TV Term Setup ?

Areal Person · 2006-12-08 02:15

Could someone look at my photo, I'm trying to
get the RCA TV feature working and it's not

Here's my layout. Pins 12,13 & 14
are going to the 1.1k, 560ohm &270

I'm not using p15

My sony TV is set to Video 1

Is it ok ?

-Areal

Post Edited (Areal Person) : 12/8/2006 2:26:25 AM GMT

Mike Cook · 2006-12-08 02:31

Where's your crystal?

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Mike

James Long · 2006-12-08 02:35

Mike,

Good call.....I've been following this progression in a different thread.....and didn't even think about the Crystal.

James L

Areal Person · 2006-12-08 02:40

Ok, I have installed the Crystal.

I tryed again, but it still will not work.

Is the Crystal required for VGA & TV Term ?

I thought is was only needed for serial communications ?

-Areal

Mike Cook · 2006-12-08 02:45

I believe it is required, never tried it with out one. Here's a link to the one I use, Parallax also sells crystal's

http://www.mouser.com/search/refine.aspx?Ntt=520-HCU500-20

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Mike

James Long · 2006-12-08 02:46

The crystal is required any time the chip is going to run.....it is required.

James L

Mike Cook · 2006-12-08 02:48

I would also connect pins 32 VDD (+3.3), and pin 29 VSS (Ground)

Also make sure you have defined the PINs·for tv_text, below is an example from one of my *.spin programs:

OBJ
  term          : "tv_text"                             ' Define NTSC TV output routine
 
 
PUB main 
  term.start(12)                                        ' start TV terminal on pins 12 to 15

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Mike

Post Edited (Mike Cook) : 12/8/2006 2:57:27 AM GMT

Areal Person · 2006-12-08 03:02

Ok, I did all that you suggested, I connected pins 32 VDD (+3.3), and pin 29 VSS (Ground)
I installed the Crystal, and double checked everything.

it still will not work.

I'm using the example program thats provided with
the propeller tool download, it's called TV_TEXT_DEMO.SPIN
and it looks like this.

CON

_clkmode = xtal1 + pll16x
_xinfreq = 5_000_000

OBJ

text : "tv_text"

PUB start | i

'start term
text.start(12)
text.str(string(13," TV Text Demo...",13,13,$C,5," OBJ and VAR require only 2.8KB ",$C,1))
repeat 14
text.out(" ")
repeat i from $0E to $FF
text.out(i)
text.str(string($C,6," Uses internal ROM font ",$C,2))
repeat
text.str(string($A,16,$B,12))
text.hex(i++, 8)

Mike Cook · 2006-12-08 03:07

In the Propeller Tool, go to File>Archive>Project+Propeller Tool. Attach that file and I'll run it on my demo board.

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Mike

Areal Person · 2006-12-08 03:14

Ok, here is the file.

Mike Cook · 2006-12-08 03:18

Well that works on my board, so..

1. Did you purhase your crystal from Parallax or somewhere else it should be a 5.0 MHZ 20pF

2. Might be a bad chip

I'm assuming when you say: "it still will not work." means the Propeller Tool will Identify the chip and then download the program when you press F10, but your not getting any vidio output.

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Mike

Areal Person · 2006-12-08 03:27

Yes, your correct. I did get the crystal from Parallax.

The Propeller Tool will Identify the chip and then download the program when I press F10, but I'm not getting any vidio output.

If you think my wiring is ok based on what you saw, and all, then I guess
it must be a bad chip.

I have another oprdered, it should be in next week. I'll try that.

I really want to thank you and everyone else who has helped me.
It's been frustrating because, I'm new to electronics, and well, I guess I must
have done somthing to damage the chip.

Thanks again !
-Areal

Mike Cook · 2006-12-08 03:35

Nothing else jumps out at me from your picure, only thing else to try is to shorten some of your wiring on the three resistors and make sure the video display you are using will display a composite video signal.

<EDIT>

Here's a LONG shot...

If your resistors were shipped with tape on both ends, trim .25" off of each end. The stickey stuff on the 'tape and real' packaging can sometimes cause you problems.

</EDIT>

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Mike

Post Edited (Mike Cook) : 12/8/2006 3:44:22 AM GMT

Harrison. · 2006-12-08 03:44

How did you plug the crystal in? If you used wires then try hooking it straight into the breadboard by propeller pins. (Make sure you are using pins 30 and 31 for the crystal).

I had a problem with video, took about 10 minutes before I figured out that the crystal wasn't oscillating.

