[Gc-linux-devel] Re: Linux on Game Cube

[Michael S. <st...@in...>]

Hi Jimmi! I'm Cc:ing this to the mailing list and I would suggest that=20=

you also join it (=20
http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/gc-linux-devel ), okay?

On 20.01.2004, at 22:08, jl...@fr... wrote:
> I've just seen the new GC-Linux porting project, after looking from=20
> time to time
> on the Xbox Linux website ... These projects are both hi-tech and fun,=20=

> it's great !

:-)

> I'm dropping these lines to you, because i think there are already=20
> avaiable code
> that may help you on this project.
>
> The Game Cube main CPU is a custom chip (ASIC) made for Nintendo,=20
> including the
> PowerPC 405 CPU and various peripherals. Besides the PPC 405 GP from=20=

> IBM,
> another chip includes this processor core : the Virtex II Pro from=20
> Xilinx, which
> is a FPGA (you know, a programmable logic device). And there is=20
> already a Linux
> port on this chip :-)
>
> There are even two : Mind Linux Solutions (www.mind.be) did it for=20
> standard
> Linux kernel, and Montavista Linux (www.mvista.com) did it for the=20
> real-time
> version of the Kernel, plus a complete distribution. Both these ports=20=

> are GPL,
> so you could get PPC405 code without any legal headache, and grab some=20=

> boot
> code, drivers for Ethernet, RTC, or X11 port, with minimal changes=20
> required.

Hmmm... The documentation on the internet that I found, said "PowerPC=20
750CXe" ( http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=3D1566&p=3D2 ), and=20
that's PPC7xx, not PPC4xx... (what's the difference anyway?)

Well, Linux exists for both PPC7xx and PPC4xx, i.e. all code that is=20
CPU specific is in the standard kernel tree. And I think neither of=20
Ethernet, RTC and video of the GameCube are compatible with these=20
devices, as they are all implemented outside the CPU. :-(

> Are there already shcematics, or at least block-diagrams of the GC=20
> arhitecture,
> available on the web ? It may be possible to map VHDL models of the=20
> peripherals
> in Virtex II Pro FPGA, to get a developpment system for GC without the
> limitations of the GC (memory size, CD drive ...). Finding some JTAG
> connector/test points on the board could also give access to the debug=20=

> port of
> the PPC405, allowing easy trace and debug, esp for the boot process.

That's the way a hardware person thinks. :-) As I software person, I=20
think quite differently - I would just use the real thing as use some=20
debug code (that I know that works) to find out whether my code is=20
still alive at a certain point. It is my impression that building=20
custom development hardware might be too much work, as so much is known=20=

about the GC already.

> I'm sorry i can not help you much for the moment (i'm already busy=20
> trying to
> hack some Linux on Xilinx chips) and i don't even have a CG (despite=20=

> it's
> getting rather cheap here, around 100=80). May be i could help on some=20=

> french
> translation ?

Certainly. Anyone interested in doing translations, please join the=20
"docs" mailing list (=20
http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/gc-linux-docs ) and=20
announce it there. But since you seem to be a very experienced hardware=20=

person, I am sure you can help in other ways - a bit?

> Good luck, and have fun with you Tux-customized consoles !
> Jimmy

   Michael