47 replies to this topic

[arkanoid]

Lynxman: just out of interest, do you have any idea how many erase-write cycles the chips on your card is rated?

Edited by arkanoid, Fri Jul 3, 2009 11:25 AM.

[matashen]

arkanoid, on Fri Jul 3, 2009 12:24 PM, said:

Lynxman: just out of interest, do you have any idea how many erase-write cycles the chips on your card is rated?

When i look into the datasheet of the Flashrom, it should be no problem to make one million erase cycles.

[Lynxman]

matashen, on Fri Jul 3, 2009 10:41 PM, said:

arkanoid, on Fri Jul 3, 2009 12:24 PM, said:

Lynxman: just out of interest, do you have any idea how many erase-write cycles the chips on your card is rated?

When i look into the datasheet of the Flashrom, it should be no problem to make one million erase cycles.

In my Datasheets i read 100.000 erase/write cycles.

The question is:

Why he wants to know this?

Lynxman

Edited by Lynxman, Fri Jul 3, 2009 4:01 PM.

[arkanoid]

Quote

Why he wants to know this? icon_smile.gif

because i plan to do MANY erases. but I doubt I would ever use 100,000 in an entire life time!

anyway, 100,000 is good. it suggests high quality chips (?)

[Lynxman]

arkanoid, on Sat Jul 4, 2009 12:57 AM, said:

anyway, 100,000 is good. it suggests high quality chips (?)

I think this is the standard value for this kind of chips. I use ST and AMD.

Kind Regards

Lynxman

[arkanoid]

I recieved mine today and it's impressive. Very well constructed and easy to use!

Quality item. Thanks Lynxman.

[Torx]

heres a slew of pictures to tease the would-be-buyers








its a beauty. like wrapped candy.

Edited by Torx, Wed Jul 8, 2009 6:54 PM.

[Tom-Lynx]

Got mine today. VERY impressive packaging and a very attractive PCB. I can't stress enough how much I enjoy a product "done right", including the details.

Thank you!

[yerzmyey]

Hmmm... I can see a disturbing message there.
Not recommended for using in LYNX 1?

If I understand it correctly, the FlashCard is too big for LYNX 1?
Or am I wrong?

At first I though - Jee, I will buy two instantly - but now I'm not sure.

Can anybody drop here a word?

Edited by yerzmyey, Wed Apr 14, 2010 5:18 AM.

[yerzmyey]

Ah, OK - I can see:

"NOTE - The FlashCard is designed to be used with the Lynx II. If you want to use with the Lynx I, it is recommented to remove the cartridge door. It is possible to damage the FlashCard if it is inserted into a Lynx I with the door attached."

Shit. My bad (BAAAAD) luck.

[Fadest]

In fact, if you really take care, there should be no issue, just don't open the door at max while inserting/removing flashcard because it could scrap a component.
I used the flashcard a lot on a Lynx 1 without removing the door, and this is not as useable as on Lynx 2. At least for developers who tend to reflash the device many times in a short periode
(you have to remove, reinsert device each time you want to flash it)

[yerzmyey]

Fadest, on Wed Apr 14, 2010 8:24 AM, said:

In fact, if you really take care, there should be no issue, just don't open the door at max while inserting/removing flashcard because it could scrap a component.
I used the flashcard a lot on a Lynx 1 without removing the door, and this is not as useable as on Lynx 2. At least for developers who tend to reflash the device many times in a short periode
(you have to remove, reinsert device each time you want to flash it)

Well, obviously You're right as alternative is nothing.
By the way - while playing on L1 it's impossibly to close the 'door' fully?

I realize it's a tool mostly for developers and only additionally it's for gamers however as long as there's no music-tracker for Lynx - I will have to stay a player only. (Hm, maybe I will establish a thread with asking about music-tracker for Lynx? ).

Anyway thank You for info!

