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

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

[ Show youtube player ]

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.