Concerto firmware thread

[RevEng]

My 7800 has the RAM resistor too. It appears to be pulling WE up. I'm not sure if that's to delay the leading edge of a write, or to make it end quicker.

 

WE for both of the ram chips is common, so the resistor would affect both chips. It's also common to U12-4, where it's used to derive the clock for the INPTCTRL U11 flip-flop. Not sure which is the intended target for the fix... the ram chips, the flip-flop clock, or all of the above.

[+DrVenkman]

29 minutes ago, RevEng said:

My 7800 has the RAM resistor too. It appears to be pulling WE up. Not sure if that's to delay the leading edge of a write, or to make it end quicker.

 

WE for both of the ram chips is common, so the resistor would affect both chips. It's also common to U12-4, where it's used to derive the clock for the INPTCTRL U11 flip-flop. Not sure which is the intended target for the fix... the ram chips, U12-4, or all of the above.

I guess you could scope the pin as-is, then lift one leg and scope the signal again and compare. For what it’s worth (not much yet I know without a Concerto in hand ...), my AT-84 serial number unit with most chips date-coded in early 1984 has socketed Motorola SRAM and no such resistor is apparent. My A1 serial number unit, with some chips date-coded in 1987, has Sony SRAM and does have that resistor. 

[RevEng]

17 minutes ago, DrVenkman said:

I guess you could scope the pin as-is, then lift one leg and scope the signal again and compare. For what it’s worth (not much yet I know without a Concerto in hand ...), my AT-84 serial number unit with most chips date-coded in early 1984 has socketed Motorola SRAM and no such resistor is apparent. My A1 serial number unit, with some chips date-coded in 1987, has Sony SRAM and does have that resistor. 

I could, if I had a scope.  Since I only dabble in hardware, I've been getting by with just a cheap logic analyser.

 

I'm mostly uncertain about the specific target of the fix, rather than the general result. For that I think I'd have to give disabling it go, and see what it does, but the issue it protects against is likely some obscure edge case.

 

[+batari]

3 hours ago, DrVenkman said:

I bet @flashjazzcat could have had some good insight here, as he’s been been wrestling with code to read SD cards for the A8 SIDE3 cartridge project for many months now. Unfortunately this is probably another case where one corner of the retro-universe isn’t really paying attention nor aware of what’s going on in another corner. Not surprising, of course, just unfortunate. 

He might be having the same issues if he is sharing the bus for the SD card with other devices. The SD card reading seems to work fine, as I was able to detect when the SD card held onto the bus and the data is read in correctly even when there is a freeze. It's just that when the SD card is done and the Concerto wants to use the bus for something else, some SD cards don't let go of the bus. Fortunately I do have one errant card so I can test the issue myself.

 

A version with fixed SD card access and fixed menu freezes is currently being tested.

[+batari]

Here is version 0.95 of the firmware.

 

Changes:

- Fixed inability to read some SD cards. Menu now loads with cards that previously didn't work.

- Fixed freezes that some experienced when navigating the menu.

- SD card clock slowed down for compatibility with very old cards, with minimal change to game loading speed.

- Reworked joystick handing code.

- Improved error handling/display.

- Improved boot reliability.

 

This version needs a new bootloader, so currently it can't be updated through the menu if you are running 0.94 or below. Use the Harmony programming software here:

 

Linux 64-bit: https://github.com/sa666666/harmonycart/releases/download/release-1.3/harmonycart_1.3-1_amd64.deb
OSX: https://github.com/sa666666/harmonycart/releases/download/release-1.3/HarmonyCart-1.3-macosx.dmg
Windows: https://github.com/sa666666/harmonycart/releases/download/release-1.3/HarmonyCart-1.3-win32.exe
 

Plug in Concerto with your micro-USB cable, then start the software. If the cart isn't detected, you may need to install drivers. Generally, your OS will automatically find and install drivers, but if you need them, the purple PCB (older) Concertos use the FTDI drivers and green PCB (newer) Concertos use CH341 drivers, both of which are mentioned earlier in this thread and there should be links to download them.

 

Depending on when you bought your cart, you may need to remove the POKEY chip so the software can properly communicate. There is also a newer beta version of the Harmony programming software if you are having issues.

 

In the software, go to the EEPROM loader section and select the included eeloader_NTSC.bin (or similar) file, and click "download EEPROM." Make sure the download goes to 100%, and fully completes (text on the bottom of the window should indicate a successful download.) If it doesn't, you can retry.

