A/V SBC with Multiple 65xxx CPUs

[ElEctric_EyE]

The makefile, yes! I see it now. I remember having to modify it slightly. I got it working! Thanks Bitwise!
Here's the files I have in that folder and how I modified the makefile. Running NMAKE automatically generates the .coe file needed by ISE from the boot.asm file, which is just a text file including all the macros for the new opcodes, and also the software. I really need to add this to Github. Also, credit to Arlet for making the bin2hex and bin2coe.

EDIT: I've added 65xx.jar, bin2coe, bin2hex, Makefile & NMAKE to Github.

[DerTrueForce]

BitWise wrote:

HHmm, I don't distribute the code as .EXE file. It comes as a .JAR ....

I'm probably being a bit pedantic here, but I think I should point out that the file in the download that AS65.bat invokes is a .zip. Most likely a .jar renamed to a .zip, but still.

[ElEctric_EyE]

Today I was able to see the 148.5MHz pixel clock at the videoDAC and also 'action' at the HSYNC & VSYNC signals at the VGA connector. Not so much action at the RGB DAC outputs for some reason. I immediately rechecked all the pin connections for the ADV7125 against an old PVB proven design and everything jived there. Will recheck against the datasheet, because there are some off-IC passives needed for a reference level voltage output. Another possibility is I have an old- 'DUD' monitor. That would be ideal... I'm still trying to find something to test this monitor, after all it's been sitting for 7 years, unplugged and it's VGA. Who uses VGA anymore? (me) ugh, aggravation max'd.
On another note, the FPGA and SyncRAMs and 3.3V/5A regulator are getting quite warm, and the voltage levels are still in spec, which is a sign of life.. So many Fing variables to eliminate. More progress tomorrow, after I gather my thoughts together.

[ElEctric_EyE]

This is the software portion, for you software guys in case you're interested in what 65016 software looks like. I had made just about everything programmable back then. The opcode macro's dominate the first 90%, then the software. It's an .asm file which needs to be opened in notepad or a similar text program. Forgive me, it's not the best notated. I was in a rush for progress back then...

[ElEctric_EyE]

The monitor I'm currently using, a HP 1940, doesn't go up to 148MHz for the resolution of 1920x1080. I reprogrammed the registers for 640x480 output but I erroneously set the FPGA PLL to 75MHz instead of 25MHz. Still no HSync or Vsync signals using the 'scope.

At this point, I'm thinking some or all of the 3.3V IC's were damaged by the errant 3.3Vreg outputting 3.9V...

A couple of weeks, and I start fresh. New boards, new IC's. I thought I was good but this is a complicated design...

Will add this to my sig soon, I find myself going back to it very often.

[ElEctric_EyE]

Rethinking again today: The Master Spartan 6 and the SyncRAM it controls are not getting hot. That FPGA hasn't been programmed yet. So I began to think maybe the 3.9V didn't destroy the Slave FPGA, SyncRAM or videoDAC parts. The Spartan 6 is spec'd at 3.6V absolute max, the SyncRAM is spec'd at 4.6V absolute max and the videoDAC is spec'd at 7.5V.

I changed the pixel clock back to where it should be @25.185MHz for 640x480 resolution. I also soldered in all the .1uF bypass cap's for the Slave S6 and SyncRAM. Still nothing...

I began to think maybe I forgot how to use my 'scope. It's an old school Tektronix 2440. So I needed a test subject on what signals should be looking like. Luckily I saved just 1 old Parallel Video Board. I powered it up and it runs!
The first thing I noticed is the FPGA and SyncRAM are just slightly warm, nowhere near the temp of the A/V board...
Time for some measurements with the scope...

Same crappy looking sin wave looking signals straight off the 100MHz can oscillator on the Parallel Video Board. I had purchased the Tek2440 off eBay used about 10yrs ago and I think they packaged some cheap scope probes with it, they're Leader LP-16A. I've ordered 1 used P1637 scope probe which was meant for this 'scope.

[ElEctric_EyE]

An update:
Got the P1637 scope probe in and there's definitely a difference in lower frequency signals, like hsync, vsync from the old PVBoard. Very square and clean like I remember seeing. Still, attempts at programming the S6 on the PVB remains elusive. A couple times I thought I had I had found the last error and still nothing. Methinks the ISE I'm using isn't fully enabled....

