Prisma Megamix. New soundcard for classics!

[eXeler0]

Originally Posted by britelite

I would guess no, but then again I'm not too familiar with the Prisma DSP.

From what I can tell by looking at the datasheet its not a general purpose DSP but rather a very specific DSP for encoding and decoding certain audio formats.
So my guess is "no" also.
The Motorola DSP in the Falcon is much more of a general purpose unit than the one in the Prisma.



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[Daedalus]

Originally Posted by Seoman

If I've installed a RapidRoad USB in the Amiga 1200 clockport, what can I do? Do I need a clockport expander?

Ooh, good question: does the driver support clockport splitters? It would be great if it did...


@Seoman
The only way it might work is if you get a clockport splitter / expander and the driver supports the splitter. There's no way to simply "piggyback" clockport connectors.

[amigoun]

My dream would be if sometime WHDLoad supported Prisma to play MP3ized CDTracks of WHDized CD32 games

[eXeler0]

Originally Posted by amigoun

My dream would be if sometime WHDLoad supported Prisma to play MP3ized CDTracks of WHDized CD32 games

Probably not impossible ;-)

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[Overflow]

"desktop A1200 version coming soon"

ETA for this? And it will be pre-insulated to prevent people with 10 thumbs like me to short the card/motherboard?

[amigakit.com]

@amigoun

My dream would be if sometime WHDLoad supported Prisma to play MP3ized CDTracks of WHDized CD32 games

+1 I also would very much like it to have support in WHDLOAD too.

@Overflow

Should be within the next week or so- we are conducting some tests with clear heat shrink tubing - similar to the method that was used to insulate the Subway USB.

[daxb]

Prisma support for WHDLoad. Why? I don`t see a benefit. Games that support soundcards do that already and in most cases don`t need a WHDLoad install. If you want to have Prisma support to that games you "just" need an AHI driver.

[wawa]

Im not sure.. Since years people are demending an ahi driver for this hardware, but afaik it is not a sound card, so maybe an ahi driver makes as much sense as rtg or usb driver for this device and this is simple reason why it doesnt exist.

[demolition]

AHI doesn't work with WHDLoad since WHDLoad bypasses the OS.
As far as I know, no current WHDLoad slaves contain the CD32 CD-Audio tracks (do they?), but if the WHDLoad authors feel like it, I guess it should be possible to update WHDLoad to enable a new slave format which can contain the audio tracks which can then be played back through the Prisma. It will need lots of memory though as the compressed audio should fit in there with preload, but many people have 128MB in their 1200s nowadays anyway.

ScummVM would greatly benefit from Prisma support as most 'slaves' here contain some form of compressed CD-audio track which could then be offloaded.

[daxb]

Originally Posted by demolition

, but if the WHDLoad authors feel like it, I guess it should be possible to update WHDLoad to enable a new slave format which can contain the audio tracks which can then be played back through the Prisma.

Ok, but then why not support Delfina, Melody, Prelude, Toccata, ...? And don`t forget Paula output. 8 bit but maybe the easiest way doing it. Feature request: Using 14 bit calibration file.

[demolition]

Originally Posted by daxb

Ok, but then why not support Delfina, Melody, Prelude, Toccata, ...? And don`t forget Paula output. 8 bit but maybe the easiest way doing it. Feature request: Using 14 bit calibration file.

Because Paula output would be a major overhaul in the slaves to find the CPU time to do this conversion and very hard to avoid glitches various. It would require some multitasking to convert and play the audio while with the Prisma the job is much simpler. Basically you just have to transfer the compressed data to the Prisma buffer once in a while (perhaps once a frame which would still steal CPU time but very little compared to other audio solutions). On the CD32, the audio playback is 100% offloaded while with the Prisma it can only be 99.9%.. I don't know the Delfina and others to know if they would be suitable.

[FOL]

Originally Posted by Overflow

I have a clockport on my A600 604n memory expansion, in addition to Vampire.
So, Im curious wether or not the desktop version will work on the A600 (I realise its not listed).

Just finished doing another test. It works fine with A604n on a 2MB Chip unexpanded A600. However don't expect anything else without upgraded CPU and Fast RAM.

For anyone, who decides to try this. If you connect card clockport cable in the wrong way around, you are fully responsible for any damage. Remember clock port is reversed on A604n compared to that of an A1200.

[Overflow]

Thanks for testing FOL!

When the desktop version comes out I will use it on my 1230/50 A1200.

Atleast until some daring person tests if there are any advantages to combining Vampire and Prisma.

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by daxb

Ok, but then why not support Delfina, Melody, Prelude, Toccata, ...?

Probably because there is no public hardware register information available (including "must not have any DSP knowledge requirement") and unless data is heavily compressed (mp3), too much CPU time is wasted for copying sound data to onboard buffer causing game glitches or sound glitches (for example Toccata's tiny 1k buffer needs refill multiple times/frame if 44100Hz/16bit/2ch).

And finally, most programmers that do low level stuff don't care about sound cards. (and so far sound card manufacturers don't seem to care about low level programmers either!)

This card may be low level programming friendly enough, maybe. Used chip is very well documented, chip seems to work without too much extra support code and decoding is fully transparent.

[daxb]

Thanks for "confirmation" that there are more problems then I knew already. I can`t talk for WHDLoad team but my guess is that makeing it work isn`t worth the trouble. At the end only a few user can or would be able to use Prisma support for a few games.

[Retrofan]

This is my A1200 using the Prisma Megamix: [ Show youtube player ]

Just to comment that the Prisma needs an update of AmigaAMP that I'm running there and that will be released very soon now that it is working perfect.

Also, the window complaining about MUI that pops out when I open the script I've made with PrismaPlay is a bug that will be fixed in a next update of MUI5.

Another thing: the musics you are listening while booting are also using the Prisma board as I changed that in this AKReal setup. I'll add those Mp3 files in my next update.

[Romanujan]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

Probably because there is no public hardware register information available

If so, maybe it would be better to just emulate uaemhi decoding card - in a similar way uaegfx was done? There is a package on Aminet (http://aminet.net/package/mus/play/mhi_dev):

MHI is a new standard for MPEG audio on the Amiga. It was created by Thomas Wenzel and Paul Qureshi, with help from Dirk Conrad, because current systems (mpega.library and the mpeg.device) do not offer the features modern applications such as AmigaAMP require.
This archive contains everything you need to develop programs using MHI and MHI drivers for new hardware or software decoders.

[Retrofan]

Well, I said the AmigaAMP update was about to be released... The news is that in fact it has now been released.

Edit: And sorry http://www.amigaamp.de/download.shtml

[danwood_uk]

Received mine today (thanks for super speedy delivery), but how do I get Paula audio out of it? I'm maybe being incredibly dumb (probably) but only getting the decoders output (MHI via Amiga Amp) currently via Zorro on A4000.

Is there some setting or something I need to change?

[Retrofan]

I use two audio outputs: The ones of the Amiga for Paula and the new ones (backplate) for the Prisma. The Prisma will only use its output when you need it/you call for it.

In my setup I use my HiFi for the Paula and my PC 5.1 speakers for the Prisma, but you could use the same for both.