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From: christianlott1 on 10 Apr 2008 13:24
i'm attempting to understand how computer video works at the component
level.

not only do i want to understand the why's and how's of the vic2, i'd
like to know how one would go about constructing a random logic
version of the vic or simpler (bare minimum) with modern components.

books, web pages, etc.

are there any (cheap) modern single chips packages that provide
functions similar to the vic or vga (ie character generator and
bitmap)?

it's difficult to find information about such things because "computer
video" is used in a thousand different contexts - and 999 of them have
nothing to do with what i'm asking :(

thanks!


From: Oldbitcollector on 10 Apr 2008 13:36
> are there any (cheap) modern single chips packages that provide
> functions similar to the vic or vga (ie character generator and
> bitmap)?
>
> it's difficult to find information about such things because "computer
> video" is used in a thousand different contexts - and 999 of them have
> nothing to do with what i'm asking :(
>
> thanks!

You might look at the Propeller.
I used it in my "propodore" project.
http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=25&m=235268

OBC
From: sta on 10 Apr 2008 14:39
You need to attend an electronic engineering course at your local
university first. That takes a few years and a few thousand pages
worth of books, not reading a few hundred pages in the your spare time
during the weekend.
From: Richard James on 10 Apr 2008 17:32
On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:24:41 -0700, christianlott1 wrote:

> i'm attempting to understand how computer video works at the component
> level.
>
> not only do i want to understand the why's and how's of the vic2, i'd
> like to know how one would go about constructing a random logic version
> of the vic or simpler (bare minimum) with modern components.
>
> books, web pages, etc.
>
> are there any (cheap) modern single chips packages that provide
> functions similar to the vic or vga (ie character generator and bitmap)?
>
> it's difficult to find information about such things because "computer
> video" is used in a thousand different contexts - and 999 of them have
> nothing to do with what i'm asking :(

One book I would recommend is "Black Art of Video Game Console Design"

You can also buy a console kit that comes with the book enabling you to
build the system described in the book
Game Console Starter Kit
http://www.xgamestation.com/view_product.php?id=32

Note that the system in that book is more simple than a VIC chip it is
more like and Atari 2600 where the processor alters the raster signal
directly. But it should give you a very firm grounding in how that works.

The person behind xgamestation also has other kits that may be of
interest to you.
Hydra which is based on the Propeller chip
MACH64 which is for teaching you how to program CPLD's

They also have sample pages from the books so you can have a look before
you buy.

"Black Art of Video Game Console Design" should also be available second
hand. That is where I first saw it, but I didn't buy it because the shop
wanted $50AUD which is a bit more than Amazon sells it for new.

Richard James
--
sig fail on line -1
From: Oldbitcollector on 10 Apr 2008 21:29

>
> "Black Art of Video Game Console Design" should also be available second
> hand. That is where I first saw it, but I didn't buy it because the shop
> wanted $50AUD which is a bit more than Amazon sells it for new.
>
> Richard James
> --
> sig fail on line -1

If you buy the Hydra, you'll get an Electronic copy of the Black Art
book
on the CD that comes with it.

OBC
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