Denise bugfixes and improvements

[amilo3438]

New finding...

Found this info from Toni on "differences in agnus chips topic" ... https://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p...67&postcount=8

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

Only 8372A and later support NTSC<>PAL switching (Also most later variants only support software switching, they don't anymore have PAL/NTSC pin). Older Agnus variants are hardwired to either NTSC only or PAL only.

Btw. Also, the best way (or safe way) to test switching between PAL 50Hz and NTSC 60Hz from software is by using the ESC key in the "Amiga Test Kit"!

[PiCiJi]

new nightly:

Maybe someone could create a video about BRS-PrimusDemo on a CRT.
100% emulation is only possible to some extent, as the effect is analogously caused by the CRT. It's good enough, I'd say. Otherwise, you would have to think about a shader. At least it shouldn't happen in the context of Amiga emulation.

fix "ECS should support changes between PAL & NTSC from software!"
ok, I thought ECS Agnus had to set vBStrt and vBStop in addition to Beamcon. Disabling the PAL bit is sufficient to run a full NTSC mode. cool
However, the emulator then goes into PAL 60 mode. A difference to real NTSC only occurs when S-Video is emulated instead of RGB cable.
With an RGB cable, PAL and NTSC differ from each other only in the image geometry/FPS. Denise also supports S-Video (luma/chroma separation).
When the image is transferred as luma/chroma, PAL and NTSC differ not only in geometry but also in color encoding.
PAL mixes the color information (chroma) of adjacent lines, NTSC does not.
haven't tested "Amiga Test Kit" ... hope it works too

fixed: Mexx-Intro92x.adf, Mexx-Plasma.adf
Emualtor now checks vsync instead of just vblank

FLD-Demodisk083.adf ... G: Tropical Sunset
I couldn't recreate it. Is this already fixed?

Originally Posted by amilo3438

Not really in OCS (without changing the chip version) as far as I can tell.
In WinUAE does not change between PAL 50Hz / NTSC 60Hz in OCS (only in ECS) and that is correct.

Sure, but this bootloader writes to beamcon register. This does not exist for OCS Agnus. That's why nothing happens.
Games like Dyna Blaster or B.C. Kid use a trick. Of course, this is not as effective as the ECS hardware support for NTSC.
This trick must be repeated every frame, otherwise the hardware will go back to the PAL behavior.

[amilo3438]

Originally Posted by PiCiJi

FLD-Demodisk083.adf ... G: Tropical Sunset
I couldn't recreate it. Is this already fixed?

Yeah, it was fixed in nightly Denise from 2023.07.28. (forgot to test it)

Great job!

[PiCiJi]

nightly:

fix FLD-Demodisk111.adf ... E: Relaxation / Reality
Blitter DMA toggle needs more delay

fix: The Deep
accuracy of floppy emulation increased when loading without DMA channel via dskbytr.

[amilo3438]

Wow, that's really great, you managed to solve all the main problems!

Ps. I guess it can be safely said that now Denise are on par with WinUAE in terms of emulation accuracy!

I'll probably keep checking out more demos, but it depends on my mood and free time. (today there are really so many options to spend your free time...)

Maybe now is the right time for other improvements in the emulator!? (mentioned somewhere in this or another thread before)

[PiCiJi]

Originally Posted by amilo3438

Maybe now is the right time for other improvements in the emulator!?

Probably DMS support will be next

nightly:
fix runAhead problem: TURNIPS-WorkForNothing_qdfix.adf

Originally Posted by amilo3438

Note: Glitch happens only if performance & runAhead is enabled! If one of this is disabled = no glitches!

hint: if runahead is turned off, the "performance" setting has no effect. This only applies to runahead.

couldn't recreate:
HITTHEROAD_1.adf ... while in "Floffy2" part click on the Left Mouse Button and it crashes (resets) if runAhead is enabled

maybe it's already fixed.

[amilo3438]

Originally Posted by PiCiJi

couldn't recreate:
HITTHEROAD_1.adf ... while in "Floffy2" part click on the Left Mouse Button and it crashes (resets) if runAhead is enabled

maybe it's already fixed.

Yep, it seems to be fixed in one of the earlier versions!

