Project: HDMI/DVI out for STFM

Progress on our FPGA cores.
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Icky
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Project: HDMI/DVI out for STFM

Post by Icky »

Great work by @Smonson on TOS select of all three resolution options and coupled with the HDMI / Shifter board to allow a user to use an HDMI cable and switch between all three resolutions with out removing a cable.

TOS changes - https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewt ... =50&t=2563

Video of all three resolution changes. (Screen wobble is due to issue with my boards)

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Icky
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Re: Project: HDMI/DVI out for STFM

Post by Icky »

@exxos and I have been working with @Smonson to help with the HDMI development on the STFM. We have been doing a lot of work behind the scenes but the lockdown has put a delay on some of the progress so we thought we would share where we are now to give you all a sneak preview.

We have come up with a small board (and will most likely shrink further) for the H4 that will provide HDMI out through the monitor port of the case. This is one of the holy grails for an ST setup. The H4 board which is a modern remake of the STFM with lots of fixes and a plug in module to provide HDMI out with rock solid video to use on modern TV's and monitors. Although this is designed specifically for the H4 it will still work in original ST's but the HDMI would need an extension cable and an outlet out of the case.

So we started with @Smonson's work and mashed it with our FPGA Blitter board and looking to provide the HDMI port out where the monitor port is.

@Smonson as you may of seen in this thread has been working on patching TOS for resolution switching. This great work has been a major breakthrough and shows an ST doesn't need to swap cables to change resolutions. In the previous post you can see a video of using @Smonson board to test being able to switch into all three resolutions Low, Medium and High with the HDMi board. This is the ultimate out for video on the STFM.

Mashing up the Blitter FPGA:
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Fitting the board to the H4 monitor port location:
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Seeing how the board would look and if it fits:
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How would the HDMI fit and look in the case monitor port:
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And this is the first board we had made that fits the space. Spot the SEC booster as well in the H4:
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The board with HDMI socket placed to see how it looks:
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Some 3D renders of the board:
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We have several boards at the assembly firm but unfortunately they are still there during the lockdown:
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Our next phase is to test the boards out and once working reduce the design and include audio out through the HDMi as well. The full size Max10 is pretty large so we will look at the smaller form factors to reduce the size of the board.
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Icky
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Re: Project: HDMI/DVI out for STFM

Post by Icky »

I've just realised I haven't named this board yet. Hmmm. Thinking cap on.
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alienkidmj12
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Re: Project: HDMI/DVI out for STFM

Post by alienkidmj12 »

this is awesome news. thanks for all of this people, hdmi is a must nowadays, you've done some great stuff. hopefully ill be able to purchase one for each stfm/ste if the price is right :) early days i guess
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Re: Project: HDMI/DVI out for STFM

Post by mikro »

You guys rock, thank you very much for your time you've been putting into such a great project.
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Re: Project: HDMI/DVI out for STFM

Post by troed »

Stunning!
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philippe.giordan
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Re: Project: HDMI/DVI out for STFM

Post by philippe.giordan »

That’s an awesome project. I hope I’ll be able to order one very soon for one of my 2 Atari STf!
Congratulations on this WIP.
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Icky
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Re: Project: HDMI/DVI out for STFM

Post by Icky »

Whilst building my H4 yesterday I mocked up one of the HDMI boards to show how it looks on the H4. As you can see it sits nicely in the shifter socket for the HDMI connector to poke through the monitor port on the case and will use two screws at the front where the VGA socket mount holes are to provide support. Using this board means you dont need any of the video circuitry underneath on the H4 (see last pic).

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IMG_5027.jpeg
IMG_5027.jpeg (176.53 KiB) Viewed 3933 times
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Smonson
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Re: Project: HDMI/DVI out for STFM

Post by Smonson »

Icky wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 9:20 am Using this board means you dont need any of the video circuitry underneath on the H4 (see last pic).
...or the 32MHz oscillator! :)
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Re: Project: HDMI/DVI out for STFM

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Ooooh, I really need this for my H4 no2!
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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