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[ressurectionx]

Beauty.... nice work man.  

You add that ability to bring up the .pngs of the 5200 controller overlays too?

[ressurectionx]

Good to hear man.  Can't wait to try it.  I want to see how you cleaned it up a bit too.

Any closer to figuring out a dummy proof mode for the XPORT emus, or is that still a real lofty goal?

Later,
~Rx

[Delirious17]

NO GAMES WILL WORK ON THIS FOR ME!  I've tried many configurations in the game settings but I cannot get them to work for the life of me.  Sometimes it'll show the rainbow color moving Atari logo then go back to game selection.  Other options just either take me to a stupid memory test or just do nothing for me.

Also how the hell do I get the forums topics to display properly?  I have to click each reply line link to display the link...I want it so I can read each reply right after the other like most message boards have it.

[madmab]

Are you sure you have the latest atarixlbox?  It should automatically find a configuration, at the very least, for all 5200 games, 400/800/XEG cartridges, and a handful of select titles.

You can tell if it's the latest version by looking at the text on the main menu.  It should say (madmab ed).  Plus there should be a CONFIGS directory inside of your atarixlbox directory with a bunch of *.cfg files.

[Cospefogo]

QUOTE(madmab @ Oct 19 2008, 03:16 AM)

Are you sure you have the latest atarixlbox?  It should automatically find a configuration, at the very least, for all 5200 games, 400/800/XEG cartridges, and a handful of select titles.

You can tell if it's the latest version by looking at the text on the main menu.  It should say (madmab ed).  Plus there should be a CONFIGS directory inside of your atarixlbox directory with a bunch of *.cfg files.

Hello MadMad, nice to meet you!

I am running the latest version and I am a bit frustrated with what is happening.
In the main emulator menu configs I did set up the preferences on my own way,
removing all the flicker and image blurry filters, also I do change the exit game
to WHITE button and so on...

BUT EVERYTIME I LOAD A GAME AND I DO ACCEPT THE ""FOUND CONFIGURATION""
everything --- for the game I'm loading --- RESETS!!!!
The image gets BLURRY again, the exit game returns
to RIGHT THUMB and so on!

Matter of fact, even when I set up into - POINT / Flicker Zero / Simple2x (Or none)
I get a blurred image... is this correct?

In all other emus this combo make the pixels SHARP AS A SWISS KNIFE...
What is going wrong?
Is something I am doing?

Oooh...
Right now I am downloading the AtariXLbox V6 to check if its
behaviour is similar to your edition or not...

Cheers!!!
PS. Thanks for your attention!
Cospefogo.

[Cospefogo]

Madmab,
Let me better formulate my findings:

1 - Did a clean install
2 - Adjusted the controls to match my taste (White exits a game to the in-game menu)
3 - Installed my own skin (nothing special on it)
4 - Adjusted some positioning of elements on my skin
5 - Adjusted the screen filters to POINT / SIMPLE2X / FLICKER 0
6 - Turned on the SOFTEN DISPLAY (since it affects only the gui, in my understanding)

Then, I start a game.

1 - The emu founds a configuration for the rom
2 - I accept and the game starts normally

But:

1 - It starts just like if I am using bilinear or some flicker level 1
2 - All my own controller config is GONE! White does not exit the game anymore... everything is back to default.

And, I noticed:

1 - If I go to ingame menu, go to screen settings, just change the SOFT to OFF and ON again (one right after one) and only then return to game ---- The blur is gone!!! I need to perform this everytime  enter a game... Goes to screen config - change soft to off anc back to on, and return to the game.

2 - Even if starting the game with X and - in the very own game settings I change the controller again --- and force it to save to controller, later the controllers return back to the default "factory" settings.

And finally:

1 - I did installed Xport's V6 and it does not present ANY of the "bugs" mentioned above. Regarding the blur or the controller option it works flawslessly... BUT --- Damn --- I got a problem! I can go into a game, but the START or any other button does not work. I don't understand why! I see the main intro of the games, Keystone Kapers, Megamania, etc etc but I can't play. I did make a clean install and there is no way to make the controllers IN-GAME work... Strange is that the EXIT game command works fine (the default RIGHT THUMB PRESSiNG.)

I think I am getting crazy.
Ha ha!

Regards!
Cospefogo.

