Search found 223 matches

by M68008
Fri Apr 07, 2023 6:29 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: "what-if" QL extended graphics
Replies: 45
Views: 11224

Re: "what-if" QL extended graphics

Great! In my latest ula clone, I didn't replaced the ram but added a 64K shadow ram that the ula uses to read the video ram faster and it has a 30% video speed improvement because it steels less cycles from the cpu when it accesses the video ram but still with the 68008 that has the 8bit bus and a ...
by M68008
Fri Apr 07, 2023 6:25 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: "what-if" QL extended graphics
Replies: 45
Views: 11224

Re: "what-if" QL extended graphics

The ULA gets 18 of the 20 address lines, so without extra connections it's limited to the original 128 KB of RAM.
by M68008
Thu Apr 06, 2023 9:40 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: "what-if" QL extended graphics
Replies: 45
Views: 11224

Re: "what-if" QL extended graphics

Was the video memory implemenetd with SDRAM oder SRAM? My Mister has 32 MB SDRAM that is used for everything, including storing the QL RAM. I made no changes to that part of the QL FPGA code. Had Sinclair really created a business+multimedia computer at the time, my guess is that they would have ha...
by M68008
Thu Apr 06, 2023 7:05 am
Forum: Hardware
Topic: "what-if" QL extended graphics
Replies: 45
Views: 11224

Re: "what-if" QL extended graphics

I've finally found some time to tweak some demo code I've had for a couple of years and make a video out of it that shows the extended QL graphics idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EizW3ZWNqc[/youtube]
by M68008
Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:55 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: "what-if" QL extended graphics
Replies: 45
Views: 11224

Re: "what-if" QL extended graphics

Graphics accelaration was the Commodore way, making those machines expensive. It contibuted to the ZX Spectrum's a huge success to avoid this, addressing the less monied audience. Considering the QL was a low cost machine, not even aimed at games, and Sinclair had to cut costs somehwere , I think t...
by M68008
Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:51 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: "what-if" QL extended graphics
Replies: 45
Views: 11224

Re: "what-if" QL extended graphics

The QL architecture already suffers a bit from its "dumb" plain frame buffer, loading the CPU with moving about large chunks of memory (even larger and probably getting into the unbearable when we consider larger color depths). If you're looking for inspiration, it would probably make sen...
by M68008
Sat Jan 28, 2023 8:42 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: "what-if" QL extended graphics
Replies: 45
Views: 11224

Re: "what-if" QL extended graphics

I totally understand you, to explore FPGAs and what hardware I could build myself I created a CPU (the Lion CPU) and a working computer with sprites, sampled audio and vector graphics from scratch. It's fun to do it your way, and you learn a lot. Wow, that's seriously impressive! :o Congrats! Love ...
by M68008
Fri Jan 27, 2023 2:49 am
Forum: Hardware
Topic: "what-if" QL extended graphics
Replies: 45
Views: 11224

Re: "what-if" QL extended graphics

To 'cut to the quick' (no disrespect) the V9958 off the QL ROMport would fit the bill exactly! Come on, where's the fun in that? :D But thanks! I will take a look at the manual in case there's any interesting ideas. Probably 100 people wanting to enhance the QL graphics abilities would come up with...
by M68008
Thu Jan 26, 2023 7:45 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: "what-if" QL extended graphics
Replies: 45
Views: 11224

Re: "what-if" QL extended graphics

Thank you Derek and Nasta, those are interesting suggestions to increase graphics capabilities!

When it comes to games, 256x256x16 plus extra colors for sprites is probably relatively good (for the 80s) despite the odd aspect ratio. Arcades like Pacman had a resolution of 224x288.
by M68008
Wed Jan 25, 2023 6:58 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: "what-if" QL extended graphics
Replies: 45
Views: 11224

"what-if" QL extended graphics

Am I right to assume that if you were to add more memory and a FPGA there would even more colors be possible ein Mode 4 and 8 and that this would rather be a 'graphics card' instead of a replacement board? Yes, and as an aside (I don't mean to hijack this thread) I started writing something like th...