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Thanks for the help! N8VEM Propeller VGA terminal project is moving along. — Parallax Forums

Thanks for the help! N8VEM Propeller VGA terminal project is moving along.

lynchajlynchaj Posts: 87
edited 2008-12-24 16:32 in Propeller 1
Hi!· I just wanted to say "Thanks!" to the good people here on the forum for all their help on the Propeller prototype board I've been working on.· In the end, I just added a serial port for communications separate from the programming serial port and that seems to work fine.

Here is a picture of my ECB serial board connected to the Propeller prototype board.· The N8VEM SBC is running a "scream" test program which just sends ASCII "0" (0x30) as fast as possible to the serial port.· It is useful to help trace signals to ensure the UARTs on both sides are functioning.· You can easily trace the signal with an oscilloscope to ensure it is getting to all the right places.

http://n8vem-sbc.pbwiki.com/f/IMG_8340.JPG

Here is a photo of the N8VEM serial peripheral.· It is the first wire wrap unit I've made using the new ECB Prototyping Board.· It is supposed to use a 16C550 but I ran out and substituted an ancient NS8250 instead and it works just fine.

http://n8vem-sbc.pbwiki.com/f/IMG_8333.JPG

Here is a photo of the Propeller prototype board

http://n8vem-sbc.pbwiki.com/f/IMG_8322.JPG

The plan is to merge these two prototypes into·a single ECB board that builders can plug into an N8VEM system so they can use their Z80 CP/M N8VEM systems·in a stand alone mode.· No more dependance on a PC!

Here is the spin code I am using.· It is just a rough hack of the Propeller OS which Mike Green so kindly posted.· I modified it to include the "term" command which is a simple VGA terminal program

http://n8vem-sbc.pbwiki.com/f/vga_terminal_ajl_3.zip

If anyone wants to test or suggest improvements, I would greatly appreciate hearing from you!

Thanks again!· I just wanted to let you know your efforts and contributions did result in something!

Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch

Comments

  • Dr_AculaDr_Acula Posts: 5,484
    edited 2008-12-24 10:44
    This is brilliant!!

    Do you have a schematic? I'm figuring it is pretty similar to the demo board with a max3232?

    I'm thinking of getting some boards made...
  • lynchajlynchaj Posts: 87
    edited 2008-12-24 16:32
    Dr_Acula (James Moxham) said...
    This is brilliant!!

    Do you have a schematic? I'm figuring it is pretty similar to the demo board with a max3232?

    I'm thinking of getting some boards made...
    Hi James!· I have a schematic for the ECB serial board prototype.· Since it is based on the ECB prototyping board making a new schematic and PCB layout is pretty easy since most of the work is already done.· Just make a copy, paste in the new parts, make the updated connections and its largely done except for some minor clean up.· I also have a preliminary PCB layout started.

    I haven't added the Propeller yet but the schematic is similar to the Propeller Demo Board with some minor adjustments such as using the Programming Serial Interface, adding the Communications Serial Interface, and taking 5v Vcc from the ECB rather than the LM2937-5v.· I'll put them in an updated schematic.· I got the Communications Serial Interface from the PropStick schematic.· Some of the IO devices of the Demo Board aren't on the prototype but those are unchanged.

    Thanks and have a nice day!

    Andrew Lynch
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