Looking at the Processing code, It occured to me, that it would be great if I could get the PiDP8 to output on a real x-y display (A Tek 604).
So, after spending a weekend with optimization and ring buffers, I believe that I have all of the "flashiness" out of my software that can be done (with a reasonable effort). I had some crazy ideas about repeating points if the ring buffer became empty starting with the newest ones and working backwards. The phosphor on most of these general-purpose X-Y displays is by design not of high persistence. So, this may be a good as it gets on "real" hardware. I've convinced myself that the hardware/firmware can handle a significantly higher data rate. I even spent a little more for a premium D/A converter with a very fast settling time. I may explore this with other software written for it (not necessarily from a PDP8 emulation - all it knows is TCP/IP packets with a 0,0, 16-bit positive int, 16-bit positive int structure).
The ESP8266 is amazing; the way I did the firmware, it boots as a wireless access point named "VC8E-AP" with a login of PDP8; After you connect to that from any ip address (which all routes to the setup screen), you are presented with a screen to enter your credentials for your network (I'm finishing up putting in the IP address and port # of the PDP8 that defaults, of course, to 2222). Once you do that, it's stored in flash and unless you fail to connect in the future or force it to change by holding down the THRUST button on the "wedge" ship control upon boot-up in order to get to the access point screen, you won't see the setup screen again.
From that point, it connects to the wireless network, grabs the Spacewar data from the PiDP8 and puts it on the screen.
Holding down the PHOTON button on the wedge control upon boot-up gives you a square alignment pattern (1024/1024) to size/align your scope or x-y display to the "playing field".
Pics or it didn't happen: so, a pic is attached. I am trying to figure out how to make a video for YouTube.
I'm a fairly old guy and the thought that this was done basically with the silicon costing <15.00 and powered by a USB wall-wart is hard for me to believe. Although the 21st century has generally sucked, the ESP8266 has to be one of it's high points :).
One thing that I'm not certain of with the code and VC8E; it seems to have 10 bits of resolution (=1024x1024) but the code doesn't seem to produce any odd numbered x-y points, leading me to believe that it really has only 512 distinct levels. Of course, the reality is that even my fairly good screen realistically can only "resolve", if lucky, 512 and more likely 256. in my alignment code, I skip by 4 dots on the lines and I can barely make them out individually.
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So, here attached is my attempt at documentation on this project. Be aware that the design and code is working, but the code is not not finished to my satisfaction, hence, it is version 0.5. This is my first attempt ever to publish this sort of thing. There were other firsts, like, the first time I've used a schematic CAD program to do a schematic (they usually wind up existing in my head or drawn on paper).
On Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 8:29:48 AM UTC-4, slob wrote:
Yes, I intend to do this after I document it and clean up the code. The schematic is very simple and I'm looking for the best way to present it. This will probably be in a week or so.
One embellishment I 'd like to try in the future is using serial/USB connectivity instead of wireless, selected on the setup web page
On Monday, June 20, 2016 at 7:22:54 AM UTC-4, Obsolescence wrote:
Steve,That is fantastic! Will you publish the schematics and code? I'd love to replicate it.You are right, the PDP-8 spacewar code does 512x512 pixels. The source code of the program can be recompiled comfortably with the cross-compiler so it is worth looking in to.Now I need to repair my old Tek CRT scope. My new LCD-screen scope will not deliver enough fun for this.Kind regards,Oscar.
On 20 June 2016 at 07:39, slob <560...@gmail.com> wrote:
So, after spending a weekend with optimization and ring buffers, I believe that I have all of the "flashiness" out of my software that can be done (with a reasonable effort). I had some crazy ideas about repeating points if the ring buffer became empty starting with the newest ones and working backwards. The phosphor on most of these general-purpose X-Y displays is by design not of high persistence. So, this may be a good as it gets on "real" hardware. I've convinced myself that the hardware/firmware can handle a significantly higher data rate. I even spent a little more for a premium D/A converter with a very fast settling time. I may explore this with other software written for it (not necessarily from a PDP8 emulation - all it knows is TCP/IP packets with a 0,0, 16-bit positive int, 16-bit positive int structure).
The ESP8266 is amazing; the way I did the firmware, it boots as a wireless access point named "VC8E-AP" with a login of PDP8; After you connect to that from any ip address (which all routes to the setup screen), you are presented with a screen to enter your credentials for your network (I'm finishing up putting in the IP address and port # of the PDP8 that defaults, of course, to 2222). Once you do that, it's stored in flash and unless you fail to connect in the future or force it to change by holding down the THRUST button on the "wedge" ship control upon boot-up in order to get to the access point screen, you won't see the setup screen again.
From that point, it connects to the wireless network, grabs the Spacewar data from the PiDP8 and puts it on the screen.
Holding down the PHOTON button on the wedge control upon boot-up gives you a square alignment pattern (1024/1024) to size/align your scope or x-y display to the "playing field".
Pics or it didn't happen: so, a pic is attached. I am trying to figure out how to make a video for YouTube.
I'm a fairly old guy and the thought that this was done basically with the silicon costing <15.00 and powered by a USB wall-wart is hard for me to believe. Although the 21st century has generally sucked, the ESP8266 has to be one of it's high points :).
One thing that I'm not certain of with the code and VC8E; it seems to have 10 bits of resolution (=1024x1024) but the code doesn't seem to produce any odd numbered x-y points, leading me to believe that it really has only 512 distinct levels. Of course, the reality is that even my fairly good screen realistically can only "resolve", if lucky, 512 and more likely 256. in my alignment code, I skip by 4 dots on the lines and I can barely make them out individually.
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I've been wondering if this is considered "illegitimate" because it isn't like the original hardware in design or in execution.
https://www.waveshare.com/high-precision-ad-da-board.htm
It uses the TI ADS1256. I have a design for a similar board using the ADS1258 (4 times faster) but that board does not have a DAC.
Incidentally these ADCs are a 4th order delta-sigma type - 24-bit resolution and they go like stink. Amazing what you can get for $10 these days :-)