For me, it's the GS.OS background with its dithered colors that's challenging to get looking good on HDMI monitors. I already have GBS-C, that looks good enough so far, so maybe I'll just get one of the regular Mockingboards one of these days.
Thank you very much Chris, this card i something I was really looking for. However I think will wait until the Ensoniq part will be fully implemented (and routed to HDMI) before purchasing. Hopefully in the meantime new clones will come available for a cheper price!
Well, the price is fairly reasonable since you're getting at least three complete cards in one (HDMI, Mockingboard, Supersprite). And I like to support the original developers. But I don't have any financial stake, so to each his/her own.
Good question - it seems safer as it doesn't randomly erase floppy disks. The A2FPGA seems like more of a "real" card because it is truly running the same logic as the original card. From what I recall, the VidHD is really a full-blown OS (Linux?) so it seems a bit heavier handed. But they both look great on HDMI.
The text and video graphics are both excellent! Really enjoyed both video segments on the A2FPGA. Would love to see you review the Apple Squeezer if you can manage to snag one (I'm always too slow). Thanks!
Wow you got Skyfox to work with Mockingboard sound on a IIGS. It seems to be the only game I can't get to play on my IIGS + Phasor. Maybe I need to update my Total Replay.
@@CT6502 Yes. What happens with different cracks of the game running from floppy and earlier Total Replay versions is that the opening music plays fine, I start a game, and it locks up just after the cockpit loads. Never a problem with the Phasor in my IIe. >> I just downloaded the latest Total Replay and now it works in my GS too!!
FPGA is pretty cool technology because it is replicating original hardware and can be reprogrammed. In theory, you could have multiple FPGA cards, each replicating different hardware. Example might be a Z80 card. I still have my old apple II+ and Apple IIGS that have been stored away for the past 30 years. Also recently bought an FPGA for my 1980 Atari arcade Tempest cabinet (bought in 1984) and it plugs right into the arcade harness replacing the original PCB boards that had failed. The FPGA replicates the 6502 and other Tempest arcade hardware on a PCB the size of a Raspberry Pi.
I'm not sure. You needed a stereo card for the IIGS to have stereo output, correct? I don't know whether the FPGA can be made to replicate the same functionality of a stereo card.
@lemonherb1 The HDMI core used in the "firmware" is only tested to 2 channels, but in theory it should work with 8 channels. For now the ES5503 core only supports stereo, but there's no reason it couldn't be more.
Can you clarify something; you mentioned the sound isn't going through HDMI for one game? In this demo, is all the sound going through your powered speakers? Does it normally route the sound through the HDMI on other programs if you don't have them plugged in? Is the wiki correct? "The initial Apple II power on "beep" will be missed, but all subsequent Apple II sound can be output to HDMI if SW2 is ON."
Arkanoid II and Rastan both use the Ensoniq chip for sound - that is not currently understood by the A2FPGA card - the sound just goes thru the motherboard speaker, not the powered speakers. If I had a stereo sound card like the "LiteSound" then I could certainly hook a set of powered speakers up to that, but I am hoping that the A2FPGA team adds support for the Ensoniq. For other programs, if you are using the A2FPGA card then you can use the DIP switch to toggle whether regular Apple II sounds go thru the HDMI or the motherboard speaker. With the A2FPGA card, Mockingboard sounds will always go thru the HDMI. So it is Ensoniq -> motherboard speaker always, Apple II $C030 sounds -> HDMI OR motherboard, Mockingboard -> HDMI always
Good question - it would obviously have to be a complete redesign of the board, but certainly doable. There is the Mockingboard 4c which came out a few years ago - that doesn't get you the HDMI or the Supersprite, but does at least give Mockingboard support...
Yes, unfortunately. I didn't show this, but when I went to play Arkanoid II, I had to go back into the Control Panel and re-enable the mouse in slot 4.
I have one of these, I like it, but I do NOT like the fact that the FPGA board is on stilts. On a ROM1 machine it must be in slot 3 (without a wire mod) and the most logical place to put a TWGS would be in slot 4. I have my TWGS in slot 4, but I can't use the A2FPGA in slot 3 because the FPGA board presses into the TGWS. I love the card and it works great in my IIe, but unless this is redesigned to not hog the slot to the right of it I just can't use it here....which is an utter shame really.
The scanline mode looks excellent (at least in this video) and not too harsh.
Yeah, it's nice. I usually don't like emulated scanlines, but with the A2FPGA I actually like it.
For me, it's the GS.OS background with its dithered colors that's challenging to get looking good on HDMI monitors. I already have GBS-C, that looks good enough so far, so maybe I'll just get one of the regular Mockingboards one of these days.
Yep, if you've got something that already works well, no need to spend the extra money.
Thanks. I was wondering why you didn't have GS in the last video. I'm supposed to get mine tomorrow or day after.
Yep, the last video was long enough as it was. Plus it was better to devote a full video to the IIGS.
Thank you very much Chris, this card i something I was really looking for. However I think will wait until the Ensoniq part will be fully implemented (and routed to HDMI) before purchasing. Hopefully in the meantime new clones will come available for a cheper price!
