Geos and Dosbian

    Sorry, I have not had the time for testing this weekend, as I planned and hoped for. Time optimist? Hopefully I will have time this week. I am also waiting for an 8 inch 4:3 monitor. The menu system looks very cool you are working on!

    Hans

    Zitat von t.hass

    I build a quick n' dirty deb package that will install a custom dosbox binary in /usr/local/bin. It will also read/write it's configuration to $HOME/.dosbox/dosbox-0.74.conf so it will not interfere with the existing version. By default [sdl]->usescancodes=true is set. I wold like to know, if this works for the Swedish keybord in GEOS. For German it works expect of AltGr, so you have to press Ctrl+Alt+<key>. If you disable "usescancodes" you can also try to modify the german keyboard mapping file in /usr/local/share/doc/dosbox/mapper-0.74-2.map. It has to be placed in ~/.dosbox/mapper-0.74.map

    You can pick up the file here

    Thomas

    Cycles need to be set 'max' to make GEOS fly, but don't expect any significant performance improvements over DOSBIAN version...

    I think I misunderstood you, I installed your version in the ordinary raspian distribution, and it did not work, there were missing libraries. Afterwards it struck me that I should install it on a Dosbian distribution?

    Hans

    Hi Hans,

    yes I'm still working on DOSBIAN. So the package is linked against libraries found on this system. A simple check lists the followings dependencies:

    I ordered a new micro-sd card to start with Raspbian mini, but it hasn't arrived so far. On a minimal system I would install the highlighted packages + the dev versions and then try to build dosbox with minimum dependencies.

    Thomas

    Just one reflection: There is one advantage to just add NE2000 support to the "standard" DOSBox 074-2 for the Raspian. In a DOSBox window it is possible to utilize wide screen 16:9, like for example, I have a Raspberry Pi 3 B with the official 7 inch screen. To make Ensemble work in wide screen, I use the 800x600 driver and by using Monitoreinstellung from Jörg Polzfuss I set the screen to 797x452, and make Ensemble wide screen. In Dosbian it is always 4:3, and if I have a wide screen, I can't use the whole screen.

    Hans

    Zitat von hanslse

    I set the screen to 797x452

    This sounds like you are using GEOS in "Window Mode" under X11. The key feature of DOSBIAN is that DOSBox runs without the X-Window system on the kernel frame buffer. Could you please confirm, that 0.74-2 also scales to 16:9 in this configuration too.

    Thomas

    Hi,

    today I connected to RasPi to a FullHD television screen. Then I tried DOSBox-0.74-2 in conjunction with various setting like FB vieo modes, overscan and GEOS settings (yScreenSize, yFieldSize) in order to get the 16:9 screen filled with the GEOS desktop. Unfortunately no one worked. Therefore I think you are limited to 4:3 modes. But I found that these settings in /boot/config are usefull under DOSBIAN/PiGEOS:

    Code
    # uncomment this if your display has a black border of unused pixels visible
# and your display can output without overscan
disable_overscan=1


# uncomment to force a console size. By default it will be display's size minus
# overscan.
framebuffer_width=1024
framebuffer_height=768


    The BIOS-splash screen is scaled nicely and without black borders on the TV.

    Thomas

    Zitat von t.hass

    This sounds like you are using GEOS in "Window Mode" under X11. The key feature of DOSBIAN is that DOSBox runs without the X-Window system on the kernel frame buffer. Could you please confirm, that 0.74-2 also scales to 16:9 in this configuration too.

    Thomas

    Hi Thomas,

    Sorry for late answer, I have been overwhelmed at work, we are reorganizing at it takes a lot of energy, and when I get home I am exhausted, and have no energy to spend on Geos. Not until now.

    Well, the DOSBox version in official distribution of Raspian works only in a wIndow, on the 7 inch official touch screen. If I try to run it in full screen mode, ie, no window, DOSBox crashes. Obviously, it is only working in wide screen mode in a window in X11. I can use Jörgs Monitoreinstellung to adapt Ensemble to the Windows, so it also works in wide screen mode. The resolution on the 7 inch touch screen is 800x480, so an adapted 800x600 resolution with Jörgs app inEnsemble will work

    I did a little experiment and used Dosbian in the 7 inch Raspberry Pi. The screen ratio was 4:3, could not adjust it properly, in any way I tried. I could set the screen resolution to 800x600, but the screen was cut at the lower part and Ensemble crashed with KR-09.

    I have now bought this screen: https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/hdmi-…en-kit-1024x768 and have done a quick test with Dosbian and Ensemble, which worked/works well. I will post a photo later on today. I have made some photos, but they are dark and not very good. The drawback with this screen is that I have to build a box for it. Any hints? :)

    Hans

    I have decided to try to make a cardboard prototype, before the final box. Just to figure out possible solutions. I think I have figured how to do it by studying how the 7 inch box is made and other builds too. I will post photos here.

    I hope there will be vaccine for the Covid-19 so I can come to the meeting in Syhra in November, there we can have a Raspberry Pi/DOSBox Lab. I think the best option for the moment, to develop Ensemble is to make a DOSBox for Ensemble, working on several platforms. However, that is another discussion.

    Hans

    Hi Hans,

    Zitat von hanslse

    The drawback with this screen is that I have to build a box for it. Any hints?

    Use Plexiglas and make it look like the while Polycarbonate iMac (1st Gen Intel). Then I will surely buy one ;) But I fully agree that using a 1024x768 display it the best option. Personally I'm using an Eizo FlexScan L365 at the moment. You can easily mount a Raspi on the back side of the screen.

