[Slightly-OT] VR4110 core

[Slightly-OT] VR4110 core

[Chris Boot]

Hi All,

I'm in my final year doing a BSc Computing Science degree in the UK, and 
for my project/dissertation I've chosen to attempt to get Linux to run 
on an old Sky Digibox (PACE 2500N) set-top-box. So far my research has 
revealed the CPU has is a NEC VR4110 core with lots of MPEG and graphics 
processing stuff tacked on. The board itself is quite interesting, with 
a PC-Card slot, audio out, 2x SCART, RF-out, modem, and serial connection.

I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions regarding what kernel 
to use (it seems as though the best would be 2.4, is this correct?), or 
any knowledge whatsoever of similar chips and especially how to 
bootstrap, etc...

I'm currently reading Sweetman's "See MIPS Run" which is a great book, 
but I'm curious as to how much the chip differs from what's documented 
therein. NEC seem to have lost the documentation about this chip, so 
they're no help...

Many thanks,
Chris

-- 
Chris Boot
bootc@bootc.net
http://www.bootc.net/

Re: [Slightly-OT] VR4110 core

[Geert Uytterhoeven]

On Thu, 20 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
> I'm in my final year doing a BSc Computing Science degree in the UK, and for
> my project/dissertation I've chosen to attempt to get Linux to run on an old
> Sky Digibox (PACE 2500N) set-top-box. So far my research has revealed the CPU
> has is a NEC VR4110 core with lots of MPEG and graphics processing stuff
         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> tacked on. The board itself is quite interesting, with a PC-Card slot, audio
> out, 2x SCART, RF-out, modem, and serial connection.

Do you know which SoC is actually used? Perhaps a NEC EMMA or EMMA2?

Gr{oetje,eeting}s,

						Geert

--
Geert Uytterhoeven -- There's lots of Linux beyond ia32 -- geert@linux-m68k.org

In personal conversations with technical people, I call myself a hacker. But
when I'm talking to journalists I just say "programmer" or something like that.
							    -- Linus Torvalds

Re: [Slightly-OT] VR4110 core

[Chris Boot]

Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
> On Thu, 20 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
> 
>>I'm in my final year doing a BSc Computing Science degree in the UK, and for
>>my project/dissertation I've chosen to attempt to get Linux to run on an old
>>Sky Digibox (PACE 2500N) set-top-box. So far my research has revealed the CPU
>>has is a NEC VR4110 core with lots of MPEG and graphics processing stuff
> 
>          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> 
>>tacked on. The board itself is quite interesting, with a PC-Card slot, audio
>>out, 2x SCART, RF-out, modem, and serial connection.
> 
> 
> Do you know which SoC is actually used? Perhaps a NEC EMMA or EMMA2?
> 
> Gr{oetje,eeting}s,
> 
> 						Geert

Hi Geert,

Hmm, glancing at the "Product Letter" I have, it does mention "Enhanced 
Multi-Media Architecture" so I'm guessing its an EMMA SoC indeed.

Thanks,
Chris

-- 
Chris Boot
bootc@bootc.net
http://www.bootc.net/

Re: [Slightly-OT] VR4110 core

[Geert Uytterhoeven]

On Fri, 21 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
> Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
> > On Thu, 20 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
> > > I'm in my final year doing a BSc Computing Science degree in the UK, and
> > > for
> > > my project/dissertation I've chosen to attempt to get Linux to run on an
> > > old
> > > Sky Digibox (PACE 2500N) set-top-box. So far my research has revealed the
> > > CPU
> > > has is a NEC VR4110 core with lots of MPEG and graphics processing stuff
> > 
> >          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > 
> > > tacked on. The board itself is quite interesting, with a PC-Card slot,
> > > audio
> > > out, 2x SCART, RF-out, modem, and serial connection.
> > 
> > 
> > Do you know which SoC is actually used? Perhaps a NEC EMMA or EMMA2?
> 
> Hmm, glancing at the "Product Letter" I have, it does mention "Enhanced
> Multi-Media Architecture" so I'm guessing its an EMMA SoC indeed.

Do you have to part number?

Gr{oetje,eeting}s,

						Geert

--
Geert Uytterhoeven -- There's lots of Linux beyond ia32 -- geert@linux-m68k.org

In personal conversations with technical people, I call myself a hacker. But
when I'm talking to journalists I just say "programmer" or something like that.
							    -- Linus Torvalds

Re: [Slightly-OT] VR4110 core

[Chris Boot]

Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
> On Fri, 21 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
> 
>>Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
>>
>>>On Thu, 20 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
>>>
>>>>I'm in my final year doing a BSc Computing Science degree in the UK, and
>>>>for
>>>>my project/dissertation I've chosen to attempt to get Linux to run on an
>>>>old
>>>>Sky Digibox (PACE 2500N) set-top-box. So far my research has revealed the
>>>>CPU
>>>>has is a NEC VR4110 core with lots of MPEG and graphics processing stuff
>>>
>>>         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>>
>>>
>>>>tacked on. The board itself is quite interesting, with a PC-Card slot,
>>>>audio
>>>>out, 2x SCART, RF-out, modem, and serial connection.
>>>
>>>
>>>Do you know which SoC is actually used? Perhaps a NEC EMMA or EMMA2?
>>
>>Hmm, glancing at the "Product Letter" I have, it does mention "Enhanced
>>Multi-Media Architecture" so I'm guessing its an EMMA SoC indeed.
> 
> 
> Do you have to part number?

