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Vampire4 RELEASE 5 Is Out : 2021-01page  1 2 

Gunnar von Boehn
(Apollo Team Member)
Posts 6207
12 Jan 2021 18:05


Dear users,
 
we are glad to give your RELEASE 5 for the Vampire4.
RELEASE5_7905.jic is available for you on our download page.

Some updates in the new R5 release

* Copper compatibility fixed.
  We found a bug in Copper and fixed it.
  This fixes a high number of games which before were displayed not perfectly.
   
* CPU speed up. We are working on /testing CPU improvements which will give you about 10 MIPS speedup. Our target score is 165 Mips.
   
* H.D.M.I Monitor compatibility improvement
  Right now a few monitors not like the V4 signal.
  We work on fixing this.
   
* More Screenmodes. We will add more Screenmodes to the monitor drivers allowing you to e.g. access 800x600,1024*768
   
* Deluxe Galaga works now on APOLLOS

* RiVa Video Player PIP improvement!
  Smoother truecolor Video Playback for the Workbench
   
* ApollOS Kids edition with all games child safe!

* Magic PAL/NTSC Hotkey
  (You can even during runtime switch your Amiga video out to PAL/NTSC50/NTSC).  This allows running games like an PAL or NTSC Amiga.


Michal Pietal

Posts 236
12 Jan 2021 18:55


Great news, Gunnar!

I'm on my way to have mine updated (via V4BL)!


Manos Sg

Posts 96
12 Jan 2021 19:55


Awesome news, can't wait to try it out!

The Flashrom procedure in Coffin is the same as the one described in the manual? Sorry for asking, but this is my first time updating the core and I wouldn't want to cause any damage.


Willem Drijver
(Apollo Team Member)
Posts 127
12 Jan 2021 22:34


V4 Core flashing can be done in two ways;

1. First update your Amiga OS (for example Coffin) to newest SAGA-Driver, so you have the newest VampireFlash. Then open CLI, go to the folder where you have the new Core (.jic) file and type "VampireFlash SA_Release5_7905.jic". It's real easy and safe, but in case something does go wrong, you will need an USB Blaster (see 2)!

2. Use a USB-Blaster with Quartus software. I recommend always to spent a few bucks on this as a fail-safe to always be able to recover your precious V4SA.




Allan Versaevel

Posts 111
12 Jan 2021 22:44


Here is a link for a compatible USB Blaster:

EXTERNAL LINK


Manos Sg

Posts 96
12 Jan 2021 22:48


Willem Drijver wrote:

  V4 Core flashing can be done in two ways;
 
  1. First update your Amiga OS (for example Coffin) to newest SAGA-Driver, so you have the newest VampireFlash. Then open CLI, go to the folder where you have the new Core (.jic) file and type "VampireFlash SA_Release5_7905.jic". It's real easy and safe, but in case something does go wrong, you will need an USB Blaster (see 2)!
 
  2. Use a USB-Blaster with Quartus software. I recommend always to spent a few bucks on this as a fail-safe to always be able to recover your precious V4SA.
 

 
  Thank you, Willem, don't want anything bad happening to my precious V4, indeed!
 
  Going to try updating the core, fingers crossed!

Edit: Update worked, easy-peasy! :D


Oscar Meza

Posts 10
14 Jan 2021 01:46


Where do I find the latest SAGA-Driver for the V4 SA?


Michael MiB

Posts 54
14 Jan 2021 02:25


If you are not using ApolloOS (Don't use with ApolloOS, it's "inside") : https://www.apollo-accelerators.com/#download


Michal Pietal

Posts 236
17 Jan 2021 11:30


How to check if my SAGA driver was installed properly?  Does this one provide some extra modes?

I ask because I'm having doubts on it.


Christopher Stokes

Posts 36
17 Jan 2021 19:22


Yes, 720 screen modes become available.


Oscar Meza

Posts 10
18 Jan 2021 05:32


Willem Drijver wrote:

V4 Core flashing can be done in two ways;
 
  1. First update your Amiga OS (for example Coffin) to newest SAGA-Driver, so you have the newest VampireFlash. Then open CLI, go to the folder where you have the new Core (.jic) file and type "VampireFlash SA_Release5_7905.jic". It's real easy and safe, but in case something does go wrong, you will need an USB Blaster (see 2)!
 
