Re: Cinematronics CCPU on Xilinx FPGA

Actually, it'd fit comfortably in a dirt cheap Spartan 3e (tiniest one)
with room to spare :-)! I was
thinking about using the left over gates for an embedded CPU to drive a
kick ass menu system
for the CCPU.

I sent Zonn most of my code a while back...I've been trying to find time
to finish this off once and
for all. Quite honestly, if someone can help me with verification, I
think we all can have a nice
VHDL model of the CCPU :-)! I basically have coding finished (I need to
add the vector draw routines),
but I still want to make a solid testbench to verify the hell out of
this thing. A while back I put the Atari 2600
into an FPGA using that Opencores 6502...it's sheer joy to
cycle-for-cycle debug a flaky 6502 core :-)!
I think we can do some neat tricks with Zonn's emulator and a VHDL
simulation though.

One of the smaller Actel parts might be able to fit the CCPU as
well....I can run it thru Synplify in a minute here
to get a gate count...nice thing about them is that they run from a
single 3.3V source if I am not mistaken.
Also, you can do neat tricks like run the XY outputs to a single DAC
with dual outputs. I would need help with
the amplification part (I know there are analog gurus on this list that
can make the "perfect, clean" vector driver :-) ).

My problem is that I have some slave driving boss right now whipping my
poor soul senseless to get some PLDs
done for one of his silly projects + 2 image processing FPGAs on my
plate ;-)! But the PLDs are just killing me....and
the person in charge of them is so mean and vicious + has some sick LCD
fetish ;-) ;-) ;-)!!!!

Ed

PS If people are *really* interested, I will post what I have here on
Vectorlist...I just don't know the protocol
for posting these kinds of things :-)! But I'd LOVE to see this project
completed. It's just two text files of
VHDL source. I don't have a webpage or anything...but I'd prefer to
keep it amongst us vectorheads for the
time being :-)!

Omar Vega wrote:
> Hey Chris,
>
> Just in case you have more time these days than I do, it will synthesize
> into a pretty small part (think spartan II < 100k gates, 50k IIRC). I had a
> nice simulation running (starhawk roms) but mine hangs up after about 130 ms
> or roughly a couple of full frames of drawing vectors (PITA debug). I agree
> that Zonn's simulator is usefull for getting started and so is his
> disassembler.
>
> Omar
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: owner-vectorlist@vectorlist.org
>> [mailto:owner-vectorlist@vectorlist.org] On Behalf Of Chris Leyson
>> Sent: Monday, April 06, 2009 8:32 PM
>> To: vectorlist@vectorlist.org
>> Subject: VECTOR: Cinematronics CCPU on Xilinx FPGA
>>
>> Hi everyone, I'm a new member to Vectorlist and joined
>> because I don't have any vector games.
>>
>> I found a few old scope CRTs recently and thought I'd build a
>> CRT clock, decided it would way too dull and a lot more fun
>> with a few vector games :) After a bit of searching I
>> discovered the Cinematronics 12-bit CPU.
>>
>> Not too difficult to put onto a small fpga I thought, and I
>> could have a CRT clock as well. After a few brief emails to
>> Zonn I got started. So far the CCPU schematics have been
>> turned into VHDL and most of the opcodes have been tested.
>>
>> Zonn, your CCPU simulator was a life saver, without it, I
>> would probably still be debugging the sequencer.
>>
>> Assembly code for testing has all been hand crafted so far,
>> so it's slow going, I still have to test all of the jump and
>> branch instructions. That reminds me, does anyone have a
>> working CCPU assembler or source code ?
>>
>> Next step is turn the VHDL into something that can be
>> synthesized and eventually end up on some silicon :)
>>
>> My thoughts on the CCPU: I like it, it's cute but quirky. A
>> nice design considering how much logic it uses.
>>
>> Well, I must sign off now and put the spacewars roms into
>> block ram, then simulate until it stops somewhere :)
>>
>> Best regards
>>
>> Chris Leyson
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>> chris@westnet.com
>>
>>
>
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Received on Tue Apr 7 00:24:24 2009