Well, the price is fairly reasonable since you're getting at least three complete cards in one (HDMI, Mockingboard, Supersprite). And I like to support the original developers. But I don't have any financial stake, so to each his/her own.
Very interesting. Trying to figure out if this is "safer" to run in a IIGS than the VidHD...
Good question - it seems safer as it doesn't randomly erase floppy disks. The A2FPGA seems like more of a "real" card because it is truly running the same logic as the original card. From what I recall, the VidHD is really a full-blown OS (Linux?) so it seems a bit heavier handed. But they both look great on HDMI.
The text and video graphics are both excellent! Really enjoyed both video segments on the A2FPGA.
Would love to see you review the Apple Squeezer if you can manage to snag one (I'm always too slow). Thanks!
Yeah, I don't have one either...
Have you tried the SSC emulation? The IIgs, //c and IIc+ have two serial ports already, but for ][. ][+ or //e that would be a nice feature.
The SSC is currently disabled on the card since they ran into some problems. I'm not sure about the status.
Wow you got Skyfox to work with Mockingboard sound on a IIGS. It seems to be the only game I can't get to play on my IIGS + Phasor. Maybe I need to update my Total Replay.
I'm assuming that you've selected "Your card" for slot 4 in the IIGS control panel?
@@CT6502 Yes. What happens with different cracks of the game running from floppy and earlier Total Replay versions is that the opening music plays fine, I start a game, and it locks up just after the cockpit loads. Never a problem with the Phasor in my IIe. >> I just downloaded the latest Total Replay and now it works in my GS too!!
Great, concise review! As always, thanks Chris!
Thanks!
Outstanding! Thanks for yournedfors, Chris.
Thanks!
FPGA is pretty cool technology because it is replicating original hardware and can be reprogrammed. In theory, you could have multiple FPGA cards, each replicating different hardware. Example might be a Z80 card. I still have my old apple II+ and Apple IIGS that have been stored away for the past 30 years. Also recently bought an FPGA for my 1980 Atari arcade Tempest cabinet (bought in 1984) and it plugs right into the arcade harness replacing the original PCB boards that had failed. The FPGA replicates the 6502 and other Tempest arcade hardware on a PCB the size of a Raspberry Pi.
Yes! Plus it’s cool that the FPGA card can simulate multiple cards in different slots.
I'm the first one! And I'm waiting for the A2FPGA parcel to arrive ~
Nice! Don't forget to update the firmware, unless ReactiveMicro already did it.
Great card, thanks for the review!
Thanks for watching!
Great review, and thanks for sharing
Thanks Rudy!
So I'm assuming if the firmware can eventually route the Ensoniq audio to the HDMI port, it would be monaural only?
I'm not sure. You needed a stereo card for the IIGS to have stereo output, correct? I don't know whether the FPGA can be made to replicate the same functionality of a stereo card.
@lemonherb1 The HDMI core used in the "firmware" is only tested to 2 channels, but in theory it should work with 8 channels. For now the ES5503 core only supports stereo, but there's no reason it couldn't be more.
Can you clarify something; you mentioned the sound isn't going through HDMI for one game? In this demo, is all the sound going through your powered speakers? Does it normally route the sound through the HDMI on other programs if you don't have them plugged in?
Is the wiki correct? "The initial Apple II power on "beep" will be missed, but all subsequent Apple II sound can be output to HDMI if SW2 is ON."
Arkanoid II and Rastan both use the Ensoniq chip for sound - that is not currently understood by the A2FPGA card - the sound just goes thru the motherboard speaker, not the powered speakers. If I had a stereo sound card like the "LiteSound" then I could certainly hook a set of powered speakers up to that, but I am hoping that the A2FPGA team adds support for the Ensoniq. For other programs, if you are using the A2FPGA card then you can use the DIP switch to toggle whether regular Apple II sounds go thru the HDMI or the motherboard speaker. With the A2FPGA card, Mockingboard sounds will always go thru the HDMI. So it is Ensoniq -> motherboard speaker always, Apple II $C030 sounds -> HDMI OR motherboard, Mockingboard -> HDMI always
What chances of a noslot a2fpga for the //c? At least for the Mockingboard!
Good question - it would obviously have to be a complete redesign of the board, but certainly doable. There is the Mockingboard 4c which came out a few years ago - that doesn't get you the HDMI or the Supersprite, but does at least give Mockingboard support...
Is your mouse disabled when you have slot 4 set to Your Card and Mockingboard emulation enabled?
Yes, unfortunately. I didn't show this, but when I went to play Arkanoid II, I had to go back into the Control Panel and re-enable the mouse in slot 4.
Very nice review.
Thank you!
I have one of these, I like it, but I do NOT like the fact that the FPGA board is on stilts. On a ROM1 machine it must be in slot 3 (without a wire mod) and the most logical place to put a TWGS would be in slot 4. I have my TWGS in slot 4, but I can't use the A2FPGA in slot 3 because the FPGA board presses into the TGWS. I love the card and it works great in my IIe, but unless this is redesigned to not hog the slot to the right of it I just can't use it here....which is an utter shame really.
Very true, it would be better if it was all integrated into the card, but I imagine that would add to the cost to integrate the chip.
@@CT6502 Even just a slightly lowered socket. I don't get why it is a half inch tall.