NTSC video out library

I wrote a small video output library called TVout. It is completely interrupt driven to make writing things that need tvout easier.

It runs on a resolution of 128x96 with some basic text printing and line and dot drawing for now.

For the now its NTSC only and restricted to using pin8 for video data and pin9 for the sync signal, ascii art ;):

Pin9: Sync line: -->|--///--o
1Kohm |
Pin8: Video line: -->|--///--o---------------- RCA tip
330ohm |
o--/--///--o-- RCA GND
75ohm |
V
GND

Video of the included demo sketch:

Here is the example .pde included with the library.

#include <TVout.h>

TVout TV;
char x,y;

void setup()  {
  x=0;
  y=0;
  TV.start_render();
}

void loop() {
  delay(2000);
  TV.clear_screen();
  x=0;
  y=0;
  for (char i = 32; i < 127; i++) {
    TV.print_char(x*6,y*8,i);
    x++;
    if (x >20) {
      y++;
      x=0;
    }
  }
  delay(2000);
  TV.clear_screen();
  TV.print_str(0,0,"fill screen pixel");
  TV.print_str(0,8,"by pixel");
  delay(2000);
  TV.clear_screen();
  for(x=0;x<127;x++){
    for(y=0;y<95;y++){
      TV.set_pixel(x,y,1);
    }
  }
  delay(2000);
  TV.clear_screen();
  TV.print_str(0,0,"draw some lines");
  delay(2000);
  for(y=0;y<95;y++){
    delay(10);
    TV.draw_line(0,y,x-y,y,1);
  }
}

It would be great to have feed back on this as I have only had one tv to test this on. If anyone wants to try it, it must be noted that no other interrupts can run along side this as it will mess with the video signal (the sync signal will be fine but the video not so much).

Also this release was only tested on an arduino with a ATMega328p, the 168, and 8 do not have enough memory for this resolution. I dont know if the mega will work as is, it may but I do not know if the pins are mapped the same (OC1A on PORTB0).

First post so a download link is in the next post.

And the Link:
[u]Google Code Archive - Long-term storage for Google Code Project Hosting.

Wow, hope you will support PAL also.

Great Work!

Greetings ChrisS

Before I cut up an RCA cable, can anyone post a picture of the TV when using this? I'm curious how it looks. :slight_smile:

Before I cut up an RCA cable...

oh go one, cut the cable :wink:

Many of us are curious.

Ill post a video of the demo sketch when I get home.

If anyone wants to try it, it must be noted that no other interrupts can run along side this as it will mess with the video signal

I am curious as to what this would limit...

I imagine that serial port interfacing would be out...? What about SPI or I2C? My thinking is the possibility of using this "standalone" as an interface for another Arduino-to-TV hookup...

No you cant use the built in arduino serial library for receiving data as the interupt may occur during a video line. I however do plan a sort of work around by including a UART sub class in the library that will poll the UART. The same could be done for something like the SPI module too.

I would first have to change the timer interupts a bit as its sync interupt currently goes off at the end of the Hsync period and there isnt enough time to do much before rendering may be needed. (I ran into this issue and that is why there currently isnt any PAL support, the extra time to incriment a int for the line counter was causing random jitter.)

on a side note can the TIMER1_CAPT_vector be used to interrupt on the timer reset? or is that only for triggering an interrupt from an external source?

Added video to first post.

New release:
added PAL support (my tv detects the signal as 576i anyway).
start_render(_PAL); or start_render(_NTSC);

made a few necessary changes that will facilitate future sound support and or polling UART/SPI/ect.

added a delay_frame(#frames) function to regain some semi accurate delay. this will block the user code until the end of the visible screen so it can be used to wait for a frame render to occur.

added ability to pause the display rendering but keep outputting a sync signal(Hsync only) so user code can have full access to the cpu.

I also did some quick calculations and running as it(128H pixels by 96V double height pixels) is there is about 3.6MIPS left for user code.

updated NTSC demo (there is an included pal example too)

#include <TVout.h>

TVout TV;
char x,y;

void setup()  {
  x=0;
  y=0;
  TV.start_render(_NTSC);
}

void loop() {
  TV.clear_screen();
  x=0;
  y=0;
  for (char i = 32; i < 127; i++) {
    TV.print_char(x*6,y*8,i);
    x++;
    if (x >20) {
      y++;
      x=0;
    }
  }
  TV.delay_frame(60);
  TV.clear_screen();
  TV.print_str(0,0,"fill screen pixel");
  TV.print_str(0,8,"by pixel");
  TV.delay_frame(60);
  TV.clear_screen();
  for(x=0;x<127;x++){
    for(y=0;y<95;y++){
      TV.set_pixel(x,y,1);
    }
  }
  TV.delay_frame(60);
  TV.clear_screen();
  TV.print_str(0,0,"draw some lines");
  TV.delay_frame(60);
  for(y=0;y<95;y++){
    delay(10);
    TV.draw_line(0,y,x-y,y,2);
  }
  TV.delay_frame(60);
}

Wow, great job!!!
Any chanches to run it on Arduino Diecimila? Someone have tested it???

