Ultimate Cart - Users thread

[Mr Robot]

I should have realised having a sliding panel that closes at the top is a mistake if you push against the contents to get it into the slot. Every time I try to insert the cart the cover pops off...

 

Back to the drawing board.

 

 

@pazuzu72 those are the same cart just front and back.

[pazuzu72]

17 minutes ago, Mr Robot said:

 

@pazuzu72 those are the same cart just front and back.

Yes, sorry. It's clear. I didn't mean what I wrote.

[Farb]

I just picked up an Ultimate Cart from the Brewing Academy and have put a bunch of CAR and XEX files on it. I'm noticing that when I load something up, it seems to just crash the machine with a blue screen roughly 1 out of 3 times. I have confirmed this behavior is consistent on both a stock 130XE and a stock 800.

Had anyone else seen this behavior? Did I get a defective cart?

Thanks.

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[Mr Robot]

I've found it pretty good with CAR files, never tried XEX files.

 

BIN/ROM files are a bit more hit & miss, it's guessing the cart type based on the file size so the more unusual carts trip it up. 

[Farb]

Sorry, I should have described it better. The problem happens with the same file (e.g. I load the same CAR file and it fails 30-40% of the time).

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[JR>]

Try a different memory card.

[Farb]

Will do, thanks for the tip.

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[MrMartian]

Hello all, life is slowing down a bit again for me so I'm back to digging into Atari stuff..

 

If I could just get Quartus II downloaded again, I could continue my WIP... I was working on adding direct SD card support but have since figured out how to add IDE (CF) emulation, so like the AVG cart these could act like an SIDE cart.

 

Since Intel can't figure out how to make my account work to download the software, any got a copy of a recent version of Quartus somewhere I could download? Windows or Linux...

[Sugarland]

5 hours ago, MrMartian said:

Hello all, life is slowing down a bit again for me so I'm back to digging into Atari stuff..

 

If I could just get Quartus II downloaded again, I could continue my WIP... I was working on adding direct SD card support but have since figured out how to add IDE (CF) emulation, so like the AVG cart these could act like an SIDE cart.

 

Since Intel can't figure out how to make my account work to download the software, any got a copy of a recent version of Quartus somewhere I could download? Windows or Linux...

Welcome back!!  It's 50GB download and I'm on a slow connection here. I'll send you a link with some logons you might try. This might be the right software download page or maybe not. heh

 

http://fpgasoftware.intel.com/19.3/?edition=pro&download_manager=dlm3&platform=windows

 

 

 

Edited October 17, 2019 by Sugarland

[Faicuai]

Well, since this seems to be the right sport for it, and its also early enough for EU folks:

 

1. Does anyone familiar with the design of the cart know why does it (electrically) interfere with any cart plugged on a 800's RIGHT-slot?
   • (The $8000-$9FFF address space becomes corrupted when mounting any $A000-$BFFF 8K cart on ULT/SD, and a $8000-$9FFF cart is physically present on right slot)
2. Is there ANY way to bring FPGA back from "sleep" mode, through any peep-hole on $D5XX register page?
   • (Any special sequence Of reads and/or writes on that area that I could execute from my own code, in order to re-start FPGA AFTER it has been sent to "sleep"?)

A big thanks, in advance, for any feedback on these two issues!

 

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by Faicuai

[manopac]

just got my Ultimate out of storage after not using it for about a year - and it doesn't work anymore ... I checked the SD Card, it still reads ok on my computer, any ideas what I could do ? I tried the cart in an XEGS and a 600 XL - both show the same behaviour as if no cart is inserted, while the cart itself has a red blinking light ... thanks for any help !!

[+videofx]

5 minutes ago, manopac said:

just got my Ultimate out of storage after not using it for about a year - and it doesn't work anymore ... I checked the SD Card, it still reads ok on my computer, any ideas what I could do ? I tried the cart in an XEGS and a 600 XL - both show the same behaviour as if no cart is inserted, while the cart itself has a red blinking light ... thanks for any help !!

Email Brewing Academy to see what the problem could be 

[Faicuai]

On 3/3/2020 at 9:28 AM, Faicuai said:

Well, since this seems to be the right sport for it, and its also early enough for EU folks:

 

1. Does anyone familiar with the design of the cart know why does it (electrically) interfere with any cart plugged on a 800's RIGHT-slot?
   • (The $8000-$9FFF address space becomes corrupted when mounting any $A000-$BFFF 8K cart on ULT/SD, and a $8000-$9FFF cart is physically present on right slot)
2. Is there ANY way to bring FPGA back from "sleep" mode, through any peep-hole on $D5XX register page?
   • (Any special sequence Of reads and/or writes on that area that I could execute from my own code, in order to re-start FPGA AFTER it has been sent to "sleep"?)

A big thanks, in advance, for any feedback on these two issues!

 

 

Anyone?

 

Or has this cart / project been already sent to the Abandonware dungeon?

