x86 Bridgeboard update (PCem core)

[superfrog]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

I checked. This is actually unimplemented feature because I didn't want to add 3rd floppy drive type. 5.25" 40 track only (old BIOS that does not know that 80 track exist and can read 40 track by double stepping), 5.25" 80 track (single step = 80, double step = 40), 3.5" 80 track.

Okay fair enough. I'll be sure to set drive type appropriately for the type of image I'm using.

[superfrog]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

Confirmed NOT happening with pre-PCem version? This is very important! Also I really recommend properly installing bridgeboard software. It is not meant to be used from install disk.

EDIT2: Did you actually use bridgeboard previously? Using this version to learn it is bad idea and it will annoy me if something you think something is a bug or not working but is actually working as designed.. This is why comparing with previous official version is very very important.

EDIT: Do you really have latest winuae.7z? Date is too old.

These are issues I confirmed did not exist in the latest stable version (4.0.1) I know BB software works best when installed, but in previous versions I have been able to use BB Install floppy for rudimentary boot up test and it works fine. And if I remember correctly, it even says in the BB printed manual that booting the floppy and opening the PC window can be used as a quick test to ensure the board is properly recognized. Not recommended for day-to-day use though.


I have used the BB emulation extensively in previous stable versions, so I am not just learning for the first time here. I am quite familiar with expected behavior other than that pertaining to sound output. Though I must confess I have no experience with real BB hardware.


I just got the latest .7z and will test more with it. But please do take me seriously when I say I did run into new problems with keypad behavior and having to open PC Color window to get video output even with default video set to Mono.

[AMIGASYSTEM]

PC Speaker Test -> Intro Game Xenon2

[Toni Wilen]

Keyboard should work now in BIOS (Keyboard controller sent extra identifier bytes that probably caused BIOS to assume some other type of keyboard was connected)

[Toni Wilen]

XTIDE in A2286+ fixed.

[AnnaWu]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

XTIDE in A2286+ fixed.

Thanks a lot, Toni. It is working now in A2386SX too.

[AnnaWu]

I still have problems to run the model Sound Blaster 16.
After the installation of the driver disk for DOS/Windows.
The patched autoexec.bat*/config.sys** is not working on Windows 3.11

*
SET SOUND=C:\SB16
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6
SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E
C:\SB16\DIAGNOSE /S
C:\SB16\MIXERSET /P /Q

-
**
DEVICE=C:\SB16\DRV\CSP.SYS /UNIT=0 /BLASTER=A:220

P.S
PC-Speaker and SB16 driver for Windows 3.x - Bridgeboard > The Zone!

[Toni Wilen]

You are skipping test steps. First it needs to be proven to work in DOS!

[AMIGASYSTEM]

Ok with the winuae.7z of the hours 15.22 it works for me too XTIDE A2386SX

[AnnaWu]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

You are skipping test steps. First it needs to be proven to work in DOS!

It doesn't work in DOS.
Tested with the Sound Blaster 1.0/Sound Blaster 2.0 and Sound Blaster 16 driver.

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by AnnaWu

It doesn't work in DOS.
Tested with the Sound Blaster 1.0/Sound Blaster 2.0 and Sound Blaster 16 driver.

Then create and attach bootable dos disk that has all the needed software

[AnnaWu]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

Then create and attach bootable dos disk that has all the needed software

Bootable Sound Blaster 1.0 driver disk 1.44MB > The Zone!

[Toni Wilen]

Test (test-sbc.exe) program now works, both CMS and voice.

EDIT: SB16 (Actually OPL2/OPL3) crash fixed. Uploaded SB16 disk is useless, installer only.

[superfrog]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

Keyboard should work now in BIOS (Keyboard controller sent extra identifier bytes that probably caused BIOS to assume some other type of keyboard was connected)

Keyboard now works. Creation of new 2286 nvr file seems to work now too.


PC Mono window still shows blank screen with default video set to Monochrome. PC Color window works with 1992 BB SW release, but still locks up silently with 2.0 BB SW. These all worked in most recent stable version of WinUAE.


I'm using installed BB software on clean WB install on uaehf hardfile for testing in WB 1.3 and 2.1.

[Toni Wilen]

AT mono/color default selection should be fixed now (PCem keyboard controller checked it only at startup but Bridgeboard has it software configurable and it is set later. Yes, another weird thing that is in keyboard controller..)

[AnnaWu]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

Test (test-sbc.exe) program now works, both CMS and voice.

EDIT: SB16 (Actually OPL2/OPL3) crash fixed. Uploaded SB16 disk is useless, installer only.

Wonderful, Toni. The Music and Voice ouput is nice.

[AnnaWu]

PoP has now a nice sound.

Bootable Prince of Persia disk > The Zone!

[superfrog]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

AT mono/color default selection should be fixed now (PCem keyboard controller checked it only at startup but Bridgeboard has it software configurable and it is set later. Yes, another weird thing that is in keyboard controller..)

Mono/color selection now works as expected with 1992 BB SW.



With 2.0 version it still doesn't work as expected. Results of my tests below:


PC Speaker Off, Default Video Mono: Blank Screen, flashing cursor in PC Mono window; Black screen with only Amiga mouse pointer in PC Color window (can move mouse pointer though)

PC Speaker Off, Default Video Color: Same results as above

PC Speaker On, Default Video Mono: Hear POST Beep on boot, get video output in PC Mono window; PC Color freezes silently after clicking Icon in WB, does not even open PC Window, have to reboot Amiga to recover

PC Speaker On, Default Video Color: Same results as above

2.0 and earlier BB software releases confirmed to work in previous stable WinUAE.

[superfrog]

I will add here that while I understand that it's generally considered best practice to use the latest version of driver software with any given hardware, in this case the 1992 BB software release was targeted to the A2386SX/OS 2.0 environment, and offered support for earlier OS and BB versions as well. The 2.0 and previous BB software releases were targeted to the A1060, A2088, and A2286 and were designed to work in OS 1.3 environment.

So in my test sandboxes, I have been using the BB 2.0 software with KS/WB 1.3 for testing A2088/A2286, and I have another test environment with KS 2.04/WB 2.1 and 1992 BB SW release for testing A2286 and A2386SX cards.

The 1992 release should support all BB variants (A1060, A2088(T), A2286, and A2836SX), and the 2.0 release should also be expected to work well with A1060, A2088, and A2286.

According to BB docs, the 1992 release is supposed to work in OS 1.3 and 2.0. I'm not sure about how well supported the BB 2.0 software is in OS 2.0.

[AnnaWu]

Toni, can you please check the A1060 Sidecar emulation with the HD file inside.
No problems with the x86 Bridgeboard emulation without the PCem parts.
The HDF file + configuration files > The Zone!

Screenshots:
x86 Bridgeboard emulation without the PCem parts (old.png)
x86 Bridgeboard emulation with the PCem parts (new.png)