EclaireXL

02/22/2018

FO 09:55 PM v20

Now that the flash chip works I've been doing a few long overdue firmware improvements.
So v20 is out with:
* Devices and settings split. Settings is on F11, Devices on F12.
* Hotkeys to go to file selectors quickly on devices (1,2,... foft

FO 09:41 PM Feature #53 (Closed): Add version number to settings

Added board version, date and core version (need to update VERSION file manually on build) foft

FO 09:40 PM Feature #58 (Closed): Maybe consider moving CART selection closer to top in F12 menu ?

foft

FO 08:46 PM Feature #58: Maybe consider moving CART selection closer to top in F12 menu ?

Was getting tempted by a bigger rework, including settings in json: https://github.com/quartzjer/js0n
More work than my interest on this today! foft

02/21/2018

FO 09:56 PM Feature #58 (In Progress): Maybe consider moving CART selection closer to top in F12 menu ?

On second thoughts, one more feature to add here.
Updating of roms on the flash by loading/then save all. foft

FO 09:54 PM Feature #58 (Closed): Maybe consider moving CART selection closer to top in F12 menu ?

foft

FO 09:39 PM Feature #58: Maybe consider moving CART selection closer to top in F12 menu ?

Added support for filtering in the file selector. Also added hotkeys to the device menu (1-4 and C). foft

02/19/2018

FO 10:05 PM Feature #58: Maybe consider moving CART selection closer to top in F12 menu ?

M25P (54MHz max), N25Q (108MHz max) I think. Thinking I should really move away from the M25P (or equiv) for v2 fix, its pretty bad. Large sectors and slow. foft

FO 10:03 PM Feature #58: Maybe consider moving CART selection closer to top in F12 menu ?

Well, I can increase the clock speed of the spi communication. I'm only at 25MHz and think I can go to 100MHz. But not sure how much time is spent in spi overhead and how much time waiting. foft

FO 09:54 PM Feature #58: Maybe consider moving CART selection closer to top in F12 menu ?

Doh. Writing in 256 byte chunks increasing destination address each data, but not increasing data pointer! Oops! So working now, but takes 7 seconds to save (v1, v2 not tested). Not much I can do about that on v2 (256KB sector size) but ... foft

FO 09:12 PM Feature #58: Maybe consider moving CART selection closer to top in F12 menu ?

Loading of profiles is working (no hotkeys yet).
Saving is failing... I have to read 256KB of flash to sdram then rewrite with a diff, guess that is failing somewhere. foft

02/18/2018

FO 10:17 PM Feature #58 (In Progress): Maybe consider moving CART selection closer to top in F12 menu ?

Following the flash support, decided to split the menu into two parts:
i) Device emulation (disk + cart + usb stuff)
ii) Settings (video settings + rom + ram size etc)
+ removing the quick select menu.
The device menu is thus much ... foft

FO 04:44 PM Feature #37 (Closed): SD card insertion support

foft

02/17/2018

FO 05:22 PM v19

Continuing the theme...
I checked that I can read/write from the spi flash chip. Had to use the altera serial flash loader since the pins are not directly exposed. Turned out I could use the existing spi master I'm using for the SD ca... foft

FO 05:19 PM Feature #62 (Closed): Store settings in spi flash

foft

FO 05:19 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

Tested as v1, working fine. Though I noticed that the i2c code hangs v1 (devices do not exist, I thought it'd be harmless...). Modified the platform register. foft

FO 12:32 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

Wondering about whether to put a file system on the flash chip. Such as spiffs, which is aimed at flash chips and low memory.
https://github.com/pellepl/spiffs/
Probably overkill.
foft

02/16/2018

SA 10:12 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

sadosp wrote:
> foft wrote:
> ...
|
/ \
sadosp

SA 10:12 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

foft wrote:
> Saving working too:)
\o/
sadosp

FO 09:37 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

Saving working too:) foft

FO 09:10 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

Step 1 done...
I add the settings to a jic file at a specified address.
Then I made the firmware load this if the 'settings' file is not found on the SD card.
Next step, saving!
foft

