AVR Freaks

I can only agree with fleemy that the API, and the examples are an outrageous mess. Must have been written by a tank driver. Same for the documentation BTW. The programming guide is next to useless as a "guide", with plenty of errors and ambiguous language.

It took me the better part of a week to get the feel of it, and in the process I rewrote most of the API and an example.

Actually there's no need to redraw much, in the general case. Most redrawing is done by the chip itself. It's all about smarts in manipulating the display list. Plus scissor rectangles as a previous poster mentioned.

Here's my current sandbox, derived from the App_Gauges.ino example. The binary is about 8K (for Arduino uno), and works just fine.

I like the FT800's 1/16 pixel anti-aliasing, the alpha blending, and the SPI/I2C interface of course.

Sure, just let me know how I can send it, and perhaps what you plan to use the FT800 for.

Mind you I haven't been able to work on the API/example in the last month, so it's still in a half-baked state (although much cleaner and clearer than the original, IMO).

FYI I use the 4dsystems display (http://www.4dsystems.com.au/product/4DLCD_FT843/) and their flex-to-breadboard adapter.

-3P

There is a source library posted at mcs electronics for the ft800 written in basic that may help those losing their hair over the chip.

http://mcselec.com/index2.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=59&page=viewtopic&t=12555&sid=2e84f0e59448c782afa82f7d721bfe84

Hi,

I'm using FT800 dev board from FTDI. I got the init part to work and now need help to go forward.

Can you post or send me your API and demo too.

Thanks.

Slava

Sent, have fun.

-T

Hi,

I am glad I found this forum, and could read the positive experiences from people using this chip.

(That means I am missing something, and now I have hope to get it working nicely)

Perhaps someone here went through similar experience I am having and could give me some tips / suggestions ?

Here is a description of what I got so far:

-----------------------------------------------------

I found that, even with very very simple display lists (for example, CLEAR_COLOR (255,0,0) / CLEAR (1,1,1) / DISPLAY), the LCD panel will  show only a blank screen.

But I notice that the initial DL (the one that is created during initialization and before REG_PCLK is set, *does* work fine.)

So, after a lot of attempts, I manage to get arbitrary complex display lists working, if I use this trick:

REG_PCLK = 0
cmd_DLSTART
.
.
.
cmd_Display
cmd_Swap
<a small loop waiting for the command buffer to get empty>
REG_PCLK = 5

If I don't zero REG_PCLK, or if I skip the delay between swap and setting REG_PCLK again, the screen gets blanked.

Some project data:

-------------------------

SPI clock is 16MHz (after initialization) and 8MHz during initialization.
Display is New Haven 480x272 (NHD-4.3-480272EF-ASXV#-CTP)
The parameters I am using for this display:
#define FT_DISPLAY_HCYCLE       (548L) 
#define FT_DISPLAY_HOFFSET      (68L) 
#define FT_DISPLAY_HSYNC0       (25L) 
#define FT_DISPLAY_HSYNC1       (66L) 
#define FT_DISPLAY_VCYCLE       (292L) 
#define FT_DISPLAY_VOFFSET      (20L) 
#define FT_DISPLAY_VSYNC0       (8L) 
#define FT_DISPLAY_VSYNC1       (18L) 
#define FT_DISPLAY_SWIZZLE      (0L) 
#define FT_DISPLAY_PCLKPOL      (1L) 
#define FT_DISPLAY_HSIZE        (480L) 
#define FT_DISPLAY_VSIZE        (272L) 
#define FT_DISPLAY_PCLK         (5L)

I tried using external clock (12MHz xtal) and also internal with identical results

Here is my initialization code:

--------------------------------------

 spi_PDN_low (); 
 disp_delay (10); 
 spi_PDN_high (); 
 disp_delay (20); 
 // send active command to enable Graphic Engine, 
 //   followed by download of default DL into graphics engine, 
 //   followed by SPI settings wrt internal clock requirements during bootup stage 
 uint8_t FT_DLCODE_BOOTUP[12] = { 
   0, 0, 0, 2, // GPU instruction CLEAR_COLOR_RGB - black color 
   7, 0, 0, 38, // GPU instruction CLEAR 
   0, 0, 0, 0,  // GPU instruction DISPLAY 
 }; 
 // change the SPI clock to < 11MHz 
 spi_SlowClock (); 
 // wake up the processor from sleep state 
 disp_HostCommand (FT_ACTIVE); 
 // Set to use external clock 
 disp_HostCommand (FT_CLKEXT); 
 // download the first display list 
 spi_WriteN (FT_RAM_DL, FT_DLCODE_BOOTUP, 12); 
 // perform first swap command 
 spi_Write8 (REG_DLSWAP, FT_DLSWAP_FRAME); 
 // Set brightness to 25% 
 disp_DisplayDuty (32); 

 // Set the display configurations followed by external clock set, 
 // spi clock change wrt FT80x 
 spi_Write16 (REG_HCYCLE,   FT_DISPLAY_HCYCLE); 
 spi_Write16 (REG_HOFFSET,  FT_DISPLAY_HOFFSET); 
 spi_Write16 (REG_HSYNC0,   FT_DISPLAY_HSYNC0); 
 spi_Write16 (REG_HSYNC1,   FT_DISPLAY_HSYNC1); 
 spi_Write16 (REG_VCYCLE,   FT_DISPLAY_VCYCLE); 
 spi_Write16 (REG_VOFFSET,  FT_DISPLAY_VOFFSET); 
 spi_Write16 (REG_VSYNC0,   FT_DISPLAY_VSYNC0); 
 spi_Write16 (REG_VSYNC1,   FT_DISPLAY_VSYNC1); 
 spi_Write8  (REG_SWIZZLE,  FT_DISPLAY_SWIZZLE); 
 spi_Write8  (REG_PCLK_POL, FT_DISPLAY_PCLKPOL); 
 spi_Write8  (REG_CSPREAD,  1); 
 spi_Write16 (REG_HSIZE,    FT_DISPLAY_HSIZE); 
 spi_Write16 (REG_VSIZE,    FT_DISPLAY_VSIZE); 
 // after configuring display parameters, configure pclk 
 spi_Write8  (REG_PCLK,     FT_DISPLAY_PCLK); 

 // change the clock to maximum SPI operating frequency 
 spi_FastClock ();

 disp_SetDisplayEnablePin (); 
 disp_DisplayOn ();

My questions are:

----------------------

1 - Why is it necessary to zero REG_PCLK ? I found nothing on any documentation that would suggest this was required.

Does anyone here in the forum had to do the same thing ?

2 - Is there a way to not have to zero REG_PCLK between device lists ?

3 - Any comment / feedback on my initialization and / or parameters (especially  HOFFSET / HSYNC0 / HSYNC1 / VOFFSET / VSYNC0 / VSYNC1) are greatly appreciated

(I am suspicious something on those parameters are causing the FT801 to starve on processing power.)

Thanks

Edmar