[Lynxman]

yerzmyey, on Wed Apr 14, 2010 2:36 PM, said:

Fadest, on Wed Apr 14, 2010 8:24 AM, said:

In fact, if you really take care, there should be no issue, just don't open the door at max while inserting/removing flashcard because it could scrap a component.
I used the flashcard a lot on a Lynx 1 without removing the door, and this is not as useable as on Lynx 2. At least for developers who tend to reflash the device many times in a short periode
(you have to remove, reinsert device each time you want to flash it)

Well, obviously You're right as alternative is nothing.
By the way - while playing on L1 it's impossibly to close the 'door' fully?

I realize it's a tool mostly for developers and only additionally it's for gamers however as long as there's no music-tracker for Lynx - I will have to stay a player only. (Hm, maybe I will establish a thread with asking about music-tracker for Lynx? ).

Anyway thank You for info!

You can close the door of the Lynx 1. When you remove the FlashCard from the Lynx 1 you have to take care about the resonator and the FlashRom.
It maybe possible to damage the resonator. If the door hit the FlashRom, the FlashCard will "only" stuck.

[Lynxman]

If you don´t want to remove the door, maybe i can make a modified FlashCard for you.
I just take a empty FlashCard PCB and a flat resonator and i think it should be possible, to solder the flat resonator to this PCB. But it would not look same professional as the rest of the components.
The Resonator must be soldered ~30° on the PCB. Please see picture.

I have to look how much this type of resistor is and where i can buy it. (only wrong value in stock)
If i remember correct, it is 4 times more expansive, but anyway, it is less than 1 Euro. But if i have to place a order only for this component, it may be much more. Worst case could be 5 or 6€ including shipping. In this case the cost would be additional to the FlashCard price.

Anyway you have to be carefull due to the FlashRom.

Edited by Lynxman, Thu Apr 15, 2010 12:16 PM.

[yerzmyey]

Lynxman, on Thu Apr 15, 2010 12:16 PM, said:

If you don´t want to remove the door, maybe i can make a modified FlashCard for you.
If i remember correct, it is 4 times more expansive, but anyway, it is less than 1 Euro. But if i have to place a order only for this component, it may be much more. Worst case could be 5 or 6€ including shipping. In this case the cost would be additional to the FlashCard price.

Hmmm. This is _most_ kind of You. Actually I'll probably move further conversation into PM methode to not to make people bored. Although who knows, maybe somebody else might be interested in an L1 version of the device.

[Atari_afternoon]

Received mine yesterday. Thank you, Bernd it is absolutely stunning.

Needed a little while until I found out how to use it. Your screenshots in your manual helped a lot but for someone like me who is unfamiliar with setting up half a dozen parameters on both the card and the transfer programme, like format types, ROM sizes, Baud rates and "how to make the programme know that it uses exactly the same values as the flashcard and how to make the latter know the same", I needed a little while to find it all out by trial and error and by reading the manual more than twice .

Mainly, I have overlooked that the flashcard´s own little menu, which is accessed by pushing one button, can not be read on the PC transfer programme UNLESS both have the same Baud rate setup.
Plus, the chip needs to be erased before uploading anything.

Let me post a little dummies´ guide:

first : correct USB COM-port! (i.e. the transfer programme needs to know)
second: change a few default parametres in transfer programme (see manual screenshot). press "connect"!
third: start with 9600 baud. otherwise, no flashcard settings menu will appear
forth: change baud rate to faster (on both the FC and the programme)
fifth: give type of file (.lyx etc) (on both the FC and the programme)
sixth: enter correct file size (on both the FC and the programme)
seventh: erase chip before uploading (didn´t know that but it´s so logical, isn´t it?)
eighth : upload file
nineth: verify

Once one has learnt this it´s a matter of less than 3 minutes now. Thanks for your fast delivery, Lynxman It´s a great tool!

Edited by Atari_afternoon, Thu Apr 7, 2011 4:24 AM.

[svenski]

Looks awesome, thanks for the pics!

[Lynxman]

Atari_afternoon, on Thu Apr 7, 2011 4:06 AM, said:

Received mine yesterday. Thank you, Bernd it is absolutely stunning.

