ISO Loader 0.8.x Beta + preview of DreamShell v4.0 RC 5

[SWAT]

(14.09.2023 16:55)CrisMod писал(а):  

(14.09.2023 14:42)SWAT писал(а):  It would be awesome if you could run a debug version of the loader firmware with a logging via Serial port. The only thing you need to know is that working with the address space for the loader will differ in some cases, since debug loader is larger in size. And also it's much slower due to logging.

Gladly, if I can help, kindly tell me what to do.
Now that I have done the Internal SD Mod on my Dreamcast, I have the first version of the `Serial Port to SD` adapter which is not that great in quality but with cables or soldering connections I could create a homemade cable.

I guess for Debugging, I have to start Dreamshell with the `DEBUG_DS_CORE.BIN` then for the Serial Port cable how do I build it, do you have a scheme guide soldering where I can follow for building it?

Example, from Serial Port to USB or another connection?

Then once I have created the homemade cable, where should I connect it to an XP computer?
Do I need some drivers?
And what software to communicate with the DC and PC for Debugging?

You can buy any cheap Serial/UART TTL to USB adapter and connect it by standard scheme GND/RX/TX (3,4,5 pins). Also need connect CTS to GND on DC side (7 and 8 pin connect together).
The software depends on what OS you will be doing this on, but for each there is a solution, that’s for sure.
If you want to use windows XP, so you can use Putty.

[CrisMod]

(15.09.2023 06:02)SWAT писал(а):  

(14.09.2023 16:55)CrisMod писал(а):  

(14.09.2023 14:42)SWAT писал(а):  It would be awesome if you could run a debug version of the loader firmware with a logging via Serial port. The only thing you need to know is that working with the address space for the loader will differ in some cases, since debug loader is larger in size. And also it's much slower due to logging.

Gladly, if I can help, kindly tell me what to do.
Now that I have done the Internal SD Mod on my Dreamcast, I have the first version of the `Serial Port to SD` adapter which is not that great in quality but with cables or soldering connections I could create a homemade cable.

I guess for Debugging, I have to start Dreamshell with the `DEBUG_DS_CORE.BIN` then for the Serial Port cable how do I build it, do you have a scheme guide soldering where I can follow for building it?

Example, from Serial Port to USB or another connection?

Then once I have created the homemade cable, where should I connect it to an XP computer?
Do I need some drivers?
And what software to communicate with the DC and PC for Debugging?

You can buy any cheap Serial/UART TTL to USB adapter and connect it by standard scheme GND/RX/TX (3,4,5 pins). Also need connect CTS to GND on DC side (7 and 8 pin connect together).
The software depends on what OS you will be doing this on, but for each there is a solution, that’s for sure.
If you want to use windows XP, so you can use Putty.

I'm always learning new things, I love this hacker stuff. before I look for a Serial/UART TTL to USB adapter, I'm thinking if I can use the Respeberry Pi 3 B+ that I have at home, since I never use it.

So I could debug with the Raspberry connected directly to the Dreamcast. Do you know anything about it, if it is possible to use a Raspberry with its connections instead of Serial/UART TTL to USB device?

I also imagine that the RX/TX connections need to be connected as follows:
Dreamcast RX to TX Raspberry (or UART TTL connections USB) .
Dreamcast Tx to RX Raspberry (or UART TTL connections USB) .

(Obviously the rest of the connection on the same Pins.)

[fafadou]

Raspberry pi 3, pin 8 and 10, after removing bluetooth.

[CrisMod]

Ok @SWAT, after more information I started making my own Frankenstein cable, basically I use the materials I have at home to speed things up.

To make this cable I use one of my old Chinese adapters from DC Serial Port to SD, in practice I disassembled the SD to TF adapter halfway to check the connections, and used the SD adapater PINS to solder to a micro board PINS (which I still have to finish soldering), so as not to ruin the 'Chinese DC Serial Port to SD adapter that I can use on other occasions and when I need "UART TTL connections" I just need to connect the SD/TF adapter then connect it to the Raspberry 3b+.