 

Copy the file attached to this post to the root directory of your SD card. Make sure there are no other files starting with "hbios" on the card, or it may load that one instead.

 

Insert the card into Concerto and boot. It will boot into Harmony mode and update the firmware, and when it completes, it will show a success screen and ask you to press a button to continue. Instead of pressing a button, you should reboot the 7800. Now your new BIOS is installed, and you can do future updates through the menu.

 

If you install, please report your results with SD cards that previously did not boot, and of course the menu freezes.

hbios_concerto_0.95_SDcardfix.bin

[+splendidnut]

I got my Concerto yesterday and I'm having issues getting 7800 games to work.   Menu and file navigation seem to work fine and 2600 games load and run.  But 7800 games don't.  I cannot load/run the 7800 Utility cart ROM; it stalls out at 80% when loading.  Other 7800 ROMs either stall out while loading, load and switch to a blank screen, or load and switch to a scrambled screen.

I've tried firmware versions 0.92, 0.93, 0.94, and 0.95 without any luck. 

 

I'm using a SanDisk Ultra 16GB, 48MB/s SDHC card… I’ve also tried an 32GB/80MB/s SanDisk card as well.

My 7800 motherboard is C025233-001. Rev A.  - which has the expansion port and all the chips are socketed.

 

[tep392]

This may be a dumb questions, but is the cart supposed to be powered up in the console when I use programming tool?  

 

edit: I assumed the answer was no, but I was getting communication errors.  Removing the POKEY took care of it.

[RevEng]

3 minutes ago, tep392 said:

This may be a dumb questions, but is the cart supposed to be powered up in the console when I use programming tool?  

Not a dumb question. I'm not sure if it works with console on, but I remove the cart from the console entirely. It will receive power over usb.

[RevEng]

1 hour ago, splendidnut said:

I got my Concerto yesterday and I'm having issues getting 7800 games to work.   Menu and file navigation seem to work fine and 2600 games load and run.  But 7800 games don't.  I cannot load/run the 7800 Utility cart ROM; it stalls out at 80% when loading.  Other 7800 ROMs either stall out while loading, load and switch to a blank screen, or load and switch to a scrambled screen.

For rom load errors, the first thing to try would be just cleaning the slot. 7800 mode is higher frequency than 2600 mode, and involves the higher address pins.

[+batari]

1 hour ago, splendidnut said:

I got my Concerto yesterday and I'm having issues getting 7800 games to work.   Menu and file navigation seem to work fine and 2600 games load and run.  But 7800 games don't.  I cannot load/run the 7800 Utility cart ROM; it stalls out at 80% when loading.  Other 7800 ROMs either stall out while loading, load and switch to a blank screen, or load and switch to a scrambled screen.

I've tried firmware versions 0.92, 0.93, 0.94, and 0.95 without any luck. 

 

I'm using a SanDisk Ultra 16GB, 48MB/s SDHC card… I’ve also tried an 32GB/80MB/s SanDisk card as well.

My 7800 motherboard is C025233-001. Rev A.  - which has the expansion port and all the chips are socketed.

 

I found a potential issue with the secondary game loader that might solve this problem. Unless more are having this issue, I will move this to PM with a test firmware. Will be later tonight or tomorrow.

 

Currently I can't replicate the issue, but Shawn reported the same issue on a console that lacks a resistor on one of the memory chips (that later consoles have.) Later I may clip the resistor on one of my consoles and see if I can replicate it.

[tep392]

I've tested 0.95 and it fixed the problem with the SD cards that wouldn't work for me.

[Shawn]

Just starting poking around on this 7800. It is not the RIOT, TIA or MARIA changes that made it work. Both versions of each chip all worked with the Concerto as desired. It is not the resistor alone that made a difference either as I disconnected it and it still worked. I have not switched out the ram back to the Hitachi that was in it before when not working but will do so right soon and report back after that. 

 

So the resistor off the write enable line of that 2k sram is not directly involved. It could be the ram itself and I will report back on that ASAP.

[tep392]

5 minutes ago, Shawn said:

Just starting poking around on this 7800. It is not the RIOT, TIA or MARIA changes that made it work. Both versions of each chip all worked with the Concerto as desired. It is not the resistor alone that made a difference either as I disconnected it and it still worked. I have not switched out the ram back to the Hitachi that was in it before when not working but will do so right soon and report back after that. 

 

So the resistor off the write enable line of that 2k sram is not directly involved. It could be the ram itself and I will report back on that ASAP.

