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Documentation about the Vampire hardware

V4SA New Owners Help

Mike Kopack

Posts 268
18 Oct 2019 18:00


Ok, so far we've seen a number of folks who got their hands on the V4SA at the A34 show, some of whom are having issues. This thread is to help bring together information to help those users get things up and running.  Note that I don't have a V4SA yet, but I spend a lot of time in the IRC chat and here on the forums and have tried to compile what I have seen so far.

PLEASE add to this any information you find or learn from the team as they help you so it can help others!!!

Mouse+Keyboard
-----------------
Currently the USB ports are only designated for mouse and keyboard use. The mouse MUST be plugged into the front port (near the joystick ports), keyboard in the rear (near the ethernet). Please try to use the provided ones from the A34 package FIRST as those have been tested to work. Others may or may not work (USB compatibility expansion is being worked on). Try with the provided first to ensure the system is working right before trying others. If you find ones that work, please post to this thread with the specific model numbers so the Wiki can be updated.

Note, currently DB9 Amiga mice do NOT work (although this might be reenabled in the future). For now, leave your old tank mice hooked to your classic hardware and stick with the USB mouse provided.

Video problems -
----------------
Some folks are experiencing problems getting anything to display on their device. This is typically because your display can't deal with the resolution/frequency that the system is trying to push out.

Some things to try:

1) with only the keyboard, mouse, power and DIGITAL-VIDEO hooked up. Try turning on the unit and going into the early boot menu - Power on while holding both mouse buttons. Hold them for 4 seconds and then release.

This should get you into the early boot menu which is a pretty low-resolution/standard res display. If you're getting this, then video works, but the system is trying to go into a display mode your display can't handle.

2) If that doesn't work, try changing to a different DIGITAL-VIDEO cable and/or a different monitor. Computer monitors tend to allow for many more resolution modes than consumer TV's, so if possible try on them.

3) see below about updating the core and SAGA drivers.

Updated Core -
---------------
The devices were sold with a core that is slightly out of date. There is a newer version that you can try which might fix some issues (it has for some). If anyone has the link to where you can get the new core, please post below as I don't have that information.

Updated SAGA drivers
-----------------------
There is a newer version of the SAGA drivers that have been published to the wiki. You should install them in whatever OS image you're using. See:  EXTERNAL LINK 

If you can't seem to get the system to boot up at all, you might need to install these drivers via plugging your CF card into a UAE system and then installing the drivers onto it from there.

Network Support
------------------
Currently the Ethernet port does not work. This is known - the team decided this was not a critical feature to have working prior to release. It is being worked on though.  Wifi should be possible in the future via interfacing something like an ESP32 board to the V4SA's expansion ports, but a driver will need to be written that doesn't currently exist.

Changing the Kickstart
-----------------------
The units ship with AROS' kickstart. It is possible to change this to 3.1 or 3.1.4 or some other version, just like it's possible to do on the V2 boards. A new MapRom tool is coming that will work with the V4SA to do this. But for now you'll need to stay on AROS.

As stated above, hope this helps clear up confusion and gives some help on how to get things started. If anyone has additional information, please include it below to help others.


Michal Pietal

Posts 236
18 Oct 2019 19:34


Dear Mike,

Thank You for the thorough guideline!

I received my V4SA today.  Initially I got no video signal on: DIGITAL-VIDEO TV, VGA TV (unsupported) and VGA monitor (out of range).

Now I tried this:

1) with only the keyboard, mouse, power and DIGITAL-VIDEO hooked up. Try turning on the unit and going into the early boot menu - Power on while holding both mouse buttons. Hold them for 4 seconds and then release.

and what I get is that the TV sees the current on the DIGITAL-VIDEO in (and thus I can switch to it), but:
1) nothing to display
2) not even  error code

Please advice what to do next, if You were so kind.


Mike Kopack

Posts 268
18 Oct 2019 20:59


Kickstart info
——————

“ The VampireMap314 tool you are using is unaware of the Vampire4Standalone and won't install the support modules to search for the additional memory. Please try the 1.4 Beta I've posted to the wiki
  That version knows about V4 and also supports older Kickstarts (like 1.3) better. Please note that Core flashing is not yet enabled on Vampire V4. ”


Tim D

Posts 84
18 Oct 2019 22:24


I'm pretty sure my A34 V4SA came with 3.1 rom and not AROS rom.


Rasputin Rasputin

Posts 3
18 Oct 2019 23:30


I had extreme problems before that the sound of my Vampire just didn't work. I have now tried several older cores and the best result came with the Core SA_6990.jic. With this core, the sound now also works without problems. Depending on how I use the system, the Vampire become unstable and the sound disappears. This core does it at least halfway at the moment.
Guess that there are some timing problems in the core.


Manfred Bergmann

Posts 226
21 Oct 2019 07:17


Just FYI, a Keyrah V2 with a hooked up A600 keyboard works fine.

Manfred


Michal Pietal

Posts 236
25 Oct 2019 17:40


I managed to set all up working yesterday, thanks to Gunnar's help on IRC.

Coffin - works.  DB9 joystick - works.  USB mouse - OK.

The only problem is: Amiga34 bundle USB keyboard does not work.

What's the way to fix it??


Mike Kopack

Posts 268
25 Oct 2019 17:46


Michal Pietal wrote:

I managed to set all up working yesterday, thanks to Gunnar's help on IRC.
 
  Coffin - works.  DB9 joystick - works.  USB mouse - OK.
 
  The only problem is: Amiga34 bundle USB keyboard does not work.
 
  What's the way to fix it??

I assume you have it plugged into the rear USB port? Try another keyboard???



Michal Pietal

Posts 236
25 Oct 2019 17:54


Mike Kopack wrote:
 
  I assume you have it plugged into the rear USB port?

Yep.

Mike Kopack wrote:
 
Try another keyboard???

Same problem.


Gunnar von Boehn
(Apollo Team Member)
Posts 6207
25 Oct 2019 18:12


I would propose to join SLCK or IRC channel to get faster support



Michal Pietal

Posts 236
25 Oct 2019 18:14


Thanks, You're right about that!


Mike Kopack

Posts 268
26 Oct 2019 01:44


They get you squared away?

posts 12