Needed a little while until I found out how to use it. Your screenshots in your manual helped a lot but for someone like me who is unfamiliar with setting up half a dozen parameters on both the card and the transfer programme, like format types, ROM sizes, Baud rates and "how to make the programme know that it uses exactly the same values as the flashcard and how to make the latter know the same", I needed a little while to find it all out by trial and error and by reading the manual more than twice .

Mainly, I have overlooked that the flashcard´s own little menu, which is accessed by pushing one button, can not be read on the PC transfer programme UNLESS both have the same Baud rate setup.
Plus, the chip needs to be erased before uploading anything.

Let me post a little dummies´ guide:

first : correct USB COM-port! (i.e. the transfer programme needs to know)
second: change a few default parametres in transfer programme (see manual screenshot). press "connect"!
third: start with 9600 baud. otherwise, no flashcard settings menu will appear
forth: change baud rate to faster (on both the FC and the programme)
fifth: give type of file (.lyx etc) (on both the FC and the programme)
sixth: enter correct file size (on both the FC and the programme)
seventh: erase chip before uploading (didn´t know that but it´s so logical, isn´t it?)
eighth : upload file
nineth: verify

Once one has learnt this it´s a matter of less than 3 minutes now. Thanks for your fast delivery, Lynxman It´s a great tool!

There is no need to erase before upload. If [w]rite command is send, the FlashCard erase the memory automatical.
The FlashCard save settings and the status of the FlashROM.

[geoanas]

Hi
Just received mine yesterday.
This is a truly amazing piece of hardware !
After some toying around with settings I managed to successfully upload "Rygar" and playing a lot !
Just from curiosity...is there any way to protect the parts side of the cart by using some antistatic self adhesive plastic foil or similar type of material?
Did anyone manage to make some cover over the chips ?
My mini cd also appears to be damaged, cause it is totally unreadable on both my pcs.
What kind of programmes / apps are included ?

Thanks again Lynxman !!

[Atari_afternoon]

@ geoanas, it has the manuals (German and English), which are downloadable from Lynxman´s AtariAge blog, I think. This is what I did weeks before I considered buying the card
The CD-ROM also contains a Lynxopoly-Demo and an announcement 1-page-pdf-"Flyer" about an ongoing Yastuna-PCB-project (no further details given there, only a picture of the well-known Yastuna PCBs).
How did you manage to get Rygar on it without knowing the installation link to the small data-uploading programme that´s given in the manual? Or did you have that on your PC before already?

Edited by Atari_afternoon, Fri Apr 8, 2011 5:22 AM.

[Fadest]

Atari_afternoon, on Fri Apr 8, 2011 5:12 AM, said:

an announcement 1-page-pdf-"Flyer" about an ongoing Yastuna-PCB-project (no further details given there, only a picture of the well-known Yastuna PCBs).

All I can say is that it should not be a Yastuna 0 add at this time. In fact, I guess I know what it is and it will be very cool.

[geoanas]

@ Atari_afternoon
I also had downloaded all the manuals (and the appropriate software) months ago, before I purchased the flashcard

[Lynxman]

geoanas, on Fri Apr 8, 2011 5:01 AM, said:

Just from curiosity...is there any way to protect the parts side of the cart by using some antistatic self adhesive plastic foil or similar type of material?
Did anyone manage to make some cover over the chips ?

My first prototype is made 2006. Up to now i never had any ESD issue.
But of cause it may happen.
But i dont know how to make such kind of cover.

Quote

My mini cd also appears to be damaged, cause it is totally unreadable on both my pcs.

Sorry for this. I send you PM.

Fadest, on Fri Apr 8, 2011 7:29 AM, said:

All I can say is that it should not be a Yastuna 0 add at this time. In fact, I guess I know what it is and it will be very cool.

It is only Yastuna 1 and 2.
If there will ever be Yastuna 0, i would be glad to make a new PCB special for Y0.

Lynxman