Scott Baker developed his own HDMI solution to connect the TRS-80 Color Computer he bought from eBay about five years ago to a modern monitor. The Gowin GW1N-1 FPGA on the Tang Nano board captures the digital signals going to the MC6847, which generates the analog video, and converts them into an HDMI output. The system also includes an analog-to-digital converter that transfers the computer’s analog audio over the same HDMI cable.
Why it matters
Rather than completely changing the way an old computer generates video, this approach processes the digital signals reaching the MC6847 at an intermediate stage and connects them to a modern display interface. In this way, the project provides TRS-80 Color Computer 2 owners and electronics hobbyists who want to use older hardware with modern systems with a concrete adaptation example implemented using specific components. Adding analog audio to the same connection also points to an integrated design choice that eliminates the need to develop separate solutions for video and audio. However, the information provided does not explain whether the solution can be adapted to other TRS-80 models or used with systems featuring similar video hardware.
Background
Computer is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: over the past 90 days, we have published 2 news stories mentioning this name; the latest is dated August 27, 2026.