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

[MastaG]

Quick testing with v25-2:

- Half-Life works, I just had to select WinCE and low-level (loading times are almost non-existing when using CF)
- PSOv2 from here: https://www.dreamcast-talk.com/forum/vie...3&start=30 doesn't work, it displays the DeamOn main menu and then gives me a black screen when trying to launch the game.
Also I noticed that 0x8cef8000 seems to be missing form the list.

[pcwzrd13]

@SWAT Did you see my previous post? Do you think the issue with Speed Devils could be a bug with the CDDA emulation? The game shouldn't play music at all when at the main menu so I'm thinking it's just having a problem stopping the music after exiting a race.

A few more CDDA tests on the latest build:

Re-Volt - Works flawlessly as far as I can tell.

Sega Rally 2 - The music plays ok but unfortunately the game will randomly freeze. Usually shortly into a race. I tried all four of the CDDA options as well as other HEAP options but nothing helped.

Speed Devils Online - Music plays good with the "DMA & TMU1" CDDA setting. The game has freezing issues if DMA is enabled though.

[fafadou]

@pcwrd13 : Which version of sega rally 2 are you using please ? PAL or JAP ? Both boot for you ?
Do you have the loading glitch on the first race in arcade mode (the desert) ?

It maybe interesting to see the differences between CF and ssd drives.

[MastaG]

(16.04.2023 05:12)aldair писал(а):  Xenocrisis-Track order:
IDE: https://www.mediafire.com/file/q5l204ive...w.rar/file
SD card: https://www.mediafire.com/file/jjhrip3ge...v.rar/file

I've downloaded the IDE version, which settings are you using?

[MastaG]

(17.04.2023 18:35)fafadou писал(а):  @pcwrd13 : Which version of sega rally 2 are you using please ? PAL or JAP ? Both boot for you ?
Do you have the loading glitch on the first race in arcade mode (the desert) ?

It maybe interesting to see the differences between CF and ssd drives.

I also have Sega Rally.
If you can share the settings, then I can try a few rounds.

[fafadou]

(17.04.2023 19:33)MastaG писал(а):  

(17.04.2023 18:35)fafadou писал(а):  @pcwrd13 : Which version of sega rally 2 are you using please ? PAL or JAP ? Both boot for you ?
Do you have the loading glitch on the first race in arcade mode (the desert) ?

It maybe interesting to see the differences between CF and ssd drives.

I also have Sega Rally.
If you can share the settings, then I can try a few rounds.

True dma, IRQ, CDDA TMU2, 0x8C0000100 memory, auto or wince preset, I didn't try other preset.
My isos are not fragmented.

[pcwzrd13]

(17.04.2023 18:35)fafadou писал(а):  @pcwrd13 : Which version of sega rally 2 are you using please ? PAL or JAP ? Both boot for you ?
Do you have the loading glitch on the first race in arcade mode (the desert) ?

US version. And yes, the loading screen is kind of broken. lol

Edit: Tested a few more games. I'll eventually test every US CDDA game so I can compare compatibility with 0.6.1.

Bang! Gunship Elite - Music plays ok but the mission briefing audio skips like a broken record.

Centipede - Works great!

ChuChu Rocket! - Lots of distortion at times and some of the sound effects don't play. CDDA isn't great with this one.

Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX - Can't get the game to boot, even with CDDA disabled.

Deep Fighter - Same as above. Just won't boot.

[sundance2]

(17.04.2023 08:15)SWAT писал(а):  CDDA should be improved and for SD, but need use ADPCM format of tracks for this device (otherwise gameplay will slower) and can be different compatibility in some cases.

Are there tools to help make this conversion easier ?
I checked, and most of my .gdi images use the PCM format.

[SWAT]

(17.04.2023 18:10)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  @SWAT Did you see my previous post? Do you think the issue with Speed Devils could be a bug with the CDDA emulation? The game shouldn't play music at all when at the main menu so I'm thinking it's just having a problem stopping the music after exiting a race.

Speed Devils Online - Music plays good with the "DMA & TMU1" CDDA setting. The game has freezing issues if DMA is enabled though.

I have seen. Have you tried SQ mode?

(18.04.2023 06:11)sundance2 писал(а):  

(17.04.2023 08:15)SWAT писал(а):  CDDA should be improved and for SD, but need use ADPCM format of tracks for this device (otherwise gameplay will slower) and can be different compatibility in some cases.

Are there tools to help make this conversion easier ?
I checked, and most of my .gdi images use the PCM format.

ISO Make pack v2.4 - http://www.dc-swat.ru/page/dreamshell/
There are some of my old console tools with bat files for windows.

