Blu+ Faq Thingy.


[You can edit this message out if you want to sticky, but I find this extremely informative and useful, especially for infrequent browsers of the forums like myself. /threadjack Also, I have just got a new laptop (without hardware problems), which I may be able to hook up to internet, so may be able to be part of the community I meant to join when I got my nflu in December 2003 :)) ]
 
About the moved scanline problem, someone (I forget who. Step forward if you want. :) ) brought up how the image in the buffer was stored:

This appears on screen:

AAAA
BBBB
CCCC
DDDD

This is how that's stored in the ram:

DCBA
DCBA
DCBA
DCBA

Now, the BLU+ appears to be doing something like this:

*DCB
ADCB
ADCB
ADCB
A

Which, on screen, would look like this:

BBBB
CCCC
DDDD
*AAA

In the ram, the picture is still there properly.
Since the virtual screen pointer can be defined anywhere...
Why not just increment the framebuffer address by 1? (or 2 if in 16bpp mode)

That will do this:

*DCB, right?
But the screen pointer is now offset by one, which will skip the *, making this:
DCBA
DCBA
DCBA
DCBA

Which appears onscreen like this:

AAAA
BBBB
CCCC
DDDD

Does that make any sense? This is just what I propose can be done. I don't have a BLU+ (or even a BLU, I just have a FLU), so I can't test this.
 
I'd also point out that BLU+ was a name created by the community for the new Taiwanese screen, and that the BLU+ label doesn't actually appear on the GP32 box when you buy it.
The only way to tell if you have a BLU+ is to check the firmware date (L,R,R,L,R,R,L,L), however any GP32 manufactured around December 2004 to recently is usually a BLU+

You might want to throw that in the first post as an edit, as there is nothing more annoying than having to read a million messages to get the info you want.
 
Drewus posted on Mar 21 2005 at 08:33 PM said:
I'd also point out that BLU+ was a name created by the community for the new Taiwanese screen, and that the BLU+ label doesn't actually appear on the GP32 box when you buy it.
The only way to tell if you have a BLU+ is to check the firmware date (L,R,R,L,R,R,L,L), however any GP32 manufactured around December 2004 to recently is usually a BLU+

You might want to throw that in the first post as an edit, as there is nothing more annoying than having to read a million messages to get the info you want.

thanks ASF - nice faq - can you edit the additions from drewus into your post?

and yes lets keep this un-clutered - can ED or one of the mods make it a sticky? Ill delete this post then!!
 
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Drewus posted on Mar 21 2005 at 12:33 PM said:
I'd also point out that BLU+ was a name created by the community for the new Taiwanese screen, and that the BLU+ label doesn't actually appear on the GP32 box when you buy it.
The only way to tell if you have a BLU+ is to check the firmware date (L,R,R,L,R,R,L,L), however any GP32 manufactured around December 2004 to recently is usually a BLU+

You might want to throw that in the first post as an edit, as there is nothing more annoying than having to read a million messages to get the info you want.


Sorry Drewus just read your 'edit' suggestion.
 
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Another thing is the fact that holding select is how you toggle the BLU light.

This tends to get in the way if you have to use that button extensively with some games.
 
Drag posted on Mar 21 2005 at 02:55 PM said:
Another thing is the fact that holding select is how you toggle the BLU light.

This tends to get in the way if you have to use that button extensively with some games.



EDIT:
I'm not actually sure it's worthwhile pointing this out. We'll just be bombarded with a bunch of 'what games does it affect'-type questions.
I think keeping it as short and to the point as possible is the way to go.
Otherwise we can get into battery life/type issues, firmware upgrades etc.
Going by what folks have asked, they've been reading the pinned topics for a couple of screens and given up trying to get a summary of what to expect.
So, I reckon a summary should be all we give.
However, I'm open to opinions!
 
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FLU's have a switch in the back instead. Gamepark sent some of their NLU's to another company in Korea and they installed the frontlights, thus those NLU's became FLU's.
 
alyinsanfran posted on Mar 21 2005 at 11:10 PM said:
Drag posted on Mar 21 2005 at 02:55 PM said:
Another thing is the fact that holding select is how you toggle the BLU light.

This tends to get in the way if you have to use that button extensively with some games.



EDIT:
I'm not actually sure it's worthwhile pointing this out. We'll just be bombarded with a bunch of 'what games does it affect'-type questions.
I think keeping it as short and to the point as possible is the way to go.
Otherwise we can get into battery life/type issues, firmware upgrades etc.
Going by what folks have asked, they've been reading the pinned topics for a couple of screens and given up trying to get a summary of what to expect.
So, I reckon a summary should be all we give.
However, I'm open to opinions!

alyinsanfran, we cant edit your original post only you can!!! - so just take the best bits of what everyone else sais and edit them into your fist post... that way people only have to read the top bit! :D

would be nice if one of the BLU+ users could tell us some nice things! that dont slag off the other units... what runs good etc...

sPaCe :ph34r:
 
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I forget who. Step forward if you want
That would be me:) It doesn't seem to be that simple with the framebuffer though I think. Also - as far as I know the scanline problem hasn't been addressed/fixed on anything - its just that it is very unnoticeable in most cases, especially in emus where the top and the bottom are both black anyway, so the scanline (also being black) is invisible.

I'll check the frambuffer increment and get back to you. Was meant to test that ages ago, but the problem seems so minor...
 
Keep it short and sweet (just the facts). I wish this could have been done earlier as I actually read through all those pages/posts before purchasing :blink:. Can't wait for the unit to arrive, have been practising sonic on Gens for the time being and a few PC engine games :D.

:)
 
alyinsanfran posted on Mar 21 2005 at 05:30 PM said:
NLUs were manufactured first. They (and FLUs) require the user to register the GP online before non-commercial software can be used.

FLUs have an issue with dust getting behind the screen. There are fixes. The front light washes out colours to some extent (this is common with front lights) but quality is still very good.

BLUs have an updated launcher that does not require registration to play non-commercial games. The launcher also boots faster. The back light makes colours very vivid, giving the blu and blu+ the best quality screen by far.


I think you should mention that the launcher and registration stuff is firmware dependant and firmware can be changed, so you can have the BLU launcher on an NLU too.
 
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Ok I've editied the original post to incorporate the new stuff, and deleted that second one I made to stop confusion.

Any other ideas?

And what's the next step to getting the old pinned stuff removed and replaced with this (assuming everyone's ok with that)?
 
trooper posted on Mar 22 2005 at 04:40 PM said:
((((( MOD`s ))))) :)

Trooper

you just cant get moderated when you need it round here

shall I swear a bit!

somebody flame me (nothing to close to the bone) that'll get their attention!!

sPaCe :ph34r:
 
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spaceboygp32x posted on Mar 22 200 :huh: 5 at 10:33 AM said:
trooper posted on Mar 22 2005 at 04:40 PM said:
((((( MOD`s ))))) :)

Trooper

you just cant get moderated when you need it round here

shall I swear a bit!

somebody flame me (nothing to close to the bone) that'll get their attention!!

sPaCe :ph34r:

Is anyone in sweet with the mods enough to report the post to get their attention?
I don't wanna get in no trouble...
 
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