LUCAS & FRANCES Boards, PAL Code & PCB Masks - Page 5

Kai · 21 March 2014, 01:34

BGA is a pain to solder by hand - TQFP/CQFP/TSOP etc is easy enough - with BGA you need a hot air solder station, good hands, and a lot of patience.

ajack · 29 January 2015, 10:12

Any news on this? It's been almost a year...

pandy71 · 30 January 2015, 18:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajack

Any news on this? It's been almost a year...

1. PAL to CPLD conversion...
2. CPU availability... (everything from 68EC020 to 68040)

Started some time ago routing PCB for original design but as multiple concepts seem to be spinning around i set everything on hold - side to this trying to find information about programming algorithm for GAL's (i have PALCE AMD thus interested to use them instead buying different type).

And there is FPGA MC68k implementation (Vampire/Apollo projects) thus classic board seem to be not so important...

ajack · 30 January 2015, 20:22

To be honest, not much love for A500 accelerators and everything is vapourware... So if you can provide A500 users with a speedup, I know many are interested if getting a unit or more.

pandy71 · 31 January 2015, 10:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajack

To be honest, not much love for A500 accelerators and everything is vapourware... So if you can provide A500 users with a speedup, I know many are interested if getting a unit or more.

I think Vampire 500 should be available soon - be patient - i have few A500 so for sure i understand your concerns.

ajack · 31 January 2015, 11:09

Like I've said, they're all in development with no tentative date...

pandy71 · 31 January 2015, 19:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajack

Like I've said, they're all in development with no tentative date...

Vampire 600 exist so definitely FPGA CPU in not a vaporware.

ajack · 31 January 2015, 19:59

Can't buy one today... :/

pandy71 · 01 February 2015, 13:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajack

Can't buy one today... :/

Well... there is ACA series from Jens.

plasmab · 04 September 2016, 13:00

for anyone interested i just posted off a board with an 020 using a Xilinx XC9536XL CPLD instead of the GALs. No FPU at this stage just prototyping. Much smaller than previous board btw.

plasmab · 04 September 2016, 16:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajack

Can't buy one today... :/

If my design works you'll be able to get boards made very cheap.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

plasmab · 05 September 2016, 20:34

For anyone interested I created a script to translate the .PLD files in lucas to verilog.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/286m9bw9x2...2v.tar.gz?dl=0

Requires python, python-pyparsing and make. Just type make and off you go.

plasmab · 02 October 2016, 23:02

Update,

I have a batch of prototype board. I needed to make a few patches and rewrite the CPLD code but basically I have an accelerator board that will boot into DiagROM 0.7 and output correctly on the screen and serial. It also manages pass the chipram tests.

The board doesnt manage to boot kickstart 1.3 or 2.05 though (even with caches disabled manually). At present i'm just trying to make the board get as far as booting using the amiga 7Mhz clock.

One thing I can confirm though is that the Xilinx XC9536XL chip manages to drive the Amiga control bus sufficiently well to run the CPU.

AJCopland · 03 October 2016, 11:39

That is great progress plasmab!

plasmab · 03 October 2016, 22:45

More updates,

I now have the 020 board running completely. Boots games and workbench. Speed is pretty much identical to the A500 @ 7Mhz when running the board at 7Mhz.

I have a bunch of patch wires that i need to factor out and put into rev 2 of the board. I have a few spare bare rev 1s if anyone feels like making one up. You'd need to be comfortable breaking tracks and soldering patch wires to get it working.

Zetr0 · 04 October 2016, 10:18

Impressive!

I have missed so many cool projects while I have been away!

I am pleased that the XC9536XL 36 macrocell can keep up atleast with the 7MHz bus, the last project I used these on was an RGB adaptor for the N64.

plasmab · 04 October 2016, 22:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zetr0

Impressive!

I have missed so many cool projects while I have been away!

I am pleased that the XC9536XL 36 macrocell can keep up atleast with the 7MHz bus, the last project I used these on was an RGB adaptor for the N64.

I've barely used half the chip. If i run out of space i could throw in the next size up and reroute a bit.

