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DaDither - new image converter

Started by Dec, 02:02, 18 January 21

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trocoloco

Quote from: Dec on 06:26, 02 February 21uest to the owners of real machines: could you check how images look on your monitors?

Hi, I've been testing some images on my 6128 and a CRT TV - Samsung slimfit, for more details.

I have used 70% flickering and even tho you can later reduce the palette on Perfect Pix, for darker colours flickering is barely to noticeable, on the other side when it comes to mixing bright colours, specially when mixing yellow, orange and cyan it is very noticeable. It makes a good effect for neon effects and fires hehe.
But more than a problem of the conversion, I believe is by the contrast of the colours used , which surely can be improved when editing the image.

By the way, will you implement modes B1 and R also? It would be a nice feature.

All in all, every image worked great and it does a nice job IMO. Thanks for this nice program :)

Dec

Quote from: trocoloco on 19:59, 02 February 21I've been testing some images
What palette did you use? sRGB or RGB? Did you test Gray mode?

Quote from: trocoloco on 19:59, 02 February 21when it comes to mixing bright colours ... it is very noticeable
You can try to reduce flickering by reducing Max flickering parameter.

Quote from: trocoloco on 19:59, 02 February 21But more than a problem of the conversion, I believe is by the contrast of the colours used
Could you explain what do you mean?

Quote from: trocoloco on 19:59, 02 February 21will you implement modes B1 and R also?
B1 - no, I don`t see a way how to automatically convert images into this mode. R - I am studying it now.

trocoloco

Quote from: Dec on 21:33, 02 February 21What palette did you use? sRGB or RGB? Did you test Gray mode?
RGB palette is more accurate for CPC when converting images. Regarding the gray mode, I don't see the point of gray mode with regular CPC palette, but sure suits plus models.

Quote from: Dec on 21:33, 02 February 21But more than a problem of the conversion, I believe is by the contrast of the colours used
Could you explain what do you mean?

when mixing for example yellow and pink the blinking is more visible because difference of color values , than mixing red and brow for example.

Dec

trocoloco, could you also test 2 images from the attachment. I am interesting in flickering level of images.

Dec

Update: Mode 2 512x256x1 support added (HGB files)

ComSoft6128

Hi @Dec , thank you for creating such an excellent tool, I have a question which is for CPCWiki members.


I've saved a converted file (.scr) to my downloads folder - how do I get this into a .dsk file for loading into the VIDI Rom or Advanced Art Studio?

Dec

Quote from: ComSoft6128 on 07:33, 03 February 21how do I get this into a .dsk file
I used ManageDsk tool to create DSK disk images.

ComSoft6128


ComSoft6128

#33
CPC version:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvzrHkQW43k


Please note that the VIDI Rom only and not the hardware unit was used in the making of the video.

Links:
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/VIDI_digitizer


https://cpcrulez.fr/hardware-digit-digitaliseur_vidi.htm?t=VQ==


Not emulated - original hardware and software.

Please note that  the aspect ratio for this YouTube video is 16:9 but the CPC monitor
has an aspect ratio of 4:3 so you may wish to adjust your viewing device accordingly.

trocoloco

Quote from: Dec on 02:27, 03 February 21
trocoloco, could you also test 2 images from the attachment. I am interesting in flickering level of images.


for Test full screen is white mixed with some other colour and Test2 the full screen goes mauve or so as it uses yellow and pink or fucsia. The screens doesn't seem to flicker much but as everything is the same colour there's no other colours to compare with.

ComSoft6128

Converted file loaded into the Advanced Art Studio.

Original



ComSoft6128

#36
Mode 2 CPC file



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRHYIvWrmpU



Not emulated - original hardware and software.


Please note that  the aspect ratio for this YouTube video is 16:9 but the CPC monitor
has an aspect ratio of 4:3 so you may wish to adjust your viewing device accordingly.


GUNHED

Quote from: Dec on 05:41, 03 February 21
Update: Mode 2 512x256x1 support added (HGB files)


Awesome! I will have a look at it right now.  :) :) :)
http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

GUNHED

#38
The *.HGB generator (512x256, monochrome) works like a charm! Thank you very much!!!  :) :) :)

However, you can leave the 128 bytes header away. The *.HBG files are only pure GFX data and this way they are exactly 16 KB in size.
One can cut the first 128 bytes off by hand with an hex editor of course too.
But it's just not needed to add the usual header in this case.


Thanks again, this is a great application.  :) :) :)
http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

Dec

Quote from: GUNHED on 23:48, 03 February 21However, you can leave the 128 bytes header away.
Fixed. Now tool creates file without AMSDos header. But there is an option that allows user to add header if it is needed.

Dec

Quote from: trocoloco on 16:02, 03 February 21for Test full screen is white mixed with some other colour
White is mixed with black and resulting color must be gray.

