F2R16-A00 - Flash based ROM Replacement for Amiga Computers

Submitted by GG on Tue, 02/21/2017 - 15:49
Project Status
retired

A new version of this project is available here

F2R16The Amiga, like many other computers of the late 80s, uses 16-bit wide mask ROMs to store the machine firmware. Unfortunately, the pinout of these ROMs is incompatible with the JEDEC defined EPROM pinout. Memory manufacturers produced "ROM compatible" EPROMS like the 27C400 to allow development and quick turn manufacturing. These EPROMS are however becoming quite hard to find and still require a UV lamp to erase the chips. F2R16 brings all the benefits of modern flash memory technology to any platform designed to use these obsolete devices.

The design is pretty straight forward. It uses a 2-8Mbit TSOP-I flash device of the 29Fxxx series and adapts it to the 27Cxxx pinout. WE# and RST# which do not exist in the 27Cxxx pinout are wired to a header to allow programming on a TL866 using the F2R16-PROG adapter.
When using a 29F800 flash ROM, A18 can be used to select the active 512KB bank (useful for dual kickstart configurations)

Programming the F2R16

The adapter requires a programmer that can support the 29Fxxx series of flash devices. A simple adapter can be hand wired for programmers with a 48-pin socket.
When using the popular TL866 programmer, it must be equipped with both the TSOP-48 adapter and the F2R16-PROG adapter. A jumper wire is also required to connect WE#, RST# between the adapter and the F2R16. The A18 signal must also be connected when using 29F800 devices.

A2000A2000A2000

File attachments
Attachment Size
F2R16-prog_sch.pdf 41.09 KB
Filed under
Retrocomputing
Amiga
Schematics
F2R16-A00_sch.pdf

Excellent to hear more are being made (End of may is getting closer :) )
Do the boards include components? or just the board?
I could use a Kickstart Switcher for A2000. Have original ROMs KS1.2,1.3,& OS3.1
Please notify when more are available. Canadian Buyer, so hoping you sell/ship to Canada.

This batch is for fully assembled boards with 4Mbit chips as soldering the TSSOP flash by hand is challenging without the proper equipment. We have not seen any demand for bare PCBs.
We ship internationally.

kalamatee

Tue, 06/06/2017 - 19:15

Permalink

How would I order 2 for an amiga 1200 for delivery to the UK? I contribute to an open source amigaos implementation and would love to use something like this to test our rom images on real hardware.

Do you have any plans for doing a "dual chip" version suitable for a1200's?

Is there a version that uses pass through type connections to the socket so it can have other boards piggyback it? I would need that for my ATA controller.

Also - do you have any plans for a version with an easier to program interface? If there was some way to just hook it up via usb, or similar and dump the roms into it ... it would be perfect.

All the 32-bit amigas (including the A1200) are supported by using two F2R16 and splitting the ROM image accordingly.

Pass through is possible, but not available at this time.
Regarding the programming interface, I could not find anything that is cost effective and small enough to fit into the socket (especially on the A1200 where the two sockets are side by side)

Does C1 need to be populated on the adapter?

How is A18 used to select the active bank if using 29F800 flash chips?

The adapter will likely work even without C1, but I would still recommend to populate it to reduce the noise on the adapter.
If you are using 8Mbit chips (i.e. 29F800) there is no pin for A18 in the original 27C400 socket.
The additional A18 address is available on the J1 header. If you populate R2 it will default to 1 mapping the higher 512KB to the system. If you short J1 with a jumper it will map the lower 512KB.