SIDPLAYER for VGA

Oldbitcollector (Jeff) · 2012-06-11 20:14

Just finished up a revision of my SIDPLAYER for VGA configurations. (Updated)

Designed with QuickVGA+ in mind, this will work on any Demoboard setup with additional SD configuration.

Grab a copy it from here (There is a file of SID DMP files as well)

Edit: Ahle2 was kind enough to share his personal DMP collection as well:
SidDumpsMegaArchive_zip
OriginalSIDcogDemoTunes_zip

Dump the DMP files into a folder called "dmp" on your SD card.

OBC

Dr_Acula · 2012-06-11 21:08

Hey, that looks fun!

I'm barely keeping up with all your cool code at the moment. Keep up the good work OBC.

pik33 · 2012-06-11 23:03

Tested your player

Nice 8-bit look

It doesn't work in overclocked environment (vga driver fails)
It can see only 10 (from over 100) files on my fat32 sdhc card (it seems only Kye's SD driver can read this card well) ....

It looks that it is a time to have a vga media player. At least two of us started to making one.

I started this from something like "dos" - now it has only two commands. "dir" to list a directory and "play" to play a sid.
And it was a first try to get it all working together: Kye's fat32 driver, Ahle's sidcog, kbd/mouse combo and my Nostalgic VGA.

Oldbitcollector (Jeff) · 2012-06-12 09:21

@pik33

Nice! I need to work Kye's fat32 driver back into my code. My version of Sidplayer currently uses fsrw meaning that your DMP files need to be in the root of the SD card.

OBC

onewheeltom · 2012-06-12 10:14

It figures, I just finished adding "composite out" to my VGA+ board, and now I don't need it. :-)

Standardizing on drivers for SD and VGA would be a good next progression. At the very least, document which SD driver and VGA driver is being used. This would be much more friendly to Propeller novices like myself. The current situation can be a bit frustrating.

--tom

pik33 · 2012-06-12 10:18

Next version. The code is now a heap of mess, but it works. Now it tries to read a file header and make use of it if found (song name and play frequency)

Oldbitcollector (Jeff) · 2012-06-12 10:30

@Tom,

Sorry about that!

I really prefer the look/accuracy of the VGA picture over the composite NTSC signal. With the recent work being done by Karl, Alex, Marko, and pik33, we've got a lot of really great options for VGA displays.

@pik33,

Love the highlighter approach to selecting a SID file! Well done!

OBC

pik33 · 2012-06-12 10:48

Standardizing on drivers for SD and VGA would be a good next progression. At the very least, document which SD driver and VGA driver is being used.

--tom

There is only one SD driver which can work with SDHC FAT32 cards: Kye's one.

It is harder to use than fsrw, (I still have to understand how to handle this abort stuff it uses instead of error codes) but fsrw can't see all files in the main directory of my 8 GB SDHC card.

And, yes, there are A LOT of different drivers for everything.... and I I added another one for vga...

Ahle2 · 2012-06-12 12:30

Nice to see so much interest in SID-players from a lot of different individuals.

I had to dig out my old demo board (it's from 2007) to test out these VGA enabled players. I was shocked once again of the POOR audio quality. I wonder if Parallax fixed the low cutoff frequency on the demo board and C3??
It really is a matter of awful versus quite good. I'm guessing that some people turns down the Propeller as a viable solution for audio playback when they have tested the demo board. (or the C3)

pik33 · 2012-06-12 12:54

My demo board outputs a good sound. Sidcog sound from demo board seems to be better than PC Sid players. I didn't notice too low cut frequency - maybe this is fixed version...
And if these audio circuits are not good... maybe it is worth to try some free demo board pins (4..7, 0..3 are used by sd card) with RC circuit as audio out?

Ahle2 · 2012-06-12 13:25

@pik33
Have a look at this old thread: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?129224
The difference is quite big!

pik33 · 2012-06-12 13:34

... listened to these samples - this demoboard has too low cut frequency, too.

