Programming the Lynx for a living - blank carts

[Igor]

I'll try it, I think I know why my printer is making this raft now

[Greenious]

While waiting for this, I could use a single pcb for eproms to do some testing, anyone knows where I can get one?

[Igor]

Karri should have blank carts for sale.

 

I'll have 5 of the new programmer boards completed shortly, just waiting for some standoffs to arrive from China. From this lot only 1 hasn't found a new owner yet, so it will be for sale at the same price as Karri's programmer board. I'll be updating the board design slightly and then ordering a larger batch for anyone interested. I might start a new thread to gauge interest later.

[zoran]

Karri should have blank carts for sale.

 

I'll have 5 of the new programmer boards completed shortly, just waiting for some standoffs to arrive from China. From this lot only 1 hasn't found a new owner yet, so it will be for sale at the same price as Karri's programmer board. I'll be updating the board design slightly and then ordering a larger batch for anyone interested. I might start a new thread to gauge interest later.

 

I want them both - the programer and the carts! What should I do?

 

Also what will I need in order to use the programmer?

[+karri]

Can you print covers by yourself? Then get a panel of carts from me. They are in the shop.

 

The programmer is still a bit wip.

 

To use the programmer you need a Raspberry Pi.

[Igor]

 

I want them both - the programer and the carts! What should I do?

 

Also what will I need in order to use the programmer?

 

 

As Karri said, you need a Raspberry Pi. My version is a 'pi hat' which slots on top, Karri's version uses a ribbon cable. Software for reading/writing carts is here: https://bitbucket.org/atarilynx/lynx/src/cd1c78cf3a25b8e9cb22c930d6204fbe8c6bf3c6/contrib/blankcart/programmer/?at=master

 

I can't provide blank carts or shells.

 

Here's a comparison of the two programmer boards...

 

[42bs]

Still wonder, why it is not possible to program the card from the Lynx directly?

[+karri]

Some flash chips require to flip the addresses back and forth in a way that is not possible on the Lynx.

 

void chipErase()
{
  setDataOutputs();
  writeAddrAndData(0x5555, 0xAA);
  writeAddrAndData(0x2AAA, 0x55);
  writeAddrAndData(0x5555, 0x80);
  writeAddrAndData(0x5555, 0xAA);
  writeAddrAndData(0x2AAA, 0x55);
  writeAddrAndData(0x5555, 0x10);
  delay(1000); // 100ms
}

How on earth do you do this on a Lynx?

 

int byteProgram(int addr, unsigned char data)
{
  writeAddrAndData(0x5555, 0xAA);
  writeAddrAndData(0x2AAA, 0x55);
  writeAddrAndData(0x5555, 0xA0);
  writeAddrAndData(addr, data);
  while (readByte(addr) != data) {
    delay20us();
    writeAddrAndData(0x5555, 0xAA);
    writeAddrAndData(0x2AAA, 0x55);
    writeAddrAndData(0x5555, 0xA0);
    writeAddrAndData(addr, (data & 0xf0) | 0x0f);
    delay20us();
    writeAddrAndData(0x5555, 0xAA);
    writeAddrAndData(0x2AAA, 0x55);
    writeAddrAndData(0x5555, 0xA0);
    writeAddrAndData(addr, (data & 0x0f) | 0xf0);
  }
  return 0;
}

If you wonder why I check the byte after programming and why I program it as two nybbles instead of as a byte there is a reason. Some of the flash chips just never work be programming the chip a byte at a time. But because of some reason that I don't know the chips always work with this algorithm.

 

I could of course try to jump the address space by doing lots of dummy reads. If the chip only looks at writes to enter the programming mode then this might work on a Lynx. But I doubt it.

Edited March 6, 2019 by karri

[42bs]

We used to program the old flash card with an similar algorithm:

checkFlash:
	jsr set5555
	lda #$AA
	sta $fcb3

	jsr set2aaa
	lda #$55
	sta $fcb3

	jsr set5555
	lda #$90
	sta $fcb3

        ldy #250
	ldx #0
.4	dex
	bne .4
	dey
	bne .4

	lda #0
	jsr SelectBlock

	lda $fcb2
	pha
	lda $fcb2
	jsr PrintHex
	pla
	jsr PrintHex
	rts

set2aaa::
	lda #10
	jsr SelectBlock

	ldx #0
	ldy #2
.0	lda $fcb2
	  dex
	bne .0
	dey
	bne .0

	ldx #170
.1	lda $fcb2
	  dex
	bne .1
	rts

set5555::
	lda #21
	jsr SelectBlock

	ldx #0
.0	lda $fcb2
	  dex
	bne .0

	ldx #85
.1	lda $fcb2
	  dex
	bne .1
        rts

But I agree, it will take a lot of time to select the different addresses.

Does this Flash have no programming mode, where every byte written is directly programmed. The old Intel Strata flashes had this.

As for the nibble writing, it might be a power problem. IIRC these flash have to generate the 12V internally.

[+karri]

Unfortunately the flash chips I use today support only 1 byte at a time programming. "The SST39SF010A/020A/040 are programmed on a byte-by-byte basis."

[Igor]

Had a friend print some of these shells for me. The results are not too bad. I'm going to tweak the model a little to see if I can get a better quality print. New 3D printer on the way too.