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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: CD32Freak on October 12, 2007, 08:02:08 PM
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I came across this interesting Spartan 3E Breakout and Development Board (http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8458#) and I was wondering if we could use this for the Minimig?
:idea: :-D
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It looks interesting, but a little sparse. You'd need to build a board (or boards) with the CPU, RAM, PIC, and all the I/O stuff. I had something like that in mind, using the Schmartboard prototyping boards - they make it easier to hand-solder fine pitch smt parts. This board would essentially be the FPGA and power boards of that idea.
But, if the gentleman in another thread succeeds with his project, a better idea would be to use one of the larger boards - with RAM and a larger FPGA holding a soft 68K. Some of those boards are only $50 more then this one. XESS has one with a 1 million gate Spartan 3, RAM, VGA, and one mouse/keyboard port for $199. Add a daughter board with the other mouse port, joysticks, and serial port plus upgrade the existing VGA to 4 bits/color instead of 3, and you you're good to go.
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Yeah Xess do this one the XSA-3S1000 (http://www.xess.com/prod035.php3) prototyping board. Seems interesting.
Though the OPs board also seems pretty cool from a flexibility point of view. You could build ANYTHING onto that.
Andy
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Heh, funny you mention the XA-3S1000. I just bought that card from a guy on eBay for $50.
Bought it to learn VHDL and that jazz, but I most definitely want to do some experiments later on. :-)
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Wow, 1/4 of the full price. Does he have any more :D
Andy
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Or something like this as an alternative to an expensive PQ208 Socket for the Xilinx Spartan-3:
(http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/9731/xc3solderedlk3.th.jpg) (http://img529.imageshack.us/my.php?image=xc3solderedlk3.jpg)
It's called the QFP-51 (http://www.sunhayato.co.jp/products/details.php?u=184&id=07011) by Sunhayato. I got the info from: http://www.geocities.co.jp/SiliconValley-Bay/9975/PC2E/index.html :-D
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CD32Freak wrote:
I came across this interesting Spartan 3E Breakout and Development Board (http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8458#) and I was wondering if we could use this for the Minimig?
:idea: :-D
Does not improve anything above the actual minimig.
If you look at this one:
http://www.enterpoint.co.uk/moelbryn/darnaw1.html
has a bigger FPGA, more I/O pins (ide drive ?),
and has already SDRAM soldered to it.