ZZ9000 flicker fixer image quality problem on Amiga 2000

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  • Amiga model: Amiga 2000 r6.2,
  • 680x0 CPU: 68030
  • RAM Configuration: 128MB + 1MB
  • Kickstart, AmigaOS Versions: KS 47.111, WB 3.2.2.1
  • ZZ9000 Firmware version: all public available tested
  • ZZ9000 Driver version: as needed for the firmware
  • Monitor model: Dell U2412M and other
  • Other Zorro cards: Olga, Oktagon 2008 (and with both removed)

Long story short:
Amiga 2000 r6.2, KS 47.111, WB 3.2.2.1
Olga 68030 (128MB)
Oktagon 2008 (8MB configured for 6MB because ZZ9000 want at least 2)
Dell U2412M DVI-input with HDMI-adapter
ZZ9000 card(s) have been over-voltage-patched (by Chucky)

Every other vertical line is piggy-pink, elephant-blue or red on the scandoubled Amiga RGB screenmodes. If I grab the window with the preferences applications (as in provided images) and moves it one pixel to either side the piggy-pink disappears from the piggie-pink icons.

I have isolated this to have happening after ZZ9000 firmware version 1.3c (starting from ZZ9000 firmware version 1.5.1)

RC1 and up to 1.3c which were the only earlier releases for Z-II works fine.

Not (Amiga) software related, as it can be seen already in Early Startup (since my Oktagon 2008 gives an error there because I’m out of Zorro-II adress space when that is configured for adding 6MB RAM)

What I have tested:
I have tested with both my ZZ9000 cards, I have tested the three most recent versions of the firmware, then from RC1 and up (all versions for ZorroII, so actually only RC1 and 1.3c which are available from the archives) until failure at 1.5.1.
I have tested both video-slot adapters with both ZZ9000, and both the Amiga 2000 and Amiga 500 ribbon cables.
I have tested with another monitor.
I tried to test with my other Amiga 2000, but it wouldn’t boot with the card inserted (r4.3, 68000, ks 1.3)
I’ve also tested with the r6.2 without Olga and other cards (didn’t boot)

So what am I missing out if I have to run the card with firmware 1.3c ?

Rev6.2 is ECS and you should have SuperDenise installed ? If you have older OCS Denise, give it a try and report if it’s making any difference. EarlyBoot screen will be enough.

According to my old photos from fixing up that A2000, it’s the older Denise in it (8362R8), which is also on the photos of 6.2 boards I find on bboah:
A2000 - Commodore (bigbookofamigahardware.com)
I might have a spare 8373R4 to test with, but that is not what should be in the r6.2 (came with r6.3)

I finally got some response to my request, only 5 months later… (had to email, and that reply took only about one month with follow-ups).
The only of the suggestions I hadn’t tetsted was to use the Denise adapter for Amiga 500, so I did this during the holidays and refined my findings the last few days by testing all released firmware versions for A500/Z2.

I have a bunch of images and videos showing how it works and doesn’t work, so I will share these from my Jottashare instead of uploading to the reply. The mistake I did with all photos was that I hadn’t adjusted down the overscan correctly to fit the screen, but that’s not important in this case.

To sum it up: The A500 version (in combination with the Denise adapter) shows a perfectly clear image through the scandoubler up to version 1.10
Z2 version 1.10 does not work (shows either pink or green crap and a terrible noise on the blue text in SysInfo).

Z2 version 1.13 (tests in my shared folder beginning with “00”)
Workbench looks ok in PAL (not in images), SysInfo clearly shows the green crap and distorted blue text.

A500 version 1.13 (tests in folder starting with “01”)
I may have mixed up some photos of AIBB here, but directly connected to VGA input of the 15kHz capable screen, the image is perfect both for AIBB and SysInfo.

From here, I disabled the monitor driver and changed WB to use PAL

Images 02, 03, 04, 05 shows the A500 versions that works perfectly:
1.5.1, 1.6.2, 1.9.1 and 1.10

A500 version 1.11 (tests in folder starting with “06”)
Distortion starts. Australia is getting greener over time.

A500 version 1.12.1 (tests in folder starting with “07”)
Same as 1.11

A500 version 1.13 (2MB/4MB) (tests in folder starting with “08” and “09”)
Shows how the colors of the MWB icon for AmigaTestKit changes between the versions, same distortion as for version 1.11 and up.

Z2 version 1.10 (tests in folder starting with “10”)
Bad, pink crap (not green as with the other versions) even on Workbench in PAL
ZZ9000 firmware testing photos

Is there anything more I can test, or something you want me to re-test with something changed ?

Well documented test set, I can imagine hours of back and forth movement between different FW versions and drivers before taking shots.
It seems that different firmware has no impact on scandoubled Amiga native modes.
I also came to same conclusion a month ago with my own test on same functional area, but a bit different configuration - I use recently built A500 Rev8++ motherboard in Checkmate 1500 case. My initial ZZ9000 had this particular green pixel flicker in native modes, but only when I use newer (Super) Denise.
About 3 months ago I receveid a 2nd ZZ9000 board and so far I was unable to reproduce the issue. 1st suspect was Denise socket adapter so I swaped it; then I made sure I retest both SD cards with same FW version (1.13a) and at the end, I also swapped ZZNQ CPU module. No joy.
From point of visual inspection, I cannot find any discrete change made on recent (actual) board revision, compared to the initial which is Rev3.

It’s actually that I show with the pictures and describe:
A500 versions up to 1.10 and A2000(Z2) versions up to 1.3c works as expected. So it’s clearly a firmware issue. Too bad the ZZ9000 is a super-low-priority product for MNT because of the other (PC) products that seems to have some issues…

As I also describe, I have ruled out hardware issues by swapping to the other ZZ9000 card (and the video-slot adapter), reseating and swapping ZYNQ modules and swapping SD-cards. Have only one Denise-adapter, but that is probably also ok since the firmware is what makes the difference.

Connecting the Amiga directly to VGA (with the original Commodore DB23 to VGA-adapter) of course works independent on the firmware version. My LCD, Dell U2412M accepts 15kHz, and I have access to a lot (40+) of these unless they have been thrown away at my previous workplace(s).

There was supposes to be a 2.0 firmware “soon” about 5 years ago or similar… Looking forward to test that or any other versions someone might build.

For those who know in here: Is there possibly a Linux virtual machine set up ready for compiling test-firmwares on ?