Recently I’ve been working on XArduino which is a XMOS XS1 L1 co-processor for the Arduino open-source electronics prototyping platform.
The XArduino board provides Arduino applications with a 400 MIP’s multi-threaded 32-bit co-processor, as well as providing a VGA video output and PS/2 keyboard/mouse input for Arduino application.
It features a standard XTAG-2 to for programming and debugging. In addition the XTAG-2 interface will allow for XK-1 boards to access the VGA and PS/2 interfaces as well as way of connecting standard Arduino shields.
Note: This is a 3.3V-only board
The project is hosted at xcores.com/projects/xarduino
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Zuzebox's Blog 
Hi,
This sounds like an interesting idea.
Will it be available as a ready built and tested Arduino Shield? For what price?
How will the programming be done?
Regards,
Per-Tore
Hi Per-Tore
If it goes into production I think it would sell at $40 – $50.
Xarduino would come with a built in terminal software. An Arduino would normally be interfaced to it through either its serial port using standard serial.write and serial.print functions. An SPI port could also be used but you would need to write your own Arduino function calls to do this. I haven’t decided yet if the XArduino should use a subset of VT52 or VT100 terminal codes, but it will have terminal codes for screen X and Y positions, clear screen, reverse video etc. The user can connect a PS/2 keyboard to input ASCII data into their application.
If someone wants to program their own application into XArduino they would need an Xmos XTAG2 (which costs about $50) and the Xmos software development tools (available for free on the Xmos site).
Tony
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Thanks for the info.
Please inform me if the module becomes available.
Hi,
I too am quite interested in this new flavour of Arudino Board. Its really seems impressive. What microcontroller is used ???
It uses a XS1-L1 from xmos.com.
Xmos make multicore microprocessors – XS1-G4 = 4 cores, XS1-L2 = 2 cores and the XS1-L1 = 1 core.
I’d also like to know if the module becomes available.
I’m hoping to have the design finished soon and boards soon after, but I’ve been busy at work etc.
Interestingly, Xmos have announced a faster version of the XS1-L1 which now clocks at 500MHz ~ 500MIPS.
Hello,
Great project. We were are looking at doing something very similar but for our version of the Arduino module. Are you going to be making the project files available?
Kind Regards
Iain
Thanks Iain,
I’ve gotten sidetrack on another project (or two) but once the PCB is finished, I’ll put the project files on line for everyone to access.
Hi!
I have some dudes:
Is this project GNU?
Where are the software for vga, mouse etc?
Can I put 256 colours?
Can I make one?
Do you think that could I put linux in your project? (I’ve thought in a puppyLinux because it is very little. http://puppylinux.org/)
Thanks for your excelent project
Ángel
Ángel, thanks for your interest.
No its not a GNU project.
For VGA and mouse software check out the software libraries and projects on xcore exchange. There are projects and libraries for VGA and mouse there but you may have to adapt them to this board. There is also the VDP-1 video kernel at xcores.org (which seems to be down at the moment but an older version here.
No the Xmos chip doesn’t have enough memory to run even the smallest version of Linux.
Hi!
I have some doubts about your project:
-Is Xarduino independent? or need I an Arduino to make it work?
– What is the graphic resolution?
– What is the complete name of the chip Xmos? Where can I buy it?
– What tools should I use for programming it?
– I have been looking at the file https://www.xcore.com/projects/vdp-1
Does it work with Xarduino or should I modificate it?
A greeting and thank you very much for your attention and answers
Ángel
Hi Angel, I’m interested in xarduino and
your posts come to my inbox, I’ll try to
answer your doubts but please try to read
more before asking next time, some of your
questions where previously answered on this
blog.
It uses XS1-L1 chip from XMOS
you can buy it from digikey for example.
You need Xmos XTAG2 tool, read
February 8, 2010 at 10:47 pm post grom zuzebox
Software development tools are free.
Vdp-1 You should modificate it but probably
not much.
Puppylinux is a full x86 linux distro it won’t
work. uClinux based distros won’t work on current
xmos chips.
http://www.xcore.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=75