Measured the 1080AV board and only the 40MHz straight off the Si514 looked square'ish', not like a sinewave as with the incorrect scope probe. So progress there....

Next focus is getting the old desktop computer back up... I'm not liking the webpack license on ISE14.7... It seems to be limiting me and I may have been using ISE14.1 back then too. I've kept terrible notes. Terrible

[ElEctric_EyE]

Also, I was reminded today that the monitor I was using for 1080p graphics I had given to my son long ago. Currently I use the old HP1940, as mentioned before, for project video out only. So maybe this HP1940 is not recognizing the signals for some reason, although I have lowered the pixelclock to 75MHz for the PVBoard and 25MHz for the 1080pAV board.

My larger current monitor, which I've been using for ISE, only has HDMI inputs. So I think it's time to buy a VGA to HDMI converter with audio input which will allow me to try another monitor and experiment with the audio in the future.

[Dr Jefyll]

Interesting gizmo. But is it really what you need? Maybe I'm experiencing mental flatulence. The ad seems to say the device converts to VGA.

[ElEctric_EyE]

Dr Jeff, I took out the 'audio stream + VGA' into the HDMI connector as a sign it was VGA to HDMI as the VGA connector has no audio out

[Dr Jefyll]

Still an interesting gizmo. And a remarkably low price.

Re a VGA to HDMI converter, let us know what you find. I have a feeling it will be less of a bargain, unfortunately...

[cjs]

ElEctric_EyE wrote:

Dr Jeff, I took out the 'audio stream + VGA' into the HDMI connector as a sign it was VGA to HDMI as the VGA connector has no audio out

.
That audio connector would also be needed the other way around for the same reason: the HDMI is supplying both video and audio, the video goes out the VGA connector, so where does the audio go?

I am suspecting, both from the price and the lack of external power input (as well as the product description, of course) that this is HDMI to VGA. It looks and is priced suspiciously like the the DVI to almost-anything "converters" that merely get the wires out to the right connector and rely on the DVI port to be able to send VGA or whatever signals to the right pins. (Though I wasn't aware that HDMI could do that.)

If it helps, I have attached an image of what VGA to HDMI adapter I successfully use on my old laptop looks like. (This is a standard cheap Chinese product available under a zillion different brand names.) It cost about $12. I can't say how good it will be with odd resolutions and timings, but it does support close to twenty different "standardish" modes, including ones such as 1440x900. (I can go plug it in and grab the full mode list for you if you need it.)

Though personally, given all the trouble these standards are, I might just go back to an analogue monitor. I picked up a nice 9" Sony PVM with all the modes for about fifty bucks on Yahoo Auctions, and didn't Bill Gates say that "no one will ever need more than 15.750 kHz"? :-P

[BigEd]

Hmm - that diagram in the picture shows a VGA monitor connecting to an HDMI PC/laptop. I'd have drawn the arrow in the direction of data flow. Does "VGA to HDMI" mean "take my VGA signal and display on an HDMI device" or does it mean "convert my VGA peripheral to use the HDMI standard"?

[cjs]

BigEd wrote:

Hmm - that diagram in the picture shows a VGA monitor connecting to an HDMI PC/laptop. I'd have drawn the arrow in the direction of data flow. Does "VGA to HDMI" mean "take my VGA signal and display on an HDMI device" or does it mean "convert my VGA peripheral to use the HDMI standard"?

Oh, I'd not noticed the "Monitor" and "PC/Laptop" writing in the diagram. Yeah, that's wrong; my laptop has a VGA output and I use this to display on HDMI TVs and projectors. Clearly they're really working to make this confusing.

[ElEctric_EyE]

Woops, up I ordered the incorrect type. The correct one is like cjs posted above with the 5V USB connection on the side of the converter. Mental flatulence as Dr. Jeff said.
It's nice to have a HDMI to VGA converter tho. Gets my mental gears spinning...

Here's the one I ordered. The seller is located in NC so hopefully it'll get here quicker. Reading the reviews makes it clear the 5V power from the USB must be plugged in for it to work.