Tiny Tapeout > Tiny Tapeout Chips > Tiny Tapeout SKY 26b > 160 IEEE Multi-Mode Procedural VGA Graphics Engine
160 IEEE Multi-Mode Procedural VGA Graphics Engine
160 : IEEE Multi-Mode Procedural VGA Graphics Engine
- Author: Kannan S J
- Description: Procedural VGA graphics engine with multiple real-time modes using arithmetic-only rendering.
- GitHub repository
- Open in 3D viewer
- Open in VGA Playground
- Clock: 25175000 Hz
Multi-Mode Procedural VGA Graphics Engine
How it works
This project generates real-time VGA graphics using purely arithmetic logic. There is no framebuffer, no ROM, and no lookup tables — every pixel is computed on-the-fly based on its position and a time counter.
At every pixel clock:
- The VGA controller provides
(hpos, vpos) - These are converted into centered coordinates
(cx, cy) - A radial approximation is computed using an octagonal norm
- A frame counter (
t) acts as a time variable - One of four rendering modes generates a pattern
- The pattern is mapped directly to RGB outputs (RGB222)
A 10-bit frame counter increments once per frame:
- Upper 2 bits select the rendering mode
- Lower bits provide animation over time
The result is a continuously evolving procedural graphics display.
Rendering Modes
Mode 0 — Radial Energy
- Concentric rings expanding outward
- Slight vortex distortion
- Smooth animated motion
Mode 1 — Plasma
- Diagonal flowing gradients
- Continuous color blending
- Classic demoscene-style effect
Mode 2 — Interference
- Grid-like wave patterns
- Crossed coordinate interaction
- Structured geometric visuals
Mode 3 — Chaos
- Nonlinear bitwise patterns
- Rapidly changing textures
- High visual complexity
Output
- Resolution: 640×480 (VGA)
- Color: RGB222 (2 bits per channel)
- Fully real-time procedural rendering
How to test
-
Connect a VGA monitor via TinyTapeout VGA PMOD
-
Provide a 25 MHz clock (approx 25.175 MHz)
-
Release reset (
rst_n) -
The display will automatically:
- Start rendering
- Cycle through all 4 modes
- Continuously animate
Expected output: A full-screen animated display cycling through procedural patterns: rings → plasma → interference → chaos.
IO
| # | Input | Output | Bidirectional |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Unused | VGA Red MSB | |
| 1 | Unused | VGA Green MSB | |
| 2 | Unused | VGA Blue MSB | |
| 3 | Unused | VGA Vsync | |
| 4 | Unused | VGA Red LSB | |
| 5 | Unused | VGA Green LSB | |
| 6 | Unused | VGA Blue LSB | |
| 7 | Unused | VGA Hsync |