TRH9000 - The Yamaha V9990 based open-source video card for the MSX

By sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3963)

24-03-2023, 07:43

Nice!

By Briqunullus

Paladin (670)

24-03-2023, 13:27

Keep up the good work. The v9990 still is on the top of my wish list.

By PingPong

Enlighted (4140)

25-03-2023, 03:11

Quote:

Rest assured, the project is still a priority for me, and I plan to return to it as soon as possible.

Nice, can we have a small video to see the video quality with the last hw?

By doomn00b

Supporter (14)

25-03-2023, 22:15

I have an update too! I finished the redesign of TRH9000D-AA -> I remade it, because it was simply TOO painful to redraw the Digital signalling portion x__x - so I just changed an older design into the newest one. This one includes a VGA-port for superimpose as well, but also features a SCART-port.

I'm just about ready to try and manufacture it, just going to try and get some feedback on it, to see if some of these routing-ideas I've used, are entirely valid.

Side-note: I don't own an MSX, so not sure how to test it, lol!

https://github.com/Doomn00b/trh9000/tree/doomn00b-dev
https://imgur.com/a/mqYbA9K

crisag wrote:

Lately, I've been feeling a bit down and busy with professional challenges, as well as various initiatives both related and unrelated to MSX. A few weeks ago, I updated the project repository with the version of the project that utilizes the recommended CXA2075 chip, but I must confess that I haven't yet revisited the version that implements the superimpose feature.

I built a cartridge for me with the latest version and it works beautifully. The quality is super good and I'm quite happy with it.

I also managed to purchase another lot of 10 V9990 chips from a company in the US, and I am considering building another 10 units of the simple version of the cartridge so I can make a few friends happy here in Brazil. No intention to sell or send those 10 abroad.

Rest assured, the project is still a priority for me, and I plan to return to it as soon as possible.

Ey no worries man. <3 Thank you for giving an update, and for keeping going.

The cards look really neat btw! Glad to see they are COMING ALIVE! ^^

By gflorez

Resident (61)

25-03-2023, 22:42

Actually it is possible to connect the V9990 cartridge to Amstrad CPCs, Amstrad PCWs and Enterprises, by means of adapters, but it still can be interfaced to more Z80 computers.

The chip is accessed on ports $60/$6F on MSX so, 16 free consecutive ports are needed to interface it. Some computers access it by 8bit ports, others by 16bit ports, but the data received/sent is exactly the same.

By crisag

Expert (86)

26-03-2023, 03:39

Here is a video showing the cartridge in action https://youtu.be/wBumsh_ZnH8

There is another one more complete but in Portuguese. Here https://youtu.be/0VTfTfqy9_U

By PingPong

Enlighted (4140)

26-03-2023, 06:28

nice. thx.

By Manuel

Ascended (19469)

26-03-2023, 10:58

Is there a reliable source for V9990 chips?

By aoineko

Paladin (1004)

26-03-2023, 13:48

Very interesting, thank you!
Could you summarize the features of the V9990 that your cartridge supports and those that it does not (yet)?

By crisag

Expert (86)

27-03-2023, 18:29

Yes. I just got confirmation that the chips are available.

I got a big distributor in Japan with a few sealed boxes, 30 USD FOB per unit with minimum of 240 units. They cannot split the shipment and only send via DHL with pre-paid taxes, unfortunately.
Also got another vendor in China selling up to 50 units, 45 USD FOB per unit.

What I'm trying now is to get my traditional supplier in China to buy the 240 units from Japan and send me via another way than DHL. Via DHL, which is the only option from Japan to Brazil, taxes will be automatically charged. And that adds 50% import tax + 60% local state tax, bringing the cost per chip to something around 70USD.

If my supplier agrees to buy the package (of course charging something) I may get those chips to manufacture cartridges. The ideal situation would be sending half of those (~120) to Europe so you guys can get someone building and sending cartridges within the EU.

I'll update you all with new developments...