Indivision ECS V3

From IndividualComputers
Jump to: navigation, search
Indivision ECS V3.JPG

Contents

In-depth documentation and downloads

Indivision_ECS_V2/doc - all documentation of V2 applies to V3 as well!

English instruction sheet with high-resolution pictures

Deutsche Kurzanleitung mit hochauflösenden Bildern

General description

Indivision ECS V3 is designed for Amiga models with OCS or ECS and a socketed Denise chip (i.e. Amiga 500(+), Amiga 2000, Amiga 3000[T], CDTV). The Amiga 600 is also supported if an A603, A604 or A604n Memory Expansion is installed. For use in an A1000 computer, an additional adapter is available separately.

All screenmodes are converted to frequencies of 60Hz or more (output optionally at 50Hz for compatible monitors), and the S-Hires mode of the ECS chipset is displayed in full resolution. Indivision ECS V3 can display ECS screenmodes even on systems that previously had an OCS Denise chip; the only requirement is an ECS Agnus chip (which is usually present in all Amiga models made in 1990 or later).

Non-interlaced modes can be 'downgraded' with the built-in scanline emulation to achieve the retro feeling that your old 1084 monitor provided over 20 years ago. The effect can be carefully adjusted: Anything from a very soft scanline effect to almost black lines in every other line is possible. Scanline emulation has never been so precise on a flicker fixer before.

While all our flicker fixers before have passed the exact number of pixels that the Amiga generates, the new version introduces a scaler! This makes sure that the scaler inside the VGA-monitor is never activated, so the picture will not get any more blurry than necessary. The scaler of Indivision ECS V3 is geared towards preserving the pixel-art appearance of low-res graphics, but can carefully be tuned to blur just enough to make it easy for the eye to believe that the flat screen you're looking at shows exactly what the vintage 1081 monitor would have shown.

The scaler is also the universal answer to the ever-recurring question that we previously had no satisfying answer for: How can I set a certain screenmode to be full-screen on my TFT? Combined with the all-new configuration tool, this is easier than with any other product on the market: Moving the picture, zooming in/out and doing pixel-exact changes to the output can be verified in realtime. Made a wrong setting? Press ESC at any time, and your output is reset to a safe default. Saved the wrong settings? No worries, the easy-to-create rescue disk will boot and reset the flicker fixer to factory defaults even if your monitor does not like the current settings at all.

Still not enough retro? Indivision ECS V3 introduces V-Sync to overcome tearing effects. Given that your VGA monitor supports V-Sync, you can enjoy silky-smooth animations without the slightest flicker or tearing. Monitors that support V-Sync are mostly gaming-monitors, but some office monitors and most CRT monitors are also compatible with this specially-synced output mode.

supported Amigas

Indivision ECS was designed to work with all OCS/ECS Amiga models with as little hassle as possible. This is the reason for it's funny shape. However, due to the multitude of different boards, there are a few cases where additional modifications are required:

Amiga 600

A603, A604 or A604n Memory Expansion required for operation. If you only have an A603, you'll have to remove the floppy drive. To avoid short circuits, the metal shield must either be cut or removed entirely (most Amiga 600 computers were delivered without the shield in the first place, so this is a minor issue). Can only be used with an Apollo accelerator card if you have an A604 or A604n.

Amiga 3000

Due to space constraints, the backup battery for the realtime-clock must either be moved or removed.

Amiga 3000T

Indivision ECS needs at least two additional sockets as risers. The video slot is partially covered, so there could be space problems with a long Zorro card in the upper slot.

Amiga 2000

(Rev. 4.1 and 4.3 only, other revisions have no such limitation): Due to space constraints, electrolytic capacitor C225 (near the Paula chip) must either be moved or replaced by a lower-profile version of max. 8.5mm.

Amiga 1000 without piggy back

There's an adapter required, because the power supply is in the way (adapter available separately).

Amiga 1000 with piggy back

We're sorry, this is the only computer that we currently don't have a solution for.

Core init workaround

When Indivision does not come up with a picture at startup, it may be the ramp-up behaviour of the PSU causing trouble. What happens is that power comes up, Indivision starts configuring the FPGA, and in the middle of the process that transfer from flash into the FPGA is interrupted due to a power-drop (swing-in behaviour). Another problem may be an old mechanical harddrive in your computer, it may be that it's spin-up time knocks out the FPGA configuration, as the inrush current of a starting motor may put oscillation on the 5V rail. You may fix this already with re-capping the PSU. Please see our PSU FAQ for details.

As a temporary workaround you may put this little tool into your startup-sequence, it will retrigger configuration of the FPGA. When in normal operation, the monitor loses sync for a short time while the FPGA re-loads it's logic and then re-loads settings from flash.

Please note that this is only a treatment on the symptom side, is unsupported, and should be considered temporary until the actual problem (most likely with the PSU) has been resolved.

MK3reset.lha


Pinout of the IDC-VGA cable

IDC pin# VGA pin# Signal name
1 1 Analogue red
2 6 Analogue GND
3 2 Analogue green
4 7 Analogue GND
5 3 Analogue blue
6 8 Analogue GND
7 10+5+shield Digital GND
8 13 HSync
9 14 VSync
10 4 Reserved, not connected.


Shop


Resellers

Please shop locally. Our partners are listed in alphabetical order.

Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Icomp
Print/export
Administration