Author Topic: UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget  (Read 4760 times)

CZroe

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Re: UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #45 on: December 28, 2017, 05:13:47 AM »
I'm not sure about the refresh rates being different causing 1 frame drops.  Since the refresh rates wouldn't be any different.  The ATSC standard which is the HDTV standard supports multiple refresh rates, including the refresh rates from NTSC.

Does the EXT port provide the digital signals directly from the PPU?


That's a good question everything I've seen seems to point to it just sending the RGB and sync signal.  The dude at db-elec might be able to answer that question since he makes a Grafx Booster for the Turbo Grafx (and I think core grafx) that allows you to get RGB, and SVideo out, and he does so by tapping into the ext port.   

http://db-electronics.ca/product/dbgrafx-booster-ttp/

Their description here says digital:


The FAQ on the English site says that it’s missing the extra graphics when used for SuperGrafx games, which tells me that they aren’t interfacing with the muxed analog RGB.

GameTechUS got one of these to try out and I guess give feedback to the developer about.




Also HOLY SHIT 40,000 YEN!  That's insanely expensive, buy a framemeister for less.  It also works on a TG16, which makes sense since the pin out on that back port should probably be the same.

Said 35,000¥ ($316 USD) when I checked yesterday so it seems they’ve had s price drop. That would still be crazy expensive if we didn’t also factor that it now has an optical drive emulator (ODE) for CD-ROM^2 games. The Super SD System 3 is also around $300 for that functionality and it does not do digital video.

Way too expensive and no CD support is a show stopper for me. 

I'm not sure what is the obsession with playing old games on a HDTV.  I'm all about RGB and love image quality but I find myself using my CRT and s-video more than I do the xrgb mini on the 24" LCD.  People can argue space but a decent 20" CRT does not take up that much space.

I would agree with your first statement except it looks like they intended to add an ODE all along. ;)

Anyway, I completely disagree about RGB CRTs though, but not strictly in comparison to HDMI/DVI. It comes down to being able to connect/use your console with whatever set you encounter and being able to do so in the best quality the display supports.

RGB CRTs simply are not available in the USA where component and S-video monitors are plentiful (LCDs and CRTs). I always chuckle when Jason Rauch (GameTechUS) asks why anyone wants S-video or component... while sitting in front of his junk PVM that he has been unable to fix or replace for years (shifted purple). :D Kevin Horton (Kevtris), who has done a PVM repair video of his own, even stopped by to look at it. He’s the perfect example of why component and S-video are better options for many people and yet he said it again in the recent video where he and Voultar critique Doujindance’s old Duo mod work.

Heck, with a collection of Wega Trinitron, HD Trinitron, and XBR SFP Trinitron TVs, I have some of the best consumer CRTs ever made and yet I still can’t properly utilize RGB. I probably can’t use this on those TVs either because their HDMI/DVI inputs are notoriously picky: PS3 HDMI output works in 480p, 720p, or 1080i, yet Hi-Def NES only works in 480p and UltraHDMI doesn’t work at all (so much for Kevtris and MarshallH enduring compatibility/compliance with that HDMI signal analyzer!). *sigh* Component and S-video work gloriously.

An OSSC will have the same issues with PCE/TG16 signals as it does for SNES signals. At least the UpperGrafx can buffer one frame to improve compatibility.

A 24” flat panel and a 20 CRT is not really a fair comparison because the sizes are only appropriate for personal use (these days). Perhaps I have a different perspective because my collection is shared with my twin brother, but neither of those are sized for playing 3p Secret of Mana or Mario Kart 64 Battle Mode in the living room when you have friends over. I can just disconnect my N64 and take it to the XBR LCD when friends arrive but I don’t have that freedom with RGB. Even with that scenario, I feel that a retro system worth playing deserves a spot in the living room. It’s literally what my living room home theater is for. I mean, screw television programming! I’d rather play some games on that XBR beast. ;)

This has always been the case. In 2003 I returned a 30” $900 Samsung CRT HDTV and paid $2,300 for a different 30” CRT HDTV simply because 4:3 480p GameCube games were forced to stretch to 16:9 on the first one. I bought that HDTV specifically to play both 4:3 and 16:9 GCN and XBOX games in 480p. Heck, one of the first things I did was play around with Goldeneye 007’s anamorphic widescreen modes... using S-video. I don’t regret the purchase one bit as the only PVM/BVMs that compare have the exact same tube and this thing has served me well for gaming almost 15 years (finicky support for home brew digital output mods, not withstanding).

