FPGA subject really caught me. They go so perfectly well with retrocomputing, I couldn't resist. Vector-06C was the most colourful of the Soviet computers, it always fascinated me but I couldn't have it back then. Today, when it seems that even the electrical circuit of Vector-06C is hard to obtain, I'm recreating it in an FPGA.

The project is well past the initial stages. In fact I can claim some 90% compatibility, even though those remaining percents are not giving up easily.

It is an open project to which anyone has access to. Since it's a hardware project that needs an FPGA development kit to work, its openness is not immediately beneficial to those who have different hardware than me, but I hope that there is some reusable material. Also, just maybe, there is someone who would want to make a port to a different development kit.

The project page is here http://code.google.com/p/vector06cc/.

I'm back and this time it's about FPGA and video and games.. And the game, of course, is a Pong. Mine is called Mah Ponk, there's no escaping lolcats, even here. So.. let me show you it.

The project page with detailed description, pictures, video and downloads is over there —> [alt:Coral Cache]

In brief, it's a complete pong-like game implemented in Verilog HDL, complete with scoring, a Robo-Hand so you can play alone, and Triple Sound. Verilog source is released under BSD license. Hardware design to be released as Eagle project, although any FPGA starter kit will do.

If you manage to run it on your FPGA development board, I'll be glad to hear about that.

I demoed Mah Ponk at $CCA7 and more people than I expected were curious and played it. There's the whole new generation deprived of the joy of Pong. The event was awesome and among other things I touched and played a real Pong TV game made in early 80's. It felt rather strange, I like Mah Ponk much better.

Here's a little fun project of mine, a falling blocks game for mobile phones. Disappointed by low quality of all available Tetrii, and really wanting to play one, I wrote one myself. Primarily designed for small screen phones (although it requires MIDP 2.0, caution), it works on large-display phones just as well. At least on some of them that I tried. It's pretty advanced too, has shadow display, autorepeat, soft, firm and hard drops, SRS-compliant rotation, albeit without wall/floor kicks.. Anyway, if your phone has Java MIDP 2.0, check it out and send me feedback -- Link.

I completed my Stirling Engine - Link.

Having built a steam engine previously really helped. This construction was easier machining-wise; I only had to drill some holes and make crankdiscs, that's about all machining that was required. But making it work was somehow trickier. The work it produces is miniscule and every little thing counts so a lot of tweaking was required.

I really like how it worked out. Still, I can't run it on heat of a palm alone, as you can do with some LTD Stirlings. If anyone has ideas how to make it more efficient, please tell.

Tom Benedict's suggestion about steam engine with computer-controlled valves is actually something I had given a thought earlier. That's an interesting challenge and a nice excuse to use an AVR in a steam project. Probably when I master building engines to the point when they actually can do work, as in spin a generator fast enough, that may become reality.

What I really like about steam engines is their intrinsic simplicity which allows for endless variations in design - just think about all those epycycloidal or elbow engines, youtube has plenty of videos. Adding an electrical part is a complication.. But maybe a worthy one? Definitely, at least from a steampunk admirer's point of view.