I made some sourcing, and it seems that I can directly use the Raspberry GPIO, in fact I have already prepared it to connect to the Dreamcast, now all I need is the cable to finish.

But before I close everything I would like to double check the connections with you, as not to make mistakes.

Please watch the Pic below.
So, I soldered and connected the two connections "CS" and "Ground" together (7 and 8 pin connect together); Then the only connections that go from the adapter to the Raspberry are 3 Dreamcast GND/RX/TX (3,4,5 pins) to the Raspberry GND/TX/RX (RX/TX, TX/RX), right?
And do I also have to connect the 3.3v pin from the Dreamcast to the Raspberry?

PS: Thanks @fafadou, for lucky in my board the Raspberry Pi 3b+, I no need to take out anything because my board has anything build-in including the Bluetooth.

[dimka112]

(14.09.2023 14:42)SWAT писал(а):  It would be awesome if you could run a debug version of the loader firmware with a logging via Serial port. The only thing you need to know is that working with the address space for the loader will differ in some cases, since debug loader is larger in size. And also it's much slower due to logging.

Узнаю что то новое. Как реализовать? Могу помочь для каких нибудь тестов. Операционка Виндовс 7. Имеется Юсб конвертер.

https://cloud.mail.ru/public/m2aL/nuujFWARP

[CrisMod]

Ok, looks like I found the instructions how to make a cable. For people like me who are new to the Dreamcast world but who want to learn. The first step I found I think is this `https://dreamcast.wiki/Coder%27s_cable`. Basically the story starts from `Coder's cable`, and from what I understand the pins to create a cable for Debugging and try to help the community are the following:

Dreamcast <-> UART TTL to USB (or Raspberry Pi?!)

* GND <-> GND
* TXD <-> RXD
* RXD <-> TXD
* RTS <-> CTS
* CTS <-> RTS

Now I'll try to make these connections, if anyone knows something about it please tell me how it's done, because the more people get closer the more tests we can do to help out.

If it works I'll make a separate topic to bring together more people who like to try but are at the beginning of knowledge and so on (like me) .

[megavolt85]

Works great for me without using CTS and RTS
*CTS dreamcast needs to be connected to GND

[CrisMod]

(16.09.2023 13:02)megavolt85 писал(а):  Works great for me without using CTS and RTS
*CTS dreamcast needs to be connected to GND

Hi @megavolt85, great to hear you, and thanks to share it.

[megavolt85]

(08.04.2023 02:36)fafadou писал(а):  @megavolt85 : please, I have a favor :

Here the gdi I build for xenocider, here the main file is called loader.bin instead of 1ST_READ.BIN, I descramble it and binhack it with IP.BIN at 45000lba. And finally named the cdda files as you advise :
https://mega.nz/file/Rv5xhQra#d1HIV_njMj...aOxGQMwq1k

But the game still not boot with dreamshell, would you please have a look on it ?
I share the non optimized version gdi in order to get the data files more easily.

test it
https://mega.nz/file/x0pgla4L#JSxqdCGfsJ...TqP2FOzGps

[CrisMod]

The SD Adapter Mod Serial-UART TTL it's done .

For CS and GDN, I used a Switch to connect them together at least in the future, I can have the option to disconnect them in case one day I want try something else.
Now I will start to figure out how to connect the Raspberry and I will start the test with `Tomb Raider Chronicles`.

[Freudi93]

Is there still some better compatibility If i usw these startech IDE to SATA Adapter instead of the cheap from AliExpress?

[CrisMod]

(16.09.2023 19:56)Freudi93 писал(а):  Is there still some better compatibility If i usw these startech IDE to SATA Adapter instead of the cheap from AliExpress?

From my experience, in the past I bought two, I have tried `Startech IDE2SAT2 (with the best Marvell chip)` and the one that Dragoncity sell.
So, if you buy individually you don't don't notice the differences , wich means that they work great.

