New double resolution double color graphics mode

[Mr SQL]

I've discovered an interesting Fx that provides double the color and double the resolution using classic 80's hardware. A real C64 or C128 and CRT monitor or tube Television is necessary to observe all of the Fx.

Try Defender III and watch the extra pixels and luma colors show up - they vanish in your peripheral vision, this graphics mode is an optical illusion on the retina caused by a double image during panning (not an interlacing demo).

http://relationalframework.com/defenderiiiartie.prg
It's a pleasing effect under emulation too but not as clear and minus the extra luma colors.

Here's a video showing how to play Defender III and do loop de loops with your guided drone missiles:


Fluid City has simpler controls than D3 and allows these new Fx to be turned off when pushing to the right to engage the throttle speeding up the action.
http://relationalframework.com/ArtifactFluidCity.prg

It's also possible to turn off the Fx without changing the scroll speed with additional code to change the Hz.

[banman]

Hi Mr SQL,


Very interesting. Would very much like to see more on this!

[banman]

Hi Mr SQL

A totally different random question.

Do you know anything about the Radio shack TRS80 Coco2?

I have a bizarre screen.

[Mr SQL]

Hi Mr SQL,


Very interesting. Would very much like to see more on this!

Thank you! Glad you like the demos.

Hi Mr SQL

A totally different random question.

Do you know anything about the Radio shack TRS80 Coco2?

I have a bizarre screen.

That could possibly be an issue with the 6847 VDG or SAM chip, what does your display look like?

[banman]

Hi Mr SQL,


Thank you for your time and advice.

Here's what I get on the TV.

Have you see this type of pattern before? I have a second machine that displays a very similar pattern.
I will admit that the pattern may change slightly on subsequent restarts. I'll try to upload more photos.


Luckily the ram chips were all socketed.
I have checked the memory out on a socketed C64 and a dead test cartridge. There were 2 chips that were defective. I've replaced them.

[Mr SQL]

Hi Mr SQL,


Thank you for your time and advice.

Here's what I get on the TV.


Have you see this type of pattern before? I have a second machine that displays a very similar pattern.
I will admit that the pattern may change slightly on subsequent restarts. I'll try to upload more photos.


Luckily the ram chips were all socketed.
I have checked the memory out on a socketed C64 and a dead test cartridge. There were 2 chips that were defective. I've replaced them.

The VDG is working, might be bad RAM. Interesting you were able to test the RAM on a C64, I didn't know they used the same kind.

If replacing the defective RAM did not fix the problem it might be the SAM MC6883, that chip controls the RAM.

[banman]

Hi Mr SQL,


Thank you very much. I think you might be right about the SAM chip. I had a suspicion that it might have been that.
I couldn't find any information on the sort of display I was seeing.

Here's a bit of background checking I did on these machines.

I have 2 Coco 2 computers.

One is a Radio Shack branded factory 64kb version (earlier version). The other is a Tandy branded 16kb version. It has been upgraded (not by me) to a 64kb version (slightly later version).
I can see someone else has bridged the jumper pad at W1 on the 16kb Tandy version.
W1 is located between U6 and U7.


https://www.cocopedia.com/wiki/index.ph ... Computer_2

Apparently Radio Shack/Tandy had their own branded ram which is totally compatible with 4164 RAM.
There are some Coco's that use different RAM chips, I think 2 x 4464 RAM chips. I have the versions with 8 RAM chips.

https://www.st-hubert.org/phase2/truepa ... c0006.html

I didn't have a way to test these chips so I thought I'd try it in a C64 with a dead test cartridge.
I know it's a dodgy way to test. It's probably not a full test on these chips either.
I have a Mini Pro TL866 EPROM programmer, however it won't work for these types of RAM chips.

[banman]

I know I'm bending your ear a bit Mr SQL.

You seem quite knowledgeable about things. I also have a COCO MAX cartridge.
Do you know any information on this cartridge? I can't find any references to it.
Thank you again. Much appreciated for you advice.

[Mr SQL]

I was encouraged to create an MBR motion blur reduction demo on CSDB so here is another example that removes the extra pixels and colors to create a Sharper Image similar to the MBR filter on modern Televisions:

http://relationalframework.com/starblitzdblfun.prg

This is the prequel to Defender III and a similar game without the parallex scrolling layer.

FX:
You will see super clear text and falling meteors and score power-ups with no motion blur.

Press shift-lock (or hold left shift if you have an old version of VICE) during play to remove the MBR filter and the pleasant motion blur effect will return. You'll need real hardware and a CRT to see the extra colors and see the extra pixels clearly.

Banman that is a nice MC-10 in your collection! That CoCo Max cart might have a joystick DIN port that allows higher resolution than the 64x64 analog ports built into the motherboard.

[banman]

Hi Mr SQL,


Thanks!

Yes, I looked at the Coco Max cartridge and you're right about the DIN plug in the side.

You've helped me heaps in narrowing down a few details on these machines. Much appreciated