Aopen i945GTm-VHL

[Joseph Smith]

Hello,
I have been looking at this board the Aopen i945GTm-VHL as a viable
set-top-box solution. Now that we have suppoert for the i945 (thanks to
Stefan) I think it would be realy cool to get coreboot running on it. The
hardest part would be the VGA. This board has VGA, LVD, and TV-OUT built in
so I think that is going to be the hardest part. Is it doable?

http://usa.aopen.com/products_detail.aspx?Auno=2064

[Peter Stuge]

Joseph Smith wrote:
> Aopen i945GTm-VHL

..
> Is it doable?

This has an Intel Core Duo, which is completely different from the
Core2 Duo which Stefan has added support for.

This means a complete new Intel northbridge with all that entails.
You need second level NDA for documentation and you have no chance
of accomplishing anything without that documentation.

In a word: No, not doable.

//Peter

[Joseph Smith]

On Fri, 12 Dec 2008 23:33:07 +0100, Peter Stuge  wrote:
> Joseph Smith wrote:
> > Aopen i945GTm-VHL
>
> ..
> > Is it doable?
>
> This has an Intel Core Duo, which is completely different from the
> Core2 Duo which Stefan has added support for.
>
> This means a complete new Intel northbridge with all that entails.
> You need second level NDA for documentation and you have no chance
> of accomplishing anything without that documentation.
>
> In a word: No, not doable.

Ah but it does support the Core 2 Duo. Go further down the page.
> From the Spec page:

CPU: Support Intel Core 2 Duo (Merom) / Core Duo / Core Solo (Yonah) and
Celeron M (4xx) Processor
FSB 667MHz
Socket M

It is just in a different package, It supports the Socket (M) uFCBGA
PBGA479 (mobile) processor. Not the LGA775.

Should that matter???

[Stefan Reinauer]

Joseph Smith wrote:
> It is just in a different package, It supports the Socket (M) uFCBGA
> PBGA479 (mobile) processor. Not the LGA775.
>
> Should that matter???

The Kontron board has a mobile CPU socket, too... They're very similar,
on a first glance.

Stefan

[Peter Stuge]

Stefan Reinauer wrote:
> They're very similar, on a first glance.

Awesome. Thanks for straightening me out. Sorry for the confusion.

//Peter

[Joseph Smith]

On Sat, 13 Dec 2008 01:00:28 +0100, Peter Stuge  wrote:
> Stefan Reinauer wrote:
> > They're very similar, on a first glance.
>
> Awesome. Thanks for straightening me out. Sorry for the confusion.

No worries Peter :-)

[Joseph Smith]

I should have kept my big mouth shut about this board. Someone just out
bidded me....

[Joseph Smith]

Sweet, My Aopen i945GTm-VHL is on the way :-)
Now I Just have to get a processor for it, and I will be ready roll up my
sleeves and get coreboot greasy :-)

[Joseph Smith]

On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:14:55 -0500, Joseph Smith 
wrote:
> Sweet, My Aopen i945GTm-VHL is on the way :-)
> Now I Just have to get a processor for it, and I will be ready roll up my
> sleeves and get coreboot greasy :-)

I ended up ordering a Intel Core Duo Processor T2300E 1.66GHz

http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SL9DM

As soon as the board and processor get here I can get to work :-)

[Stefan Reinauer]

Peter Stuge wrote:
> Joseph Smith wrote:
> > Aopen i945GTm-VHL
>
> ..
> > Is it doable?
>
> This has an Intel Core Duo, which is completely different from the
> Core2 Duo which Stefan has added support for.

I added support for both Core Duo and Core 2 Duo. So that shouldn't be
an issue.
> This means a complete new Intel northbridge with all that entails.

The i945GT chipset is a fork of the i945GM, and there is code supporting
specifically the specialities of that chipset in the i945 code in the
public repository.

The board has two DIMM sockets and it has a socketed PLCC ROM, so I
would say, give it a try and let us know.

Stefan

[Joseph Smith]

On Sat, 13 Dec 2008 00:47:45 +0100, Stefan Reinauer 
wrote:
> Peter Stuge wrote:
> > Joseph Smith wrote:
> > > Aopen i945GTm-VHL
> >
> > ..
> > > Is it doable?
> >
> > This has an Intel Core Duo, which is completely different from the
> > Core2 Duo which Stefan has added support for.
>
> I added support for both Core Duo and Core 2 Duo. So that shouldn't be
> an issue.
> > This means a complete new Intel northbridge with all that entails.
>
> The i945GT chipset is a fork of the i945GM, and there is code supporting
> specifically the specialities of that chipset in the i945 code in the
> public repository.

Cool :-)
> The board has two DIMM sockets

You mean SO-DIMM (DDR2) right?
> and it has a socketed PLCC ROM, so I
> would say, give it a try and let us know.

I'm really considering it....