Amstrad Mega PC with OSSC

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  • #26095
    io-error
    Participant

      Hi All

      I’ve been struggling with getting sync lock using the VGA input on my OSSC running 0.82a with a mega PC, specifically using it as a megadrive. It will lock sync for short periods and shows:

      AV3: RGBHV 313p
      15.55kHz 49.69Hz

      When it does lock it shows a picture on my monitor but it flickers in an out, if I mess with some of the sync options I can get it too hold a lock for a bit longer but it always drops the sync after a few seconds sometimes up to 30. This is a link to the technical manual https://web.archive.org/web/20110719154701/http://www.amstradcg.nl/mega.pdf.

      The OSSC is connected directly via VGA cable and I’ve tried a couple of cables, no difference.

      Does anyone know if this configuration should/can work? Are there any other things I can try, I’m not familiar with the intricacies of VGA sync issues so quite out of my depth here.

      Regards

      #26096
      nmalinoski
      Participant

        What kind of display are you using? Is it your display that’s not keeping sync, or is it the OSSC?

        If it’s your display, 49.69Hz might be just out of acceptable range for its video processor.

        #26097
        io-error
        Participant

          It’s the OSSC dropping sync, it flashes red and the display says no sync. It works fine with other consoles.

          #26106
          marqs
          Participant

            The digitizer chip is a bit picky on HSYNC/VSYNC alignment which might be the issue here. You could try enabling “AV3 interlacefix” on the compatibility opts. Another option would be a sync combiner (dedicated or as part of VGA->SCART RGB converter) if you happen to have one.

            #26208
            io-error
            Participant

              Thanks for the reply, sorry for the lag getting back to you. I tried the “AV3 interlacefix” didn’t make any difference. I then tried an older OSSC I had in an arcade machine. This worked fine running firmware 0.76, so I flashed the newer OSSC from 0.82a to 0.76a. It works out of the box with no configuration changes required.

              So I assume it is be firmware related and something has changed re the HV sync on AV3?

              The display is still showing:

              AV3: RGBHV 313p
              15.55kHz 49.69Hz

              Regards

              P.S
              Before I flashed it to 0.76a I tried again with 0.82a, just in case there was a weirdness with the mega PC that had been fixed with moving it around a bit. It still wouldn’t lock on the sync.

              #26220
              marqs
              Participant

                Could you also try other firmware versions between those? It could help pinpointing the change that affects this.

                #26222
                io-error
                Participant

                  Of course.

                  So downloading from https://www.niksula.hut.fi/~mhiienka/ossc/fw/

                  .76a Works
                  .77a Works
                  .78a Works
                  .79a Works
                  .80a Works
                  .81a Fails to sync

                  Let me know if I can test anything else.

                  #26224
                  marqs
                  Participant

                    I checked the changes and there are a few possible causes. Could you try if the following helps with the newest fw: when you have sync locked, press profile load hotkey (TV/AV) on remote but don’t select a profile. That rules out the CPU detecting sync/mode change which could cause erratic behaviour if bad status is received from the digitizer.

                    #26231
                    io-error
                    Participant

                      Yep, .82a press the hotkey button, holds synch no problem.

                      #26233
                      io-error
                      Participant

                        And interestingly now I can’t get it to misbehave again, even re-flashing the firmware doesn’t bring back the behaviour of not synching.

                        #27257
                        obsoletemachines
                        Participant

                          hi,
                          i’m having similar difficulties trying to get it to work with a 15khz RGB monitor – the Sony KX14CP1

                          So i’m taking the signals direct off the MegaPC board RGBHV

                          My monitor expects TTL level and i suspect this is the issue.

                          Looking at the MegaPc Service manual the RGBHV goes to the monitor where there is a Toshiba TA8631 RGB Chip but before the inputs there are 75ohm pull down resistors and an ‘in-line’ capacitor 47uf.

                          on the TA8631 datasheet it recommmends 51ohm pull downs.

                          I think i need to pull down the lines and also connect the grounds.

                          This may help you

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