Picasso IV Chip Upgrades

[bertambala]

Hello everyone,

I'm having some issues with my Picasso IV in my A4000D, namely:
- 50Hz interlaced screens flicker like crazy (they look nothing like output from my 3000 on the same monitor)
- I get some reddish speckling in white areas of some games
- Scrolling in some games (e.g. Deluxe Galaga) is not perfectly smooth - it seems to "jump" a little bit here and there in the Meteor Storm

I've already adjusted the flicker-fixer to promote PAL screens to 100Hz, but it hasn't helped.  Based on what I've read in other threads, I ran P4Info and found that some of my chips are not the newest versions.  The pertinent output for my card is:

Opened PicassoIV.resource 7.1 at $7003434
p4bi_BridgeRevision $1
p4bi_FlickerFixerRevision $7

Is there anything that can be done about this?  Anyone know if Tobias Seiler or anyone else has replacement chips?  Thanks in advance!

[alexh]

Try updating the firmware to v7.4?

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Picasso96/files/Utilities/

P4Update_v7.4.zip

You have the latest version of the Fli-Fi chips

[zipper]

Probably no help, just Paloma support added to what 7.1 offers :-(
Tobias may have bridge $4.

[alexh]

I dont think it will help. The bridge chip has AFAIK nothing to do with native screen mode applications, only RTG ones.

http://web.archive.org/web/20040925082523/vgr.com/picassoiv/

Try changing your fli-fi mode promotion back to 1:1 50Hz that should stop the jumping.

[MastaTabs]

yes, you're right alex,

the bridge wont change a thing about the flifi.

he could try and open or close jp3 and jp5 to change the flifi timing strategy and force a 12bit FliFi.

regs
Tobias

[therail]

- I get some reddish speckling in white areas of some games

i seem to be getting this problem too. jjb has checked all my amiga hardware; amiga 4000 and ram, csmk3 and ram plus the daughter board and he found no faults! i am at a loss as to wot to do next. i have tested with 2 psu and get the same result. any ideas guys?

[therail]

right update here. changed the jp3 and 5 and that has gotten rid of the dots problem. next problem tho, (may relate to the fact that it is now in 12bit flifi mode) i seem to get some sort of blurry or flickering effects when the screen is in motion (sort of like interlace type effect).is this due to the colours palette being downgraded?

[MastaTabs]

I don't think this is related to the color palette being degraded. How are you're jumper settings now ? Default would be JP3 closed and 4 and 5 opened.

Maybe there are some problems with the 28MHz clock on your VideoSlot. I had a customer with a 4000T once that didn't provide the clock at all. Result was a black screen when using an Amiga native screen mode.

Musn't have to be like that but possible.

What type is the 16V8 GAL on the card ? AMD Lattice ?

[fiat1100d]

Hello,

I found this thread and looked at the version of the ICs of my Picasso IV, they are:

Bridge revision 1
FliFi revision 5

I read that version 1 of the bridge can have problems with Zorro III DMA transfers... Is it possible to upgrade to revision 4? It must be the big XILINX CPLD...

Thank you!

[therail]

Hi

Here are the following jumper combinations i have tried:

JP3 OPEN
JP5 OPEN

JP3 OPEN
JP5 CLOSED

JP3 CLOSED
JP5 CLOSED

JP3 CLOSED
JP5 OPEN

(NOTE: JP4 is always OPENED in these combinations).

From these results, i always seem to get flickering/sparkling red dots when the JP3 is CLOSED (or in 24 bit Flifi mode). But Flifi is ok when JP3 is OPEN (or in 12 bit Flifi mode). Can anyone explain these results?!

EDITED

[therail]

ooops i muddled myself up there. please check the edit! :d i got the JP3 combination mixed up a bit!

[MastaTabs]

Can be everything from chip tolerances to slightly corroded pins.

First thing I'd do is to remove the MACH220 and the GAL16V8 and clean the pins by rubbing them on some clean paper and then reseat them properly into the sockets.

BE CAREFUL!! Use the right tools for removal to not crack the sockets.

Also clean the video slot edge connector on the card and the connector socket on the A4000s daughter card.

Those would be my first steps.

[alexh]

I cannot say how important it is to take care and not use too much force when removing the MACH220.

The plastic that was used for the socket has denatured (on all boards) and is now more like glass than plastic. Shatters very easily.

I used the correct PLCC extractor tool with mine and STILL cracked the plastic (very slightly).

Take your time, get someone or something to hold the board for you so you can used two hands.

[therail]

the MACH chip in my Picasso got replaced by a newer one by JJB himself so now worries in that department. the thing i dont get is JJB examined the board and even tried to himself to develope the trouble i get and he found nothing!!!! he couldnt find anything wrong. i also gave hime (as well as the picasso) my amiga 4000 plus daughter board, my csmk3 and all the rams (both mobo and acc.), and he found nothing wrong with anything!!!

[kranich-ba]

did you check Picasso in another A3K or A4k
or the video slot with a scandoubler/flickerfixer?