Today has seen a miracle performed. For the first time since the Dark Ages, an update to the AmigaOS 4 TV-card prorgam AmiTV has been released. This is not a full release, just a build to let people play around and give feedback.
Among the features are:
* Brooktree Bt848/Bt878 chipset support
* Conexant Cx23881/Cx23882/Cx23883 chipset support
* Video->System Memory->Workbench window support
* Video->System Memory->Picasso96 PIP (overlay) window support
* Video->Picasso96 PIP (overlay) DMA window support (may crash!)
* Resizable window
* Quit button.

Support is planned for NTSC, but currently only PAL is supported.
Using overlay can crash the system occasionally when compositing is turned on.
Using video->PIP directly uses no CPU time. Going via system memory uses substantially more CPU time. Not using overlay at all is VERY SLOW. Note that RadeonHD drivers do not have overlay support.
If you have a CX2388x card and a Bt8x8 card, use the command line parameter "NOCX2388x" to force it to use the Bt8x8 card.

If you use this program, DO save your work first.

Please send any feedback/donations/X1000s to me at "ian.gledhill@btinternit.com" (but it's a nEt not a nIt) or just post your findings here.

Planned for the future:
NTSC support
Interrupt driven video->system->PIP support (need Hyperion to tell me why the system hangs solid - waiting on an answer).
Tuner support - at least of the tuner on my TV card :P

What is not planned:
USB TV cards - there's no documentation out there, so I can't do it.
MPEG HDTV cards - ditto.
MPEG encoder chips - ditto.

What may be planned:
Philips SDTV chipset support - if I can find a card with it on (i.e. the PVR350) and enough time to do it (unlikely for the near future).

Any feedback greatly appreciated though!

Get it here:
http://www.mutant-caterpillar.co.uk/ian_stuff/AmiTV_20120207.lha

@Spirantho

Great! Now X1000 owners that have many slots can finally enjoy TV card too ... or those willing to sacrifice important PCI slots But big step ahead!

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Future Acube and MOS supporter, fi di good, nothing fi di unprofessionals. Learn it harder way!

@vox

Yup. But ironically the more powerful the machine, the slower it'll be, because there's no overlay on the RadeonHD. Kind of annoying really.

@Spirantho

On Sam440ep/Sam460ex, WritePixelArray (16/32 bit) is DMA accelerated, have tried with it ?

_________________
Massimiliano Tretene, ACube Systems, Soft3

@m3x

Not yet - might just do that.

Incidentally, it should be pointed out that for the Sams, you need to use the Cx2388x chipsets, because the Bt8x8 are 5V. Also, not all Cx2388x TV cards are 3.3V compliant, so check before trying to force one in to a Sam!

@Spirantho

how does it work in details ? I mean, the frame buffer from the TV signal is generated in a internal buffer on the TV card, or directly in main RAM?
If the former, which color format has the frame buffer?

Quote:

Incidentally, it should be pointed out that for the Sams, you need to use the Cx2388x chipsets, because the Bt8x8 are 5V. Also, not all Cx2388x TV cards are 3.3V compliant, so check before trying to force one in to a Sam!

Good advice! I've already seen someone putting a 5V card in a Sam440ep in the wrong way...

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Massimiliano Tretene, ACube Systems, Soft3

@Spirantho

many thx man! I'll try it tomorrow night when I get home!

Cheers!

@Spirantho

thats great news!
will check it right away :)

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@Spirantho

Quote:

For the first time since the Dark Ages

I remember when you started this project in 2004

I wish you success and hope everyone supports you by running tests and giving you the feedback you require.

#6

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@m3x

Quote:

Good advice! I've already seen someone putting a 5V card in a Sam440ep in the wrong way...

Crikey. You'd have thought they'd have realised they were doing something wrong when they had to remove the card's bracket to install it.

I assume it didn't end particularly well.

@Rob

I can think of a couple of people who would think nothing of removing the bracket to fit the card in backwards. One of them would be swearing all the time at how unreasonable it was of ACube to make it so inconvenient for him.

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cheers
tony

Hyperion Support Forum: http://forum.hyperion-entertainment.biz/index.php

@Spirantho



Quote:

Support is planned for NTSC, but currently only PAL is supported.

Stopped reading after this

Can you please offer NTSC support? There are many NG users in North america.

BTW I have a PVR 350 if you want to borrow it for development.. but its NTSC

Last edited by realize on 07-Feb-2012 at 11:36 PM.

@realize

Quote:

Can you please offer NTSC support? There are many NG users in North america.

Its time for America to become normal country and accept PAL, metric system, kilograms, normal shue sizes, normal grading system 1-10, 24 hour day time, celsiuses and other civ achievements Off course Europe suffer from sooo many small nations and languages ...

Joke, even these difference aren`t easy on conversion. Amiga software and hardware should pay more attention to such details - US is big market with ALL kind of people - including Amigans. Like that some people are coming back to Amiga from US (Note: Natami, AROS, MOS or AOS4, not CUSA). Big greeting for them!

Last edited by vox on 08-Feb-2012 at 01:01 AM.

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Future Acube and MOS supporter, fi di good, nothing fi di unprofessionals. Learn it harder way!

@vox

Quote:

ts time for America to become normal country and accept PAL

errr and what about Japan?

@Spirantho


yahoooo ..me runs to find my old TV cards in basement to wait for NTSC support

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X1000 I BELIEVE

Another member of AW.net who would like NTSC support raises his hand.

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Amiga! The computer that inspired so many, to accomplish so much, but has ended up in the hands of . . . . . . . . . .

Strange... so even though I figured most people using Amigas would be outside the US these days, in fact it seems everyone wants NTSC? Must be more US users than I thought...!

Now luckily enough, because of my hobby of collecting old and weird computers, I happen to have not only an NTSC WinTV card (which I managed to find this morning) but also 110V power supply and even some NTSC computers to test with. Isn't that handy? :)

I'll see what I can knock up today..... but I do have other work to do too. :)

We need a list of supported TV cards (PCI 3.3v for SAM and PCI 5v/3.3v for x1000 + PCIe ones)

Optimally Amigakit should sell tested cards.

Last edited by KimmoK on 08-Feb-2012 at 10:02 AM.

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- KimmoK
// For freedom, for honor, for AMIGA
//
// Thing that I should find more time for: CC64 - 64bit Community Computer?

@realize

Never Twice Same Color = NTSC

NTSC has also fewer scan lines compared too PAL, so NTSC has a lower resolution 200px in height compared to 256px in height.

I’m Happy we are all done whit VHS NTSC/PAL CRC crap

Last edited by NutsAboutAmiga on 08-Feb-2012 at 10:37 AM.
Last edited by NutsAboutAmiga on 08-Feb-2012 at 10:34 AM.

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@Spirantho

Quote:

We need a list of supported TV cards (PCI 3.3v for SAM and PCI 5v/3.3v for x1000 + PCIe ones)

We need a list of tested and supported cards anyway, Intuition base support list is old, AmiKit list from OS4 purchase is Classic hardware oriented and AmigaWelt.de used to have better database just in German.

Idea where to put it? To OS4 depot?

_________________
Future Acube and MOS supporter, fi di good, nothing fi di unprofessionals. Learn it harder way!