eclaire XL P.C.B. aka "Atari on FPGA project"

[ndary]

Both act the same but the first version can do VGA.. the mini require a doughter board to output vga.. as it designed to output hdmi by default

[Peruchi]

Is this project dead? Since 2017 we got no news about any availability of this device...

[P1r]

Just now, Peruchi said:

Is this project dead? Since 2017 we got no news about any availability of this device...

Well, I bought one in 2019 ...

[Peruchi]

4 minutes ago, P1r said:

Well, I bought one in 2019 ...

How did you managed to do so?

[P1r]

5 minutes ago, Peruchi said:

How did you managed to do so?

Blind luck. 😃 I found the new thread: 

 

[Peruchi]

22 minutes ago, P1r said:

Blind luck. 😃 I found the new thread: 

 

Thank You so much!!!

[+orpheuswaking]

I have finally managed to get my Eclaire set back up and I am wanting to update to the latest firmware, but I completely forget how to do it / where to get the file. Any help appreciated... I also have the Mini and want to do the same with it. 

 

[+Roydea6]

get the largest # rpd file and drop it into one of the folders on the SD card..

 

http://www.64kib.com/autobuild/private/prototype_v1/

 

But I forget the exact key press to activate the rpd upgrade.  There may be a menu selection.

 

Back out to the prototype v3/ index to grab the largest # rpd file to drop into the SD card folder of the mini eclaire XL

 

 

[+orpheuswaking]

12 minutes ago, Roydea6 said:

get the largest # rpd file and drop it into one of the folders on the SD card..

 

http://www.64kib.com/autobuild/private/prototype_v1/

 

But I forget the exact key press to activate the rpd upgrade.  There may be a menu selection.

 

Back out to the prototype v3/ index to grab the largest # rpd file to drop into the SD card folder of the mini eclaire XL

 

 

I have a v3 purple board for the larger Eclaire, would I use the v3 for that as well as the mini? or would I still use the v1 rpd?

[NISMOPC]

I have the small FPGA V3 board and updated to core 37 yesterday from this location:

 

http://www.64kib.com/autobuild/20191111/eclaireXL_ITX/

 

build_A2EBAv3rom

 

Flashing a core from the SD card

In recent cores (v21 and up, but v22 on v2 fix boards) its possible to update from the SD card.

This is done by:

• Copy vxx.rpd file to your SD card
• Press F11
• Select program RPD
• In file selector choose the core version to upgrade to
• Wait a few minutes while it flashes.

 

CAUTION: MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHICH BOARD YOU HAVE BEFORE UPDATED OR RISK BRICKING.

 

Here are some details:

 

http://www.64kib.com/redmine/projects/eclairexl/wiki/Core_location

 

v1 prototype (initial run on 5)

build_A2EBArom/

v3 (aka v2!) prototype (run on 10 and subsequent run of 20, with fixes)

build_A4EBArom/

v3.1/v3.2 (aka v3!) mini prototypes

IF you have the large fpga:
build_A4EBAromv3/

If you have the small fpga:
build_A2EBAromv3/

 

The main WIKI page with all the details:

 

http://www.64kib.com/redmine/projects/eclairexl/wiki

[NISMOPC]

Also, remember if you are not using HDMI out, after you flash it defaults back to HDMI and you will not see a picture on your monitor or TV. 

I am using DVI out to a flat screen monitor and had to plug into a HDMI TV. Turn unit on, push F11, then H and change to DVI.

 

Save settings to flash and then I could use my DVI monitor again.

[+orpheuswaking]

11 minutes ago, NISMOPC said:

I have the small FPGA V3 board and updated to core 37 yesterday from this location:

 

http://www.64kib.com/autobuild/20191111/eclaireXL_ITX/

 

build_A2EBAv3rom

 

Flashing a core from the SD card

In recent cores (v21 and up, but v22 on v2 fix boards) its possible to update from the SD card.

This is done by:

• Copy vxx.rpd file to your SD card
• Press F11
• Select program RPD
• In file selector choose the core version to upgrade to
• Wait a few minutes while it flashes.

 

CAUTION: MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHICH BOARD YOU HAVE BEFORE UPDATED OR RISK BRICKING.

