Results mastering encoders RGB - PAL / NTSC,
at the end of 2002.
(C) KSA-7G
In fact, I stopped at the last
version of the scheme described in the previous issue
ZX-Guide - file Encod.t1.
Basic setup of this scheme:
1. The brightness level of each color;
2. The level of color subcarrier;
3. The operating mode chip (under the comp);
4. Displacement waves of the fine grid, the slope.
Secondary (specific) settings:
1. Correction (weakening) of the red in the NTSC (removal of
pinkness white); 2. Adjusting the brightness difference between
the simple and bright colors (each), the type of contrast.
In general, the wonder, how could a scheme to inflate more
than doubled, and this itself is not happy - but got good
result. Of course, the scheme is not perfect, and it
characterized the following drawbacks:
1. The complexity of setting a good, versatile white balance;
2. Inability to set completely white balance (very poorly, but
painted); 3. In NTSC difference between simple and striking
red less than the PAL, out of simple
correcting chain;
4. Low sharpness of small details / fonts;
5. Actually, a large, cumbersome scheme.
So with all this circuit became swollen, and if correct and
these shortcomings (as you noticed, they are in
mainly relate to the color balance -
chroma), the scheme will be almost three times
complicated by the number of components on the model
options for incorporating MC1377P. For someone
this is acceptable, and I would prefer more
complex version, with an ideal balance
(If you try once - for a raise, it is difficult, of course, but
you can). Repeat same assembly multiple times is questionable,
as gain in the number of components and quality.
In general, if we consider the problem of improving the
quality of any system (sound, images, frequency, etc.), we can
see that as we approach the boundaries to improve the
complexity of the circuits starts to grow not an example of
achievable improvements in some point proves profitable to
spend resources, since this leads to weak growth is doubtful
quality. For example You can collect sound amplifier on a few
transistors, and its parameters will be close to the
HiFi-systems, but to achieve more higher quality level (twice)
can be at 3-4x complication. Those who do - will understand.
The above disadvantages of color
based on universal encoder - with
different components, mikruhah and two coding systems. Scheme
can be reduced, specialized for specific conditions and
particularly under one encoding - PAL or NTSC. Imbalance of
colors when switching systems - is a known issue in any device.
AND this is one reason specialization devices
in one encoding. For example, boxes are usually available with
PAL encoders, and only sometimes NTSC (NTSC - malosovmestima for
old Telico). And this despite the fact that almost
in any such device has input switching systems. And only in the
most critical and expensive schemes do universally.
The last time was in DAVE'a, watched a few demos with AMIGi
on telly. AMIGA is an example of high-quality assembly and well
established in the analog part picture and sound. Although not
quite appropriate at the time of image parameters telly, the
demo looked great, as possible in the low variant - still
would, in fact on AMIGA is standard. So,
DAVE me he then said (something like this, do not remember
exactly):
- Still, what PTsshnye cards are not
stake, the Amiga very good TV
picture of what I saw.
I am very pleased with these words, since
DAVE seen a lot of cards, and this is
again confirmed the quality and elaborate system of AMIGA. In
fact, if we take any console, or PTsshnuyu card - everywhere
terrible ripples on tsvetokontrastnyh transitions. Of course,
this is understandable coding, but the Amiga such places are
much softer and look better, but a trifle more legible. For
example, to a certain Amigovskoy demo TECHNOLOGY
DEATH (or whatever her) is such a moment,
when the screen is filled perekrestnutye line
forming a square, and then this vector
field begins to spin. These lines - thin and color, look great,
clean, clear, without a ripple (I barely noticed -
saw it? - Beat subcarrier with the
elusive timing, which I
Speccy often dreamed, but for a long time to get
failed). Obviously, on the Amiga, a special measure to improve,
because on encoding scheme to mikruhe CXA1145 stretch several
signals, including the transistor. If we consider that only one
signal - switching systems, as mikruha (as MC1377) is
functionally complete encoder, it is can be regarded as special
measures, and no doubt they are worth, and if I knew how this
is done, it would be envisaged in its coder. By the way,
smoothing provided me in the coder, still noticeably improve
schedule. Rybinsk and Chuchkovo - looking at
consoles (if that option),
You can see how softer and
cleaner look colorful sprites Speccy
compared to the crisp set-top boxes:) This is not
Amiga, of course, there is a better clarity, but
like!
