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Announcement - PropGFX Lite Binary Released — Parallax Forums

Announcement - PropGFX Lite Binary Released

ColeyColey Posts: 1,108
edited 2011-09-18 04:23 in Propeller 1
We have released PropGFX Lite as a binary package under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

What is PropGFX Lite ?

PropGFX Lite was designed to be a Propeller-based graphics module (TV NTSC/PAL) that uses a serial or paralell interface to communicate with another microcontroller.

The graphics modes supported emulate several classic computer/gaming platforms (Amstrad CPC, Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, etc.), and also features 3D graphics capability.

Currently it is not a "product" -- it is a binary image that can be loaded onto a host Propeller board.

You can see more demonstrations of PropGFX Lite on the PropGFX YouTube Channel.


Useful PropGFX Lite Links:

Hardware
Firmware (H.A.M. Method)
Firmware (Ariba's Method)
Documentation
Code Examples
Utilities

Savage Circuits Propeller Powered Forum also has some PropGFX discussions.

More code examples and tutorials will follow....

Enjoy!!!

Regards,

Coley and Baggers
«134567

Comments

  • BaggersBaggers Posts: 3,019
    edited 2011-07-03 13:36
    Hi All, I might add that the C64 and Amstrad modes with being 320 pixels wide don't work on 5Mhz, if there's enough interest with the basic modes, ( 256x192 2,4,16 and 256 colours) and Speccy modes we'll release a 6Mhz binary also!
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2011-07-03 14:27
    Great guys! Yes please for the 6MHz binary - I still have other work to do first, so no rush. I need 96MHz for USB.
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2011-07-03 14:37
    I've been waiting for this forever!!! Great job guys!! I'll try it out tonight!
  • BaggersBaggers Posts: 3,019
    edited 2011-07-03 14:37
    Ray, what exactly do you mean by you need 96Mhz for USB?

    Microcontrolled, cheers, enjoy! yeah a little like Duke Nukem eh?
  • BaggersBaggers Posts: 3,019
    edited 2011-07-03 15:59
    I've attached a couple of demos to get you started, It's late so I've not had time to comment the files, although there's lots of info in the doc on the PropGFX link coley posted.

    There's four demos, so far.
    A hello world, ( very basic and small to show you how to print text on screen )
    A Various modes demo ( showing you some bitmap modes with poly drawing and sprites over the top )
    A Demo 3D Man which is my Virtua fighter type model spinning in 3D.
    Then there's also the IK+ demo, the background is messed, because it was for the C64 background mode, which has been modified for a basic background ( 256x192 ) but the sprites are there, controlled by a keyboard on pins 26,27.

    I'll comment the demos over the next few days! and update.
    zip
    zip
    GFX_Demo_3DMan - Archive [Date 2011.07.03 Time 23.38].zip
    22K
    zip
    zip
    GFX_Demo_VariousModes - Archive [Date 2011.07.03 Time 23.50].zip
    16K
    zip
    zip
    GFX_Demo_HelloWorld - Archive [Date 2011.07.03 Time 23.38].zip
    10K
    zip
    zip
    IK+ - Archive [Date 2011.07.03 Time 23.34].zip
    27K
  • Toby SeckshundToby Seckshund Posts: 2,027
    edited 2011-07-03 16:08
    USB always seems to be a multible of 6MHz.
  • Dr_AculaDr_Acula Posts: 5,484
    edited 2011-07-03 16:45
    This is Christmas in July! Thanks guys.

    I see a number of video modes and an increased clock frequency. What sort of video modes do you have and how many colors (eg 256*192 is 49152 bytes so I'm guessing 16 colors and two pixels per byte = 25k?, or is this a tile driver so more colors but only n colors per tile?)

    I've seen some of the photos and youtube videos of this code in action so a release of this is very much appreciated.
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2011-07-03 16:58
    Somewhere... something has frozen over... :)

    Congrats on getting this out to the public at large! Yes, a 96Mhz version of this would be wonderful.

    OBC
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2011-07-03 17:10
    @Jim, @Coley,

    Could you give us some details on the I/O requirements for those of us creating board for other Propeller platforms?

    Looks like you are using 0-9 for the I/O. Is the reset connection a firm requirement given power is in place?

    Thanks
    OBC
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2011-07-03 18:27
    Design note:

    Install connection points between 12,13,14 on both boards so that they interconnect as well. This will allow a single resistor DAC on the top board, allowing both boards to output video.

    As long as only one board is sending video output at a time, the screen doesn't loose sync.

    This will provide compatibility with existing programs not designed for PROPGFX on the same board.

    Edit, Since PropGFX is always on, this idea doesn't work in this application.

    OBC
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2011-07-03 18:54
    USB Full Speed (as done by Micah) requires 96MHz clock to achieve many of the timing specs of USB. It is still not fully compliant. She did a great job in getting the USB functions running and my new pcbs will be taking advantage of this. My pcbs are designed to be overclocked to at least 104MHz but I am not certain the USB timing can be maintained, so I am only shooting for 96MHz.
  • BaggersBaggers Posts: 3,019
    edited 2011-07-03 23:54
    Cluso99, PropGFX doesn't use USB, which is why I'm curious? :D your controlling board can be any clock speed.

    OBC, the other board will have to not have TV out, as propgfx is always displaying video :D

    Pinouts are 0-9 connected on the gfx board, 0-7=data bits, 8,9 = rx,tx, 12-16 tv dac, 27 debug led.