PS. When I open Keystone Kapers on V6 the colors look much much nicer than in V7... (at least for my eyes)
The floor has a orange hue... very cool! Why? (I am on a NTSC TV)


* * *

More info:

On your version, each game receives its own configuration file for the KEY, correct?
For some reason these files are created using the factory default settings of the emulator,
instead of using my custom ones. I went directly to the file and edited the commands,
and not --- at least the controller problem on V7 was corrected.

But yet the problem of the blur is still there.
It does not matter if I have the Soft ON or OFF, when I enter the game I got blur...

)c:

[Cospefogo]

Hello MadMab,
Thanks so much for your investigation.

Regarding the controls, I will check carefully what is going on in V6,
and will do what you recommend in V7 to keep my custom config for all games.

Regarding the filters, I am already with HARDWARE NONE (0), SOFTWARE POINT (0).
Zero values look like they are OFF in my view, correct?

At the moment I do load a game, then I go to INGAME menu,
chenge to OFF and ON the Soften display and bingo - the blur is gone.
This is working fine for a temporary solution.

By the way... The same happens on Atari7800 emu - MadMab adition.
Flicker 0 / Point / None (or simple 2x) gets blurred when you load any game.
I need to re-check, but if I remember well the Soften Screen OFF/ON trick worked too...

About the color - I did make a quick MOCKUP using internet screenshots.
I am faraway of my Xbox at the moment so I am not able to get
the real screenshots from V6 and V7.

I will post them later.


I notice loss of the vivid hot colors in most of the games
(comparing to AtariXLbox V6)

Please take your time.
And sorry for my poor english!
Best regards!
Cospefogo.

[Cospefogo]

Again, about the colors, I found this on the V7 release information:

QUOTE

* New NTSC palette code using some routines created by Kr0tki.

Source: here.

Maybe there is something on this Krotki's routine that changed the colors a bit?
What do you think?
But don't need to go deeper inspecting that...
It is just for our information.

Cospefogo.

PS. Damn... I can't work today.
I am so excited to go back home and keep messing with my new emulators
that I can't do anything else! It is my first time running:
- Atari 5200
- Atari 7800
- Coleco Vision
- and the weird Odyssey!

[madmab]

I can take a look at the colors but the problem with the old pallette used is that the browns were off.  They looked more redish.  

There were a few other issues as well regarding the color blue and green.

[Cospefogo]

QUOTE(madmab @ Oct 21 2008, 11:05 AM)

(...) the browns were off.  They looked more redish.  

This explains why the floor is so orange on Keystone Kapers running in AtariLXbox V6!
A-haaa!

 

[Cospefogo]

Madmab my friend,

I did pass through almost all existent roms for Atari5200 this evening
using both versions - V6 and V7 (yours). I must confess you - that at least
for my eyes - there is something really weird with your current color palette.

The games on V6 are more vivid, hot color, orange, yellow, red...
On your version everything looks more greenish, blue, lack of reds and oranges and yellow hues...

Check the images:

(IMG:http://kppshngthbttn.com/xtras/a5200palette1.gif)

(IMG:http://kppshngthbttn.com/xtras/a5200palette2.gif)

Is there a way to include a option in the future versions for the user load his own palette?
It could be wonderful!
Best regards...
Cospefogo.

[madmab]

I'm just curious.  Do you actually have a real 5200 that your comparing these colors against?  Or are you comparing it against screenshots taken with another emulator with a different palette?  It's long been argued that the palette used by atari800win, and a800 is actually incorrect.  Those shots from no-intro are not from a real machine.

There are a few issues that make palettes more an issue of preference than anything.  Kr0tki has a couple of threads explaining how his palette is calculated.  To put it simply, it's based on specs.  Just go to the atariage atari 8-bit message threads and do a search on "palette" and you will see what I mean.  There are NUMEROUS discussions about palette's.  It's mind boggling.  (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

But really there are several issues.  All of the different atari's had slightly different video output which affects colors.  Mostly artifact colors which is why some people have different memories of what the original lode runner should look like (red or blue).

But aside from that the machines were run on NTSC which back in the day the way the colors looked could be influenced by how your tint and color settings were.  There were just too many factors.

Now kr0tki did include controls for making adjustments to brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, gamma, and saturation_ramp.  But I figured that would be a bit much for the average user so I left it out.

