FPGA as graphics card?

Mutz03 Zockt · Post by **Mutz03 Zockt** » Fri Dec 24, 2021 12:28 am

Hey everyone

i am actively following the X16's developing for now over 2years i beleve, and i am heck of exited to finnaly get my hands on this amazing computer.

when i saw the first videos, i was really exited, but then after one after another problem apeared, wich the Devs have solved with FPGA and microcontrollers, i got a bit upset.

its not like i have much better ideas how to solve these problems, and i have been tinkering around a lot with electronics trying to get a better way of solving these problems.

but David initially said, he does not really like to have FPGAs and AVRs in the Computer, and i agree with that, it is kinda counterintuitive, having a little Microcontroller in yoour computer wich essentially has almost the same performance as the whole computer.

as i already said i dont really know much of solutions, but i would love to gather some smart people, to maybe come together, and try to find ways, to not have to use AVRs, and FPGAs.

i know it is really dreamthinking, and unrealistic, but deam would i love to have a complete hackable, and realistic retro computer.

anyway, i am really happy how it turned out none the less, and maybe, now, when we do not get the cases with the powersupplies, we can maybe also just get rid of the AVR at least.

Regards from switzerland

Toby

BruceMcF · Post by **BruceMcF** » Fri Dec 24, 2021 1:54 am

On 12/23/2021 at 7:28 PM, Mutz03 Zockt said:

... anyway, i am really happy how it turned out none the less, and maybe, now, when we do not get the cases with the powersupplies, we can maybe also just get rid of the AVR at least.

What is the logic there? The fact that all people getting X16p's will be getting their own cases doesn't make it less important to be able to work correctly with a range of power supplies. If anything, it makes it more important.

TomXP411 · Post by **TomXP411** » Fri Dec 24, 2021 1:57 am

One of David's constraints was to use parts currently available and in production. That's simply not realistic today, where even the smallest and cheapest computers use 32-bit GPUs for graphic output.

As far as I know, there are no video chips like the TI or Yamaha 8-bit CRT controllers. So resorting to FPGA or microcontrollers is necessary just to get video output from the system.

TomXP411 · Post by **TomXP411** » Fri Dec 24, 2021 1:59 am

On 12/23/2021 at 5:54 PM, BruceMcF said:

What is the logic there? The fact that all people getting X16p's will be getting their own cases doesn't make it less important to be able to work correctly with a range of power supplies. If anything, it makes it more important.

I think he's expecting to work from a single 5VDC power supply, rather than an ATX supply.

I have to agree... I don't like the idea of using an ATX power supply to just use the 5V rail. I'll go buy a $25 industrial supply, instead.

BruceMcF · Post by **BruceMcF** » Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:00 am

On 12/23/2021 at 8:59 PM, TomXP411 said:

I think he's expecting to work from a single 5VDC power supply, rather than an ATX supply.

I have to agree... I don't like the idea of using an ATX power supply to just use the 5V rail. I'll go buy a $25 industrial supply, instead.

Have they dropped the 12V lines from the expansion slot specification?

I've been too busy working the last two months to follow, but I was not aware that they had dropped down to a single 5VDC power supply.

Mutz03 Zockt · Post by **Mutz03 Zockt** » Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:05 am

On 12/24/2021 at 2:54 AM, BruceMcF said:

What is the logic there? The fact that all people getting X16p's will be getting their own cases doesn't make it less important to be able to work correctly with a range of power supplies. If anything, it makes it more important.

no i was thinking of just putting a 12V puwer plug on there or something

Mutz03 Zockt · Post by **Mutz03 Zockt** » Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:05 am

On 12/24/2021 at 2:59 AM, TomXP411 said:

I think he's expecting to work from a single 5VDC power supply, rather than an ATX supply.

I have to agree... I don't like the idea of using an ATX power supply to just use the 5V rail. I'll go buy a $25 industrial supply, instead.

exactly

TomXP411 · Post by **TomXP411** » Fri Dec 24, 2021 8:49 pm

On 12/23/2021 at 6:00 PM, BruceMcF said:

Have they dropped the 12V lines from the expansion slot specification?

I've been too busy working the last two months to follow, but I was not aware that they had dropped down to a single 5VDC power supply.

So a 12v supply. I believe the board has a single barrel jack which can be used, rather than the ATX jack. That’s my preferred way of doing it, especially after all the nonsense I just went through with my MiSTer. (I spent $100+ replacing the I/O board and SDRAM, and the whole problem was a sagging power adapter.)

Mutz03 Zockt · Post by **Mutz03 Zockt** » Fri Dec 24, 2021 11:23 pm

On 12/24/2021 at 9:49 PM, TomXP411 said:

So a 12v supply. I believe the board has a single barrel jack which can be used, rather than the ATX jack. That’s my preferred way of doing it, especially after all the nonsense I just went through with my MiSTer. (I spent $100+ replacing the I/O board and SDRAM, and the whole problem was a sagging power adapter.)

yes, i agree.

also, we dont need the 3.3V the -12V, the 5V standby and all the other voltages exept of 12V and 5V, so a simple 5V regulator should do it,

so i cant understand the reason why we need a atx power supply

TomXP411 · Post by **TomXP411** » Fri Dec 24, 2021 11:30 pm

On 12/24/2021 at 3:23 PM, Mutz03 Zockt said:

yes, i agree.

also, we dont need the 3.3V the -12V, the 5V standby and all the other voltages exept of 12V and 5V, so a simple 5V regulator should do it,

so i cant understand the reason why we need a atx power supply

That’s to make it easy to use in a desktop ATX case.