Currently working on new timing generator for the system to generate interlaced output

Awesome! Any updates on this?

GameTechUS got one of these to try out and I guess give feedback to the developer about.




Also HOLY SHIT 40,000 YEN!  That's insanely expensive, buy a framemeister for less.  It also works on a TG16, which makes sense since the pin out on that back port should probably be the same.

OK, in light of the new competing PCE Super SD System 3 product, I was reminded of this Japanese DVI/HDMI supporting one.

Notes:

* http://www.upergrafx.com
* https://twitter.com/upergrafx
* It's called Uper Grafx 720p Booster.
* Output port is DVI, so you need a DVI to HDMI cable, audio is included so you don't need separate RCA connections.
* Pricing according to GameTechUS was hovering at $368 or 40,000 YEN, not good...
* From looking at the Japanese website with Google Translate, it appears CD image support has been added. It needs images made with CD Manipulator. http://www.upergrafx.com/cdrom2_setup_ja
* There's some debate if it taps a digital signal or does a good job of encoding the analog RGB back to digital before tripling the resolution from 240p to 720p. Better be all digital for the kind of money you're looking at! States it's full digital on their Twitter.
Tough call on this one, but definitely has potential. I just want the board that triples the resolution and encodes to DVI/HDMI like what GameTech is talking about. I hope further progress is made on it.

If that 35,000¥, $316 USD price I see is right, it seems that there has been a price drop.

No question about the video interface though: It’s definitely digital. See the description here:


Also, their English FAQ says that SuperGrafx games are missing their extra graphics, which would not happen if they were simply converting analog RGB.

Black Tiger

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Re: UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #46 on: December 28, 2017, 06:34:27 AM »
Quote
Said 35,000¥ ($316 USD) when I checked yesterday so it seems they’ve had s price drop. That would still be crazy expensive if we didn’t also factor that it now has an optical drive emulator (ODE) for CD-ROM^2 games. The Super SD System 3 is also around $300 for that functionality and it does not do digital video.

I thought that the digital video was too messed up to be worth using? A setup that limits you to only hdtv isn't as valuable for 240p consoles, since RGB can be used for virtually perfect video on crt or digital hdtvs.

Last time I read notes about this, the CD emulation was fairly poor. If it's not 99% perfect then you can't even compare it to the SSS3 for that isolated feature. Nevermind what else the SSS3 does.


You don't need a crt with RGB in North America. My 32+" Wega displaying RGB transcoded to component looks better than small RGB and arcade monitors.
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CZroe

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UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #47 on: December 28, 2017, 06:35:19 AM »
Edit: Something glitches horribly in Tapatalk. All I did was launch it and it started posting something!
« Last Edit: December 28, 2017, 06:38:06 AM by CZroe »

CZroe

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UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #48 on: December 28, 2017, 07:29:07 AM »
Quote
Said 35,000¥ ($316 USD) when I checked yesterday so it seems they’ve had s price drop. That would still be crazy expensive if we didn’t also factor that it now has an optical drive emulator (ODE) for CD-ROM^2 games. The Super SD System 3 is also around $300 for that functionality and it does not do digital video.

I thought that the digital video was too messed up to be worth using? A setup that limits you to only hdtv isn't as valuable for 240p consoles, since RGB can be used for virtually perfect video on crt or digital hdtvs.
No more “messed up” than SNES and PCE/TG16 through OSSC. Also, they’ve since enabled a 1 frame buffer. You get the same issues when you enable direct mode in UltraHDMI and other similar projects too but buffering solves the problem with less than/up to one frame of lag.

