Terrible Fire Accelerators

[dalek]

I'm tempted to try solder paste and an electric frypan. Except I don't want to be hunted down by plasmab. Maybe I won't mention it....

My RAM arrived today, in moisture sensitive? packaging. Not that I was planning on bringing my TF530 in the shower - but who knows.

I think I now have all the parts to get started on a Rev 3

[whiteb]

I got a temp controlled iron today, with a *REALLY* fine tip, looks to be a 0.5mm, maybe a 1mm, not sure..., but its MUCH finer than my existing soldering wedge wand, and a LED light magnifying lamp with crocodile clips to hold the board.

[Mr.Flibble]

I'm not really sold on the fine tipped irons for this sort of soldering, drag-soldering with a good wedge tip, good magnification, and *lots* of flux is the key IMHO.

Fine tips can't hold the heat in the tip which means soldering is much more hit or miss tbh.

[Juz400]

Originally Posted by whiteb

LED light magnifying lamp with crocodile clips to hold the board.

Yikes!!!

Make sure you put something between the crocodile clips and your PCB, they WILL scratch/damage the surface!

Im waiting for one of these to turn up.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/BURNTEC-PCB...ng+accessories

I cant say if they are any good, I have never tried one before!
Im building 3 sets of these though
http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/s...d.php?t=124486

Fingers crossed on your repair, hope it goes well!

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by Juz400

Im waiting for one of these to turn up.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/BURNTEC-PCB...ng+accessories

Thanks for that, I was looking for a PCB holding solution myself. Got tired of finding a wee spot on PCBs I could safely "attack" with my helping hand.

[8 Bit Dreams]

Originally Posted by 8 Bit Dreams

...just want a confirmation of one of my theories:
It can be-
1. my progammer
2. Xilinx chips from three different sellers i've bought (even colour of print on the chips is different)
3. my shaking hands..
Just now You have added Nr. 4... I will try to program it in A500 tomorrow.. Will see does it makes any difference.

just a small update:
it was NOT my programmer.. it wasn't Xilinx chips..also my both hands are good enough. IT WAS Nr.4 indeed!!!!! So Whiteb - You are the man!
Donno how Stephen has programmed the cpld's on the board with external power. Really have no answer on this.. i think this can be caused by power lines or grounds..Have soldered connection stripes on two boards, plugged them one by one and powered on my Amiga, initialized chain - and SUCSESS!!!! Chips are programmed!
So enyone experiencing problems with programming the cpld's on Rev.2 - just try to do it plugged in Your Amiga!

[plasmab]

Originally Posted by 8 Bit Dreams

just a small update:
it was NOT my programmer.. it wasn't Xilinx chips..also my both hands are good enough. IT WAS Nr.4 indeed!!!!! So Whiteb - You are the man!
Donno how Stephen has programmed the cpld's on the board with external power. Really have no answer on this.. i think this can be caused by power lines or grounds..Have soldered connection stripes on two boards, plugged them one by one and powered on my Amiga, initialized chain - and SUCSESS!!!! Chips are programmed!
So enyone experiencing problems with programming the cpld's on Rev.2 - just try to do it plugged in Your Amiga!

Very odd. The 5V power header is tied to the same 5V you'd get from the Amiga... So dont understand why you would have an issue unless your external power source was a bit dodgy.

EDIT: My power supply is an HP6632B which is utterly awesome in every respect.

[alenppc]

Originally Posted by 8 Bit Dreams

just a small update:
it was NOT my programmer.. it wasn't Xilinx chips..also my both hands are good enough. IT WAS Nr.4 indeed!!!!! So Whiteb - You are the man!
Donno how Stephen has programmed the cpld's on the board with external power. Really have no answer on this.. i think this can be caused by power lines or grounds..Have soldered connection stripes on two boards, plugged them one by one and powered on my Amiga, initialized chain - and SUCSESS!!!! Chips are programmed!
So enyone experiencing problems with programming the cpld's on Rev.2 - just try to do it plugged in Your Amiga!

I programmed all of my rev 2s with external power through J7 only.

[whiteb]

Originally Posted by 8 Bit Dreams

just a small update:
it was NOT my programmer.. it wasn't Xilinx chips..also my both hands are good enough. IT WAS Nr.4 indeed!!!!! So Whiteb - You are the man!
Donno how Stephen has programmed the cpld's on the board with external power. Really have no answer on this.. i think this can be caused by power lines or grounds..Have soldered connection stripes on two boards, plugged them one by one and powered on my Amiga, initialized chain - and SUCSESS!!!! Chips are programmed!
So enyone experiencing problems with programming the cpld's on Rev.2 - just try to do it plugged in Your Amiga!

Hardly me, all I did was go to XIlinx and search their forum for "Chip not programmed", and while the chips in question were 5V devices, the consensus was that the chip needs its core voltage applied to its respective pins, in order for it to boot (Programmed or not), that way the Controller can then issue a reset to the chip and send the chip a Config mode request for programming.

Okay Steve says that was J7 on your board, I didnt know what it was on that board, I only knew the 530 Rev 3 had an 'EXT5V' header to drive the regulator.

[whiteb]

Originally Posted by Juz400

Yikes!!!

Make sure you put something between the crocodile clips and your PCB, they WILL scratch/damage the surface!

Im waiting for one of these to turn up.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/BURNTEC-PCB...ng+accessories

Fingers crossed on your repair, hope it goes well!

Yeah........... well it was a spur of the moment, I didnt get it off evilbay, but from Jaycar (Australia), bricks and mortar.., I'll take it back today and swap it over for one like yours which they have.., I have found a lighted magnifying stand that the wife had stolen..

[whiteb]

I have come to a realization that..........

