exxos blog - random goings on

[exxos]

Wanting to buy some computer bits.. Not ordered anything from scan computers for a while..

Try to login...Nope..

So tried to register..

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So tried to login..

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Seems CCLonline also deleted my account

Why does everything have to be a monumental effort all the time

[exxos]

Another 6 months passed on this project again These are the Alpha patch boards for the more problematic STE's which have DMA issues with my STE boosters. Will try and find some time to try one out this week.

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[exxos]

2 hours of messing about getting my test STE to actually boot...

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This is the 8MHz clock sync as it is by default. About 15ns "out".

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Without even calibrating my patch board, it's almost spot on out of the box! About 4ns "out" now

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Thankfully it doesn't seem to mess up the 32MHz clock switching either.

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So I need to re-check the hard drive access to see if this patch board solves these odd DMA issues next.. and make sure its all still stable.. Oh the fun..

[exxos]

My first board died during swapping some bits. Seems the 0603 resistors dont like any sort of abuse

Anyway, tested copying a few 100s files with ICD drivers and ran GB6 several times and all seems good.

Oddly the scores are slightly higher now

(Original)

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(current)

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I think the only problem is building and fitting this patch board is a bit tricky. It will likely need the DIP socket removing off the booster, soldering into the patch board, then the board soldering directly into the booster.

I need to do a new revised design with the tweaked parts next.

[exxos]

I think JLC are getting terrible for parts these days... I mean this is just a rather generic 470R resistor

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EDIT:

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EDIT2:

So using the parametric search I get 2 0603 resistors basically out of stock. But if I just look though the list for 470R I find loads.. So the search is broken

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[exxos]

Did a total redesign, obviously Castellated Holes isn't going to happen

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Redesign again then

[exxos]

Redesign it again so it uses solder pads instead of holes now. I oh my god the drama continues..

So the PCB ended up below their minimum size requirements for assembly. 5mm wide and their minimum is 10mm .
So I made the board just simply wider with the intention of just cutting it myself. But then I notice there is some bug in JLCs calculator when changing the PCB thickness. If you click some random ones then go back to 1.6mm for example, it then chucks on like £30 charges for no reason. So basically you have to select the PCB thickness and then not touch it again after that otherwise it totally screws up and you have to refresh the page and start over

Also for the STE536 project I'm still battling with JLC. I had three items which had been stuck on "awaiting quotation" for like two weeks. Now I get a message saying those items have been cancelled due to lack of payment so now I'll will have to order them again and that will likely be another two weeks delay.

And as I pretty much say weekly, everything always has to be maximum effort with stuff all the time! I'm getting too old for dealing with all this crap every day!

[exxos]

STE booster patch boards almost done being assembled at JLC. Hopefully they will come sometime next week.

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[exxos]

My little DMA fix boards come

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There's a lot going on in the background so I don't have much time for anything at the moment. I hope to be able to try this board at some point this week.

I'm still fighting JLC with the STE536 parts Stuff isn't in stock, so I order them from their global sourcing, then they go out of stock, get refunded, then I have to find them somewhere else and order them again. All it is doing is ramping up all the "non-sterling transaction charges" on my credit card it doesn't help is the price they list isn't the price you end up getting charged either. I dread to think what mess my credit card is in currently with all of this. As I have said before, if JLC don't stock the parts then it is really not worth the effort in trying to deal with them.

[exxos]

The fitting of the board was far more annoying than I had envisioned I think I need to have some "fingers" sticking out from the PCB in between the GAL pins to solder to.

In any case it was a huge success

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I have deleted and copied files about all over the place without issue now. Tests were done in 32MHz mode.

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And here is a picture of everyone's favourite DMA chip

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I have several of these test boards left, so if anyone is doing a order (and has issues only when the STE booster is plugged in ) and wants to try one of these boards, I will gladly put one in the box for free.