IndivisionECS Picasso96 driver released today

[Ratte]

http://www.a1k.org/forum/showpost.ph...0&postcount=14


EDIT:
http://www.a1k.org/forum/showthread.php?p=508355

New offical thread, with more details.

[fishyfish]

I dont have an ECS machine let alone an IndiECS, but that's very cool Im surprised no-one here at eab didnt comment before me, seeing as you posted it yesterday

Slightly off topic, but still relevant.....

Any idea if SDL software will work using it? I know 98% or so of sdl software will be too slow to run at a usable speed on an ECS machine, but it'd be handy for doing sprite rips using one of the dozens of sdl emulator ports available for a random example.

I have an amithlon box, so I can use said software, but there has been times while using my a1200 that Ive thought itd be handy to make use of some of the sdl software I recompiled for os3.x, even in a not completely functional sort of way. Im sure there's others out there using custom chipset hardware that could also benefit here and there by having extra software available to them.

I have a sneaking suspicion though that sdl itself relies on at least 8bit screens.

[Bamiga2002]

It was a hoax, a goddamn HOAX!

[fishyfish]

Ahh. Hehe. Not bad then actually. Sounded feasible/reasonable and not too crazy like most april fools jokes
Im in Australia though so the dates didnt match for me (that's my excuse at least)

[clauddio]

so is it possible 256 colors in Workbench on a ECS machine like the A600 using the indivision scandoubler?
can anyone explain?

[fishyfish]

Ah, I forgot about that. Maybe sdl software could have worked with IndiECS p96 driver if it wasnt an april fools joke

@clauddio
I dont really know many details, but I think there is a 256color mode indivisionecs offers. There's a video of doom using it on an a600 on youtube.

[clauddio]

Originally Posted by fishyfish

@clauddio
I dont really know many details, but I think there is a 256color mode indivisionecs offers. There's a video of doom using it on an a600 on youtube.

so if doom can run in 256 colors the workbench also can run in 256 colors
that's must be the reason to create the p96 driver for the workbench

also the new indivision AGA mk2 should be capable of a special 256 color driver for the workbench....theoretically faster than AGA...but let's see

[Symplex]

Its running on my machine ....
Its today the 3. April ....
BUT dont expect it to be very fast !
BELIEVE !! BELIEVE !! BELIEVE !! BELIEVE !!

The joke 2012 @ A1K was in the hardware section, where
Paradroid told us, how he detects different hardware (Amiga/Atari/C64).

[fishyfish]

As I mentioned Im not relly sure of the details, so take this with a grain of salt, but software has to be written/modified to support the 256 color mode. If memory serves me correctly the screenmode comes directly from a framebuffer in the indivision or something like that. I think there was a downside to its potential as well, maybe something like only a simple api to use it and no further development.

I really cant recall properly, and as I dont have an ecs machine even let alone an IndiECS, I didnt take a lot of notice when it was being spoken about. Perhaps a browse of youtube might give some more details.

If Im not mistaken though the IndiECS p96 driver was actually an april fools joke?

[Ratte]

i swear by my testicles ... symples wrote a real p96-driver for the indivision ecs framebuffer mode.
his kind of joke .. he posted it 1st april to make no one belive it .. even i coudnt belive it first.
but now on 3rd april ... its still working.


ITS TRUE ...

[lost_loven]

so its in apha stage and says in the read me it could corrupt system files. Think it would be better to wait for a stable release then.

Anyone try it?

lost

[magnetic]

Hmm can we have a screenshot for proof?

[clauddio]

for curiosity I read the docs and yes you can get a 256 color workbench on a ECS amiga
but the author says that the bus of the indi is slow around 3.5mb/s....which is slower than aga so I assume is not fast

[NovaCoder]

Cool that someone has done this even if it might be too slow to be of any real use.

Maybe Jens will get around to updating the IndivisionECS with a more powerful FPGA one day will could improve the speed?

[Ratte]

http://www.a1k.org/forum/showthread.php?p=507724
v0.1b

http://youtu.be/bNAgqdsFgR4

[Symplex]

Originally Posted by NovaCoder

Cool that someone has done this even if it might be too slow to be of any real use.

Maybe Jens will get around to updating the IndivisionECS with a more powerful FPGA one day will could improve the speed?

The FPGA is fast enough, but the communication interface between the hardware is limited to the amiga speed (3,5MB/s). And a lot of 'I/O' is made without it is needed. So there is a (little) optimization possible. Its not as slow as you think ;-). Just try it, if you have time.

[mfilos]

I will try it tonight I think and report back

[jimbob]

Heehee, so wait, the joke was that it wasn't a joke? well played sir, well played!