1) My eye sight is not what it once was, even magnified, the components are small enough to make it hard for me to solder....
2) People are right, Soldering Irons are SHIT....., I did the C1-15, and the LM1117, but from there it only gets smaller (Ram, CPLD, Resistor nets), and for that I need better soldering equipment, and here in Australia, thats like $200 to start.., and before the money to buy the Ram, CPLD

Its fine if you already have the equipment, in the industry, or whatever.

Its a shame, the project is great, People are great, I just havent got the gear or eye sight to keep going..

I thought I did, I really did, I wanted to, but alas I do not.

I will still be here, and you will have to bury me with my Amigas

[Black68]

Originally Posted by whiteb

I have come to a realization that..........

1) My eye sight is not what it once was, even magnified, the components are small enough to make it hard for me to solder....
2) People are right, Soldering Irons are SHIT....., I did the C1-15, and the LM1117, but from there it only gets smaller (Ram, CPLD, Resistor nets), and for that I need better soldering equipment, and here in Australia, thats like $200 to start.., and before the money to buy the Ram, CPLD

Its fine if you already have the equipment, in the industry, or whatever.

Its a shame, the project is great, People are great, I just havent got the gear or eye sight to keep going..

I thought I did, I really did, I wanted to, but alas I do not.

I will still be here, and you will have to bury me with my Amigas

I use the iron with a fine tip for soldering CPLDs and FPGAs (even for PQFP208/240 which I admit it gets a little tricky). Its perfectly doable, just need practice. Align the chip to the footprint and fix a couple of corners so it does not move. Then solder the rest of the pins. Take off any solder excess with a wig and flux. You dont need to put much solder really; sometimes even with the lead on the board pads is almost enough.

For the rest of SMD components I use paste and hot air.

[alenppc]

This is how I have been programming them. The power comes basically from an AT power supply.

[plasmab]

Originally Posted by whiteb

I have come to a realization that..........

1) My eye sight is not what it once was, even magnified, the components are small enough to make it hard for me to solder....
2) People are right, Soldering Irons are SHIT....., I did the C1-15, and the LM1117, but from there it only gets smaller (Ram, CPLD, Resistor nets), and for that I need better soldering equipment, and here in Australia, thats like $200 to start.., and before the money to buy the Ram, CPLD

Its fine if you already have the equipment, in the industry, or whatever.

Its a shame, the project is great, People are great, I just havent got the gear or eye sight to keep going..

I thought I did, I really did, I wanted to, but alas I do not.

I will still be here, and you will have to bury me with my Amigas

This is why i have a stereo microscope.

[RichMK]

Originally Posted by plasmab

This is why i have a stereo microscope.

I purchased loads of stuff, new iron, scope and couldn't get it to work (remember the yellow board that I couldn't get to work. )

I sent all my stuff (inc cpu and enough bits to build a few boards) to a well established member on here who offered to "take a look" back in April and I haven't seen the stuff since

Shit happens, So I went and got an 030 for my 1200 instead...

I'm still following the progress and can't wait to see the CD32 boards in action

[Stedy]

Originally Posted by 8 Bit Dreams

just a small update:
it was NOT my programmer.. it wasn't Xilinx chips..also my both hands are good enough. IT WAS Nr.4 indeed!!!!! So Whiteb - You are the man!
Donno how Stephen has programmed the cpld's on the board with external power. Really have no answer on this.. i think this can be caused by power lines or grounds..Have soldered connection stripes on two boards, plugged them one by one and powered on my Amiga, initialized chain - and SUCSESS!!!! Chips are programmed!
So enyone experiencing problems with programming the cpld's on Rev.2 - just try to do it plugged in Your Amiga!

Crazy idea, purely theoretical, change C1 and C2 from 10uF ceramic to 10uF-47uF tantalum or electrolytic capacitors. If the 3.3V supply does not rise montonically, the Xilinx CPLDS and some FPGAs fail to configure or start properly.

The other thing, what settings do you use in Xilinx Impact, Selectr Output-> Cable options?

What programmer and what TCK speed are you using?

[whiteb]

Originally Posted by Stedy

Crazy idea, purely theoretical, change C1 and C2 from 10uF ceramic to 10uF-47uF tantalum or electrolytic capacitors. If the 3.3V supply does not rise montonically, the Xilinx CPLDS and some FPGAs fail to configure or start properly.

The other thing, what settings do you use in Xilinx Impact, Selectr Output-> Cable options?

What programmer and what TCK speed are you using?

My take, is that he has now applied power to the board (Somehow, A500 or jumper) and the CPLD's flashed fine and he is now running.

Its just a shame I have really got the available funds to upgrade to a decent soldering station to continue (Other than a $20 wand).

[plasmab]

Originally Posted by Stedy

Crazy idea, purely theoretical, change C1 and C2 from 10uF ceramic to 10uF-47uF tantalum or electrolytic capacitors. If the 3.3V supply does not rise montonically, the Xilinx CPLDS and some FPGAs fail to configure or start properly.

The other thing, what settings do you use in Xilinx Impact, Selectr Output-> Cable options?

What programmer and what TCK speed are you using?

I'm very skeptical of the tantalum requirement. Perhaps for very long term use. Many EEs consider it an urban myth.

I can believe an FPGA wouldnt start properly but a CPLD is far more forgiving of a bad startup. I would expect to see unreliable/intermittent programming rather than completely not working. I've never measured this behavior.

Its far more likely that the power was applied to J7 / PWR header backwards or the power is just rotten.

The +5V pin is nearest the 68000 socket.

[plasmab]

Although Tantalum caps would solve this issue as they would go on fire if you applied the power incorrectly


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Locutus]

Originally Posted by plasmab

Although Tantalum caps would solve this issue as they would go on fire if you applied the power incorrectly

Then the board would live up to its name :-)