If you look closely at the console (I have such a
possibility exists), then You can see that the saturated
palette there also hides the brightness, but the transition of
one color and of different brightness there is very rarely used
and usually less saturated. At the Spectrum, with a small
palette often use the brightness transitions - to
example, the shadow of bricks and other BATTY
programs, with windows, so the use of adjusting the brightness
difference is meaning. However, I would, without adjustment of
Flowers did not refuse, if we recall
first probaldel from color Speccy:)
(Then there was another tune!)
Present that scheme, I knew that she
rather cumbersome, and in fact, waiting
negative reaction from some individuals. But
if you do not like so I'll say
I have a very stringent evaluation criteria
quality of any system, not only SPECCY, and
I try to consider a position with different
parties to reach pluses and minuses, and
subjective perception, and if I thought that the scheme is too
badly, I would have presented even more complex option. I can
say (and many to be honest with me would agree) that the Speccy
going not the best way, and the case not even in nedopayannyh
printer interface and output buffers, RGB, and in the unit
circuitry, which can be written in
ROM, and at 48x, suppression interference somewhere, so you can
hang the system, which is dumping her will not care until the
shutdown ... or elementary sampling AY by M1 instead of the
traditional IORQ with RD and WR, Kempston joystick through the
jo ... th:), and much more simple and cheap.
Simplify the worse impact on the Speccy, fueling ill
components that require different modifications. Again
same pluses: group 1 (goofy): live buggy ... fun, 2 nd: Speccy
rapid brood, we have become much, we learned a lot, fixing old
bugs ...
Unfortunately, this approach simplifies
was one of the aspects of the Soviet Union during
many directions, and led to terrible
neafishiruemym consequences. And no matter how
strange, but the Speccy saved it underground, so
how to develop its enthusiasts, and circuitry of the unit it's
easy to fix this is one of the great advantages that keeps many
(and me) on Speccy, those who are active, and who is not broke
soldering, create, create - to act.
With regard to the encoder, I wanted to get
as a good picture Speccy, which is possible with the transfer
coding, to ensure the possibility of correction for each color
(and in practice, convinced of the need to this), consider the
color characteristics and Resolution Speccy, consider the
subjective perception of graphs.
Sam Speccy, with its history of development,
not the best candidate for the coloring. Interesting
look at someone's simplified encoder and
its quality - something he will relinquish my
navernyaka.Moya circuit is shown in my implementation, with my
stupidity (maximum - 100 Ohms at 20-second leg), I have it
their own reasons ... Read previous articles ... Well, he
published his scheme, look!
You will need a reasonable approach and experience
in tsvetosovmeschenii. For example, if you do not
done this before, wonder how
difficult to achieve good color balance which should be good
nerves and patience. Y I got it in a completely acceptable
form.
I've been thinking, how can I describe the quality of
white balance (after all, people want to know how good he is,
and actually have it see). Do you often sit at a table in the
evening (In the evening light from incandescent lamps in the
conscious to look normal, state) - books, household chores? I
hope you have good eyes. So can vot.Vy miss (especially with a
lack of lighting) that covered the surrounding area not just a
bright, yellow and even red, but if you take a good, bright
photography, painting and snow, and look at her, white (snow)
will be white, and like all colors are normal. In one
If you like acute violation notice
white balance for color characteristics of incandescent lamps,
and in another case - normal picture at the same svete.Kstati
if you notice a color lighting around, just look at any subject
easy, long lasting, and lighting seem normal, priemlemoy.Eto
due to the adaptation of imbalance lighting. Despite
noticeable difference of color deviation, you
quickly become accustomed to and do not notice etogo.Tak
Here, the encoder imbalance is even smaller, and usually
noticeable when switching the encoding, after
then a matter of seconds (managed so
set) eyes adjust, and white
seems normal - just do not notice color variations. Of course,
each a criterion of purity, someone with great
deviation would be cool, but someone will patiently adjust,
several attempts to give the best result.
All submitted encoders were configured
very successfully in the white balance, and I even
sorry to send them. (people - those whom
they come from, if you have a good PENTAGONy
(14MGts), their intelligence - collected by the scheme, you
only some will have slightly adjusted the color!)
