W.I.P. (and anyone interested in MIDI)
Thanks. I tried it but can't manage to get it work in WinCoupe (I need to test i there). Whenever I start playback, the message press symbol to exit shortly appears and then it immediately closes (going back to main menu), like I presses symbol shift. But I don't press anything. Other MIDI program MIDI Sequencer works in WinCoupe, but there are some other problems with it. I'd like to know whether the emulation isn't correct, or the original program is ehmm... not-very-good. It takes over 10 seconds to redraw whole screen in edit mode, and whenever I start playback a very loud home-less tone is generated before starting the actual playback. Also, I think it wouldn't be very clever to use MIDI simulator in DOS, because it would degrade digital-audio playback quality. Of course, this doesn't affect using real MIDI devices like MPU401. Adding MIDI interrupts for demos gives more sense. I'd like to see it. Please could you tell me where can I get those demos? Note: PAL speed is 1/64MHz. MIDI speed is 1/32MHz. It means that 2 bits are transmitted per line. Am I right? How many bits are transmitted to complete one byte? If you say interrupt is generated 5 lines after issuing MIDI out, it means that one or two (start/)stop bits are added to each byte. I assume MIDI out interrupts are generated on line basis, exactly as the line and frame interrupts. Am I right? (Simon?) Aley - Original Message - From: Dave Laundon [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: sam-users@nvg.ntnu.no Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2001 11:09 AM Subject: RE: ASCD 0.90 W.I.P. (and anyone interested in MIDI) Aley Keprt wrote: btw. I will add MIDI to DOS version, if somebody is interested. But is it worthy? What software does use it? I need to find one to test my emulation ;-))) http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dave.laundon/mtracker.zip I was always planning to do something more with it, but I suppose I'll never get around to it now :-/ In a couple of other things I've done I've also used outputs to MIDI purely for the interrupt that comes approx. 5 lines later. I used the effect in a Quazar sample player that created its own interrupts during top/bottom border display so that it could release some CPU time to the foreground program. Dave Laundon.
Re: ASCD 0.90
That text on web I wrote one or two weeks ago when I dug in some other parts of SimCoupe, which were unknown for me, and I (no surprise!) find 100 new not so clever C constructs and not so fast algorithms for basic tasks. Although many people may disagree with my comments, I WON'T DELETE THEM. And, I also wrote that I won't consult source code-related questions here, at sam-users. Binary distribution moved to http://aley.borec.cz And source distribution will be moved there too. I am short in time now, since I am completing version 0.91. I will release source code until end of this month on specified www site. Please be patient. Of course, I can send WIP source code anytime. Especially to you, Simon. Aley - Original Message - From: Simon Owen [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: sam-users@nvg.ntnu.no Sent: Monday, August 13, 2001 11:11 AM Subject: RE: ASCD 0.90 Aley Keprt wrote: New version of emulator finally released! http://get.to/samcoupe I upload the files (emulator zip + new ROM set zip) to NVG as well. From your homepage: SimCoupé is terribly badly written program, that was originally developed on Unix, but was then continued only in DOS version. Even later, the brutally rewritten Win32 version was released, which shares only the famous name with the original product. You have such a way with words - I nearly choked on my tea this morning when I read that! :-D Oh, and can you send me the source now please? Si
Re: ASCD 0.90
Sam Defender is nice. But I can't play it since I can't start it. Please tell me what hidden combination of keys do it need to? 1. Get to redefine keys menu. 2. Start it. POP-UP: THAT'S WINDOW OF MY PROVIDER. IF I REMOVE IT, THEY WILL REMOVE ME COMPLETELY!!! ;-) (New download page http://aleyu.borec.cz does have banners instead of pop-up's. It is better? Aley - Original Message - From: Chris Pile [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: sam-users@nvg.ntnu.no Sent: Monday, August 13, 2001 2:58 PM Subject: Re: ASCD 0.90 From your homepage: SimCoupé is terribly badly written program, that was originally ... [snip] Ouch But it (SimCoupé) runs Defender, so it gets my vote!!! ;-) Oh, and Aley get rid of those God-awful pop-up's on your site. There are few things more annoying than squillions of pop-up's opening on entering a site...
