FinalGROM /4 patch - here it is :)

[+acadiel]

39 minutes ago, OLD CS1 said:

Does the /4 patch also fix the QI problem?

Speech seems louder than the 4A.

I do not have a QI, but the /4 acts like a QI in that it does not scan ROM space for headers, so the FinalGROM patch should help if the KSCAN issue is related.  It was previously patched to show the menu entry [#2] as a GROM library in the FinalGROM source. If the QI is still showing problems after those two patches (the authors GROM boot and my KSCAN fix), then there’s another issue. 

[+OLD CS1]

29 minutes ago, acadiel said:

I do not have a QI, but the /4 acts like a QI in that it does not scan ROM space for headers, so the FinalGROM patch should help if the KSCAN issue is related.  It was previously patched to show the menu entry [#2] as a GROM library in the FinalGROM source. If the QI is still showing problems after those two patches (the authors GROM boot and my KSCAN fix), then there’s another issue. 

The QI issue is not about the v2.2 OS, but some timing issue (or something) which exists with the QI motherboard, even running the 1981 OS.  There is a thread around here where a patched firmware was released.

 

Here it is:

 

[jrhodes]

It would be nice to have a universal patch to apply that made the finalgrom work on all TI computers; /4, /4a, Q.I., v2.2 .

[+acadiel]

1 hour ago, jrhodes said:

It would be nice to have a universal patch to apply that made the finalgrom work on all TI computers; /4, /4a, Q.I., v2.2 .

That would be up to Ralph.  I included my changes in the source zip, so anyone is welcome to incorporate my fix with theirs and release a combo patch.  Ralph currently is still at 1.3 in his repo and has not included the 2.2 fix.  I've also tagged him with my fix, so maybe he will put both.  I didn't see a source file on the first cursory look at the thread linked above, otherwise I could easily change and recompile it.

 

In the meantime, mine has a /4 in the upper right corner to show it's for the /4 and /4A (but apparently not QI), but primarily for adding the /4.

[JJB]

On 7/10/2024 at 10:39 AM, jrhodes said:

It would be nice to have a universal patch to apply that made the finalgrom work on all TI computers; /4, /4a, Q.I., v2.2 .

Although I don't have a /4, my patch has been tested on (an arguably small) batch of multiple models of 4a / QI / v22. It took a while to debug but the shortcomings of the initial firmware to support the various models were fairly obvious in the end and the fixes quite straightforward. This firmware update is by all means universal, and I recommend installing it for the 4a as well as it has improved GROM emulation timings. It fixed a number of buggy FG99 cartridges on vanilla 4a's.

 

Keep in mind that the underlying hardware is ancient and some negative test result(s) may have other causes than buggy FG99 firmware.

[+arcadeshopper]

On 7/9/2024 at 4:56 PM, OLD CS1 said:

Does the /4 patch also fix the QI problem?

Speech seems louder than the 4A.

no the qi problem is related to missing signals and timing

this is just a kscan change

[+OLD CS1]

2 hours ago, arcadeshopper said:

no the qi problem is related to missing signals and timing

this is just a kscan change

@acadiel and talked about this tonight.  We are going to try something with my spare FG99 at the show which might work to combine the two updates.

[+acadiel]

On 7/12/2024 at 11:18 PM, OLD CS1 said:

@acadiel and talked about this tonight.  We are going to try something with my spare FG99 at the show which might work to combine the two updates.

Yep, if @JJB just updated the FPGA core with their patch and all I did was update the AVR core with my patch, we can simply do those both and get the best of each. 

 

Else, JJB will need to release their assembly mods to me so I can recompile my mods with theirs for the AVR part.  And then people will have to follow their instructions to do the FPGA and AVR upgrades.  
 

As part of the GPL license, @JJB, I didn’t see your source code anywhere.  Can you please release it?  

[JJB]

Here you go; my changes / additions for both the CPLD and AVR source are marked with "JB".

JB_basic.vhdl JB_menu.a99

[Gary from OPA]

39 minutes ago, JJB said:

Here you go; my changes / additions for both the CPLD and AVR source are marked with "JB".

JB_basic.vhdl 11.95 kB · 0 downloads JB_menu.a99 12.96 kB · 0 downloads

Do you have any idea, why I can't update the AVR file that was released for the QI patch, it doesn't update on my finalgrom only the cpld part. But I have no issues flashing the original 1.3 AVR or cold files. I have tried the /4 patch, since I don't have a 4 console but I do have a QI do would be nice for the update to work.

[JJB]

Can you forward the QI AVR file that doesn't work?

[+acadiel]

 

21 hours ago, JJB said:

Here you go; my changes / additions for both the CPLD and AVR source are marked with "JB".

JB_basic.vhdl 11.95 kB · 1 download JB_menu.a99 12.96 kB · 1 download

Great!  So, summary for everyone:

 

AVR:

• This beta patch (I still need to test it, try it at your own risk) should fix both the /4 and the QI problem on the AVR.  It integrates my code and JB's code.  (There were zero errors at compile time, but the spacing on the top line might be off one char, since I tried to put JB's initials there.)
• This is for the main AVR code; please don't touch your boot rom.
• You can copy this beta UPDATE.AVR to your FAT/FAT32 formatted SD card and put it in the FinalGROM.  Power up.  It will read the update.  I let it sit for 10-20 seconds and reboot, and check the FinalGROM status screen and see if it changed.  You should see a "C17RB QIJB /4JG" where the copyright is.  Best I could do
• Note, if you have not previously patched your FinalGROM for the QI, see the FPGA bullet below, as you will have to update it.

 FPGA:

• This is needed if you want the FinalGROM to work on the QI consoles.  You can use JB's UPDATE.PLD file they already released.  No changes are needed to the compilation, so I'm not going to bother recompiling it.  

 

finalgrom_beta_4-QI-avr.zip

[Gary from OPA]

still the same on my FG99, the UPDATE.AVR file no matter what SDCard I copy it to, just causes my FG99 led light to blink super-super-fast non-stop, with it never updating.

[JJB]

26 minutes ago, Gary from OPA said:

still the same on my FG99, the UPDATE.AVR file no matter what SDCard I copy it to, just causes my FG99 led light to blink super-super-fast non-stop, with it never updating.

Are you sure you are able to flash the original update (1.3?) though? Since that version is already present it might give the impression flashing is successful even if it fails (if that makes sense 🙂 )

 

I was reading back through the email conversation I had with Ralph while working on these patches and we discussed some FG99 cartridges having trouble updating the AVR. He already added a 5ms delay + retry in his code, maybe this needs to be further extended. I don't have the toolchain set up anymore though so can't compile an update easily.

[Gary from OPA]

37 minutes ago, JJB said:

Are you sure you are able to flash the original update (1.3?) though? Since that version is already present it might give the impression flashing is successful even if it fails (if that makes sense 🙂 )

 

I was reading back through the email conversation I had with Ralph while working on these patches and we discussed some FG99 cartridges having trouble updating the AVR. He already added a 5ms delay + retry in his code, maybe this needs to be further extended. I don't have the toolchain set up anymore though so can't compile an update easily.

I will try the 1.3 update again first to see. Also my fg99 is one that it has sdcard plugin board not surface mount, I read before that effects the timing as well. I will take some pictures of it tomorrow also.