Unfortunately, the spread reflects not only the white balance,
but also on own colors. So, for example, different mikruh rich
purple can be more red or blue, as blue and
color may be more or less greenish;
primary colors usually look the same
(Malorazlichny).
Actually, I have not seen any Speccy with a normal RGB
output, even stroke - the most successful among others, but it
is a separate, classical art ...
Mikruhi, except the name (in our case
MC1377P), have an additional marking
which may differ from similar mikruh - I called the marking
code.
Recently I was faced with a special
spread of parameters in mikruh code XAB
9540 (I wonder what this means?), I have them
There were 3 shtuki.Do that were mikruhi code
XAB9517, without such abnormalities. The fact is
that, having collected the next coder and tuning
him, I noted an increased level of black.
Encoder was designed to Denis, who still
not bought a TV set, and the encoder was in my
for testing. Before that I worked as the test board on which I
tried different options for coders, and which rested
aside from mikruhoy code XAB9517.
Now about the black level. So we call
reference voltage of the input signal, which
corresponds to the absolute black image on the screen to set
the standard brightness level. The fact is that no matter how
black is not passed, with dope adding brightness, you can turn
it into gray. We must also remember that the apparent
brightness depends on ambient light and falls (illuminates)
with the addition of lighting, read articles from the last
series. Increasing the voltage on the level of
Black proportional increases
brightness on the screen. Mikruha itself forms
black level and binds to it changes the image brightness -
which is a great advantage and allows the use of
various non-standard R, G, B signals, pre-balanced adjustment.
But mikruhi have since spread, and then bind may differ
slightly, because reference voltage is formed inside mikruhi,
and change it is impossible.
It should be noted that before this I never
noticed variations in black level. Perhaps also because the
signal from Speccy - high brightness and gradation near the
black no. So, setting up another coder, I explicitly
(Eyes natrenerovannye) saw the difference:
black border is barely noticeable glowing. Actually, the light
often border on the very top - which is a Speccy, connected to
теликам.Поэкспериментировав with color screen, I blacked out
and he noticed that he was not completely black (as has always
been before), and slightly off.
I guessed about the spread of parameters mikruh and varying
levels of color, became convinced of the futility of blackened.
Note that brightness level of your telly, which I
adopted as a standard in this evening light, was not perfect,
although I set it on different channels and gaming console SONY
PlayStation (PSone) and thought normal value of 74.
Subjectively, the screen was black, if the region does not
exceed a quarter of black images. If a large area was black -
the glow was noticeable but not conspicuous.
Of course, such a noticeable scatter me
disappointed, although everything else was fine, but what was
my surprise when has lowered the brightness by only 1 (Lv. 73),
I blew out the screen to the level of absolute black, except
for thin strips - 4 upper rows of the curb! Hence, the
variation was marginal and, given the imperfection of my
standard and range of parameters telly, we can say that mikruha
took control, as was on the verge black level, not exceeding
its limit. When I learned about the second order of the Rybinsk
then proceeded to build another coder. I
immediately decided to send already assemblies, as these are
months (4) worked successfully, and
new - put to the test. Remained
shadow of a doubt, and I decided to dispel.
I brought a black screen, which is slightly
shone with brightness level telly 74, turned off the encoder
(special external switch) and changed mikruhu by inserting a
test board mikruhu XAB9517. I have included coder - the screen
was black as night, was add brightness telly, and the 77
poorly lighted screen. Then I brought up the color. I was
struck by an almost perfect resemblance mikruh for white
balance. I switched the encoding and put back mikruhu code
XAB9540, color is not much different - hardly noticeable.
For the sake of interest I tried the other two
mikruhi with the same code: the black level of
They had a normal (black screen does not light), but more than
XAB9517, but the balance white slightly, but noticeably
different. When I have brought color, saw an even more
raznitsu.Purpurny seemed enough red (shifted towards the blue)
and a greenish blue, yellow was more
orange. I realized that I have to tinker with the
configuration, and therefore put the old mikruhu, under which
all set up.
