How to support the TFT LCD in Nios II

[Altera_Forum]

Sir, 

Plese help!  I want to use the framebuffer to support a TFT lcd.The Lcd driver chip is Epson's s1d13506tm.  First,How to cofigure the linux kernel v2.6(Microtronix Nios® II Linux® Distribution v1.1) to support the framebuffer?  Then How to add my Lcd drive to the kernel?    Thanks,  Tony Zhu  ChongQing,China

[Altera_Forum]

Hey, 

 My guess is that you will probably need to change the linux system design that Microtronix provides in order to interface with custom hardware. Unfortunately they do not provide a source for the design, only a compiled version. Then you will probably need to write a linux framebuffer driver to support that hardware. When I researched the topic of writing linux video drivers I found very little useful information. This site might be useful: http://www.linuxforum.net/docnew/printthre...n=705&type=post (http://www.linuxforum.net/docnew/printthread.php?cat=&board=new&main=705&type=post)  And then you will need to recompile some small variant of X in order to get graphics. http://www.microwindows.org/ (http://www.microwindows.org/) might be a good choice.  Adding a video display was and idea I had in mind too, and it probably wouldn't bee too hard to implement some sort of a vga driver in the fpga and write a driver for it then use a regular pc monitor for display. But really, in most cases an embedded system would not need a video display.   I think adding video support to nios linux will mean a lot of work, but it might be fun.  -Thomas

[Altera_Forum]

tlaskowski, 

 I'm finishing my course at College, and I would like to know if there's a way to plug a VGA display in my Nios board. I'm working with Real Time Image Processing and I need a VGA Display to show the results. So, how can I plug a display? Do I need an expansion board or anything like that? or it's a little bit easier and I can write a C/C++ code and use it? Please help me, I'm a little bit desperate ... Thank you ...

[Altera_Forum]

Hello Berkul, I dont know which type of board your working on, but perhaps you can use the following add-on: 

 http://www.fpga.nl/lancelot.html (http://www.fpga.nl/lancelot.html)  Regards   Goon

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  originally posted by goon@Oct 15 2004, 07:12 AM hello berkul, i dont know which type of board your working on, but perhaps you can use the following add-on:  http://www.fpga.nl/lancelot.html (http://www.fpga.nl/lancelot.html)  regards   goon  --- Quote End ---   Thank you, I appreciate your help, Goon. But the problem is that I don't have resources to build or to buy this kit. I'm using the NIOS II kit from my work. So, I would like to know if there's a way to build something simple, you know, without these add-ons, something very very simple ... The images are in 640x480 ...  Goon, thank you again ...

[Altera_Forum]

hello: 

 Does the Microtronix Linux distribution support the "lancelot" kit so we can connect a monitor to it as a console output?  And the two PS/2 connectors on the Lancelot kit,can we connect a keyboard to it as a input device?  thanks.

[Altera_Forum]

Hallo BerkuL 

 You should have a look, if your college takes part at the altera educational program. Because then, you should have access to an altera UP2 development kit, which altera give away for educational purpose almost for free. This kit comes with a board which is equipped with an low cost VGA port. (look at http://www.altera.com/literature/univ/upds.pdf (http://www.altera.com/literature/univ/upds.pdf) for a brief overview). Also there is the book "Rapid Prototyping of Digital Systems by James O. Hamblen, Michael D. Furman" included in this kit, which handles the topic of vga signal generation in about 20 pages, including vhdl source code.  The book can also be ordered by amazon (search for "0792374398" which is the ISBN number) for about 86$.  This gives you the possibility to include a vga port for a few cents and a couple of LEs.  Hope this helps...

[Altera_Forum]

Or have a look at http://www.xess.com/appnotes/vga.pdf (http://www.xess.com/appnotes/vga.pdf) 

 ....

[Altera_Forum]

Sir, 

Plese help! I want to use the framebuffer to support the lancelot_vga kit.How to cofigure the linux kernel v2.6(Microtronix Nios? II Linux? Distribution v1.1) to support the framebuffer?where to seek the Lcd drive of the lancelot_vga kit?  Then How to add my Lcd drive to the kernel?   Thanks, Guo xinguo Zhuhai,China http://forum.niosforum.com/work2/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  originally posted by berkul@Oct 15 2004, 12:59 PM tlaskowski,  i&#39;m finishing my course at college, and i would like to know if there&#39;s a way to plug a vga display in my nios board. i&#39;m working with real time image processing and i need a vga display to show the results. so, how can i plug a display? do i need an expansion board or anything like that? or it&#39;s a little bit easier and i can write a c/c++ code and use it? please help me, i&#39;m a little bit desperate ... thank you ... <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=2115)  --- quote end ---    --- Quote End ---   I&#39;m in the same case. I can&#39;t use a lancelot daughter board, and i need a IP VGA in order to use a CRT or LCD on the VGA port of my Stratix EP1S10F780C6 I&#39;m Using quartus II. Can someone help me? thanks.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  originally posted by visman+feb 27 2007, 10:44 am--><div class='quotetop'>quote (visman @ feb 27 2007, 10:44 am)</div>  --- quote start ---  <!--quotebegin-berkul@Oct 15 2004, 12:59 PM tlaskowski,  i&#39;m finishing my course at college, and i would like to know if there&#39;s a way to plug a vga display in my nios board. i&#39;m working with real time image processing and i need a vga display to show the results. so, how can i plug a display? do i need an expansion board or anything like that? or it&#39;s a little bit easier and i can write a c/c++ code and use it? please help me, i&#39;m a little bit desperate ... thank you ... <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=2115)  --- quote end ---    --- Quote End ---   I&#39;m in the same case. I can&#39;t use a lancelot daughter board, and i need a IP VGA in order to use a CRT or LCD on the VGA port of my Stratix EP1S10F780C6 I&#39;m Using quartus II. Can someone help me? thanks. <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=21907)</div> [/b]  --- Quote End ---    You can write VGA driver for your LCD in Quartus, then include them in your SOPC system. Connect LCD to your board through proto pins(just check connection between FPGA and dest., do you need voltage level shifter or not). I made so year ago.

[Altera_Forum]

If you need uclinux driver, you may check the framebuffer driver in nios wiki.