Harrison

James Long · 2006-12-08 03:50

Areal,

I do have one ohter suggestion.....although I doubt it works. Place a .1uF capacitor between VDD and VSS right at the Propeller. There maybe a little noise that is causing problems. I doubt it.....the way you have it setup....I don't see how.....but we might as well cover all the bases.

James L

James Long · 2006-12-08 03:54

What about the EEprom????

I don't see it on the board......

Areal....so you have an eeprom on the board?

If not...it is needed. The prop loads it's software from the eeprom....I don't know if you can run one without it.

James L

Mike Cook · 2006-12-08 03:57

EEPROM is only needed if you want to 'boot up' with out having to load the program with the Propeller Tool, F10 downloads the program directly to the Propeller's RAM.

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Mike

James Long · 2006-12-08 03:59

I don't really know.....since I never run the Propeller that way.....just a thought.

EDITED::::

No the EEprom is not needed....so you are right Mike.....sorry Areal....my mistake.

James L

Post Edited (James Long) : 12/8/2006 4:03:37 AM GMT

Areal Person · 2006-12-08 04:09

Sob... sob...

I've been working on this around the clock for 3 days.

I've tryed 5-6 completly different setups, breadboard, soldered pref board.
Different resistor sets, different monitors, cables. ua...

everything, except changing the Propeller chip, I'm going to try that
soon as it arives in the mail, I'm also going to try the .1uf cap between VDD and VSS
as james suguested.

I think it just has to be the chip, it simply cant be this hard to hook this stuff
up ? I dont know how the chip got damaged.

I'm really scared that when I try a different propeller chip that it will not work.
But that simply cannot be possiable, I know that, I'm trying to tell myself that
so I don't get depressed.

The wiring diagram is just to simple for this not to work.

Thanks so very very much to everyone,
This is a really cool forum !

-Areal

James Long · 2006-12-08 04:15

Areal,

I'm sorry it is being so frustrating......I have that happen at time....but you will feel much better when you prevail.

Just keep trying new things....something will work.

Sorry we couldn't find the problem.......maybe the new chip will be the fix.

James L

Areal Person · 2006-12-29 15:29

OK, I replaced the Propeller chip and it worked, I must have damaged the chip
somehow through ESD etc.

It is not a problem with Parallax.

NOTE: I'm updating this thread because some people have sent me private messages
asking for the information.

Thanks everyone,
-Areal Person

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I have a tree growing out of my head, but

what do you expect ? I'm a programmer.

IAI-Captain · 2007-01-04 19:39

·Hi AReal Person,

Happy New year!

O.K. , I Have Some answers for you:

Hear are the link/s to all of my posts to date, (not including this one

Areal Person · 2007-01-05 02:02

Thanks IAI-Captain !

Wonderfull resources !

I think everyone, including people who are new to the Propeller and
electronics will be able to use the information.

Thanks everyone !

-Areal

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I have a tree growing out of my head, but

what do you expect ? I'm a programmer.

GUFF · 2007-01-12 13:18

I don't mean to hijack this thread but I have to say it helped me get an LCD display up and running for the first time!

I didn't use a shielded Comp cable so my video is slightly noisy but it is perfectly readable.

I think is it great that only three resistors can get me a usable video output.

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GUFF

Certified Stamp Noob
Since 2005

IAI-Captain · 2007-01-12 14:55

·Hey, Guff,
··· I don't know If it was my input that you found useful or not, but in ether case, I think I speak for the ·all who contribute to the forum when I say,·I'm glad I could help you out!

· This is what we're all here for, to provide support·to our fellow Parallax Product User so that he or she may accomplish goal of completing their project. And·in doing so, We help each other for fill·our·hopes, and electric dreams.

Good Learning to all that seek knowledge,
IAI-Captain

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IAI (Indigenous Alien Intelligence),
The New View on Machine Intelligence.
Because There is nothing Artificial about it!

squidx · 2007-01-15 00:32

Hi, I hope this is an appropriate question for the 2.5" TV terminal setup. I've just hooked up the terminal to the develpment board and it started off looking great, once I figured out that I needed to add the (12) parameter to "VideoDisplay.Start(12)". However, after a little playing around, the video image on the terminal began flip-flopping and is now constantly displaying the text on the screen in a reflected mode.

To clarify what I mean, I am using the Example07 file, with no signal on pin 7, with a 10K pulldown resistor. The screen background is red, the screen text is white, but the text is displayed on the right side, not the left, the letters are backwards and in a backwards order.

