RetroN 77

[DirtyHairy]

On 5/7/2021 at 12:30 AM, Capt Moore said:

I put a request in on the r77 firmware gethub page to hopefully incorporate that deadzone fix mentioned above into the firmware somehow. Hopefully it will happen, I really want to have this issue go away. 

I'll take a look. I think this is possible, but not trivial as the R77 does not use udev.

[+stephena]

15 minutes ago, DirtyHairy said:

I'll take a look. I think this is possible, but not trivial as the R77 does not use udev.

I think we can bypass udev, and just modify the kernel driver to always eliminate the deadzone.  That's all that app is doing anyway; calling a kernel function to zero out the deadzone area.

[DirtyHairy]

7 minutes ago, stephena said:

I think we can bypass udev, and just modify the kernel driver to always eliminate the deadzone.  That's all that app is doing anyway; calling a kernel function to zero out the deadzone area.

Hm, that's a good idea.

[Capt Moore]

3 hours ago, stephena said:

I think we can bypass udev, and just modify the kernel driver to always eliminate the deadzone.  That's all that app is doing anyway; calling a kernel function to zero out the deadzone area.

That would be great. 

[insertclevernamehere]

So I've finally bit the bullet and purchased a Retron 77.  I've given up hope on the Atari 2600 core of my Phoenix and thought I better get an R77 quick before there's only those new, orange ones available.  I definitely want to update Stella and once done, will exclusively use roms rather than plug in my carts.  I'm a bit nervous to do it though and want to make sure I get it right.  I've seen there's many YouTube videos on the subject but from the dates of some, they might be out of date, plus I'd rather follow text instructions than a video.  Can anyone tell me where the most up to date and definitive instructions are.
 

 I also have a mac and no pc.  I hope that's not a problem.  Plus I have an SD card with Atari roms on already that I used on my Phoenix.  Can I use that or does the SD card have to be blank for the first steps.  That may be a dumb question but I'm a techno luddite and I want to make absolutely certain I don't do anything to screw the whole process up.

 

If I have to start from scratch, loading roms onto an SD card, where's the best place.  The ones I have now are from Atarimania but is AtariAge better for roms?  Also, I don't want absolutely every game.  I only want the roms for the 120 or so carts that I own.  That's more than enough for me.  I've separated the wheat from the chaff and for me, having EVERY game dilutes the experience rather than enhances it.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

47 minutes ago, insertclevernamehere said:

If I have to start from scratch, loading roms onto an SD card

Why don't you simply make a backup of your SD card before you update the R77 firmware?

[DirtyHairy]

9 hours ago, insertclevernamehere said:

Can anyone tell me where the most up to date and definitive instructions are.

https://github.com/DirtyHairy/r77-firmware-ng/blob/master/INSTALL.md

[Zonie]

On 5/7/2021 at 8:15 PM, jeremiahjt said:

I do not think somebody from Toronto probably grasps the amount of dust somebody from Oklahoma has to deal with. Even without the pets.

Or Arizona...

[Capt Moore]

On 5/8/2021 at 2:31 PM, DirtyHairy said:

Hm, that's a good idea.

Just to update, I ordered a new 2600 adaptor and a set of best electronics cx30 paddles and tested again on the return 77 to see if the "pause" occurred while moving the paddle to the left on atari's Breakout.  It's the same result, I still get that pause close to the left edge no matter which paddles/adapter I use.  It really sounds like that "deadzone" issue to me.  Hopefully it can be resolved in an upcoming R77 test build, I would be happy to confirm or deny the fix works.

[Capt Moore]

Ok, new discovery (I think).  I tried getting the keyboard controllers working with the R77, using both the build in ports, and the 2600-adapters.  I wasn't able to get them to work either way, they just appeared dead using the retron ports, using the 2600-adapter (d9 version) a couple of buttons brought up the options menu, but they did not do anything in game (I used codebreakers, to be specific)  I then fired up stella on my iMac, and it worked perfectly using the 2600-adapter.

 

Can anyone else hook up the keyboard controllers (built in port, or the 2600-adapter) and confirm that they don't work for them either on the R77?

 

Thanks, 

Rich

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Keyboard controllers are definitely not supported by the R77 ports. But they should work via OTG and adapters. 

 

Have you double checked the input settings? Are the keyboard keys mapped correctly? Please compare the mapping with your iMac one (with the controllers attached).

[Rom Hunter]

On 5/9/2021 at 10:25 PM, insertclevernamehere said:

If I have to start from scratch, loading roms onto an SD card, where's the best place.  The ones I have now are from Atarimania 

That's the place to be for 1977-1992 ROMs.