Do I understand correctly that this is sorta like RTG in that the cpu will be drawing a chunky screen, but not like RTG in that it must draw it in chip RAM?


[dream]
(Hmmm, coming soon from individual computers, ACAvision adaptor. interfacing the indivision with fast ram on ACA cards)
[/dream]

[lost_loven]

Woot go Mfilos! And a full video review to right?

lost

[NovaCoder]

Originally Posted by jimbob

Heehee, so wait, the joke was that it wasn't a joke? well played sir, well played!

Do I understand correctly that this is sorta like RTG in that the cpu will be drawing a chunky screen, but not like RTG in that it must draw it in chip RAM?

The IndivisionECS already had a chunky mode (see the old DOOM thread for more details). Basically someone has written a Picasso96 driver for it's chunky mode so that it can act as a 'real' RTG graphics card which is very cool.

The limitations are the amount of video memory that can be addressed (don't know how much?) and the speed of the bus to the IndivisionECS (which is slow).

Anyway, this should give all ECS owners the ability to run a nice 256 color (maybe more?) WB without running out of CHIPRAM.

Yes a video review would be great Mfilos my friend.

Hey I've just had an idea, see if you can get my DOOM port running in RTG mode, it might work.

[amigoun]

Really works here (A600-ACA630-A604+IndyECS). Slow, but nice to see workbench in 256cols First I didnt get pointer, but setting SoftSprite=Yes tooltype fixed this. And you need the latest (v1.10) indy firmware to get this working. I havent tried any P96 apps, but ShapeShifter - on IndyP96 screen- , but end with an error of lack of graphics mem. So it probably runs just a Workbench screen..
Anyway, Symplex is great achieving this, and especialy the beta IndyECS Shapeshifter Videodriver driver, which is much more useful, many thanks for all this.

[lost_loven]

in the readme it says

(7) Status

Project stopped no further work planed.


So does this mean thats it for this? there is a (a) and a (b) release for this already.. hmm???

lost

[NovaCoder]

Can someone try BOOM on an A600, would love to know if works in RTG mode or not and if it does run, how the speed compares to ADOOM running in 256 color direct chunky mode.

[lost_loven]

would love to try it but don't want to because no real way of backing up hd with out ripping system apart and dumping to peecee.. And just way to much for parallel to transfer everything.. Long weekend coming might do a back up then.
Or hehe Set up a old 40 meg scsi drive and make a light workbench to try out this and see.. hehe brain is tweaking now lol..Then i will boom doom it and see.

lost!

[Symplex]

Originally Posted by lost_loven

in the readme it says

(7) Status

Project stopped no further work planed.

So does this mean thats it for this? there is a (a) and a (b) release for this already.. hmm???

lost

A little April joke should be allowed ;-)
Developing is going on, the actual version 0.1b is with MMU support.

Next: 0.2 is capable of switching to amiga native modes (in developing).
- Additional: fixes for screen/colorchanges

[vulture]

sounds great! Will you support the new IndyAGA MK2 once the proper firmware is available?

[Symplex]

Originally Posted by vulture

sounds great! Will you support the new IndyAGA MK2 once the proper firmware is available?

The question is: Is it possible? I don't know much about the MK2, so i can't say if it is possible.
First of all, i'm working on a more stable and in every situation 'running' version. Which is not crashing on changing the resolution for example.

[Ratte]

added a new link to first posting

[mfilos]

Just managed to make it work in a Test setup
You can check a simple video here.

Still lot of work to be done but it works

(Btw... the backdrop is a custom one 800x600@256 colors created by me lol)

[magnetic]

Originally Posted by mfilos

Just managed to make it work in a Test setup
You can check a simple video here.

Still lot of work to be done but it works

(Btw... the backdrop is a custom one 800x600@256 colors created by me lol)

Thanks for the vid! Its coming along. Do you think I could use this driver to run MOvieshop screen for Vlab motion? (there is no moving video just color thumbnails and windows)

[mfilos]

I dunno about that
There's only one way to find out lol

Btw I made another video, this time with Mouse pointer and some more action into workbench.

Check it out here.

[Retrofan]

Originally Posted by Symplex

The question is: Is it possible? I don't know much about the MK2, so i can't say if it is possible.
First of all, i'm working on a more stable and in every situation 'running' version. Which is not crashing on changing the resolution for example.

Quote from 5, April. I know this will take time, but ... Is there any update about if it's possible to use it with the Indi MKII?

It would be nice for NetSurf 68k http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthre...hlight=netsurf and perhaps I could use SkinnableClock68k too.