Interest check: An updated MiniITX-MiniMig ( Pics!!! )

[trip6]

Excellent work... I still say the missing piece is designing a metal backplane cutout so that any standard Mini-ITX form factor case can be used, and then figuring out how to mass produce the backplane cutout... But the board is coming along wonderfully....

[Belial6]

How is the SD card handled?  It looks like it is still on the front of the board.  Wouldn't this put the card on the inside of the case?  Is there anyway to put it on a header, or at least on the back of the board with the other ports so that a standard case could be used without needing to open it to change software?

[Illuwatar]

There is a 10-pin header just at the left side of the card socket that replicates all the pins for the card. It is not mounted at the pictures. The idea is to make a small break-out board that you could place anywhere in your chassis. Currently, I don't have any PCB layout for that yet - the MiniMig itself have taken a lot of time to design and test. The same idea have been applied to the LED's and buttons - they are all available at a pin header.

[Belial6]

That is perfect!

[skipp604]

Peter, I am looking at your webpage everyday and I just cannot help the feeling that you are the electronics Wizard! Is there anything you CAN'T build? I admire and worship you! :-)

Like I said before, keep up the good work, mate!

[KimmoK]

Mini-ITX minimig looks very appealling. I hope I get my hands on one of those someday.

@Illuwatar

Have you ever thougt about designing a PPC minicomputer around PPC SOC? :-P

additions:
minimig with pci slot & cpu slot ?  :-P

[Illuwatar]

Current plan: assemble the remaining three boards from this prototype run (they are fully usable even with the small glitches in the layout). One of these boards will be fitted with 10ns SRAM chips, just to test if they work in the MiniMig application. If they are OK, it could be an option. These 10ns memory was needed for these arcade game emulations someone did here. There will be some ordering to get this going...

For the production run of the final board (there are now enough with interest for at least a 25-board run), I will need payment in advance for the PCB. The cost for 25 boards are little to high for me to pay. To get a proper figure, I would like everyone that really wants a board (assembled or bare PCB) to send me a email at with your forum id, number of boards and if you want PCB only or a fully working unit (or maybe just a kit with all parts). This allows me to calculate costs for both parts and boards.

[jensl]

Hello Illuwatar, be sure that you order the correct sram.
You need these sram version: ISSI IS61LV51216-10TLI or you
can order also srams from cypress CY7C1051DV33-10ZSXI.

The srams  IS61WV51216-10TLI are not working correct with the minimig core.

MfG
Jens

[Illuwatar]

Thank You for the info Jens. I will see what RAM I have - I need to put an order to Digikey anyway.

Regarding board interest requests - I need to set a final day for that. To avoid too much wait and delay, I will make an order for the PCBs 24/11 (24 November). The boards will be in my hands about two weeks later.

[KimmoK]

case idea for minimigITX:
http://www.retrocomputing.net/parts/commodore/1010/amiga1010.jpg

[Illuwatar]

A adapter board for the SD-card socket has been created that allows the socket to be connected via a flat cable to the MiniMig. These small boards will be order at the same time as the MiniMigs themselves.

Jens: have you actually been testing these memories? What is the reason for them to fail in the MiniMig design? The problem with the parts you are suggesting is that you can't order them as single units at Digikey (and they are also out of stock).

[tonyyeb]

So how much is a fully assembled one going to be?

[jensl]

Yes, thats true, I was having the same problem.
I was talking with Yacube about the problem with the srams.
He is using the ISSI IS61LV51216-10TLI.
Normaly the other srams from ISSI should work, but I think the
problem is that the minimg is designed for 3,3V srams, so the srams ISSI IS61WV51216-10TLI are 8ns "fast".

You can order ISSI srams from mouser.com
http://de.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=tFgq3%2fJV4HgTuonxKe%2fw8Q%3d%3d


I have ordered some samples from Cypress directly on the site from Cypress CY7C1051DV33-10ZSXI.
http://www.cypress.com/products/?rpn=CY7C1051DV33

Jens

[Illuwatar]

Thank You for the links. I will go for the Mauser and order them from there.

But I still don't get the true difference. Both the "LV" and "WV" models are 3.3V parts, so that is no difference. The pinout is also the same. But I noticed some difference in the timing diagrams - maybe that is the problem: the MiniMig core relies on a specific timing that does not work with the "WV" model?

Regarding pricing of single, handmade units: I will estimate something between €250 - 300 + shipping. I have sent a mail to Acube to see if they are interested in making these. A small series must be done by me first anyway to test the final solution (annoying to bugging Acube with a design that aren't 100% verified).

[jensl]

Hi Illuwatar,
you should contact yacube first again. Maybe
he can modify the core a little bit so that also the WV version will work.

Yes the timing could be the problem.
The core was booting, but the Kickstart screen does not appear.
With Kickstart 2.0 I was seeing the screen but after that
the board hangs or a Guru meditation was displayed.

Jens

[KimmoK]

Feature-idea reminder: http://www.students.tut.fi/~leinone3/ide/

especially http://www.students.tut.fi/~leinone3/ide/ide68k.html :-)