Hi-Def NES HDMI Adapter for the NES

[lidnariq]

Here's a few more random brainstorming ideas, mostly things that might help game development:
* Detect bad cartridge insertion ... whatever that means...
* Display raw PPU fetches (producing a 336x240 image instead of 256x240)
* Visually overlay when /IRQ fires

[kevtris]

Ah, I see. Well, I really like the idea of clean and modern output from the NES. Especially being able to get 60 fps output instead of interlaced 30 fps without an expensive converter would be great. I suppose it depends on how much this costs, as well. Do you have to desolder both the PPU and CPU to install?

I`d actually like to see the whole package, new and clean though. My old NES is a bit temperamental, and of course there`s the ZIF connector hassle. I'd love an all-new replacement.

Yes you have to desolder both the PPU and CPU, because it spies on the CPU bus too for getting the audio register writes and DPCM DMA contents and to read the controller.


Small update:

Working on adding HQX scaling (2x, 3x, and 4x). I have the guts of the code written for it, just need to calculate the tables and then I get to test it out.

[game-tech.us]

Last of the 3 part series:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2y7LIcybfc

[RETROGAMING-MODS]

I'm looking forward to this being ready awesome work. I will be offering installation service's for this kit
once its ready.

Be sure to visit my website. http://www.retrogaming-mods.com/

[kevtris]

I got the HQ2X/3X/4X scaling working now and made an example video of the HQ3X at 720p. I cannot record 1080p unfortunately so I can't capture the 4X one in video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_v5vvh2h0A

There's no audio because I needed the room for the scaler. Because space constraints have been hit, I am going to stuff another board with a bigger part that fortunately has the same pinout, hopefully alleviating my space issues.

With this bigger part, I should be able to get VRC7 in there too. (VRC7 is around 1300 LEs, while the HQX scaler is 2230 and the 65C02 core is 1320).

[oRBIT2002]

Impressive work, however I'd like to see picture-degrading filters (the way emulators do it) to actually get worse picture quality to get that old-tv look. Is it possible?

[rainwarrior]

Even though I'd never use a HQ filter like that (pixels forever!!!), I am still salivating at the idea of getting clean 60 fps picture out of my NES...

[lidnariq]

65C02 core

Any potential problems there with unofficial instructions?

[kevtris]

65C02 core

Any potential problems there with unofficial instructions?

no, this is my "hypervisor" CPU that sits on the FPGA. it does not run the game code, it only runs my code that sits on the FPGA itself. this CPU runs the menu and hardware initialization and such. The NES CPU still is running the actual game code.

[MP2E]

Since the two are interlocked, there's no tearing or frame duplication or removal. Anything that gets dropped or modified after this point will solidly be your TV/monitor's fault. The HDMI generated by the board is fully standard complaint 60.00fps video and does not have its timing modified in any way. The NES is very very slightly underclocked to do this, around 0.15%. This is small enough that it isn't humanly detectible.

Very interesting! Does under clocking cause any games to break? Also, do you think this will break sync with TAS videos, if the inputs were to be played back on an HDMI modded NES?

[kevtris]

Since the two are interlocked, there's no tearing or frame duplication or removal. Anything that gets dropped or modified after this point will solidly be your TV/monitor's fault. The HDMI generated by the board is fully standard complaint 60.00fps video and does not have its timing modified in any way. The NES is very very slightly underclocked to do this, around 0.15%. This is small enough that it isn't humanly detectible.

Very interesting! Does under clocking cause any games to break? Also, do you think this will break sync with TAS videos, if the inputs were to be played back on an HDMI modded NES?

nope, both CPU and PPU are clocked the same so no games should break, and TAS videos should play back too without desynch if it works on an unmodified NES without desynching.

[MottZilla]

If you have "HQ3X", why not a simple scanline filter?

I never understood the appeal of these smoothing filters like in ZSNES the "eagle engine" or "super sai engine". It looks terrible. The only filter I've found that makes games look a bit nicer is a scanline filter. Either 100% dark lines or something like 50% or 25% darkening lines.

[tepples]

Kev told #nesdev that he's already going to have to move up to a bigger FPGA for hq3x/hq4x. I don't know whether a good scanlines filter will fit.

[kevtris]

Yes, I am working on getting scanlines in there. I just have to finish scalers first, so I can get to the next thing. Contrary to popular belief, yes indeed there will be scanlines. hehe.

Tonight so far, I got the three HQX scalers working, and implemented scale2x and scale3x using the HQX "engine" so those take up literally no resources now. the HQX scaler also performs nearest neighbor and I am going to coax it into doing some interpolation.

While working on HQX, I found a cute little thing, where I can plug the HQX mask into the video directly. it ended up looking really cool so I think I will leave it in as "x-ray mode" or something.

http://blog.kevtris.org/blogfiles/hdmi/ ... mario1.JPG

http://blog.kevtris.org/blogfiles/hdmi/ ... mario2.JPG

Hopefully tonight the scalers will be done and I will get scanlines working.

[mankeli]

PLEASE include copynes. The usefulness of this kit would go off the scale.