    DR_A, there are a few bitmap modes, 1bit, 2bit, 4bit, and 8bit, and a few charmaps 1bit(on the speccy type charmap mode), 2bit, 4bit
    8bit bitmap mode is 128x96, or there's a big bitmap mode, 256x96
  • ColeyColey Posts: 1,108
    edited 2011-07-04 00:24
    @OBC, RESn is not a direct requirement, just good practice :thumb:

    To clear up a bit of confusion too, this PropGFX binary is set for a 5MHz Crystal (PLL 16x), the host application can run at any speed you like.

    Because it only runs at 80MHz some of the capabilities have been reduced such as video modes and number of sprites available.

    Regards,

    Coley
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2011-07-04 01:59
    OK I was misunderstanding that it could run on hardware that may also be used for other purposes.
  • BaggersBaggers Posts: 3,019
    edited 2011-07-04 02:32
    Cluso99, it can run on hardware that may be used for other purposes ( as long as it's TV on 12-15 and comms on 0-9 ), but while propgfx is running it takes up all the prop's cogs.
  • JT CookJT Cook Posts: 487
    edited 2011-07-04 09:02
    Glad to see it has been released! What you need to do is link some of the videos and screenshots of what it can do for people who haven't been following the project (or for those people who may have forgot what it does or looks like).

    You should also release the Femto basic version that supports the PropGFX.
  • BaggersBaggers Posts: 3,019
    edited 2011-07-04 09:13
    @JT Cook, Thanks :) Yeah, we we'll post some vids again to remind people, and definitely do the FemtoGFX, I haven't done any SD stuff yet, because the setup is just two protoboards, but they're coming! :D
  • ColeyColey Posts: 1,108
    edited 2011-07-04 12:48
    This is perhaps the best example of what can be done with PropGFX Lite....
    (by far the best bit starts at 3:14 :cool:)

    There is tons of stuff on our youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/PropGFX

    Regards,

    Coley
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2011-07-04 16:27
    Does this release have the option of talking in serial (two wire) modes as well as databus modes?

    OBC
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2011-07-04 17:06
    That is an impressive vid at 3:14+
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2011-07-04 20:56
    @Jim,

    Would you mind expanding on your text demo a bit? Things like being able to clear the screen, or for that matter remove the PROPgfx logo aren't exactly jumping out of the Spin for me.

    Edit: Found some ways to create workarounds..

    Attached is a version of PropDOS1.6 for PropGFX

    PropDOS_for_PropGFX.zip

    Thanks!
    OBC
    zip
    zip
    PropDOS_for_PropGFX.zip
    52K
  • Ahle2Ahle2 Posts: 1,178
    edited 2011-07-04 23:55
    @Jim
    You are the man.
    The youtube clip with vector-balls and the Amiga boing ball is VERY impressive. (especially for an guy having 5 Amigas)
    It looks like it uses more than the standard color range of the propeller; But that might just be an illusion due to poor video quality.
    Does it use VGA or Video?
  • BaggersBaggers Posts: 3,019
    edited 2011-07-05 00:33
    @OBC, yes it has serial mode too, pins 8,9, I've not put the serial code in the databus.spin file, I'll sort a serial version too, and also expand on the simple text demo, with cls etc.

    @Cluso99 cheers :) I was happy with that too lol

    @Ahle2, Cheers, yeah, IIRC the video was from the gfxvga version, but I did a tv one too.
  • ColeyColey Posts: 1,108
    edited 2011-07-05 00:35
    @Ahle2.
    That was definitely the standard version using the Propeller video DAC, I know because I was playing it last night, Jim also did a VGA version for PropGFX VGA but we have not released that version.

    Coley
  • BaggersBaggers Posts: 3,019
    edited 2011-07-05 02:21
    I stand corrected :) thanks Coley!
  • BaggersBaggers Posts: 3,019
    edited 2011-07-06 09:23
    Just out of curiosity guys, who is using this on a project? and what project are you doing? :)
    Cheers!
    Baggers.
  • JT CookJT Cook Posts: 487
    edited 2011-07-06 10:09
    One thing I would like to see with this is an application (PC side) that lets you set the video and com pins, and crystal speed. That way people can use existing Propeller setups they have, but still keep it closed source.

    What I had in mind is a PC app where you set a few radio buttons or something, then it would spit out a binary that can be loaded into your propeller rig. It should be too hard since the program would just modify a few bytes of the Prop binary.
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2011-07-06 10:21
    Baggers wrote: »
    Just out of curiosity guys, who is using this on a project? and what project are you doing? :)
    Cheers!
    Baggers.

    This whole section is my project...
    http://www.savagecircuits.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?29-Propeller-Powered

    I'm looking to create an easy gaming kit for artists who want to create games.

    OBC
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2011-07-06 10:43
    I've just assembled my setup and it appears to be working, can we see some example code? :-)
    I like to have something to build off of.
  • BaggersBaggers Posts: 3,019
    edited 2011-07-06 10:51
    @JT, not a bad idea, will see what I can do, depends how many changes it requires.

    @OBC, nice :D btw, why would you want a serial version? it's not really fast enough, although I did test it (6Mhz crystal) to roughly 1.2 or 1.5Mbit/s iirc, which is faster than most other device's serial max of 256kbit/s

    @Microcontrolled I did put some simple examples up, although they don't have SD as it was a basic 2 protoboard setup.
    What kind of basecode are you looking for?
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