Now, two things to do (1) measure it (2) make a correction...

onewheeltom · 2012-06-12 16:10

I can't tell which file is the main. The best I get is a blank screen when I load and run "siddos".

I am using the GadgetGangster VGA+. Do I need to change any code?

Thanks,
Tom

kuroneko · 2012-06-12 16:14

onewheeltom wrote: »

I can't tell which file is the main. The best I get is a blank screen when I load and run "siddos".

This is the main file. However, it's still set to what seems to be the authors favourite clock frequency (117MHz). Try adjusting that for your board.

Oldbitcollector (Jeff) · 2012-06-12 16:25

@Pik33,

Could you post a copy of your work that runs that these settings?

   _clkmode  = xtal1 + pll16x
   _xinfreq  = 5_000_000

OBC

onewheeltom · 2012-06-12 17:24

Jeff,

I'm only seeing the DMP files that are in DOS filename format (8.3). The other names show up truncated. Even if I type in the full file name, it fails (flips to the start screen, then right back).

--tom

Oldbitcollector (Jeff) wrote: »

Just finished up a revision of my SIDPLAYER for VGA configurations.

Designed with QuickVGA+ in mind, this will work on any Demoboard setup with additional SD configuration.

Grab a copy it from here (There is a file of SID DMP files as well)

OBC

Oldbitcollector (Jeff) · 2012-06-12 20:49

@Tom,

I've updated the SIDPLAYER, (grab a new copy from the archive) with KyeDos so it should support the files now. Naturally, you'll need to type them in in their "truncated" form for them to load. Also, create a sub-directory on your SD card called, "dmp" and move them all there. This version supports Kye's sub directory commands.

OBC

Oldbitcollector (Jeff) · 2012-06-12 20:52

onewheeltom wrote: »

I can't tell which file is the main. The best I get is a blank screen when I load and run "siddos".

I am using the GadgetGangster VGA+. Do I need to change any code?

Thanks,
Tom

Looks like there is a timing issue in the pik33's VGA code. I'm getting a flashing screen here.
Edit: Looks like Marko's got a fix, but I'll let him post it.

OBC

kuroneko · 2012-06-12 21:33

I added a modified driver in the [post=1104330]driver main thread[/post]. Only the sync issue has been addressed.

pik33 · 2012-06-12 21:37

Oldbitcollector (Jeff) wrote: »
@Pik33,

Could you post a copy of your work that runs that these settings?
   _clkmode  = xtal1 + pll16x
   _xinfreq  = 5_000_000
OBC

Comment _clkfreq=117_xxx_xxx in the header
Uncomment _clkfreq=80_000_000
I change these 3 crystals (5,6.25,7.3) from time to time to test if it works and it is why there are 3 _clkfreq lines in the header (2 of them commented)
It should work.

pik33 · 2012-06-12 23:40

kuroneko wrote: »

I added a modified driver in the [post=1104330]driver main thread[/post]. Only the sync issue has been addressed.

Added a new version of this driver with positive sync, frq manually patched for 80 MHz and some bug fixes.

pik33 · 2012-06-13 02:12

Ahle2 wrote: »

@pik33
Have a look at this old thread: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?129224
The difference is quite big!

Measured my board output with oscilloscope. There is low pass filter there....

pik33 · 2012-06-13 05:11

Sidplayer 0.03

Changes:
- some mess removed
- some bugs removed
- used new vga driver version with positive sync and patched frqa
- default clkfreq set at 80 MHz

Main file is siddos.spin

Oldbitcollector (Jeff) · 2012-06-13 09:12

Nice player!

I added a couple line to give it folder support "\DMP" Those DMP files can become a bit of a mess when you've got a bunch of them.

siddos.spin

Do you mind if I add a copy of this to my VGA program archive?

OBC

pik33 · 2012-06-13 10:33

Add it

It is stil early experimental alpha version.. but it can work. I tried this trick with "dmp" directory, too...

