Spectrum Computing

Ast A. Moore wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2020 1:26 pm I don’t know if it’s related to the above, but both builds (yesterday’s and today’s) crash upon exit with

Code: Select all

Unhandled exception: page fault on read access to 0xfffffffc in 32-bit code (0x00b129e4).

Granted, this is running it in Wine, although 3.1.b160318 never gave me that error.

Does this one work without the error?
https://keybase.pub/woodywoodster/spece ... 090220.zip

XoRRoX wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2020 2:17 pm Thanks for the new version, Mark

Also for correcting the black-brightness bug

I'm having trouble with the latest one you posted to have it remember the latest machine when closing it. Could polomint's version somehow be conflicting with it, or what could be the cause?

Also, following this discussion: viewtopic.php?f=23&t=1045&start=30
What are your thoughts on this? And if the results are found to be correct and not implemented yet, could you please do so in the main version?

I'll take a look at the latest machine problem. The AY noise period should be fixed in this version. Are you still having problems?

Woodster wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 8:22 pm It's been quite a while since I released anything, and I haven't exactly been busy with it, but here's the latest version:
https://keybase.pub/woodywoodster/spece ... 080220.zip

We now have +2A emulation, bug fixes, new bugs..

Thanks Woody, it's always a pleasure to see a new SpecEmu version.
No doubt you did a great job, as always.

Woodster wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2020 4:33 pm Does this one work without the error?
https://keybase.pub/woodywoodster/spece ... 090220.zip

Oh, yeah! That’s the good stuff.

About the latest machine issue: I've also used polomint's SpecEmu version in the past - could it possibly be related to both using the same config file? To test, I thought about deleting it and trying your version again but seem to be unable to find it.

XoRRoX wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2020 6:37 am About the latest machine issue: I've also used polomint's SpecEmu version in the past - could it possibly be related to both using the same config file? To test, I thought about deleting it and trying your version again but seem to be unable to find it.

Should be fixed in this new version now: https://keybase.pub/woodywoodster/spece ... 130220.zip

Woodster wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2020 1:01 pm

XoRRoX wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2020 6:37 am About the latest machine issue: I've also used polomint's SpecEmu version in the past - could it possibly be related to both using the same config file? To test, I thought about deleting it and trying your version again but seem to be unable to find it.

Should be fixed in this new version now: https://keybase.pub/woodywoodster/spece ... 130220.zip

I was also having the problem and confirmed it is fixed on this version.

Great - latest machine issue is indeed fixed.
Regarding the sound: am I understanding correctly that the change described in that threat is now integrated in this version?
I'm fooling around with ym->mym conversions and needing a reference that I can fairly trust and in general, SpecEmu is my go-to emu.

Joystick input doesn't seem to work... I have XBox One gamepad and Hori Fighting Stick Mini, and when I set Kempston (any port) for input dev 1, 2 all I got is player1 moving and firing randomly on screen...

Thanks for the latest release Woody.


Just throwing these ideas around....

Soft Reset Icon.
Please give the soft reset button a 'confirm reset Yes/No' requester, and/or let the use remove it from the tool bar.

Tick.. tick.. click click
Please remove the very annoying clicking noise when selecting the menu and options.


Full screen mode.
It currently jumps into a horrible 640x480 fuzzy stretched screen, the options requester 'OK and 'Cancel' buttons are hidden below the screen and need to be dragged up to be found.
Allow the user to set the resolution of the full screen mode (800x600, 1024x768, 1366x788 or whatever)
Full screen should stay in the correct ratio. In the options menu give the user the option of ticking 'use horrible, nasty and utterly pointless stretch-o-vision.'
Full screen should stay with correct crisp upscaling or let the user select 'nasty fuzzy-o-vision.'
Give the option of border size of NONE (no border), SMALL (16 pixels wide), MEDIUM (32 pixels wide) or FULL.
- remember to keep the correct ratio.


Border mode.
Keep it simple, NONE (no border), SMALL (16 pixels wide), MEDIUM (32 pixels wide) or FULL (everything)


Ta!

hexaae wrote: ↑Thu Feb 27, 2020 4:54 pm Joystick input doesn't seem to work... I have XBox One gamepad and Hori Fighting Stick Mini, and when I set Kempston (any port) for input dev 1, 2 all I got is player1 moving and firing randomly on screen...

