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From 04/19/2017 to 05/18/2017

05/18/2017

FO 11:01 PM Feature #8: Implement 4 channel ADC
Sigh, it definitely works but if I read say channel 1 - I still receive input from the other channels foft
FO 09:00 PM Feature #8: Implement 4 channel ADC
Debugged and now working.
PBI and SIO audio will be mixed. For now I'm not feeding MIC_L and MIC_R anywhere - these will be connected to some sampler register. I guess D500 and D501 if the 'replay cartrige mode' is enabled.
foft
FO 06:56 AM Feature #8: Implement 4 channel ADC
Now I have the board its clear this needs debugging. foft
FO 06:58 AM Feature #1: Svideo sync line support
Received the board and gave this a go. svideo and composite look nice and bright now. However saturation is too low, need to work out how to boost this without too much impact to brightness.
Also need to work out why its just black an...
foft

05/16/2017

FO 09:24 PM Feature #13: 32x speed cpu without wait states
I enabled 32x mode in the core and sorted out single cycle writes from the block ram for now. Hardly any difference in sysinfo but good to see at least some difference. foft
FO 09:22 PM Bug #17: NTSC crashing on some builds
Ijor recommended I try registering the input directly from SDRAM. I've done this and see if it helps.
He is also kindly helping me write some correct timequest rules, really appreciated:)
foft
FO 08:30 PM It is time!
Panos will be in touch about shipping... foft

05/12/2017

FO 09:52 PM Bug #17 (Closed): NTSC crashing on some builds
Investigate why... On the v1 core this occurred when running the PLL at very high fVCO. However we already fixed that in v1, so not sure why.
foft
FO 07:48 PM Bug #16 (Closed): Audio bug report for Altirra
One for the coders, please can you check if these bugs are present?
From post on atariage...
http://atariage.com/forums/topic/256683-altirra-280-released/page-24#entry3760704
Let me report a couple of issues with POKEY chip in Altir...
foft

05/11/2017

FO 09:42 PM Feature #15: Implement programmable PLL
Attaching PLL chip datasheet foft
FO 09:41 PM Feature #15 (New): Implement programmable PLL
See if the programmable PLL works. This will allow us to support different/custom VGA modes, once we have EDID/DDC working. For now I just want to find out if its alive. foft
FO 08:38 PM Feature #13: 32x speed cpu without wait states
So thinking about options...
Double the main clock speed and pipeline a bit
or
Output next address from antic and the cpu, so I can read the memory 1 cycle earlier - antic clearly knows what it will read, does the 6502 core?
or
A...
foft
FO 08:34 PM Feature #7: Implement I2C vga/hdmi support
Used this controller for the ADC on v1: https://eewiki.net/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=10125324
So I guess I just need to wire this to the ZPU, then I can experiment with this in firmware.
I guess a write FIFO that captures 16 bits ...
foft
FO 08:30 PM Feature #7: Implement I2C vga/hdmi support
DDC looks a little funkier foft
FO 08:28 PM Feature #7: Implement I2C vga/hdmi support
EDID is apparently one of these I can access at address 0x50 foft
FO 08:26 PM Feature #7: Implement I2C vga/hdmi support
Attached mux/level converter chip data sheet foft
FO 08:27 PM Feature #8: Implement 4 channel ADC
Attached ADC data sheet foft
FO 08:25 PM No sign of FT232 chips
Panos is chasing up - and if not good news he will order from somewhere quicker!
In the meantime I've added ADC support to the new core, important for SIO sounds such as tapes with speech and just plain interference from the cable!
foft

05/08/2017

FO 10:08 PM Feature #8 (In Progress): Implement 4 channel ADC
Written initial support based on data sheet and simulated. Not yet built into test core or tried on real hardware.
So far all four channels sampled, but only SIO input connected to core.
foft

05/04/2017

FO 09:25 PM Feature #13: 32x speed cpu without wait states
Nope, this is not going to be so simple... Massive timing violations. foft

05/03/2017

FO 08:27 PM Missing parts
Panos is waiting for the last few remaining parts to arrive. Most notably the FT232 USB chip. We're expecting they will arrive later this week. foft

05/02/2017

FO 10:15 PM Feature #14: Svideo core for first prototype
Debugged in isim to get lots of overflow/underflow/blanking/burst incorrect cases!
Added colour bars and asserts for under/overflow. Looks like we have more space than I thought to allow slightly higher luma scaling (224/256). Verifying...
foft
FO 06:40 AM Feature #14: Svideo core for first prototype
Scaled luma with 64 space for chroma - when in composite mode only. No point throwing away svideo brightness.
Added composite to video selection menu - since the G pin is used for both it can't be generated together.
Built for v1 a...
foft
FO 06:38 AM Sub PCB - now populated!
!sub-board-pop.jpg! foft

04/30/2017

FO 09:06 PM Sub-board
Here is the first picture of a sub-board, which also arrived in Greece. None completed yet but all the parts fit - and they fit in the Mhero S R case.
!sub-board.jpg!
foft
FO 09:01 PM Video DAC regulator patch
Here is a picture of the patch Panos has skillfully applied to the boards.
!patch.jpg!
foft
FO 08:58 PM Boards received
The boards arrived in Greece. Panos is in the process of adding some final parts and trying them out.
Some good news:
FPGA is seen on JTAG
FPGA can be flashed ok
The core runs, the USB keyboard is working, SD card access is workin...
foft

04/26/2017

SA 11:43 PM Document: Eclaire XL v1.0 Board Spec
Eclaire XL v1.0 Board Spec sadosp
SA 11:43 PM Eclaire XL v1.0.jpg
sadosp
SA 11:43 PM Eclaire XL v1.0 b.JPG
sadosp
SA 11:42 PM Eclaire XL v1.0 Spec.odt
sadosp
SA 11:42 PM Eclaire XL v1.0 Spec.jpg
sadosp
FO 08:54 PM Feature #14: Svideo core for first prototype
Setting this up in the simulator so I can understand chroma better.
The problem seems to be that I've used all the space for luma and chroma is a sine wave +-255. For some reason it only allows space of 32 though - which is odd! Anywa...
foft
FO 08:51 PM Feature #13: 32x speed cpu without wait states
I have something working on the simulator - alone. Now need to plug it into the core proper to see if it works. Will probably need some clever timequest rules too, since the read/write deadlines are different now. foft

04/24/2017

FO 10:14 PM Feature #14: Svideo core for first prototype
Should add that this should not be done for direct chroma output for svideo... Since that is still on a 0-0.7V DAC output. foft
FO 10:14 PM Feature #14: Svideo core for first prototype
Panos tried out a new core with composite only - on green using the sync pin. Looks brighter but just black and white - on several TVS.
I think its black and white because...
Basically I re-scaled Y to use the full DAC range. Compo...
foft
FO 07:58 PM Feature #14 (Closed): Svideo core for first prototype
Waiting the Chinese sun to rising, I decide to proceed with the "video mod" of our v 1.0 board. So I desolder the "vsync" pin 12 of video dac, and solder it again using a "kynar cable" to a near via, which drive directly to F15 of FPGA.
...
foft
FO 07:56 PM Pictures!
The PCB company sent us an initial picture!
!v3board_small.jpg!
foft
 

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