Video card for RC 2014

[James Harland]

Hello everyone, 

I'm wondering what video cards there are for the RC-2014, I mean not just serial to monitor cards, but cards which allow real 8 bit video glory. 

In particular, what would I need to be able to play this pacman game on my RC2014 Classic ][?

Thanks,

James

[Dean Netherton]

Hi James,

There are quite a few modules available.  Some based on the tms9918.  Some based on FPGA units.  I am sure others will add to this thread about their solutions 

I have designed 2 myself.  One using the the tang nano 20k FPGA.  And one using the original Yamaha v9958 chips.  The v9958 is like an upgraded version of the tms9918.  

These VDP's were popular in various early 8 bit PC and gaming consoles

See details regarding my design at https://www.dinoboards.com.au/stegosaur/v9958/

My old blog on hackaday details the origin of the modules and what I called my yellow msx series.  That blog is a little out of date... (https://hackaday.io/project/175574-msx-compatible-boards-for-rc2014)

These video modules can be installed in a basic rc2014 system.  There are cpm programs that can load and play some of the msx1 games

U will need an input device also.  Serial input to run Pacman would be a bit ... interesting.

The msx game modules, based on the ay-3-8910/ym2149 can provide joystick/gamepad inputs

Or U can do as I have done.  And convert your rc2014 into a fully msx compatible system.  See the modules on my site linked above

Cheers

Dean

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[Matt Callow]

Looking at the source code you linked, I think this works on a serial terminal. It does not use a video card.

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[Dean Netherton]

Hi Martin,

Good point, I had not looked at the Pacman link James had linked to. And yep that a serial ASCII implementation.  Not used it myself

Nonetheless, if the goal is for pure video out, rather than serial, and the ability to run other 8 bit era games, then graphic and controller modules would be needed.  Depends on what's wanted.

As I run my system in full msx mode, I just load msx cartridge games or disk games

There are the little rom game loader apps written by others (JB Langston and I think also Les Bird)  Haven't personal used those in quite some time.  Assume they would work fine, for setups not wanting to go full msx

Dean

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[James Harland]

Hi Matt and Dean,

Thanks for pointing out it can run over the serial terminal - that's great news! 

I am interested in the MSX compatible system, I'll definitely look into that. Though it sounds like I'm some way away, as I don't have a CP/M machine yet, or any kind of joystick interface.

I'll be back in the UK over the summer, so I'm hoping to pick up parts that can't be as easily sent over to Kazakhstan as the core RC2014 stuff can, so I'll definitely look into the links you shared Dean, thanks!

Cheers,

James

[Jon Jones]

There's also the TMSEMU3:

https://www.tindie.com/products/shieladixon/tmsemu3-graphics-card-designed-for-rc2014/

[James Harland]

Thanks Jon. Is that for graphics, or just for text?

Fwiw, I got pacman working, and snake too. I'm glad I asked here as I would have assumed I'd need graphics.