Did I not send one?! It must have been late...

It's a uPD61032, marked D61032GL on the chip. The exact markings are:
NEC JAPAN
D61032GL
9949EK019

There's a couple of 2MB SDRAM chips just next to the CPU (both from 
different manufacturers, and with different pinouts, interestingly 
enough), 2 Amtel 2MB Flash chips, and so on.

I also forgot to mention the board has two smart-card readers and an 
interesting array of front-panel LEDs, buttons, and an Ir remote control 
receiver.

Thanks!
Chris

-- 
Chris Boot
bootc@bootc.net
http://www.bootc.net/

Re: [Slightly-OT] VR4110 core

[Geert Uytterhoeven]

On Fri, 21 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
> Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
> > On Fri, 21 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
> > > Hmm, glancing at the "Product Letter" I have, it does mention "Enhanced
> > > Multi-Media Architecture" so I'm guessing its an EMMA SoC indeed.
> > 
> > Do you have to part number?
> 
> Did I not send one?! It must have been late...
> 
> It's a uPD61032, marked D61032GL on the chip. The exact markings are:
> NEC JAPAN
> D61032GL
> 9949EK019

That's indeed the EMMA.

> There's a couple of 2MB SDRAM chips just next to the CPU (both from different
> manufacturers, and with different pinouts, interestingly enough), 2 Amtel 2MB

IIRC, there's a separate 2 MiB SDRAM for MPEG decoding.

Gr{oetje,eeting}s,

						Geert

--
Geert Uytterhoeven -- There's lots of Linux beyond ia32 -- geert@linux-m68k.org

In personal conversations with technical people, I call myself a hacker. But
when I'm talking to journalists I just say "programmer" or something like that.
							    -- Linus Torvalds

Re: [Slightly-OT] VR4110 core

[Chris Boot]

Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
> On Fri, 21 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
> 
>>Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
>>
>>>On Fri, 21 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
>>>
>>>>Hmm, glancing at the "Product Letter" I have, it does mention "Enhanced
>>>>Multi-Media Architecture" so I'm guessing its an EMMA SoC indeed.
>>>
>>>Do you have to part number?
>>
>>Did I not send one?! It must have been late...
>>
>>It's a uPD61032, marked D61032GL on the chip. The exact markings are:
>>NEC JAPAN
>>D61032GL
>>9949EK019
> 
> 
> That's indeed the EMMA.

Now we know what it is...where do I find the docs?

>>There's a couple of 2MB SDRAM chips just next to the CPU (both from different
>>manufacturers, and with different pinouts, interestingly enough), 2 Amtel 2MB
> 
> 
> IIRC, there's a separate 2 MiB SDRAM for MPEG decoding.

That would explain it, I guess. What that means is I have all of 2MB to 
play with then :-(

> Gr{oetje,eeting}s,
> 
> 						Geert

Cheers,
Chris

-- 
Chris Boot
bootc@bootc.net
http://www.bootc.net/

Re: [Slightly-OT] VR4110 core

[Geert Uytterhoeven]

On Sat, 22 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
> Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
> > On Fri, 21 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
> > > Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
> > > > On Fri, 21 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
> > > > > Hmm, glancing at the "Product Letter" I have, it does mention
> > > > > "Enhanced
> > > > > Multi-Media Architecture" so I'm guessing its an EMMA SoC indeed.
> > > > 
> > > > Do you have to part number?
> > > 
> > > Did I not send one?! It must have been late...
> > > 
> > > It's a uPD61032, marked D61032GL on the chip. The exact markings are:
> > > NEC JAPAN
> > > D61032GL
> > > 9949EK019
> > 
> > That's indeed the EMMA.
> 
> Now we know what it is...where do I find the docs?

I'm afraid it's available under NDA from NEC only :-(

Gr{oetje,eeting}s,

						Geert

--
Geert Uytterhoeven -- There's lots of Linux beyond ia32 -- geert@linux-m68k.org

In personal conversations with technical people, I call myself a hacker. But
when I'm talking to journalists I just say "programmer" or something like that.
							    -- Linus Torvalds

Re: [Slightly-OT] VR4110 core

[Kevin D. Kissell]

Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
> On Sat, 22 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
> 
>>Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
>>
>>>On Fri, 21 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
>>>
>>>>Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On Fri, 21 Oct 2005, Chris Boot wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>Hmm, glancing at the "Product Letter" I have, it does mention
>>>>>>"Enhanced
>>>>>>Multi-Media Architecture" so I'm guessing its an EMMA SoC indeed.
>>>>>
>>>>>Do you have to part number?
>>>>
>>>>Did I not send one?! It must have been late...
>>>>
>>>>It's a uPD61032, marked D61032GL on the chip. The exact markings are:
>>>>NEC JAPAN
>>>>D61032GL
>>>>9949EK019
>>>
>>>That's indeed the EMMA.
>>
>>Now we know what it is...where do I find the docs?
> 
> 
> I'm afraid it's available under NDA from NEC only :-(

Note, however, that the group that develops EMMA chips is based
in the UK.  If you contact them and ask nicely, there's at least
a chance that they could provide some documentation for student
work.
		Regards,

		Kevin K.