ROM-Emulators

[Winter Jörg]

> ----------
> Von: 	Edwin Rhodes[SMTP:[e-mail]]
> Antwort an: 	[e-mail]
> Gesendet: 	Montag, 31. Januar 2000 02:26
> An: 	[e-mail]
> Betreff: 	Re: [OpenBIOS] Fine.
>
> can i have a copy of this rom-emulator?
> thanks edwin
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Winter Jörg <[e-mail]>
> To: <[e-mail]>
> Sent: Friday, January 28, 2000 10:50 AM
> Subject: [OpenBIOS] Fine.

I´m sorry, but a copy of my ROM-Emulator would not be what you expext ...

I was not talking about Software. The Emulator is a little piece of Hardware
that I bought. It is intended to be inserted into a standard 32 Pin
Jedec-Memory Socket. Then you download a 64k image via the parallel port of
any PC into this Hardware. You press reset at the board and it boots ...
well sometimes ...

If you are interested in such an Hardware try th e following urls as a
start:

www.hed.de  (they make tools for embedded and microcontrol. I once talked to
their Boss and got the impression that they are really good!)

www.embedded-tools.de (they have a modular Emulator called PromJet. Its able
to act like rom/ram/flash up to 16Mbit and 32Bit Words. Furthermore it can
handle operating voltages from 2 to 5V. It also has an ethernet plug ...)

Well this is not an advertisement ... I did not test these devices but they
seem interesting to me ...
> eMail: mailto:[e-mail]

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[James Oakley]

Winter Jörg wrote:
> I was not talking about Software. The Emulator is a little piece of Hardware
> that I bought. It is intended to be inserted into a standard 32 Pin
> Jedec-Memory Socket. Then you download a 64k image via the parallel port of
> any PC into this Hardware. You press reset at the board and it boots ...
> well sometimes ...
>
> If you are interested in such an Hardware try th e following urls as a
> start:
>
> www.hed.de  (they make tools for embedded and microcontrol. I once talked to
> their Boss and got the impression that they are really good!)
>
> www.embedded-tools.de (they have a modular Emulator called PromJet. Its able
> to act like rom/ram/flash up to 16Mbit and 32Bit Words. Furthermore it can
> handle operating voltages from 2 to 5V. It also has an ethernet plug ...)
>
> Well this is not an advertisement ... I did not test these devices but they
> seem interesting to me ...

I'd like to add that list a device I designed specifically for OpenBIOS,
with the help of some other guys on this list. It allows you to switch
between two ROMs (one for running the computer, one for testing new
code), display POST codes, use a character LCD for human readable
debugging messages, and provides a lot of I/O (for embedded
applications).

It's at http://funktronics.dhs.org/openbios/

Yeah, I know that I accidentally switched IOW/IOR, I haven't tried
running Protel under WINE to change it, yet (I cannot boot my tiny
Windows partition, which is just as well. I like it that way anyway. It
boots faster).

I am moving to Halifax, NS on February 15, and I will finally be able to
work on it more with better resources (read: money). I want to be able
to get it into the hands of interested developers quickly and cheaply.
My employers will probably be interested in it as well.

JFunk
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[Ronald G. Minnich]

so can it sit in place of a 28F008s5? where do I buy one?

ron

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[James Oakley]

"Ronald G. Minnich" wrote:
> so can it sit in place of a 28F008s5? where do I buy one?

I believe that chip is often SMT, soldered directly to the motherboard.
To replace it, you would first have to disable the original one somehow.
If it's socketed, it's a simple matter of removing the chip. If it's
soldered... well, it would definitely void your warranty.

The last couple of times I bought motherboards, I made sure that the
flash was socketed as I had OpenBIOS in mind. You can always find a
motherboard with any specific chipset that has socketed flash (ideally
in a DIP package, that's easiest to deal with).

Another idea that might be worth pursuing is making a board with two
additional flash ROMs on it and flash into the main BIOS code that jumps
to the selected ROM on the card. The board would be mostly the same, and
no motherboard modification is required.

Actually, this sounds like a better idea. What do you all think?

JFunk
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[James Oakley]

Edwin Rhodes wrote:
> this sounds like a really cool idea! but how would we go about making our
> own board?

There are two ways:

1) use a prototype card. I have one, but it cost me CAN$50. It's pricey,
and prone to wiring errors.

2) Design a board from the schematic. It would have to be double-sided,
therefore not easy to etch in your basement (though it is possible, if
you can get the holes lined up). The best option would be to send it off
to a professional boardmaking service. I have done this before, but the
initial investment can be a little high (though I've heard of an
American place that's really cheap, I'll have to check it out). Overall,
It's still cheaper. I added the I/O stuff partially because that would
make it interesting to embedded companies. Schools would be very
interested as well (the one I went to even asked me about embedded
learning-oriented hardware for a future course). The more boards we (or
some interested company) can sell, the cheaper they will be
individually.

I'm currently in the process of moving, so it will be a month or two,
but I will finish the board and try to get it to whoever wants one, one
way or another. I simply have to verify that it works well before
sending out for boards.

James
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[Edwin Rhodes]

this sounds like a really cool idea! but how would we go about making our
own board?

----- Original Message -----
From: James Oakley <[e-mail]>
To: <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2000 10:41 AM
Subject: Re: [OpenBIOS] ROM-Emulators
> "Ronald G. Minnich" wrote:
> > so can it sit in place of a 28F008s5? where do I buy one?
>
> I believe that chip is often SMT, soldered directly to the motherboard.
> To replace it, you would first have to disable the original one somehow.
> If it's socketed, it's a simple matter of removing the chip. If it's
> soldered... well, it would definitely void your warranty.
>
> The last couple of times I bought motherboards, I made sure that the
> flash was socketed as I had OpenBIOS in mind. You can always find a
> motherboard with any specific chipset that has socketed flash (ideally
> in a DIP package, that's easiest to deal with).
>
> Another idea that might be worth pursuing is making a board with two
> additional flash ROMs on it and flash into the main BIOS code that jumps
> to the selected ROM on the card. The board would be mostly the same, and
> no motherboard modification is required.
>
> Actually, this sounds like a better idea. What do you all think?
>
> JFunk
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