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Offline Darrin

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #29 on: September 04, 2008, 05:11:31 PM »
Just for the record, here's the bare minimum requirements for OS3.9:

CD-ROM drive
Hard drive
68020 or higher processor
Amiga 3.1 ROMs (version 40.xx)
6 MB Fast RAM
A2000, A3000, 2 x A1200T, A1200, A4000Tower & Mediator, CD32, VIC-20, C64, C128, C128D, PET 8032, Minimig & ARM, C-One, FPGA Arcade... and AmigaOne X1000.
 

Offline DFergATL

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #30 on: September 04, 2008, 05:23:16 PM »
Thanks for the reply.  I am hoping that either Minimig will soom be able to do this or natami dev boards will be avalialbe.  Which ever comes first, I want one!!

Dave
Sir, I believe that we have a problem with your brain being missing.  -Firefly-
 

Offline boing4000

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #31 on: September 04, 2008, 05:54:09 PM »
In first way Minimig wants to be an Amiga500 reimplemantation. This is and was the goal of Dennis to build the Minimig PCB.
If OS3.9 is much important, you can still use a real Amiga or the Natami if its released.

Right now I am really impressed how good the new firmware works :-)
 

Offline Darrin

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #32 on: September 04, 2008, 05:57:37 PM »
Quote
Poster: DFergATL  Posted: 2008/9/4 11:23:16

Thanks for the reply. I am hoping that either Minimig will soom be able to do this or natami dev boards will be avalialbe. Which ever comes first, I want one!!

Dave


I regard the Minimig as the (almost) perfect games machine while I have my expanded A4000 for more serious stuff.

I love the abiity to run my software off ADF files instead of my deteriorating floppy disk collection and the machine actuall "feels" like a real Amiga.  With a PS2 port for the mouse, I can leave 2 joysticks plugged in at all times and the standard VGA output connects to any monitor or TV with a VGA jack.

It's also ultra portable with my Minimig board actually installed into a standard PC keyboard.  I'm looking forward to seeing better v2 and v3 machines released and I'll probably give this one to the kids when that happens, but for now it is excennt entertainment and worth the money.

Jacob's latest core really does make it a true classic Amiga substitute without resorting to software emulation.
A2000, A3000, 2 x A1200T, A1200, A4000Tower & Mediator, CD32, VIC-20, C64, C128, C128D, PET 8032, Minimig & ARM, C-One, FPGA Arcade... and AmigaOne X1000.
 

Offline boing4000

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #33 on: September 04, 2008, 06:34:14 PM »
@Darrin: 100% agreed :-)

just tested: Pinball Dreams can write its highscore on "disk"!! *happy* ;-)
 

Offline Darrin

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #34 on: September 04, 2008, 06:42:17 PM »
Quote
Poster: boing4000  Posted: 2008/9/4 12:34:14

@Darrin: 100% agreed

just tested: Pinball Dreams can write its highscore on "disk"!! *happy*


Remember to strike the right balance between "testing" and "playing".  My kids saw me testing a few games and then kicked me off for hours so they could play (Alien Breed, Cannon Fodder 2, Lemmings 2).

Classics never die!  :-D
A2000, A3000, 2 x A1200T, A1200, A4000Tower & Mediator, CD32, VIC-20, C64, C128, C128D, PET 8032, Minimig & ARM, C-One, FPGA Arcade... and AmigaOne X1000.
 

Offline TheDaddy

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #35 on: September 04, 2008, 06:43:29 PM »
@boing4000

>>just tested: Pinball Dreams can write its highscore on "disk"!! *happy*

That is music to my ears! :-)
 

Offline straycat

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #36 on: September 04, 2008, 08:24:59 PM »
Fantastic news! Congratulations Jakub for releasing such a major update to the Minimig!

Just need to get my firmware updated and I'll disappear into Minimig land!!
Minimig ¦ A500 ¦ A600
 

Offline TheDaddy

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #37 on: September 04, 2008, 08:32:44 PM »
@straycat

>>Fantastic news! Congratulations Jakub for releasing such a major update to the Minimig!

It is brilliant isn't it?

:-)
 

Offline Darrin

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #38 on: September 04, 2008, 08:41:13 PM »
I got a PM asking how to update the PIC with the new hex file.  Yaqube posted a guide in in a thread on Amiga.org many months ago so I’ve dug it up and copied it below.

What you need:

Minimig
Null Modem serial cable – a normal serial cable will not work unless it has a null modem adapter.
PC with a serial port
Tiny Bootloader – free software downloadable from the Internet

#1:  Connect the Minimig to an appropriate serial port on a PC using your NULL MODEM serial cable.

