Palettes: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Palmap.png|thumb|Palette organisation]]
[[File:Palmap.png|thumb|Palette organisation]]
There are 2 banks (one usable at a time) of 256 palettes available. Each palette has 16 entries, the first is the transparent index ("color 0"), the 15 others are real colors, made of 16bit RGB definitions.
There are 2 banks (one usable at a time) of 256 palettes available. Each palette has 16 entries, the first is the transparent index ("color 0"), the 15 others are real colors, made of 16bit RGB definitions.
Palettes are located at $400000 in the [[68k memory map]], they're physically stored in the [[palette RAM]].


The bank used can be set by writing a byte to registers {{Reg|REG_PALBANK1}} or {{Reg|REG_PALBANK0}}.
[[Sprites|Sprite]] tiles can use any of the 256 palettes, while the [[Fix layer|fix]] tiles can only use the first 16.


[[Sprites|Sprite]] tiles can use any of the 256 palettes, while the [[Fix layer|fix]] tiles can only use the 16 firsts.
The maximum number of colors on screen without [[timer interrupt]] tricks is: 256 palettes * 15 colors = '''3840''' (out of 2^16 = 65536).


The maximum number of colors on screen without [[68k interrupts|RLI]] tricks is 256*16=4096 (out of 2^16=65536).
=Color format=


==Special colors==
See [[colors]].
 
=Special colors=


There are two special colors used:
There are two special colors used:


*The first color of the palette bank ($400000) is the [[reference color]] for the video output. It has to be $8000 (black) otherwise monitors won't be happy and other colors won't be displayed correctly.
*The first color of the palette bank ($400000) is the [[reference color]] for the video output. It has to be $8000 (black) otherwise monitors won't be happy and other colors won't be displayed correctly.
*The last color of the palette bank ($401FFE) is the '''backdrop color''' (the color of the backmost layer on the screen). Caused by line buffers in {{Chipname|NEO-B1}} being cleared to $FFF (Last color of last palette).
*The last color of the palette bank ($401FFE) is the [[backdrop color]] (the color of the backmost "layer" on the screen). Caused by line buffers in {{Chipname|NEO-B1}} being cleared to $FFF (Last color of last palette).


==Color format==
=Access=


[[File:Pal perfect.png|thumb|All 65536 (2^16) possible NeoGeo colors.]]
Palettes are located at $400000 in the [[68k memory map]], and they're physically stored in the [[palette RAM]].


D
Byte access may be allowed, but it will trash the corresponding word's other byte (/WE are tied together). Maybe {{Chipname|NEO-C1}} doesn't assert {{Sig|PAL|PAL}} during byte access ?
<span style="color:red;">R0</span>
<span style="color:green;">G0</span>
<span style="color:blue;">B0</span>
<span style="color:red;">R4 R3 R2 R1</span>
<span style="color:green;">G4 G3 G2 G1</span>
<span style="color:blue;">B4 B3 B2 B1</span>


{{Template:16BitRegister|[[Video DAC|Dark bit]]|1|R0|1|G0|1|B0|1|R4|1|R3|1|R2|1|R1|1|G4|1|G3|1|G2|1|G1|1|B4|1|B3|1|B2|1|B1|1|}}
The palettes can be read and written at any time. During active display, since the CPU has priority over rendering, the color read or written will be displayed during at least one pixel, resulting in noticeable "snow" if multiple colors are updated. A workaround is to update the palette only during blanking (horizontal or vertical), over multiple frames if necessary.


Each color component is coded with 6 bits, with 1 common LSB, effectively making full use of the 16 color definition bits.
The bank can be set by writing a byte to registers {{Reg|REG_PALBANK1}} or {{Reg|REG_PALBANK0}}.


[[Category:Video system]]
[[Category:Video system]]

Revision as of 04:06, 12 October 2016

Palette organisation

There are 2 banks (one usable at a time) of 256 palettes available. Each palette has 16 entries, the first is the transparent index ("color 0"), the 15 others are real colors, made of 16bit RGB definitions.

Sprite tiles can use any of the 256 palettes, while the fix tiles can only use the first 16.

The maximum number of colors on screen without timer interrupt tricks is: 256 palettes * 15 colors = 3840 (out of 2^16 = 65536).

Color format

See colors.

Special colors

There are two special colors used:

  • The first color of the palette bank ($400000) is the reference color for the video output. It has to be $8000 (black) otherwise monitors won't be happy and other colors won't be displayed correctly.
  • The last color of the palette bank ($401FFE) is the backdrop color (the color of the backmost "layer" on the screen). Caused by line buffers in NEO-B1 being cleared to $FFF (Last color of last palette).

Access

Palettes are located at $400000 in the 68k memory map, and they're physically stored in the palette RAM.

Byte access may be allowed, but it will trash the corresponding word's other byte (/WE are tied together). Maybe NEO-C1 doesn't assert PAL during byte access ?

The palettes can be read and written at any time. During active display, since the CPU has priority over rendering, the color read or written will be displayed during at least one pixel, resulting in noticeable "snow" if multiple colors are updated. A workaround is to update the palette only during blanking (horizontal or vertical), over multiple frames if necessary.

The bank can be set by writing a byte to registers REG_PALBANK1 or REG_PALBANK0.