Reverse playback at 1X speed on LDP-1450

I figure since I am adding support for 3X reverse playback speed, I may as well add support for 1X reverse playback speed.  Here is how the picture numbers look when captured:

Track 0 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0590 L18:ab0590
Track 0 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0591 L18:fb0591 (30591)
Track 1 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0591 L18:ab0591
Track 1 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0592 L18:fb0592 (30592)
Track 2 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0592 L18:ab0592
Track 2 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0593 L18:fb0593 (30593)
Track 3 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0593 L18:ab0593
Track 3 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0594 L18:fb0594 (30594)
Track 4 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0594 L18:ab0594
Track 4 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0595 L18:fb0595 (30595)
Track 5 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0595 L18:ab0595
Track 5 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0596 L18:fb0596 (30596)
Track 6 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0596 L18:ab0596
Track 6 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0597 L18:fb0597 (30597)
Track 7 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0597 L18:ab0597
Track 7 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0598 L18:fb0598 (30598)
Track 8 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0598 L18:ab0598
Track 8 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0599 L18:fb0599 (30599)
Track 9 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0599 L18:ab0599
Track 9 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0599 L18:fb0599 (30599)
Track 10 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0599 L18:ab0599
Track 10 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0599 L18:fb0599 (30599)
Track 11 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0598 L18:ab0598
Track 11 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0598 L18:fb0598 (30598)
Track 12 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0598 L18:ab0598
Track 12 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0598 L18:fb0598 (30598)
Track 13 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0597 L18:ab0597
Track 13 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0597 L18:fb0597 (30597)
Track 14 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0596 L18:ab0596
Track 14 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0596 L18:fb0596 (30596)
Track 15 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0595 L18:ab0595
Track 15 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0595 L18:fb0595 (30595)
Track 16 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0594 L18:ab0594
Track 16 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0594 L18:fb0594 (30594)
Track 17 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0593 L18:ab0593
Track 17 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0593 L18:fb0593 (30593)
Track 18 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0592 L18:ab0592
Track 18 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0592 L18:fb0592 (30592)
Track 19 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0591 L18:ab0591
Track 19 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0591 L18:fb0591 (30591)
Track 20 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0590 L18:ab0590
Track 20 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0590 L18:fb0590 (30590)
Track 21 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0589 L18:ab0589
Track 21 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0589 L18:fb0589 (30589)
Track 22 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0588 L18:ab0588
Track 22 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0588 L18:fb0588 (30588)
Track 23 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0587 L18:ab0587
Track 23 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0587 L18:fb0587 (30587)
Track 24 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0586 L18:ab0586
Track 24 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0587 L18:fb0587 (30587)

Reverse 3X playback on the Sony LDP-1450 explained in detail

Since Time Traveler plays backward at 3X, I decided to gather some details about how this works on the Sony LDP-1450.  I have collected data on both what fields are displayed and also when the reverse playback takes place.

Here are some screenshots showing the transition from 1X forward to 3X backward, along with decoded VBI picture numbers.  The blue window on the right represents the serial port commands sent to the player and the responses received from the player (updated as close to real-time as possible).  I used a camcorder to record them side by side.

Here is a list of the VBI picture numbers before, during, and after the transition from 1X forward to 3X reverse.  The text in green is what is represented by the screen shots.