Does anyone know what might be going on here? I'm kind of mystified and I don't know assy so I can't see what might be going wrong in the TV, Tv_Terminal or Graphics files. Anyway, I suspect it must be some kind of electrical/pin problem. But reboots, etc don't help and it doesn't matter what the content of the output is -- I've also tried with the "TV_Terminal_Demo" program. It seems so strange!

Thanks,

Alex

Harley · 2007-01-15 01:01

Squidx, don't know your setup (board, wiring, etc) but hopefully it isn't the sort of thing I first ran into. When they mentioned 'pins 12...15' I didn't realize it wasn't the physical IC Prop pins, but A12...A15. Else it is garbage.

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Harley Shanko
h.a.s. designn

IAI-Captain · 2007-01-15 01:19

·

Hi, Alex

I'm not quite sure what· is going on with your set up.

To help us answer your question better could you please post pictures of your set up and the code that you are using.

this way we will have a better understanding of what is going on.

IAI-Captain

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
IAI (Indigenous Alien Intelligence),
The New View on Machine Intelligence.
Because There is nothing Artificial about it!

squidx · 2007-01-15 15:19

Hey, thanks for the replies. I'll try to send some pix later, but I don't think they'll really be needed.

My setup is as basic as you can get. I'm using the Parallax Demo Board, and the TV Video out is hardwired to an RCA jack on pins 12-15 as shown in the schematic:

I've pulled anything else off the board for this troubleshooting, which didn't seem to make a difference, and I've rebooted the board, monitor and PC just in case of weirdness. The board otherwise seems ok: I can turn on and off pins, LEDs, etc., and the board IS driving the LCD, just funky.

The monitor is the 2.5" LCD offered by Parallax:

The code is Dave Scanlan's Example 04 from the forum thread "SPIN CODE EXAMPLES FOR THE BEGINNER (Public Version)"

As I mentioned, running the code (follows below) gave me normal video as expected, followed by a few minutes of flickering back and forth, followed by an output that looks normal only if viewed in a mirror! Now it always shows up in this reversed way.

' FEWER COMMENTS (EASIER TO READ) 
' 
' EXAMPLE04 
' 
' DISPLAYS TEXT ON A VIDEO MONITOR 
'***************************************************************************** 
'IMPORTANT: This example requires an understanding of examples 01, 02, and 03. 
'***************************************************************************** 
'DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Easy 
'***************************************************************************** 
'CORRECT OUTPUT: A text string and an incrementing decimal number will 
' be displayed five times. 
'Submitted by Dave Scanlan, March 15, 2006 
'File: Example04_VideoOutput.spin 
'***************************************************************************** 
' 
CON 
_clkmode = xtal1 + pll16x 
_xinfreq = 5_000_000 
NewLine = 13 
ClearScreen = 0 
' 
OBJ 
VideoDisplay: "TV_Terminal" 
' 
PUB Start(12) 
DisplayTextOnMonitor 
' 
PRI DisplayTextOnMonitor | Count 
VideoDisplay.start 
SetScreenToWhiteOnDarkBlue 
' 
Repeat Count From 1 To 5 
WaitCnt(40_000_000 + Cnt) 
VideoDisplay.str(string("THE COUNT IS: ")) 
VideoDisplay.dec(Count) 
VideoDisplay.out(NewLine) 
WaitCnt(40_000_000 + Cnt) 
' 
VideoDisplay.out(ClearScreen) 
' 
PRI SetScreenToWhiteOnDarkBlue 
VideoDisplay.out(3) 
VideoDisplay.out(5) 
' 
'INDENTION IS IMPORTANT IN SPIN 
'Be sure to use the latest version of Tv_Terminal

squidx · 2007-01-17 16:24

OK, I've now tried this on two different Demo Boards, one Rev D, one Rev E and I'm still having the same problem. It does seem to have some sensitivity to things like pull-down resistors on input pins (like 100K, Pin 1), but the sensitivity does not lead to repeatable changes. Like sometimes if I ground a resistor, the screen flip-flops, sometimes it just flickers, sometimes does nothing.

Thanks again,
Alex

Mike Green · 2007-01-17 16:39

squidx,
What you've posted can't possibly be what you've tried since it can't compile (the "PUB start(12)" is not legal). What program are you actually using? Maybe you made a change that would explain its behavior. Sometimes a simple change (like a subroutine call with no return) can cause the behavior that you describe.

TV Term Setup ?

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