The chip i have is the 10ns version. Thats 10ns external pin to pin. that should be fast enough for almost all Amiga applications. Most of my FPGAs (Cyclones and Spartan 3E & 6s) are only rated to 5 or 4ns.

plasmab · 05 October 2016, 19:49

I am currently uploading a youtube video of my accelerator board working. My channel is called "terriblefire" on youtube.

AJCopland · 06 October 2016, 20:00

plasmab did that video get uploaded?

plasmab · 06 October 2016, 22:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJCopland

plasmab did that video get uploaded?

Yeah, its at....

[ Show youtube player ]

Plan to do a few videos as I get more features of the board up an working.

I've got Rev2 on order with all the fixes i had to do to get it working in there. Once i confirm it works i'll post the cpld code on github and provide a link for people to get boards made themselves if they want to tinker with one of these.

I'll do an assembly video when the rev2s arrive. (expected in about 2-3 weeks ish).

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21 March 2014, 01:34	#81
Kai Registered User Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Brighton, UK Age: 41 Posts: 114	BGA is a pain to solder by hand - TQFP/CQFP/TSOP etc is easy enough - with BGA you need a hot air solder station, good hands, and a lot of patience.

29 January 2015, 10:12	#82
ajack Registered User Join Date: May 2014 Location: Malaysia Posts: 115	Any news on this? It's been almost a year...

30 January 2015, 20:22	#84
ajack Registered User Join Date: May 2014 Location: Malaysia Posts: 115	To be honest, not much love for A500 accelerators and everything is vapourware... So if you can provide A500 users with a speedup, I know many are interested if getting a unit or more.

31 January 2015, 11:09	#86
ajack Registered User Join Date: May 2014 Location: Malaysia Posts: 115	Like I've said, they're all in development with no tentative date...

31 January 2015, 19:59	#88
ajack Registered User Join Date: May 2014 Location: Malaysia Posts: 115	Can't buy one today... :/

04 September 2016, 13:00	#90
plasmab Banned Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: UK Posts: 2,917	for anyone interested i just posted off a board with an 020 using a Xilinx XC9536XL CPLD instead of the GALs. No FPU at this stage just prototyping. Much smaller than previous board btw.

05 September 2016, 20:34	#92
plasmab Banned Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: UK Posts: 2,917	For anyone interested I created a script to translate the .PLD files in lucas to verilog. https://www.dropbox.com/s/286m9bw9x2...2v.tar.gz?dl=0 Requires python, python-pyparsing and make. Just type make and off you go.

02 October 2016, 23:02	#93
plasmab Banned Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: UK Posts: 2,917	Update, I have a batch of prototype board. I needed to make a few patches and rewrite the CPLD code but basically I have an accelerator board that will boot into DiagROM 0.7 and output correctly on the screen and serial. It also manages pass the chipram tests. The board doesnt manage to boot kickstart 1.3 or 2.05 though (even with caches disabled manually). At present i'm just trying to make the board get as far as booting using the amiga 7Mhz clock. One thing I can confirm though is that the Xilinx XC9536XL chip manages to drive the Amiga control bus sufficiently well to run the CPU.

03 October 2016, 11:39	#94
AJCopland Registered User Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Beeston, Nottinghamshire, UK Posts: 238	That is great progress plasmab!

03 October 2016, 22:45	#95
plasmab Banned Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: UK Posts: 2,917	More updates, I now have the 020 board running completely. Boots games and workbench. Speed is pretty much identical to the A500 @ 7Mhz when running the board at 7Mhz. I have a bunch of patch wires that i need to factor out and put into rev 2 of the board. I have a few spare bare rev 1s if anyone feels like making one up. You'd need to be comfortable breaking tracks and soldering patch wires to get it working.

04 October 2016, 10:18	#96
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	Impressive! I have missed so many cool projects while I have been away! I am pleased that the XC9536XL 36 macrocell can keep up atleast with the 7MHz bus, the last project I used these on was an RGB adaptor for the N64.

05 October 2016, 19:49	#98
plasmab Banned Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: UK Posts: 2,917	I am currently uploading a youtube video of my accelerator board working. My channel is called "terriblefire" on youtube.

06 October 2016, 20:00	#99
AJCopland Registered User Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Beeston, Nottinghamshire, UK Posts: 238	plasmab did that video get uploaded?

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