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Updating the CPLD?

PostPosted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 10:18 am
by skaratso
Rich,

You made reference to trying to come up with a way to update the CPLD from the game port in order to change the logic to allow for updating the config menu without removing the jumper, when updating earlier cards to firmware 2.0.

Has this been done, or do we have to send boards back to you to be updated?

Stavros

Re: Updating the CPLD?

PostPosted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 3:00 pm
by rich
Getting the CPLD JTAG code from Atmel to run on the Apple II has proved harder than I had hoped. It is a bit of a black box and hard to debug.
I have stopped trying for now so I wouldn't wait for that solution if I were you.
Keep in mind that you don't really need to update the CPLD logic, unless you want to. It will only get you the convenience feature of not
having to remove the Write Protect jumper when saving changes made on the config menu. Well, and only small bug fix that seldom
caused anyone trouble.

But the two ways that come to mind just now:

1) Send me your board and I will update it for only the cost of the return shipping.
2) Buy a JTAG programmer called a ByteBlaster or ByteBlaster II, or ByteBlaster MV. I bought one
off ebay for about $15. And it works with a program called AtmelISP which requires windows.
You will need a PC with a parallel port to connect it. Do they still make those?

-Rich

Re: Updating the CPLD?

PostPosted: Sun May 01, 2016 12:16 am
by mark_c
hi Rich,
Are you still offering to update the cards or even just update the CPLD.
I have one of the early cards (S/N 0014312212006033) from run 1 or 2.
I want to incorporate the 3-wire mod so I can use a SanDisk 256MB CF card.

My EPROM is a 27C256 with CFFA c1.20 firmware, my CPLD is v1.2.
I've downloaded the files for CFforAppleII_logic1-4 and the files with EPROM v1.3 binary.
I'm pretty sure I can update the EPROM and do the 3-wire mod, but I don't have a CPLD programmer.

Any advice on obtaining the CPLD programmer. ie will one of the cheap USB Blasters from eBay do the same job as the earlier Parallel Port versions.
I am also trying to download CPLD software from Altera without much success so far (possibly web browser issues).
Mark C in Oz