New Minimig cores available

[boing4000]

Thanks Jakub, now I can build seperate PAL and NTSC core with 7/14MHz selectable via Jumper.
When you release the OSD version, my one will be obsolete and I am looking forward to that time :-)

[Darrin]

@ Boing4000:

Drool!!!  When you do, remember to post a link to it on here in bloody big letters so I can't miss it.   :-D

[Belial6]

Ok, as you already know that is damn cool!

So, since you have taken car of my first request, how about another.  What are the chances of getting you to put pin headers on that board for the drive and power leds so that we can run them to the outside of our cases.  I know that we would COULD hack the existing boards by desoldering the leds and and running them from there, but I dread the idea of taking a soldering iron to an already functioning Minimig.

Also, is there a difference between hitting the reset button, cutting the power, and hitting Ctr-Alt-Alt?  If the reset button has a unique function, getting that on a pin header would be awesome too.

[whiteb]

Hey Jakob/Yaqube.

I like the look of the daughter board for the Minimig, I am interested.  I only have around 1CM clearance from Pic socket to the housing, what is the minimum clearance needed for the board ?

So what are the benefits of the ARP MCU ?, faster, 32bit ? so will that be able to get us away from the 8.3 file names ?, maybe Fat32 ?

I am just hanging out for say two ADF support right now

[yaqube]

@whiteb

The height of the adapter board is 5.75 mm without pin header. I have used low profile pin header which is 1.85 mm high but can't find a supplier of them.
If the clearance is a constraint it would be possible to remove plastic base of the pin header and have the adapter board sticking out only 6 mm above PIC socket.

The support for two floppy drives should be possible using current PIC MCU.

[whiteb]

The height of the adapter board is 5.75 mm without pin header. I have used low profile pin header which is 1.85 mm high but can't find a supplier of them.

Well, it seems then that with Pin Header at normal profile, it should fit the 1CM (10mm) that i have available.  Even with a standard 2.5mm pitch (I think thats the standard).  7.5mm for PCB and components, should fit.

Then again, it is not difficult to find longer spacer's to increase the gap.

Here in Australia, 2.5mm Headers are only 50 cents for 36 snap off SIL at Dick Smith Electronics.

But any way, Interesting stuff.  I am keenly watching this.

[boing4000]

A generic question should be done:

Will this daughter board be necessary in the future for new pic firmware?
If this is planed, I just want to "protest" a bit ;-)
In my point of view Minimig is this little board in itself. Everything is done IN software and the existing hardware parts.
In real Amiga we like maybe even love to hack the hardware with many extensions and additional PCB parts. Minimig is different.
Right now we are able to "extend" the hardware by very good coding and checking out.
If the daughter board is "only" for testing and provide a faster/more easy firmware upgrade via USB, I am pacified :-)

If the PIC18LF252-I/SP is not big enough to store future firmware, the PIC18LF2620-I/SP (64kb flash inside and pincompatible afa I can see) would be able to.

I also dont want to solder out SMD LED (even when I could) to strip wires arround the board for replacements. This Minimig V1.1 board should stay in its current form, at least for me and I belief many other Minimig owner will agree.

Please dont(!) take this personal! I just did freely speak out my opinion and feelings in Minimig :-)

[whiteb]

If the PIC18LF252-I/SP is not big enough to store future firmware, the PIC18LF2620-I/SP (64kb flash inside and pincompatible afa I can see) would be able to.

From what i understand, there is still around 10KB remaining on the PIC free to use.

I believe this board he is working on is for several things, USB connectivity to upgrade firmware's, instead of RS232, more storage (more code) and faster RISC CPU inside the PIC to execute the code.  

I would not mind CAPS/SPS image support, if they got off of their behind and supported the minimig with some fort of Library that can be incorporated into PIC.  But I suspect this would be too big for the current PIC, and where the new chip/board could come in to play.

He has already said that Multiple ADF support should fit in the existing PIC

Will this daughter board be necessary in the future for new pic firmware?

There could be TWO releases, Original PIC, and newer PIC.

The ORIGINAL PIC would have bug fixes and minor feature enhancements, and the NEWER PIC for advanced features.

The ORIGINAL Pic code is getting NEAR to perfect now, Add in Multiple ADF support and I think its just about there. (Unless there are more DMA bugs to fix).

If you are talking about HDF support and other stuff, then that is going to *REQUIRE* a pic upgrade

[boing4000]

Thanks whiteb, lets see what come out.
HDF support is a nice thing, eminently for Workbench, multi disk games and WHDload friends.
Thanks to the new firmware and features I am really happy with Minimig now :-)

[Darrin]

@ Boing4000

I've got to disagree with you here ;-)

If we were to take your stand then nobody should have been able to update/upgrade their A500 and everything should have been developed for ECS and 0.5MB RAM.  :-D

I'm sure cores will still be developed to push the original board to the limits, but we should also look towards enhancing the board to exceed those limits just like we do with our "real" Amigas.

We already have a Minimig that subsitutes for an mostly unexpanded A500+, so the next phase should be to look at "expansion boards" otherwise the only other option is a completely new motherboard.

[boing4000]

@Darrin

I am not against upgrading at all. First of all I would like to let this PCB (v1.1) untouched. If really necessary an upgrade with PIC replacement could work but will also cost additional money for each Minimig owner. Not that much as buying a new PCB but lot more then just upgrading the existing PIC.

In real Amiga you dont have any other choice but to buy new hardware parts to have more RAM or a faster CPU etc.

I just want to keep the idea of "we have programmable hardware to do the job". Upgrading the real hardware is not the way for me. Not on the existing PCB. Think about it...

But this is just my opinion :-)

[Darrin]

@ Boing4000

The rule of thumb when it comes to the Amiga is that if the chip and be removed from the socket then it is fair game for upgrading.   :rtfm:

If the Minimig PIC was meant to stay as it was then it should have been WELDED in place.   :lol:

Anyway, I'm looking forward to "modifying" my board with your core by running some wires to a "turbo swtich".  Just out of interest, is it safe to clock the 68000 used on the Minimig at higher speeds that 7MHz or do we risk damaging them?

[boing4000]

Dennis did for one only reason stick the PIC into a socket: external programming if necessary.
We can be lucky after all to have an PIC18LFxxx on Minimig, that can reprogram itself at 3.3v.
But lets end this. I dont want to block any new idea :-)

No risk for the 68000 at 14MHz clock. Most Minimig 68k are designed for 16 or even 20MHz. This new chips are also powered at 3.3v and completely in static design. Even overclocking should easy be possible.
Dennis did this before in his 2nd released firmware (FW 27_04_2008).
The 68SEC000 will only get a bit more warm at 14MHz, no danger even in a 100 years of operating time ;-)

Im on it and will release the FW asap.

[Darrin]

Great!  I'm looking forward to it.

I don't get off this oil rig until the 17th so there's no rush.  Use the extra days to add DF1: support, hard file support and emulate a complete Cybervision643D in the FPGA.   :-o

[whiteb]

No risk for the 68000 at 14MHz clock. Most Minimig 68k are designed for 16 or even 20MHz. This new chips are also powered at 3.3v and completely in static design.

I am using a 16 Mhz 68000 in my minimig, Dennis only clocked it to 7Mhz anyway.  Should run at 20 Mhz at least without even blinking.

[yaqube]

We must be aware that the 68HC000 used in SupraTurbo28 wasn't manufactured in faster speed grade than 16.67 MHz and was clocked at 28 MHz.
I'm curious what is the limit for 20 MHz 68SEC000.