DE1 Coco3FPGA

[tcdev]

This now builds without error. However, I can't test it atm because I don't have a spare VGA monitor. I'll endeavour to test it tomorrow.

[aaronwolfe]

Originally Posted by tcdev

This now builds without error. However, I can't test it atm because I don't have a spare VGA monitor. I'll endeavour to test it tomorrow.

When I try to build, I get the following errors:

Error: Node instance "GLBCPU09" instantiates undefined entity "CPU09"
Error: Node instance "coco_keyboard" instantiates undefined entity "COCOKEY"
Error: Node instance "COM1" instantiates undefined entity "glb6850"
Error: Node instance "COM2" instantiates undefined entity "glb6551"

Any ideas? I might just be doing something wrong. I just did a new checkout from svn and loaded the coco3-becker.qpf in Quartus, hit build.

[tcdev]

You need to unzip the COCO3FPGA_V1.1.zip file into a directory named "unzip" in the same directory as the zip file (i.e. src/platform/coco3-becker/unzip)

[aaronwolfe]

yes, that makes a big difference it now builds with some warning but successfully.

sending it to the board results in the dACE display on the 7 segment and night rider lights, but little else. again I may just be doing something wrong, will consult docs more and wait till you have time to test.

thanks again.

[boisy]

Originally Posted by aaronwolfe

yes, that makes a big difference it now builds with some warning but successfully.

sending it to the board results in the dACE display on the 7 segment and night rider lights, but little else. again I may just be doing something wrong, will consult docs more and wait till you have time to test.

thanks again.

Aaron, good news. I emailed Mark and he thinks its a simple issue to fix and will get to it soon. I'm anxious to try it out on my DE1. Thanks again Mark for your efforts.

[tcdev]

Hmmm.... seems I have given people a bit of a bum-steer....

I could've sworn I had it running on the DE1, but now I see I've only ever had it running on the DE2 and P2/A (custom) hardware. These boards have an EP2C35 on them, with more RAM. The Coco3FPGA as-is doesn't fit on the DE1's EP2C20.

However, it should be a relatively simple matter to move the ROM images into the DE1 flash memory. I'll get right onto it. I've already fixed one problem, which was causing it to build in a matter of a few minutes - a sure sign something isn't right.

Stay tuned!

[tcdev]

I've just finished modifying the project for external ROMs in flash, and it builds OK. Only ~50% logic utilisation...

Trouble is, I'm at home and my DE1 is at work. So I can't test until tomorrow morning...

[boisy]

Originally Posted by tcdev

I've just finished modifying the project for external ROMs in flash, and it builds OK. Only ~50% logic utilisation...

Trouble is, I'm at home and my DE1 is at work. So I can't test until tomorrow morning...

This is the 32K CoCo 3 ROM correct? I was reading through Gary's document and it appears that he includes logic for the MPI, ORC-90, and several game ROMs. I presume those are part of the 50% utilization?

Anxious to try this out here on my DE1. Please let us know the results of your tests and when you have updated the svn repository. Thanks.

[tcdev]

Yes, you need to move the various BASIC and ROM-PAK roms out of the FPGA on-chip memory and into the flash on the DE1. It's a little messy because Gary has a separate ENA for each 2KB block, and because I'm fixing it in a rush I've simply exported those signals and then re-encoded them into high-order address lines on the flash.

Sorry to say, the 1st pass doesn't quite work. But at least now I get some video output. I'm not entirely surprised - it has all been a quick hack job spread over a series of free 5-minutes slots whilst waiting for the wife, cooking dinner, etc. Not conducive to error-free FPGA design I'm afraid.

I *will* find time very soon to sit down and get it going, and to do a nicer job of it. I'm torn between absolutely minimising the changes required from Gary's original file (in order to better accommodate his future updates), and moving the rom files outside Gary's main coco3fpga.v file. There it's much cleaner to implement build-time options of using external flash on smaller FPGAs, and for still using on-chip RAM and simply instantiating them at a higher level in the design.

FWIW once the roms are in flash, it might then be viable to add an option for programming the flash with a series of rompak images, selectable by the DE1 switches, as an extension to the MPI implementation.

I'd like to say I'll get it done at lunchtime, but I'm on a very short day today as I'm going up the coast this afternoon for the night. I will almost certainly get the time to do it tomorrow night though - the wife is out with the girls.

Sorry for the delay, I know what it's like to have a new toy and not be able to use it. Perhaps you should grab the official Minimig .SOF, load up an SD card with some cool Amiga games, and have a play with that until the Coco is ready? Now *that* is an impressive effort!!!

[tcdev]

Originally Posted by tcdev

I will almost certainly get the time to do it tomorrow night though - the wife is out with the girls.

On again, off again, on again - the result - I left the ^%$ #@ DE1 at work and, with no car, couldn't go in and pick it up.

At least I actually got time to play the PS3... Ridge Racer 7 demo - nice!!!