#2:  Set jumper on Minimig to from “FPGA” to the “MCU” position.

#3:  Switch the Minimig on.

#4:  Download and run the Tiny Bootloader program on the PC.

#5:  Select the correct COM port and rate (115200)

#6:  Press the "CheckPIC" button on the Tiny Boodloader display.

#7.  Quickly press “PGM RESET” on the Minimig motherboard within FOUR SECONDS to establish communications between the Minimig and Tiny Bootloader on the PC.

If you succeed you should see something like the following message in a log window:

Connected to \\.\COM1 at 115200
Searching for PIC ...
Found:18F 252o/452o

If you don't you will see:

Connected to \\.\COM1 at 115200
Searching for PIC ...Not found,
ERROR!

If you get the error repeat steps #6 and #7.

#8:  On Tiny Bootloader select the hex update file that needs to be written to the PIC.

#9:  Select "Write Flash" on Tiny Bootloader and immediately press the reset button on the  Minimig motherboard.

If you succeed you will see something like the following message:

Connected to \\.\COM1 at 115200
HEX: 6 days old, INHX8M,18Fcode, total=14552 bytes.
Searching for PIC ...
Found:18F 252o/452o
WRITE OK at 20:55, time:7.173 sec

MAKE SURE YOU LET TINY BOOTLOADER FINISH WRITING TO THE PIC BEFORE YOU UNPLUG THE MINIMIG!!!

#10:  With the Minimig switched off, move the “MCU” jumper on the Minimig back to the old position “FPGA”
A2000, A3000, 2 x A1200T, A1200, A4000Tower & Mediator, CD32, VIC-20, C64, C128, C128D, PET 8032, Minimig & ARM, C-One, FPGA Arcade... and AmigaOne X1000.
 

Offline TheDaddy

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #39 on: September 04, 2008, 08:51:35 PM »
Another excellent piece of work from Darrin :-)
 

Offline Darrin

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #40 on: September 04, 2008, 08:58:28 PM »
Quote
Poster: TheDaddy  Posted: 2008/9/4 14:51:35

Another excellent piece of work from Darrin


Thank Jacob, not me.  That's the guide I found on the net when I needed to do my update.  I've just tweeked it a bit to remove some of the technical stuff and break the steps up a bit more.   :-)
A2000, A3000, 2 x A1200T, A1200, A4000Tower & Mediator, CD32, VIC-20, C64, C128, C128D, PET 8032, Minimig & ARM, C-One, FPGA Arcade... and AmigaOne X1000.
 

Offline Darrin

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #41 on: September 04, 2008, 09:11:23 PM »
Oh, if you can't get the guide to work then it will be for 1 of 5 reasons:

#1:  You're not not pressing the right buttons.
#2:  You're too slow hitting the buttons.
#3:  You have the wrong ports/jumpers selected.
#4:  Your PIC does not have the update code installed - you'll need a replacement PIC chip.
#5:  You're not using a Null Modem Cable - get the right cable or buy an adapter.

Note:

All the new Minimigs sold by AmigaKit have PICs with the update code.  The first models didn't, but replacement PICs that did were sent to all those who needed them.  If your PIC doesn't have the update code then contact whoever sold you the Minimig.

I believe that AmigaKit are currently updating their stock of Minimigs now so that all new Minimigs sold by them will already have this update done.  Now that's what I call service!

Note:  I had to make my cable out of two 25 pin to 9 pin serial cables, a gender changer and a 9 pin null modem adapter!   :-o
A2000, A3000, 2 x A1200T, A1200, A4000Tower & Mediator, CD32, VIC-20, C64, C128, C128D, PET 8032, Minimig & ARM, C-One, FPGA Arcade... and AmigaOne X1000.
 

Offline mikej

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #42 on: September 04, 2008, 09:30:05 PM »
"I used Xilinx ISE 9.2i and haven't upgraded yet not to risk compatibility problems. In a few weeks I will upgrade and check why it doesn't compile."

I still use 9.2i - I stay away from new Xilinx software until it has at least 3 service packs :)
/Mike
 

Offline TheDaddy

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #43 on: September 04, 2008, 09:46:59 PM »
>>Thank Jacob, not me. That's the guide I found on the net when I needed to do my update. I've just tweeked it a bit to remove some of the technical stuff and break the steps up a bit more.

Well, it has made my upgrading a bit easier, let's say that :-)
 

Offline straycat

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Re: New Minimig cores available
« Reply #44 from previous page: September 04, 2008, 11:12:34 PM »
Thanks for reposting that Darrin. Once I've had my PIC updated it'll save me digging out the instructions.
Minimig ¦ A500 ¦ A600