 

Here are some details:

 

http://www.64kib.com/redmine/projects/eclairexl/wiki/Core_location

 

v1 prototype (initial run on 5)

build_A2EBArom/

v3 (aka v2!) prototype (run on 10 and subsequent run of 20, with fixes)

build_A4EBArom/

v3.1/v3.2 (aka v3!) mini prototypes

IF you have the large fpga:
build_A4EBAromv3/

If you have the small fpga:
build_A2EBAromv3/

 

The main WIKI page with all the details:

 

http://www.64kib.com/redmine/projects/eclairexl/wiki

Is there a way to check the FPGA without viewing the board? I have my mini cased up and I don't want to keep opening it as the 3D printed screw posts may strip. 

[DjayBee]

18 minutes ago, NISMOPC said:

• Copy vxx.rpd file to your SD card
• Press F11
• Select program RPD
• In file selector choose the core version to upgrade to
• Wait a few minutes while it flashes.

IIRC if you don't run one of the more recent versions of the core, one step in selecting the file is not obvious because the firmware does not react on the Enter key. Instead you must either push arrow-right or the joystick button.

Edited March 16, 2020 by DjayBee

[NISMOPC]

Just now, orpheuswaking said:

Is there a way to check the FPGA without viewing the board? I have my mini cased up and I don't want to keep opening it as the 3D printed screw posts may strip. 

Funny you should ask. I actually had to message Panos and ask him which one I bought for the same reason. Then I also recalled I took a picture of it and posted it on the other thread, so I was able to confirm I have the purple small FPGA V3.2 board.

Here is a closeup of mine.

 

[+Stephen]

2 hours ago, NISMOPC said:

Also, remember if you are not using HDMI out, after you flash it defaults back to HDMI and you will not see a picture on your monitor or TV. 

I am using DVI out to a flat screen monitor and had to plug into a HDMI TV. Turn unit on, push F11, then H and change to DVI.

 

Save settings to flash and then I could use my DVI monitor again.

I thought I bricked mine by doing the same   Thanks for the reminder, I'll try to get my (v2, not v3) board updated sometime this week.

[+orpheuswaking]

Ok managed to flash the version 37 core to my EclaireXL mini & (via USB blaster due to my core being lower than 21) my original V2 board.
 

Now I'm having a terrible time loading a disk from the loader in F12, I can get carts to work but no matter what I press or do I can't get a disk to load, must be user error as it is the same on both boards. 

Edited March 17, 2020 by orpheuswaking

[TheMontezuma]

I purchased my Eclaire XL mini in summer 2019 and today I decided to update the firmware (the very first time).

So I opened my 3D case to find out which firmware I need.

 

 

I realized that it should be build_A2EBAromv3, so I followed the instructions and copied atari800core_eclaireXLv3_auto.rpd file to the root of the SD card.

Then I started the udate and I saw characters E W V (I guess: Erase, Write, Verify) on the screen.

At the end the following screen was displayed:

 

 

But Eclaire didn't react on key presses.

I powered it off and on again, but the TV screen was black (it is connected via HDMI).

 

The next step - I downloaded the atari800core_eclaireXLv3.jic file, connected the USB blaster and started Quartus:

 

 

 

I could successfully succesfully flash it, but the TV screen is still black 😟

 

Any idea?

[santosp]

Have you try to boot it with the same SD card? I see in your settings that you use HDMI output. During boot can you hear the Atari booting sound?

Edited May 20, 2020 by santosp

[santosp]

This is the initial firmware which I shipped in that.

 

v35_eba2_v3.1.rar

[foft]

Try this:

Remove sd card

Turn on

press f11

press h (or d)

 

ps which exact jic file did you flash?

Edited May 20, 2020 by foft

[santosp]

....and after if you see M A R K with big letters in the screen, the device means is still alive!   

[TheMontezuma]

Thanks

 

It helped with F11 and H

[TheMontezuma]

Now I have this software:

 

[TheMontezuma]

I played a little bit with the software and realized that the normal RESET (F9) causes the system to hang (even HDMI is gone) and I have to power it off and on again. F10 (H/W Reset) works OK.

 

[foft]

I really should finish core 38 at some point, lots of fun things to put in!