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A stand alone project.
A completely new and independent Colecovision.
© by: OpCode
Games and
Ademir Carchano.
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ColecoVision is back.
Yes you read it right!.
A revolution from the 80’s is now possible here in 2000’s.
The arcade machine from the good old days.
May OpCode Games and André
Lamothe presents: ColecoVision 2
The only updated video game console who brings you arcade close
videogames from the past to your home namely:
Pac-Man - Donkey Kong - Space Invaders and all the great titles from
the 80’s.
Yes they’re almost all out there.
All the previous games and also new games are on the way. Over 200
different titles.
New for ColecoVision 2 is High score registration, more colors and more RAM.
Very advanced Yamaha DX stereo sound.
Don’t miss out this system in your collection.
You'll get this outstanding item at only $ 150,- |
An advertisement like this above can become a reality
in a few years.
Because in the near future, maybe around 2013, will
there most likely be produced a new world novelty.
A unit, a new ColecoVision 2 or just CV 2, Super
CV, CV II.
Eduardo, the man behind OpCode Games has already a license to produce another unit under the brand
Coleco.
The license was given from River West Brands in Chicago which has the rights of the name in
USA.
The license covers a small Super Game Module, but Eduardo will go the line out and give us
a complete new ColecoVision.
The idea for the new CV 2 is to make more complexed and avanced games for
the ColecoVision
interface.
The new CV 2 will be more powerful than the former ColecoVision CV 1, which only had
as standard 1K RAM,
to now a 32K RAM maybe even up to 128k.
DMA is the best possible solution, though that is going to require a
larger (and slightly more expensive) CPLD to implement.
The new CV 2 will be backward compatible, whereby you can run the vast
majority of your existing games.
Eduardo at
OpCode Games has ongoing plans to launch following extended
games to ColecoVision CV 1, the Super Game Mudule and especially CV 2.
Those games have never been released to Coleco platform before, and many
of them are already done.
The upcoming games from the OpCode label are:
Donkey Kong Arcade
80%, Pengo 30% and Moon Patrol 10%.
But also Knightmare, Goonies,
Kings Valley, Gradius, Yie Ar Kung Fu II, Zanac,
and Castlevania Redux are all planned.
About projects like New Rally X and Wizard Of Wor I don't know yet.
Eduardo would also like to see some other arcade ports, and there
are a lot of Z 80 based arcade games after the U.S. video game crash that could be ported
almost flawless:
Kung-Fu Master, Commando, Bubble Bobble, Arkanoid, 1942, Tiger Heli,
Tokyo/Scramble Formation, Rygar and so many others.
When ColecoVision CV 1 was launched was it an early unfinished MSX based machine,
namely closely to the MSX 1 standard.
So practically all these late MSX games can be translated back
to the new CV 2 with very few changes.
Also games from Sega SG-1000 are very close to ColecoVision, many of those
titles will, like now, also be ported in the future.
The new ColecoVision CV 2 is a brand new
unit, and it is a stand alone product. -Completely independent and no kind of connection from the former ColecoVision CV 1.
The new ColecoVision CV 2 is a step further from the new Super Game Module,
and CV 2 will be a state of the art product.
It's almost backward compatible with our normal ColecoVision and very close to MSX
without it.
The new CV 2 will be with the original cartridge slot, and will not
include
the extra slot for SD Card as previously planned.
It's to prevent the spread of pirate-based games.
As you can see above on the left:
ColecoVision old style game presentation for our normal ColecoVision.
And on the right side CV 2 new style.
A fine new bold type, and a fine new ColecoVision logo. -unbelievable.
The idea behind the new CV 2 is
to extend the functionality you already have with your CV 1.
Or better yet,
extend the fun you have with games you already own.
But also at the same time, the new CV 2 will open the doors for new, more
advanced games.
More colors more RAM and more advanced sound.
Another configurable settings will be the opening delay.
There will also be added a few new Videochips,
one of them is Yamaha V9958.
Also switchable clock speeds routines will be added:
The option is to use the same crystal for both NTSC and PAL systems, tough
in the CV2's case it should be 21.47727MHz, connected to the VDPs.
The V9958 will then produce the system clock (3.58MHz) for the PSG, FM and
others.
The CPU will have its own oscillator, at 28.63636MHz (divided by 2 and 8
). Fantastic, two oscillators and one crystal.
Here is a overview for
Yamaha V9958.
8 sprites per scanline, two sprites can be
combined to produce a 3rd. color.
Hardware Horizontal and vertical scroll registers.
Configurable color palette, 16 colors from 512, the chip "boots" using the
default CV palette.