When I collected the next coder and became
tune to another mikruhe XAB9540, found that in normal white
balance optimal for both PAL and NTSC, the color noticeably
different from previous coders, in fact,
as before - during the test. Especially obvious difference is
blue, which PAL is too light (it's usually for PAL
systems and consoles, and television), and NTSC
too green, that is, greenish. You can reduce the difference,
but noticeable if the white balance is disturbed. In the end, I
decided to send in Rybinsk has already tested the scheme on
first mikruhe XAB9540, despite the ultimate black level - very
normal in practice (the difference of brightness adjustment
when switching from TV to the Speccy and
back will not exceed 5i clicks on the remote
Control even the worst interpolated), in that
mikruhi smaller imbalance when switching
coding system.
Later I remembered that I had mikruha with such notable
scatter (as two Other mikruhi XAB9540). When switching
systems, the color blue always varies considerably, but some
mikruhah it is less green to NTSC, while others - more. I
almost forgot that at the last coder purple color was more red,
I for myself this noted, and now, when faced with the opposite
deviation, the difference seemed to I'm too big. Eyes
accustomed to the previous scheme, and for them this imbalance
is obvious.
Adaptability of view.
In general, the adaptability of our vision potryasaet.Vot an
excellent example - sure, familiar to many of you.
Before that I had telly LG Golden Eye
with a simple screen diagonal 51 cm (20 inches). I have not
tried it on my encoder (and he has displayed on the screen
coded system, we should like to try something). It is almost
the same telly, but FLATRON - flat screen diagonal of 54 (21).
So, when I first looked, I
Depressed, he seemed, at that bulge
on the old telly was weak and almost nezametnoy.Bukvalno week I
concavity have not noticed, but how you look at the old telly
... a ball-kind ... not even imagined before! But the joke -
Monitors (probably because the screen is much smaller). When I
later came to DAVEu I It seemed that someone was not until the
end thrust globe in his monitor.
In general, the vision to such an effect is relatively
pereadaptiruetsya bystro.Eto depends on various factors and can
vary from several minutes - up to several chasov.Dlya
complete sense enough to look at
regular telly for half an hour, and look at the other.
Well, and adaptation to SCROLL'am all probably
oschuschali.Chem speed limit, more desire to read, and the
longer the success of this desire, the more floating walls,
objects and other things in his eyes from the screen. It is
desirable for it to to scroll the texture was floating. I
remember, like the one a multi-boot'e, which I like to use a
system drive (now uses a fast, easy), run up
line with the words ... uh ... type ... remembered: HELLO HELLO
BOYS GIRLS ... But after he was observed with a funny texture
wallpaper.
After trying different mikruhi assembled in one coder, and
then they are the same in the other, to eliminate the
possibility of different assemblies, I convinced of the small
scatter of their parameters, it is quite acceptable. My vision
is strongly accustomed to one of the deviations and explicitly
noted the other (the former long time - a year ago - and
forgotten). After playing in NETWALK, and after watching "Cat"
species (great game, great pictures, though, the two did not
understand), I surprised to note an excellent image,
which is fine with me, switched
system, everything seems fine, white balance, normal, almost
unchanged during switching. The time was about 1.00 am and
voltage lighting has improved, your eyes are accustomed to, ie
Light should be more white.
The conclusion - which I did
in previous articles: Do not try to immediately adjust the
color balance of good coder, and his eyes get used to the
colors, keenly noting any abnormalities, and is ideally set
nelzya.Luchshe INCL. dynamic, colorful demo, or game play for
half an hour, distracted, and when again Bring out the band of
colors, or just above Menu Speccy, the image seems quite
good, and deviations - minor.
Especially in games and demos pictures look great, very nice.
And do not forget about multitsveta - awesome look (Play
NETWALK).
Statistics mikruh.
Technical result of the use of mikruh
MC1377P the following: none of this mikruha
time, not out of order (or did I do not
know), from two faulty - one allegedly punched statics, works in
Chuchkovo on the corrected to reflect this
coder and a second, I accidentally burnt
for the closure, while lying idle, and requires special schemes
for perfectly normal work; all mikruhi easily and quickly
configure the working mode sootvetstvoyuschey tuning, and no
problems with different quartz (at 4.43 MHz frequency) was not;
there are deviations of the parameters for different mikruh but
not strong, though noticeable (on the color tables, different
pictures and sprites looks great, ie varied schedule - looks
great and is not critical to spread before the color chart).
