240p Test Suite for the Neo Geo AES, MVS and NGCD

[Artemio]

I am happy to share the newest version of the 240p Test Suite, now available for the Neo Geo platform. It is feature complete, with a few adjustments to make. But I'd like to hear your feedback on it. It is available for download at itchio for free as it has always been.


Suggestions are welcome.

Here's the specific feature list:

• New font for better readability via composite video, as suggested by Pinobatch. Old font is still selectable
• Has all patterns and features from any other version. It is the most complete fist day release to date:
• 304 and 320 horizontal patterns, following both SNK guidelines and the full resolution.
• Custom audio driver for sound test and MDFourier. Uses FM, PSG, ADPCM-A and ADPCM-B or CDDA when in Neo Geo CD.
• Audio driver can also do a Z80 RAM test.
• ADPCM-B stereo can be reversed in BIOS for MVS1C systems.
• Includes HCFR for those interested in using a colorimeter.
• Controller test works with all MVS ports and 4 player extension if available

Future refinements:

• Improve Monoscope accuracy against broadcast hardware. It is very close now, but will check with Keith Raney
• Adapt MDFourier so that the same audio recordings can be used to compare MVS, AES and NGCD since clocks differ.
• Currently an option to limit IRE is available. This only makes sense in AES via composite video.

 

[Neo Alec]

Hi Artemio. Thank you for this! Finally the legendary tool kit is available on the Neo!

I tested the .neo file on both the NeoSD Pro MVS and the NeoSD Pro AES, and it is working well.

*** I did find one issue - When selecting "Convergence" it takes you to the Help screen instead of the convergence test. ***

Suggestion: Currently the title displays as "240PTEST" in the NeoSD menu, but the .neo file can be changed to say "240p Test Suite" with spaces.

"ADPCM-B stereo can be reversed in BIOS for MVS1C systems." - I know that ADPCM-B is backwards on MV-1C systems, but what does this mean?

 

[Artemio]

Hi Artemio. Thank you for this! Finally the legendary tool kit is available on the Neo!

Thanks for taking the time to use it and give feedback.

I tested the .neo file on both the NeoSD Pro MVS and the NeoSD Pro AES, and it is working well.

Great to hear that!

*** I did find one issue - When selecting "Convergence" it takes you to the Help screen instead of the convergence test. ***

Thanks! Those last moinute changes... "help" should take you to cobvergence in that build. Fixed for next iteration.

Suggestion: Currently the title displays as "240PTEST" in the NeoSD menu, but the .neo file can be changed to say "240p Test Suite" with spaces.

Will change it, thanks.

"ADPCM-B stereo can be reversed in BIOS for MVS1C systems." - I know that ADPCM-B is backwards on MV-1C systems, but what does this mean?

Since the left and right channels are swapped in the system you can enter the soft dip settings and change it to reverse those in software, so that they are output in the expected way for those systems. Here's a screen shot:

 

[Neo Alec]

Since the left and right channels are swapped in the system you can enter the soft dip settings and change it to reverse those in software, so that they are output in the expected way for those systems. Here's a screen shot:

View attachment 63449

Oh, nice! I didn't look at that. That screen is called the soft dip settings.

 

[NeoCverA]

I am happy to share the newest version of the 240p Test Suite, now available for the Neo Geo platform. It is feature complete, with a few adjustments to make. But I'd like to hear your feedback on it. It is available for download at itchio for free as it has always been.

View attachment 63436
Suggestions are welcome.

Here's the specific feature list:

• New font for better readability via composite video, as suggested by Pinobatch. Old font is still selectable
• Has all patterns and features from any other version. It is the most complete fist day release to date:
• 304 and 320 horizontal patterns, following both SNK guidelines and the full resolution.
• Custom audio driver for sound test and MDFourier. Uses FM, PSG, ADPCM-A and ADPCM-B or CDDA when in Neo Geo CD.
• Audio driver can also do a Z80 RAM test.
• ADPCM-B stereo can be reversed in BIOS for MVS1C systems.
• Includes HCFR for those interested in using a colorimeter.
• Controller test works with all MVS ports and 4 player extension if available

Future refinements:

• Improve Monoscope accuracy against broadcast hardware. It is very close now, but will check with Keith Raney
• Adapt MDFourier so that the same audio recordings can be used to compare MVS, AES and NGCD since clocks differ.
• Currently an option to limit IRE is available. This only makes sense in AES via composite video.

Is there a game in the library that I can model for the driver?

 

[NeoCverA]

 

[Artemio]

Is there a game in the library that I can model for the driver?

You mean if you could use the z80 driver with another game? You could... If you mean the other way around, to use another M1 ROM for the Suite, no unless you hacked it since I specifically coded it to look for a signature upòn some commands... like in the image you post below.

Did you get that warning from the released ROMS of while experimenting? If you got form the bundled ROMS without tampering I must have made a terrible mistake somewhere.

