Identify your most impressive VGA demo for a presentation
Ken Gracey
Posts: 7,400
Hey all,
I'll be doing some Propeller presentations at Taiwan's top universities next month. As part of the presentations I'll lead the group through some introductory Propeller examples and a more complete systems analysis using the ELEV-8 and Jason's open-source code.
What I'm missing is a good VGA demonstration, so this is where I'm asking for help. Some details:
- there's usually no TV input in lecture halls, so it must be VGA
- should be something I could wire together, maybe from OBEX, using parts we have at Parallax
- sensors would be ideal, too
- should contain somewhat self-explanatory, commented code
Could I call upon our Propeller crew to help identify a couple of choices for me?
Thanks,
Ken Gracey
Parallax Inc.
I'll be doing some Propeller presentations at Taiwan's top universities next month. As part of the presentations I'll lead the group through some introductory Propeller examples and a more complete systems analysis using the ELEV-8 and Jason's open-source code.
What I'm missing is a good VGA demonstration, so this is where I'm asking for help. Some details:
- there's usually no TV input in lecture halls, so it must be VGA
- should be something I could wire together, maybe from OBEX, using parts we have at Parallax
- sensors would be ideal, too
- should contain somewhat self-explanatory, commented code
Could I call upon our Propeller crew to help identify a couple of choices for me?
Thanks,
Ken Gracey
Parallax Inc.
Comments
My Delay Generator is pretty nice too (if I do say so myself):
http://www.rayslogic.com/propeller/Programming/RaysStuff/DelayGeneratorDemo.zip
Microphone_to_VGA in OBEX might be another good choice...
One of the most impressive VGA demos on the Propeller was "Turbulence"
http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/turbulence/index.php
I see you corrected before I could finish posting
It's a great overall demo and not just for the VGA.
Jim
PS Craft was pretty good also!
I'll load Linus' demo and the VGA to Microphone example in a few minutes. I might need a bit of explanation as to how they work if it's not apparent.
Any further recommendations are truly appreciated.
Ken Graccey
Turbulence should work on the Demo Board, right out of the box.
Linus writes magic stuff. Only kuroneko figured it out, as far as I know. Lots of self modifying code if I recall.
Jim
It can be built and loaded with SimpleIDE with board type C3F or EEPROM (single 64KB+ part).
Thanks,
--Steve
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?129860-40-col-x-18-row-VGA-ROM-Font-Driver
and I'm trying to find a nice one written by Peter Jakacki. I'll post it when I find it.
Jim
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?133599-Display-motor-RPM-with-large-digits-and-graph-on-VGA-demo&highlight=Display+motor
Jim
Humbling, really. I feel like I've made programming progress when I can write a bargraph to a VGA without screen flicker, and now I see this demonstration. It had been a year or two since I'd last seen it.
And now I see that kuroneko was the one who was able to reverse engineer the creation.
Truly impressive example of what the Propeller can do, especially when used with two of the world's most skilled programmers!
Ken Gracey
P.S. I'll run Ray's demo when I get back from school - have to go to middle school for an hour to run the robotics program. Today they're doing light following with S2s, but I think I'm about ready to introduce the Propeller . . . can't decide if I want to make a pit-stop with the BASIC Stamp along the way.
I like to consider it thoughtful and practiced energy management! One must remain positive...if it's not too much effort!
Of course, now I need to go hunt down these demos and load them up for the experience.....more work for me!!
That shouldn't be too hard to fix.
/Johannes
Another good idea. Hello Kitty and funny looking animals that talk should be popular in Taiwan, so this Nyan Pop Tart animal should fit in nicely. Somewhere on these forums. . . where was Nyan last seen on a Propeller?
Being able to make fun of one's self is a real quality. Glad to be in similar company!
@Ken, I did the Nyan Cat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-gyO2lRXLyg
Ahle2 did the sound. (Retronitus is damn cool)
Really then, WE did Nyan Cat. There, I feel much better.
I'm a bit busy at the moment, but a quick search should reveal the forum thread with the code on it. It's not too hard to get this running on Kye's driver, given tall pixels are easy to do on that one. I've not looked, but would be surprised to learn they aren't. The Nyan Cat graphics work on a 96 pixel vertical display, and a 160 pixel horizontal one. More or less, as the animation is smaller than that.
If somebody wants to jump in and modify, go for it! No worries here. It was just a fun lark anyway.
Most of the time I'm on TV, due to not being where I can pack around a VGA. So, if somebody wants to tackle that, I'm happy to answer questions.
Two weeks from now, I'll have some at home time and could potentially look at using a VGA driver. The rest of the code is very easy. All it needs is a bitmap display and vertical blank flag. Modify the plot command to whatever graphics driver is in use, and the rest of Nyan Cat should run nicely, given the plot speed is fast enough. That fun animation doesn't use any deep PASM tricks at all. Majority work is formatting a big pixel display, and some minor PASM to adjust the graphics draw COG to operate on that display.
Another Edit: The real wizardy on that one is Eric Ball generation Apple ][ style "artifact" graphics for a nice color palette, done early 80's style. Not required on VGA, but cool looking on TV, so long as it's an NTSC TV.
Edit: On another thought, why not show them some TV? Get one of those TV > VGA converters, and a whole lot of stuff would work. Just a thought.
Runs on Demo Board outta the box.
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?127123-Full-Color-Tile-Driver-Thread
Ok, so it's not exactly a demo, but a very cool way to use the Propeller..
OBC
I think I need to find a TV=>VGA converter to be able to run it, though. If this hardware is available, I'll show it.
Can anybody point me to a functional TV=>VGA converter?
Ken Gracey
(I've got some decent software for it if you need it.)
OBC
Boy I feel silly, because that's exactly how I do most of my Prop stuff. Just run the video capture software OBC recommends, which may be the stuff that came with it too. Connect your laptop to the projector / display, fire off the capture, and load up the demo board. Sound can go into the laptop, or some speakers in a pinch. (The production is stereo)
Jeff, it's in my car because I didn't have it for you. Funny how I need it now.
And thanks potatohead (BTW we missed you at the UPEW/EXPO this year).
Ken Gracey
Hello Ken,
One of these may work for you:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815196008
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812156029
Some people were using these to connect old game systems (original XBOX, etc) to VGA monitors. Maybe one of these will work for you.
With one of these converters you can highlight both VGA and Composite applications during the demo.
Robert
Found the composite to USB adapter that I was supposed to give to OBC, but left at home. Got it running now on a VMFusion XP machine on a Mac Air (can't believe all of these layers and OSs play together nicely) so Nyan will be part of the program!
Thanks a bunch -
Ken