10/31/2023: Localization News - Dead of the Brain 1!

No, NOT a trick, a Halloween treat! Presenting the Dead of the Brain 1 English patch by David Shadoff for the DEAD last official PC Engine CD game published by NEC before exiting the console biz in 1999! I helped edit/betatest and it's also a game I actually finished in 2023, yaaay! Shubibiman also did a French localization. github.com/dshadoff/DeadoftheBrain
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240p Test Suite for PC Engine release (Huc/SCD/CD)

Started by Artemio, 11/03/2014, 01:51 PM

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Artemio

Hello guys, I've developed the 240p Test suite for several consoles. It is a homebrew software suite for video game consoles developed to help in the evaluation of upscalers, upscan converters, line doublers and of course TV processing of 240p video.

As a secondary target, the suite aims to provide tools for calibrating colors, black and white levels for specific console outputs and setups.

I always release the full source code, and this is no exception. This version is released as a ROM, and two CD-ROM2 releases, one for Sytem Card 3.0 and the other for 2.1 and below.

Download: https://sourceforge.net/projects/testsuite240p/

This is release 1.0, and has tests in 224p, 240p and the usual 240p starting at line 24 modes (239 visible lines). It also has different horizontal resolutions: 256, 320 and 512 patterns.

During the development of the suite in the last weeks, I encountered some issues with HuC and porposed a patch to better use the Banks of the resulting compiled code. This was crucial for the CD-ROM versions: https://github.com/uli/huc/issues/6

I hope to improve this version of the suite further, since I love the platform. I also hope the source is useful to beginners as a reference, since although it is a simple project it is complete and has several use cases that might help others getting started in PCE development. It has happened in other platforms, and it is one of the reasons I make the source code available.

Please let me know if you have comments or suggestions.

Artemio

CGQuarterly

Thank you!  I have used the test suite for SNES and Genesis multiple times, when dialing in my RGB monitor.  Great to see a PCE release.

Dicer

Very nice to see an OBEY release, thanks for the work :)

ultrageranium

This is fantastic news.

The 240p Test Suite is an essential piece of free software to fine tune upscalers like the XRGB Mini.

Many many thanks for the time invested in this project!

Artemio

Thanks a lot for the positive feedback. I have really enjoyed developing for the console.

DragonmasterDan

Nice job on this, I am actually going to be attempting to use this later today!
--DragonmasterDan

NightWolve

#6
Oh wow, I missed this and it happened a little after I asked Bonknuts to develop custom test software for me to just do all red, green, blue and white screens to help tweak the YPbPr/Component circuit. I still haven't updated my thread to add his software, make it known to others, but I guess I can mention it here as well.

NEC Video test tools - All white, red, green and blue screen tests.

ROM for flashcarts
http://pcedev.net/color_test/color_test.zip

ISO/CUE image set for CD-R burn and use with CD system
http://pcedev.net/color_test/color_test_v02.zip

The way it works is simple enough. Boot it and it starts with an all max white screen, and you just keep pressing button I to change it to all red, green, blue, etc. The idea is when you have an all max white signal and are using an oscilloscope, you'll get a smooth, stable looking wave form to analyze.  As you're amping the signal, adding resistors, conditioning, etc. while building a circuit like Steve's, you'd be in theory able to see if you're getting it properly up to the 1 Vp-p signal standard and what not, etc. It's to help determine more exact resistance values was my thinking, to perfect Steve's base design, etc.

Anyway, will have to check out what was done here by aurbina as well which looks far more advanced and is a welcomed piece of needed software!

Artemio

Hey NightWolve, the suite includes this test as well. It is under "White & RGB screen", it has a similar  behavior that allows switching between white, black, red, green and blue screens by pressing a button and it allows setting any RGB value by pressing Select as well.

Hope you find it useful. It might be less practical for your particular needs since this test is in a submenu on the second screen though.

BTW, thanks for your work on the translations and mods. I recently finished Ys IV on my Duo, what a great game and excellent work.

NightWolve

Purty cool piece of software, trying it on the YAME emulator. Yeah, it has everything needed. Before I asked Bonknuts to help me, I tried looking for this, but people had only ported it to SNES, Sega, and other consoles before you came along!

Quote from: aurbina on 01/10/2015, 02:01 AMBTW, thanks for your work on the translations and mods. I recently finished Ys IV on my Duo, what a great game and excellent work.
You're welcome!

Artemio

Yes, I tackled other consoles first because I didn't have a Turbo Everdrive. But I must confess that from all the versions I've made of the suite for all other consoles, I like the PCE the most.

NightWolve

#10
http://junkerhq.net/xrgb/index.php/240p_test_suite

Ah, I see, you're the guy responsible for the whole thing! You got your own Wiki-backed page and everything! :) I thought you were just a PCE fan/coder that ported it (read past the first sentence, etc.). Well, welcome to PCEFX!

cjameslv

This is really good. Helped me get my bvm tuned up just right!

SmokeMonster

I can't live without the 240p Test Suites. Thanks for bringing it to the PCE!

Artemio

Thanks for your feedback SmokeMonster, I am really glad it is of use. I really love the PCE, there was no way I'd leave it without its version.

NightWolve

Yeah, thanks again for this, it's appreciated!

technozombie

Yeah thanks very much, I've found it very useful for adjusting some RGB to component as well as my TV.

Artemio

Thanks for the feedback! It is really appreciated.

The guys from "my life in gaming" did an episode about the suite:
Wanted to share it for those wondering what it is for.