I have been using a few of these for a while, they are nifty and cheap indeed. First use I had for one was to emulate a serial terminal to use with my Z80-MBC2. I had to use level translators for the interfacing because the TTGO-VGA32 runs at 3.3V and the Z80 system at 5V, but other than that it was straightforward. A nice way to add VGA, mouse and keyboard to the MBC2. And then later on of course I had the whole Z80-MBC2 running directly in emulation on the VGA32. :) Just like you did with the Altair.

I wanted to say Thank You. Your presentation of this product was very well presented, (Even if it was a simple product review). You were on point, clear in what you were communicating as well as thorough. The review was also informative about the product as well as reveling concerning features about the ESP 32 and video abilities. I also learned about the FABGL library and graphics ability of the ESP32, COOL!. I didn't understand that until this video. I just ordered a Agon Light 2 and am waiting for it to arrive. I noticed the Commander X16. I must admit, for my retro computing needs I am put off by the price of the X16 unit, it's over $300 without a case if I'm correct. Plus, to me in my personal opinion based on my needs it seems the project developed scope creep and missed several of the original project goals. It seems to me not to be well designed in that it is just a new take on really old architecture , However, I would guess that it preforms well. And, I do like the Vera video card solution. I'm glad that the Vera was released as Open Source. Well, I like Frankenstein movies, and I feel that the x16 will have something to add to this story line. But, what can you expect from old retired Computer Science. I think it would be OK for me, but it's just way to expensive. Heck, with a slightly larger ICE FPGA you could have built the hole system around that, with a custom 65C02 style implemented in FPGA.I just hope the people who shell out the dough get what they wanted for a good period of time. Keep up the good review work. Thanks.

I can’t wait until someone does this with with a 486, OLP3 and whatever video card makes sense for the era.

@kilianhekhuis

Жыл бұрын

They already did that 😄. Not as cheap though, unfortunately. kzread.info/dash/bejne/k3550paThaqdcqw.html

The only thing I don't like is how close the PS/2 connectors are together: it makes it hard to use USB adaptors if you don't have a PS/2 mouse and keyboard around, but still... it's so much fun!

@kilianhekhuis

Жыл бұрын

It's easy to obtain (of you don't already have one) a PS/2 splitter cable, or extension cables, and it's way better than the. Olimex Agon's "USB" port.

@mobluse

Жыл бұрын

I can have two green USB to PS/2 adapters next to each other on TTGO VGA32_V1.4. They diverge a bit, but it works.

The advantages of having the core of a real 8-bit processor like the z80 allows you to reverse engineer and adapt any machine provided with that same processor, that is, from something as basic as a ZX81 to an MSX turbo, being able to use from a huge amount of existing software (MSX-DOS, games, SymbOS, Dbase, etc.) And this is just for starters, since the possibilities are endless. Best regards from Chile.

I use one as a Terminal for single board computers (z80, 68k, 8085 etc). for the money it's fantastic.

On top of that there is also a MS-DOS emulation and Z80 CP/M emulation, and Atari 400. A FANTASTIC BOARD, largely due to the incredible work of Fabrizio Di Vittorio and BitLuni. Too sad that those 2 did not earn enough money for their absolutely herculean efforts. They were kind of ripped off by China.

Legal!!!😃😃😃

i believe the biggest restriction in these esp32 is they only have a serial interface for transferring data, so you may have to fit all the sprites in whatever memory it uses, so they can be tranfered faster in the video buffer portion. maybe that's why the tests have the same sprite just copied and not different ones. of course ppl have even ported doom in the esp32 but maybe those were bigger models (4mb psram)? what kind of specs does this one have? it does look nice for tinkering though.

Really cool little board, just ordered one from Amazon. Have you had the chance to play with ESP32-SBC-FabGL from Olimex ?

@slithymatt

7 ай бұрын

Not yet. I'm probably getting one soon.

I've been looking at the odroid-go stuff and wondering if it's possible to get stuff from that to work on the VGA32 v1.4

@slithymatt

6 ай бұрын

Probably not. You could probably go the other way, but I think the graphical capabilities of the VGA32 aren't as powerful

@seanabsher5577

6 ай бұрын

@@slithymatt there's no graphics hardware in either odroid go or vga32, both have a few MB of flash, and some psram, both have the dual core 240mhz 32 bit chip. The only graphical difference between the vga32 v1.4 and the odroid go is the fact that the odroid go has an SPI based ~3 inch 320x240 LCD TFT panel, which is effectively digital in nature, and the VGA port on vga32 is analog video over the VGA standard. Analog video in higher resolutions would use more resources and pins to produce higher analog fidelity from a digital source, but other than that, the underlying hardware and graphical capabilities are near identical. Odroid go does not have a graphics chip. So, I think it's possible to port over, but with maybe a limit of resolution around 320x240, and between 64 to 256 colors between 20 to 60 fps. It's unlikely to have enough processing power for audio, like your demonstration here, but there's more alike with an odroid go than different.

@seanabsher5577

6 ай бұрын

According to odroid's own page about the odroid go, it has the same chip, but with 16mb flash instead of 4mb, and 4mb psram instead of 2? , but I am more curious as to whether or not the full flash space is used, etc.

Do you have a link to where you bought this, along with which specific product? Also software downloads? Thanks.

@slithymatt

Жыл бұрын

It was sent to me, but you can buy it on Amazon, AliExpress, even Walmart. All the examples I showed are part of the standard FabGL library. You can find the code here: www.fabglib.org/examples.html

@joeysartain6056

Жыл бұрын

@@slithymatt thanks for the info

Hi my friend! Do the PS2 connectors accept a PS2 to USB adapter to use a mouse and keyboard?

@slithymatt

7 ай бұрын

Only if the devices support PS/2 signaling. A lot of newer devices don't.

@secretsideofthematrix1658

7 ай бұрын

@@slithymattThank you my friend!

Can it run doom?

@slithymatt

Жыл бұрын

You know, it just might! It could certainly run the VIC-20 version as it is, but I'm sure it could do much better.

@JoshVennix

8 ай бұрын

It has been done.