Interestingly, when testing all mikruh
one assembled and tuned coder picture appeared once in the
normal color, without disruption, and is normally switched
charset t.e.osnovnye technical parameters for different mikruh
normal.
It's all just in case anyone doubts the acquisition mikruh
and can not be solved therefore, build an encoder. Of course,
ideally I Encoders should try on different telly, and different
components. However, given successful connection scheme in
Rybinsk and Chuchkovo, I think, no problems, although their
versions of devices unknown to me. In case of someone something
breaks, please, for the sake of statistics, at least.
Actually, I tried encoder with quartz
3.58MGts. The fact that the ideal frequency
noise intensity should be either significantly different from
the sub-carrier, or be very close to it. Then the beat
frequency of small grid will be less visible or not
too often - an irritant (to close
frequencies). Therefore, the ratio of fine grid
Speccy (3.5MGts) to the encoder is not very 4.43MGts
subjective well as with the 3.58 MHz - just
close. I tried this with quartz, and the picture seemed to me a
pure white. Probably because the potential interference Speccy
itself less transmitted over a low frequency quartz, but also
because of the close frequencies too! For example, the
background of 50 Hz over visible on the Speccy with a low frame
rate (Pentagon with 14MGts), in comparison with systems more
than the standard rate, however, I have in good supply and line
filter image otlichnaya.S quartz 3.58MGts I found a cleaner
image, and wavelength of the fine grid more low (I'm their
obviously do not remember, though, was something ...). But
fine detail is less saturated (approximately
one color on two points) for obvious reasons. I was also
disappointed that my telly is not supports NTSC with such
frequency (With picture when switching some time held, and then
becomes color - one color). Maybe for someone
an alternative, but I chose another quartz
(As most probably different components).
Flock oblomingo.
During the assembly revealed a weak spot. Most
weak spot - it's Potentiometers,
very simple and cheap, poor assembly. K
yet, there is no alternative, do not want to Healthy Cities.
The new encoder two in a row threw - solder to red, fully
manifested at work. Had better were more expensive and better.
Just remembered a problem with Conder,
payal that the new encoders. There Conder
Polar - and modern, imported or
once I have had no problems, and simple capacitors - not
diametrically opposed, here and with our almost no problems.
Modern nonpolar low-voltage capacitors come in two flavors:
creamy plates and yellow cakes. Plates painted with
unsaturated, light yellow, rather light brown ie type of cream,
color. On them in large written, is more emphasized, par.
Externally, apart from asymmetry - micro UFOs, little
NEletayushaya plate. Above and below the disc depart thin soft
vyvody.Nominal from picofarads to 0.1mkF (And maybe more). This
is great for Conder based ceramics (probably). They are not
afraid overheating during long soldering, they have a solid
body, allowing a close bend - in general, COOL. Pellets have a
saturated bright yellow with small numbers and harsh
conclusions. They come in different shapes and size (more than
drip or broad flat), possibly at different scale voltage, the
nominal value is usually from 0.1 to 5 uF - NOT POLAR. Small,
but expensive. Conclusions from They usually come out in the
plane of the pellet with one edge parallel. Inside the pellet
(Probably) a simple ceramic crystal, with
opayannymi (for deductions) edges. Such crystals can be seen on
some imported boards. From cakes need to be careful not to bend
the conclusions close to body and long gret.Hotya their bright
yellow material is very durable and I have a problem with them
no - too COOL.
But there are light blue plates with
stiff legs (pF typical) - rotten collected. Afraid of
overheating - otpaivayutsya feet from the building, to be very
careful soldering. There is still dark, deep-blue pellets (0.
1mkF), it sucks! Generally, it is a typical crystal with
pripayanymi legs, but composition of casting such a lousy, it's
easy overheating during soldering, and the legs begin to
otpaivatsya from the crystal. Use such Conder, of course, you
can even overheat if the leg is not completely unsolder (Conder
himself afraid of not overheating, the capacity good), but it
is better not to buy more of them, excluding products of low
quality.
Also, I oblamalsya with switches.
Small, cheap, 3 feet - as usual,
Overall, got a bunch of (thought-current weak
voltage - therefore cheap, and for switching PAL / NTSC all
possible). When soldering the plastic spout became warp and
Switch slomalsya.Ochen fears of overheating (soldering can
still suffers hand). I get the hand - switching in one
direction, payayu the other, then vice versa. Cheap vobschem.
