Blizzard 12x0 accelerator board ROM chip image

[Toni Wilen]

Does anyone have physical ROM chip (27C256) dumps from Blizzard 12x0 boards? (Chip is not socketed, unfortunately)

There are some images floating around but they appear to be software created dumps. Most of them have same data repeating twice (or even more) and none of them have both early boot rom code (flashing colors + "2" key disable check) and RAM autoconfig data and code. Both of them have to be in same ROM chip in my opinion.

I am planning to make simple Blizzard "emulation", Blizzard-like RAM config and maprom hardware only, should be really easy to do and I am not going to support fake boot ROMs

[thor]

http://www.a1k.org/forum/showpost.ph...1&postcount=16

[Toni Wilen]

Thanks!

Looks good. "early ROM" is interleaved with "autoconfig ROM". Even bytes are "early", odd bytes are "autoconfig".

1230-IV ROM still needed. (Probably very similar)

[Chain]

http://chain.3dgrafika.cz/amiga/EPROMky/Blizzard/
thats all what ive got

[Toni Wilen]

A1234 is scsi kit rom (which is socketed and easily found) and 1240 seems to be exact same as in previous url, different name only.

I think I'll just assume that 1230-IV uses same interleave method and create interleaved version from already existing separate 1230 boot and autoconfig rom images. Until confirmed dumped version appears.

[Foul]

http://amigaga.chez-alice.fr/classic/bin/index.htm
http://amigaromarchives.limewebs.com/

Maybe it can help...

I can unsolder and dump any 27c256 eprom but don't want to do it on a working Blizzard

With any Dead Blizzard 12x0, no prob...

What do you need exactly Toni ?

[Toni Wilen]

Thanks. "Phase5 Blizzard 1230 IV Eprom autoboot (1.0)" looks correct, it also matches my self-made interleaved version 100%.

Currently I am only interested in 1230 IV and 1240/1260 because they are most popular and I know how memory mapping and map rom hardware works.

Perhaps also 2040/2060 but I am not sure if is too different. (In hardware level, not including CPU, 1230 and 1240/1260 are very similar)

[jbenam]

Does this mean we will get an "Accelerator" option under "Expansions"? Along with correct frequencies and stuff?

Since you also do emulate some SCSI interfaces for Amiga, this means we might someday see also "Blizzard SCSI kit" support?

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by jbenam

Does this mean we will get an "Accelerator" option under "Expansions"? Along with correct frequencies and stuff?

First question: Something like that, probably named differently because it is just a memory mapping/autoconfig/maprom emulation and not restricted to "real" Blizzard CPU model (as long as autoconfig ROM code does not care), so weird combinations like 68020 + Blizzard 1230 "memory board" should also work.

Second question: NO. ERROR: Wrong question error.

Since you also do emulate some SCSI interfaces for Amiga, this means we might someday see also "Blizzard SCSI kit" support?

I thought about it but I don't think so. It uses SCSI chip that is not used in any other expansions (NCR/Symbios 53C94. Which is completely different than 53C710)

[jbenam]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

First question: Something like that, probably named differently because it is just a memory mapping/autoconfig/maprom emulation and not restricted to "real" Blizzard CPU model (as long as autoconfig ROM code does not care), so weird combinations like 68020 + Blizzard 1230 "memory board" should also work.

Second question: NO. ERROR: Wrong question error.

I thought about it but I don't think so. It uses SCSI chip that is not used in any other expansions (NCR/Symbios 53C94. Which is completely different than 53C710)

Oh well, thanks for your dedication as always

So you will just be able to select the bootROM and that's it - I guess it should be enough to fool most programs in recognizing a Blizzard as present, right?

Yeah, makes sense. I wonder if some other emulator/virtual machine emulates the 53C94? In that case you could pull the code from there, if the license is compatible.

Anyhow, prepare yourself for the "Can you please emulate the BlizzardPPC" requests which will come after you add the Blizzard ROMs to WinUAE

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by jbenam

So you will just be able to select the bootROM and that's it - I guess it should be enough to fool most programs in recognizing a Blizzard as present, right?

Probably but I am not trying to fool anything. Just creating environment that matches real Blizzard (which has quite different memory layout than any other board and "real" hardware blizkick support, not the current UAE one) that can trigger program bugs that won't happen with "normal" boards. Mainly for helping development and testing without real board.

