Lancelot VGA Controller IP Design Kit Version 4.1

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Released: 28 November 2005

Overview

The Microtronix Lancelot is a VGA video controller for the Altera Nios II Embedded Processor. Lancelot can display an image with a resolution up to 1024 x 768 pixels with 256 colors.

The Lancelot core is written in VHDL and can be synthesized for all Altera FPGA devices including the new Stratix II and Cyclone II devices. The Lancelot VGA board can be used on any Altera Nios II development board. It has an 24-bits video DAC, VGA connector, stereo audio jack and two PS2 connectors.

The Microtronix Lancelot Kit is designed to work with Quartus II Version 6.0 and the Altera Nios II Development Kit Version 6.0 or the Altera Nios II Processor and Toolchain evaluation package.

The Microtronix Lancelot download includes the following items:

• Reference designs that support Altera Development Boards.
• The Lancelot SOPC components.
• Documentation

Installing and Removing the Release

This release has been wrapped with an installer application and therefore removal of the softwaree should be done following the normal Windows procedure ("Add or Remove Programs" from the Control Panel or the Microtronix -> Lancelot 4.1 -> Uninstall Microtronix Lancelot shortcut under the Start menu).

The readme.txt file should be open automatically after the installation process is complete.

Directory Structure

After the installation has completed the following locations should have been populated (assuming QR = Quartus directory NR = Nios II directory):

• QRsopc_buildercomponentslancelot_vga
• NRexamplesverilog
• QRsopc_builderdocumentslancelot

Getting Started

To run the demonstration for the Lancelot Board:

• Plug the Lancelot board onto header J11, J12, and J13 on the Altera Development Board (J15, J16, J17 on Altera Cyclone II Board)
• Connect a VGA monitor to J4 on the Lancelot Board
• Start the Nios II IDE.
• Build a C/C++ application using the lancelot software example. Be sure to select one of the installed quartus projects from this download.
• Program the SOF file from the quartus project directory into the FPGA
• Upload the image.bin to offset 0x200000 of your flash. The file can be found in your C/C++ application project.
• Run the C/C++ application.
• The connected VGA monitor will toggle between two different images.

Support

The niosforum website ( www.niosforum.com ) is an excellent place to leave feedback and/or ask questions.