EDN8 OS v20-BETA. Large update incoming

[flamepanther]

Look, I don't care who is right, because it's already established that the electronics on the N8 can't produce louder sound without modification. Since the v20 operating system obviously can't modify the hardware, the discussion is massively distracting from the actual thread topic.

[brianvgplayer]

ALWAYS test on real hardware first.
FPGA based emulation boxes like SuperNT and AVS may have incompatibilities.
The last thing we want is to confuse the developer (KRIKzz) with something that is not caused by the N8 but the emulator.
I have 2x AV Famicoms and 1x Original Famicom, all run the N8 fine with no errors.

For now we have these bugs with v20 (RC6/7):
Mapper 189 broken (MMC3 clone), (N8 points to 187).
Mapper 90 broken.
Mapper 99 broken (VS system games).
Mapper 219 broken (MMC3 clone).

Mapper 189 works if you are using the Master Fighter 3 (Unl).nes ROM with CRC of 63E2844E, but the original Street Fighter II World Warrior ROM with CRC of 96CE586E, will not work.
Mapper 90 works too, but Tekken 2 will soft lock on a black screen after picking a fighter with music still playing.

Here's a post with various issues listed. There's also the IO errors that affect some hardware. I only get them on an official US model 2 NES, but there have been reports of them occurring on official PAL NES and official NTSC model 1 NES, as well, telling by previous posts in this topic. The sort feature is buggy and can cause issues with fragmentation.

[flamepanther]

ALWAYS test on real hardware first.
FPGA based emulation boxes like SuperNT and AVS may have incompatibilities.
The last thing we want is to confuse the developer (KRIKzz) with something that is not caused by the N8 but the emulator.
I have 2x AV Famicoms and 1x Original Famicom, all run the N8 fine with no errors.

For now we have these bugs with v20 (RC6/7):
Mapper 189 broken (MMC3 clone), (N8 points to 187).
Mapper 90 broken.
Mapper 99 broken (VS system games).
Mapper 219 broken (MMC3 clone).

Mapper 189 works if you are using the Master Fighter 3 (Unl).nes ROM with CRC of 63E2844E, but the original Street Fighter II World Warrior ROM with CRC of 96CE586E, will not work.
Mapper 90 works too, but Tekken 2 will soft lock on a black screen after picking a fighter with music still playing.

Here's a post with various issues listed. There's also the IO errors that affect some hardware. I only get them on an official US model 2 NES, but there have been reports of them occurring on official PAL NES and official NTSC model 1 NES, as well, telling by previous posts in this topic. The sort feature is buggy and can cause issues with fragmentation.

It's worth noting that the severity of the IO errors varies widely on hardware that suffers from it. Seems to range from just needing to browse the menu kinda slowly, to not being able to load the operating system at all.

[rw9]

I am very much enjoying this update to the everdrive n8 os, but I have a question about the mapper table image: On the table, why is mapper 114 marked as "not exist"? It's somewhat false since it's the mapper number associated with SuperGames' own mapper, which is a variant of the MMC3, that was used in their original games, like Aladdin and Lion King. It can cause some confusion that both games have mapper hacked versions to run them on some more standard mapper (probably another MMC3 clone), but those versions lack certain features from the original versions (for example, the bonus stages in Lion King). When I try to run Lion King through my everdrive, even with this latest OS, the game still crashes when it tries to load up the first stage.

[Missingno255]

I am very much enjoying this update to the everdrive n8 os, but I have a question about the mapper table image: On the table, why is mapper 114 marked as "not exist"? It's somewhat false since it's the mapper number associated with SuperGames' own mapper, which is a variant of the MMC3, that was used in their original games, like Aladdin and Lion King. It can cause some confusion that both games have mapper hacked versions to run them on some more standard mapper (probably another MMC3 clone), but those versions lack certain features from the original versions (for example, the bonus stages in Lion King). When I try to run Lion King through my everdrive, even with this latest OS, the game still crashes when it tries to load up the first stage.

He's been getting to them as this recent change brought the "not exist" mappers from 89 to 76. The mappers he doesn't need to support are Mappers 6, 8, 17, 84, and 100. Those are all copier mappers. I've been wanting all the Hummer Team and SuperGame mappers
to be implemented too.
Of course, there are people here with bad attitudes around here, who think that these games should never be supported, just because they are all pirate games and assume all of them are bad, when a lot of officially licensed games are a lot worse. It's similar how the MAME team chose to emulate, not only officially released arcade games, but also bootlegs derived from them.

[brianvgplayer]

It's worth noting that the severity of the IO errors varies widely on hardware that suffers from it. Seems to range from just needing to browse the menu kinda slowly, to not being able to load the operating system at all.

It interferes with FDS games on the NES model 2, which have a hard time loading, but still lets me play most games.