02/15/2018

FO 10:07 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

Next step...
Add default settings to the jic. Then I can try reading/writing it. To write apparently I need to erase a page (to set to all 0xff), then write a page (to set some bits low). Reading looks trivial, though perhaps I have dif... foft

FO 10:01 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

sadosp wrote:
> foft wrote:
> ...
Nah, just means I messed something up before which the SD card didn't care about (surprisingly).
foft

FO 10:00 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

Yep, that was it. I can read and display the flash device id now.
The paves the way for saving settings, also it makes it fairly simple to load and flash a core from the SD card. That is for later... foft

SA 09:42 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

foft wrote:
> I thought about it and currently _believe_ the problem is that cs_n is raised in between bytes (rather than at the end of a command sequence). I think I'm doing this without problem on the SD card, but for the flash it doe... sadosp

FO 06:55 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

I thought about it and currently _believe_ the problem is that cs_n is raised in between bytes (rather than at the end of a command sequence). I think I'm doing this without problem on the SD card, but for the flash it doesn't work. foft

02/14/2018

FO 10:28 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

Tried with 9f since I'm not sure ab is supported. Same result.
Got the scope on it and checked that the commands and chip select are correct. Look to be, but data out looks weird. Driven low, then gradually climbs like when there is a... foft

FO 09:11 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

I found out I'd connected the hardware (in the vhdl) wrong, so no dice.
Reconnected what I thought was correctly, but no luck...
port map(
asmi_access_granted => '0', (never granted, always used by the fpga)... foft

FO 08:20 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

Think I have the hardware side connected, trying to talk to it now via firmware. Fingers crossed! foft

02/11/2018

FO 10:13 PM Feature #62: Store settings in spi flash

On some cyclones the active serial pins can be directly used as IO. I tried that on here (cyclone v) but it didn't work, however it should be possible using the serial flash loader. This is what is internally used when programming via ji... foft

02/10/2018

FO 09:24 AM Feature #62 (Closed): Store settings in spi flash

Read/write settings from the flash chip, with override from sd.
Want to check this works before new boards. foft

02/08/2018

FO 09:21 PM v18

I've been trying out some other parts of the hardware in advance of the new boards. The clock generator and the i2c video support are confirmed as working. Also the sd card detection line.
I've put these to initial use in v18 as follo... foft

FO 09:09 PM Bug #47 (Closed): CORE 13 - Paddle, Touchtablet issues

foft

FO 09:08 PM Bug #47: CORE 13 - Paddle, Touchtablet issues

In the next run of boards we are added a variable resistor to allow adjusting the level the paddle detector uses.
For old boards, use a decent PSU! foft

FO 09:06 PM Feature #24 (Closed): A board with Atari SOUL!!!! (ROM in block ram support)

Added basic support, see related issue.
I still plan to do the flash reading later. foft

FO 07:56 PM Feature #24 (In Progress): A board with Atari SOUL!!!! (ROM in block ram support)

foft

FO 09:05 PM Feature #37: SD card insertion support

Confirmed that SD detect works.
Added primitive insert/eject support. Its kind of crap, but it works...
Boot with no SD card means -> 320KB compy 1x, HDMI if connected, VGA if connected, otherwise RGB 15KHz. NTSC (more monitors com... foft

FO 07:57 PM Feature #37: SD card insertion support

Another place we need to check hardware before new boards... foft

FO 07:56 PM Feature #37 (In Progress): SD card insertion support

foft

FO 07:55 PM Feature #14 (Closed): Svideo core for first prototype

I don't see composite and svideo as core outputs, much worse quality even when perfectly done. I'm pretty happy with the current state, sometimes the TV controls need adjusting a little but that isn't a big problem. foft

FO 07:53 PM Bug #56 (Closed): Galaxian Cartridge crash

Working fine on recent cores foft

02/07/2018

FO 09:14 PM Feature #12 (Closed): Set up redmine backups!

foft

FO 09:14 PM Feature #12: Set up redmine backups!