BUT, if you have both of them , I noticed that the Startech IDE2SAT2 it perform better with compatibility of the games. Example with the one from Startech IDE2SAT2 i can run better some games that wasn't start with the one from DragonCity.

So, if you ask me, I know that the `Startech IDE2SAT2` it's more expensive but it worth all the money that you spend for it, especially if we talking about such delicate Mod as the IDE mod where even the lenght or type of cable changes the resaults....

And I would avoid any cheap product from Aliexpress, for such crucial point where all the data must be well transfer, due to the delicate nature of the mod.

[CrisMod]

By the way, YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS, the SD Adapter Mod Serial-UART TTL and Raspberry it works greeeeaaaaaaatttttttt.

I'm super happy, I'm testing the baud rate ( Bps/Par/Bits ) with different options, to understand wich settings are the best to display well the Debug words on the program.

[CrisMod]

@SWAT / @Megavolt85, I need your help please.

I have builded the DS_CORE.bin for Debugging with main Make file as below:

TARGET = DS
TARGET_NAME = DreamShell_v4.0.0_RC5
TARGET_BIN = $(TARGET)_CORE.BIN
TARGET_BIN_CD = 1$(TARGET_BIN)
TRAGET_VERSION = -DVER_MAJOR=4 -DVER_MINOR=0 -DVER_MICRO=0 -DVER_BUILD=0x25 #RC 5
TARGET_DEBUG = 1 # or 2 for GDB
# TARGET_EMU = 1
# TARGET_PROF = 1

Everything is fine untill I don't run any game with any settings, when I run a game I have the Kernel crash and the Dreamshell Reset the console and comeback to the main Dreamshell page, With normal DS_CORE.bin i don't have this problem.

Am I mistake to build the DS_CORE with Make settings? If you have the RC5 DS_CORE for Debugging could you mind to share with me please.

[megavolt85]

I had the same problem, most likely you are using a broken version of KOS.
just update KOS and recompile KOS and DS
https://github.com/KallistiOS/KallistiOS...8ee8734b42

[fafadou]

(16.09.2023 16:10)megavolt85 писал(а):  

(08.04.2023 02:36)fafadou писал(а):  @megavolt85 : please, I have a favor :

Here the gdi I build for xenocider, here the main file is called loader.bin instead of 1ST_READ.BIN, I descramble it and binhack it with IP.BIN at 45000lba. And finally named the cdda files as you advise :
https://mega.nz/file/Rv5xhQra#d1HIV_njMj...aOxGQMwq1k

But the game still not boot with dreamshell, would you please have a look on it ?
I share the non optimized version gdi in order to get the data files more easily.

test it
https://mega.nz/file/x0pgla4L#JSxqdCGfsJ...TqP2FOzGps

Thank you very much !!
Do you know what I didn't ? I really wish to improve my knowledge in order to don't bother you each time.
The last homebrew game with scramble data is "ghost blade", if you have time and energy for this last one, one day.



I'll try xenociders since I can, I finally received my CF and I confirm the sd to CF aren't working with dreamshell RC5 that it would with RC4.
Else I only try sega rally jap and pal, and still the same with hdd ssd, the pal game doesn't boot, and the jap have a strange loading screen and crash at the end of the first race.
I'll continue to look at some curiosity between CF and ssd.

(16.09.2023 19:56)Freudi93 писал(а):  Is there still some better compatibility If i usw these startech IDE to SATA Adapter instead of the cheap from AliExpress?

Which item ? Do you have a link ?

@crismod : you mean this one ?
https://www.inmac-wstore.com/startech-co...nt=1262880

What difference did you notice than those dragoncity is selling please ?

(17.09.2023 06:35)CrisMod писал(а):  By the way, YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS, the SD Adapter Mod Serial-UART TTL and Raspberry it works greeeeaaaaaaatttttttt.

I'm super happy, I'm testing the baud rate ( Bps/Par/Bits ) with different options, to understand wich settings are the best to display well the Debug words on the program.