The source code is open source so you can check it:

240pTestSuite/sound.asm at master · ArtemioUrbina/240pTestSuite

A homebrew software suite for video game consoles developed to help in the evaluation of upscalers, upscan converters, line doublers and of course TV processing of 240p video. The Wii and Dreamcast...

github.com

 

[NeoCverA]

Did you get that warning from the released ROMS of while experimenting? If you got form the bundled ROMS without tampering I must have made a terrible mistake somewhere.

Yeah, I’m using the AES/MVS release. This is what I’m using for the M rom driver.

REGION( 0x20000, CPU2, 0 ) ROM( 0, 2501-m1.m1, 0x00000, 0x10000, 0x92065500 )

Is the CRC correct?

 

[Artemio]

Yeah, I’m using the AES/MVS release. This is what I’m using for the M rom driver.

REGION( 0x20000, CPU2, 0 ) ROM( 0, 2501-m1.m1, 0x00000, 0x10000, 0x92065500 )

Is the CRC correct?

I just checked the published ROMS in the zip and ran them on MAME. I don't get the error. This is the xml I use for MAME:

<software name="240ptest">
<description>240p Test Suite - Neo Geo</description>
<year>2023</year>
<publisher>Artemio / Dasutin</publisher>
<sharedfeat name="release" value="MVS,AES" />
<sharedfeat name="compatibility" value="MVS,AES" />
<part name="cart" interface="neo_cart">
<dataarea name="maincpu" width="16" endianness="big" size="0x100000">
<rom loadflag="load16_word_swap" name="2501-p1.p1" offset="0x0000000" size="0x100000" crc="5ce36ff3" sha1="c59beaed2e82955dc2954f844ce9be93b0024bdf" />
</dataarea>
<dataarea name="fixed" size="0x020000">
<rom offset="0x000000" size="0x020000" name="2501-s1.s1" crc="5023f1ee" sha1="7bbf9fa1a93daf1d4e3a28b0bc12d228efbdea36" />
</dataarea>
<dataarea name="audiocpu" size="0x010000">
<rom offset="0x000000" size="0x010000" name="2501-m1.m1" crc="92065500" sha1="040bf5a293c4140dd9a5c2a9592cf3fb5835a119" />
</dataarea>
<dataarea name="ymsnd:adpcma" size="0x100000">
<rom offset="0x000000" size="0x0040000" name="2501-v1.v1" crc="727a6292" sha1="57666210b311c9f366203cfe88eaf10507eca143" />
</dataarea>
<dataarea name="sprites" size="0x200000">
<rom loadflag="load16_byte" name="2501-c1.c1" offset="0x000000" size="0x100000" crc="7f0e11b9" sha1="302d82521c90017b84782bc4e50676b38be96dbf" />
<rom loadflag="load16_byte" name="2501-c2.c2" offset="0x000001" size="0x100000" crc="223c113c" sha1="8e43ce378aaf0a445fe6f68a71d32f8ca9746082" />
</dataarea>
</part>
</software>

Here's a p rom that outputs which code it is getting in order to try and figure out what is happening in that setup.

2501-p1.p1

drive.google.com

That same warning screen will tell us which code it is receiving form the z80

 

[NeoCverA]

Here's a p rom that outputs which code it is getting in order to try and figure out what is happening in that setup.

2501-p1.p1

drive.google.com

That same warning screen will tell us which code it is receiving form the z80

Here’s what I get: also error via unibios

 

[NeoCverA]

I thought maybe it was my neogeo.zip since I hacked it up a bit to force unibios to load but tried a clean file and still have same error.

 

[Artemio]

I thought maybe it was my neogeo.zip since I hacked it up a bit to force unibios to load but tried a clean file and still have same error.

The program calls the Z80 with command 0xD0 and expects either 0x0A, 0x0B or 0x0C. It is getting 0x00, which might mean the Z80 code is probably not running at all.

Which emulator is it so I can help you debug what is happening? I'm sorry, I tested this on at least 10 mvs systems and 4 aes, as well as neo geo CD and mame/raine. This is unexpected behavior

 

[NeoCverA]

The program calls the Z80 with command 0xD0 and expects either 0x0A, 0x0B or 0x0C. It is getting 0x00, which might mean the Z80 code is probably not running at all.

Which emulator is it so I can help you debug what is happening? I'm sorry, I tested this on at least 10 mvs systems and 4 aes, as well as neo geo CD and mame/raine. This is unexpected behavior

In this case, I believe it’s an old emulator “mvsnjemu”

When I try out the sound stuff - I do get results.

 

[Artemio]

In this case, I believe it’s an old emulator “mvsnjemu”

When I try out the sound stuff - I do get results.

I'll test it at night, the emulator might be blocking the 0xD0 command I guess.

(is it this one? https://github.com/xugamezhouyuhua/neogeominiemu)

 

[NeoCverA]

I'll test it at night, the emulator might be blocking the 0xD0 command I guess.

(is it this one? https://github.com/xugamezhouyuhua/neogeominiemu)

It’s definitely related to that.