Picasso and custom screen modes

[tucks]

Hello.

Does anyone know if it is possible to make a custom screen mode with a picasso in order to display a high resolution on an LCD panel?

E.G. 1280 x 1024 @ 60Hz - 24bit

Very best,

Tucks

[LoadWB]

I tried doing this on my PIV, with no (easy) results.  While I was researching this, I became satisfied (I can cite if you give me time to dig up my notes) that 1280x1024 simply was not possible at 24-bit without interlacing due to the graphics chip itself.  The P96 mode editor seems fully aware of this fact.  P96 Mode will not allow resolutions above 1152x900 without interlacing.

I can run 1152x900 in 24-bit NI, but it looks a little awkward on my Dell FP2001 LCD.

Though that doesn't mean that there aren't "special" modes of the chip yet unknown or not legal.

I'd love 1280 or 1600 24-bit NI on my Amiga, but I don't think it's gonna happen until I go PCI  :-)

[tucks]

Out of curiosity, what would happen if you forcibly set the flicker fixer on via the jumper on the board?

Perhaps my understanding of how the flicker fixer works is wrong.

Tucks

[LoadWB]

The FF/SD only works with the video coming from the Amiga custom chips, not the SVGA output.

[pVC]

Friend has used 1280x1024 on PicassoIV.. and 1600x1200 interlaced modes. But there might not be enough memory on PicassoIV to get 24bit modes or even 16bit.

[LoadWB]

Eureka!

I played with the P96 mode editor tonight and managed to coax 1280x1024x24 non-interlaced out of my Picasso IV.  I AM A HAPPY CAMPER!  :banana:

The settings in Picasso96Mode:

1280x1024 $50061000
(Does the DisplayIDBase change with multiple cards?)

Depth: TrueColor
Clock: 83.05MHz
Interlace: No
Doublescan: No

FrameSize: 1632h 1076v
BorderSize: 24h 0v
Position: 40h 32v
SyncSize: 96h 12v
SyncPolarity: -h -v (didn't see much diff here, but negative sync makes me feel cool. YMMV)
Frequency: 51kHz 47Hz

As you can see, the vertical rate is NOT 60Hz, but this mode works wonderfully on the Dell 2001FP (20.1" LCD).  Sure enough, the monitor recognizes the mode as 1280x1024@47Hz.

FWIW, I believe this monitor will also synch to standard Amiga video through the SVGA port, owing to its ability to handle SVHS and composite video signals.  I have vague recollection of this happening by accident, but cannot confirm immediately as I do not have the necessary connections on-hand.  (It's in a box somewhere in the garage.)

Couple of notes on this mode:

:inquisitive: I see occasional screen corruption (miscolored pixels here and there) in this mode, using FBlit and PowerIcons

:-) Directory Opus 4.17pre20 looks pretty damn good

:-( Some Workbench screen and window operations are noticeably slower, though not as lagging as say Windows with a bad video driver

:roll: Should use native 1280x1024 backdrops for best speed and effect

:kitty: Feed me

[alewis]

@Tahoe

Not here it won't (go down to native amiga mode via SVGA). I have to hook up via the composite/s-video ports, or via a gfx card.  maybe you had a 31KHz + screen mode selected?  Its not specitic to my 2001, either... I have three of them.

But thanks for the 1280 screen mode tip. I usually just use the auto-size option on the 2001. Lose some screen estate, but who cares.

[zipper]

As you can see, the vertical rate is NOT 60Hz, but this mode works wonderfully on the Dell 2001FP (20.1" LCD).  Sure enough, the monitor recognizes the mode as 1280x1024@47Hz.

As with Overclock tooltype you can squeeze extra 10 MHz from that Cirrus chip, you may get a little over 50 Hz mode if required.

[Framiga]

better to setup a 16 bit mode instead. 4MB of videoram are not enough for that resolution.

[LoadWB]

Framiga wrote:
better to setup a 16 bit mode instead. 4MB of videoram are not enough for that resolution.

Unless my math is wrong, 1280x1024x24 comes out to about 3.8MB.  So this *should* work fine.  I bet, however, that memory is not available for an overlay.

[Framiga]

use it for some days and then let we know! ;-)

[Hyperspeed]

Yeah, I'm interested in this since I've fancied a nice large LCD screen but they come in 1280x1024 native resolutions. The writeup will say 4:3 but 1280x1024 is not a 4:3 aspect ratio...

Shame about the Picasso-IV not being able to do 1280x1024 24-bit at a decent refresh rate. Does the horizontal refresh rate show up as bad as it would on a CRT?

The thing with 1280x1024 is that it's a direct double of 640x512 so would be cool for when the AGA modes kick in on the scandoubler (no constant screen resizing).

Speaking of screen resizing, most LCDs I've seen don't offer horizontal/vertical resizing or positioning which is a real pain. Auto-sizing rarely gets it right.

Can anyone reccommend a good LCD for Amiga (that Dell one doesn't count!).

[LoadWB]

Hyperspeed wrote:

Shame about the Picasso-IV not being able to do 1280x1024 24-bit at a decent refresh rate. Does the horizontal refresh rate show up as bad as it would on a CRT?

It looks crystal clear and smooth as something really smooth.

Speaking of screen resizing, most LCDs I've seen don't offer horizontal/vertical resizing or positioning which is a real pain. Auto-sizing rarely gets it right.

Can anyone reccommend a good LCD for Amiga (that Dell one doesn't count!).

First off, that Dell one I use is OEM'd by Samsung, and I have very good experience with them as a manufacturer, no love for Dell.  Secondly, this monitor does resizing and positioning, as well as other factors.

I also suspect that this will sync directly to the 15kHz screen modes of the Amiga chipset, owing to its composite and SVHS inputs.  I am pretty sure that I disabled the 2320 in my 2000 once to do this.  Give me a week and I will test this out to be sure.

Also, I have run the 1280x1024x24@47Hz since the night I made my post here.  Other than sporadic display element corruption, the system has run smoothly and stably.  I have not yet tried an overlay vis a vis MooVid, but I still suspect there is not enough available video RAM for this.

[Hyperspeed]

Eeek!

I bought a silver 19" Samsung TV/LCD before Christmas. It could do 1280x1024 but when I tried the SCART lead from the A1200's video port the picture was very blurry compared to the VGA port with my scandoubler.

Resizing was limited to horizontal only and then it was called 'Sync' or something. I'm not sure whether this monitor's colour settings were based on ambient light detection but the brightness setting didn't allow me to brighten it anywhere near enough - the picture was quite dark.

Not a screen for 15Khz modes I must say, I took it back and now I'm looking at NEC and Philips screens as those companies have a heritage with Amiga.

As for 49Hz vertical refresh on the Picasso-IV... on my basic A1200 PAL:High Res Laced was hideously flickery. Is this 49Hz mode non-interlaced?

I could live with a low refresh if it meant giving me a huge Workbench/TurboCalc screen to play with. Only trouble is I've seen 4MB AGP cards struggling in that resolution in terms of memory. Wonder if the ChipMem kicks in at all when the RTG mem is gone?

[stopthegop]

I could live with a low refresh if it meant giving me a huge Workbench/TurboCalc screen to play with. Only trouble is I've seen 4MB AGP cards struggling in that resolution in terms of memory. Wonder if the ChipMem kicks in at all when the RTG mem is gone?

Don't think so, not if you run wballocfast (man, I love that program!).     My wb right now is 1600x1200 @ 24bit 60Hz/70Khz with 111.99Mhz pixel clock on a plain vanilla LCD monitor I got on sale at Radio Shack.  Its a beautiful thing.  Its a real Amiga, not a peecee dressed in drag.