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Re: [oc] Media Chip for 8bit/CRTC
Reduces costs of actual 8bit dev
Actual 8bit new computers don't use actuals gfx accelerators : they are not
pc
>From: Niclas Hedhman <niclas@internuscorp.com>
>Reply-To: cores@opencores.org
>To: cores@opencores.org
>Subject: Re: [oc] Media Chip for 8bit/CRTC
>Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 13:19:46 +0800
>
>
>The one and only question; WHY?
>
>What's wrong with today's graphics accelerators?
>
>Niclas
>
>On Thursday 06 March 2003 07:39, Damien Légiéda wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > If you look at the old 8 bit computers (MSX, Commodore etc) and at new 8
> > bit computers (CommodoreOne, Sprinter...), they use classic CRTC6845.
> >
> > My aim is to build, via an FPGA, a chip that gives to computer using
>this
> > CRTC6845 somes new exciting and originals features. This FPGA will
>include
> > too an expansed version of the old AY sound chip.
> >
> > I search actually people interrested to help me in the development of
>this
> > FPGA. If you're interrested and if you have knowledge about FPGA and
>VHDL,
> > please contact me as soon as possible.
> >
> > The features of my FPGA :
> >
> > A) Soft scroll facility : A memory mapped soft scroll control register
> > (SSCR) allows scrolling of the screen by pixels rather than just by
> > characters as at present with stand alone CRTC. It is cleared at reset.
> > This soft scrolling mechanism affects the whole of the main screen,
> > regardless of the split screen facility, but it does not affect sprites.
> >
> > B) Split Screen facility : Three memory mapped registers provide a
> > horizontally split screen facility. One defines the scan line after
>which
> > the screen split occurs. A value of zero (as at power on reset) will
>turn
> > this feature off.
> > Must i think about the possibility of vertical split screen too ?
> >
> > C) Hardware Rupture Pointer
> > A pointer shows bytes corresponding to the next pixel to be displayed.
>We
> > can change this pointer in real time, increment of disincrement it or
> > change the adress. With this trick it’s possible to do hardware zoom and
> > have differerents videos modes. For those who don’t know what is a
> > “rupture” : imagine you have 2 pictures in your video RAM. You decide to
> > display only the first 100 lines of the picture 1 and after the first
>100
> > lines of the picture 2. After you can scroll up and down one image line
>per
> > line.
> >
> > E) resolution and colors selection
> >
> > F) Classic AY with 3 voices, sound generator etc.
> >
> > G) Advanced part of the AY : 8 ADCPM voice for 3D space perception.
> >
> > H) An unit able to draw simples textures by using a fractal algorithm.
> > My idea is to have in hardware a generator of textures using fractals
> > curves. This kind of process take a lot of CPU time but perhaps if
> > everything is implemented directly in hardware, it's possible to do it.
> > What is interresting with this trick is the possibily to reduce or
>increase
> > the size of the texture without a loss of quality. In the same time, you
> > don't need a compression/uncompression algorithm.
> >
> > The aim with fractals textures is to economise the RAM when we build a
>not
> > very complex texture. Indeed in a racing game for example, one does not
> > need to make 3 hours of Photoshop to make a texture of the track. All
>these
> > textures simple and not really interesting can be generated
>automatically.
> > Moreover, if the video coprocessor is well made, apply this kind of
>texture
> > will be faster than apply "a true" texture (not RAM access in reading):
>One
> > holds the power for the
> > interesting things.
> >
> > If the graphic designer wants to play with fractals textures, it is
> > necessary that it can parameterize them to obtain some interestings
> > results. Only the parameters of textures would be stored. That would
>give
> > for example "the texture which I want has a granularity of 50, the
>random
> > numbers are generated using the starting value 89, the palette used is a
> > range of green towards the black, RGB color #0 is transparent, the
>points
> > at the ends of my triangle are 50,89 and 665.". With these parameters
>the
> > video processor generates complete texture. The aim is to offer the
>maximum
> > of parameters with which the graphic designer can play.
> >
> > I think with this kind of system it's possible to draw simple texture
>like
> > wood, skin, fur etc.
> >
> > Is there here interrested people ?
> >
> > Dam'
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
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>
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