====== This article is not finished yet, stay tuned ======


One method to acheive stable timing and complete synchronization with another signal is simply to poll the signal and take counter measures. The signal in this case could be the raster beam (stable rasters) or f.e. the drive CPU.

Let's examplify with with polling the raster beam. We know $d012 contains lower 8 bits (out of nine) of the current raster line counter, and will increase by one every 63rd cycle.

Consider the following code:
<code>
lda #$30
cmp $d012
bne *-3
</code>

Since each loop here takes 5 cycles we'll have a jitter of up to 5 cycles. I.e. after the bne the beam will be on cycle 2-7. Imagine pushing this jitter so that it crosses the boundary between raster line #$30 and #$31 now by applying some NOPs (58cycles). If we add 58 cycles to the 2-7 jitter we get a jitter on 60-65 or in terms of raster lines 60-62(line #$30) and 0-2(line #$31). Within this intervall we want to poll $d012 again so by adding a lda $d012 and compensate that read in the 58cycles delay by 4 cycles we now will have a value that sometimes is #$30 (too early) or sometimes is #$31.

<code>
          ldx #$30
lp1:
          cpx $d012
          bne lp1
          jsr cycles
          bit $ea
          nop
          cpx $d012
          beq skip1
          nop
          nop
skip1:    jsr cycles
          bit $ea
          nop
          cpx $d012
          beq skip2
          bit $ea
skip2:    jsr cycles
          nop
          nop
          nop
          cpx $d012
          bne onecycle
onecycle: rts

cycles:
         ldy #$06
lp2:     dey
         bne lp2
         inx
         nop
         nop
         rts
</code>

To be continued...