[MrMartian]

2 minutes ago, Faicuai said:

Anyone?

 

Or has this cart / project been already sent to the Abandonware dungeon?

I am still working on this system and have made a number of changes but life has been way too busy lately to release anything. 
 

I will dig through these issues next week. And obvious ways to test / reproduce what you’re seeing?

[Faicuai]

2 minutes ago, MrMartian said:

I am still working on this system and have made a number of changes but life has been way too busy lately to release anything. 
 

I will dig through these issues next week. And obvious ways to test / reproduce what you’re seeing?

Thanks! That would be appreciated (as I have tried everything I could for #2).

 

As for #1, it is pretty easy to replicate: you will need an 800 (even stock), then plug Ultimate/SD on left-slot, and (say) Monkey Wrench II on right-slot. Monkey Wrench will never boot.

 

Upon closer inspection with any HEX viewer, you will notice that $8000-$9FFF window seems corrupted with code from Ultimate, even after launching an 8K-Left-only cart.

 

 

[MrMartian]

6 minutes ago, Faicuai said:

Thanks! That would be appreciated (as I have tried everything I could for #2).

 

As for #1, it is pretty easy to replicate: you will need an 800 (even stock), then plug Ultimate/SD on left-slot, and (say) Monkey Wrench II on right-slot. Monkey Wrench will never boot.

 

Upon closer inspection with any HEX viewer, you will notice that $8000-$9FFF window seems corrupted with code from Ultimate, even after launching an 8K-Left-only cart.

 

 

I can say for #2, there is no software way to wake up the card after you’ve chosen a cartridge or hit X to disable the cart. Only the reset button. What use case do you have for this?

[Faicuai]

6 minutes ago, MrMartian said:

I can say for #2, there is no software way to wake up the card after you’ve chosen a cartridge or hit X to disable the cart. Only the reset button. What use case do you have for this?

Well, here's the deal:

 

1. In its current form, the cart's boot/launch rom lends itself to "library-mode" type of operation, but completely disrupts "session-mode" work (such as starting the system from SDX, for instance).
2. To the above extent, I have completed a CX-package ("control extensions") custom designed for Ultimate/SD-cart It provides it with the necessary intelligence to cooperate with the host's OS and its operating environment, thus allowing to get itself out-of-the way or take you to the carts/library menu, most of it automatically.
3. Now that the cart can operate in "session mode", it can now let your favorite DOS boot flawlessly (if there is one to boot), and once there, I can (among other things) TURN OFF the cart by DOS/PROMPT command, or even mount ANY title of wish, without ever to jump into the cart's Library menu.
4. The last thing that I am missing is how to communicate with the FPGA after it has been sent to "sleep" via "X" command (which I can now execute externally).

That would close the loop and make Ultimate/SD the cart that should have ALWAYS been, from the get to.

[MrMartian]

I don't have an actual right-slot cartridge, so I couldn't reproduce that problem. But, looking at the HDL I can see how it can happen. Please try the attached and let me know if this fixes your problems.

 

The only change in this version is for proper data output, no other changes have been made.

Max10_SD.pof

[Faicuai]

2 hours ago, MrMartian said:

I don't have an actual right-slot cartridge, so I couldn't reproduce that problem. But, looking at the HDL I can see how it can happen. Please try the attached and let me know if this fixes your problems.

 

The only change in this version is for proper data output, no other changes have been made.

Max10_SD.pof 314.26 kB · 2 downloads

MANY THANKS!!!

 

But... how do I flash this load? Or more specifically, where could I get the SW for flashing, and what is the cable / programmer for it?

 

 

[MrMartian]

You will need an Altera USB Blaster (search ebay, often around $5) and then the Quartus software to transfer it.

[Faicuai]

4 hours ago, MrMartian said:

You will need an Altera USB Blaster (search ebay, often around $5) and then the Quartus software to transfer it.

Thanks!!

 

Will start searching for the SW and the blaster. Any particular versions of these two ingredients that should be AVOIDED? (Just want to test your update as quickly as possible...)

[MrMartian]

11 hours ago, Faicuai said:

Thanks!!

 

Will start searching for the SW and the blaster. Any particular versions of these two ingredients that should be AVOIDED? (Just want to test your update as quickly as possible...)

I used Quartus Lite 18.1 to build, but the programmer part shouldn't matter for the .pof file.. I don't know if there is any way to program the part without installing all of Quartus either.

 

As for whether or not this fix will work, when I was reading through my backlog of posts (since I haven't been on here for a while again) I found in the other Ultimate SD cart thread this same discussion, and a user determined the cause to the same issue I discovered and fixed basically the same way. So I believe this will fix it. Too bad I hadn't read that message before I spent time thinking it through myself..

[Faicuai]

1 hour ago, MrMartian said:

I used Quartus Lite 18.1 to build, but the programmer part shouldn't matter for the .pof file.. I don't know if there is any way to program the part without installing all of Quartus either.

