New Minimig cores available

[Darrin]

Poster: Norway  Posted: 2008/9/6 12:55:49

is there another way to update the pic, then via o modem? i only have usb on my pc laptop

FOUR ways:

#1:  Buy a replacement PIC with the update flashed on it.

#2:  Send your PIC to some kind soul who will flash it for you (the chip pops off easily).

#3:  Put Tiny Bootloader and the hex file onto a memory stick, take your Minimig, cable and stick to your friends house and ask him if you can use his PC for 5 minutes.

#4:  Buy a cheap USB to Serial port adapter (link below).

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1104139&CatId=447

I hope that helps.  :-)

[Darrin]

Poster: boing4000
I just tried to compile the FPGA Core in ISE 9.2i (found it for download).
The core was compiled 100% without error (only a few warnings) but Minimig only show a black screen after loading the core.
Do you have any idea what it could be?

Using a 50Hz core on a monitor that will only display 60Hz+?  ;-)

[boing4000]

hmmmmm.... ;-)
No my PAL 15KHz Monitor can sync 50Hz and the original PAL core is working. Only when recompiling the source (in ISE 9.2i) it show a black screen and no further action.

[yaqube]

@Sascha

All timing constraints were met? If not try to set synthesis optimization for maximum speed and higher fitter effort.

[boing4000]

Thanks Jakub, I will check that.

EDIT:
Just did a few recompilings and now the core is working. No changes but suddenly it works... strange.

Also found out that ISE 9.2i take much more compiling time as 10.1 did. I think it would be better to use 10.1 as default compiler.
Right now I am satisfied that it works at all :-)

[asymetrix]

Thanx all

The games I like to play are Superfrog, Alienbreed, projext X.

Now I can finally go buy a Minimig.

Well done yaqube for all your hard work.
Its really appreciated what you have done.

There should be a Minimig fund where we can donate to for development expences !

thanx Dennis, Yaqube, and all for bringing Minimig to the people !

[asymetrix]

how hard would it be to update the core/pic via menu and load the binary from sd card ?

[boing4000]

The FPGA core is only a single file and already stored on SD card called "Minimig1.bin". You can swap, rename, copy or move this file as any other file to and from your PC/Mac.

The PIC firmware is flashed inside the PIC chip and can be updated by the PIC itself via RS232 (serial com port) and the PC software TinyBootloader.
I dont think it would be possible to let PIC update himself via "floppy simulation" is working in the same time. AFAIK the only way to let PIC reflash itself is via RS232.

I think this is already a very clean and simple way. Only thing you need ia a cardreader and null-modem cable + serial port on PC.

[TheDaddy]

Guys,

Think about it.

The Minimig is now your new Amiga 500/600 with more modern features:

PS/2 ports
Programmable FPGA
VGA Output
Scandoubler
SD-Card as storage
Small, really small even compared to an A600
Speaker/headphones connector
Small footprint
Great compatibility
ADF writing support (in the future: hard file support)
Nice, elegant case

I can't think of anything else :-)

[whiteb]

how hard would it be to update the core/pic via menu and load the binary from sd card ?

Not possible.

The *ONLY* time that the PIC allows updates to be done, is *BEFORE* the chip executes the stored code, and the only way to update the stored code, is via the chip's "Program window", which is approximately 1 second after power on/reset.

You cannot program the chip, whilst it is executing a program.

[Belial6]

It seems that if a redesign were to be done by any of those looking at that, a second pic might be the ticket.  If a second pic were put on the board so that when the jumper is set, it would read the SD card, look for a firmware.hex, and load that into the primary pic, the update process could be done with no cable.  I assume that this could be done, and as well as it is not going to be done in the near future.  Just an idea for when the inevitable Minimig V2 comes out.

I know, "How are we going to update the programer pic?"  Well, we either program it with the primary pic, OR we leave the serial option, but realize that a simple, zero UI, single purpose program is just not nearly as likely to need updates as a complicated, UI enabled, multipurpose program.

Actually, the ideal thing would be to see a small carrier board that could plug into the existing pick socket to accomplish this.

Also, and more importantly...

The new Boot Sequence looks Awesome!!!  Very professional!

[boing4000]

There are also USB>RS232 converter available to do the job even on modern PC without a generic COM port. Should work fine but never tested.

@Jakub
Did you remove the 14MHz cpu clock (by Dennis) to make AR work? I just tried to let 68k run at 14MHz again and the AR is not operation well
PS: at 14MHz cpu the floppy speeds up to 40kb/s !great!

[yaqube]

@Sascha

As I can remember in Dennis's original code the 14 MHz clock was only used to generate 7 MHz clock. Nothing more. As I used another DCM to directly generate 7 MHz clock in phase with 28 MHz clock there was no need to have 14 MHz clock any longer.

Running the CPU with 14MHz clock without proper bus timing is a hack which is not guaranteed to work reliably.

In the future I will rewrite CPU bus interface and make it working with 7, 14, 21 and 28 MHz clock selectable from the OSD menu. Many programs have software delay loops and will have troubles running on faster CPU.

[yaqube]

@Belial6

I have simpler solution than two PIC's: one ARM MCU. Cheaper, faster, better.  :-D



The design is in hardware verification stage. The first program which blinks the disk led has been run successfully. As I don't have almost any time now the project is advancing very slowly.

[Darrin]

@ Yaqube:

Ohhh!  Is that what I think it is?  :-D

The Daddy will be pleased as he has 2.5cm of clearance above the top of his PIC socket in his custom case and that "looks" like it should just squeeze in!

[Norway]

can it be used as a hd? :-)