A lot more memory, meaning more graphic variety.
New graphic modes, in case someone wants to use them.
256x212 bitmapped
with 16 colors.
256x212 bitmapped with 256 colors.
256x212 with 19000 colors.
using YJK encoding
which is similar to JPG,
512x212 with 16 colors.
Line interruptions, allows you to program a line # then the CPU will be "notified"
via interruption that the desired line has been reached.
Useful for changing stuff middle screen, like creating split screens,
changing color palettes, or even doubling the # of sprites on screen.
A blitter, or data mover. Can move data while the CPU is doing something
else.
- Interlacing for double vertical resolution 512x424 max... What !!!
Now you have as an homebrewer the ability to
make games for Colecovision with a little less limitations.
You can now publish a lot more advanced games now you have some
extra options to do with.
Furthermore, you have a new opportunity to digitize images in a fantastic
resolution.
This could give a fantastic presentation of the game, and the possibility
of Digital background and Digital sound.
As a reference to the V9958 will there be a
Sony CXA 1645
chip.
The CXA encoder can be set to work in both NTSC and PAL mode, it can produce
excellent picture quality, with Composite, analog RGB and S-video.
And with the VGA Output should you have enough opportunities for
connections, so bye bye RF.
Here in Denmark do we only have Digital Televisions, and our programs are also with
Digital productions.
Similarly, we have more HD channels available.
All that gives us a more clearer picture on our tv's.
So it would be nice if there also could be developed Digital out on the new
ColecoVision CV 2, or least a VGA output.
The new ColecoVision CV 2 hardware has
those sub-systems:
- NEW CV BIOS.
- MegaRAM and slot control.
- PSG and I/O.
- Devices.
- Basic.
And here is what each sub-system is responsible
for:
- NEW CV BIOS:
This is the heart of the new system, the door for infinite possibilities.
The CV BIOS is actually a Flash memory chip.
And what is so cool about the CV BIOS ? Nothing actually, in fact it completely bypass all my games.
But there is more to the new BIOS than just being a new BIOS.
The BIOS 128K XP CV 2 will include a GUI, that will offer a lot of cool functions,
and since it is using flash memory, the GUI can be updated any time.
There will be a different game header for CV 2 games.
During boot-up the BIOS will check for the header and the system will be
set accordingly (Z80 speed, I/O mapping, VDP mode, etc).
Also, the BIOS will check for the color system, then set the VDP
accordingly.
The original CV had different versions of the VDP for NTSC and PAL.
The V9958 use a different approach, they have a register setting to
select between NTSC/PAL, so the BIOS should be responsible for that.
However you should be able create a game using the old header and still
use the new features.
For example, you can create a game that runs on a regular CV and activate
certain features if the CV 2 is detected.
You can use a custom color palette, more sprites per scanline, faster CPU,
FM music, create a special bitmapped intro screen, etc.
All of that can be activated by software anytime, even in legacy mode.
But there are more, much more.
Things like a unified scoreboard, cartridge dumps, configurable users, in-game screenshots,
game patches and much more.
- MegaRAM and slot control:
The memory area mapped to the CV cartridge has been expanded in many extra
“virtual slots”, all software selectable.
And in one of those slots we have the MegaRAM, a huge bank of SRAM that
will allow us to run any existing CV game from the CF,
as well as to create some really massive new games.
- PSG and I/O:
The new chip for audio is an
AY-3-8910 PSG, the same used with the MSX computers and many other
computers and arcade machines from the 80s.
Also an 8 channel OPM FM chip
YM2151 DAC (YM3012) created originally for the Yamaha DX in the late 80's, will be added
to the CV 2 with Stereo audio outputs included.
The built in ADPCM sampler can produce better sound than the MegaDrive PCM
with virtually no processing penalty to the sound CPU.
The sample playback is completely CPU free.
The main reason is to allow more faithful ports of MSX, Sega SG-1000 and arcade games.
The people who created the original CV 1 made a bad mistake with the CV PSG.
The CV
PSG isn’t bad at all, but they clocked it too high.
Because of that we are limited to frequencies above 110Hz, which means
that deep bass sounds can not be produced by the original CV 1.
So that is why the Space Invaders Collection marching sound in SIC isn’t
as deep as you remembered it,
or some music stuff sounds so “high” in the frequency range.
The new PSG corrects that, and goes beyond what the Texas CV PSG can do,
with volume envelope and better noise generator.
The I/O part is a bidirectional 16 bits port. That will be used to something
cool.
