Youtube Channel worth its weight in salt.

[steamedhams]

Youtube Channel worth its weight in salt.

Good intro into FPGAs and Digital Design

[rstofer]

This could be an interesting project.  At the moment, I have watched only the first video in the series.

The author's choice of System Verilog instead of my preferred VHDL is a two edged thing.  First, I don't know anything about Verilog or System Verilog but, second, I might as well learn System Verilog because there is a lot of interest in the language.

The design choice to use microcode is interesting.  I like microcode and I go back a long way with that approach although lately I have just been using a gigantic FSM.  I look forward to seeing how this works out!  Remember, IBM invented the 8" floppy to contain the microcode for the System 360.  We've come a long way but it's good to look back and see just how far.

I think I'll follow along with this project and see how it works out.

https://www.computerhistory.org/storageengine/floppy-disk-loads-mainframe-computer-data/


ETA:  Working through the playlist, I don't see episode 7 and onward.  As of episode 6, a lot of the hardware is working but it is far from a complete project.

[asmi]

ETA:  Working through the playlist, I don't see episode 7 and onward.  As of episode 6, a lot of the hardware is working but it is far from a complete project.

Episode 7 was released out just few days ago, so this is an ongoing series by the looks of it. Patience

[dietert1]

Now that we have zynq and ultrascale technology, implementing a microcontroller is an academic exercise, yet a lot to learn.
I remember implementing a simple DSP for digital audio many years ago. It was fun. I remember using XILINX IP to insert a logic analyzer into the FPGA design. That helped a lot. Later i read there were HP scopes that could show the trace memory on screen. Don't remember the details though.

Regards, Dieter

[rstofer]

ETA:  Working through the playlist, I don't see episode 7 and onward.  As of episode 6, a lot of the hardware is working but it is far from a complete project.

Episode 7 was released out just few days ago, so this is an ongoing series by the looks of it. Patience

It must be very recent because I went looking for it.  Noting that Part 6 was very old (12/31/2016), I thought maybe the series was finished.

I look forward to Part 7..

ETA:  At my age, patience is hard to come by.

[rstofer]

Now that we have zynq and ultrascale technology, implementing a microcontroller is an academic exercise, yet a lot to learn.

But what if we want a hardware based emulation of an existing machine that runs all of the factory software unchanged?  Like the famous 27 pass FORTRAN compiler.

There is a software emulation based on simh but that isn't hardware.  If you spent your entire college education on digital design, software solutions don't count.

http://ibm1130.org/

[asmi]

It must be very recent because I went looking for it.  Noting that Part 6 was very old (12/31/2016), I thought maybe the series was finished.

Are we both looking at the same channel? I see the first video came out 11 months ago, not 5 years. See attachment.

I look forward to Part 7..

It's already out.

[Nusa]

How much does a Youtube channel weigh?

[voltsandjolts]

How much does a Youtube channel weigh?

About 1 tonne of CO2 per 100K view count

[dietert1]

Just looked at Part 7 and didn't like it. Don't know why someone adds 74LS.. gates to a circuit with a Spartan 3 FPGA. FPGAs are made to avoid that and instead contain all the glue needed. They usually have enough pins to blink some LEDs.

Regards, Dieter

[rstofer]

It must be very recent because I went looking for it.  Noting that Part 6 was very old (12/31/2016), I thought maybe the series was finished.

Are we both looking at the same channel? I see the first video came out 11 months ago, not 5 years. See attachment.

Beats me!  This video (Part 1) says 12/14/2016.



This video (Part 6) says 12/31/2016



You have to select the "Watch on YouTube" option to get the date information (AFAIK).

Nevertheless, I'll be searching for Part 7 in the next day or so.

[asmi]

Beats me!  This video (Part 1) says 12/14/2016.

That is a different channel. Look at the list in the first post.

[rstofer]

Just looked at Part 7 and didn't like it. Don't know why someone adds 74LS.. gates to a circuit with a Spartan 3 FPGA. FPGAs are made to avoid that and instead contain all the glue needed. They usually have enough pins to blink some LEDs.

Regards, Dieter

I went to Robert's YouTube channel and selected the playlist.  I only see Parts 1..6.  I searched the web and still can't come up with Part 7 for this project.  There is a Part 7 for the 6800 project but I'll be darned if I can find anything about the Zork project.

Have you got a link?

ETA:  You're right, different project.  I was after the Zork project because it is Zork and has some historical cred.  Just another CPU isn't interesting (to me), I've done a couple of those.  I was looking forward to a microcoded project.