Re: ASCD 0.90
Trying keep you happy after reading my web pages, I offer sending working Defenders Of Earth to anyone who have problems converting original diskette to DSK/SAD/SDF. Obviously I won't send it to NVG or to people who don't own original disk. - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: sam-users@nvg.ntnu.no Sent: Monday, August 13, 2001 10:15 PM Subject: Re: ASCD 0.90 Ouch But it (SimCoupé) runs Defender, so it gets my vote!!! ;-) How do you get defenders running under simcoupe? I`ve got the original disk, but never managed to get it to covnert to a dsk file. I presume Chris is talking about his conversion of the coin-op classic 'Defender' as opposed to Enigma's 'Defenders of the Earth' Si Owen's SDF format could probably handle the protection on DotE but there's no front-end for it (sob!), dunno about Aley's SAD format. Dan.
Re: ASCD 0.90
Sam Defender is nice. But I can't play it since I can't start it. Please tell me what hidden combination of keys do it need to? 1. Get to redefine keys menu. 2. Start it. M, not too sure what you mean here??? From anywhere during the attract sequence you can press '1' to start a one-player game and '2' to start a two-player game. 'K' will take you to the key redefine section, as you already know. This only works if the program actually gets past the 'Digital Reality' logo screen. If it halts on this page then you've got emulation timing problems!! ;-) ASCD 0.90 does run Defender but you'll see some corruption during screen switching through the initial start-up screens. I think the original (Alan's) DOS emu suffered this problem too. If you're not emulating the 'screen-off' function then this'll be why... Good to see the sound emulation on ASCD 0.90 has much improved. POP-UP: THAT'S WINDOW OF MY PROVIDER. IF I REMOVE IT, THEY WILL REMOVE ME COMPLETELY!!! ;-) I understand... It's just a pet hate of mine! (New download page http://aleyu.borec.cz does have banners instead of pop-up's. It is better? Only got a '404' error when trying this page... However, banners are preferable to pop-ups!!! :) Chris.
Re: ASCD 0.90
Sam Defender is nice. But I can't play it since I can't start it. Please tell me what hidden combination of keys do it need to? 1. Get to redefine keys menu. 2. Start it. M, not too sure what you mean here??? From anywhere during the attract sequence you can press '1' to start a one-player game and '2' to start a two-player game. 'K' will take you to the key redefine section, as you already know. This only works if the program actually gets past the 'Digital Reality' logo screen. If it halts on this page then you've got emulation timing problems!! ;-) I tested the game first time in my life. It was yesterday when Simon Owen told me to do it. It works well in my ASCD, can't see any timing problems. I only don't know how to control it and had to press all keys until it started and then when died I pressed all possible keys again, and entered redefine-keys menu. Then I had enough and pressed Ctrl+F12. ASCD 0.90 does run Defender but you'll see some corruption during screen switching through the initial start-up screens. I think the original (Alan's) DOS emu suffered this problem too. If you're not emulating the 'screen-off' function then this'll be why... Good to see the sound emulation on ASCD 0.90 has much improved. POP-UP: THAT'S WINDOW OF MY PROVIDER. IF I REMOVE IT, THEY WILL REMOVE ME COMPLETELY!!! ;-) I understand... It's just a pet hate of mine! (New download page http://aleyu.borec.cz does have banners instead of pop-up's. It is better? Only got a '404' error when trying this page... However, banners are preferable to pop-ups!!! :) Chris. Of course, Mr.Holmes, it should read http://aley.borec.cz Aley
Re: ASCD 0.90
Of course, Mr.Holmes, it should read http://aley.borec.cz Yep, definitely better without pop-ups!! ;-) Chris.
Re: ASCD 0.90
Of course, Mr.Holmes, it should read http://aley.borec.cz Yep, definitely better without pop-ups!! ;-) Chris. When I started with http://get.to/samcoupe I though pop-ups are better than banners. Who knows why? Now I think little banners are better than stupid large pop-up's.
