• Jim
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Jim
    Posts: 4977 from 2009/1/28
    From: Delaware, USA
    Thanks Andreas,
    If there is anyone on this site who would have a better command of the facts, I haven't run into them.
    But,it still seems like the easiest way to get a computer (for MorphOS) is just to buy a Mac. I've seen 1.25GHz Emacs (which have built-in Radeon 9200 graphics) for as little as $50. These and other G4 macs should be supported in the next release.

    I do wish I had more reason the continue on with the 8540D project, but I don't know how much longer the SB600 is going to be available (that's the Southbridge I based the initial work on). The SB700, 710, & 750 could also be used (but I haven't bothered to get the technical info on them yet - AMD has granted me enough access to their technical resources that I could consider them).

    Then there's some additional problems I've had with necessary "glue" circuitry. Freescale's evaluation board uses a FPGA. Short of recreating that, I could investigate a different approach, but its a added complication I must admit to being intimidated by.
    And, of course there's the added complication of working with BGA Packages. I do know one company that I've worked with in the past that has the necessary equipment to bake the SMTs (but today's designs are so complicated that they make the 68K based board I've worked with in the past look like a viable hand soldering project).
    And, of course, what happens if (and this seems inevitable) I make an error in the initial design? It could lead to some very time consuming troubleshooting.

    Right now, I'm looking at the idea of placing the processor on an X16 PCIe card and installing it in an X86 motherboard. It would eliminate the need for a Southbridge and would lead to a less complicated circuit design.

    Whatever happens with that, at least I should be able to run Morph on a Mac soon (while trying to make some use of the 8640Ds I've got on hand).
    "Never attribute to malice what can more readily explained by incompetence"
  • »03.01.10 - 02:46
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