 

As for whether or not this fix will work, when I was reading through my backlog of posts (since I haven't been on here for a while again) I found in the other Ultimate SD cart thread this same discussion, and a user determined the cause to the same issue I discovered and fixed basically the same way. So I believe this will fix it. Too bad I hadn't read that message before I spent time thinking it through myself..

Nice job there, you nailed it (now twice! ?

 

I will work on SW and Programmer (thanks for Q. version), and I still wonder if there is a way to define a special $D5XX-$D5YY combination of reads or writes to this register area so that the FPGA uniquely reacts to it with a full reset (even with a ROM-file already mounted). I KNOW by fact it is still powered-up even with "X" command, because I have tracked power consumption closely and the difference is negligible... If this could be done, we would be taking Ultimate/SD to a whole new level, especially on the 800 architecture, where you can leave it plugged permanently, and have ZERO contention with PBI-attached HD and Incognito.

 

Talk about a programmable RAM/ROM-space powerhouse there, great for browsing your cart-library, great for running a SDX/productivity session, and all without ever reaching the "reset" button or opening up the cart-bay cover.

Edited March 12, 2020 by Faicuai

[Faicuai]

On 3/12/2020 at 9:45 AM, MrMartian said:

I used Quartus Lite 18.1 to build, but the programmer part shouldn't matter for the .pof file.. I don't know if there is any way to program the part without installing all of Quartus either.

 

As for whether or not this fix will work, when I was reading through my backlog of posts (since I haven't been on here for a while again) I found in the other Ultimate SD cart thread this same discussion, and a user determined the cause to the same issue I discovered and fixed basically the same way. So I believe this will fix it. Too bad I hadn't read that message before I spent time thinking it through myself..

Ok, folks, so here's an update after finally setting up the programming-chain here (hopefully useful for anyone still on the sidelines):

 

1. .POF file for programming Ultimate/SD (THIS is the one that solves its $8000-$9FFF bus-contention problem when running on the 800):
   • Max10_SD-A800_BUS_FIX-AtariAge.pof
2. Quartus Lite 19.1 (latest edition) + Max10-device Add-on (about 1.8 GBytes download, about 8.5 Gbytes installed):
   • https://fpgasoftware.intel.com/?edition=lite
   • Choose v19.1, and Max-10 package further down in the items list.
3. Programmer: High Speed USB Blaster for Altera devices:
   • Available in Amazon with Prime-member shipping.
   • https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Download-Programmer-Debugger-XYGStudy/dp/B00CAV99V8/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=USB+blaster&qid=1584562856&sr=8-6)
4. Drivers (MUST install these, embedded ones on Quartus WILL NOT work!):  usb-blaster.zip

 

As for setting up the whole chain (for Windows-10 host OS):

1. Install Quartus Lite 19.1 on its default target-directory.
2. Once finished, DO NOT install Quartus' own USB Blaster II driver package (skip it, if shown).
3. Unzip above .ZIP driver-package to your directory of choice (DO NOT skip this step). Just unzip them, nothing else.
4. Close all programs, and open Command Prompt windows, elevated to Administrative privilege.
5. Issue "shutdown /o /r /t 0" (that is a ZERO at the end), to immediately restart Windows in boot-control mode.
6. Once then choose "Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Settings" and a while later, choose Option 7 (Do not enforce Driver Signature).
7. Let Windows boot,  and now connect USB Blaster to your PC's USB port.
8. Go to Device Manager, expand "Other Devices" branch, and right-click on "USB Blaster", then "Update Driver", by pointing to directory in #3, above.
9. Confirm "Install UNSIGNED driver" (that is why we are going through all this crappola)
10. If driver install is successful, USB-Blaster entry will disappear from "Other Devices" branch, and will show on "Universal Serial Bus controllers".

 

Now that your programming chain is ready to use, here are the final steps for programming:

 

1. Turn OFF your 800, and connect USB Blasters ribbon-terminal to Ultimate/SD and insert Ultimate/SD on LEFT-port of 800.

2. Connect other end of ribbon-cable to USB-Blaster terminal, and then connect USB-cable between Blaster and your PC.

3. Turn your 800 back on, and Launch Intel Quartus Prime Lite 1.9

3. Open .POF file provided in #1, way above.

4. When programming window opens, Go to upper-left corner and select USB-Blaster programming device (click on drop-down or menu option in that corner).

5. Click on "Autodetect", and then click on "Examine" column, and then "Start", just to make sure you get a "SUCCESSFUL" confirmation, after a while.

6. Then click on "Program Column" (unclick everything else), and then "Start". Programming should be completed under a minute.

 

I am summarizing all this ordeal because this upgrade is MANDATORY for 800 users... otherwise, your right-cart port will become unusable with the presence of Ultimate/SD on the LEFT-port (it is an Ultimate/SD problem, here being fixed).

 

Enjoy!

 

 

[spspspsp]

Does this patch also incorporate the bus contention fix described here and available here?

Edited May 4, 2020 by spspspsp