ASCD 0.90
New version of emulator finally released! http://get.to/samcoupe I upload the files (emulator zip + new ROM set zip) to NVG as well. Briefly: 128k emulation, new audio, joysticks, tape in ZX and Sam mode, new snapshots, cnfiguration file, new faq, fixed many bugs. 0.90 final - august 2001 == changes to the previous WIP version: * finally added main configuration file (ascd.ini) * added fuller joystick supprt joystick emulation on arrows+ctrl * finished new joystick emulation layer, now any real joystick or arraws+ctrl can be mapped to any of kempston, sinclair 1/2, cursor or fuller joystick * cursor emulation on arrows is automatically turned off when using arrows for another joystick emulation, also cntrl and symbol shift emulation on ctrl is turned off whenever ctrl is used for joystick emulation (fire) * cursor joy on arrows doesn't use ctrl for fire, it is reserved for symbol-sh. * kempston emulation is now also in Sam mode * save tape emulation - configurable using -tape switch * tape emulation is now also present in Sam mode, max.file size is 65533 bytes * tape files are autoloaded in both ZX Spectrum and Sam Coupé mode * note: you can use Mr.Copy+ or other copiers to copy files between .tap files * note: first disk drive shares resources with tape files * new (WIP2) keyboard driver seems to be the first ever without repeat-key problems, which prevented all older versions from any real usage * fixed: sorting in file-open menu didn't work properly * UPPERCASE filenames are converted to Lowercase in Windows' style * can load .fux files (Fuxoft Emulator snapshots) (24 registers + 49152 memory) * fixed problem with audio buffers which caused crashes in plain DOS (hopefully) * emulation mode can be now switched from main menu 0.90 WIP 2 - august 2001 == changes to the previous WIP version: * massively reorganised source code (now use -include types.h when compiling) * huge changes in keyboard emulation * added Delete key handling (mapped to Shift+Backspace) * US and UK keyboards combined together, use -uk switch to activate US keyboard * huge changes in joystick emulation - now based on emulated-real connection * huge optimizations of video emulation code - 2 to 4 times faster in all modes! to do: * ZX keyboard doesn't seem to be finished yet * joystick emulation is in very basic stage - after rewriting it from WIP 1, it is now very poor, only emulating kempston on a real joystick 0.90 WIP 1 - july 2001 == what's new in this version: * completely new audio emulation code - saa1099.c taken from Mame * whole new graphics emulation code - now more compatible, more stable - based on Allegro * completely new user interface - the old shit (surely written by an illman) has been strangely large and absolutely malfunctional (exe is now 20% smaller!) * Sam disk images are autobooted - some people simply haven't know they should press F9 ;-) This feature is for sure turned on only for the very first disk image inserted. * F10=save PCX screenshot, Ctrl+F10=save PCX screenshot with border (to a numbered file) * F9=switch 50Hz sync on/off * OSD (on-screen display) info when using F-key commands * new smart AutoScale option to automatically switch between VGA-SVGA modes F5=switch scale (1x1-2x2), Ctrl+F5=switch autoscale feature (on/off) * scanlines option in 640x480 * a bit reworked CPU emulation, and many other details with regard to get better stability and compatibility with several hosting hardware * ROM images are loaded from exe's directory, not the current directory * CPU (and now also audio) synchronization changed back to 50Hz * heavily reworked CPU timing code * timed beeper emulation - can now play music and speech correctly * joystick emulation on real joystick (supporting whole Allegro set of joysticks) * removed -lib_dir switch (not needed anymore) * due to massive changes in system core, the emulator is now compatible with Windows NT/2000 * all files are now readed via zlib, so you can use gzip to pack ROM images, etc. (the only exception is .dsk, which is saved on-the-fly, so zlib is not applicable) * new switch -pallines num to change emulation speed by altering number of PAL lines * fixed: a very old bug, which caused errors in most upper line in mode 320x200 * fixed: emulator crashed when trying to format SAD image * fixed: write multiple sectors disk command wrote only single sector * note: many command line switches has been changed - type ascd -help for more information what's new - ZX Spectrum specific (see also above for general news): * ZX Spectrum 128 emulation - complete emulation with good CPU timing * new switch -128 to start in ZX Spectrum 128 emulation mode * added support of new 128k versions of .z80 and .sna snapshots * added AY8910 sound emulation - ay8910.c taken from Mame * port FF is now emulated more precisely, so games like Arkanoid started to work as well 0.82/AIR - apr 2001 * tournament version with AIR support
RE: ASCD 0.90
Aley Keprt wrote: New version of emulator finally released! http://get.to/samcoupe I upload the files (emulator zip + new ROM set zip) to NVG as well. From your homepage: SimCoupé is terribly badly written program, that was originally developed on Unix, but was then continued only in DOS version. Even later, the brutally rewritten Win32 version was released, which shares only the famous name with the original product. You have such a way with words - I nearly choked on my tea this morning when I read that! :-D Oh, and can you send me the source now please? Si
Re: ASCD 0.90
From your homepage: SimCoupé is terribly badly written program, that was originally ... [snip] Ouch But it (SimCoupé) runs Defender, so it gets my vote!!! ;-) Oh, and Aley get rid of those God-awful pop-up's on your site. There are few things more annoying than squillions of pop-up's opening on entering a site...