Originally Posted by PiCiJi

Probably DMS support will be next

[PiCiJi]

Originally Posted by amilo3438

There is some problem with a music in demo disappearing while running a TSL/Lethal as solo .adf file!

I did the solo ADF on a real OCS Agnus(revived) and ECS Agnus. The music problem is consistent with the emulation.
As seen in the other thread, this demo doesn't initialize all the registers it needs. A program that runs shortly before and changes this register specifies the value for this demo.
Obviously, the original flow was planned differently by the author of the demo than starting it directly from an ADF with Kick 1.3. Otherwise, he would have noticed.
So some other program was running before (maybe WB or other Firmware) which set the value as the demo expects it.

hint: try it with Kick 2.0.

[amilo3438]

Something I noticed before but forgot to report about demos from group: 20) Invalid refresh rates! ...

If the demo is executed in a window and "integer scaling" is turned on, then the image becomes smaller than if the same function is turned off!? (eg Mexx-Plasma.adf)

[PiCiJi]

Originally Posted by amilo3438

Something I noticed before but forgot to report about demos from group: 20) Invalid refresh rates! ...

If the demo is executed in a window and "integer scaling" is turned on, then the image becomes smaller than if the same function is turned off!? (eg Mexx-Plasma.adf)

In these demos, the number of image lines does not match the typical PAL number, and Integer Scaling multiplies by integer the number passed by the emulator as many times as it fits into the display window.
Integer scaling is necessary to be able to display scanlines without artifacts. Otherwise, it would not be possible to ensure that all scanlines have exactly the same distance from each other due to scaling.
Unequal distances are not perceived directly, but indirectly as surfaces with altered brightness.

[PiCiJi]

Originally Posted by amilo3438

"TSB-Luxpack03.adf" behaves differently in 1.3 ECS 512 config on denise emu in comparison to winuae emu! (denise problem?)

Yes, this is a bug in Denise. (fixed) Demo expects memory in slowmem area, otherwise the registers will be used uncontrolled. In the case of ECS, Beamcon will be switched to Varbeamen.
After only half the lines and ~1/4 of the usual line length, h/vsync is triggered. This results in over 300 FPS.
It takes about 15 seconds on a real ECS Agnus for the guru to meditate. In Denise, original speed must be checked, otherwise it corrects the speed not to 50, but to 60 Hz, because Demo accidentally switches to NTSC.
maybe will change this in such a way that extreme deviations always end in the original speed, even if the user requests 50/60 Hz or hardware Vsync.

During the demo I noticed the flashing power LED on the Amiga. I will add this as a switchable option in the status line of the emulator.
I'm looking for some more info. Some Amiga models dim the LED and others turn it off completely.

[amilo3438]

Originally Posted by PiCiJi

During the demo I noticed the flashing power LED on the Amiga. I will add this as a switchable option in the status line of the emulator.
I'm looking for some more info. Some Amiga models dim the LED and others turn it off completely.

That would be nice...
The audio filter also uses Power LED, ie. it lights up if it's on or if not then it's off or dim. (the older amiga 500 has turned off the Power LED and the newer one has a dim Power LED if audio filter is turned off)

Ps. In my opinion maybe dim Power LED would be better solution when audio filter is disabled! (as the new amiga 500 has the same... or you can make an option to choose)
The older amiga 500 has a red Power LED, and the newer one has a green Power LED!

Btw. I think all amiga 500 has orange LED for the floppy drive! Edit: Older has green floppy Led!

EDIT: In fact, it could be said that old amiga 500 has Power/Drive LED red/green and audio filter disabled with power LED off. New has green/orange and audio filter disabled with power LED dim.
Maybe an amiga 500 with OCS can be considered as old one and with ECS as new one.

[PiCiJi]

nightly: add power LED to status line, change drive LED to orange/yellow
A500 OCS, A1000: red power LED (turn off)
A500 ECS: green power LED (dim brightness)

[amilo3438]

Originally Posted by PiCiJi

nightly: add power LED to status line, change drive LED to orange/yellow
A500 OCS, A1000: red power LED (turn off)
A500 ECS: green power LED (dim brightness)

Nice...and here are some pics of A500 LED colors found on the net:
(maybe you can try those colors)

A500 OCS
https://a.allegroimg.com/original/1e...4cc0464a5b8611

A500 ECS
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/eSsAA...Ig/s-l1200.jpg

Some observations of mine...
- Regarding the FPS counter when enabled... maybe would be better to move it from the most left to the most right side!
- If there is a place maybe to put the word Power in front of the LED!
- Also maybe improve the difference when the LED is on and when it is dim! (maybe with visible every 2nd color line or so)
- Maybe use the power LED as menu with reset and/or audio filter off options!
(otherwise the above is not mandatory... more like a suggestion)

EDIT:
Something else I noticed... if I enable several floppy drives and then switch back to, say, one floppy drive, all of them are still visible on the screen!?

