Minimig firmware/core update

[Dennis]

I have uploaded a new Minimig core and PIC firmware to my website.
This release adds support for Amiga Forever encrypted roms.
I have also cleaned up the PIC18 code a bit and added a simple form of error posting. :-D

I have been fighting with this update a couple of months as I couldn't get 512KB encrypted roms to load. It turned out there is a nasty bug in the floppy controller (floppy.v) that causes some bytes to get missed or added to the dma stream.  :pissed:

The fault lies with the fifo management. I have not fixed this (yet) but programmed some workarounds in the PIC code.  :roll:

I think this is also the reason that a lot of games refuse to load so I have started redesigning floppy.v. This will also make it easier to add write support for floppy's...

Ah well, more work to do :-)

Dennis

[amigakit]

Great news- thank you.

[Bennymee]

@Dennis

Thanks Dennis !

[Azryl]

Dennis! Thank you for all your hard work... much appreciated

Az

[Evillord68]

Thank you Dennis, great work.  :-)

[Darrin]

Cheers Dennis.  :-)

I've been busy testing software this week, but I've been using the amended 60kHz core.  I'll retest the failed software once I set up my old CRT again.

[Andeda]

Thank you Dennis

 :pint:

[alexh]

Great work. I must find some time to do some work. Acube loaned me a MiniMig board 2 weeks ago and it's still in it's box.

I wonder what happened to that polish Yaqube guy who did some work and never released his source? I wonder if he's any closer?

[Firedawg]

Your efforts are much appreciated Dennis.  :-D

[Dennis]

@Darrin,
The new core isn't any more compatible than the old one. The changes are mainly in the PIC18 firmware. But, I *think* that the bug I found in the floppy controller is largely responsible for the bad compatbility. If that is fixed, it is time to retest some games  :-)

@AlexH
Yaqube's developments are very interesting. If you want some issues to put your teeth in:
* Supposedly (as reported by tobiflex) 68000 writes to ram/chipset take too long. This causes some graphic issues in some games/demos. If that is fixed, blitter timing can be made normal/standard again (read explanation in agnus.v/blitter.v)
* The bitplane dma engine is not right yet... Can you enable /disable dma in the middle of a line on a real amiga?
* Sprite engine is not right too, probably has something todo with memory slot allocation/timing relative to copper or the logic inside Denise.v. Superfrog shows partial sprites and is a good game to do some debugging.
* Collision detection is completely broken...
* Hardfile support!

Dennis

[amigadave]

@ Dennis,

Have you had any contact from Yaqube regarding his work on ECS?

Thanks for your continued work.

[Darrin]

Dennis wrote:
@Darrin,
The new core isn't any more compatible than the old one. The changes are mainly in the PIC18 firmware. But, I *think* that the bug I found in the floppy controller is largely responsible for the bad compatbility. If that is fixed, it is time to retest some games  :-)

Ah, thanks for that info.  I've hooked up a CRT and I've been retesting a few games, but mostly ones with corrupt graphics or dodgy sprite detection (Settlers and Menace for example).  I'll just stick to the ones that didn't want to load.

(One thing:  Troddlers did load and work before with just the player sprite missing, while now it locks up with a black screen with a red horizontal line just after the Title screen and before it would go to the player options).

[Dennis]

(One thing: Troddlers did load and work before with just the player sprite missing, while now it locks up with a black screen with a red horizontal line just after the Title screen and before it would go to the player options).

Hmmm, strange. The FPGA core hasn't changed afaik.
Did you update your PIC firmware too? If so, did you try some Amiga Forever roms?

Dennis

[straycat]

Great news, thanks for your latest work Dennis!

If this can somehow be merged with the 60khz yaqube firmware I'll be super happy!! :-P

[Darrin]

Dennis wrote:

(One thing: Troddlers did load and work before with just the player sprite missing, while now it locks up with a black screen with a red horizontal line just after the Title screen and before it would go to the player options).

Hmmm, strange. The FPGA core hasn't changed afaik.
Did you update your PIC firmware too? If so, did you try some Amiga Forever roms?

Dennis

I haven't changed the PIC firmware yet.  The only way to update that is via a PC with serial port connected to the Minimig, isn't it (None of the PCs I have set up at the moment have serial ports)?  

Perhaps Yaqube's core has a tweak in it that allows it to play?  I don't have the time to flash the PIC right now and I'm off to Brazil tomorrow for 4 weeks so my testing will have to go on hold.  :-(