Official Gamecube IDE/USB interface thread (PROJECT BEGUN!)

ShockSlayer · Post by **ShockSlayer** » Fri May 11, 2007 3:20 pm

Running a file: Flashing the FPGA thing. I was wondering if it was simple or hard.

Trust me, I'm well aware of the fact that this is gonna be some hard stuff!

I'm not an ass, everyone at school hates him. Hes the BAD kind of nerd:

If he gets a good grade, he brags every goddamn time
He theaetens to tell on anyone if they make the slightest error
Says he could beat up anyone, but he just doesnt want too
sucks at video games

Once again, I'm not an ass. And besides, This was the only day we could ever do this. It was Senior Slave day, you buy a senior, and they do whatever you want. The money goes toward the senior trip.

SS

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Fri May 11, 2007 7:57 pm

Well, oddly enough, the FPGA doesn't get programmed by your computer. You program a PROM with your computer, which yes, on the software end is just about as simple as running a file, and the PROM programs the FPGA each time the circuit's powered up. Hey wait... they must do it like that because FPGA's are RAM and not ROM... right? So they can't keep a program in their memory when it's not powered...? Or something like that... right? I'm just digging myself deeper and deeper into a hole of stupidity, aren't I?

timmeh87 · Post by **timmeh87** » Fri May 11, 2007 11:28 pm

I always just assumed that FPGAs had flash or something in them in the first place. It was my impression that once the FPGA chip was programmed it was a standalone component that acted exactly how you wanted. Now perhaps there is some logic inside to load up SRAM with data (SRAM is faster for sure), but if its all contained inside the chip, and all you have to do is press the 'program' button on your PC, then whats the difference?

anyways, Ive programmed FPGAs and that is indeed all you have to do. (press a button). its basically like compiling hardware. our chips were already in place on a PCB though, with all the right external components and the jtag interface and everything... probably harder to do from scratch.

(sorry for not reading most of the previous posts. but this does sound like a pretty cool idea, provided most of the work is already done for us. i could crank out a PCB from a schematic if no one else wants to)

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Sun May 13, 2007 5:12 am

Ooohhh... I see... thanks for the tip, timmeh87. I'm learning more and more about this now... I just found this wiki article on FPGAs. In the "Basic Process Technology Types" section, well... it should make sense to everyone after reading it, but if it doesn't, let me point it out.

Wiki Article wrote:SRAM - based on static memory technology. In-system programmable and re-programmable. Requires external boot devices.

I assume our FPGA is an SRAM type, as timmeh87 suggested, and the "external boot device" is the PROM we're talking about... yes? So it makes sense now... that's one less thing for us all to be confused about.

So, any other updates, anyone? My birthday's in 5 days, on the 18th. I'll be turning 17. I'm going to have a little bit of money to spend... I desperately need some new equipment though... New soldering iron with a nice set of tips (like SMD "hot-knife blades" and those little skinny ones), desoldering iron, another desoldering iron to hack into a hot-air soldering iron (

), maybe a nice lighted magnifying glass (I was eying one up yesterday at Staples while mother's day shopping...), one of those "third hand" circuit board holders, a set of tweezers (for handling SMDs and other small parts), a cheap pen vacuum (also for handling SMDs), maybe a cheap powered breadboard... not to mention some general supplies like solder, flux, solid 22AWG wire, glue sticks, heat shrink tubing... *ahem* Wow... got a little carried away there...

My point: I do have a lot of things that I need to get first, but I should have a little money left over to invest in my GC laptop, and it would be great if I could invest it into this part of it. The problem: I don't know what to buy. This project isn't complete yet. I can't start buying parts when I'm not even sure what parts to buy... I'm not going to be able to DO anything with them without a PCB to solder them to anyway. So... R3ason, if you've made any substantial progress, let me know, please.

[thought that should stay inside my own head 'cause it's not relevant to anyone else]Hmm... something else I thought of... if this project gets completed, it will draw far less power than the GC disk drive would, so I might be able to afford to cut down on the size of Li-Ions I buy... and the money I'd save can go towards the parts for THIS! Hmm...[/thought that should stay inside my own head 'cause it's not relevant to anyone else]

On a side note, can you guys think of anything else I NEED as far as ESSENTIAL electronic tools? Pretty much all I've got right now is a pair of multimeters (long story) and a crappy Radioshack soldering iron (big surprise). Oh, and temperature adjuster/stand unit for my iron.

TheOnlyOneHeFears · Post by **TheOnlyOneHeFears** » Sun May 13, 2007 8:14 am

Just a quick personal update. Right now I'm completely pre-occupied by exams, so basically nothing's going to happen on my front for a while

However, if I do well, I *may* get a monetary reward (nothing's promised though, and I hate parents who give predetermined rewards, like Â£20 for every A* you get. Anything I get is spur of the moment stuff). Anyhoo, long story short, I WILL be doing this i.e. making a prototype, even if no one else makes any progress (Although progress would be very helpful

), but it will happen after my exams finish, so after (*checks*) 25th June. Man, such a long time

So, good luck to anyone who's doing this right now, and hopefully I'll have a working prototype up and running in the summer

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Sun May 13, 2007 6:36 pm

TOOHF, good luck on your exams, and good luck with the prototype when the time comes! I think things will be MUCH further along once you get the opportunity to build this.

