OSSC Pro - now with many new features

Video Games
1

Marqs just announced his plans for a new OSSC model. Specs are bananas.

Highlights of the new design:

ISL51002 video ADC:

  • improved sync processing robustness
  • reduced sampling jitter with DPLL
  • fine-grained video LPF
  • automatic sampling phase adjustment

Cyclone V FPGA (5CEFA5F23C8N):

  • higher performance and more resources
  • hard memory controller
  • large number of IOs

Clocking and memory improvements:

  • Si5351C clock generator for accurate output pixel clock generation (framelock or free-running)
  • 512MB LPDDR2 RAM and 16MB QSPI flash

New AV inputs:

  • HDMI
  • SPDIF (optical)

2x20 pin GPIO connector for future expansion possibilities such as:

  • composite & s-video input module
  • secondary video output (e.g. VGA) module
  • latency tester interface module
  • game controller port module (for using OSSC Pro as a dedicated FPGA console)

The processing modes enabled by the HW can be split roughly into three types:

1. Pure line multiplier

  • both active and blanking lines multiplied - basically what original OSSC does
  • simplest mode with least latency

2. Adaptive line multiplier

  • visible lines are multiplied but horizontal & vertical total matched to standard timings
  • high compatibility with minimal latency overhead (1-30 lines typically)
  • enables some new output configurations such as 4x240p/2x480p in standard 1080p frame

3. Scaler

  • higher flexibility via LPDDR2 utilization
  • HQ deinterlacing
  • non-integer scaling
  • rotation
  • refresh rate conversion

It will take time until all the features get implemented, but release can be expected once the HW is complete and a sufficient number of new features are available and verified. As a thanks to community’s support for the first project, upcoming prototypes of the new model will be sent to the guys who have contributed most on the original OSSC firmware. New developers are also welcome as the project is large enough to enable different implementation areas for several people. For DIY-builders and those who can’t wait for the final HW, a small add-on PCB compatible with a couple Terasic FPGA dev boards (DE10-Nano, DE2-115) is in works and available soon. Together with the parent dev board, it can be used to implement a subset of the functionality presented above.

Whilst it won’t do 4k it is designed in a way where when it’s affordable to do so a 4k edition can be made from this.

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Looks amazing - I sold my unit a few months ago but as tempting as this is I think I’ll wait a few years until a 4k version becomes feasible.

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I was thinking about getting an OSSC but now I might wait for the OSSC Pro!

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Wow. Sounds awesome (the parts of that I understand that is :sweat_smile:)

The 2x 480p in a 1080p frame is a really great idea.

The FPGA as a console part is bananas. I never would have expected that but now it’s very obvious.

The lack of 4k support of course is still disappointing but I imagine if it were possible with the parts he’s working with, it would be done.

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Yup, I’ll buy it! The Rotate feature alone!

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Rotate would be a game changer.

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I ordered an OSSC 8 days ago :scream:

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Still have my early model that has some sound issues that I’ve been wanting to replace. Guess I’ll wait till this has a second/later revision now since I regretted getting in on the original right before it added some stuff.

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The guy who runs VGP said It’s going to be a premium product and will have a proper, finished case this time. Hopefully it’ll be heavy enough to stop it being moved around by heavy scart cables.

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I had an NEC 19" 1280x1024 monitor that I used to give 2x640x480p which was pretty neat. You can get really great desktop monitors at that size, but of course 1080p TVs are lounge size so bigger and better.

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Somehow I glossed over this the first time I read it. Yea that’s a really killer feature.

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I may have to spring for this version. I didn’t go with an OSSC before because I couldn’t justify it already owning a Framemeister. The potential for this one to gain 4K capability as well as being a downscaler may just be too good to pass up.

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It’s a downscaler too?!

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He’s not saying this could get 4k capability, I think it means that the design is easy to swap out the chips when a 4k version can be done affordably. Then again maybe he means adding on a board with the GPIO to enable 4k. I guess some clarification would be good.

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The OSSC and the Framemeister do different things. If you’re happy with the framemeister, and want that type of variable scaling, you won’t notice a lot of improvement with this device (though the 480p handling will be improved). If you want a linedoubler, like the base ossc (which it seems you don’t, since you opted to stick with the framemeister), then this unit will give you that functionality while also doing what the framemeister does.

I’m not saying it’s not an upgrade, the feature list is pretty nutty, but if you couldn’t justify a product that’s sub-200$ due to owning a framemeister, I don’t think a more expensive model that’s more similar to the framemeister will be for you, really.

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It’s the former. FPGAs capable of handling 4K for these applications are prohibitively expensive now. The design of this board is such that it could be ‘scaled up’ so to speak with a more powerful FPGA in the future.

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Yeah I know 4k capable FPGAs are ridiculously expensive right now, hence why I said this one isn’t capable of it. I only pointed out the later because he’s been talking about expanding all kind of functionality using the GPIO.

1 Like