[fernan1234]

james i'm not the only one that say the everdrive chip sound is too much low on famicom.
Famicom have low chip sound when using original carts? NO. So is not the famicom the culprit here. I have a fantastic sound when using my famicom, instead very very low when using the everdrive exp chips. Everyone knows that you are a fanboy of everdrives and sd2snes so you never talk bad about these, but i'm not like you.[/b]

To be fair, everyone should be a fanboy of the SD2SNES. That cart is basically flawless, and its amazing that it was ready to be compatible years in advance with future developments like FX and SA1 support.

The N8 on the other hand is a very limited piece of hardware as all of this has been making clearer, though it's still a great tool. Personally, more than OS updates for a limited hardware, I look forward to a hardware revision with no IO errors and proper sound output for all Famicom and NES versions (and if possible also the main FPGA consoles).

I do relate to your passion for the original Famicom sound though. Anyone who has never heard Gimmick or Akumajou Densetsu original cartridge on old OG Famicom is missing out. Even if it is out-of-spec, it just sounds so good.

[Missingno255]

james i'm not the only one that say the everdrive chip sound is too much low on famicom.
Famicom have low chip sound when using original carts? NO. So is not the famicom the culprit here. I have a fantastic sound when using my famicom, instead very very low when using the everdrive exp chips. Everyone knows that you are a fanboy of everdrives and sd2snes so you never talk bad about these, but i'm not like you.[/b]

To be fair, everyone should be a fanboy of the SD2SNES. That cart is basically flawless, and its amazing that it was ready to be compatible years in advance with future developments like FX and SA1 support.

The N8 on the other hand is a very limited piece of hardware as all of this has been making clearer, though it's still a great tool. Personally, more than OS updates for a limited hardware, I look forward to a hardware revision with no IO errors and proper sound output for all Famicom and NES versions (and if possible also the main FPGA consoles).

I do relate to your passion for the original Famicom sound though. Anyone who has never heard Gimmick or Akumajou Densetsu original cartridge on old OG Famicom is missing out. Even if it is out-of-spec, it just sounds so good.

SD2SNES is not flawless as you claim. The FPGA is ancient, when compared to what is currently out on the market. SA-1 BARELY fits in there as is. I'm surprised it fits in there at all, to be very honest.

IO errors are something that are unavoidable, when it comes an OS and an SD card. New hardware revisions would be completely irrelevant, in that regard. The only upgrades the N8 needs, is newer FPGA (possibly) and bigger PRG and CHR SRAMs for large games, official or otherwise. Aside from that, the N8 works great. I've had mine since 2013/2014 and I've never once had a problem with it.

Also, fanboyism? Really?? That is something that is completely unnecessary.

[brianvgplayer]

The IO errors don't seem to be caused by the SD card itself, but from the ED having a hard time reading the SD card on some NES revisions. They don't occur on all NES revisions and still occur after multiple reformats.

[dreimer]

SD2SNES is not flawless as you claim. The FPGA is ancient, when compared to what is currently out on the market. SA-1 BARELY fits in there as is. I'm surprised it fits in there at all, to be very honest.

IO errors are something that are unavoidable, when it comes an OS and an SD card. New hardware revisions would be completely irrelevant, in that regard. The only upgrades the N8 needs, is newer FPGA (possibly) and bigger PRG and CHR SRAMs for large games, official or otherwise. Aside from that, the N8 works great. I've had mine since 2013/2014 and I've never once had a problem with it.

Also, fanboyism? Really?? That is something that is completely unnecessary.

Xilinx Spartan3 is not outdated as it's still sold. The only thing causing trouble is the RAM used on it as this is starting to be difficult to find. Anyways, back to topic.

[Sarge]

SD2SNES is still easily the best flash cart I own.  Not saying that the EDN8 isn't fantastic as well, but it has a lot more quirks when upgrading.  I'll also readily admit that due to having so many mappers on NES, emulating them properly is also quite a challenge.

Anyway, the v20 updates have definitely brought a ton more functionality, much as the SD2SNES now has Super FX and SA1.  I do hope some of the SD card errors folks are running into can be solved, though!

[brianvgplayer]

I think that mentioned crashes relaterd to io problems. It looks like incorectly readed data from sd card. Unfortunately i cant reproduce this problem on my hardware, so it will not be fixed in v20. Users with io errors will be forced to stay at v16, at least for now

Have you tried the AVS in PAL mode using the 1.30 final firmware? I also had issues with NES model 2 using the FC to NES adapter from Stone Age Gamer (seems to be a honeybee clone).

[polyh3dron]

As far as I can tell, the latest beta's FDS audio is spot on with my AV Famicom, at least with VS Excitebike.

Well done.

[James-F]

Falsion still has some minor modulation bug that appeared in RC4 when Metroid was fixed, but aside from that FDS audio is indeed almost perfect.
I hope that KRIKzz did not disappear for three months like he did from May to August...

[Arnold101]

yeah