Please, others can confirm that Joystick emu isn't working well for many games including Atic Atac, After the War, etc... ?

Moreover I noticed this strange behaviour:
Kempston (port 31) works fine with Cybernoid, but my Hori Fighting Stick Mini 4 stick (XInput device, DPAD/POV-hat for directions) can't detect left+up, left+down, right+up, right+down as diagonal directions. Looks like it can't detect multiple directions at once in short.

REQUEST:
remap additional controller physical buttons (X, B, Y, RT, LT, etc.) to editable Spectrum keyboard keys. This could be handy with games requiring more than one standard fire button: (e.g.) to open inventory, jump, launch granade with 2nd key etc...

I have switched to SpecEmu as my default emulator and I have been ecstatic with it's ease of use and accuracy and especially its debugger. There are a few request I would like to make.

DEBUGGER:
Would love to have a GOTO bar above the program window instead of having to go to Edit - Go to, where you can place in the address you would like to jump to.

In the program window, it would be handy to have an indicator of the line currently being executed rather than to have to look at the PC register.

Would like to be able to jump to various pages to view the code/data in that particular page. So for example, while I'm in the home bank, would like to be able to jump to bank 4 to see code in bank 4.

Perhaps have some user defined shortcut keys for various Debug options like CTRL-H to run until you encounter a HALT, like one can do with Debug - Run Until - OP Code - HALT.

Thanks
Andy Dansby

Being able to reset the Spectrum during debugging without removing the break points would also be handy during a debugging session.

Andy Dansby

Yesterday, I tried some short basic programs, which we tested undocumented ULA behavior known as "ULA artefacts" many years ago.
I tried all these programs, but this example with stripes on black background, no longer works on the latest couple of SpecEmu versions I tried.
https://omega.webnode.com/news/another-ula-effect/

Then, I tested with the version from 2018 and it worked fine there.
Looks like something's broken and we need a fix.
Here are all the tests, the others seem to be still working fine.
http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?fi ... 3877256340

 

I noticed that SpecEmu, always opens full screen mode in 640x480 resolution and 75 Hz refresh rate.
This is quite inconvenient, especially when emulator is used on an LCD TV screen, because you can't get full synchronization with a 50 Hz refresh rate for a perfectly smooth scroll.
If its possible to correct this, that emulator uses full screen mode at 50/60Hz refresh rate by default, depending on the selected mode ?
The ability to select different resolutions for full screen mode, also would be very useful.
In windowed mode, these problems do not exist, the screen is perfectly synchronized and smooth.

Pegaz wrote: ↑Fri Nov 20, 2020 6:34 pm I noticed that SpecEmu, always opens full screen mode in 640x480 resolution and 75 Hz refresh rate.
...
In windowed mode, these problems do not exist, the screen is perfectly synchronized and smooth.

I think you need another solution than just changing setting in "specemu.ini" to StartFullscreen=0

You prefer FullScreenMode?

Well, ALT + Enter is always my preferred solution for full screen mode and works with almost all emulators.
The problem is, that SpecEmu is forcing 640x480 75 Hz resolution, no matter which mode I choose in windows settings.
I tried various other emulators with my LCD TV and 720p 50 Hz resolution set in windows and they always kept that selected resolution in full screen mode... all except SpecEmu..

I´m pretty sure it´s not a "fault" of SpecEmu. Your problem should be found within Win10-Display-Settings or Graphics-Card-Driver-Settings:

Read e.g. here: https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/co ... ning_full/
(found with Google-Search "windows 10 fullscreen refresh rate").

