t0ri Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 (edited) Hi, After some months of hard work, Sack's oldest PC hardware emulator - PC-SPEED has been rebuilt. All documentation is available on my site there -> http://atari.myftp.org/pcspeed/pcspeed.html Please use google translator - site is in polish lang. only regards tOri I'm searching for Sack's AT-speed for reverse engineering. Maybe someone would donate a piece for it? Edited January 29, 2022 by t0ri 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 Cool. I recently found out my 520ST has one of these cards installed (along with a 1MB RAM upgrade that I didn't know was in there because it needed re-inserted to work). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t0ri Posted January 29, 2022 Author Share Posted January 29, 2022 VERY IMPORTANT INFO: I have to warn everyone who uses devices with old CPLDs like the GAL or memories like EPROM, EEPROM. It looks like they might come lost single configuration bits due to aging and for some other reason. Datasheets mentions about 20-30 years of data retention. Only way to keep these working for next years is to reverse engineer all logic inside secured chips and reprogram they like new. Don't be surprised when your beloved device stop working someday due to single bitflip... I ask everyone who can help with it and can contribute old devices for reverse engineering before they'll completely die...Not all will be rebuilt because some devices are secured by custom chips, but some can be... It will be a serious problem for all vintage computing... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chri O. Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 Most if not all ICD SCSI host adapters use lots of them even Atari Falcon 030 use at least four GAL/PAL ic. Scary isn't it. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t0ri Posted January 30, 2022 Author Share Posted January 30, 2022 Yes. It is scary like hell! Change of single configuration bit in programmable circuit simply shut off device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParanoidLittleMan Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 Nice work. Considering PAL, GAL chips: there are 10 PALs in Mega STE . GALs were very new in 1992, so there are PALs, as there is couple in Falcon too. Would be good to see how is about their logic (JED files) availability. I saw some threads were some of it was published, but would be good to put it all on one place, for easy finding. Here are some: http://powerphenix.com/rodolphe.czuba.free.fr/Museum/museum.htm But that's really not well organized, starting from file names ... It is normal that old electronic may getting damaged, changed some internal parts, what includes of course memory cells - and we have them in PALs, GALs too. And damage can happen any time, even by new devices - like because some power surges, some bad things connected, shortcuts ... So yes, it is really important to have those programmable logic chip's internal logic (JED) files. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParanoidLittleMan Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 And those PALs, GALs may just gone bad. Today I took 1 GAL, which is very old, but worked fine in CATA over years, to reprogram it for new, internal version in development. And it did not pass verify after programming. Tried again - same. Then took 2 same GALs, and programmed them with same content, partially to be sure that programmer, which is also very old is still OK. And with them it was success from first attempt. Actually, we are already behind usual lifetime of electronic devices. What was about 20 years in years when Atari STs were manufactured. The fact that big part of them is still operational means that build and component quality was better than average. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t0ri Posted January 31, 2022 Author Share Posted January 31, 2022 Hi Peter and thank you, It is obvious that ALL programmable logic using a trapped charge, such as EPROM, FLASH, EEPROM, etc., will die. Some PAL will also die after an electric shock, for example, or a simple short circuit. No one can stop it, except for curious people. Most of proggrammable logic chips are secured and not readable by ordinary user with ordinary chips programmer...Pity... Peter said: "we are already behind the usual lifetime of electronic devices". YES and I shout (!) to warn all people using old machines and ask for donations of old devices for people who can help in this bad situation. I bought personally an original pc-speed, reverse it and give all documentation for free, but it is very expensive to me to buy anything I want to save. Such a situation... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chri O. Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 I heard that Falcon 030 PALs are not protected and they are available online. Part of the Driver_Collection.iso available from the Atari Document Archive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t0ri Posted February 1, 2022 Author Share Posted February 1, 2022 Unprotected PALs and GAL aren't problematic because anyone with programmer can make backup. Protected old devices can be a problem. Talented hackers needed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustynutt Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 How are you with SMT MACH CPLD? (ex, Afterburner040). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t0ri Posted February 26, 2022 Author Share Posted February 26, 2022 I need exact number of MACH PLD to analyse probability. MACH110, MACH120 or other type. Let me know what MACH device is installed in Afterburner040. regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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