Last time I read notes about this, the CD emulation was fairly poor. If it's not 99% perfect then you can't even compare it to the SSS3 for that isolated feature. Nevermind what else the SSS3 does.
Well, I’m actively absorbing all of this info now and that sounds like exactly the kind of info I’m looking for. Where’d you hear it? I do see Arcade Card games being played on their YouTube channel, though I still don’t know if the actual card is required.

You don't need a crt with RGB in North America. My 32+" Wega displaying RGB transcoded to component looks better than small RGB and arcade monitors.
Exactly. Component is more useful than RGB for the sets available in the USA. No discernible quality difference with a HUGE discernible usability difference (Heck, we probably have the same TV... is an an HS510 or the later one with HDMI?).

With RGB transcoded to component and S-video, I can take my modded console from CRT to modern flat panel, and back again and have the best of both worlds (RGB-class image on some displays, best available on others), so it’s amusing to see GameTechUS and Voultar wonder why anyone wants component/S-video... with the same busted PVM he’s been forced to use for years sitting right beside him... AS they actively remove S-video and composite from a Duo RX. What fallback does that leave when unchained from an RGB monitor? Junk.

The DVI output for this thing would give me even better results on the flat panel without needing to hope for good 240p handling. Also, 720p will integer scale to 4K if you disable all of your TV’s image processing (game mode, disable overscan compensation, no interpolated frames, etc). A 720p digital to digital PCE/TG16 interface would be much appreciated among people who just want the best connection for the widest variety of potential monitors.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2017, 07:35:37 AM by CZroe »

MobiusStripTech

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Re: UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #49 on: December 28, 2017, 02:58:06 PM »
The Duo RX doesn't do S-Video natively... So not sure what you are talking about there.

Component has similar limitations as RGB in the US. RGB requires a PVM or modified CRT obviously, but 240p component still needs either a CRT or a tv that actually supports it. Of all the Tv's in my house of which there are 7 only my 2010 Sony LED and my PVM support 240p component. My brand new 2017 OLED doesn't even have component hookups.

In the modern age we are going to be reliant on some kind of converter to continue to use old consoles. Personally I think the Upergrafx is going to have a small market. Glad to see the price has come down finally though because the old price was insanely high.
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CZroe

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Re: UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #50 on: December 28, 2017, 03:31:53 PM »
The Duo RX doesn't do S-Video natively... So not sure what you are talking about there.
Right. Doujindance added it then Voultar and GameTechUS wondered why anyone would want it as they actively removed it. Jason has asked the same thing many times in the past, usually in reference to NESRGB options.

Component has similar limitations as RGB in the US. RGB requires a PVM or modified CRT obviously, but 240p component still needs either a CRT or a tv that actually supports it. Of all the Tv's in my house of which there are 7 only my 2010 Sony LED and my PVM support 240p component. My brand new 2017 OLED doesn't even have component hookups.
I acknowledge that they don’t always properly support 240p over component, but the same thing applies to 240p composite. The point of component is to upgrade over composite/S-video, same as RGB. At least the TVs typically treat it as 480i over the analog inputs so it works and you do get a quality improvement over straight composite. I’m acutely aware that the latest TVs don’t have analog inputs because my twin brother’s job has involved daily HT setup for over 10 years. Losing analog inputs is just another reason why having a digital option is also important. Regardless, the situation for component is nowhere near where the situation is for RGB. Used component-capable TVs are plentiful. That was never the case for RGB TVs in the USA.

Everything in my house supports 240p over component in some way and not a single one of them was purchased with that in mind. Heck, I noticed “240p” on my KDL-52XBR2 the first time I played Ico on it back in 2006. I wouldn’t say that TV handles it well (as 240p test suite demonstrates) but it does accept it. The XBR910 handles is gloriously. The HS510 seems awesome but I’ve noticed a hitch every 5-6 seconds with the NES (similar to what the UpperGrafx reportedly does in unbuffered/direct mode?).