I just thought of something. Normally, when playing copied games (or "backups") which are burnt on 8cm disks, you need a modchip to get around the piracy protection. But... this project seems to negate the need for modchips altogether, and it's basically the same thing. You're creating a copy of the official 8cm disk, and instead just putting it on the CF/SD card/hard drive, rather than another 8cm disk. So, does this mean that you can put homebrew ISOs and downloaded (as in pirated) ISOs (just as an example!) on the CF cards as well without the need for a modchip as well? I'm mostly interested in emulating NES/SNES/Genesis/whatever other old games on my GC laptop. It would be sweet if all I had to do is put an ISO of the emulator/roms on a CF card and plug it in.

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Tue May 15, 2007 4:56 pm

*bump*

Erm... Not to be a pest, but... any updates? Oh noes... the NNN must have gotten R3ason... it's been over a week since his last post!

That's it... I'm a Sony fanboy now... ... BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Yeah right! I would sooner convert to Sega fanboydom! (Please don't flame me... Sega fanboys... I loved the Genesis!

)

Seriously though, I might actually be able to help now since I'll have a little bit of money for my birthday. If I know what I need, or at least partly what I need, I can probably buy it and get crackin' on this baby! And you guys know me... I won't let this project fall by the wayside... especially if I'm investing money into it!

r3ap3r · Post by **r3ap3r** » Wed May 16, 2007 3:13 am

Hi, I've been watching this thread from some time and I'm really interested in helping. I just bought a gamecube and I also have a spare $500 i can throw around, so:
1. What do i need.
2. What do i need to know.
I'm very interested and I would like to contribute all the help I can give. Cheers^_^

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Wed May 16, 2007 5:16 am

$500...??? Is that a typo? Did you mean $50?

Umm... wow... okay... let's see... huh... *shakes off shock-ed-ness*

It's kinda funny, I keep seeing your name around here and mistaking it for R3ason at first glance.

I had the strangest feeling you were going to join in this thread, though... it was REALLY weird seeing your post.

Anyway, if you've got that much money, I would... wow... I dunno. Okay, first thing's first.

You're gonna need to be able to solder SMDs, and large, high pin-count ones at that. However, you can get yourself a hot-air rework station and the proper attachments to solder the chips for that kind of money, and then it should be a cinch. So, three questions. One, how good are you at soldering, two, what kind of general electronics knowledge do you possess, and three, what kind of equipment do you have now?

Yay! I'm so excited to have someone else on our team!

Even if it was a typo and you actually only have $50.

r3ap3r · Post by **r3ap3r** » Wed May 16, 2007 5:55 am

Well i have much more than $500 but i will spend bout $500 maybe more on this project. Umm.. soldering skills... i have soldered a PS2 mod chip on FAT PS2 and Slimline. i have also installed a PSP mod chip, so would say they are alright. I also have pretty good electronics knowledge. And the tools i have well.. I have a soldering iron if that helps (giggles) umm and other tools, i don't know exactly what i have but its a fair bit, and if i don't have it ill buy it. I can't wait to start this project. Cheers^_^

Post by **marshallh** » Wed May 16, 2007 2:44 pm

Electric Rain, you talk a lot. not that that's a bad thing

ShockSlayer · Post by **ShockSlayer** » Wed May 16, 2007 2:56 pm

marshallh wrote:Electric Rain, you talk a lot. not that that's a bad thing

I think thats why he's useful.

SS

TheOnlyOneHeFears · Post by **TheOnlyOneHeFears** » Thu May 17, 2007 12:27 am

Well, there's been no NNN occurances at my end of things, but, predictably, no progress

I think that's pretty much given until my exams are over. I might be able to snatch a couple of hours here and there, but that's it

I *really* hope the NNN havn't got R3ason

@r3ap3r Wow, that's a lot of cash!

It would be awesome if you could pick up this project too. Seeing as you've soldered a few modchips, and a PSP one too (which looks really hard), I guess you're fairly good with the ol' iron. Good luck if you do attempt this, and keep us posted! Watch out for the NNN as well

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Thu May 17, 2007 2:27 am

ShockSlayer wrote:
marshallh wrote:Electric Rain, you talk a lot. not that that's a bad thing
I think thats why he's useful.

SS

Thank you, SS. *glares at Marshall*

You don't talk enough... (stop ignoring my PMs!

)

Sorry to hear about your lack of time, TOOHF. But, exams are more important, and we're all smart enough to understand that.

Now... r3ap3r... it sounds like you know enough about what you're doing to build one of these, so I'm going to try to help you get going.

First thing's first... are you interested enough in this to actually help get it going? Or would you just as soon wait until you know it all works before you build one? If you want to jump right into it now, then great. The first thing you need is the ability to solder SMDs. Do you think you can solder a 144 pin TQFP? If you can with your current soldering iron, that's awesome. Since you probably can't, you'll either need a really skinny tip for your iron, or a hot air iron. I'm going to build my own hot air soldering iron using this guide. You'll also need a JTAG programmer, which you can refer to my post at the bottom of page 3 for.

Honestly, it's hard to say what all you'll need, since we're not quite sure ourselves yet.

I wish I could help more, but everything you've read in this thread is about all any of us know at this point... I think R3ason's holding out on us or something.

Maybe he's working on it without telling us, and then he's gonna post back here in a week and go, "BLAM! It's done!" That'd be awesome...

r3ap3r · Post by **r3ap3r** » Mon May 21, 2007 4:19 am

Umm.. first off what is a SMD. Second i thing i could solder a 144 pin TQFP as i have soldered a 80 pin TQFP. I have many soldering iron tips one of them is almost the size of a needle. I could also buy the JTAG Programming thing. Finally what is the NNN. Cheers^_^