MOD-VGA FPGA programming and firmware availability

[robarago]

I've just purchased a MOD-VGA shield for Arduino with XC3S200A Spantan-3A FPGA included and I would like some information not included in the web page or forum:

• Can I reprogram de FPGA without voiding the warranty?
• Where can I find the exact BIT file of the current program of the FPGA?
• Is the stock firmware of the FPGA (MOD-VGA, not Gameduino) also Open Source and, if so, where can I download it (with PS/2 keyboard support)?

Thank you very much in advance for asking to this questions and for your support.

[LubOlimex]

Hey Roberto,

I know we have exchanged e-mails just will place this here also in case somebody else in intrested:

About the questions you raised:

1. Can I reprogram de FPGA without voiding the warranty?

Yes. As long as you have the required tools and knowledge you can do it. Just do not attempt hardware modifications. Please read more about the warranty here: https://www.olimex.com/wiki/GTC#Warranty

2. Where can I find the exact BIT file of the current program of the FPGA?

We used the original GAMEDUINO bit file. It might be found in the following location: http://excamera.com/files/. It is named  "gameduino-200a.bit".

3. Is the stock firmware of the FPGA (MOD-VGA, not Gameduino) also Open Source and, if so, where can I download it (with PS/2 keyboard support)?

Both MOD-VGA and GAMEDUINO have their source code released under GPL. The location for all source files is the same: http://excamera.com/files/.

Best regards,
Lub/OLIMEX

[robarago]

First of all, thank you very much for the support and for the good links.

Next, I would like to add one more link and an interesting trick.

Regarding the availability of the PS2 library for MOD-VGA, I want to report that Arduino's PS2Keyboard library http://playground.arduino.cc/Main/PS2Keyboard is compatible with MOD-VGA with a simple hack.

You have to bridge pin D7 (PS2_CLOCK) to D3 (interrupt 1) to be able to have PS2Keyboard library working. I've tested successfully the Simple_Test sketch only y changing the first lines to these:


#include <PS2Keyboard.h>

const int DataPin = 6;
const int IRQpin =  3;

..


This is so because MOD-VGA keyboard have D7 connected to PS2_CLOCK and D6 to PS2_DATA, and the library requires a digital pin with an interrupt controller with D7 does not have.

Hope it helps.