Change this:

fat.changeDirectory(@folder)

to this:

\fat.changeDirectory(@folder)

(in both players)

to catch an abort. Without it the program will hang, if there is not "dmp" directory on disk. With it it will simply work in main dir

Oldbitcollector (Jeff) · 2012-06-13 15:19

pik33 wrote: »

Add it It is stil early experimental alpha version.. but it can work. I tried this trick with "dmp" directory, too...

Change this:

fat.changeDirectory(@folder)

to this:

\fat.changeDirectory(@folder)

(in both players)

to catch an abort. Without it the program will hang, if there is not "dmp" directory on disk. With it it will simply work in main dir

Good catch! I'll add it to both!

OBC

pik33 · 2012-06-14 05:30

New version

Alpha warning!!! Alpha, alpha, alpha... Needs heavy debugging. It can hang when changing a tune. VGA driver needs heavy debugging and updating, too

New user interface
Playing method with separate cog, doesn't interfere with user interface
There is place for directory selector

Edit: and no more muffled demoboard sound. I patched it with 680 R resistors.

pik33 · 2012-06-15 01:49

Waitcnt warning....

It is easy to write something, which plays. It is much harder to do it well...

This main loop play code looks like it is working well

repeat
  waitcnt(cnt + (clkfreq/playRate))
  c:=fat.readdata(@buffer2,25)
  sid.updateRegisters(@buffer2)
until (c<>25)

but it delays. @ 200 Hz, it plays 10 sec of music in about 12 seconds

This doesn't delay:

repeat
  q:=q+(clkfreq/playRate)
  waitcnt(q)
  c:=fat.readdata(@buffer2,25)
  sid.updateRegisters(@buffer2)
until (c<>25)

but hangs somewhere about 200 Hz playrate. Sometimes this:

c:=fat.readdata(@buffer2,25)

is too slow and then it will wait full cnt circle

So maybe this...

repeat
  repeat until cnt>wait              
  wait:=wait+w
  c:=fat.readdata(@buffer2,25)
  sid.updateRegisters(@buffer2)
until (c<>25)

This glitches from time to time (it seems to glitch every several tens of seconds...it seems once at every cnt full loop)
This:

  wait:=(wait+w)
  if (cnt<(wait-1000))
     waitcnt(wait)

glitches, too

Both of these two procedures hangs for about a second every cnt full circle.. when cnt go over $8000_0000

This works:

repeat
  wait:=wait+w
  ifnot (cnt>0) and (wait<0)
    repeat until cnt>wait
  else
    repeat until cnt<0
    repeat until cnt>wait
  c:=fat.readdata(@buffer2,25)
  sid.updateRegisters(@buffer2)
  time:=time+100000/playrate
until (c<>25)

And this is still a raw patch, not a solution. The problem is caused by too slow unbuffered sector read from SD. SD reading has to be removed from play loop. The play loop has to read buffered data delivered by another thread / another cog.

But it still can play...

pik33 · 2012-06-15 05:26

This one seems to not hang, delay and glitch. Plays files from /dmp directory. VGA driver pll settings changed from pll/2 to pll/4 - it seems to give a better picture quality.

Of course still alpha...

onewheeltom · 2012-06-15 10:15

Have not tested this one yet. Version "sidplay003" fixed the VGA display problem. Is there any way to stop a song once it has started?

Also, which file is the main? In the "sidplay005" release, there was no "siddos.spin", so I copied over the siddos.spin from the previous version. Did not work.

I was planning to demo this at Maker Faire NC tomorrow :

http://makerfairenc.com

Do you want me to include your name and/or URL in the information about your software? I want to properly credit you. Send by private message if you wish.

--tom

pik33 wrote: »

This one seems to not hang, delay and glitch. Plays files from /dmp directory. VGA driver pll settings changed from pll/2 to pll/4 - it seems to give a better picture quality.

Of course still alpha...

Oldbitcollector (Jeff) · 2012-06-15 10:29

@Tom,

I'm curious if this one is working for you? (Since there are actually two different players discussed on this thread.)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jz1rz0wzr58yto9/VGASIDPLAYER.zip

OBC

SIDPLAYER for VGA

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