I will not buy more, more expensive
take, with a long nose. Forgot to mention -
So I soldered to the board body, legs to solder
not scary.
Scatter components.
In the encoder is better to use imported
Polar Conder (especially at the entrance of colors, or tails on
the curb will be from the screen color). Conder voltage 16 V or
more.
Although the encoder will work with the details
different from those within the denomination
(+ / - 10%, except for quartz!), It is desirable to use these
values, especially in the chain of quartz delay lines and
transformers. Germanium transistor necessarily, the high can be
P416 or GT311. Silicon, of course, will work, but the balance
of red noticeably worse.
When using the trimmer, less food - a common solder to
leg connected to the trim screw, then tweak with the touch of a
screwdriver not throw the result.
Plans for the coders.
Sometimes eerie want to collect the encoder system SECAM.V
such cases, I think of different options schemes presented in
the literature, Speccy, and encoder-modulator to its first - 48
Speccy. None of the scheme have not like it (from my encoder -
due to the instability and the caudate, and other cumbersome
and discrete in color). Then begin to develop our scheme based
on the universality of - well, like, input R, G, B - Analogue
Nutrition stability (5V!), and finally scheme grows and swells
... The most difficult - A good generator, however, electronic
switch matrix and signal too difficult for universality. In
general, normal - our scheme has not yet developed. Tried once
their polusleplenye encoders with generators of different types
- working lousy, however, the signals are bad IDENTIFICATION
passed ... Heavily involved in the scheme will not be easy.
Maybe it'll do.
As for my encoders on MC1377P,
Maybe try to make a delay line or
get a suitable, perhaps, will be better
schedule. Really try to synchronize
quartz from the encoder clock Speccy, reactive chains. This is
a serious and very promising task. If you get imperceptibly
zasinhronit color subcarrier can be improved clarity of small
details (FONT) and subtract the level of the subcarrier - along
with the ripples on the transitions. Absolutely real it can be
done at several counters clock, which through the electronic
key will be served on the momentum of quartz, like dropping it
to its original state, every five frames, to example. But
imagine what a complication of an encoder? On details of cheap,
but very cumbersome, and may, at the Amiga way it is done, and
maybe that's all there inside mikruhi CXA 1145, and only want
to install frame synchronization of the external, simple RC
chain?
Therefore I have very big plans for the
mikruhu CXA1145, which has long been gathering dust since its
order. Again, where would I find a template including this
mikruhi. By all sorts of options left, almost blindly, trying
to build did not want. Here I think, have to DAVE'u go, the
scheme with the Amiga had remained (I hope), but I can trust
them, although neither of which describe the legs mikruhi and
its signal can be no question. Or get lucky and rolled a
very old (easy assembly), and even
dead SEGA (and therefore free), then it will be on what to
unwind. If appropriate, the scheme will be more expensive, and
not easier, certainly (at this mikruhi on four feet longer,
while hull average thickness between the narrow and wide, we
must cut the socket - there are not seen). But if you still
get, the picture I hope will be better for the balance of
color, otherwise, renounce this mikruhi. What is questionable,
and do not want to - it's probably the best encoder among
others.
Too much to do, and rubbish, with
which must be razobratsya.V soon
Draw a diagram on a dead printer ELECTRONICS MS6313 (by the
way, can those who have to him flash, and then draw a diagram -
and he Healthy (veroyatn. 18%), and waste time to lose?). After
the printer look, what to do, many Speccy fix is necessary,
in order to become complete, all typically-Spektrumskie.
How to take encoders, was carefully
analyze various channels, our
channels are rarely PAL encoding, and I
already sporting interest - to be determined
image encoding. It is very difficult,
I relatively often wrong, but experience clearly
dialed and recognized species interference kodirovaniya.I
already seen many times forced smoothing Definition TV
(Clothes, buildings).
Well, that's all for today ...
I would like to convey greetings to all, but all, alas,
not list ... and I will not! that others do not
resented. In general, all the best for those who
was, to those who have and those who will be there.
Mention of two friends who were previously not formally
represented, and without which the coders would be in the
darkness of misinformation:
Thanks to Andrew Bateevu, Andrew Meleshkin
for a template and the data on MC1377P.
