cga to vga converter uPython

Are you looking for something like this RGB to VGA adapter? They cost about $1.

I think they mean the old IBMPC Color Graphics Array RGBI TTL output

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_Graphics_Adapter#DE-9_connector_for_RGBI_monitor

i was thinking about it. im an enthusiast who started on arduino, but in school always loved logic circuit design and fpga is something like that, but i would need some pinpointing:

- is there any arduino like reprogrammable fpga board for learning?

- what kind of programming languages FPGA-s using to program them and what is the whole approach to make it work?

I recall that Ben Heck did a project with FPGA to convert to VGA a while back. Might have been the Giant Game Boy episode.

That rings a bell. I recall I wanted to do a similar thing for a Game Gear I had lying around, but never had the time for it : ( 

rlaci said:

is there any arduino like reprogrammable fpga board for learning?

For a while, Arduino sold the MKR Vidor 4000 which was a SAMD21 based microcontroller board with an Intel Cyclone 10 FPGA on it. Unfortunately they discontinued it.

The Lattice Semiconductor iCEstick is back in stock (iCE40 FPGA) and might be worth a look as a starter board. It's a bit more lightweight when it comes to the software side and there is also an open source toolchain available for it.

Shawn Hymel uses one in Digikey's: Introduction to FPGA series
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLg1AgA2Xoo&list=PLEBQazB0HUyT1WmMONxRZn9NmQ_9CIKhb

rlaci said:

what kind of programming languages FPGA-s using to program them and what is the whole approach to make it work?

Mainly Verilog or VHDL.

Whitney Knitter: 2-Minute FPGAs
/technologies/fpga-group/w/documents/5399/summer-of-fpgas-2-minute-fpgas-with-whitney-knitter

I think Ben did two shows with FPGA.

Ben Heck’s Giant Game Boy Episode -- Episode 225
/challenges-projects/element14-presents/benheck/ben-heck-exclusive/w/documents/1370/ben-heck-s-giant-game-boy-episode----episode-225

https://github.com/thebenheckshow/225-tbhs-Giant-Game-Boy/tree/master/DE0_GameBoy_DMG-01_VGA-master/Software

Ben Heck's FPGA LCD Driver Hack Episode -- Episode 169
/challenges-projects/element14-presents/benheck/ben-heck-exclusive/w/documents/18694/ben-heck-s-fpga-lcd-driver-hack-episode----episode-169

https://github.com/thebenheckshow/169-tbhs-FPGA-LCD-Driver-Hack

Amazing how expensive the iCEstick has become. I got it for about £25 a couple of years ago. Now it is >£120. Fortunately easy to replicate, since it's just a TQFP chip.

looks interesting and did not find by my own

Ouch! I must have got mine just in time then. You were lucky to get then a couple of years ago as they were very difficult to get hold of due to the supply chain issues.    

Something like the Olimex board might be a cheaper alternative these days: 
https://www.olimex.com/Products/FPGA/iCE40/

I was going to suggest this:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006165197426.html

But the learning curve with the Olimex and iCE40 will be easier.

MK

how the speed of an fpga is measured, compared, what should i look for if selecting for a project?

how the speed of an fpga is measured, compared, what should i look for if selecting for a project?

It's very, very difficult.

You need to delve quite deeply into the data sheets.

The things to look for are the IO toggle rate, maximum clock rate of internal RAM, and maybe some benchmarks of complete designs although comparing across manufacturers is very hard with real designs.

Another issue is that all manufacturers offer different speed versions and the fastest ones in the data sheet may not be readily obtainable.

Very roughly, in ascending order of speed:

iCE40: slow but very low power

Gowin Little Bee: very similar to Lattice XP2

Lattice XP2

Intel/A;ltera  MAX10

Efinix Trion

AMD/Xilinx Spartan 3

AMD/Xilinx Spartan7

AMD/Xilinx Artix7

I would recommend Lattice iCE40, Intel Max10,  Efinix Trion, Gowin Little Bee in that order for a beginner.

Huge jump from Circuit Python to any of those.

Key things in choosing are availability of chips, dev tools and support.

If your volumes are small there will (usually) be very little support from the manufacturer.

The Gowin is supported by very cheap tools from China (Aliexpress)

This board might suit you because it has some video hardware built in - the Intel/Altera tools are free. I did a blog about this board a while ago:

 Kamami MAXimator FPGA Board 

It's not the cheapest route but might suit your application.

MK