TinyFPGA

[cbmeeks]

I haven't seen anyone talk about this project.

https://tinyfpga.com/

Looks to be a nice little FPGA for not too much money.

I'm thinking it might be a good video component, small co-processor, etc.

[petrus]

Those look interesting. One of my little side-projects is a 6502 SBC. I've got it working to the point where it can run BASIC and Forth, but it just uses the ACIA for communications right now. My next goals for it are some sort of storage (probably SD card) and keyboard and monitor support, and I keep thinking about an FPGA for the video. These look like a good way to explore that option.

[BigEd]

(I do hope you'll share some photos of your project some day petrus, perhaps in a thread tracking progress.)

[cbmeeks]

petrus wrote:

Those look interesting. One of my little side-projects is a 6502 SBC. I've got it working to the point where it can run BASIC and Forth, but it just uses the ACIA for communications right now. My next goals for it are some sort of storage (probably SD card) and keyboard and monitor support, and I keep thinking about an FPGA for the video. These look like a good way to explore that option.

I was thinking the same thing. But I think the shortage of pins might be a hindrance. I mean, IIRC, it has 21 GPIO (counting the JTAG pins). Which isn't too bad...but if you wanted to design a drop-in replacement for a TMS9918, for example, it might be tough.

[Jeff_Birt]

I bought a couple of the TinyFPGA and I seem to recall they worked fine but the number of free pins was an issue for what I was doing as well as trying to keep straight how they had named them vs. the proper name from FPGA docs. I then found: http://gnarlygrey.atspace.cc/developmen ... ml#upduino which had more pins but you need a FTDI cable to program it. It looks like they have one with built in USB now though.

[cbmeeks]

That looks like an interesting board too. But I must resist. Already blown my fun money this week. lol

[Jeff_Birt]

On things I just recalled, I like the Gnarly Grey boards but the packaging of the shipment was VERY poor.

[cbmeeks]

Jeff_Birt wrote:

On things I just recalled, I like the Gnarly Grey boards but the packaging of the shipment was VERY poor.

That's a huge pet-peeve of mine. I just bought an Amiga 500 motherboard and the seller shipped it wrapped in two pieces of cardboard and that was it. No padding of any kind.