New hardware revision?

Talk about everything hardware related
lee
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Re: New hardware revision?

Postby lee » Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:28 pm

SD cards ...

What communication protocol do they use?

Ok, perhaps you should keep the ATMega8.

Well, the main reason for the 68008 was the simplified PCB layout. Only a half or quarter of data lines have to be routed.

The 68030 can also operate with only an 8 bit bus, so you can boot from a single 8 bit device but still have 16 and 32 bit devices as well.

Maybe PS/2 SIMMS instead of these old 30 pin SIMMS

Or even SDRAM, though that too is getting harder to find.

Lee.

simon
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Re: New hardware revision?

Postby simon » Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:05 am

The ATMega8 is only used to avoid bit banging of the two PS/2 ports not for accessing SD cards.

This are good news about the 68030. So we can keep going with a single (Flash) Eprom to boot and can wipe the buffer interface. :)

Simon

lee
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Re: New hardware revision?

Postby lee » Sat Oct 20, 2012 4:35 pm

The ATMega8 is only used to avoid bit banging of the two PS/2 ports not for accessing SD cards.

Did you follow the link?

Lee.

simon
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Re: New hardware revision?

Postby simon » Sun Oct 21, 2012 3:40 pm

Oh, now I did. :) This is very interesting. Maybe we could use free pins of the Atmega8 for this, even this connection is not as fast as it could be. It would need a converter from 3.3V to 5V via resistors or dedicated chips.

About the RAM.. SDRAMS controllers are more complex compared to EDO RAM controllers. I doubt it would fit into the CPLD.

Simon

simon
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Re: New hardware revision?

Postby simon » Tue Jan 08, 2013 11:41 pm

Today I started to work on the next hardware revision. It will take a month or two until there is a new PCB layout ready for production though. But if someone wants to help adding features (faster CPU, ...) then now (before I start creating the board layout). :)

Is anyone interested in beeing a tester for the Rev. 2 prototype?

Simon

simon
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Re: New hardware revision?

Postby simon » Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:01 pm

I finished reworking the rev. schematics today. Though I want to test a part of the rework before I proceed with the rev. 2 PCB layout.

Well, are you still interested in building an own Kiwi? We could do a group buy sometime in March. If we reach 50pcs the PCB will cost ca 100€. I asked a electronic supplier if it is possible to create a shopping basket for all other parts (including the obsolte parts). Or we do a group buy for these parts as well.

Simon

netwar
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Re: New hardware revision?

Postby netwar » Tue Jan 22, 2013 1:33 pm

Sounds great :D

simon
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Re: New hardware revision?

Postby simon » Tue Jan 22, 2013 3:19 pm

netwar wrote:Sounds great :D


Indeed. :) But I could need help though.
1. The part supplier needs to know the part numbers. I have a BOM but not in the form of part numbers of one specific supplier... Much work to seek and find these information.
2. There is still no tester for the next rev. board. Shall we really release everything for a group buy without testing the new revision???

Simon

netwar
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Re: New hardware revision?

Postby netwar » Fri Feb 01, 2013 9:34 am

if you havent got a manafacture parts list yet send me your bill of materials and ill go track down some manufacturers and ill send it back for your approval.As for the revised board we should test it atleast to some sort of degree.... maybe try breadboarding/protoboarding the revisions and put them into the circuit?

simon
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Re: New hardware revision?

Postby simon » Sun Feb 03, 2013 12:13 pm

netwar wrote:if you havent got a manafacture parts list yet send me your bill of materials and ill go track down some manufacturers and ill send it back for your approval.

Great! I just created a BOM which is available for download in the internal area of the forum. A handful parts are missig as I didn't fill in the all values for the new revision 2 parts yet.

netwar wrote:As for the revised board we should test it atleast to some sort of degree.... maybe try breadboarding/protoboarding the revisions and put them into the circuit?


For some changes this is possible. E.g. yesterday the DS1210 arrived. My plan is to tinker a drop-in PCB which is to be placed into the RTC socket. Other changes like power-supply improvement will be hard to test this way. In the end the first build of the rev. 2 hardware will be THE test. I really could need help here.

Simon


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