My second disk died before I moved it to the NAS. Never mind though, recovered the data. Now backup is to my nas since I do not have a 2nd disk! foft

FO 09:13 PM Bug #17 (Closed): NTSC crashing on some builds

On second thoughts... closing until we see it again. foft

FO 09:11 PM Bug #17: NTSC crashing on some builds

Not seen this for months, think it was an issue around this time that has been fixed. Marking as normal priority for now. foft

FO 08:51 PM Feature #7: Implement I2C vga/hdmi support

Added to the video settings 'VGA connected' and 'HDMI connected' which look for the start of the DDC sequence '00FF' foft

FO 08:25 PM Feature #7: Implement I2C vga/hdmi support

Setting back to normal since the hardware side is working fine. foft

FO 08:25 PM Feature #7: Implement I2C vga/hdmi support

HDMI is working too... “00 FF FF FF FF FF FF 00 10 AC … foft

FO 08:23 PM Feature #7: Implement I2C vga/hdmi support

VGA is working... receiving “00 FF FF FF FF FF FF 00 10 AC …"
Now for HDMI foft

FO 08:00 PM Feature #7: Implement I2C vga/hdmi support

I had the pin assignments backwards. I can now write 4/5 to the control register and read it back. This should be channel select.
Next up... checking that what I write makes it to the VGA and HDMI port. I guess I could try speaking t... foft

02/06/2018

FO 09:38 PM Feature #7: Implement I2C vga/hdmi support

Looking on signaltap looks like slave reads of the control register are not working. Hmmm. foft

FO 09:36 PM Feature #7: Implement I2C vga/hdmi support

Picoscope has i2c debugging and linux drivers:-) Installed them and will connect that up and take a look tomorrow. foft

FO 09:28 PM Feature #7: Implement I2C vga/hdmi support

Writing some code to say:
select channel1
read selected channel
write to random slave on channel1
select channel0
read selected channel
write to random slave on channel0
Might be working, but need to work out how to check...... foft

SA 09:15 PM Feature #15: Implement programmable PLL

foft wrote:
> OK, confirmed this chip is working. I programmed it over i2c and am now getting two different clocks output on CLK0 and CLK2 - 10MHz and 30MHz as I set up in the clk generator software.
> ...
Congrats! ;-) sadosp

FO 08:49 PM Feature #15: Implement programmable PLL

OK, confirmed this chip is working. I programmed it over i2c and am now getting two different clocks output on CLK0 and CLK2 - 10MHz and 30MHz as I set up in the clk generator software.
Going to mark this back as normal priority since I... foft

02/05/2018

FO 09:58 PM Feature #15: Implement programmable PLL

Been adding i2c to the zpu. Mostly working I think, a few timing issues to solve. foft

02/04/2018

FO 09:59 PM Feature #15: Implement programmable PLL

To do this I need to add i2c support to the ZPU. I'm out of ROM space without easy fixes. There is actually quite a lot space even on the EBA2, so adding 8K extra for now. Currently it was using bit 15 to decide rom/ram. I made it use 14... foft

AD 09:24 PM Feature #15: Implement programmable PLL

Going to power this up urgently before new boards made, to check hardware side is fine. admin

FO 09:23 PM Feature #15: Implement programmable PLL

Attached the note on how to program manually (without clock builder help) foft

FO 09:22 PM Feature #15: Implement programmable PLL

Attached header file for programming clk0->10MHz and clk1->30MHz.
These are generated with clock builder pro, downloaded from ic vendor web site. foft

AD 09:25 PM Feature #7: Implement I2C vga/hdmi support

Going to at least check this chip is wired properly before the new boards are ordered admin

AD 09:24 PM Bug #18 (Closed): Power on Switch

Panos fixed this for the next run admin

02/02/2018

FO 10:30 PM v17 out and new boards

The high-res antic work is still ongoing but I think this is now stable enough for general use.
* High res antic support (2x and 4x colour clock)
* High res antic disables pbi (so works at 1x cpu)
* Sophia style 2 colour high res (p... foft