In the modern age we are going to be reliant on some kind of converter to continue to use old consoles. Personally I think the Upergrafx is going to have a small market. Glad to see the price has come down finally though because the old price was insanely high.
Agreed, but with Micomsoft ending production on the XRGB Mini, no 4K successors announced, and OSSC having many compatibility issues with notoriously non-compliant retro consoles, I will take all the console-specific solutions I can get Mike Moffet’s Neo VGA, UltraHDMI, Hi-Def NES, UpperGragx: YES PLEASE.

I’d be using it with a TG16. Since the UpperGrafx prevents me from connecting S-video, RGB, or even composite, I’d certainly be modding it since I wouldn’t want to be stuck on DVI just to use the ODE. That said, I still don’t know enough about it to make choose it over the SSDSys3. Hopefully CoreGrafx or CoreGrafx II users can still utilize the multi-out when using the UpperGrafx ODE.

MobiusStripTech

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Re: UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #51 on: December 28, 2017, 04:26:17 PM »
I'm not saying anything bad about console specific solutions. I'd prefer them in most cases. I just have not been impressed with this product. It had limited functionality when released and was extremely expensive. As far as I have heard the functionality is still not on par with the new TerraOnion product.

S-video is one of those things that many people missed the boat on and didn't live really long. So I get removing it. Personally I would rather do RGB and if I want component just get some HDRetrovision cables. Plus the issues with the OSSC are getting better. It's still an actively developed open source product. Revision 1.6 made it a viable contender to the framemeister. If they correct the snes issues specifically, it will probably start to see a bigger uptick.
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CZroe

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Re: UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #52 on: December 28, 2017, 04:48:43 PM »
...As far as I have heard the functionality is still not on par with the new TerraOnion product...
You’re the second to say this but I’m still trying to find any English language impressions since the ODE functionality has been enabled. Even their own English language section acts like the feature doesn’t exist yet. :(

Understandably, that’s exactly the kind of impressions I’d want to read before making a decision so I’m very interested in where anyone has described or compared the specifics. Jason didn’t even mention that it had a card slot! Would you happen to remember where you heard that? Did they say whether or not it requires an Arcade Card for Arcade CD-ROM games? So few people are even talking about it outside of Japan that it could fly right under the radar even if it were up to par... or even decidedly superior.

Johnpv

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Re: UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #53 on: December 28, 2017, 05:04:47 PM »

S-video is one of those things that many people missed the boat on and didn't live really long. So I get removing it.

S-Video was around for awhile, it was introduced in 1979.  Machines like the Commodore 64 (You need the model with the 8 pin din which has separate luma and chroma outputs), Commodore 128 and Atari 8-bit computers had it.  The more common 4-pin mini din we associate with S-Video was introduced in 1987. 

CZroe

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UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #54 on: December 28, 2017, 05:38:17 PM »

S-video is one of those things that many people missed the boat on and didn't live really long. So I get removing it.

S-Video was around for awhile, it was introduced in 1979.  Machines like the Commodore 64 (You need the model with the 8 pin din which has separate luma and chroma outputs), Commodore 128 and Atari 8-bit computers had it.  The more common 4-pin mini din we associate with S-Video was introduced in 1987.
Unfortunately it wasn’t generally available in your average TV until we were on the verge of component with the popularity of DVD players but it was available first and all the way up to the advent of digital inputs, making it’s useful life a bit longer before DVI/HDMI displaces both... and that’s when all the best CRTs were being made. XBOX 360 and Wii were still component only and a lot of people were using it for DVD players so it died a slow death.

