Getting Started: Running the “RCCGPU-IPU Demo”
PIC24FJ256DA210’s built in graphics controller features accelerated rendering modules: Rectangle Copy Graphics Processing Unit (RCCGPU), Inflate Processing Unit (IPU) and Character Processing Unit (CHRGPU). The use of these features can accelerate rendering where the CPU’s job is to start the operation and let the hardware do the rendering. This results in minimal CPU time to do rendering and CPU can tasked to perform other application operations.
In this demo, the RCCGPU and IPU modules are utilized. The RCCGPU is used to render images to the display buffer while the IPU is used to decompress images to the display buffer.
For proper demo execution, the ExternalResource-RCCGPU-IPU.hex file in "Resources” folder must be programmed into external parallel flash memory installed on the selected hardware. Please refer to the Getting Started - Programming Memory on Graphics PICtail Daughter and Demo Boards.htm and the instructions below to program the parallel flash memory.
The demo runs with six icons shown on the main menu. The first three icons will launch a “Fish Finder Demo” while the last three icons will launch the “Animation Demo”. The Animation Demo is showing 4 images sequentially to mimic animation of a gear turning. These four images are compressed for IPU decompression block in the PIC24FJ256DA210. The Fish Finder Demo shows off the rectangle copy block of the device. To return to the main menu, simply tap on the “Exit” button on the bottom of the screen when inside the two sub-demos.
The icons are stored as images in the external memory. The images that are compressed are stored in the internal memory.
The “Resources” folder also contains the xml project used to generate the images stored in the internal flash and external memory. Open the following files in "Graphics Resource Converter" utility to see which files are loaded from internal flash or external memory.
· ExternalResourceRCCGPU-IPU.xml – resources placed in parallel flash.
· InternalResourceRCCGPU-IPU.xml – resources placed in internal flash.
The table below shows the hardware set up for the selected Development Boards attached to different Display Boards:
Required Hardware/Configuring the Hardware
|
Selected Development Boards |
Graphics PICtail Board |
3.2″ QVGA Truly TFT Display Board (AC164127-4) |
|
PIC24FJ256DA210 Development Board (DM240312) |
none |
✓ (see note 1) |
|
Note: 1. When using PIC24FJ256DA210 Development Board set the jumpers to: - JP8 – open (color depth is 16BPP, byte access is not performed) - JP9 – set to 1-2 (use Y- signal) - JP10 – set to 1-2 (use X+ signal) - JP11 – set to 2-3 (enable PMA17 for the SRAM and parallel flash) - JP12 – don’t care - JP23 – set to 1-2 (use Parallel Flash) - JP13 – don’t care (or set to default RG8-S1) - JP14 – don’t care (or set to default RE9-S2) - JP15 – don’t care (or set to default RB5-POT(RB5)) - JP16 – don’t care (or set to default USART_TX-TX) - JP17 – don’t care (or set to default USART_RX-RX)
|
||
|
Legend: |
|||
|
✓ |
Supported out of the box |
☒ |
Hardware compatible, will need firmware modification |
|
☑ |
Supported, see limitations |
✗ |
Not supported, hardware not compatible |
Setting up the External Memory Programming Mode
This demo uses USB Device Mode when programming the external memory. Programming the SPI or parallel flash will be through the J2 USB Device port of the development board.
The firmware requirements to enable the external memory programming are explained here.
To program the external memory:
1. Hold down MCLR and S2 switches on the board
2. Release MCLR while holding down S2. This will place the board on programming mode. The display will show the user prompted Programming External Memory Message.
3. Send the hex data from the External Memory Programmer utility.
4. After the programming, the firmware will automatically reset. If there was an error in the programming the screen will show the invalid data Programming External Memory Message.
|
Programming External Memory Messages |
|
|
User Prompted |
Program External Data
Press S2 then send data using “External Memory Programmer” utility. via USB… (for USB based projects)
|
|
Invalid Data Prompted |
External data invalid
Press S2 then send data using “External Memory Programmer” utility. via USB… (for USB based projects)
|
Trademarks:
The Microchip name and logo, the Microchip logo, MPLAB, and PIC are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries.
PICDEM and PICTail are trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries.
SD is a trademark of the SD Association in the U.S.A and other countries
Microsoft, Windows, Excel, and Windows Vista are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.