Mega65 Wiki

User Tools

Site Tools





Trace:
mega65_prerelease_starter_s_manual

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
mega65_prerelease_starter_s_manual [2016/06/18 21:50]
– tried making use of the 'numbered headings' plugin (https://www.dokuwiki.org/plugin:numberedheadings) gurce		mega65_prerelease_starter_s_manual [2016/06/18 21:56] (current)
– used numbered headings better (use heading1 for un-numbered page title, then use headings2,3,4 for the document headings) gurce
Line 6: Line 6:
  
  
-====== - Prerequisites ======+===== - Prerequisites =====
  
-===== - Nexys(tm)4 DDR board =====+==== - Nexys(tm)4 DDR board ====
  
 The MEGA65 is based on the Nexys(tm)4 DDR FPGA board from Digilent and carries an Artix-7(tm) Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) from Xilinx. This component is used to host MEGA65’s circuits like the GS4510 CPU, VIC-IV Video Controller and other circuits. Apart from the FPGA, the board sports various IO ports like VGA, USB, Ethernet, Mono audio and other connectors that will be used in the final MEGA65 design in an appropriate form factor. The MEGA65 is based on the Nexys(tm)4 DDR FPGA board from Digilent and carries an Artix-7(tm) Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) from Xilinx. This component is used to host MEGA65’s circuits like the GS4510 CPU, VIC-IV Video Controller and other circuits. Apart from the FPGA, the board sports various IO ports like VGA, USB, Ethernet, Mono audio and other connectors that will be used in the final MEGA65 design in an appropriate form factor.
Line 17: Line 17:
  
  
-===== - USB Keyboard =====+==== - USB Keyboard ====
  
 In order to type on the MEGA65 (and do anything, really) you need to attach a USB keyboard to the USB socket that sits between the power connector and the Ethernet port. In order to type on the MEGA65 (and do anything, really) you need to attach a USB keyboard to the USB socket that sits between the power connector and the Ethernet port.
Line 24: Line 24:
  
  
-===== - VGA Monitor =====+==== - VGA Monitor =====
  
 Although the final design will probably (also) generate a more mainstream 1080p HD signal, at least for now it’s important to either use a monitor that supports 1920 x 1200 or alternatively a 1080p capable TV / monitor and a separate VGA to HDMI converter (like the Atlona AT-HD500 for example) that converts the signal into the 1080p signal your HD TV / monitor supports. Although the final design will probably (also) generate a more mainstream 1080p HD signal, at least for now it’s important to either use a monitor that supports 1920 x 1200 or alternatively a 1080p capable TV / monitor and a separate VGA to HDMI converter (like the Atlona AT-HD500 for example) that converts the signal into the 1080p signal your HD TV / monitor supports.
Line 33: Line 33:
  
  
-===== - SD Micro card =====+==== - SD Micro card ====
  
 Plain SD Micro cards up to 4GB are currently officially supported. Some 4GB cards are known not to play nice though, so right now the safest bet is an (old) SD Micro up to 2GB. Cards like that may be hard to get by in your local store but there’s a ton of opportunity to get them from eBay. Most importantly, the card should not be of the newer SDHC or SDXC kind that support higher capacities, at least not for the time being. Plain SD Micro cards up to 4GB are currently officially supported. Some 4GB cards are known not to play nice though, so right now the safest bet is an (old) SD Micro up to 2GB. Cards like that may be hard to get by in your local store but there’s a ton of opportunity to get them from eBay. Most importantly, the card should not be of the newer SDHC or SDXC kind that support higher capacities, at least not for the time being.
  
  
-===== - A Windows PC and SD Micro card reader =====+==== - A Windows PC and SD Micro card reader ====
  
 At the time of writing a Windows PC / laptop with an internal or external SD Micro card reader is needed to populate an SD Micro card with data in order for it to be successfully read by the MEGA65 due to the current SD card driver in the MEGA65 being sensitive to a specific partition and layout. This means that an Apple Mac will not be capable of formatting an SD Micro card the right way for the MEGA65 to read its contents currently. At the time of writing a Windows PC / laptop with an internal or external SD Micro card reader is needed to populate an SD Micro card with data in order for it to be successfully read by the MEGA65 due to the current SD card driver in the MEGA65 being sensitive to a specific partition and layout. This means that an Apple Mac will not be capable of formatting an SD Micro card the right way for the MEGA65 to read its contents currently.
  