The facts are, finding a good CRT in the USA with component and S-video is infinitely easier than finding any CRT with RGB. Because many retro consoles support these natively, there is good reason to have and use them if you live in the USA. Without a PVM or some exotic solution there is no real world advantage to RGB here over an component encoded from RGB. Heck, even the OSSC works fine with component. I can switch a component console from OSSC to any number of TVs but I can’t do that with RGB.

Oh yeah, and a few more things...
I'm not saying anything bad about console specific solutions. I'd prefer them in most cases. I just have not been impressed with this product. It had limited functionality when released and was extremely expensive. As far as I have heard the functionality is still not on par with the new TerraOnion product.
My impression is that those were based on previews. For example, there was no menu for Jason and they kept saying that the forced pillarbox logos were just for showcasing it at preview events. We might have been prejudiced by early impressions.

S-video is one of those things that many people missed the boat on and didn't live really long. So I get removing it. Personally I would rather do RGB and if I want component just get some HDRetrovision cables. Plus the issues with the OSSC are getting better. It's still an actively developed open source product. Revision 1.6 made it a viable contender to the framemeister. If they correct the snes issues specifically, it will probably start to see a bigger uptick.
The OSSC is great, but the relevant issues aren’t technically with the OSSC and, thus, it isn’t likely that it can ever address them on its own. It seems that they are issues between the original consoles and modern TVs that are intolerant of their timings. As a line-doubler, OSSC does not buffer frames and, thus, it cannot force a non-standard signal into compliance. To change timings you must buffer or drop frames unless you can control the device generating the signal (it can’t). Hi-Def NES and AVS do control the console’s timing. The issue the UpperGrafx reportedly had before they enabled frame buffering is unavoidable with an OSSC (assuming it is caused by our-of-spec timings). It can’t simply enable frame buffering when it doesn’t have a frame buffer. OSSC is always in direct mode, which is great if your TV is tolerant of the consoles you want to play.

It sounds like they jumped the gun when they first announced UpperGrafx and the bad initial impressions are still dogging it today, which is why I’m really eager to see updated impressions. They really should have waited until ODE and frame buffering was ready.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2017, 05:40:39 PM by CZroe »

MobiusStripTech

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Re: UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #55 on: December 28, 2017, 06:56:45 PM »

S-video is one of those things that many people missed the boat on and didn't live really long. So I get removing it.

S-Video was around for awhile, it was introduced in 1979.  Machines like the Commodore 64 (You need the model with the 8 pin din which has separate luma and chroma outputs), Commodore 128 and Atari 8-bit computers had it.  The more common 4-pin mini din we associate with S-Video was introduced in 1987.

I'm not saying s-video as a standard wasn't around. The issue was availability. As you said the 4pin mini-DIN, which was introduced later is the more common one people are aware of. The problem was that it wasn't included on most consumer grade products until as CZroe said, component was becoming readily available. I used s-video for years and never touched component because my s-video looked great. But I wasn't your average consumer. I actually owned a SVHS player, which did use s-video.

To CZroe's question about where I saw the Upergrafx, I never saw any video from Jason. I saw some videos that the team that created it put out and read a few reviews on it. My understanding was that it does not do Arcade Card support and needed specific file structures for the ODE. Honestly their initial price was such a huge turnoff to me that I have ignored most new information.
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Black Tiger

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Re: UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #56 on: December 29, 2017, 01:18:30 AM »
Most people in North America used an RF switch through the 32-bit generation and composite only became popular during the generation after. Then we got the Xbox 360. :P
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CZroe

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UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #57 on: December 29, 2017, 05:37:40 AM »

S-video is one of those things that many people missed the boat on and didn't live really long. So I get removing it.


S-Video was around for awhile, it was introduced in 1979.  Machines like the Commodore 64 (You need the model with the 8 pin din which has separate luma and chroma outputs), Commodore 128 and Atari 8-bit computers had it.  The more common 4-pin mini din we associate with S-Video was introduced in 1987.
To CZroe's question about where I saw the Upergrafx, I never saw any video from Jason. I saw some videos that the team that created it put out and read a few reviews on it. My understanding was that it does not do Arcade Card support and needed specific file structures for the ODE. Honestly their initial price was such a huge turnoff to me that I have ignored most new information.