Re: ASCD 0.90
On Mon, 13 Aug 2001 13:58:04 +0100 Mon, 13 Aug 01 14:14:34 BST, you wrote: From your homepage: SimCoupé is terribly badly written program, that was originally ... [snip] Ouch But it (SimCoupé) runs Defender, so it gets my vote!!! ;-) Oh, and Aley get rid of those God-awful pop-up's on your site. There are few things more annoying than squillions of pop-up's opening on entering a site... How do you get defenders running under simcoupe? I`ve got the original disk, but never managed to get it to covnert to a dsk file.
Re: ASCD 0.90
- Original Message - From: David Munden [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: sam-users@nvg.ntnu.no Sent: Monday, August 13, 2001 8:20 PM Subject: Re: ASCD 0.90 On Mon, 13 Aug 2001 13:58:04 +0100 Mon, 13 Aug 01 14:14:34 BST, you wrote: From your homepage: SimCoupé is terribly badly written program, that was originally ... [snip] Ouch But it (SimCoupé) runs Defender, so it gets my vote!!! ;-) Oh, and Aley get rid of those God-awful pop-up's on your site. There are few things more annoying than squillions of pop-up's opening on entering a site... How do you get defenders running under simcoupe? I`ve got the original disk, but never managed to get it to covnert to a dsk file. -- Having written the original helps - as you dont have to worry about the protection :)
Re: ASCD 0.90
Ouch But it (SimCoupé) runs Defender, so it gets my vote!!! ;-) How do you get defenders running under simcoupe? I`ve got the original disk, but never managed to get it to covnert to a dsk file. I presume Chris is talking about his conversion of the coin-op classic 'Defender' as opposed to Enigma's 'Defenders of the Earth' Si Owen's SDF format could probably handle the protection on DotE but there's no front-end for it (sob!), dunno about Aley's SAD format. Dan.
RE: ASCD 0.90 W.I.P. (and anyone interested in MIDI)
Aley Keprt wrote: btw. I will add MIDI to DOS version, if somebody is interested. But is it worthy? What software does use it? I need to find one to test my emulation ;-))) http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dave.laundon/mtracker.zip I was always planning to do something more with it, but I suppose I'll never get around to it now :-/ In a couple of other things I've done I've also used outputs to MIDI purely for the interrupt that comes approx. 5 lines later. I used the effect in a Quazar sample player that created its own interrupts during top/bottom border display so that it could release some CPU time to the foreground program. Dave Laundon.
ASCD 0.90 WIP 2
http://aley.borec.cz password: ascdwip
Re: ASCD 0.90 WIP 2
No, no. That password isn't right. Getting password this way would be too simple ;-)
ASCD 0.90 W.I.P.
