DE1 Woes

[enliteneer]

I synthesized the PACEdev Pacman and was pleasantly surprised that it runs completely in the fpga without using the flash! (Using the flash isn't too big of a deal, but it requires an extra step.. programming a nios sof file, and then use the nios ide to to flash the bin)

I do have an issue, however, not only with pacman, but seemingly with all the ports (dkong, space invadors, galaxian, etc) is that the sound doesn't work, yet the video and game plays fine!

According to, http://pacedev.net/forums/showthread.php?t=12 , the de1 sound should work on some of the games.. and it worked for me when I run the Katsumi Degawa's pacman port for example, so I'm guessing it's something I'm not setting up right with PaceDev.

The other clue is that other games listed as working for de1, don't compile at all for me (frogger complains of CLK0_FREQ_MHZ), Asteroid complains of PROJECT_IO_t undefined, etc) Since some games work, I'm at a loss what could be the problem! Any ideas?

[tcdev]

Sorry for the delay in responding, I haven't had much time to devote to PACEDEV lately, and my password expired and I hadn't gotten around to getting a new one... :o

DE1 sound should definitely work on platforms such as Pacman, Space Invaders etc. Can you list which ones aren't working for you, specifically!?!

The repository is constantly in a state of flux. That is probably why Asteroids isn't working atm. I need to kick into gear and get all the existing projects up-to-date.

[tcdev]

I've just started to re-build all the DE1 projects, fixing them (at least, making them build) as I go. However, I've just run into 2 snags - (1) I can't update the PACEDEV SVN repository atm and (2) I've just lost connection to my Quartus license server, so I can't even build.

So things will have to wait a little longer. FWIW I "fixed" the Apple II/II+, Centipede and Colecovision projects. Only the latter appears to actually run correctly atm. Note that the former 3 are still WIP projects.

You should also check the platform/target matrix thread for DE1 compatibility. In some cases there are DE1 project files but the project is not currently supported on the DE1. I was in the middle of devising a scheme that made this more obvious when you attempt to compile such a project, but now this will have to wait until I get connectivity back. :(

[tcdev]

I've checked a few of the DE1 "fixes" back into the repository.

More as I get to it...

[tcdev]

I've almost finished getting all the DE1 projects to builds again. Note I said "build" and not "run"! ;) Only a couple to go.

I've added a mechanism that makes it more obvious that certain platform/target combinations aren't supported - namely a VHDL REPORT(FAILURE) that says exactly that - in case you "forget" to check the platform/target matrix sticky thread on the forums! :rolleyes:

[tcdev]

The last few DE1 projects have been "fixed". Every platform that is supported on the DE1 should now at least build.

Now to get to making things run properly again... :o

[enliteneer]

thanks, I downloaded the updated pace files..

I just programmed pacman on the de1, but I have the same issue as before, the video works fine but there's no sound. I synthesized and ran it without making any changes to the files, but perhaps sound is not enabled by default?

I would suspect the sound ic on my de1 board might have died, but programming the .sof from Katsumi Degawa's pacman port, everything works fine (albeit the video is in landscape mode!)

Could it be different rev's of the de1? Or if it's a synthesis issue, perhaps someone could upload a known sound working pacedev de1 pacman .sof file to test?

[tcdev]

I'll try it again tonight on my DE1, and email you a SOF it it works.
Could be an issue with the sound init module?!?

[tcdev]

Ok, this one was easy - the sound won't fit on DE1's FPGA. :(

[enliteneer]

Thanks for the info... bummer that it doesn't fit.

I just tried it.. removed the sound.vhd stub, and added src/platform/pacman/sound.vhd and src/platform/pacsnd.vhd, and sure enough, it doesn't fit :(

Assuming we could get just the rom to fit somehow, perhaps by removing interface logic to the WM8731 codec ic, and drive the sound directly via 2 gpios (1 bit pwm for left, and right)? audio_o.xdata(15)?

Cheers

[tcdev]

IIRC, it runs out of memory, rather than logic?!? So I don't think that will help. :(

You can modify it to run the game roms out of flash, that should work...

[enliteneer]

Yep that works fine... I first converted the sound hex file (s-rec) to a binary file and flashed it. The pace.vhd/sound.vhd needed to be modified to provide access to the flash (not the altera ram block), but it works great!

[tcdev]

Yep that works fine... I first converted the sound hex file (s-rec) to a binary file and flashed it. The pace.vhd/sound.vhd needed to be modified to provide access to the flash (not the altera ram block), but it works great!
Nice! I was talking about running the game roms from flash (or SRAM) but what you did is an option too!

BTW, sorry to nitpick, but the files are Intel HEX format, not S-REC. :D