Cloning the GameCube component cable

[Unseen]

I have a checkerboard pattern on the output visuals, and the overlay won't appear with the controller button combination anymore.

Checkerboard over the output means that the OSD-CPU did not initialize its video RAM, so you see the default pattern which was chosen to quickly indicate this.

I have no idea why that happens though, maybe try flashing again?

[bytesaber]

Something soldered wrong, when you reinstalled it?

[AtomicPumpkin]

GCVideo is available at http://www.badassconsoles.com/gamecube/. Also has MEGAdrives and WASPs.

[Xaranar]

Yeah, same problem. I don't know why it's not working, but do you have an archived version of 2.1 that I can roll back to?

[Unseen]

Yeah, same problem. I don't know why it's not working, but do you have an archived version of 2.1 that I can roll back to?

All old versions can be found on Github by browsing through the commits, for example here for the 2.1 bitstreams.

[Xaranar]

Thanks for that. Just reverted to version 2.1, and it works fine now, OSD appearing upon the correct button input and no visual distortion. No idea why 2.2 doesn't seem to play nicely with my board.

[megalomaniac]

I think 2.2 might require the IR sensor to be connected else it will fail to initialize correctly.
I tested without the IR sensor and ran into the same issues mentioned above of not being able to call the OSD and displaying the checkerboard video..
also the resolution popup box fails to display during switch over.

even compiled the firmware to confirm it was not anything odd with the uploaded bit files on github but got the same issue. I didnt have time to look into the issue since i was in the middle of other projects.

[Unseen]

I think 2.2 might require the IR sensor to be connected else it will fail to initialize correctly.
I tested without the IR sensor and ran into the same issues mentioned above of not being able to call the OSD and displaying the checkerboard video..
also the resolution popup box fails to display during switch over.

Interesting. It should work without the IR sensor - can you try grounding the pin where it is supposed to be connected to?

[Xaranar]

I think 2.2 might require the IR sensor to be connected else it will fail to initialize correctly.
I tested without the IR sensor and ran into the same issues mentioned above of not being able to call the OSD and displaying the checkerboard video..
also the resolution popup box fails to display during switch over.

Interesting. It should work without the IR sensor - can you try grounding the pin where it is supposed to be connected to?

Just tried that, still the same result.

[Salgat]

Does someone have a copy of FPGAconf.exe? I bought the Pluto-IIx but unfortunately it didn't come with any software.

[DoctorDan]

Just got my Pluto-IIx from KNJN.com. Everything is hooked up, and I'm getting video, but even though the controller wire is there (and not grounded out - I had that happen, and the controller wouldn't function at all), no button combination will enable the OSD. Everything works fine, just no menu for me.

By what I'm reading, this is a flaw in 2.2 due to it somehow requiring an IR receiver? If so, by installing an IR receiver, that will allow me to use my GC controller to bring up the OSD, correct? I have a TSOP4838 coming in a day or two, and I have plenty of IR devices that I can use (old remotes and such), but I would much rather do the controlling with the, erm, the controller.

[Admiralbeeyotch]

I am really looking at finally buying either a pluto board. If I buy the board that is pre programmed will it come with 2.1 or will it be bugged as well with 2.2? Also what does everyone think about the baddassconsole GC Video? Is it better or the same?

[bobrocks95]

The install is cleaner and easier but it costs a little more. Other than that functionality is identical until the plug and play version is released some time in the future.

[Admiralbeeyotch]

So if i decide to go with the pluto board that is pre programmed will it be bugged like the ones with 2.2 IR support?

[bobrocks95]

You'd have to contact the company that makes the board to figure out if they're flashing 2.2 to it.

[Unseen]

I think 2.2 might require the IR sensor to be connected else it will fail to initialize correctly.

It's actually one of these fun bugs where you wonder how it could ever have worked at all - on my setup, I could trigger the failure by connecting IR-RX to the SPDIF output, but with an open IR-RX pin everything was working fine for me.

If anyone cares about the details: During development, I experimented with a different bit assignment in the interrupt controller registers to see it it might save a few bytes in the code. It didn't, so I reverted the modification - but accidentally left a "+1" in one place, which shifted the "interrupt is active" flags over by one bit. This caused the OSD CPU to hang in the interrupt dispatcher when the first interrupt triggers (usually VSync or Controller) and I'm not sure why it was working fine for me.

New version 2.3 build is on Github, it also has IR receiver+button pin assignments for the Shuriken Video boards - if I haven't miscounted, the IR receiver should be on the pin next to the SPDIF output on the "spare" pin row and the IR button next to the receiver pin.

[Xaranar]

Just to let you know, I updated to 2.3 on my IR-less board last night, and it works perfectly fine.

[bytesaber]

On the Shuriken V3, is there a better choice U4, than the voltage regulator I bought?
http://www.newark.com/microchip/mcp1827 ... dp/88K5603

This sticks up and seems awkward. Wondering if there is a cleaner alternative to make the board flat again.

Can this V3 be made with a xc3S200a instead of a xc3S50a? I want to do the on screen display.