    I made some progress with the Pi/GEOS on the base of Raspbian OS Lite:
    - pigeos-setup converts a vanilla Rapbian Lite into something that looks much like DOSBIAN
    - pigeos-config allows simple configuration eg. hdd-image handling and menu driven DOSBox configuration
    - pigeos-loader launches DOSBox with the selected hdd-image
    - DOSBox-pigeos offers: extended German language support, networking and printing

    All this is still at an alpha level. All code is available on GitHub: https://github.com/hastho

    Do you have any experience how much faster DOSBox is on a Raspi 4 compared with a Raspi 3 (without plus)?

    Thomas


    To make a short answer to your questionat the end of your posting, the answer is no, I have not compared them.. I think the 3B+ gives enough performance. I think the RPi 4 will give even better performance, and I think the difference will be visible. There are one thing with the RPi4 I don't like, and that was the initial instruction to use a fan. I might be conservative, but I think fans only messes things up. The cooling of all semiconductors shold be mechanical. Since there boxes with mechanical cooling turning up from different providers, the fan problem is gone. If I would buy a new RPi today, it will probably be a 4 with 2 GB, or 4GB, depending on my wallet.

    I have ran in to a problem with my cardboard prototype. I have made a front and a frame, and I need to make a back, but the I will need to make something to house the driver board, and I have noticed the the driver board, and the RaspBerry Pi have corresponding mouning holes, which is good.
    One thing which have come clear is that I should have a clear front in plexi glass or acrylic, to protect the screen, and the a colored plexi glass as a a frame and back.
    There is another problem how to get it, and I would also have to get to know someone to cut it with laser. I can saw it myself, but I dont think the result will be that good.

    Hans

    Hallo

    der der Raspi 3 nur geliehen war und ich die Lust an Pi/GEOS noch nicht verloren habe, habe ich mir jetzt einen Pi4 mit 4 GB RAM zugelegt. Bei Gehäuse habe ich mich diesmal für das Argon One entschieden. Wie schon beim FLIC hat auch hier der SOC direkten Kontakt mit dem Aluminiumteil des Gehäuses und wird darüber passiv gekühlt. Darüberhinaus sind aber die Anschlüsse mit Hilfe einer kleinen Zusatzplatine alle rückseitig ausgeführt:

    Damit hat man keinen Kabel-Kraken mehr auf dem Schreibtisch, sondern einen echten Micro-Desktop, der mit einem physischen Ein-/Ausschalter komplettiert wird:

    Pi/GEOS lief ohne weitere Anpassungen auf dem Pi4 - allerdings VIEL SCHNELLER! Von der reinen CPU-Emulation betrachtet und mit Dhrystone 16bit für DOS gemessen, liegt ein Pi4 etwas auf dem Level eine 486DX4-100 und mit moderater Übertaktung auf dem eines Am5x86-133. Der emulierte RAM und Bildspeicher ist allerdings schneller und in einigen Spielebenchmarks bewegen sich die Leistungswerte auf denen einen Pentium 100 bis Pentium MMX 166. Das aktuelle Speed unter GEOS liefert Ergebnisse zwischen 1066 und 1400 Punkten. Ich konnte problemlos anspruchsvolle Dokumente mit Rastergrafiken bearbeiten und Gonzo hatte mit dem Bildordner (GIFs längste Kante max 1280) keine Probleme. In der kleinen Benchmarkserie, sieht man, daß der Pi4 bis 2,1 GHz linear skaliert:

    Bei aktuell 1,8 GHz bei 1,25 Vsoc und Raumtemperaturen bis 24°C muss auch der kleine Lüfter nie eingreifen. Bei höherem Takt und sommerlichen Temperaturen springt er deutlich hörbar an. Dies könnte man aber ggf. auch noch unterbinden, denn bei 55°C ist der SOC noch weit von seinem Limits bei ~85°C entfernt. Mal gucken, was im winterlich Syhra dann so geht... 8)

    Gruß Thomas

    Hallo,

    kleines Update zum Stand der Dinge:

    • Grafiktreiber-Update: mit dem VGA16-Treiber von GitHub funktioniert nun auch die Auflösung 1280x800 stabil. Das ist vor allem für die 10" Displays interessant
    • es ist jetzt möglich sich via GeoComm mit dem Host-Linux zu verbinden. Das ist z.B. sehr praktisch, um mit ImageMagick Grafiken zu konvertieren.
    • z.Z. experimentiere ich gerade mit einem ResilioSync oder UNISON-Service, welcher Dokumente zwischen Pi/GEOS und anderen Rechner(n) synchronisiert. Nutzt jemand hier sowas?


    Hier mal der Code für einen einfachen Systemd-Telnet-Service:

    In der DOSBox.conf kann dann eine Verbindung zu selbigem hergestellt werden:

    Code
    [serial]
serial1=modem
serial2=nullmodem server:127.0.0.1 port:2023

    Gruß Thomas

    Mensch Thomas, das klingt ja toll! Heißt das, dass man damit quasi ein Kommandozeilenfenster unter GEOS öffnen kann, mit dem man dann Linux-Befehle ausführt? Das wäre ja mega cool! Zumal es gar nicht sooooo kompliziert aussieht....

    Hallo Konstantin,

    Zitat von MeyerK

    Heißt das, dass man damit quasi ein Kommandozeilenfenster unter GEOS öffnen kann, mit dem man dann Linux-Befehle ausführt?

    Jo, und wenn man den vi nimmt, kann man auch mal fix im Script für die Grafikkonvertierung rumhacken. In Real-Life sieht das dann etwa so aus:

    Thomas