8051 to DVI interface?
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From: Guy Macon on 11 Feb 2007 00:56 I am working on an 8051-based project that needs a display. Normally I would just use a small character- based LCD display, but in this case I am thinking of going with something a bit more impressive; a standard flat-panel PC monitor. This is a small-volume project with no particular cost, space, environmental or power constraints. The display is mostly static with a few small areas that change infrequently. 640x480 would be acceptable, but 1024x768 would be a lot easier to find monitors for. I am also willing to spring for a fast 100 Mips 8051 if that will help. My first thought was having a counter clock data out of fast RAM into DACS and thus make a VGA signal, with the 8051 updating another bank of RAM and making a fast bank switch during vertical retrace, but then I started thinking about DVI interfaces. Normally a PC throws a lot of fast data at a DVI interface, but would it hold a static picture with a much slower refresh rate? Or could I run RAM fast enough to hit a 60Hz refresh? Another possibility would be some sort of display chip; does anyone know of one suitable for a slow 8-bit micro? Any suggestions about another approach would be welcome. -- Guy Macon <http://www.guymacon.com/>
From: Jim Granville on 11 Feb 2007 01:19 Guy Macon wrote: > I am working on an 8051-based project that needs a > display. Normally I would just use a small character- > based LCD display, but in this case I am thinking of > going with something a bit more impressive; a standard > flat-panel PC monitor. > > This is a small-volume project with no particular cost, > space, environmental or power constraints. The display > is mostly static with a few small areas that change > infrequently. 640x480 would be acceptable, but 1024x768 > would be a lot easier to find monitors for. Most Monitors will scan-convert most VGA resolutions. That's because PCs boot first in 25 line DOS, and then there is 'safe mode' booting..... > I am also willing to spring for a fast 100 Mips 8051 if that will > help. > > My first thought was having a counter clock data out of > fast RAM into DACS and thus make a VGA signal, with the > 8051 updating another bank of RAM and making a fast bank > switch during vertical retrace, but then I started > thinking about DVI interfaces. Normally a PC throws a > lot of fast data at a DVI interface, but would it hold > a static picture with a much slower refresh rate? Or > could I run RAM fast enough to hit a 60Hz refresh? > > Another possibility would be some sort of display chip; > does anyone know of one suitable for a slow 8-bit micro? Not many around for 8 bit uC - volumes are too small for a chip supplier. > > Any suggestions about another approach would be welcome. If you need CHAR only (no pictures), then our Vga-232 modules would suit this very well. see http://www.designtools.co.nz/vga_232.htm This is designed to sit in usage between monochrome CHAR based LCD modules, and full Graphics/Pictures Embedded PC apps. Interface is a superset-variant of the old ANSI escape controls, (Adds Colour and Font/Scale controls), over a simple serial link. -jg
From: Ian Bell on 11 Feb 2007 03:39 Guy Macon wrote: > Another possibility would be some sort of display chip; > does anyone know of one suitable for a slow 8-bit micro? > if they still make it, the Motorola 6845 was the standard video chip in the early days of home computers. Many VGA cards emulated its registers too. Ian
From: Jan Panteltje on 11 Feb 2007 06:40 On a sunny day (Sun, 11 Feb 2007 05:56:03 +0000) it happened Guy Macon <"http://www.guymacon.com/"@example.com> wrote in <9KKdnQkb_NJoMlPY4p2dnA(a)giganews.com>: > >Any suggestions about another approach would be welcome. Use a FPGA, with perhaps a 8051 in HDL, there is even a free 8052 BASIC HDL: http://www.opencores.com/projects.cgi/web/t51/overview I have not tried this particular HLD. There are more suitable processor cores perhaps, depends on what you want to do, and what tools you have. Expect learning curve for FPGA.
From: larwe on 11 Feb 2007 08:41
On Feb 11, 6:40 am, Jan Panteltje > Expect learning curve for FPGA. Wow, what an understatement. It took me over a month of playing with the ML403 just to get to the stage where I knew where to look for [xyz]. FPGA tools are unique, quirky and really take some serious experience to use properly. |