Gameduino

Chuckt · **Joined:** Sun Mar 28, 2010 1:36 pm **Posts:** 685

This is a shield (daughterboard) for those who already own an Arduino. You might want to watch the video:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/208 ... me-adapter

Quote:

•video output is 400x300 pixels in 512 colors
•all color processed internally at 15-bit precision
•compatible with any standard VGA monitor (800x600 @ 72Hz)
•background graphics
◦512x512 pixel character background
◦256 characters, each with independent 4 color palette
◦pixel-smooth X-Y wraparound scroll
•foreground graphics
◦each sprite is 16x16 pixels with per-pixel transparency
◦each sprite can use 256, 16 or 4 colors
◦four-way rotate and flip
◦96 sprites per scan-line, 1536 texels per line
◦pixel-perfect sprite collision detection
•audio output is a stereo 12-bit frequency synthesizer
•16 independent voices 10-4000 Hz
•per-voice sine wave or white noise

http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/02/28/ga ... or-gamers/

http://dangerousprototypes.com/2011/02/ ... ntrollers/

brad · **Joined:** Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:30 pm **Posts:** 1863

This post is so cool for many reasons!
:arrow:

I like old school games
:arrow:

I like electronics
:arrow:

I like programming
:arrow:

I have just been made aware of a cool site that gets your projects off the ground by people pledging to back it up.

Thanks for the post!

Chuckt · **Joined:** Sun Mar 28, 2010 1:36 pm **Posts:** 685

The Gameduino looks more powerful than the NES. Did anyone notice all the sprites in the video? I don't want to mislead anyone but the gameduino doesn't have a processing option for the arduino but the maker says it is doable in the comment section.

I actually ordered an Arduino at the beginning of this week. I would like to get the Gameduino but I'll see how this month goes....

I found a more powerful FPGA that the Gameduino is based on but I've never programmed FPGA before.

One of my relatives has warmed up to the idea of microcontrollers and wants to see me actually do something. I'm waiting for it to get a little warmer so I can solder outside in the fresh clean air.

brad · **Joined:** Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:30 pm **Posts:** 1863

Would you be able to post a few comments about programming with an arduino when you have experimented with it?

Chuckt · **Joined:** Sun Mar 28, 2010 1:36 pm **Posts:** 685

brad wrote:

Would you be able to post a few comments about programming with an arduino when you have experimented with it?

I wouldn't mind when I get the time but I'm only going to flash an LED and I might try it with an Attiny because I wanted something small for the Pinewood derby.

The Arduino came yesterday in a small padded envelope. It reminds me of those crayons they give kids in restaurants. We would go to a restaurant and they would give us four crayons in a box. The Arduino came in a box with a seal and it is only slightly larger than that. The box isn't even 3/4ths of an inch tall. It is 3 inches by 2 and 1/4 inches.

brad · **Joined:** Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:30 pm **Posts:** 1863

Flashing an LED is where my microcontroller adventures began!

bitfogav · **Posted:** Sun Mar 06, 2011 1:24 am

Thats a cool (daughter) board for the Arduino. The Arduino board was one of the first Dev boards I got but I only got to flash a LED on it and then it ended up at the back of my shelf hehe!. I really like that asteroid game

brad · **Joined:** Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:30 pm **Posts:** 1863

What is the IDE like to work with? I have heard it easier than usigs pics

Chuckt · **Joined:** Sun Mar 28, 2010 1:36 pm **Posts:** 685

What resolution should I upload pictures in if and when I should get a chance to give people a view?

640X480, 1024x768, 2048X1536, 2592x1944, 3264x2448, 4000x3000 or 3968x2232

brad · **Joined:** Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:30 pm **Posts:** 1863

640 x 480 is perfect

Chuckt · **Joined:** Sun Mar 28, 2010 1:36 pm **Posts:** 685

http://www.xess.com/prods/prod048.php

This is an FPGA that is like the one in the Gameduino but may be the same one or more powerful. Notice it has a PIC 18F14K50 in it. The cost of the unit is $69 which raises the cost of what people can pay.

I have a lot to learn to get from here to there.

brad · **Joined:** Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:30 pm **Posts:** 1863

Apparantly FPGA's have quite a few advantages over microcontrollers. I.E. they are much more powerful, but I haven't had anything to do with them.

Chuckt · **Joined:** Sun Mar 28, 2010 1:36 pm **Posts:** 685

What should I do? I don't know anything about VDHL but I know how to program and I'm willing to learn. Should I get the Gameduino with the GPL license so I can basically have a video chip or should I get the bare FPGA and create my own from scratch? I would basically be trying to create something better than someone who programmed for expert companies and some of the code may be written in Forth.

What I want it for is a GPU for a hobby computer. There are seven days left to decide.

brad · **Joined:** Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:30 pm **Posts:** 1863

One thing I do know is that you are in for quite a challenge!

The easier option is to go with the pre-made version. As you say, these guys are experts.

However, it would be extremely rewarding for you to do it all yourself from scratch.

Chuckt · **Joined:** Sun Mar 28, 2010 1:36 pm **Posts:** 685

I found a Gameduino emulator for the PC.

Get the source at http://code.google.com/p/gdemu/

Gameduino

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