A project aimed at recreating the EMS SPECTRE VIDEO SYNTHESIZER in HDL
Synthesizer is a unique and revolutionary new product: an instrument capable of producing exciting graphic images on an ordinary television screen. The complete SPECTRE package consists of the synthesizer itself, plus a Sony Trinitron colour monitor, and a Sony black-and-white TV camera. The synthesizer is compact (38"x23.5"x7"), portable (about 35 pounds/15.9KG), and unequalled in its simplicity and versatility.
The aim of this project is to preserve this rare and unique video synth by recreating it in an FPGA, but also to use it as a building block to make a Spectre that is both true to the original and also a modern tool for creativity. For more info in this process take a look at: Cloning Hardware Ethos
Parse VHDL *Tool set built for this project
Auto Generated Documentation System CURENTLY BROKEN
Simplified elements simulated, need to build a reg file to drive the muxes, there is too much logic for a vio32. Use microblaze or Zynq to drive a reg file that drives the 20 muxes for Luma 1, Luma2 chroma 1 and chroma 2 (4bit select lines on the Mux)
List of Modules and their current state: (out of date) here!
If you want to watch the videos I have been making along the way, you can do that here!, or on Youtube, here!
Amazing! If you have FPGA and or Verilog/VHDL skills we would love to have you involved. But, first, there are a few things you should know.
- Look through the resources folder to get an idea of what the EMS SPECTRE is and how it works
- Look at the top-level diagram and the list of modules
- RTL in VHDL or Verilog (VHDL preferred, no system Verilog 😎 sorry)
- One module per file with a separate testbench (Verilog or VHDL test benches only, *not everything has one yet, but it should)
- Test benches should print out a message at the end confirming if they are successful or not
- No HSL or auto-generated code, no busses or interfaces for now (will be busses later)
- Use any software you like, but a Vivado project will be supplied
- Follow the template for file headers and comments 📑
- Follow the folder structure for the project 📂
- All code must be open source or MIT license 👍
- Email us at OPEN.SPECTRE.PROJECT@gmail.com and see what modules we need to make at the moment
- Branch the repo, make a module, and submit a pull request
- If you are not any good at git/GitHub, if you write any modules you can email them to us and we will integrate them into the project
Creative Commons CC BY-NC
-Remi Freer -Jacob Stoker -Robert D Jordan
We are very thankful to have received donations from the following people: Chris Korvin, Jay Hotchin, Milton Grimshaw, and more amazing anonymous people.