  
-===== - DirMaster software =====+==== - DirMaster software ====
  
 This Windows software can be acquired from Style’s website here: http://style64.org/dirmaster. With DirMaster it’s possible to populate a D81 image with C64 / C65 files like games and pictures or whatever contents you’d like to access on the MEGA65. Although mounting D81 disks is optional, there’s not a lot one can do on a MEGA65 without loading software and / or saving work to disk. The D81 file format stems from the old 1581 disk drive that was a much sought after (expensive) item back in the day whereas most people with drives had 1541’s supporting 5.25” floppy disks. The 1581 chewed on the then more modern 3.5” instead. This Windows software can be acquired from Style’s website here: http://style64.org/dirmaster. With DirMaster it’s possible to populate a D81 image with C64 / C65 files like games and pictures or whatever contents you’d like to access on the MEGA65. Although mounting D81 disks is optional, there’s not a lot one can do on a MEGA65 without loading software and / or saving work to disk. The D81 file format stems from the old 1581 disk drive that was a much sought after (expensive) item back in the day whereas most people with drives had 1541’s supporting 5.25” floppy disks. The 1581 chewed on the then more modern 3.5” instead.
  
  
-===== - The MEGA65 FPGA bitstream =====+==== - The MEGA65 FPGA bitstream ====
  
 Last, but not least, a prebuilt bitstream file can be acquired by getting registered at http://mega65.org after donating at least EUR 5. By contributing to the project you’ll help ongoing development and to provide this service. After registration you’ll be kept updated with the latest core files and necessary information. The bitstream is basically the footprint for programming the FPGA on the Nexys4 DDR board, the single-most important component on the board and where the MEGA65 computer circuitry is hosted. Last, but not least, a prebuilt bitstream file can be acquired by getting registered at http://mega65.org after donating at least EUR 5. By contributing to the project you’ll help ongoing development and to provide this service. After registration you’ll be kept updated with the latest core files and necessary information. The bitstream is basically the footprint for programming the FPGA on the Nexys4 DDR board, the single-most important component on the board and where the MEGA65 computer circuitry is hosted.
  
  
-====== - Configuring the Nexys(tm)4 DDR board ======+===== - Configuring the Nexys(tm)4 DDR board =====
  
  
-===== - Jumper settings =====+==== - Jumper settings ====
  
 Please locate the following jumpers on the Nexys4 DDR board and adjust them where necessary: Please locate the following jumpers on the Nexys4 DDR board and adjust them where necessary:
Line 67: Line 67:
  
  
-===== - Hooking up power and peripherals =====+==== - Hooking up power and peripherals ====
  
 Please hook up a USB keyboard without bells and whistles to the USB port that sits between the power connector and the Ethernet port. Please hook up a USB keyboard without bells and whistles to the USB port that sits between the power connector and the Ethernet port.
Line 82: Line 82:
  
  
-====== - Preparing a SD Micro card ======+===== - Preparing a SD Micro card =====
  
  
-===== - SD Micro card types =====+==== - SD Micro card types ====
  
 As stated in Chapter 1, the SD Micro card needs to be 4GB tops and should be plain SD rather than SDHC or SDXC as the latter are not supported by the SD drivers and software. Support for different SD Micro card brands is a work in progress. As stated in Chapter 1, the SD Micro card needs to be 4GB tops and should be plain SD rather than SDHC or SDXC as the latter are not supported by the SD drivers and software. Support for different SD Micro card brands is a work in progress.
  
  
-===== - Partitioning and formatting =====+==== - Partitioning and formatting ====
  
 On Windows in Windows Explorer, locate the volume / drive letter that corresponds to your SD Micro card and issue a formatting command by right clicking on the volume / drive letter and selecting ‘Format...'. In the Format dialog that gets brought up, leave ‘Capacity’ unchanged, set ‘File system’ to ‘FAT32’ (by default it selects FAT instead), set ‘Allocation unit size’ to ‘Default allocation size’ and type your ‘Volume Label’ of choice (for instance, ‘MEGA65’), uncheck ‘Quick Format’ and click the ’Start’ button. Click the ‘OK’ button to dismiss the warning dialog and the formatting process will kick off. On Windows in Windows Explorer, locate the volume / drive letter that corresponds to your SD Micro card and issue a formatting command by right clicking on the volume / drive letter and selecting ‘Format...'. In the Format dialog that gets brought up, leave ‘Capacity’ unchanged, set ‘File system’ to ‘FAT32’ (by default it selects FAT instead), set ‘Allocation unit size’ to ‘Default allocation size’ and type your ‘Volume Label’ of choice (for instance, ‘MEGA65’), uncheck ‘Quick Format’ and click the ’Start’ button. Click the ‘OK’ button to dismiss the warning dialog and the formatting process will kick off.
  
