New Model Development Updates

[MbeeTech]

Happy new year everyone.

Building up the new boards has gone well.

Today I've built 2 of the new FPGA boards and finished off the main board build.
As far as testing goes, so far I've only confirmed that the power supply section of the main board works as expected.

Next I have to do some work on the FPGA logic to re-specify the physical constraints because of pin allocation changes.
I also have to do some work on the firmware (board bring-up code for the MC68SZ328) as I've changed a couple of chip selects 
and have moved from Static RAM to SDRAM for the main memory.

Here's a pic of the fully built 64 key model :

   

In preparation for production I've also created a programming jig for the FPGA board to easily access the JTAG port of the FPGA.
JTAG is used to program the onboard SPI flash for the FPGA's logic design, and the jig will also make it easier to program the BOOT flash
for the system firmware prior to shipping.  I've designed it into the same case used for our UpScaling video converters. 
Here's a pic (with a couple of parts still missing) :

   

It has HDMI out, sound, SDcard and USB ports for KB & Mouse.

[MbeeTech]

The PCB for the model in the 256TC case has just been completed.
It is essentially the same circuit, but with the keyboard section removed, a LED board added and some 
extra mounting holes to fit it in the case with.
Here's a preview :

   

The LED board breaks out from the main board & is connected by a small cable to the back of the 98 key keyboard.

[Mr Lurch]

The PCB for the model in the 256TC case has just been completed.
It is essentially the same circuit, but with the keyboard section removed, a LED board added and some 
extra mounting holes to fit it in the case with.
Here's a preview :



The LED board breaks out from the main board & is connected by a small cable to the back of the 98 key keyboard.

These are for the handful of genuine cases you still have yeah?

[MbeeTech]

These are for the handful of genuine cases you still have yeah?

If you call 1000-1200 cases a handful, yes.
If it was only a handful I would not have bothered with designing the new keyboard to suit.

[CheshireNoir]

Wow. That is a LOT of cases! If I ever design a single board computer, I'll have to target that form factor :-D

JOhn

[MbeeTech]

Wow. That is a LOT of cases! 

It does sound a lot, but considering the Spectrum Next etc., it's probably not really a lot. :-)

[Mr Lurch]

These are for the handful of genuine cases you still have yeah?

If you call 1000-1200 cases a handful, yes.
If it was only a handful I would not have bothered with designing the new keyboard to suit.

I had no idea it was that many. Nice.

[MbeeTech]

The new [production] versions of the boards for the 2 models have lots of changes from the earlier prototypes, and in particular
the FPGA board. As a result there has been quite a bit of firmware and FPGA logic changes that needed to be made before I could test out 
the new versions.  

For example, the on the FPGA board the changes have been:
2Mb SRAM for main memory is now 32Mb SDRAM (on a different chip select from the MC68SZ328 processor with more initialisation needed)
Memory addressing changes, with different configuration requirements etc. etc.
Addition of Flash ROM to boot from (rather than the small embedded boot rom within the FPGA logic.
HDMI & I2S sound chips onboard now.

This week has been spent making all those changes, and I'm very pleased to say that the new version of the FPGA board is working really well.
Most of the hardware on the board is now proven out (with the exception of the Keyboard, Mouse & I2S sound interfaces). 

Below is a picture of the new FPGA board in the 'Test Fixture / Production Programming jig' with power in and HDMI out attached.
Included in the new design is a way to reload the boot flash if it ever fails during a power off event during an update.
In the pic you can see nice crisp screen display, testing the FLASH ROM, reading the flash image in from SDcard etc.
Very happy with the progress.  More to come.