Track 659 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0659 L18:fb0659 (30659)
Track 660 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0659 L18:ab0659
Track 660 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0660 L18:fb0660 (30660)
Track 661 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0660 L18:ab0660
Track 661 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0661 L18:fb0661 (30661)
Track 662 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0661 L18:ab0661
Track 662 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0662 L18:fb0662 (30662)
Track 663 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0662 L18:ab0662
Track 663 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0663 L18:fb0663 (30663)
Track 664 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0663 L18:ab0663
Track 664 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0664 L18:fb0664 (30664)
Track 665 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0664 L18:ab0664
Track 665 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0665 L18:fb0665 (30665)
Track 666 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0665 L18:ab0665
Track 666 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0666 L18:fb0666 (30666)
Track 667 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0666 L18:ab0666
Track 667 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0667 L18:fb0667 (30667)
Track 668 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0667 L18:ab0667
Track 668 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0668 L18:fb0668 (30668)
Track 669 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0668 L18:ab0668
Track 669 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0668 L18:fb0668 (30668)
Track 670 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0666 L18:ab0666
Track 670 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0665 L18:fb0665 (30665)
Track 671 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0663 L18:ab0663
Track 671 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0662 L18:fb0662 (30662)
Track 672 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0660 L18:ab0660
Track 672 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0659 L18:fb0659 (30659)
Track 673 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0657 L18:ab0657
Track 673 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0656 L18:fb0656 (30656)
Track 674 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0654 L18:ab0654
Track 674 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0653 L18:fb0653 (30653)
Track 675 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0651 L18:ab0651
Track 675 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0650 L18:fb0650 (30650)
Track 676 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0648 L18:ab0648
Track 676 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0647 L18:fb0647 (30647)
Track 677 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0645 L18:ab0645
Track 677 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0644 L18:fb0644 (30644)
Track 678 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0642 L18:ab0642
Track 678 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0641 L18:fb0641 (30641)
Track 679 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0639 L18:ab0639
Track 679 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0638 L18:fb0638 (30638)
Track 680 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0636 L18:ab0636
Track 680 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0635 L18:fb0635 (30635)
Track 681 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0633 L18:ab0633
Track 681 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0632 L18:fb0632 (30632)
Track 682 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0630 L18:ab0630
Track 682 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0629 L18:fb0629 (30629)
Track 683 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0627 L18:ab0627
Track 683 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0626 L18:fb0626 (30626)
Track 684 Field 0 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:ab0624 L18:ab0624
Track 684 Field 1 WhiteFlag:0 L16:000000 L17:fb0623 L18:fb0623 (30623)

Conclusion:

Playing backward seems to happen almost instantly.  For Dexter purposes, I should be able to make it happen instantly without any problem.

Also, when playing 3X reverse, complete tracks are not displayed, but instead the laserdisc player is skipping backward 3 fields every field.  This means that the picture will most likely always be interlaced with two unrelated frames when playing in this mode.

Had a LAN party last night

I decided to take advantage of the awesome Utah summer nights and host an out door LAN party.  We had a blast!

Working on Time Traveler in Dexter

Well, we went to my wife's family's cabin and to my pleasant surprise, they've installed DSL, which is pretty dang impressive considering how remote this place is.  Up/down speeds are about 1 megabit which is better than the dial-up I feared they had when I first heard that they had internet.

At any rate, I furtively brought my Dexter-related hardware with me on this trip (because why wouldn't you want to work on Dexter while on vacation??) and had a chance to do some work this morning while the rest of the family slept in.

I decided to try to fix the problems with Time Traveler (which basically means adding the reverse-playback commands that I have not added).  I am sure glad that I designed the .LDIMG file format with reverse-playback in mind because now it is really paying off.  It seems that if you die a few times in time traveler, it will issue a 0x4B command which means playback at 3X speed.  This is even if you don't use the time reversal cube!  And since I am dying left and right (possibly an emulation bug in Daphne), I can't play the game for very long without triggering this.

So, I am now working on adding the "play backward at 3X" command.

Electrohome G07 cap kit not working out quite right

I've been working on replacing the capacitors in my old Dragon's Lair Electrohome G07 arcade monitor.

I finished my soldering work and put my monitor back into my Dragon's Lair.  The good news is that nothing blew up when I powered it on.  The bad news is that it only displays a single (bright) horizontal line in the middle of the screen:

Anyone know where I can go from here to troubleshoot?

CAX trip video

I went to the San Francisco, California area last week.

I was finally able to test Dexter on Dragon's Lair 2 and Time Traveler.  Verdict?  Dragon's Lair 2 works as well on a real machine as it does on Daphne so I now no longer need a real machine to test it on :)
Time Traveler is calling some LDP-1450 commands that I have not yet implemented so I've got more work there.
We also spent quite a bit of time on Freedom Fighter. It did not work unfortunately.

Here are some Dexter-related videos that I took:

Which screws do I unscrew to get Dragon's Lair monitor out?