The only videos and written discussion I can find that reference the ODE function are Japanese and I can’t glean that information (despite trying). Google Translate has been of very limited use, particularly on a smartphone. Did you find English reviews that reference the ODE function? I really thought I’d find those here if they existed. I’m just seeing their outdated English site which still thinks this is just for DVI-oh! ...and a couple outdated videos on YouTube. Other than us trying to guess and glean, the only discussion I can find on the ODE function is Japanese.

Most people in North America used an RF switch through the 32-bit generation and composite only became popular during the generation after. Then we got the Xbox 360.

Well, the consoles of the mid-‘90s generally didn’t include an RF switch but a lot of people had RF only TVs and had to buy one. I bought one because I would routinely bring my system to friends and find that their TV was RF-only and they didn’t have a VCR to run it through. Perhaps that experience is why I want the options with the widest compatibility even today.

Going to need at least a Laser 7 output from this thing.

http://southpark.cc.com/clips/4pd2am/laser-7-output
« Last Edit: December 29, 2017, 10:25:10 AM by CZroe »

CZroe

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UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #58 on: December 29, 2017, 08:13:30 AM »
Well, digging further through the Google Translate English version of their Japanese pages with a proper PC, I get some additional info, though some seems contradictory.

Though the English site says that all the hardware for CD-ROM^2 functionality is present/populated, the Japanese site presents the function as a new feature for the UGX-02 hardware (original is UGX-01). Some statements seem to imply that the UGX-01 CAN run CD-ROM titles, and it isn’t listed in the short list of differences. Perhaps they both have it but compatibility is different? They mention the possibility of renovating/retrofitting the old ones but they have not offered/priced the service yet. The changes seem to be minor stuff, like the ability to update without a PC, slightly different port positions, double the internal SRAM (2Mbit to 4Mbit) even though it doesn't currently utilize the extra 2Mbits for anything, and it uses a standard sized SD card (as opposed to microSD?).

They added HuCard/TurboChip dumping to both as an "unofficial" function. Neat!

It can dump the framebuffer to your PC as a PNG file. That's why the screen freezes when you press the button. Jason/GameTechUS couldn't figure out what that was for but now it’s clearly so that you can see if you got the frame you want before dumping the frame buffer to the PC.

The UGX-02 actually costs more than the older one. If the older one currently doesn’t support CD-ROM^2 emulation, it's still grossly overpriced.

There is some kind of setting where you choose your System Card type. It does not have a separate setting for Arcade Card and Super System Card 3.0 because they use the same ROM. The way they word it makes it seem like you might be able to run Arcade Card titles with a Super System Card but probably not. You definitely need a card of some kind inserted and the Arcade Card Duo doesn’t work because it has no ROM (relies on the Duo’s built-in Super System Card 3.0).

When they unveiled the CD-ROM^2 ODE function they said that the memory card was "MMC." There is some compatibility between SD and MMC, so hopefully they weren't saying that the feature requires MMC like a Nokia nGage.

There is some mention of CD-ROM^2 compatibility with the UGX-01 being improved with future updates, which implies that it was working on the original version in some form. Perhaps it just doesn't have great compatibility? I saw numbers like 70% and 80% compatibility. Even on real hardware some CD-ROM titles that stream FMV from the disc can have problems when the drive reads too slow or two fast. They brag that it loads faster from SD so I wonder if that is the issue.

The internal memory card function allows you to backup to PC.

It looks like the old version's SD-slot was not installed though the casing still had a hole for it. Guess it wasn't fully populated for the feature as they claim!