- Devices:
World of OpCode has planned to create a set of simple "devices"
to properly test the CV 2's parallel port.
The first device would be the paddle adapter,
and for that will OpCode Games use a simple ADC converter and connect an Atari
paddle to it.
From the parallel port should it be able to command the ADC to sample the
paddle then read the resulting 8 bit value.
Paddle games should be very easy to implement that way.
The second device is: creating a cable to
hookup (linking) two ColecoVisions together thru the parallel port.
The parallel port can implement full duplex 8-bit communication.
Eduardo want to implement a simple game where two ColecoVisions can
exchange information about player position, etc.
A simple racing test game
would be nice.
If possible will Eduardo at OpCode Games try a 4 ColecoVisions configuration too.
Finally 3rd device should be a simple
computer module.
It should implement PS2 keyboard reading, and if possible
access to a SD card.
Eduardo just want to make sure that it can do that stuff he wanted it to
do.
PS2 keyboard and SD card solution are serial devices.
The I/O offers interesting ways to interface with users.
Other convenience features include spinners disable, NMI disable and more.
- Basic:
In connection with the foregoing will Eduardo also produce a new Basic language close to the MSX.
From the existing 8-bit implementations was the MSX probably the best.
With the advantage it uses almost the same hardware, so all commands to
access sound and graphics are already there.
The MSX version offers an official compiler that runs from ROM in
execution time, and makes programs execute as much as 20 times faster.
The idea is to have a very flexible game engine
integrated to the BASIC compiler, and then offer macro commands so that
the programmer can:
- Fill in the blanks.
- Create title screens, complete with the menus and sub menus.
- To store graphic data and generate different screens from it.
- For music, for building the game screen.
- Defining where the score area should be placed, which data should be
displayed, if the screen should scroll.
- Which parts, direction and speed.
- To connect the joystick to a specific sprite, to animate sprites.
The
schematics for the CV 2 phase 1 is done.
The first goal is to reproduce the original CV on a breadboard.
The changes made in a first version of the CV 2 compared to the original
Coleco version are: |
- Replaced: VDP with V9958
- Replaced: 1KB of system RAM with 24KB (32).
- Replaced: Video encoder with CXA1645, it can output composite,
S-video and RGB
- Replaced: Reset circuit with modern IC
- Replaced: Power supply
- Removed: HEF4066 since The Atari module isn't supported
- Removed: Expansion port
- Added: OKI 9842 ADPCM Voice chip, Stereo
- Added: OPM FM chip
YM2151 DAC, Stereo |
Eduardo have also some other personal ambitions with the CV2 project, like
producing a full-fledged computer system.
Once that beta is done and working fine, goes to phase 2, where all the glue
logic will be replaced by a CPLD.
It will be totally SMT, super small, PIC32 with a MIPs core.
And after that, would there be added all sort of improvements, like the
new A/V chipset, VGA compatibility etc.
Opcode Games and Nurve Networks has currently no plans to deliver the unit
with controllers.
Eduardo hoping to have the first CV 2 prototype completed sometime very late
in 2013/14.
Rumors: Club OpCode.
There will maybe be attached a club in connection
with the launch of the new Super Game Module.
All who buys a new game from OpCode Games will receive a PIN-code for
later use with your new SG Module.
The first game released with this new code was Pac-Man Collection.
The next game with such a code might possible be Donkey Kong Arcade.
So keep your code safe it will undoubtedly be used for the new CV2.
ColecoVision are CV
1, Super Game Module are more like CV 1.5, and the stand alone ColecoVision are CV 2.
And
like Eduardo says to ColecoNation for a few years ago:
"For us collectors and classic gaming fans alike, increasing lifespan
is very important,
because we are already witnessing our beloved machines slowly dying. That
is a concern when creating new devices".
And André Lamothe says: "The
ColecoVision PIC32 project is for now a bit secret, the secret parts
are secret, so let's just say its going to be cool".
A full support and technical documentation of
the new ColecoVision 2 or CV 2 will be available to everyone who works with
ColecoVision
homebrews.
There will possibly be developed new software to work with, otherwise there is
always a third party option.
Price and Availability:
About $100 to 150,- it will operate as a
pre-order with delivery a few months later.
100 to 200 people needs to pre-order this to make it happen, so when it is
produced in such a nice size it will keep costs low.
More about the further ColecoVision CV 2 will follow, when new infomations from
OpCode Games is available.
Please note that Eduardo continuous change in the data above, this is
not the final work.
ColecoVision.dk has nothing to do with the development
of the module, all questions should be directed to
OpCode Games. |
Last updated: January 01.
2012. |
