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base:efficient_tod_initialisation [2019-05-12 20:34] silverdrbase:efficient_tod_initialisation [2020-10-27 02:31] (current) – [Proper solution] silverdr
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 ====== TOD initialisation - the problem ====== ====== TOD initialisation - the problem ======
 +
 +By Silver Dream
 +
 Each [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOS_Technology_CIA|6526 CIA]] chip as used in many Commodore machines has the so-called TOD (for Time Of Day) clock, capable of tracking elapsed time in human readable format (hours, minutes, seconds and tenths of seconds). While not offering the granularity of regular, binary timers, It is highly useful for measuring and displaying time in the form we are well conditioned to use every day. The registers' output is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary-coded_decimal|BCD encoded]] to make it even easier to work with base-10 digits and numbers. There is however one caveat. TOD clock circuitry requires pulses of stable frequency of either 50 or 60 Hz being supplied to a dedicated pin. Such pulses can be inexpensively derived from the mains power AC, which was presumably the reason for designing the chip this way. The ability to work with both standard power line frequencies allowed a single version of the 6526 to be used in countries with either 50 or 60 Hz mains power lines. The only thing, which needs to be taken care of is informing 6526 which frequency is actually supplied. This is done by setting/clearing  bit seven of CRA ($0e) register of the CIA. KERNAL operating system in C64 initialises both CIA chips as part of the startup/reset sequence, inside IOINIT routine. This routine however does not try to identify what frequency is supplied but unconditionally sets both 6526s to expect 60Hz instead. Obviously, whenever in reality this is not the case (e.g. in C64 machines used in virtually all European countries), TOD clock drifts immediately away. Because of this, every application software, before attempting to utilise TOD as its timekeeping/alarm helper, needs to identify the frequency supplied to the TOD pin and initialise the required CIA's CRA register accordingly. Here comes the question "how" to reliably identify the actually supplied frequency? Each [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOS_Technology_CIA|6526 CIA]] chip as used in many Commodore machines has the so-called TOD (for Time Of Day) clock, capable of tracking elapsed time in human readable format (hours, minutes, seconds and tenths of seconds). While not offering the granularity of regular, binary timers, It is highly useful for measuring and displaying time in the form we are well conditioned to use every day. The registers' output is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary-coded_decimal|BCD encoded]] to make it even easier to work with base-10 digits and numbers. There is however one caveat. TOD clock circuitry requires pulses of stable frequency of either 50 or 60 Hz being supplied to a dedicated pin. Such pulses can be inexpensively derived from the mains power AC, which was presumably the reason for designing the chip this way. The ability to work with both standard power line frequencies allowed a single version of the 6526 to be used in countries with either 50 or 60 Hz mains power lines. The only thing, which needs to be taken care of is informing 6526 which frequency is actually supplied. This is done by setting/clearing  bit seven of CRA ($0e) register of the CIA. KERNAL operating system in C64 initialises both CIA chips as part of the startup/reset sequence, inside IOINIT routine. This routine however does not try to identify what frequency is supplied but unconditionally sets both 6526s to expect 60Hz instead. Obviously, whenever in reality this is not the case (e.g. in C64 machines used in virtually all European countries), TOD clock drifts immediately away. Because of this, every application software, before attempting to utilise TOD as its timekeeping/alarm helper, needs to identify the frequency supplied to the TOD pin and initialise the required CIA's CRA register accordingly. Here comes the question "how" to reliably identify the actually supplied frequency?
 ===== Popular misconception ===== ===== Popular misconception =====
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 which correspond to the four possible C64 hardware setup combinations. Comparing to $51, which falls more or less in the middle, gives us the expected answer. If the HI byte of the timer has value higher than $51 we have 60Hz supplied to the TOD pin. If OTOH it has lower value, we have 50Hz supplied. which correspond to the four possible C64 hardware setup combinations. Comparing to $51, which falls more or less in the middle, gives us the expected answer. If the HI byte of the timer has value higher than $51 we have 60Hz supplied to the TOD pin. If OTOH it has lower value, we have 50Hz supplied.
  
-Please also note that we use CIA #2 and not CIA #1. CIA #2 is chosen because changing the timer values there does not affect regular IRQ timings. MoreoverKERNAL re-initialises those timers whenever it wants to use them. This saves as a few bytes, which would otherwise be needed to save and restore timer registers' original values. Last and least we do not disable NMIs as it is assumed that checking/setting the params will be done as part of application initialisation, before setting up IRQ/NMI handlers.+Advantages: 
 +  * Does not break on Super-CPU and similar 
 +  * No screen side-effects 
 +  * Short and fast 
 + 
 +Please also note that we use CIA #2 and not CIA #1. CIA #2 is chosen because its timers are by default not used by the system. Moreover KERNAL initialises those timers according to its needs, whenever it wants to use them. This saves us a few bytes, which would otherwise be needed to preserve original settings. Last and least we do not disable NMIs as it is assumed that checking/setting the params will be done as part of application initialisation, before any IRQ/NMI handlers are set.
 ===== Dual purpose ===== ===== Dual purpose =====
 I mentioned before that this routine can serve also another purpose and give us potentially even more savings. Yes, with addition of only a few bytes: I mentioned before that this routine can serve also another purpose and give us potentially even more savings. Yes, with addition of only a few bytes:
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     ; we run on PAL machine with 60Hz TOD clock     ; we run on PAL machine with 60Hz TOD clock
 </code> </code>
-we can determine not only the TOD frequency but also the video standard. This is possible because – unlike the TOD frequency – the CPU clock frequency is directly related to the computer's video standard. PAL computers have their CPU (and CIAs) clocked at 985248.444Hz while NTSC ones run faster and have their CPU/CIAs clocked at 1022727.14Hz. This is a side-effect of deriving all (except TOD) required clock frequencies from a single crystal of either 14318180Hz (for NTSC machines) or 17734472Hz (for PAL ones).+we can determine not only the TOD frequency but also the video norm. This is possible because – unlike TOD frequency – the CPU clock frequency is directly related to the computer's video standard. PAL computers have their CPU (and CIAs) clocked at 985248.444Hz while NTSC ones run faster and have their CPU/CIAs clocked at 1022727.14Hz. This is a side-effect of deriving all (except TOD) required clock frequencies from a single crystal of either 14318180Hz (for NTSC machines) or 17734472Hz (for PAL ones).
base/efficient_tod_initialisation.1557686044.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019-05-12 20:34 by silverdr