Troed's H4 build

[troed]

It's so pretty! <3 <3 <3 <3

Also, dead as a Brexit deal.

Oh well, it would be no fun if it was too simple ;) I might've skipped something I shouldn't.

built up.JPG

[exxos]

Done all the patches & fixes ?

[troed]

Done all the patches & fixes ?

I think so, at least those relevant to see it boot (e.g. - I've cut the trace to the serial port but not soldered the patch wire).

The photo above still lacked the final resistors by the expansion sockets - those are also done.

I'm dead tired after having slept very little a few nights so I'll stop for tonight and look over things tomorrow. Should be something simple. Although there is one possibility: I came into the workshop one morning and found the PCB on the floor. The kittens had jumped up and managed to push it over the edge of the workbench ... flat down onto stone tiling.

/Troed

[PhilC]

@troed looks likeca good job.

From the photo the only bit I can see wrong is that you have a blitter but also have the jumpers made. Blotter = no jumpers.

[Icky]

:thumbup: - Nice.

I think my first H4 not booting was down to a solder bridge on U2 that I could hardly see.

[Robson]

I think you should have the jumper between the Blitter socket and the cpu OPENED as well if you have the blitter installed.

edit: Ah just read PhilC's comment...but yeah open both jumpers around the Blitter.

[troed]

Ah, thanks. Both jumpers now open but same same. Tomorrow will be microscope and LA day.

/Troed

[rubber_jonnie]

So what exactly happens on boot? Black screen? White screen? White border with black centre?

Do you have exxos IDE adapter at all? I had a problem with U2 and got a white screen, so I popped in the IDE adapter as it has it's own CPU and ROM all together, and mine booted ok, so I knew the problem was the LS11.

Might be worth getting at least one expansion socket installed for things like the IDE board and I'd definitely suggest getting the cartridge port and serial port up and running so you can potentially use a diag cart.

[troed]

So what exactly happens on boot? Black screen? White screen? White border with black centre?

Well, the only video circuitry I have is the HDMI board. It lights up (red led) and I _think_ it's just then sending empty frames to the monitor. What this would mean in ST analog output I don't know.

I've tried replacing it with a regular Shifter and then connecting up a floppy to see if that boots (audibly), but it doesn't.

I'm not too worried. When I have time I'll just look through the boot process with the LA connected up. I've done a visual inspection and measured the SMT components for bridges but that seems fine.

regards,
Troed

[rubber_jonnie]

So what exactly happens on boot? Black screen? White screen? White border with black centre?

Well, the only video circuitry I have is the HDMI board. It lights up (red led) and I _think_ it's just then sending empty frames to the monitor. What this would mean in ST analog output I don't know.

I've tried replacing it with a regular Shifter and then connecting up a floppy to see if that boots (audibly), but it doesn't.

I'm not too worried. When I have time I'll just look through the boot process with the LA connected up. I've done a visual inspection and measured the SMT components for bridges but that seems fine.

regards,
Troed

I must admit, I was very envious of the Shifter board, I want one for my second H4, but the lack of visual output for diagnostics does worry me a bit, because the lo-res output is pretty helpful from a diagnostics point of view.

I'm confident you'll get to the bottom of it :)