Retro Graphics Programming with the L1 Demo Board

*** IMPORTANT NOTES! ***
This class has limited seating and requires registration via Universe. RSVPing on Meetup is not the same as buying a ticket!

GET TICKETS HERE: https://www.universe.com/events/retro-graphics-programming-with-the-l1-demo-board-tickets-NVTZ5W
*** IMPORTANT NOTES! ***

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Beginner Retro Graphics Programming with the LayerOne Demo Board

Abstract: A "Demo" is a combination of programming challenge, artwork, and music. You’re given specific hardware with any number of restrictions – code size, available memory, processor speed. Your goal is to output audio and video that pushes the limits of what is considered possible with such limited hardware. Here’s some examples of award-winning demos on the Commodore 64 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW5v93P-gBw), Atari XL/XE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EAG_811b4o), and an 8-bit Atmega88 microcontroller (http://youtu.be/sNCqrylNY-0?t=1m1s). Not enough? What about a full, three and a half minute 1080p HD demo written in just 4kb of code? Check out elevated by Rgba & TBC (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWcbj7ksqwE).

This class will cover the LAYERONE DEMO BOARD, a small piece of hardware designed by Arko & Davo of Null Space Labs. It's the board being used for the LayerOne 2025 Demo Party (https://www.layerone.org/events/demo-party/). If you have any interest in C programming, assembly programming, graphics programming, or embedded systems programming, this is the class for you!

We'll cover setup and usage of the graphics and character (text) GPU, basic graphics and text output, and basic sound output.

We recommend brushing up on your C programming before attending, but even beginners should be able to follow along. By the end of this class you will have made some graphics bounce around on the screen and output some funky beats to your audio port. This might not sound like much but trust me - it'll take some doing : )

What will you learn:

• Embedded PIC platforms
• VGA video signals
• Audio signals
• Real-time graphics rendering
• Graphics processing/programming
• LayerOne Demo Board scene manager library

What to Bring:

• PC/Mac Laptop with admin access. You will install some software at the start of class. If you'd like to pre-install, see http://l1demo.org/wiki/demoboard_getting_started

Pre-Requisites:

• Beginner level experience with C programming. Complete the "Basic" tutorial on https://www.learn-c.org/ and you should be fine.

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Where do I park? / How do I get inside?

Parking: There is free street parking on N Ontario St. It is usually easy to find a spot after business hours or on weekends.

Getting inside: Once you park, head down the walkway, we are the long building in the back (see link for overhead directions)

Parking and entry images: https://032.la/#contact

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