  
-===== - Mandatory and optional files =====+==== - Mandatory and optional files ====
  
 Once properly formatted, please copy the below files to your SD Micro card in the following order: Once properly formatted, please copy the below files to your SD Micro card in the following order:
Line 114: Line 114:
  
  
-===== - Obtaining a D81 virtual disk file =====+==== - Obtaining a D81 virtual disk file ====
  
 Many D81 disk files can be found on the internet. Simply Google-ing ‘d81 disk files’ will surely get you plentiful. An alternative way to obtain a D81 file is create one of your own using DirMaster. It features a simple drag-and-drop interface that allows you to copy C64 / C65 specific file to your virtual disk. It’s entirely possible to download C64 games or applications that are in the public domain or that were commercially abandoned and run them on your MEGA65 in C64 mode. At the time of writing probably not all software is working 100% yet but we’re getting close. Many D81 disk files can be found on the internet. Simply Google-ing ‘d81 disk files’ will surely get you plentiful. An alternative way to obtain a D81 file is create one of your own using DirMaster. It features a simple drag-and-drop interface that allows you to copy C64 / C65 specific file to your virtual disk. It’s entirely possible to download C64 games or applications that are in the public domain or that were commercially abandoned and run them on your MEGA65 in C64 mode. At the time of writing probably not all software is working 100% yet but we’re getting close.
  
  
-====== - Booting ======+===== - Booting =====
  
-===== - Power =====+==== - Power ====
  
 After all peripherals are hooked up and you’ve got your SD Micro card properly populated with mandatory and maybe some optional files it is time to turn that power switch! After all peripherals are hooked up and you’ve got your SD Micro card properly populated with mandatory and maybe some optional files it is time to turn that power switch!
Line 134: Line 134:
  
  
-===== - Program =====+==== - Program ====
  
 There are two buttons located on the Nexys4 DDR board right above the ‘DIGILENT’ logo. The right-most button has a label underneath it called ‘PROG’. When you hold down and release this button the whole board will be reset and the whole bootstrap procedure will start over as if the power was just turned on. There are two buttons located on the Nexys4 DDR board right above the ‘DIGILENT’ logo. The right-most button has a label underneath it called ‘PROG’. When you hold down and release this button the whole board will be reset and the whole bootstrap procedure will start over as if the power was just turned on.
  
  
-===== - Reset =====+==== - Reset ====
  
 The button next to the program button has a label underneath it called ‘CPU RESET’. This button actually resets the MEGA65 that is hosted already on the FPGA. The FPGA will not be reprogrammed in this case, it’s just Kickstart that will carry out it’s initial bootstrap procedure. Basically this comes close to resetting an original C64 or C65 back in the day and the FPGA instead can be seen as a ‘host’ a virtual C64-like computer lives in. Alternatively a CPU reset will also be carried out after holding the ‘RESTORE’ key, which is mapped to ‘Page Up’ on a USB PC keyboard, for 2 seconds before letting it go. The button next to the program button has a label underneath it called ‘CPU RESET’. This button actually resets the MEGA65 that is hosted already on the FPGA. The FPGA will not be reprogrammed in this case, it’s just Kickstart that will carry out it’s initial bootstrap procedure. Basically this comes close to resetting an original C64 or C65 back in the day and the FPGA instead can be seen as a ‘host’ a virtual C64-like computer lives in. Alternatively a CPU reset will also be carried out after holding the ‘RESTORE’ key, which is mapped to ‘Page Up’ on a USB PC keyboard, for 2 seconds before letting it go.
  
  
-====== - Using the MEGA65 ======+===== - Using the MEGA65 =====
  
-===== - C65 mode =====+==== - C65 mode ====
  
 From the C65 startup screen you can now issue BASIC commands. Please check Chapter 3.1 of the unofficial C65 manual for a BASIC 10 reference. At the time of writing a copy is located here:  From the C65 startup screen you can now issue BASIC commands. Please check Chapter 3.1 of the unofficial C65 manual for a BASIC 10 reference. At the time of writing a copy is located here: 
Line 155: Line 155:
  
  
-===== - C64 mode =====+==== - C64 mode ====
  
 In this mode you can play some of the greatest games of all time! Before that happens you’ll have to mount a D81 disk file to become available as a disk in the C64 environment. In this mode you can play some of the greatest games of all time! Before that happens you’ll have to mount a D81 disk file to become available as a disk in the C64 environment.
mega65_prerelease_starter_s_manual.1466308237.txt.gz · Last modified: 2016/06/18 21:50 by gurce