[amilo3438]

Go 64! v2.0 - import (Crack Intro) by World Of Wonders => http://janeway.exotica.org.uk/release.php?id=23517

Check the intro "WOW-CrGo64V2.adf" file from the above link...
There is a boot block and it seems Denise (as also WinUAE but different) has some problem with F7 PAL <=> NTSC option !? (it freezes)


Or check for more on WinUAE demos problematic thread: https://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p...postcount=1032

EDIT: Answer on WinUAE demos problematic thread: https://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p...postcount=1033 (and the following posts)

[PiCiJi]

Ok I took over the colors for LEDs, but I had to saturate the yellow a bit so that it stands out from the background. Then there is a menu on "Power" in the status line and more filter options.
The filter option "Auto" is equivalent to the option "Software", but depending on the Amiga model. The A1200 does not use a filter when the power LED is dimmed. The A500 has an RC filter in this case.
The A1000 always uses a low pass filter. You can't switch it via software.
The drive LED is now green on an A500 OCS.
The drive indicators should now toggle in status line when changing the number of drives.

[amilo3438]

Thank you, it looks much better now!

Ps. It might be nice now to have those LEDs displayed in the full screen mode too!? (as option similar to FPS)


EDIT:

Originally Posted by PiCiJi

The filter option "Auto" is equivalent to the option "Software", but depending on the Amiga model.

I'm just thinking... maybe some of the audio filter options seem a bit redundant!? (auto or software...!?)

Perhaps it could be shortened for example like:

( ) Automatic (A500) ( ) Always on (A500) ( ) Always off (A500) ( ) Automatic (A1200) ( ) Always on (A1200) ( ) Always off (A1200) EDIT: Or if there is no space, shorten Automatic to Real

... if I haven't misunderstood something.

[PiCiJi]

Originally Posted by amilo3438

I'm just thinking... maybe some of the audio filter options seem a bit redundant!? (auto or software...!?)

The setting "Auto" is for people who want to use the actual filtering of the selected Amiga, rather than a fixed filtering independent of the Amiga model.

Example:
- Selects A500 and switches filter software (A500)
- selects A1000 and switches Filter Always On (A500), because with an A1000 the low pass filter cannot be deactivated by software
- later when emulated selects A1200 and switches filter software (A1200)

So if the user always wants the original filter setting, he must also remember to change the filter when changing the Amiga model.
This is a bit annoying, hence the "Auto" setting.
I, for example, would always set the A1200 software setting, as I also prefer this on an A500. In this way, in most cases, no filtering is active at all and the sound sounds bright.

[amilo3438]

Originally Posted by PiCiJi

The setting "Auto" is for people who want to use the actual filtering of the selected Amiga, rather than a fixed filtering independent of the Amiga model.

Example:
- Selects A500 and switches filter software (A500)
- selects A1000 and switches Filter Always On (A500), because with an A1000 the low pass filter cannot be deactivated by software

Okay, maybe then you can replace "Automatic" with "Default" and so:
if active is A1000 and the user select "Default", then "Always On (A500)" is selected along with it and vice versa, and "Default" is disabled if other options is selected.
Also if the A500 is active and the use select "Default", then the "Software (A500)" is selected along with it and vice versa, and "Default" is disabled for the others.

(Ps. Explanation: I think that in addition to auto (or default) the corresponding filter should also be visibly turned on, depending on the model of the amiga.)

[amilo3438]

Collection of demos with the bitplane refresh conflict on an ECS real machine (or in newer versions of winuae)!

Check in the zone "Bitplane_refresh_conflict_on_ECS_real_machine.7z"! (in case you are interested in emulating it)

Ps. Denise seems to emulate some correctly but most not quite. (compare on a real machine)