Bitmap image transfer from windows to propellor

TransistorToaster

Hello,
I was wondering if anybody devised a way to take an image on a PC, process it, and have the propeller display it? There would be two levels of skill required to do this. One level woulbe be to just operate on a 4 color bitmap. The second one is more remniscant of the days of limited color output computers where a compete algorithm would scan a true color image and render it into a format compatible with the display using variable spacing between pixels to create the levels of shading. I suppose Andre' would have looked at ways to both.
Frank

Baggers

I plan to go someway down that road, I should be getting my Propeller and demoboard on Monday, then I'll obviously take time setting it up and playing with it, til I get used to it, before doing that.
But I do plan to make it so I can download stuff to display on screen amongst other things.

TransistorToaster

In the good thread sticky, the "VGA Bitmap in boot EEPROM" thread link doesn't work anymore, plus I can't find it in the searches.

Forrest

This is exactly what the Hydra Asset Manager is designed to do http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=628778

Graham Stabler

Try this:

http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=25&m=134950

I'll correct the link in the index, it was messed up.

Graham

TransistorToaster

Thanks Graham

DogP

I wrote a simple c++ app that converts a 4 color BMP into a text file which you can paste into your app, and then display with the raster TV driver from Dennis Ferron. It doesn't do much since you have to compile the picture into the program, but I can post it if it'd be useful for you. And it's far from perfect... due to my own laziness the picture is mirrored horizontally, so I just make sure I mirror the image first. You also need to make sure it's 2bpp, and you should make it so 00b is darkest and 11b is brightest.



Pat

TransistorToaster

DogP,
That's nice. Sure, I would like to see the code. Can it input BMPs with RLE (run length encoding) compression?
Frank

DogP

Heh... I doubt it... I said it's "simple" [noparse];)[/noparse]. Basically the plain BMP just has a header, and then 1 byte per pixel... since I want 2 bits per pixel, I just pack 4 pixels into a byte instead of only 1. Then I re-order the pixels since the BMP data is actually upsidedown. The reason it's mirrored is because I just read from the end and go backwards, instead of reading the rows as one, and then reversing the vertical order. I just needed something really quick, and that only took a few mins [noparse]:)[/noparse] .

I'll post it tonight when I get home.

Pat

DogP

Here you go... I had made a bunch of modifications specific to my board, but I think I got everything changed back, along with stripping it down to just the important stuff. I tested it in Gear and it worked, but let me know if you have any problems with it.

Pat