If somebody wants to test the today's version of ASCD, I can send it by e-mail. I am still not finished with it, but it needs some people to test it, because there are so many new features. Of course, it is still based on the old SimCoupe sources (not the Win32 ones), since the new ones are so different, I had to rewrite everything to make it back to DOS. Currently I observed A.J.S.(k)illman's intel-asm optimizations, and I still see no benefit and two drawbacks: 1. It is not compatible with the current GCC compilers, since it relies on bugs in old compilers. 2. The assembler-optimised versions are slower than C versions optimised by C compiler. I have never understood why Allan did this, does anybody else understand? I also added digital SAA1099, AY8910 and beeper emulation, ZX 128k emulation, real joystick support, tape files support, new video engine -- now fully compatible with Windows NT/2000, etc. etc. --- btw. I have big problems with Win32 version. The version dated 9th March 2001 doesn't work. It starts correctly, but then my computer halts or resets Win98 a few seconds after start. Version dated 26th Februrary 2001 works fine. It's terrible! --- Aley Keprt
Re: ASCD 0.90 W.I.P.
I see you understand optimisation the same way as I do. I think it's obvious. If I rewrite code which is composing whole vide line, it would be MUCH faster in asm. But no READ_BYTE macro for CPU. I know asm well, so I always knewed Allans efforts in 5-line asm blocks are more generating more smile than speed benefits ;-) I haven't sent e-mail about my troubles because I had old computer where it was fine. Then I bought new one a until now I haven't run it. I spend time with developing ASCD, you know. Obviously that _MY_ version as you wrote is not mine. It crashes on your Win2k because the video emulation code uses a special (S)VGA BIOS library for DJGPP. That piece of emulator is by Allan Skillman. But be patient, I have already removed all suspicious code, and switched to Allegro which is known to be compatible with W2K machines where other DOS programs run as well (e.g. Mame). And version numbering? We have two different programs, so what numbers you want to have? I have old SimCoupe core, virtually portable, with ZX Spectrum emulation, AIR and other additions. You have new Win32 code written in C++, not very portable, with much better quality of emulation and support of MIDI, Dallas clock and other devices which are missing in my version. I tried to use your great CPU core in my version, but I failed. It is so different to original SimCoupe! The only thing people may be confused is that ASCD is still more than 50% same as original SimCoupe, while new SimCoupe for Win32 is completely new software. Haven't somebody stolen the name? Eh. ;-) btw. I will add MIDI to DOS version, if somebody is interested. But is it worthy? What software does use it? I need to find one to test my emulation ;-))) -- Bc.Aley [eili] Keprt - games multimedia programmer ICQ: 82357182 (evenings) *** phone: +420-68-5387035 (weekends) private e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** http://get.to/aley office: Illusion Softworks, Brno, CZ - [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- - Original Message - From: Simon Owen [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: sam-users@nvg.ntnu.no Sent: 3. srpna 2001 11:46 Subject: RE: ASCD 0.90 W.I.P. Aley Keprt wrote: If somebody wants to test the today's version of ASCD, I can send it by e-mail. Sure - why not! :-) (we're really gonna have to do something about the version numbering between of SimCoupé and ASCD - it's _so_ confusing!) 2. The assembler-optimised versions are slower than C versions optimised by C compiler. Yeah, I never gained any speed from the small sections either - it seems to hurt the compiler's register allocation too much, taking away any benefit from the asm block. I imagine there would be nice gains if larger logical blocks were re-coded (particularly with the display rendering), but for the sake of portability I didn't bother. I have never understood why Allan did this, does anybody else understand? I guess the compiler Allan used wasn't affected in the same way, or perhaps the optimisations weren't as good then? There must have been some benefit to them or he wouldn't have kept them! I've a vague memory one of the readme files or release notes mentioned a speed gain from them... btw. I have big problems with Win32 version. The version dated 9th March 2001 doesn't work. It starts correctly, but then my computer halts or resets Win98 a few seconds after start. Version dated 26th Februrary 2001 works fine. It's terrible! If you were having trouble, why didn't you just e-mail me about it? I've not had any reported problems with that version, despite 600 odd downloads of it in the last couple of weeks. It smells a bit like a driver issue - try changing the Surface= entry in the SimCoupe.cfg to read Surface=0 (that's a zero), and the Sound= to read Sound=No. If you still have problems after that, e-mail me off the list and I'll think of more things to try. Of course, since you have the source code it might be easier to locate the point Windows falls over using that (something I couldn't do with the crash I had under W2K in _your_ version!). Si
