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New development: GTIA in CPLD


Simius

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Just for the record.

 

More than a year ago I started a similar project base on the FPGA. It outputs directly HDMI and VGA 576p signal (exactly doubled PAL timing, thus no tearing).

I have no time to work on it, because I'm totally overhelmed by my day work projects, so I'd like to release it as opensource. But I need to coopoerate with someone that would help me to setup all the things like GIT for that. Any volunteers?

 

Current status is:

Standard modes: done

hires modes: done

GTIA modes: done (with a small bug)

PMGS: broken and unfinished

pallete: done (borrowed from altirra for now)

GTIA logic: NO (has to be paired with a real GTIA fro now)

 

Hardware design: NO (currently developed on the Scarab Spartan6+, but the final design targetted to the Spartan3)

 

The project is acutally more a proof of concept than a real product. It is written in VHDL (Xilinx ISE project) and it a mashup of various pieces of the code from a various opensource products, examples, etc.

 

Thenically it uses the FPGA only without any additional chips except 5V level shifters. The HDMI/DVI is trasmitted directly from the FPGA, same for VGA (+ resistor RGB DAC) and only the internal FPGA RAM is used for the buffers.

 

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Hi Simius - I've already PMed you this question, but I figured I would ask here as well in case anyone may have the same question or may know the answer:

 

1. Will this work on a 7800 as well?

 

2. Will this work with already installed A/V mod on the 5200 system (and 7800 if applicable?)

 

 

Here is the A/V mod for composite and S-video mods I've completed before:

 

5200 A/V Mod: http://electronicsen...structions.html

7800 A/V Mod: http://electronicsen...structions.html

 

Thanks!

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Will this work on a 7800 as well?

Uh no, this is only for Atari 8-bit hardware including the 5200. The 7800 is totally different so there's no way the SOPHIA board will work. Tim Worthington is supposedly working on an RGB mod for the 7800 though.

 

Will this work with already installed A/V mod on the 5200 system (and 7800 if applicable?

It would depend on the mod, some mod boards require that you lift pins on the GTIA so in those instances you'd have to undo the mod. Edited by ApolloBoy
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I just put my order in - I was just thinking of this topic, surprisingly and came back to this forum and found a PM by Simius -

 

Looking forward - does anyone know of specific instructions to do the install? It sounds like if the chips are socketed I may not have to do any desoldering - that's ok if so - I did the RGB mod for 2600 - but was curious how this may connect to a SCART cable etc? Will it be a 9pin DIN or something? And then presumably the same SCART cable Tim sells may work. Just speculating - if anyone can confirm or if they have instructions available? Will pose the same questions to SImius at some point. Thanks all and looking forward!

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You don't have to use the DB9 you know, you can always just cut off the DB9 connector and wire it up to whatever you're comfortable with. I'm sticking with an 8-pin mini-DIN since my 5200 and 800XL have already been modded for S-video, meaning I can just swap out the existing 4-pin S-vid connectors and not have to drill new holes.

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You don't have to use the DB9 you know, you can always just cut off the DB9 connector and wire it up to whatever you're comfortable with. I'm sticking with an 8-pin mini-DIN since my 5200 and 800XL have already been modded for S-video, meaning I can just swap out the existing 4-pin S-vid connectors and not have to drill new holes.

Thanks...duh...hehe, trying to wrap my head around it all of this, but that makes sense...I may still seek out a custom cable, otherwise yeah, then I can use same cable I used with 2600 RGB

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yeah, or you have to modify the RGB mod cable to another end type (8pin Din for example)

 

Can anyone suggest a method or tool to cut the plastic of the 5200 for fitting a DS9?

Using the plug itself as a template to mark out the hole, and then using a Dremel or drill to make a hole and then a fine set of files to finish the job.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited by vattari
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So if anyone knows where we could find a db9 to scart cable, or could provide instructions on how to convert the existing db9 connector to 8pin Din once these start ship, that would be cool.

 

Patiently waiting to play my 5200 and xegs in RGB!

Edited by robbievgb
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I know of retro console accessories and have ordered from them before, but I would either need to request a custom cable from them for db9 to scart, or re-wire the Sophia out to something like the 8 pin mini din connector that the NES RGB cables use (as a few people have already discussed).

 

I think I'd rather do the latter, which is why I'd asked for instructions, unless there is a standard pinout on for rgb applications using a db9 connector that the Sophia uses.

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I know of retro console accessories and have ordered from them before, but I would either need to request a custom cable from them for db9 to scart, or re-wire the Sophia out to something like the 8 pin mini din connector that the NES RGB cables use (as a few people have already discussed).

 

I think I'd rather do the latter, which is why I'd asked for instructions, unless there is a standard pinout on for rgb applications using a db9 connector that the Sophia uses.

All their cables are wired by hand so making a custom request isn't a problem at all for them. In fact they've made customs for me before. Also while learning how to do it might be an adventure I'd prefer to have a pro with superior knowledge and materials make anything I'm actually going to use. Just my 2 cents.

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All their cables are wired by hand so making a custom request isn't a problem at all for them. In fact they've made customs for me before. Also while learning how to do it might be an adventure I'd prefer to have a pro with superior knowledge and materials make anything I'm actually going to use. Just my 2 cents.

I'm comfortable wiring up contoller and video ports, which is why I was hoping could wire up the Sophia to an 8 pin mini din myself and use something more common.

 

However looks like I'll need to find someone with superior soldering skills to me anyway because I discovered my GTIA in my xegs is not socketed, and I'd be terrified to go anywhere near that thing with a soldering iron. Oh well. Haven't popped open the 5200 yet though.

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I have an operational question. It is mentioned that there is an additional color in high rez (Gr. 8.) In fact this is shown in Nir Dary's video demo. My question is how do you get the additional color on the screen? Is it as simple as a POKE, or is it more complicated -- like using some type of DLI? Didn't see this info in the thread, but always possible I missed it...

 

Has anyone been able to compare this to Bryan's UAV adapter?

 

-Larry

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Where do I find directions on installation, jumper settings, and video connector pin-outs?

 

Look at the attachment.

 

My question is how do you get the additional color on the screen? Is it as simple as a POKE, or is it more complicated -- like using some type of DLI?

 

POKE 709,xxx

Sophia_Setings.pdf

Edited by Simius
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