I just checked my board with the sony+resistor.  The trace on the back side of the board was cut (drilled), as I was expecting. Since your early board came without the resistor, the trace would still be intact unless you cut it.  So your resistor was shorted by the trace, and was doing nothing. 

[Shawn]

14 minutes ago, tep392 said:

I just checked my board with the sony+resistor.  The trace on the back side of the board was cut (drilled), as I was expecting. Since your early board came without the resistor, the trace would still be intact unless you cut it.  So your resistor was shorted by the trace, and was doing nothing. 

 

Very good. I didn't check it as I was originally just doing a straight swap of all the major IC's. So the there is only one chip (the CPU) and the 2 sram's to swap at this point to pinpoint what was causing it not to work previously and what the change was that got it working as desired.

[Shawn]

46 minutes ago, tep392 said:

The trace on the back side of the board was cut (drilled).

 

Just looked and confirmed the same. Trace was drilled.

[RevEng]

1 hour ago, tep392 said:

I just checked my board with the sony+resistor.  The trace on the back side of the board was cut (drilled), as I was expecting. 

Nice find. ? So not a pull-up like I initially thought, but instead in-line between U12-3 and the RAM WE. (and U12-4)

[Shawn]

Seeing as this thread is also for suggestions, I would like to suggest something different for the start up aside from the quick strobing color changes as I believe that would be enough for those with epilepsy and other similar afflictions to be triggered into a seizure  While it's pretty to most, it's pretty dangerous to some. I already warned one friend not to look at the screen when it starts up for this very reason.

[+sramirez2008]

On 12/20/2020 at 3:48 PM, RevEng said:

It would be good if everybody reporting an issue could try out the "internal ram test" menu item in the same 7800 utilitycart rom, and advise if it was clean or not with your report.

Can you send me the 7800 utilitycart ROM? I don't see, to have it.

 

Btw, I upgraded to .95 and I have not experienced a single crash. The 7800 Retail ROMs that I tested all worked. I also tested Popeye and it continues to work. I did have to remove my POKEY chip in order for the eeloader to take.

 

I tested several Atari and Imagic games and they all started up/played fine, however I am unable to get H.E.R.O. or Beamrider to work. Had to stop and was unable to continue testing Activision games.

[Trebor]

29 minutes ago, sramirez2008 said:

Can you send me the 7800 utilitycart ROM? I don't see, to have it.

 

Or just click here. 

It's part of Trebors 7800 ROM PROPack, too. 

[+sramirez2008]

1 hour ago, Trebor said:

 

Or just click here. 

It's part of Trebors 7800 ROM PROPack, too. 

I'm ashamed to say that I downloaded your ProPack...not sure how I missed it.

 

Thank you.

Passed.

 

 

[+ZeroPage Homebrew]

6 hours ago, batari said:

If you install, please report your results with SD cards that previously did not boot, and of course the menu freezes.

 

The 0.95 firmware install went perfect and my Transcend 2GB SD card that was not working is now working! I also navigated through a ton of menus and loaded a dozen or so games without any difficulty.

 

Thanks Fred!

 

- James

 

Edited December 23, 2020 by ZeroPage Homebrew

[Swami]

Sorry for the dumb question, but the past few firmwares have had the hbios *.bin and then the *.cbi, but 0.95 only has the *.bin, so what do I do with the 0.93 cbi, do I keep it in the root or do i delete it?

[+mksmith]

25 minutes ago, Swami said:

Sorry for the dumb question, but the past few firmwares have had the hbios *.bin and then the *.cbi, but 0.95 only has the *.bin, so what do I do with the 0.93 cbi, do I keep it in the root or do i delete it?

Hi! The .cbi updates are applied directly via the inbuilt cart updater so your 0.93 cbi can be removed unless you wish to keep it for prosperity or for returning to that version at a later date.

 

[Swami]

I'm not sure where the cutoff is for 2600 complexity or if we will get Encore level compatibility, but wwith 0.95 Space Rocks and Draconian did not load, along with other complex 2600 games. For 7800, Milli and Molly loads and has some sort of sound effects but is all scrambled, Pac Man Collection 40th Anniv has no sound, but BBCQ still plays with POKEY sound.

[mimo]

On 12/15/2020 at 9:40 AM, batari said:

Some 2600 games not booting:

I got a report of some 2600 games not booting. Some of the 2600 bankswitch schemes are not implemented in Concerto mode (if you load Harmony Encore firmware, they all work, but eventually I will get them all going without having to do that.) However, some 2600 games should work, so will look into that.