5 ms·

Building a simple VGA-adapter for an 8-bit self made computer

134 points by Arjuna 12y ago

Arjuna 12y ago
At this time, unfortunately, I think we may have hammered the server. I'm seeing, "Error establishing a database connection." Here's the "Text-only version" from Google's cache: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:hYtWJwCvXVoJ:tldr.fi/2014/09/27/zc160-vga-adapter1/&hl=en&gl=us&strip=1 https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:hYtWJw... Here's the "Full version" (i.e., with images) from Google's cache: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:hYtWJwCvXVoJ:tldr.fi/2014/09/27/zc160-vga-adapter1/&hl=en&gl=us&strip=0 https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:hYtWJw...
- mmastrac 12y ago
  Shame it doesn't actually cache the images. Really interested to see what this one looks like.
jgrahamc 12y ago
You can generate TV signals in software on an Arduino: http://blog.jgc.org/2011/05/playing-pong-on-pair-of-candy-cans-its.html http://blog.jgc.org/2011/05/playing-pong-on-pair-of-candy-ca...
- enneff 12y ago
  In a similar vein: http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/craft/ http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/craft/
  - q3k 12y ago
    Linus Akesson ('lft') is probably one of the hackers I admire the most. In a few years he went from a sound-only demo on an ATmega [1], via generating VGA [2] and PAL [3] video demos on the same platform up to implementing custom digital logic including a processor and shader-based graphics accelerator on an FPGA [4]. At the same time, he is a really talented musician, and uses his hardware knowledge to augment [5] and build [6] custom instruments. He just keeps churning out concentrated awesomeness and hackery. [1] - http://www.linusakesson.net/hardware/chiptune.php http://www.linusakesson.net/hardware/chiptune.php [2] - http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/craft/ http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/craft/ [3] - http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/phasor/ http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/phasor/ [4] - http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/parallelogram/ http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/parallelogram/ [5] - http://www.linusakesson.net/chipophone/ http://www.linusakesson.net/chipophone/ [6] - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV6IFOVY-go http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV6IFOVY-go
    - enneff 12y ago
      He's certainly the real deal.
- Lerc 12y ago
  Similarly, on the ATMega, the UzeBox http://belogic.com/uzebox/index.asp http://belogic.com/uzebox/index.asp
bio4m 12y ago
I think the site may have been hosted on an 8-bit homemade computer :)
bhhaskin 12y ago
I love "labor of love" projects like these. Thanks for sharing.
ChuckMcM 12y ago
One of the fun 'first' projects in most FPGA classes is building a simple VGA display. What is interesting is that a period specific graphics display for the Z80 would probably be something like Cromemco Dazzler[1] with its 32 x 32 pixel color display, or the Super Dazzler. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cromemco_Dazzler http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cromemco_Dazzler -- yes I owned one of these boards at one time :-)
- adestefan 12y ago
  Cromemco and the Dazzler was the pieces of hardware that were the basis for most of the local news weather graphics that were seen on TV in the 80s.
Pinn2 12y ago
Neat! Would a 1-bit computer be 8 times easier?
- KSS42 12y ago
  No, it would be 8 times harder.
rtkwe 12y ago
If you're interested in homemade computers blondihacks has a whole series of articles on making one from design straight through to completion: http://quinndunki.com/blondihacks/?page_id=1761 http://quinndunki.com/blondihacks/?page_id=1761
aswanson 12y ago
Awesome, I want to try this on a Spartan 6.
coderjames 12y ago
I've actually been thinking about doing exactly this for a 68K-based computer I'm building. This will be a big help! Awesome project.
aprdm 12y ago
Very nice! Would be a great project for an FPGA also, wouldn't need all of these wires :P

134 points by Arjuna 12y ago

At this time, unfortunately, I think we may have hammered the server. I'm seeing, "Error establishing a database connection." Here's the "Text-only version" from Google's cache: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:hYtWJwCvXVoJ:tldr.fi/2014/09/27/zc160-vga-adapter1/&hl=en&gl=us&strip=1 https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:hYtWJw... Here's the "Full version" (i.e., with images) from Google's cache: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:hYtWJwCvXVoJ:tldr.fi/2014/09/27/zc160-vga-adapter1/&hl=en&gl=us&strip=0 https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:hYtWJw...

mmastrac 12y ago
Shame it doesn't actually cache the images. Really interested to see what this one looks like.

jgrahamc 12y ago

You can generate TV signals in software on an Arduino: http://blog.jgc.org/2011/05/playing-pong-on-pair-of-candy-cans-its.html http://blog.jgc.org/2011/05/playing-pong-on-pair-of-candy-ca...

enneff 12y ago
In a similar vein: http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/craft/ http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/craft/
- q3k 12y ago
  Linus Akesson ('lft') is probably one of the hackers I admire the most. In a few years he went from a sound-only demo on an ATmega [1], via generating VGA [2] and PAL [3] video demos on the same platform up to implementing custom digital logic including a processor and shader-based graphics accelerator on an FPGA [4]. At the same time, he is a really talented musician, and uses his hardware knowledge to augment [5] and build [6] custom instruments. He just keeps churning out concentrated awesomeness and hackery. [1] - http://www.linusakesson.net/hardware/chiptune.php http://www.linusakesson.net/hardware/chiptune.php [2] - http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/craft/ http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/craft/ [3] - http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/phasor/ http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/phasor/ [4] - http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/parallelogram/ http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/parallelogram/ [5] - http://www.linusakesson.net/chipophone/ http://www.linusakesson.net/chipophone/ [6] - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV6IFOVY-go http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV6IFOVY-go
  - enneff 12y ago
    He's certainly the real deal.
Lerc 12y ago
Similarly, on the ATMega, the UzeBox http://belogic.com/uzebox/index.asp http://belogic.com/uzebox/index.asp

bio4m 12y ago

I think the site may have been hosted on an 8-bit homemade computer :)

bhhaskin 12y ago

I love "labor of love" projects like these. Thanks for sharing.

ChuckMcM 12y ago

One of the fun 'first' projects in most FPGA classes is building a simple VGA display. What is interesting is that a period specific graphics display for the Z80 would probably be something like Cromemco Dazzler[1] with its 32 x 32 pixel color display, or the Super Dazzler. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cromemco_Dazzler http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cromemco_Dazzler -- yes I owned one of these boards at one time :-)

adestefan 12y ago
Cromemco and the Dazzler was the pieces of hardware that were the basis for most of the local news weather graphics that were seen on TV in the 80s.

Pinn2 12y ago

Neat! Would a 1-bit computer be 8 times easier?

KSS42 12y ago
No, it would be 8 times harder.

rtkwe 12y ago

If you're interested in homemade computers blondihacks has a whole series of articles on making one from design straight through to completion: http://quinndunki.com/blondihacks/?page_id=1761 http://quinndunki.com/blondihacks/?page_id=1761

aswanson 12y ago

Awesome, I want to try this on a Spartan 6.

coderjames 12y ago

I've actually been thinking about doing exactly this for a 68K-based computer I'm building. This will be a big help! Awesome project.

aprdm 12y ago

Very nice! Would be a great project for an FPGA also, wouldn't need all of these wires :P