Newbie Hardware Questions

[Vincent Sanders]

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On Tue, Jun 25, 2002 at 10:21:15AM +0100, V.P.Crabtree@lboro.ac.uk wrote:
> Hi all, just joined,=20
>=20
> just got an IBX250 on Ebay for =A35, brand new - seems the guy got it fro=
m TIME=20
> with his new PC.
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> Thanks to Vincent (cool name) Sanders for information on STB.

I like my name too ;-)

> =20
> Currently, I want to use it to surf the internet. However, since SSL is o=
nly 40=20
> bits, it wont work on hotmail or numerous banking sites. Can anyone tell =
me the=20
> type of roms it uses, and provide rom images of the IBX260 so I can blow =
my own=20
> flash roms?

It uses masked roms by default but macronix dip roms seem to work ok
simtec will sell you one at a reasonable price

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> WHen I get bored of this, I intend to use it as an ARM linux development=
=20
> platform. I thought about replacing the on board firmware (which I previo=
usly=20
> reprogrammed above) with a pair of boot block flash, then use a bootloade=
r like=20
> BLOB to get my code into it. HOwever, after a quick scan of the 7500 data=
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> sheet, I cant see a JTAG interface? Any suggestions if my initial idea is=
=20
> possible? Do the ROMS actually have the write pins connected?
>=20

The eeproms dont have their write pins conencted, we looked at adding
the high voltage programming bias required and its an arse :-(
currently I re-program my roms in simtecs 7500 eval board and move em
over, hence the zif sockets on all my bush boxen


> If this is possible, the ultimate aim would be to carefully solder an IDE=
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> socket onto the I/O interface, and have an ide drive as root, with the ke=
rnel=20
> in the flash rom, and maybe an inittd.gz image depending on the size of t=
he rom.
>=20

Hmm well we have one with simtecs able boot loader tftping kernel
images over the parallel port, as for solering ide ports...you can do
it, weve done it....but its very very fiddly

> FInally, where can I find pinout of the pcmcia-like connector, which I be=
lieve=20
> is a POD connector?
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> Am I mad?
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> Thanks for any help, Vincent
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>=20

Heh no that pcmcia connector serves one purpose in life, its from
previous pace designs which allowed the user to boot the box from an
alternate flash memory device (pcmcia) style...its not a real pcmcia
port and I havnt ever seen an actual working design, the pad outlines
could be useful for summat btw

oh and some news on the modem, apariently it is presented as a
standard 16550 type uart somewhere in the podule space... first one to
find teh registers gets an ice cream :-)

--=20
Regards Vincent
http://www.kyllikki.org/

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