https://github.com/epsilon537/boxlambda

FPGA based microcomputer sandbox for software and RTL experimentation
https://github.com/epsilon537/boxlambda

fpga microcomputer retro rtl

Last synced: 7 days ago
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FPGA based microcomputer sandbox for software and RTL experimentation

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/epsilon537/boxlambda
• Owner: epsilon537
• License: mit
• Created: 2022-03-24T10:49:49.000Z (over 2 years ago)
• Default Branch: master
• Last Pushed: 2024-10-29T10:14:40.000Z (18 days ago)
• Last Synced: 2024-10-29T12:08:34.697Z (18 days ago)
• Topics: fpga, microcomputer, retro, rtl
• Language: Verilog
• Homepage:
• Size: 468 MB
• Stars: 44
• Watchers: 1
• Forks: 0
• Open Issues: 20
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • License: LICENSE

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README

        
**BoxLambda** is an open-source project with the goal of creating a retro-style FPGA-based microcomputer. The microcomputer serves as a platform for software and RTL experimentation.

BoxLambda is a software-hardware cross-over project. The plan is to provide room for experimentation both on the FPGA RTL side and on the software side.

# Key Goals

- Create a sandbox for experimenting with software and (FPGA) HW.    

    - **Simplicity**: It should be easy to jump in and do something: create, hack, tinker.

        - It should be doable for a single person to develop a good understanding of the entire system, software and hardware.

        - **Deterministic Behavior**: By design, it should be clear how long an operation, be it an instruction or a DMA transfer, is going to take.

        - **Single User/Single Tasking OS** booting to a console shell.

    - Create a **Modular Architecture** allowing for a mix-and-match of software and hardware components.

        - Support for partial FPGA reconfiguration.

- Target Hardware is Digilent's [Arty-A7](https://digilent.com/reference/programmable-logic/arty-a7/start) 

- The computer should support the following peripherals:

  - Keyboard

  - Mouse (optional)

  - Joystick (optional)

  - Serial port

  - SD card storage

  - VGA Display

  - Audio output

  

- Sound and graphics should be sufficient to support retro-style 2D gameplay.

# Project Blog 

[https://epsilon537.github.io/boxlambda/](https://epsilon537.github.io/boxlambda/).

# Project Documentation 

[https://boxlambda.readthedocs.io/en/latest/](https://boxlambda.readthedocs.io/en/latest/).

# Setup and Build Instructions

[https://boxlambda.readthedocs.io/en/latest/installation-and-test-builds/](https://boxlambda.readthedocs.io/en/latest/installation-and-test-builds/).

# Important Note

This project is still in a unreleased state. Until further notice, everything you see here is work-in-progress, in flux, incomplete.