[fafadou]

I'm looking to use my CF stuff again, I have sd card compact flash adapter like this one :
https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/400009704...HzGPWA0axa

My CF to ide doesn't have the good connector what do you think about those :
https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/100500427...0081392_12

Does it need a power supply ?

And finally what kind of brand of CF do you use please ?
I'll keep my ssd as long as possible but if I must change, I'll do it.

[MastaG]

(18.04.2023 12:03)fafadou писал(а):  I'm looking to use my CF stuff again, I have sd card compact flash adapter like this one :
https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/400009704...HzGPWA0axa

My CF to ide doesn't have the good connector what do you think about those :
https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/100500427...0081392_12

Does it need a power supply ?

And finally what kind of brand of CF do you use please ?
I'll keep my ssd as long as possible but if I must change, I'll do it.

I'm using this one, because its easier to desolder the IDE connector.
It uses pads instead of holes.
https://www.ebay.nl/itm/266061533033?has...R9zI97byYQ

I'm also using this QSB: https://dragoncity17.wordpress.com/2018/...st-gd-ide/

So basically, you solder the QSB to the bottom of your GD-ROM drive pcb.
Then you take a quality 40-pin IDE cable like this: https://www.amazon.com/erounder-Raspberr...157&sr=8-4
Plug this into the QSB on your GD-ROM drive, then cut off the IDE connector on the other side and make it as short as possible.

Remove the IDE connector on your CF2IDE adapter.

Then Solder all of the 40 wires + 5v (taken from QSB) + extra ground wires onto your CF2IDE adapter.

With a little bit of filing and scraping you can fit the CF-adapter inside the case on top of your modem and cut a hole in the side of your dreamcast case.

Then you have both working GD-ROM drive and internal CF-slot

[MastaG]

(17.04.2023 19:48)fafadou писал(а):  

(17.04.2023 19:33)MastaG писал(а):  

(17.04.2023 18:35)fafadou писал(а):  @pcwrd13 : Which version of sega rally 2 are you using please ? PAL or JAP ? Both boot for you ?
Do you have the loading glitch on the first race in arcade mode (the desert) ?

It maybe interesting to see the differences between CF and ssd drives.

I also have Sega Rally.
If you can share the settings, then I can try a few rounds.

True dma, IRQ, CDDA TMU2, 0x8C0000100 memory, auto or wince preset, I didn't try other preset.
My isos are not fragmented.

This preset works for me, but only if I also select "low-level".
If I disable low-level, then the game will only show a black screen wihle the VMU shows the Sega Rally logo.
Also it seems DreamShell does not save the low-level option into the preset, so I always have to go to options and enable this box before I can Play it.

Furthermore it only plays music during the menu's, there is no music when I'm racing.

[SWAT]

(18.04.2023 12:03)fafadou писал(а):  Does it need a power supply ?

And finally what kind of brand of CF do you use please ?
I'll keep my ssd as long as possible but if I must change, I'll do it.

No extra power needed. I use SanDisk (top left is dead):

Spoiler (Click to View)

[pcwzrd13]

(18.04.2023 07:34)SWAT писал(а):  

(17.04.2023 18:10)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  @SWAT Did you see my previous post? Do you think the issue with Speed Devils could be a bug with the CDDA emulation? The game shouldn't play music at all when at the main menu so I'm thinking it's just having a problem stopping the music after exiting a race.

I have seen. Have you tried SQ mode?

SQ has the same issue. I tried many different configurations and they all did it, which is what makes me think it could be an issue with the CDDA emu code. Whatever it does to detect if the music stops isn't working potentially?

Edit: New tests:

Disney's Magical Racing Tour - Music plays great with TMU1!

Flag to Flag - Excellent with default settings!

GET!! Colonies - Displays a "Can't read disc" error when attempting to boot. Does this even with CDDA disabled. Tried a few different configs with the same result.

GigaWing - Prefect with default settings!

Incoming - Great with default settings and 0x8cf80000 loader memory.

KISS Psycho Circus - Won't boot, even with CDDA disabled.

MDK2 - Works well with default settings & BTL HEAP but the "comic book" cutscenes won't play correctly. They have to be skipped by pressing B.

Edit 2: Couple more tests:

Toy Racer - Music plays great with default settings. Seems to be less distortion using DMA & TMU1.

Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense - Same as Toy Racer.

[SWAT]

(18.04.2023 18:39)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  I tried many different configurations and they all did it, which is what makes me think it could be an issue with the CDDA emu code. Whatever it does to detect if the music stops isn't working potentially?

Of course there are all the necessary checks. Apparently in this case something happens that is not taken into account in logic or just crashed. Need research.

[MastaG]

@SWAT
Could you make it for the next release, so the "low-level" box is also being saved inside the profile?

