Uzebox Quick Start

What is a Uzebox? How can I get one? Check here!
User avatar
D3thAdd3r
Posts: 3221
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:00 am
Location: Minneapolis, United States

Re: Uzebox Quick Start

Post by D3thAdd3r »

Every time you change games it rewrites flash. Keep in mind the flash lasts through 10,000(or is it 100k?) rewrites, so I doubt anyone will ever wear an uzebox out, even developing games on it.
User avatar
uze6666
Site Admin
Posts: 4801
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:13 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada
Contact:

Re: Uzebox Quick Start

Post by uze6666 »

Hi I'm new to this,but my understanding is that each time a game is launched, the rom memory is flashed and consume the limit of write/erase cycle of the flash memory ??
Although you are right, I wouldn't be too worried. The flash is rated at 10K rewrites (100K is for the EEPROM), so if you'd ever intend to flash 500 games a day, you'd be good for 20 years! Most do their development on the emulator, so the chip's flash is pretty unlimited in our context. I'm still running the same 644 from 5 years ago and I've flashed it like crazy for the kernel development, perhaps hundred times a day for a while. Still runs like a new. :mrgreen:

-Uze
hkzlab
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 4:31 pm

Re: Uzebox Quick Start

Post by hkzlab »

Hello everyone, I'm new to uzebox too (just ordered a DIY Euzebox, will get it in a few weeks)!
I have a question: I read that while using a bootloader program must be limited to 61440 bytes in size, otherwise the bootloader gets overwritten...
So, is there any check in gameloder to avoid this if by accident i flash a game which exceeds this limit (or alternatively, anyone knows if the controller in the Euzebox kit is protected)? I've noticed there is a demo in current svn checkout of uzebox tools that is already over this size: SpriteDemo.uze is 61952 bytes, so I'm slightly worried i could kill the uzebox as I'm still without any SPI programmer.

Hope my package arrives soon so i can start playing with it!
User avatar
uze6666
Site Admin
Posts: 4801
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:13 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada
Contact:

Re: Uzebox Quick Start

Post by uze6666 »

Hello everyone, I'm new to uzebox too (just ordered a DIY Euzebox, will get it in a few weeks)!
I have a question: I read that while using a bootloader program must be limited to 61440 bytes in size, otherwise the bootloader gets overwritten...
So, is there any check in gameloder to avoid this if by accident i flash a game which exceeds this limit (or alternatively, anyone knows if the controller in the Euzebox kit is protected)? I've noticed there is a demo in current svn checkout of uzebox tools that is already over this size: SpriteDemo.uze is 61952 bytes, so I'm slightly worried i could kill the uzebox as I'm still without any SPI programmer.
Hi, and welcome to the Uzebox community! That's a very good question and, fortunately, you don't have to worry. The gameloader protect itself by "clipping" the size of what's written to 61440 bytes, or a nice, even 120 sectors. It's been added since version 0.4:

Code: Select all

		//clip prog size to prevent overwriting the bootloader
		//(65536-4096)/BYTES_PER_SECTOR=120 sectors max
		if(sectors>=120){
			sectors=120;
		} else if((sector.header.progSize%BYTES_PER_SECTOR)!=0){
			sectors++;
		}
I'm not sure if it has been done on the EUzebox, but a fuse can also be programmed that bans at the hardware level all writes in the bootloader area.

-Uze
User avatar
Harty123
Posts: 467
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 9:30 pm
Location: PM, Germany
Contact:

Re: Uzebox Quick Start

Post by Harty123 »

Hi,
uze6666 wrote: I'm not sure if it has been done on the EUzebox, but a fuse can also be programmed that bans at the hardware level all writes in the bootloader area.
Yep - EUzebox comes with pre programmed gameloader 0.41

@hkzlab

Your kit was sent today - I hope it will arrive you before Christmas...

-Harty
hkzlab
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 4:31 pm

Re: Uzebox Quick Start

Post by hkzlab »

@Harty123: Wow, what a service :) Not sure if it'll get here in time for Christmas: Italian mail delivery is SLOW, but doesn't matter that much.
Does it come with instructions? I haven't been able to spot EUzebox specific ones on the net.

Glad to hear the loader protects itself, it'll surely save me some problems. I can start fiddling with uzem in the meantime.
User avatar
uze6666
Site Admin
Posts: 4801
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:13 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada
Contact:

Re: Uzebox Quick Start

Post by uze6666 »

Does it come with instructions? I haven't been able to spot EUzebox specific ones on the net.
If you mean assembly instructions, absolutely. It's available from the Euzebox web page here: http://hwhardsoft.square7.ch/downloads/ ... alrevb.pdf

-Uze
hkzlab
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 4:31 pm

Re: Uzebox Quick Start

Post by hkzlab »

I meant just that, thanks! I didn't search well enough apparently :? .
greenpower
Posts: 62
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2011 7:48 pm
Location: Benidorm, Spain

Re: Uzebox Quick Start

Post by greenpower »

Don't worry!
Spanish mail service is even slower and mine arrived in 4 days after my order. Also for building this up is very easy! I'm just 13 and I've been able to solder everithing up in less than an hour and with instructions. :)
I know i'm too young, but it doesn't matters. Maybe i'm a newbie, but i can learn very fastly
hkzlab
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 4:31 pm

Re: Uzebox Quick Start

Post by hkzlab »

Today i received my Euzebox and built it (including the SYNC "patch" to the board): very easy indeed, and everything seems to be working fine :D
Post Reply