Firmware application version #3 release
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N64 updates:
Some extra timing delays were necessary for consistent dumping.
Includes fixes for N64 dumping that proved working for me on 10+ carts I
dumped successfully. There is now a .csv in docs folder with cart size
in bytes, divide that number by 131,072 to get size in mbits for -z
flag. Includes CRC32 checksum that can be verified using HxD hex
editor. N64 file output is big-endian so it reads as it should in hex
editor which is .z64 file format. lua script updated to print out the
game name from the in rom header.
NES updates:
flashing support for quite a few different mappers including GTROM,
MMC2, MMC4, action53, easyNSF, and other tweaks to rd/wr timings.
FIRMWARE UPDATES:
inlretro2.lua script now tries to poll the firmware "application
version" and suggest updating your firmware if you're not running the
version in this release. You can always update your firmware using the
bootloader method in the readme. But there is an easier method if you
have an stm32 based device (translated: you purchased your device in
2018 or later). AND you're already running firmware version v2.3.x
simply run the new scripts which were added in this commit:
PCB version 2.0 or 2.1 (large square PCB with option for 6 connectors)
>inlretro.exe -s scripts\inlretro_inl6fwupdate.lua
PCB version 2.0N (smaller PCB with NES connector only:
>inlretro.exe -s scripts\inlretro_inlNESfwupdate.lua
Now that it's easier for the host software to detect the firmware
application version can work towards having the scripts automatically
update the device firmware for you.. But still need to implement this..
on provided prg/chr rom input args for dumping. Mirroring is sensed &
entered for fixed mirror mappers. So this is basic iNES file format.
Still don't have automatic banktable locating, nor mapper detection.
But this provides a basic header that should work with most currently
supported NES mappers. If the headers need tweaked, I recommend opening
in Mesen and using it's header modifcation tool.
I made a commit earlier this week but messed things up by not pulling
from the master and things weren't updated... Here's the notes from
that commit:
Author: Paul XPS <paul@infiniteneslives.com>
Date: Tue Nov 6 22:45:52 2018 -0600
Large commit biggest feature add is NES MMC3 support including Save RAM
(aka WRAM/PRGRAM) support including dumping and writing save files.
The MMC3 script & method of dumping/flashing is the most forward
thinking script/firmware so far. Finally starting to form a clear
vision of how I want to handle flashing/dumping variations with mappers.
Biggest thing is having the host handle the mapper init & banking
control. In the view of the firmware, it's only responsible for knowing
how to flash a bank. And dumping is even more generic with the host
just telling what address range to read. Things will get more complex
with support of mappers with bus conflicts. But ready to start
converting these old hacked methods to be more like the MMC3 means.
Have some early support for dumping gameboy using the snes script as the
pinouts are nearly identical. Along with testing of toggling between 3v
GBA and 5v DMG.
Have some early support for INLretro NES only version which uses a
smaller mcu because it doesn't need to support large 16bit carts. Still
have to get this completed.
Added support for CNROM, but I'm not sure if it's actually working. Going
to restart with NROM and start updating the currently supported
mappers to be more like MMC3.
But this also includes some new updates from the second half of the week:
Started updating existing NES scripts to use new MMC3 methodology. Got
NROM, CNROM, BNROM, & Color Dreams working. On the host side only
needed to add nes.c functions for specific flash algos. Able to delete
significant amounts of mapper specific code from flash.c
Got some basic SNES script support with new methodology for Catskull
elect 5v PLCC SNES LoROM board. And INL SNES HI/LO-ROM 3v board as
well. These don't yet use buffer writes, just single byte writes.
Also having issues with Mirroring test/sensing again. Driving me crazy,
but don't really care about it at the moment and not sure what's wrong..
So just committing that broken for now. Looking to remove this
functionality from the firmware side as the host should be controlling
most of this.
Looking to add SNES RAM & buffered writes. Also need to test some of
the HIROM code as I just added it in there while I did the LOROM stuff..
Dumped/flashed MMX on SNES v3 boards.
created discrete_exp0_mapper_wr to try and write to mapper but not flash
for discrete boards but doesn't seem to work for some reason so commented
out for now.
Also the current build assumes that the mcu is able to over drive the
PRG-ROM output to select bank zero for initial bank table writting.
Seems to work, but may need to come up with write that applies to mapper
only and doesn't enable the PRG-ROM by keeping EXP0 low.
Need to work on having the scripts find the bank table.
Modified flash/dump scripts to be more generic accepting mapper/memory
args and file names. Then they only handle the buffer and file
operations.
Created scripts/nes folder for holding all mapper scripts. Currently only
nrom.lua is working and verified with inlretro6. Found issue where the
very first byte read from PRG-ROM was garbage. Narrowed it down to lower
address byte not settling in time, added NOP and resolved issue.
Still need to test on original kazzo and stm adapter, planning to do that
after this commit.
Next task is to get BNROM working so I can start getting to work on lizard
builds while taking advantage of speed boost!
Paul Desktop ASUS-C7H
beyondcoast