TG68 - The Open Source Minimig CPU into the FPGA

[xmag32]

Hi Henry,

the board is essentially the same as the Cyclone III Starter Kit. Altera boards got a quasi standard connector for daughter boards(HSMC). The daughter board includes the colour lcd and all the legacy ports, so you won't get around it, if you want to have the minimig running. I think it would be cool to have the minimig running on the colour lcd :-) The board is quite small. I've one in the office, but unfortunately without the daughterboard.

EDIT:
I just found out that Terasic has designed the daughter board for the starter kit. You can find it on the
terasic home page as "Nios II Embedded Evaluation Kit - Upgrade Package"

Cheers, xmag

[weirdami]

I don't really know what all the big technical words and numbers mean, but it's still exciting to see everyone getting excited about something. It's like a revitalization of the community type deal. Go home brew go! :hammer:  :banana:

[TobiFlex]

xmag32 wrote"
I think it would be cool to have the minimig running on the colour lcd

Yes it would be cool. But you cant here build a Joystick adapter an you need also the patch for the PS2 Conntector to use Keyboard and mice simultanos.

I think the best choose is the DE1 Board and this LCD Screen:
Terasic LCD Screen
or an other.

But I have no plans to do this next time.

[xmag32]

Hi Tobiflex,

don't you think it might be possible to just misuse the rs232
connector for the amiga joystick. I dont'know how many pins of the connector are wired to the fpga.

Cheers, xmag

[Belial6]

That would be particularly cool if the touch screen could be connected as the mouse.  Then all we would need is a clamshell case with a keyboard in the bottom half and a battery.

This would give us a very small MiniMig laptop.  Although I'll be happy enough when I get a DE-1 here to play with.

[TobiFlex]

xmag32 wrote:
don't you think it might be possible to just misuse the rs232 connector for the amiga joystick. I dont'know how many pins of the connector are wired to the fpga.

No chance!
There is no direkt connection between rs232 connector and the FPGA. The rs232 ist connected to a Level Shifter. Remeber the rs232 signals are +/- 12V.
 

[xmag32]

hm,

yeah you're right, I just took a view at the specs of the daughter board. I'm not sure to which pin's could be reused for the joystick. Where did you connect pin2/6 of the ps2 connector on the DE2? And are there any spare pin headers on the board. On the Cyclone III starter kit, one could use the pushbuttons as joystick replacement, but there are only four of them. So we're still missing the fire button.

EDIT: ok, took a look at the de2-specs, there are many spare pins. So that's definitly a plus for this board :-)

Cheers, xmag

[TobiFlex]

xmag32 wrote:
Where did you connect pin2/6 of the ps2 connector on the DE2? And are there any spare pin headers on the board.

Now I have finish the doku for the MICE/JOYSTICK Adapter for the DE1 and DE2 Board.


EDIT:
Please wait for a new Schematic. Please check the Mice connector.

[MiniMorph]

Great Work TobiFlex!

My 5 Altera DE1 boards arrived today

So I can try it when I get home!

[freqmax]

Slightly OT: But does anyone happen to sit on a few Hirose FX2 receptables? (FX2 100S 1.27DS)

[MiniMorph]

I have my DE1 board doing something now!

Thanks Tobiflex and Dennis.

I have a big problem now.

I have never used an Amiga before  :-?

I still have 4 boards fresh in their box.

[FrenchShark]

TobiFlex wrote:

xmag32 wrote:
don't you think it might be possible to just misuse the rs232 connector for the amiga joystick. I dont'know how many pins of the connector are wired to the fpga.

No chance!
There is no direkt connection between rs232 connector and the FPGA. The rs232 ist connected to a Level Shifter. Remeber the rs232 signals are +/- 12V.
 

IMHO, the best way to connect the mouse/keyboard/joystick is to use an external microcontroller like an SX chip to mux all the I/O signals into one serial link through the PS2 connector.

[HenryCase]

@MiniMorph

That's a great picture, great to see the device working. Looks like you're almost as untidy as me too! ;-)

I am tempted to buy one of those DE1s off you. Just got two questions:
1. How much are you selling for (I'm in the UK too by the way)?
2. How full is the FPGA when running TobiFlex's Minimig implementation?

Thanks in advance.

[MiniMorph]

According to Tobiflex on this very thread the DE1 is 73% full with the MiniMig in it.

When the RTL is released I will find out for myself.

I will need the RTL to get it working with my Minimorph Boot Loader. The code will not be ready for a month or two however so there is no rush.

I am not quite sure how much the DE1 boards have cost me yet. I will try and get round to working it out. I have also got the mouse/ keyboard splitter cables on order I should have them by the end of the week.

I have an MSX core on my PC for the DE1 too (Not mine you understand). A certain guy from Australia claims to have quite a few cores for the DE1.

I have MikeJ's VIC20 running on one of my Xilinx boards so a port to the DE1 is on the cards. I will have to search out a C64 too.

All the best.

[TobiFlex]

MiniMorph wrote:
When the RTL is released I will find out for myself.

DE1 and DE2 Minimig complete Source Code is available now.
Look here:
minimigtg68 group

Viele Grüße
TobiFlex

[webmany]

So, could you use the Nios II Embedded Evaluation Kit, or is it best to stick with the DE1 or 2?