Re: [Freeice-dev] FREEICE - CHardware Version

[Armand ten Doesschate]

On Thu, Aug 21, 2003 at 01:49:38PM -0700, Colin O'Flynn wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> If you don't know me (ie: aren't Armand), I was going
> to help on the project a bit by making my own hardware
> version slightly different to test his software... its
> going to be hardware compatable with his though,
> otherwise it wouldn't make any sense!
> 
> Anyway just FYI the CHardware (for Colin's Hardware)
> version will work a bit differently, which makes it
> easier for me to work with IMO for when i'm de-bugging
> the tester...
> 
> The main changes are:
> 
> 1) The glue logic is going to be replaced with a CPLD
> 
> 2) The expansion port will be changed so that almost
> all signals are visible on it
> 
> 3) There will be no debugging connection headers on
> the PCB (such as JTAG, BDM). Instead boards will plug
> into the expansion port as needed. For instance there
> will be an AVR board, with JTAG and ISP connectors on
> it. This way I can later expand to include all the
> various targets supported, and don't need to add the
> hardware right at the start of my project. For
> instance the 9.8304 MHz crystal for the 809 support
> can be moved to the target plug-in board.
> 
> Any comments, suggestions?
> 
>  -Colin
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> FreeICE-dev mailing list
> address@hidden
> http://mail.nongnu.org/mailman/listinfo/freeice-dev


The idea is good ! But what I think that would serve
better is that the ATmega128 should be replaced by a type
that supports downloading the firmware of the board on
the fly.
This way you are very flexible to choose any firmware 
sitting on the host to be downloaded to the board.

I was thinking that the micro has some form of SRAM
so that the micro can run out of the SRAM. I must admit
then that the internal flash is also a good candidate but
the life endurance of the ATmega128 hasnot been tested
realistic. If it is well garantueed then the boot flash
can be used for this purposes for downloading the debugging
firmware code.
Well the sky is becoming the limit ...


Armand


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Armand ten Doesschate
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5652 XL Eindhoven
the Netherlands
tel : (++31) 40 2571 274
e-mail : address@hidden