If you try games like Ms. Pacman and Donkey Kong you will get a better idea of where the colors are off in V6.  When I had people with real 5200's beta testing it they did some comparisons, and although not exact, they did say they were close.  Maybe a "tweak" to the brightness or saturation will do the trick...?

Bottom line.  We could argue about the best palette all day. I chose to leave it in the hands of someone who took a more technical approach, rather than a best guess.  Ultimately the best option would probably be to let the user select the palette.  But to be honest you are the first person I've run into that even showed any interest in this.

I need some info, though.

What resolution are you running in?  Are you using PAL or NTSC?  Also I never mentioned but the only issues I see with filters on my little SDTV is the junk pixels on the right and bottom of the screen.  If the issue is the junk pixels then I may have it fixed.

As far as bluriness.  Well I'm having a little trouble picturing that.  Maybe it is more obvious on an HDTV in which case I'll have to hook my xbox up to my HDTV and see if I notice any difference.

This post has been edited by madmab: Today, 04:49 AM

[Cospefogo]

Hello MadMab...

About the palette:

Thank you very much for your complete explanation.
I absolutely agree with you on anything regarding the palette.
I don't have a real Atari 5200 and I never had one (just a 2600, when I was 8 years old)
and all the comparison I am doing is against AtariXLbox V6 (while playing)
and with No-Intro shots. After playing V6 and found out the No-Intro shots
to be very similar to it. Unfortunately I can generate shots
right from V6 since is it buggy regarding screenshot capturing... Maybe you know that.

I played both and I - personally - like the colors best on V6.
My suggestion around all this subject was just to let people import
the old V6 palette on the future versions, nothing more.

Even if the actual palette is the bottomline correct for all the eternity
blessed by God and canonized by Atari Company themselves, I still - personally - prefer the V6.
Anyway, we can stop chat about this. The subject is over and I clearly got the picture, thanks!!!


About the blur:

I am using a NTSC SDTV through 480i input - 720x480 mode (100x11 pixel aspect ratio on) -
where I set up all Xport emulators to run in: POINT / SIMPLE 2X (or none) / FLICKER 0.
Also, I turn the SOFT ON to better display the GUI info (since flicker filter is off).

I never saw a Xbox1 plugged to a HDTV (and I really don't want or plan to do so...).
After all this years playing  on this setup one thing I think I could say solidly is when a game is blurry!!!
And the actual problem is not only in the game, it extends also to the emulator GUI!
It is very easy to find it.

Put your flicker in zero, and let's keep soft OFF.
Don't enter a game yet - at the moment check the emulator GUI.
The letters, lines, anything, are sharp as a knife.

Now enter on a game. It's blurry!
Definitely it is not Flicker Zero!

Call InGame menu, a-haaa --- The in Game menu is not sharp anymore!!!
Then put SOFTEN to ON, and back to OFF, on the same moment.
Get back to the game. Bingo. The game is healed. Sharp again.
Exit the game, go back to the rom selection.
Blaaargh... It got blurred again.
Then, go to the video settings, Soft ON and OFF again (or OFF and ON),
tadá --- Sharp again.

This is what happens.
I just want to help, if you think it's normal, nevermind, really.
Don't loose your time on it. Keep moving adding interesting features
for the emulator!

Aah, and about the broken pixel in the very bottom of the screen,
they really don't bother me. It's really not a problem.

At the moment I am doing a manual process of getting screenshots
for AtariLXbox V6, since the Xports version is buggy in what regards
the shot capturing.

Cheers!!
See you later, dude!
Cospefogo.

[madmab]

Ahhhhhhh All along I thought you were saying the game screen was blurry.  (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

NP.  Anyways.  Believe it or not I was originally planning on including multiple palettes in atarixlbox.  But I did not for two reasons.

1)  I never got a whole lot of feeback regarding it.
2)  I felt there were enough options to tweak as it was and wanted to minimize user confusion.  (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Anyways I don't mind adding it.  I'll probably make it an option to load a palette file.  Atari800win has some pretty cool palettes like gray and green which would be cool to fool with.  (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I'll see what I can do about the blur issue.  But I've heard a couple of complaints about the 720 modes that may be hard to track down.

This post has been edited by madmab: Today, 01:20 PM

[Cospefogo]

I can test using the regular way too (without the 720x480 - 10x11 pixel OFF).
Will do it later today.

And the blur occurs on all instances!
GAME SCREEN, IN GAME MENU, EMULATOR MENUS...

Regards!
C.