Yeah, makes sense. I wonder if some other emulator/virtual machine emulates the 53C94? In that case you could pull the code from there, if the license is compatible.

53C90 emulation exists (qemu and previous at least) but this feature is dangerously near extremely not worth the trouble point..

Anyhow, prepare yourself for the "Can you please emulate the BlizzardPPC" requests which will come after you add the Blizzard ROMs to WinUAE

I am preparing by planning very stupid answers.

[Foul]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

I am preparing by planning very stupid answers.

[ancalimon]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

I am preparing by planning very stupid answers.

Isn't there a ppc emulator for x86?
I know you can do it. :P

(Let's see how prepared you are)

Joking aside, don't do it before telling us so that we can sell our ppc cards while they are still between €900 & €1500. :P

[Chain]

http://chain.3dgrafika.cz/amiga/EPRO...1240_eprom.zip should be eprom readed from dead 1240>1260 board, but my memory here is really fuzzy .)

[Retrofan]

I miss a lot the B1260 that I had to sold to buy a BPPC. I will love to see again the typical booting rainbow screen of the B1260 when booting WinUAE.

You are

[ancalimon]

Originally Posted by Retrofan

I miss a lot the B1260 that I had to sold to buy a BPPC. I will love to see again the typical booting rainbow screen of the B1260 when booting WinUAE.

You are

I have both a BPPC (not working for a very long time at the moment) and a 1260. What makes you miss the 1260? Is it really just the rainbow? :P

[Retrofan]

Originally Posted by ancalimon

I have both a BPPC (not working for a very long time at the moment) and a 1260. What makes you miss the 1260? Is it really just the rainbow? :P

Errr... yes . I had it for a couple of wonderful years.

[Toni Wilen]

About Blizzard 2060: Could someone attach tools/showconfig output? (It must have at least same RAM installed). I'd like to find out RAM base address. It may be $80000000 (at least it does first check using this address but it also checks other addresses)

This probably won't be fully emulated because scsi part is not optional. (and scsi chip is again different..)

(I already have 2060 flash dumps)

And just for completeness: Does Blizzard 1240 rom exist that does not have 68060 support or was it originally designed to handle both CPUs? (Any accelerator that supports 68060 has to disable FPU in early boot or early KS FPU detection will crash. 68060 has longer null/idle frame than any other FPU type.)

Above roms have this text:

0F00000 1111 6000 0088 3638 3036 3020 424F 4F54  ..`...68060 BOOT
0F00010 5354 5241 5020 5631 2E32 2028 6329 2070  STRAP V1.2 (c) p
0F00020 6861 7365 2035 2064 6967 6974 616C 2070  hase 5 digital p
0F00030 726F 6475 6374 7320 3139 3933 2D31 3939  roducts 1993-199
0F00040 350A 0D42 6C69 7A7A 6172 6420 3132 3630  5..Blizzard 1260
0F00050 2F31 3234 3020 426F 6F74 7374 7261 7020  /1240 Bootstrap
0F00060 5620 312E 3020 2863 2920 7068 6173 6520  V 1.0 (c) phase
0F00070 3520 6469 6769 7461 6C20 7072 6F64 7563  5 digital produc
0F00080 7473 2031 3939 350A 0D00 0000 287C 0001  ts 1995.....(|..

Perhaps 1.1 or 1.0 exist..

Originally Posted by Retrofan

I will love to see again the typical booting rainbow screen of the B1260 when booting WinUAE.

That may not happen, Blizzard 1260 rainbow is CPU timed and it only works correctly on real hardware because Blizzard flash rom access speed is really slow.

Any fast emulated CPU mode: flicker takes less than single frame.. (fast modes don't support memory access delays)

btw, for some reason Blizzard 1230 IV blue flicker is CIA timed.

[Toni Wilen]

About Cyberstorm MK3/CSPPC: official flash update files seem to be scrambled or encrypted, does anyone have "clean" version or do I have to emulate flash chip first and run the flasher inside emulation to get full raw image?

EDIT: I wrote flash chip emulator, run the flash updater and got the unscrambled images from both csmk3 and csppc flash update files. Easier than reverse-engineering the flash updater