STE / MSTE 68020 booster

rpineau'a MSTE booster development
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exxos
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Re: STE / MSTE 68020 booster

Post by exxos »

rpineau wrote: Thu Jan 25, 2018 12:44 am So as expected.. we made a few mistakes on the v3 board, and by "we" I mean "I' :)
I messed up the footprint of a small SMD resistor array.. so of course the actual one don't fit (YC158 with a YC164 pad size ... RoRo .. Fired ! ).
So even when we're careful and do multiple review of the board between the 2 of us.. we still miss some stuff :).
:) Well its easy done.. I can check my stuff 100x over and once produced see I made some stupid mistake somewhere. Multitasking between day jobs/life etc and trying to do technical things isn't easy, but great you are making progress with it all :)
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/ All my hardware guides - mods - games - STOS
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/store2/ - All my hardware mods for sale - Please help support by making a purchase.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1585 Have you done the Mandatory Fixes ?
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People should find solutions to problems, not find problems with solutions.
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Bikerbob
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Re: STE / MSTE 68020 booster

Post by Bikerbob »

Not sure if its your booster or not but I remember seeing one on Exxos page that would not only do 68020 and 32mhz but also could have 8mb of TT ram? is that what this is going to finish as?

I have MSTE and I would like 1st memory (so I can run multitasking OSs etc - my VME video and god forbid an app or two) then I guess the cpu and 32mhz would be fantastic.

If your not putting fast ram on this.. why?

James
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rpineau
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Re: STE / MSTE 68020 booster

Post by rpineau »

Fast RAM will not be on the card.
The card has a 32MHz 68020 and 32 bit TOS.
We will design a RAM card to plug on it (probably using SDRAM, like 64MB or 128MB).
As to why .. space, space... space ... or the lack of it to be more exact.
Rodolphe
Working ones : MegaSTE (68020) / TT030 / Falcon with AB040 & Eclipse / 1040STF
Need testing : Falcon with CT2
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frank.lukas
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Re: STE / MSTE 68020 booster

Post by frank.lukas »

To run MiNT/XaAES a requirement is Fasttram like the Atari TT have ...
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Re: STE / MSTE 68020 booster

Post by Bikerbob »

rpineau wrote: Sat Jan 27, 2018 12:15 am Fast RAM will not be on the card.
The card has a 32MHz 68020 and 32 bit TOS.
We will design a RAM card to plug on it (probably using SDRAM, like 64MB or 128MB).
As to why .. space, space... space ... or the lack of it to be more exact.
Rodolphe
Hey, thats all good. If there is a card that plugs in.. than its all good.

I am on your side of the pond. So when you want someone to test the megaSTE setup.. let me know! :) (aka put me on the list for one!)
(so would the machine actually see the 64/128mb??? nice.)
James
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Re: STE / MSTE 68020 booster

Post by rpineau »

We don't plan on producing the card ourselves. Once everything work we will open source the whole thing so people can make these themselves.
As we design new card, we'll also publish these as pen source project.
The expansion bus pinout will be available so other people can design whatever card they want.
I have a full time job so I'm not starting a side business that would eat all my free time :) (this project already take a fair chunk of this :) ).

As for your last question, yes the machine will see the full memory as Alt Ram (supported by TOS 2.06 and up) by running a small program in the auto folder.

Regards, Rodolphe
Working ones : MegaSTE (68020) / TT030 / Falcon with AB040 & Eclipse / 1040STF
Need testing : Falcon with CT2
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Re: STE / MSTE 68020 booster

Post by Bikerbob »

Anything new?

I am watching the thread, I had quite a few people on Facebook groups interested as well. Looking forward to having my MegaSTE speedy and bloated!! with memory! :)

James
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Re: STE / MSTE 68020 booster

Post by rpineau »

We've assembling our V3 prototype, noting the issues to be fixed for the V4. Once the V3 are assembled we can start a new round of testing. Then once we have the behavior as the V2 we will add the VHDL code for the interrupt controller then debug that. While all of this is being done we make sure to fixe the small hardware issue for the V4 which should hopefully be the last version before we release all the files.

The main board will not have any extra memory but we plan on making a memory board for the expansion port.

So we're not dead :) .. just very busy with life stuff and as my house is in the middle of some renovation/construction it's hard to do anything as I don't have a table or desk at the moment :).

Rodolphe
Working ones : MegaSTE (68020) / TT030 / Falcon with AB040 & Eclipse / 1040STF
Need testing : Falcon with CT2
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PaulJ
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Re: STE / MSTE 68020 booster

Post by PaulJ »

Very interesting project. I hope your going to sell it in some form.
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Re: STE / MSTE 68020 booster

Post by exxos »

Yes, I want a MSTE booster as I actually own a MSTE now ;)
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/ All my hardware guides - mods - games - STOS
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/store2/ - All my hardware mods for sale - Please help support by making a purchase.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1585 Have you done the Mandatory Fixes ?
Just because a lot of people agree on something, doesn't make it a fact. ~exxos ~
People should find solutions to problems, not find problems with solutions.
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