It's very impressive, many congrats, you mean you are able to read data from dreamcast during a game is running ?
why this method can't extract datas from originals bleem=! three softwares ?

[Freudi93]

I usw this one in there dreamcasts https://www.ebay.at/itm/131881094819?mkc...media=COPY

I have Sound issues with the New 0.8x Loaders in revolt. Maybe i should use the startech Adapter If there are better results

[CrisMod]

(17.09.2023 19:53)fafadou писал(а):  

(16.09.2023 16:10)megavolt85 писал(а):  

(08.04.2023 02:36)fafadou писал(а):  @megavolt85 : please, I have a favor :

Here the gdi I build for xenocider, here the main file is called loader.bin instead of 1ST_READ.BIN, I descramble it and binhack it with IP.BIN at 45000lba. And finally named the cdda files as you advise :
https://mega.nz/file/Rv5xhQra#d1HIV_njMj...aOxGQMwq1k

But the game still not boot with dreamshell, would you please have a look on it ?
I share the non optimized version gdi in order to get the data files more easily.

test it
https://mega.nz/file/x0pgla4L#JSxqdCGfsJ...TqP2FOzGps

Thank you very much !!
Do you know what I didn't ? I really wish to improve my knowledge in order to don't bother you each time.
The last homebrew game with scramble data is "ghost blade", if you have time and energy for this last one, one day.



I'll try xenociders since I can, I finally received my CF and I confirm the sd to CF aren't working with dreamshell RC5 that it would with RC4.
Else I only try sega rally jap and pal, and still the same with hdd ssd, the pal game doesn't boot, and the jap have a strange loading screen and crash at the end of the first race.
I'll continue to look at some curiosity between CF and ssd.

(16.09.2023 19:56)Freudi93 писал(а):  Is there still some better compatibility If i usw these startech IDE to SATA Adapter instead of the cheap from AliExpress?

Which item ? Do you have a link ?

@crismod : you mean this one ?
https://www.inmac-wstore.com/startech-co...nt=1262880

What difference did you notice than those dragoncity is selling please ?

(17.09.2023 06:35)CrisMod писал(а):  By the way, YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS, the SD Adapter Mod Serial-UART TTL and Raspberry it works greeeeaaaaaaatttttttt.

I'm super happy, I'm testing the baud rate ( Bps/Par/Bits ) with different options, to understand wich settings are the best to display well the Debug words on the program.

It's very impressive, many congrats, you mean you are able to read data from dreamcast during a game is running ?
why this method can't extract datas from originals bleem=! three softwares ?

Yes I mean exactly this one `https://www.startech.com/en-us/hdd/ide2sat2` the product it's called `ide2sat2` and it's a beast!!!

I was in the beginning of my jurnery of my Dreamcast Mod, and before start I read tons of people experiences and so on, after I noticed some discordance on which adapter to use and the most important was that the adapter should have the jumper to put in in Slave mode. So, bullshit , i mean it's true the basic information but it's wrong to be simple in implementation, because when I found that the Dreamcast Mods are so sensitive even with the lenght and type of the wire change you the resaults; I decided that if I had to do it - and since everything is so delicate-, I would do it with the best materials around...and trust me , will save you a lot scratch head of what already gives you all the settings Mod around.

So when I start to compare the dragoncity IDE to SATA with the Startech I was shocked because with the one from Dragoncity some game I can play, some game with certain of settings can year the audio and NOT see the video or reverse can see the Video and the audio was Shuttering (one that I remember was Resident Evil 3) or needs some specific and unique settings to run the game, or some of them (what I have been testing) doesn't boot at all and so on.
The Dragoncity adapter it use JMicron - JM20330 chipset.

When I changed the adapter to the one from Startech with Marvell chip, I saw something unespected at that time, i saw that the boot was more smooth and the general performs was increase, the games performs better and I can run in different settings, so I saw a completely better compatibility with the games. And, the games that I cannot run with DragonCity adapter was running with Startech.
So if you ask me today, I tell you 1000000% the one from Startech!!!