[fafadou]

(01.12.2022 13:47)SWAT писал(а):  Short changelog :

ISO Loader v0.8.0 Beta 25 (app, module and firmware):

• Build on GCC 12.2 and Newlib 4.3.0.
• New completely rewritten GDC syscalls. Emulates much better.
• New completely rewritten G1 IDE driver that support ATA/ATAPI devices: HDD, CF Card, GD/CD/DVD-ROM and some converters. The core works on KOS driver yet.
  

As always very impressive to see all this whole work
Are you happy with your rewritten code ? do you think it's possible to get the boot for all wince games with cdda for you ?
Kiss psycho circus and deep fighter works with previous loader managed by old GDC syscall less good than the new one strangely that we told about.

(01.12.2022 13:47)SWAT писал(а):  Version 0.8.0 has included low-level syscalls emulation from version 0.7.x and it can be used just in one checkbox - "low-level".

Each loader has three types of build, default, extended and full:
- If not used IRQ and CDDA, uses default loader (like SE version, but with CSO support).
- If used IRQ or CDDA then used extended loader (without CSO support, only IRQ and CDDA).
- If used "low level" or VMU emulation or screenshot feature then used a full loader. This loader support all features.

Just asking to myself why you have removed the CSO support for extended loader ?
Do you think it's a good idea to remove it from default.bin default loader ?
Or add it in the extended one or simply keep it for full loader only.
Actually, I don't know what CSO is I'm sorry.

But I understand the differences between loaders and it's very clever, well done


Thanks for all, I ordered my CF adapter, but I wish to keep my ssd because it's the "futur"
But I loved already my CF.

[SWAT]

(19.04.2023 10:21)MastaG писал(а):  @SWAT
Could you make it for the next release, so the "low-level" box is also being saved inside the profile?

OK.

(19.04.2023 14:01)fafadou писал(а):  As always very impressive to see all this whole work
Are you happy with your rewritten code ? do you think it's possible to get the boot for all wince games with cdda for you ?
Kiss psycho circus and deep fighter works with previous loader managed by old GDC syscall less good than the new one strangely that we told about.

In generally it's works much better and it closer to native code workflow.
At some time I fix remaining WinCE and much better than 0.6 do because it has lags and works in wrong way.
I need to understand the reason, it is due to the difference in the operation of the devices. The GD drive in some cases works differently than the HDD, and WinCE games are very demanding on this.

(01.12.2022 13:47)SWAT писал(а):  Just asking to myself why you have removed the CSO support for extended loader ?
Do you think it's a good idea to remove it from default.bin default loader ?
Or add it in the extended one or simply keep it for full loader only.
Actually, I don't know what CSO is I'm sorry.

Because the Extended loader is limited to 32 KB for all of this:
program (binary + bss) + 1024 for params + 256 offset (0x100) + 32 for aligning
So I just save some memory for other code.
CSO supported in the Base (no CDDA and IRQ) and the Full (all features) loaders.
In the Base loader CSO present because this loader is much smaller than the Extended loader. so I can add it to build.
The Base loader size should enough for using up to 0x8c004800 offset and still has stock of memory.
BTW, Extended loader can be used only up to 0x8c004000 in low memory.

[pcwzrd13]

@SWAT Is there an option anywhere to change the default save location for screenshots or does it always just save to the storage you booted the game from? I'd like to be able to save screenshots to my SD card, even when I'm booting from CF. It would save wear on the expensive CF.

Edit: Today's testing:

Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits Vol. 2 - Seems to work well on default settings.

Millennium Racer: Y2K Fighters - Music plays well on default settings.

Mortal Kombat Gold - Plays music well on default settings but DMA needs to be disabled or it will freeze at the main menu.

Mr. Driller - Music plays well with default settings and BTL HEAP. Some occasional distortion.

Plasma Sword - Music playing well on default settings.

Railroad Tycoon II - Music plays great with default settings.

Rainbow Six - Black screen after opening cutscene, even with CDDA disabled. I believe this game only worked with 0.7 previously, so it may require "low-level".

Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear - Works fine. No music in this game. The CDDA is used for the mission briefings.

[SWAT]

(19.04.2023 16:57)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  @SWAT Is there an option anywhere to change the default save location for screenshots or does it always just save to the storage you booted the game from? I'd like to be able to save screenshots to my SD card, even when I'm booting from CF. It would save wear on the expensive CF.

If you play from IDE device, you can save screenshots only to IDE device, because every loader have only one device driver.
In future can be add to full loader SD driver too, to use it for VMU emulation, screenshots and more.
But you need to understand that writing to SD is much much slower than CF. For VMU this is enough, but for screenshots it may be too long.