v1.0.2

V1.0.2 is primarily a bug fix release and incorporates several build enhancements.

What's Changed since v1.0.1

• Fixed VRAM read/write 16KB rollover (Fixes ColecoVision Konami Ping Pong)
• Improved CPU interface read performance (Fixes ColecoVision Buck Rogers Super Game screen corruption)
• Automatically apply Pi Pico SDK boot performance patch
• Updated Configurator builds to CMake
• Automated Configurator build tool configuration
• Added SG1000/SC3000 configurator builds
• Added support for macOS builds
• Added GitHub actions to build firmware and configurator targets

Full Changelog: v1.0.1a...v1.0.2

Installation

If your PICO9918 is already running firmware version 1.0.0 or newer, you can upgrade your firmware using the configurator for your target system. If you are running an older v0.4.x firmware, you must install this update manually.

For PICO9918 v1.3 or newer, it is completely safe to update via USB while the PICO9918 is installed in your device. For all other versions, it is recommended to remove the PICO9918 from your device before updating the firmware.

To install, just hold the 'BOOT' button while plugging your PICO9918 into a PC, then drag the firmware .uf2 file on to the new USB drive which should have the volume label RPI-RP2. You PICO9918 will restart (and disconnect) automatically.

v1.0.1

First beta release of the unified PICO9918 firmware and software tools. Status is beta until it has been tested on a wider range of machines. This firmware and software is confirmed to work on these so far:

• Texas Instruments TI-99/4A
• ColecoVision
• MSX (National CF-2700)

And these are confirmed working, but due to build constraints the configurator software doesn't contain the ability to update the PICO9918 firmware:

• NABU Personal Computer
• Sega SG-1000 / SC-3000

What's Changed

A lot!

• Added support for hot firmware updates via software
• Added support for configuration changes via software
  • Scanlines
  • Maximum sprites
  • Core clock speed
  • Diagnostics overlays
  • Default palette
• Hardware agnostic - will auto-detect v0.3 vs v0.4 vs v1.0+ hardware and adapt automatically
• F18A compatibility mode included by default
• Configurator software with releases for:
  • TI-99/4A
  • ColecoVision
  • MSX
  • (More to come)

Binaries

There is currently only a single version of the firmware UF2 file: pico9918-vga-build-v1-0-1.uf2

This firmware is suitable for all PICO9918 devices

Installation

IMPORTANT: Before the configurator will work, a single manual firmware is required. Otherwise, your PICO9918 will not be detected by the configurator software:

It is recommended to remove the PICO9918 from your device before updating the firmware.

To install, just hold the 'BOOT' button while plugging your PICO9918 into a PC, then drag the firmware .uf2 file on to the new USB drive which should have the volume label RPI-RP2. You PICO9918 will restart (and disconnect) automatically.

v0.4.4

What's Changed

• Fixed write PIO timing issue for CreatiVision (and potentially other machines)

Binaries

There are a number of versions of the firmware with the following naming scheme:

pico9918-<pcbversion>-<output>-build-<firmwareversion>-<options>.uf2

<pcbversion>

• pcb-v0-3 is for the v0.3 PCB only.
• pcb-v1-x is for v0.4, v1.0, v1.1 and v1.2 PCBs.

<output>

• vga standard VGA 640x480 @ 60Hz.
• rgbs-ntsc480i SCART 15kHz RGBS - NTSC 480i @ 60Hz.
• rgbs-pal576i SCART 15kHz RGBS - PAL 576i @ 50Hz.

<options>

• sl = scanlines enabled (not supported for SCART)

Example

The version installed on PICO9918s I produce is pico9918-pcb-v1-x-vga-build-0-4-4.uf2 for PCB v1.x with VGA output and scanline effect disabled.

Installation

It is recommended to remove the PICO9918 from your device before updating the firmware.

To install, just hold the 'BOOT' button while plugging your PICO9918 into a PC, then drag the firmware .uf2 file on to the new USB drive which should have the volume label RPI-RP2. You PICO9918 will restart (and disconnect) automatically.

Changelog

• 0.4.4 by @visrealm in #32

Full Changelog: v0.4.3...v0.4.4

v0.4.3

What's Changed

• Reverted faster TMS Read PIO due to issues with MSX
• Support for SCART RGBs NTSC 480i @ 60Hz and PAL 576i @ 50Hz
• Fixed v0.3 board configuration not carried through to build

Binaries

There are a number of versions of the firmware with the following naming scheme:

pico9918-<pcbversion>-<output>-build-<firmwareversion>-<options>.uf2

<pcbversion>

• pcb-v0-3 is for the v0.3 PCB only.
• pcb-v0-4 is for v0.4, v1.0 and v1.1 PCBs.