[Capt Moore]

I have done a little more troubleshooting with the keyboard controllers.  Setup is simply one 2600-adapter (D9), set up in keyboard mode by pressing 0 once the usb is powered up.  I am testing this using atari's codebreaker.

 

Numbers 1/3 work normally.  Number 4 brings up the command menu.  Number 5 goes to the game select manual.  Number 6 goes the setting menu.  Number 7 pauses stella. Number 8 activates the select key.  Number 9 is the reset key.  The star key appears to work normally.

 

Basically, I believe that the keypad is activating buttons that have been remapped to different part of the emulators (perhaps the buttons build into the console?)

 

I have tried, but haven't had much luck remapping the controls. I am able to set the button assignments, but no luck so far actually getting them to stop pulling up various stella menus.

 

 

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Ok, that helps. There exists a mapping for the buttons you listed which is common to all controllers. But obviously (now) this conflicts with the buttons of the keyboard. The code should make sure this does not happen, but something does not work as planned here.

 

Edit: Fixed. Either build yourself, or wait for the next release.

Edited May 18, 2021 by Thomas Jentzsch

[Capt Moore]

3 hours ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

Ok, that helps. There exists a mapping for the buttons you listed which is common to all controllers. But obviously (now) this conflicts with the buttons of the keyboard. The code should make sure this does not happen, but something does not work as planned here.

 

Edit: Fixed. Either build yourself, or wait for the next release.

Thanks,  I think building the fixed sd card myself is beyond me, but i will be happy to check it out the keyboard controllers in the next release and confirm.

 

Hopefully that kernel driver mod to zero out the deadzone when using the paddles will also be incorporated in the next release, but I understand if more time is required to figure out how to incorporate that into the retron.  Thanks so much for making this device much more like an easy to use HDMI 2600 for users like myself.

[dancero]

I have a problem winth retron. I am playing with any rom with stella 6.5.3 and at some point the image freezes and the console freezes and I have to turn it off. I have tried with several sdcards and the problem persists

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Try to reinstall Stella. If that doesn't help, you probably have a hardware problem. 

 

One idea: Is your room hotter than normal? 

 

Edited June 18, 2021 by Thomas Jentzsch

[dancero]

no, the room is ok

[+KaeruYojimbo]

Has anyone been using the TAC-2 or Slik Stik with their Retron? Mine doesn't seem to like either with the default firmware or the latest Stella build. Works fine with CX-40, Flashback sticks and a Wico stick.

[atarifan88]

On 7/9/2021 at 4:42 PM, KaeruYojimbo said:

Has anyone been using the TAC-2 or Slik Stik with their Retron? Mine doesn't see to like either with the default firmware or the latest Stella build. Works fine with CX-40, Flashback sticks and a Wico stick.

I use the TAC-2 for both ports and they work fine.  However, I'm still on the firmware for Stella 6.1 or 6.2, I can't remember which.  I haven't updated because my paddles work in this version and upgrading will affect it I'm sure.

[envytomdead2]

I was flipping back and forth between a 2600-daptor d9 and the controller ports using Hyperkin's trooper. Am I crazy or is there more lag coming through the Retron 77 controller ports than using the 2600-daptor?

[atarifan88]

I only use the Retron 77 controller ports and I don't notice any lag.  Maybe you need to adjust your TV settings.  Make sure you are in "game mode" on your TV.  That usually helps.

[+KaeruYojimbo]

On 7/12/2021 at 9:24 AM, atarifan88 said:

I use the TAC-2 for both ports and they work fine.  However, I'm still on the firmware for Stella 6.1 or 6.2, I can't remember which.  I haven't updated because my paddles work in this version and upgrading will affect it I'm sure.

I added an extension cable and they work fine now. I guess the plug wasn't able to go far enough into the Retron to make a connection.

 

I'm liking the Retron way more than I expected to. It's now my go-to for playing 2600 games.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

53 minutes ago, KaeruYojimbo said:

I'm liking the Retron way more than I expected to. It's now my go-to for playing 2600 games.

Glad you like it.

 

Which video settings are you using? 

[envytomdead2]

22 hours ago, atarifan88 said:

I only use the Retron 77 controller ports and I don't notice any lag.  Maybe you need to adjust your TV settings.  Make sure you are in "game mode" on your TV.  That usually helps.

My tv is in game mode. I didn't notice lag until I A/B between the two. Maybe it's just in my head.