Quote from: trocoloco on 16:02, 03 February 21The screens doesn't seem to flicker much.
So we have a screen with most dark and most bright mixed colors and there is weak flickering. The feeling of flickering depends on how pixel with different colors are arranged on the two screens. My tool tries to minimize flickering by keeping the total brightness of both screens at the same level. The tool has a preview mode for two changing screens (Menu\View\Show flickering image, non CRT monitors will show inaccurate colors) and I don't see flickering on my 60 Hz monitor at all. And in my opinion, if you see large flickering, the tool has incorrectly placed the pixels on the screens, and this is due to the fact that the colors in used palette do not correspond to the real colors on your monitor.

So the main question is What are the correct RGB values for the Amstrad CPC palette. I really don`t understand why in all articles about Amstrad CPC palette it is recommended to use 127/128 for gray. Because real middle between black and whlite is 188.

trocoloco

#41
Quote from: Dec on 01:38, 04 February 21White is mixed with black and resulting color must be gray.
is gray-ish- , certaninly it looks more white than black, not a 50/50 mix but will check and change a bit contrast and bright on the TV and see how this goes.

Quote from: Dec on 01:38, 04 February 21My tool tries to minimize flickering by keeping the total brightness of both screens at the same level. The tool has a preview mode for two changing screens (Menu\View\Show flickering image, non CRT monitors will show inaccurate colors) and I don't see flickering on my 60 Hz monitor at all. And in my opinion, if you see large flickering, the tool has incorrectly placed the pixels on the screens, and this is due to the fact that the colors in used palette do not correspond to the real colors on your monitor.

Remember that CPC refreshes at 50hz not 60 so effect won't be seen the same way. Using the Show flickering option, I have noticed (at least in my 60hz monitor) that noticeable flickering occurs between around 35 and 85 , at 100% flickering is gone. So, what i will try is a couple of picture in various in from 0 to 10 in 10% increments and see how it responds.

for reference I will use these pictures




Sykobee (Briggsy)

#42

(I was responding to a comment that seems to have been deleted)

The gate array RGB voltages probably don't correspond to how the CPC monitor displays the eventual colour as there's likely some curve (so it's certainly possible that grey would be closer to 70% than exactly 50% grey). Also there might be variance between ASIC versions.


The best solution would be to properly record the on-screen colours using a screen calibration tool into some known colour space (sRGB, etc) so they can be used in tools like this, and emulators.


Also it's possible that the first CPC emulators, which picked 127, were displayed on CRT monitors themselves, so this worked fine and was fairly accurate.

Dec

Quote from: trocoloco on 10:16, 04 February 21I have noticed (at least in my 60hz monitor) that noticeable flickering occurs between around 35 and 85
There was a serious error in my algo. Thanks to your notice I fixed it. Thanks! Please update the program.

Dec

Quote from: Sykobee (Briggsy) on 10:30, 04 February 21The gate array RGB voltages probably don't correspond to how the CPC monitor displays the eventual colour as there's likely some curve
So we need a specialist who understands how CRT monitor works inside.

Quote from: Sykobee (Briggsy) on 10:30, 04 February 21The best solution would be to properly record the on-screen colours using a screen calibration tool into some known colour space (sRGB, etc) so they can be used in tools like this, and emulators.
Fully agree.

Dec

And my error again  :doh: Actual version is 1.36.

GUNHED

#46
Windows 7, 64 bit: Started DaDither, loaded flor.jpg (see before). Program suddenly ended.
Tried again, works well, including saving picture.


The headerless feature works perfect for .HGB wallpapers - Thank you very much!



http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

trocoloco

Hi @Dec , i have been testing the flower pic in various degrees of flickering tolerance and obviously 0% didn't flicker as it was 16 cpc colours, then as percentage increases so does the flickering. As said more in bright colurs, first it was the lower band of petals where the fucsia and blues are mixed and then from 60% 70% onwardsthe flickering increases yellow and white colours but.

All in all the flickering is less noticeable and unpleasant to the eyes,  is the normal flicker effect that it is expected with this type of technique. IMO it has improved over the previous test. I have to say that i used RGB palette, I will do more tests using sRGB instead.

Before i had to suffer to create screens in such format but thanks to you, now is piece of cake!

Dec

Quote from: trocoloco on 22:09, 04 February 21All in all the flickering is less noticeable and unpleasant to the eyes

I have found another one bug in my anti flickering algo. Could you check updated version?

Updated version also has limited B1 support.

trocoloco

Quote from: Dec on 18:11, 08 February 21
I have found another one bug in my anti flickering algo. Could you check updated version?

Updated version also has limited B1 support.

Hi! yes no problem, I will run some tests and let you know tomorrow what I've found out  :)

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