SX-1+ Mini with MegaFlashRom SCC+ SD problem(s)

Champion (404)

08-10-2020, 09:59

Anyone any experience using the MegaFlashRom SCC+ SD in combination with an (SX-1+ Mini) FPGA MSX ?

Problem 1:
I received my SX-1+ Mini MSX from 8Bits4Ever a few days ago, but it sometimes won't start the MegaFlashRom...
In some cases it bypassed the Rom and starts into MSXBasic as if the Rom was not even inserted, and sometimes the SX-1 doesn't even startup at all. It just shows the blue startup screen before showing the boot logo and just hangs.
Tried swapping it to the other slot, same result.
Dipswitches are set to both slots enabled.
Power supply is 5V/2.5A

Problem 2:
I also found that when it does start, not all the games on the MegaFlashRom are working (Dix for example).
I've been using the Rom in my Sony HB-F700P (modified to MSX2+) for a few years now, and all games work normally on the Sony...

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By meits

Scribe (6571)

08-10-2020, 16:18

Problem 1:
Iirc some machines boot a bit faster than the cartridge can initialize. If it happens, you could press the reset button.

By SjaaQ

Champion (381)

08-10-2020, 20:46

Have you tried putting the smbios on the sd card of the sx1? With my sx1 it boots slower because it retrieves the bios from it first (and you get to cutomize your boot screen).

Edit: We need a central sx1 mini+ topic maybe. I already was working on compiling the Kdl vanilla firmware and modifying keymappings. Maybe this is fun for others as well.

Come to think of it I has some troubles with the Megaflashrom SCC+SD as well. I'll do some testing tomorrow. Since I got the GR8NET, I am not using it so much anymore.

By ducasp

Paladin (712)

09-10-2020, 04:34

Meits wrote:

Problem 1:
Iirc some machines boot a bit faster than the cartridge can initialize. If it happens, you could press the reset button.

The cartridge could hold wait until it is ready to avoid this....

By NetNomad

Resident (52)

09-10-2020, 05:33

are you using an external MegaFlashROM or one of the internal ones? i have an sx-1 mini+ and am using the internal flash device in slot 2, and i've never had it hang like that right at boot before. i have ran into it hanging or booting (a broken version of) BASIC after trying to load certain games via sofarun but i figured that was just compatability issues or bad settings on my end. i'm using SD-BIOS and nextor. (I'm an MSX newcomer so please forgive me if i'm misunderstanding what you're saying!)

By SkalTura

Champion (404)

09-10-2020, 07:33

NetNomad wrote:

are you using an external MegaFlashROM or one of the internal ones?

External (real) MegaFlashRom cartridge...
Both the cartridge slots on the SX are jumpered as "enabled".

Although I have over 35 years experience with real MSX's, I've never used an FPGA model before.

By SjaaQ

Champion (381)

09-10-2020, 09:38

I have restarted the SX1 several times with the MFR in the top slot. It started every time. Could you pass me your dip switch settings?

I currently have set it to:

1:ON
2:ON
3:ON
4:OFF
5:OFF
6:OFF
7:ON
8:OFF

By SkalTura

Champion (404)

09-10-2020, 14:05

MFR is in the top slot, and the dipswitches 2 and 3 are ON, rest is OFF.

Maybe some extra information is helpful as well:
When it bypasses the MFR, it also doens't show the extra memory of the MFR at the bootlogo. So it indeed doens't recognize the entire cartridge.
Meaning..., with a normal working startup, the memory shows the 2560 bytes underneath the logo. And when it doesn't see the MFR, it only shows the internal 2048bytes of the SX1.

By SkalTura

Champion (404)

09-10-2020, 14:07

SjaaQ wrote:

We need a central sx1 mini+ topic maybe.

Seems like a good idea to me...

By SjaaQ

Champion (381)

09-10-2020, 14:29

Well I cannot reproduce your problem. Tried your dip switch setting as well, but it just always boots the MFR. Tried short resets, longs resets, power off/on.

Maybe try another power supply. I am currently using a Xiaomi phone charger rated for 2A.
Also try cleaning the MFR contacts.
Lastly, I assume you got the latest MFR firmware? I am currently using the one with Nextor BASIC version 2.10 alpha 2.

Other than that, maybe ask 8bits4ever for additional help?

By Guillian

Prophet (3528)

09-10-2020, 14:45

SkalTura wrote:

Meaning..., with a normal working startup, the memory shows the 2560 bytes underneath the logo. And when it doesn't see the MFR, it only shows the internal 2048bytes of the SX1.

Does it fail on a cold boot (power on), but works fine on warm boots (reset)?

If so, the problem might be related to the time the FPGA needs to configure. But in that case, it should be only a problem of not showing the correct amount of RAM in the boot process. The cartridge, and RAM, should work fine.

This means that the cartridge should work on a cold boot, and the RAM should be available when Nextor is loaded.

Which recovery version is installed?