Don't save your money on something so crucial for the Mod, because will pass all the datas from this adapter to translate the two different tecnology IDE/SATA.
Below I attached the pics of the box of my Startech and on the top it's the one from DragonCity that idon't use it (by the way it could be Dragoncity or Aliexpress or what so ever, here I only comment on the product).

Yes i can extract datas from the Dreamcast as should be, now I still under testing because I need to re-build the DS_CORE for debugging as I have a package enviroment broken. When I will finish to play around maybe I will do one post to explain to the people who want's thest and try it. About bleem! I cannot answer you now because i still under testing...

[CrisMod]

(17.09.2023 20:16)Freudi93 писал(а):  I usw this one in there dreamcasts https://www.ebay.at/itm/131881094819?mkc...media=COPY

I have Sound issues with the New 0.8x Loaders in revolt. Maybe i should use the startech Adapter If there are better results

@Freudi93, my friend, I don't even know how you start the mod with your adapter from ebay honestly.

It seems to me that your adapter is COMPLETLY WRONG because it is a SATA to IDE adapter and not IDE to SATA. Let's say that your adapter has the possibility of changing the Jumper to SLAVE and is Bidirectional (even if the connections are wrong because the IDE side is Female connections instead of Male, and the SATA side it's Male connection instead of Female), I don't know even which chipset controller they use it, and i can image that you will get many troubles on your adapter with the MOD and i believe you cannot even run the Dreamshell or what so ever....

If you can, buy a better product, buy this: `https://www.startech.com/en-us/hdd/ide2sat2`.

[CrisMod]

@SWAT - @megavolt85, i discovered another problem here with the enviroment settings.

When i'm going to install the new enviroment with latest upgrades to build the `Dreamshell RC5 / ISO Loader 0.8.x`, I have been doing this already for 2 times with fresh Enviroment.

The following steps here:

`
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/dc/kos
sudo chown -R $(id -u):$(id -g) /usr/local/dc
cd /usr/local/dc/kos
git clone https://github.com/KallistiOS/kos-ports.git
git clone https://github.com/KallistiOS/KallistiOS.git kos && cd kos
git clone https://github.com/DC-SWAT/DreamShell.git ds
git checkout `cat ds/sdk/doc/KallistiOS.txt`
cp ds/sdk/toolchain/environ.sh environ.sh
`
It download the latest master branches source files, and when i check the file that i need to change - as @megavolt85 told me - in "usr\local\dc\kos\kos\kernel\arch\dreamcast\hardware\network\broadband_adapter.c" there are the latest changes:

From:
`
/* Shutdown */
int bba_shutdown(void) {
/* Shutdown hardware */
bba_if.if_stop(&bba_if);
bba_if.if_shutdown(&bba_if);

#ifdef TX_SEMA
sem_destroy(&tx_sema);
#endif

return 0;
}
`
To:
`
/* Shutdown */
int bba_shutdown(void) {
/* Shutdown hardware */
if(bba_if.flags & NETIF_RUNNING)
bba_if.if_stop(&bba_if);
if(bba_if.flags & NETIF_INITIALIZED)
bba_if.if_shutdown(&bba_if);

#ifdef TX_SEMA
sem_destroy(&tx_sema);
#endif

return 0;
}

But when I start the next step under Toolchain section arrived on last command line `make && cd ../../` it will reverse all the KallistiOS.git source files in some old version, in fact example on `broadband_adapter.c` will go back to another old version where the part on 1311 lines will reverse in below old settings:
`
`
/* Shutdown */
int bba_shutdown(void) {
/* Shutdown hardware */
bba_if.if_stop(&bba_if);
bba_if.if_shutdown(&bba_if);

#ifdef TX_SEMA
sem_destroy(&tx_sema);
#endif

return 0;
}
`.

And this will create me a problem when I'm going to build the new DS_CORE.

Can you please write for me the steps how can I re-reverse in new KallistiOS settings and I upgrade the Enviroment, at least I will be able to make fully working DS_CORE to continue with test.

Thank you in advance.