[DoctorDan]

I have the programming cables from KNJN.com, but what program are you using to update the board? Vivendo Design Suite doesn't recognize the FT232R USB UART, and I'm a bit frustrated, since the KNJN documentation talks about FPGAconf.exe...but has no place to acquire it. And it certainly wasn't in the package they sent me.

I could use a bit of help on this one, lads...

[Unseen]

Vivendo Design Suite doesn't recognize the FT232R USB UART

The FT232 programming boards are a KNJN-proprietary method and they don't provide a plugin for Xilinx' tools, so this route doesn't work.

and I'm a bit frustrated, since the KNJN documentation talks about FPGAconf.exe...but has no place to acquire it. And it certainly wasn't in the package they sent me.

I don't remember how I found the "Startup Kit", but it seems the link has vanished from the current web site. It includes FPGAconf.exe and I've attached the whole package in case it's needed/interesting.

[DoctorDan]

Okay, so I loaded up the dvi-p2xh-gc-2.3.bit file, used the correct COM port, made sure the board selected was the Pluto 2x-200, and programmed it using the Configure FPGA button. Unplugged, went to test...nothing. No lights on the board. And now, when I plug the FT232 board into the HDMI Video board, the light on the FT232 goes out and the computer doesn't recognize it.

The fuck did I just do?!

[DoctorDan]

Okay, figured it out. The unregulated power line got clamped hard enough to touch a ground plane and grounded out. Hah. Stupid me. I'll check the 2.3 update later - going to the city with my lady to pick up booze!

[JacksonS]

I cannot get the Pluto-IIx HDMI to work after programming for some reason. When I first received the board, it worked on my GameCube. They sent me a version of FPGAconf that is entitled "FPGAconf 2.17.12 for gcvideo" and I used that to reprogram the board with 2.3. Now, the LEDs don't flash at all - one of them just stays dim when it's connected. I'm pretty sure that means that the FPGA is not being configured when it's powered on, so what do I do about that?

I also tried using the FPGAconf.exe that @Unseen just posted, but it says "error - communication timeout" when I click Program boot-PROM.

[DoctorDan]

The first thing that comes to mind is "did you wait for the 'verified' message in fpgaconf.exe"?

Second, did you make sure that the COM port was the correct one?

Thirdly, did you select the right board from FPGAconf.exe's menu? It needs to be the Pluto-IIx, of course.

Fourthly, be sure you're using the right .bit file. It needs to be the file named gcvideo-dvi-p2xh-gc-2.3.bit.

Finally, make sure all your wires are still connected and not grounding out or shorting.

I have my copy of Four Swords playing right now through my newly upgraded Pluto-IIx in the background, and one of the things that pissed me off and wasted a lot of time was trying to cheat with wire routing. Learn from my mistakes - make sure you:

1) Don't route wire around the edges of the GC's PCB. No matter how clever you think you are, take the time to route the wires properly through available holes. Otherwise, you will wind up pinning a wire between an RF shield and the board hard enough to cause that line to ground out. Hilarity will not ensue - I had problems for more than an hour before I realized that the controller wire was being pinched hard enough to ground it out, which disabled all input. Frustrating!

2) Don't route the 54MHz clock wire near any of the other wires. I know it makes this distinction in the install guide, but it really does make a huge difference.

3) Don't tighten everything down until you have tested everything. Yeah, running back and forth between my workbench and my HDTV wasn't fun, but you know what was even less fun? Unscrewing everything just to find that a loose wire was the cause of everything because I assumed I was doing things perfectly.

4) Do measure everything five times before doing anything once. This is something I did well in the beginning of the install - I tapped the holes on the Pluto-IIx and used offset stands from my many computer installs and nuts to create a solid mounting base on the top RF shield, but then I tried to skimp out on the wiring job. I eventually had to desolder all the wires from the board, and one-by-one gently pull them through a hole I drilled in the shield, trim, and resolder them because I didn't bother with keeping the wires short, and I was getting weird video artifacts.

[JacksonS]

The first thing that comes to mind is "did you wait for the 'verified' message in fpgaconf.exe"?

Second, did you make sure that the COM port was the correct one?

Thirdly, did you select the right board from FPGAconf.exe's menu? It needs to be the Pluto-IIx, of course.

Fourthly, be sure you're using the right .bit file. It needs to be the file named gcvideo-dvi-p2xh-gc-2.3.bit.

Finally, make sure all your wires are still connected and not grounding out or shorting.

Yes, I'm certain that FPGAconf says the programming was successful. It went through all the steps (erasing, programming, verifying) and I watched the LED flash as it did so. The COM port is correct and I know I've selected the right board. I followed the instructions exactly. I'm definitely using the right bit file, and I've tried an older version only to see the same result. My wiring is fine, as it worked before I reprogrammed the FPGA. It's not inside any case and I'm just using the motherboard right now.

The board shows no sign of working at all. It really looks like the FPGA isn't being configured from the PROM when I power it on. I'm suspicious of the version of FPGAconf.exe that I have. You said yours has worked, so could you send me the exact copy you used?

EDIT: I didn't have the right .bit file. Somehow I got a 34 KB file from github with the same name, but that didn't contain the firmware. I got the 147 KB version and it's working now.