Also you may experiment with these settings in SpecEmu.INI:
DirectDraw Acceleration=1 (or 0)
VSync=0 (or 1)

Still, no luck.
I tried various resolutions and refresh rates in my graphics card settings (I use win 7 ultimate), but every time SpecEmu switch them to 640x480 75Hz or if I use a clone display to 1024x768 70 Hz in full screen mode on my LCD TV.
For example, Spectaculator has two very useful options in the advanced settings/display section, to change or keep dektop resolution, as well as the "Use default refresh rate (LCD panels)" option, which I can use to keep the resolution and refresh rate exactly as I set it in windows and gives me full synchronization and super smooth scroll on TV in full screen mode.
For some reason SpecEmu forces VGA resolutions and doesn’t allow me to use 720p or 1080p 50hz on my HD TV.
I hope Woody can help, changing the resolution in SpecEmu.ini didn't work, becouse SpecEmu just changed those resolutions on the fly and set one of these VGA resolutions again...

Pegaz wrote: ↑Sat Nov 21, 2020 11:17 am For some reason SpecEmu forces VGA resolutions and doesn’t allow me to use 720p or 1080p 50hz on my HD TV.
I hope Woody can help, changing the resolution in SpecEmu.ini didn't work, becouse SpecEmu just changed those resolutions on the fly and set one of these VGA resolutions again...

Which graphics Card do you use? An ATI/AMD? Do you use Windows/Microsoft-driver or Driver from maker of the graphics-card? Enabled those TV-Modes in the graphic-cards driver?

btw. I never really used SpecEmus Fullscreen-Mode until now. I really like it I use Win10 x64. I should try this all with another monitor as mine sadly don´t display refresh rates and resolutions.

It has nothing to do with the driver, apparently its SpecEmu limitation.
Like I said, most other emulators work the way they should, using my default windows desktop settings for full screen resolution/refresh rate on HD TV.
btw, I know the basics, so please skip the 24 beginner questions.
At first, I thought you were giving me some advice from experience with this problem, but if you have just tried full screen with emulators on your monitor, then we're pretty much stuck, I'm afraid...
My primary intention is to use Spectrum emulators from my laptop on a TV screen via HDMI connection, and I have already explained the reasons earlier.
I know it’s very hard to get a chance to talk to Woody and how rarely he shows up here, so I was hoping he would at least answer something, with some advice, especially if I’m making a fundamental mistake somewhere.

Pegaz wrote: ↑Sat Nov 21, 2020 5:24 pm I know it’s very hard to get a chance to talk to Woody and how rarely he shows up here, so I was hoping he would at least answer something, with some advice, especially if I’m making a fundamental mistake somewhere.

If you are on WOS you may talk to user "Polomint" who created extended SpecEmu-Versions in the past.

btw. Found news about two days old, new SpecEmu-Version here:
https://zx-pk.ru/threads/12617-specemu. ... ost1090159

Download: https://keybase.pub/woodywoodster/spece ... 201120.zip
From Changelog:
v3.1 build 20/11/20
-------------------
Fixed minor ULAplus bug

Hi [mention]Luzie[/mention],

Woodster already posted about the new version here:

viewtopic.php?p=50742#p50742

He fixed it after we did a thread on a Christmas demo.

Pegaz wrote: ↑Fri Nov 20, 2020 6:34 pmI noticed that SpecEmu, always opens full screen mode in 640x480 resolution and 75 Hz refresh rate.
This is quite inconvenient, especially when emulator is used on an LCD TV screen, because you can't get full synchronization with a 50 Hz refresh rate for a perfectly smooth scroll.
If its possible to correct this, that emulator uses full screen mode at 50/60Hz refresh rate by default, depending on the selected mode ?
The ability to select different resolutions for full screen mode, also would be very useful.
In windowed mode, these problems do not exist, the screen is perfectly synchronized and smooth.

Are you sure it is a SpecEmu "feature"?

Most flat monitors are "locked" to a few refresh settings, although the manual says it accepts a range of frequencies (i.e.: 640x480 modes may use 60, 72 or 75Hz). Older CRT monitors were more flexible.

In this case, you won't get 640x480@50Hz... because the monitor won't allow that (and if you force that mode, you'll get a black screen with the nasty "Out of sync" message).

Last month I bought a new CRT monitor that has Freesync support. With that feature active the frame counter on my screen goes between 99 and 102 fps, that seems correct for an "about 50Hz" device.

BTW Bitdefender insists on locking your emulator, saying it is infected with "Gen:Variant.Razy.791762"...