<output>

• vga standard VGA 640x480 @ 60Hz.
• rgbs-ntsc480i SCART 15kHz RGBS - NTSC 480i @ 60Hz.
• rgbs-pal576i SCART 15kHz RGBS - PAL 576i @ 50Hz.

<options>

• sl = scanlines enabled (not supported for SCART)

Example

The version installed on PICO9918s I produce is pico9918-pcb-v0-4-vga-build-0-4-3-sl.uf2 for PCB v0.4+ with VGA output and scanline effect enabled.

Installation

It is recommended to remove the PICO9918 from your device before updating the firmware.

To install, just hold the 'BOOT' button while plugging your PICO9918 into a PC, then drag the firmware .uf2 file on to the new USB drive which should have the volume label RPI-RP2. You PICO9918 will restart (and disconnect) automatically.

Changelog

• 0.4.3 by @visrealm in #18

Full Changelog: v0.4.2...v0.4.3

v0.4.2

What's Changed

• 80 column mode fixes.
• Updated to Pico SDK 2.0.0.
• Added binary info.
• Removed explicit TMS<->CPU interface PIO delays.
• Enabled >4 scanline sprites by default.

Binaries

There are four versions of the firmware with the following naming scheme:

pico9918-<pcbversion>-<output>-build-<firmwareversion>-<options>.uf2

<pcbversion>

• pcb-v0-3 is for the v0.3 PCB only.
• pcb-v0-4 is for v0.4, v1.0 and v1.0 PCBs.

<output>

• vga standard VGA 640x480@60Hz.
• scart-ntsc480i SCART 15kHz RGBS - NTSC 480i.

<options>

• sl = scanlines enabled

The version installed on PICO9918s I produce is pico9918-pcb-v0-4-build-0-4-2-sl.uf2 for PCB v0.4+ and with scanlines enabled.

Changelog

Full Changelog: v0.4.1...v0.4.2

v0.4.1-f18a-preview1

What's Changed

F18A support - development preview 1

Support for F18A display modes, enhanced display features and TMS9900 GPU core.

• ECM (Enhanced color mode) tiles in Graphics I mode.
• ECM Sprites on all display modes.
• Second tile layer in 80-column text mode and Graphics I mode.
• Bitmap layer.
• Position-based attributes for 80-column text mode and Graphics I mode.

Note: Not all combinations of display modes and features are implemented.

Binaries

There are four versions of the firmware with the following naming scheme:

pico9918-<pcbversion>-build-<firmwareversion>-<options>.uf2

<pcbversion>

• pcb-v0-3 is for the v0.3 PCB only.
• pcb-v0-4 is for v0.4, v1.0 and v1.1 PCBs.

<options>

• sl = scanlines enabled

Full Changelog: v0.4.1...v0.4.1-f18a-preview1

v0.4.1

What's Changed

• Update from main by @visrealm in #6
• v0.4.1 by @visrealm in #8

Binaries

There are two versions:

• pico9918_pcb_v0_4_build_v0_4_1.uf2 for PCB version 0.4 and 1.0+
• pico9918_pcb_v0_3_build_v0_4_1.uf2 for PCB version 0.3 only

Additionally, the _nocrt suffixed builds have the CRT effect disabled.

Changelog

Full Changelog: v0.4.0...v0.4.1

v0.4.0

Inital release for v0.4 hardware

Includes binaries for both v0.3 and v0.4 PICO9918 boards.

What's Changed

• latest v0.3.1 by @visrealm in #3
• v0.4.0 by @visrealm in #5

Full Changelog: v0.3.1...v0.4.0

v0.3.1

Firmware v0.3.1

Compatible with PCB v0.3

• Updated VDP <-> CPU interface to be handled by PIOs rather than GPIO interrupts.
• Reduced binary size down to ~26KB
• Many performance improvements

What's Changed

• v0.3.1 by @visrealm in #2

Full Changelog: v0.3...v0.3.1

v0.3.0

Firmware v0.3.0

Compatible with PCB v0.3

What's Changed

• v0.3 initial release by @visrealm in #1

Full Changelog: https://github.com/visrealm/pico9918/commits/v0.3