It will work with the 168 if the output resolution is lowered. to do this open up the library and change the video_timing.h file like so:

_RESOLUTION_VERTICAL 96
to
_RESOLUTION_VERTICAL 54

the basic formula is this:
16*_RESOLUTION_VERTICAL must be less than the amount of SRAM the board has. in this case with a vres of 54 the library will use 864bytes of ram(not much left for user code).

the horizonal resolution currently cannont change without modifying the render_line() function in video_gen.cpp. for instance to render a horizonal resolution of 120 change:

video_timing.h:
#define _RESOLUTION_HORIZONTAL 128
to
#define _RESOLUTION_HORIZONTAL 120

video_gen.cpp:
in render_line() remove the last set of the byte output code(these lines, note the comments):
"LD tmp_reg,X+\n\t" //16
"byteshift\n"

I do plan to implement a tile render engine at some point. so the memory needs of that version will drop drastically.

doing either of these changes will break the demo code. it modifies the whole screen space as it is now, and since the library assumes that you know what you are doing when changing the screen it does not do any bounds checking. I think I will add that to the next release.

I haven't tested any of the changes i suggested so....

Wow, that's cool... PAL-Support!!!

Ok, if I understood right, you need much as possible SRAM, to get the most resolution possible?

So you think Sanguino btw. AtMega644p is the right Device to improve Resolution?

Because of Sanguino, 644p is arduino-compatible mcu. So far as I know, it's the "biggest sram" Dip/Dil mcu on the market and avaiable also.
It runs on 20Mhz so, this could be an improvement too.

I know, there are mcu's with much more sram, but in Dil/Dip Formfactor 644p is the choice of simple handling... maybe i am right.... mmh....

I am no expert... whart do you think about using 644p?

Greetings ChrisS

yes the sanguino(ATMega644p) would work well, however do note that it would require a quick modification the the library. This is because the OC1A pin is not on PORTB1, it is on PORTD5, the required modifications would be setting PORTD5 to be output, and connect the sync resistor to that pin (i don't know what it is on the sanguino).

The arduino mega would be even better resolution wise as it has 8k sram.

As far as the best DIP chip to use the ATMega1284p would be best, if it can be found. it is the bigger brother to the 644, with 16k sram! (@20mhz 320x240 would be possible)

clock speed really isn't an issue with this frame buffer method because unless we have about 8k of SRAM 16mhz is fast enough to output the buffer.

I am no expert... whart do you think about using 644p?

At that point, you might look into the Uzebox:

:slight_smile:

mdmetzle, this is fantastic. I did not hesitate to cut an RCA cable and start using your library. Very, very nice!

This may be a simplistic question but is there a way to output colour at all, or possible with a future version, or is this beyond the scope of the arduino?

Color with a composite signal and no added hardware not going to happen. Color over component(RGB) is possible, and may happen, it all depends on how ambitious I feel. If i or someone else adds RGB color then a RGB to composite IC(such as the AD624) can be used to convert it to component. I am planning a tile rendering engine that would use 2bit gray-scale(4shades of gray).

Color composite without a special IC(at least for PAL??) is possible but beyond what I am interested in:

What lft did there makes my library look absolutely pathetic....

Oh, that's the guy of CRAFT Demo... I think he's really bright mind....

I found something like the opposit of your atempt.... maybe it is possible to adapt something of that to use with better an less hardware... looks crazy... scroll down....

http://www.lazarus64.com/

http://www.lazarus64.com/demo1.wmv

Specs are a little bit better.. but wiring makes headaches :wink:

Greetings ChrisS

i love this lib!!

i am trying to add a function but no luck.. some help please.

unsigned char TVout::get_pixel(unsigned char x, unsigned char y) {
//each line has 18 bytes
//calculate i based upon this and x,y
// the byte with the pixel in it

int i = (x/8) + ((int)y*16);
return (screen >> x) & 1;
}