  2. Use a USB-Blaster with Quartus software. I recommend always to spent a few bucks on this as a fail-safe to always be able to recover your precious V4SA.
 
 
 
 

Willemstad, how do I update the SAGA driver in my V4 still using R3? I read that if I am using ApolloOS (AROS), I would not need to update the SAGA driver. Is this true? Should I replace the SAGA driver already in C: ?

Thank you




Gunnar von Boehn
(Apollo Team Member)
Posts 6207
18 Jan 2021 09:37


Oscar Meza wrote:

I read that if I am using ApolloOS (AROS), I would not need to update the SAGA driver. Is this true? 

Apollo-OS is 100% complete and preinstalled with all drivers.
It comes with Ethernet stack working out of the box.
It comes with Webbrowser pre installed.
It comes with SDcard driver. (read only)
It comes with SAGA truecolor gfx drivers pre-installed - working out of the box.

There is no need to install anything.
In fact if you try to install anything you most likely break your install.



Michal Pietal

Posts 236
18 Jan 2021 18:05


Clearly I can see now, as I was testing games thoroughly lately (WHDLoad) that, many games exit on some specific move within the game.
 
  Seems be a severe bug.  Any way to debug this?  Must be one single instruction that kills these games out of the blue.


Olaf Schoenweiss

Posts 690
18 Jan 2021 19:55


you mean games work and then suddenly exit?


Gunnar von Boehn
(Apollo Team Member)
Posts 6207
18 Jan 2021 20:11


Michal Pietal wrote:

  Seems be a severe bug.  Any way to debug this?  Must be one single instruction that kills these games out of the blue.
 

 
Sounds like a well known problem of roadshow.
Roadshow demo is known to kill _ALL_ WHdload games at some point.
This has nothing to do with Vampire - same happens on old Amigas too.
 
My recommendation: Not use Roadshow.
If you have more question or need help then ask in Discord.
 


Michal Pietal

Posts 236
19 Jan 2021 11:06


WOW!  I would never expect Roadshow to interfere with other software!

Is there any way to disable it ie. to run only when invoked manually (via the button/icon)?

Gunnar von Boehn wrote:
  My recommendation: Not use Roadshow.

I already bought it and this software looks very well so I would prefer the solution outlined above (ie. the manual SW start).



Tim Noyce

Posts 156
19 Jan 2021 14:17


Michal Pietal wrote:

WOW!  I would never expect Roadshow to interfere with other software!
 
  Is there any way to disable it ie. to run only when invoked manually (via the button/icon)?
 
 
Gunnar von Boehn wrote:
  My recommendation: Not use Roadshow.
 

 
  I already bought it and this software looks very well so I would prefer the solution outlined above (ie. the manual SW start).
 

There is a WHDLoad startup that runs any time you launch a game. You can find an option to edit this file in the menu -- I think it's under settings or system .. Can't recall at the moment. You can add the appropriate command there -- in fact it may already be there, but disabled (commented out) as I recall. You would then have to add the reverse command to enable it in the 'cleanup'  script, which runs when you exit a WHDLoad game.



Michal Pietal

Posts 236
19 Jan 2021 16:01


Thanks for the tip.

If I understood that correctly, I need to write to a WHDLoad console (either per-game or generic command) disabling Roadshow and then, enabling it once more.

Is this the same (more or less) command which concerns the Roadshow and is to be found in some of the startup-sequences?


Michal Pietal

Posts 236
19 Jan 2021 17:51


Michal Pietal wrote:

Thanks for the tip.
 
  If I understood that correctly, I need to write to a WHDLoad console (either per-game or generic command) disabling Roadshow and then, enabling it once more.
 
  Is this the same (more or less) command which concerns the Roadshow and is to be found in some of the startup-sequences?

I found the solution here, on this very command:

CLICK HERE 
It's the netshutdown command.

Ought to be invoked before any game from the console, hope it is possible to assign this to each WHDLoad games before launch, without actually doing it manually.



Gunnar von Boehn
(Apollo Team Member)
Posts 6207
20 Jan 2021 12:01


Michal, the roadshow issue is a general problem of Roadshow
and the same problem exists on any Classic Amiga or UAE.
It has nothing todo  with the VAMPIRE4 Release 5 about this news message is here.

If you have general user help question please post them in the appropriate category and not in the news section.
Thanks

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