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<rqou>
before I go and duplicate effort, is there an existing cross-platform (preferably Python) tool for flashing the HX8K breakout dev board (FT2232-based)?
<azonenberg>
There are plenty of tools for talking to ft232/2232 based JTAG adapters
<azonenberg>
I dont know if any implement the ice programming protocol
<azonenberg>
but if you can get a SVF then openocd should workl
<azonenberg>
work*
<rqou>
most of the ft2232 programmer things need some "fiddly config bits" for the "extra pins" like reset, etc.
<rqou>
i specifically don't want to depend on something like openocd
<rqou>
I guess I'll just write yet another one
<rqou>
blargh, there isn't even a unified interface to talk to libftdi on linux and ftd2xx on windows
<rqou>
why is programming hard? :P
<azonenberg>
Lol
<azonenberg>
I would suggest using libftd2xx on all platforms
<rqou>
but then you have to screw around with windows drivers
<azonenberg>
You can use it natively on linux too
<azonenberg>
It's more reliable than the open source drivers in my experience
<azonenberg>
there are still bugs but i think they are silicon bugs
<rqou>
why is something like libftdi so complicated anyways? it basically just "moves data around" and does some framing stuff
<azonenberg>
Because the silicon is a pain in the butt
<azonenberg>
look at the die photos on siliconpr0n
<azonenberg>
the ft232h is die rev A13
<azonenberg>
it took them thirteen respins to get the chip working
<azonenberg>
and they probably just gave up on fixing the remaining bugs :p
<cyrozap>
rqou: Uh, does iceprog not work?
<rqou>
maybe it does?
<rqou>
I haven't tried it yet
<rqou>
does it work on windows?
<cyrozap>
It's Python, so maybe?
<cyrozap>
Oh, wait, iceprog is C
<rqou>
yeah, and it seems to need libftdi
<rqou>
so windows is :(
<cyrozap>
Uh, libftdi supports Windows
<cyrozap>
It uses libusb
<rqou>
yes, it does "support" windows, but like you said it needs libusb
<rqou>
not the native ftdi driver
<cyrozap>
Correct
<rqou>
that's annoying
<rqou>
also, can you bind one interface of the ft2232 to libusb and the other interface to the native driver?
<cyrozap>
No, you have to use either one or the other. What's wrong with libusb?
<rqou>
a) you need to install it manually (rather than via windows update) and b) you lose the ability to use the second half of the ft2232 for uart mode
<cyrozap>
Ah, I see.
<rqou>
in general, windows seems to really like to make usb hard
<rqou>
cyrozap: iceprog works
<rqou>
and I don't really care sufficiently to bother with windows right at this moment :P
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<azonenberg>
fwiw libftd2xx *does* allow you to access each half of the device with one in MPSSE and one in UART mode
<azonenberg>
But, you have to access the uart via the API and not the kernel uart driver
<azonenberg>
You could probably write a service that hosts the device and exposes a telnet console on a socket
<rqou>
I don't feel like shaving yaks today :P
<azonenberg>
But there are a lot of very hairy yaks in your front yard...
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<rqou>
problem with my setup or problem with yosys?
<cr1901_modern>
"(3:07:19 AM) azonenberg: But, you have to access the uart via the API and not the kernel uart driver" Is this Linux-specific? On Windows, I can use one port with libusb and keep the other as a VCP just fine
<dalias>
given the wavelength of blu-ray lasers and the information density of discs, it seems plausible that the tech could be repurposed to do something comparable to a 600nm process
<rqou>
debian sid's clang is pretty old though for some reason: Debian clang version 3.6.2-3 (tags/RELEASE_362/final) (based on LLVM 3.6.2)
<dalias>
uhg clang that old is unusably broken
<dalias>
i wouldn't try to use earlier than 3.8
<rqou>
why does clang change so rapidly that debian's version is "unusable"?
<cr1901_modern>
dalias: Prob not to fab a j-core :P. The cheapest I've heard of it being done is through MOSIS
<dalias>
cr1901_modern, what specifically were you answering?
<dalias>
(whether there's research? whether it's practical? or something else)
<cr1901_modern>
dalias: Whether it's practical
<dalias>
i'm talking about an individual-unit approach to production
<cr1901_modern>
dalias: No chance in hell for doing something complicated like a CPU core, AFAIK. azonenberg has a long-term project to make a fab at home, but even then he only expects to do simple TTL logic.
<cr1901_modern>
azonenberg: Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong :P ^
<dalias>
because you expect too high error rate?
<rqou>
i know that in my semiconductor fabrication course, we basically didn't expect anything with more than a few transistors to work
<rqou>
this was because the gate threshold voltages weren't consistent enough
<cr1901_modern>
When I was in uni, microfab was taught one year; we don't have a lab or professor dedicated to it
<rqou>
we have a dedicated teaching cleanroom
<rqou>
apparently it cost "only" around ~$1 million :P
<rqou>
on top of the teaching cleanroom we also have a "real" cleanroom donated by Marvell
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