The release of WinUAE 6.0.0 brings a significant update to the beloved Amiga emulator, revolutionizing the custom chipset emulation and making notable improvements to its functionality. With the internal rework of key components like Agnus/Alice and Denise/Lisa, the new version brings enhanced accuracy, performance, and overall experience for users. Below is a breakdown of some key features and updates introduced in WinUAE 6.0.0.
1. Complete Custom Chipset Overhaul
WinUAE 6.0.0 introduces a nearly complete rewrite of custom chipset emulation, including Agnus/Alice and Denise/Lisa. This update brings cycle-accurate emulation for nearly every part of the chipset, resulting in better performance and more accurate results. The improvements include:
- Cycle-accurate horizontal and vertical blanking and sync start/end.
- Agnus hardwired PAL/NTSC sync generator now runs at almost the logic gate level.
- The mixing of hardwired and programmed sync now works without limitations.
This overhaul significantly boosts the emulator’s precision, especially in accurate emulation modes.
2. Performance Improvements with Separate Threads
The new version now runs the Denise/Lisa emulation in a separate thread, which greatly enhances performance in accurate emulation modes. This ensures smoother gameplay and better handling of demanding scenarios, reducing lag and performance drops.
3. Enhanced Display and Screen Mode Handling
One of the standout features of WinUAE 6.0.0 is the improved handling of display emulation:
- Display counters now work separately from Agnus’s horizontal and vertical positions, providing more accurate timing.
- Even fake NTSC modes and interlace detection now work with vsync timing like real displays.
These changes help users run more advanced screen modes and gain more precise control over their Amiga setups.
4. Blitter and Collision Emulation Updates
The blitter’s micro-operation timings have been refined, making the emulation even more accurate. Additionally, collision emulation has been significantly improved, offering better performance and smoother transitions when handling collision effects in games and applications.
5. New Low-Level Keyboard Emulation
For those who enjoy the Amiga keyboard experience, WinUAE 6.0.0 now supports a low-level keyboard emulation mode. This emulates the keyboard’s microcontroller ROM and matrix with full NKRO (N-Key Rollover) support. It includes all three keyboard MCU variants and provides a more authentic experience when typing or interacting with games that require keyboard input.
6. Support for New Expansion and PCI Emulation
The new version expands compatibility with hardware expansions:
- Matrox Millennium and Voodoo 3 emulation updates, previously found in 86box, have been incorporated.
- A1000 512kWOM expansion has been added to the expansion panel for users of the original Amiga 1000.
- RIPPLE IDE controller emulation has also been introduced.
These features are perfect for users who enjoy testing the limits of their Amiga hardware setup.
7. Fixes and Bug Fixes
WinUAE 6.0.0 addresses several issues that were present in previous versions, including:
- Fast/non-accurate emulation mode errors, like improper CIA high timer register loading.
- RTG vertical blank interrupt issues, which have now been resolved, ensuring smooth graphics handling.
- Various PCI bridge and RAM fixes for smoother operation in expanded systems.
8. Miscellaneous Updates
- Added Amiga GPT partition type support to improve partition management.
- Enhanced graphics scaling and aspect ratio correction, especially for complex display modes.
- Improved configuration file handling, including automatic tree node loading for future sessions.