This is what I've gleaned so far.
« Last Edit: December 29, 2017, 10:39:46 AM by CZroe »

akamichi

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Re: UperGrafx PC Engine 720p DVI Widget
« Reply #59 on: December 29, 2017, 06:01:41 PM »
I have an UperGrafx (UGX-01:  no CDROM or SD version) and I think it works well for what it does.  I've played around with pretty much every function and if anyone has any questions, I'll try to answer as best as I can.  Just remember, I'm no expert in video signals or anything like that. :P

Well, digging further through the Google Translate English version of their Japanese pages with a proper PC, I get some additional info, though some seems contradictory.

Though the English site says that all the hardware for CD-ROM^2 functionality is present/populated, the Japanese site presents the function as a new feature for the UGX-02 hardware (original is UGX-01). Some statements seem to imply that the UGX-01 CAN run CD-ROM titles, and it isn’t listed in the short list of differences. Perhaps they both have it but compatibility is different? They mention the possibility of renovating/retrofitting the old ones but they have not offered/priced the service yet. The changes seem to be minor stuff, like the ability to update without a PC, slightly different port positions, double the internal SRAM (2Mbit to 4Mbit) even though it doesn't currently utilize the extra 2Mbits for anything, and it uses a standard sized SD card (as opposed to microSD?).
My understanding is the UGX-01 can be upgraded to support CD-ROM titles but will cost extra for this service.  There is no SD card slot on the board, so I'm thinking it might be as simple as soldering one on there and updating the firmware (I hope!).

Quote
They added HuCard/TurboChip dumping to both as an "unofficial" function. Neat!
This is probably my most used function of this device.  It's not perfect, but it works. 

Quote
It can dump the framebuffer to your PC as a PNG file. That's why the screen freezes when you press the button. Jason/GameTechUS couldn't figure out what that was for but now it’s clearly so that you can see if you got the frame you want before dumping the frame buffer to the PC.
This is nice to have, but it'd be easier to do this in an emulator.  The screen does blank when you take a screenshot... I think the game freezes momentarily too.

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There is some kind of setting where you choose your System Card type. It does not have a separate setting for Arcade Card and Super System Card 3.0 because they use the same ROM. The way they word it makes it seem like you might be able to run Arcade Card titles with a Super System Card but probably not. You definitely need a card of some kind inserted and the Arcade Card Duo doesn’t work because it has no ROM (relies on the Duo’s built-in Super System Card 3.0).
I believe this is only for the HuCard dumping function.  You just need to choose the setting if you're dumping that particular card.  Earlier firmwares couldn't dump Street Fighter II', but after a firmware update, that card was added as an option in the menu.

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When they unveiled the CD-ROM^2 ODE function they said that the memory card was "MMC." There is some compatibility between SD and MMC, so hopefully they weren't saying that the feature requires MMC like a Nokia nGage.
Not sure on this one.  I think they meant MMC or similar cards in a roundabout way of saying SD/MMC.  Won't know for sure until the new version is released I suppose.

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There is some mention of CD-ROM^2 compatibility with the UGX-01 being improved with future updates, which implies that it was working on the original version in some form. Perhaps it just doesn't have great compatibility? I saw numbers like 70% and 80% compatibility. Even on real hardware some CD-ROM titles that stream FMV from the disc can have problems when the drive reads too slow or two fast. They brag that it loads faster from SD so I wonder if that is the issue.

The internal memory card function allows you to backup to PC.

It looks like the old version's SD-slot was not installed though the casing still had a hole for it. Guess it wasn't fully populated for the feature as they claim!

This is what I've gleaned so far.

Their twitter feed has a link to a spreadsheet detailing the compatibility of various games.  It was around 100 games when I looked at it, but I'm sure there's more by now.

IMO, the Upergrafx is lacking compared to the SD System3.  However, it's my impression that the UperGrafx was intended to only replace the CD-ROM and IFU-30 units.  That's why it doesn't run HuCard images, you still need System Cards and/or Arcade Cards for those games to work, etc.  Running CD images seems pretty cumbersome too, from reading their website.

I'd be happy if there was a simple way of getting digital output using the UperGrafx with CD/IFU-30 or SCD hardware. 

- akamichi