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problem while displaying D5M image data on LCD using VIP core

Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hi all, 

I'm trying to use the D5M camera and an LTM LCD touch screen connected to DE4 board using Altera VIP open core. The block diagram of my design is described in the attached picture. In Nios system, the 800x600 D5M RGB pixel data(which is the output of D5M custom IP) is used as the source of Clocked Video In IP core, followed by Frame Buffer which write pixel data into DDR and retrieve them from DDR, Clipper which generate the 800x480 to suite the LCD and then followed by Clocked Video Out, the 800X640 RGB output is directly connect with LCD. 

 

As I don't need any runtime control, none of the IP core is connected with avalon bus, When I downloaded the design onto the board, there are data on the LCD but they are not synchronized at all. My DDR clock is set to 400Mhz and other nios2 components uses 200MHz as system clock. I'm posting my Qsys system and the top module of my design, could any on take a look at it and tell me what could probably the problem be? If my design is wrong, is there any other way to display camera data on the LCD? Could you please give me a hint, I'm already stuck for more than two weeks. Thank you very much
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hello, 

 

I went over some of the parameters in the VIP components but I did not find anything critical. 

I think for the safe side to configure the CVO FIFO to be at least the line length (800). 

 

Did you try the TPG directly to the CVO and see perfect color bar on the LCD? 

 

BR,
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
595 Views

 

--- Quote Start ---  

Hello, 

 

I went over some of the parameters in the VIP components but I did not find anything critical. 

I think for the safe side to configure the CVO FIFO to be at least the line length (800). 

 

Did you try the TPG directly to the CVO and see perfect color bar on the LCD? 

 

BR,  

--- Quote End ---  

 

 

Thank you ra2m ,I've been working all day today but I still couldn't get video displayed on LCD, I tried to add test pattern generator as you suggested and and I got perfect color bar on the LCD, however once I connect the other part of the design I lost the synchronization again. I'm wondering if the problem comes from the DDR because the output of the video custom ip is correct,the output is at 800x600, I also want to ask if the input video frequency should be exactly the same as the output frequency of LCD(33mhz in my case). In my opinion the altera frame buffer ip core will automatically generat the synchronization between two clock domain because I allowed frame dropping and repeating, I tried to decrease the input video frequency and it didn't work out. Is there any other solution for this?
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hello again, 

I think that the next step, to debug the system, is to use the TPG and go step by step backward. 

 

Check what happen if you place a 800x600 TPG before the clipper?  

Then continue to the next step, put it before the frame buffer. This can give you better understanding if the frame buffer is working. 

 

Regarding input clock and output clock:  

If you have Frame buffer with adding and dropping capabilities the clocks do not need to be the same and also there is no need for any relationship between them (in other words – no need for synchronization between them). 

 

Good Luck!
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hi again, I've solved the problem, it's encouraging, I did what you said to test backward step by step, it turns out to be the the video input problem, I got to reset the i2c parameter of the cmos sensor and the problem was fixed. Now I have synchronized image. Thank you so much ra2m for your kind help.

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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
595 Views

Thank you for updating,  

You are welcome.!
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Excuse me to ask your help again, I want to replace the Altera VIP megafunction by using other components as the usage of VIP cores are limited and every component is Avalon streaming interface, honestly I have no contribution to the design. 

 

Can I replace the frame buffer ip by SGDMA and FIFOs? how should I connect them into my system, if I don't use Video clock in, I need to create a video buffer to store the pixel into DDR what should I do now, beside the existing Altera IP core, is there other way I can use to realise the video buffering?
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hello Gladys, 

 

I did not succeed to understand what you would like to do? 

Do you want to draw graphics using the Nios instead of having a video input? If yes, I suggest you to look at the Frame reader user manual. 

 

BR,
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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I mean I want to build the same system with out using any VIP megafunction. the frame buffer IP core is a black box which generates the synchronization automatically,I want to create the same purpose IP which are used to write the image data into DDR and at the same time retrive the data from DDR.

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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
595 Views

Hi, 

 

You need to understand the VIP Video FB functionality in order design it by your self. 

Read the VIP FB user manual. 

My recommendation is that and component you decide to design by your self will interface to the Qsys in order to use the DDR memory easily. 

 

I hope this starting point helps you, 

BR
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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If you're comfortable building IP that interfaces with the DDR controller then it's pretty straightforward to create logic that simply moves data into a buffer and pulls it out. 

 

Using the input video timing you can build a capture window that does the clipping function for you, essentially building a new pixel enable for the resolution that you want. Taking advantage of the dual port RAM build a pair of line buffers using your new capture enable signal to store lines of video. Write the data into one line buffer using the input clock while reading the other line into DDR using your memory clock. You can build the buffers out of inferred RAM. I wouldn't mess with FIFOs. 

 

In the DDR you want to double buffer frames so, just like the line buffer, you write one frame while reading out the previous one. 

 

On the output side you essentially build the same thing only it operates in reverse. You need to build a sync generator to create the output timing you want to drive your panel. The resulting pixel enable is used to read the output side of your line buffers. Make sure the active area of your output timing is in the middle of the overall frame so that the DDR has time to pre-load a line and also that you have blanking at the end so you can frame lock. 

 

Frame locking is achieved by sending the input VSync to the output sync generator to tell it when to start a new frame. Until it sees that reference it just keeps adding blanking lines. This means that a line may be cut in half when the reference VSync finally gets there so hopefully your panel doesn't mind. It probably won't but I've used some panels that are very particular about their input timing so it's just a heads up for you. If your panel doesn't like that then you need to do proper frame rate conversion which adds more complexity to the whole thing.
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hi gladys, 

I am using d5m camera with 800x600 resolution but there something wrong. Can you up the d5m configuration file for me to compare with mine?
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
595 Views

Hi gladys! 

I am working a project: use D5M camera and VGA connected to SocKit Cyclone Evaluation. I look over your block diagram above that likewise to my design.I config D5M with raw 1280x960. After out of "RAW2RGB" block , i have data format 640x480 and follow by Clocked Video output, then RGB 640x480 is directly connect with LCD. 

Result is not good,. I attached image that I capture a lamp, it only has 2 colours: white and black, not RGB???? I am stuck for more than 1 week. Could you give me a hint! 

Thank you so much!
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
595 Views

Hi gladys! 

I am working a project: use D5M camera and VGA connected to SocKit Cyclone Evaluation. I look over your block diagram above that likewise to my design.I config D5M with raw 1280x960. After out of "RAW2RGB" block , i have data format 640x480 and follow by Clocked Video output, then RGB 640x480 is directly connect with LCD. 

Result is not good,. I attached image that I capture a lamp, it only has 2 colours: white and black, not RGB???? I am stuck for more than 1 week. Could you give me a hint! 

Thank you so much!https://www.alteraforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8945 https://www.alteraforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8946
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