Bringing back the USB Gecko!

[avanomi]

So my first couple posts were me asking questions regarding the USB Gecko and of course getting some made. So I'm gonna introduce myself now to get comfortable with you guys. I usually go by Mathew_Wi, but yeah, I didn't think I'd be participating on this board so I used another alias.

But off that, I've been talking with people about producing a batch of USB Geckos. However I've run into some issues. The first being the price to have them made in small quantities is very high. Amassing over $250 USD, and secondly I'm not 100% certain it will be a fully functional device, as I'm working with the original USB Gecko's schematics and VHDL. (Meaning you may have to re-program the CPLD)

So basically if anyone is interested in getting a "sample/prototype" and want to help out with this, I'll set up a donation page (On indiegogo?), as I can't afford to have them made on my own. So people who have donated a decent chunk will get one mailed to them. (Just the board, no USB Cable or casing)

Here is the current quote:


Or http://i.imgur.com/8toltwq.png if you can't see the image.

Please reply to this thread if you're interested in this project. I will set up a donation page depending on the feedback this gets.

[Plastic]

I was actually thinking what if someone made another run a few days ago haha. I'd probably be down for one.

[megalomaniac]

i looked into making some USB Gecko last year when i wanted to do some debugging...
i bought the parts needed for it to make a small run of 10 units...
after doing some research on it, i decided to hold off for a while and not to go thru with the build due to the reported inconsistencies of the posted code...


you mention in your post about original schematics and vhdl...
are you sure you have the "original" code that was posted for a few days before it was removed??
or do you have the "other code" which is currently posted all over the place which is reported to have the inconsistancies??


are you able to handmake make a single build just to verify if the posted code works before sending everything to production?


the quote above shows a PCB finish thickness shows 0.8mm which is very very thin for a standalone PCB to fit in the gecko slot...
do you plan to produce a custom case so the PCB does not fall out of the memcard slot??
have you looked at other options to prevent the PCB from falling out of the slot??

[avanomi]

i looked into making some USB Gecko last year when i wanted to do some debugging...
i bought the parts needed for it to make a small run of 10 units...
after doing some research on it, i decided to hold off for a while and not to go thru with the build due to the reported inconsistencies of the posted code...


you mention in your post about original schematics and vhdl...
are you sure you have the "original" code that was posted for a few days before it was removed??
or do you have the "other code" which is currently posted all over the place which is reported to have the inconsistancies??


are you able to handmake make a single build just to verify if the posted code works before sending everything to production?


the quote above shows a PCB finish thickness shows 0.8mm which is very very thin for a standalone PCB to fit in the gecko slot...
do you plan to produce a custom case so the PCB does not fall out of the memcard slot??
have you looked at other options to prevent the PCB from falling out of the slot??

I've not found any complaints about the code other than tueidj and emu_kidid mentioning it. I've attached the sources that I sent off for someone to confirm it's usability. I also made a thread a while back asking for the PCB Thickness, and came up with 0.8. What would you recommend? Anything would be helpful.

I can't hand make one unfortunately, as it's a little much for me to handle. I would have to get one made by the company and test it then. However, they said I could send it back and they will re-program it. (Or I could technically do it.)

I don't have any plans on a custom case right now. I don't know where I would start with that.

[megalomaniac]

I've not found any complaints about the code other than tuidj and emu_kidid mentioning it.

shouldnt it be enough to have those two members post about code issues??
if you look on the web a bit and spend some time investigating, you will eventually find other discussions about it...

I've attached the sources that I sent off for someone to confirm it's usability.

you should actually confirm this works by making a test board before offering to takes peoples money for something you have not physically tested or confirmed to work...

I can't hand make one unfortunately, as it's a little much for me to handle. I would have to get one made by the company and test it then. However, they said I could send it back and they will re-program it. (Or I could technically do it.)

if you think you can technically reprogram it, then i think technically you cannot...
besides, what would you reprogram it with? a magical file that you cannot produce because you cannot troubleshoot the design?




No matter how great your intentions are toward this project, I think its a bad idea to offer taking peoples money before you know if the product you plan to have produced will even work.
Best advice in this situation is to put the cash up front yourself to have a factory make you a test board and post a video of the test board in action...also a different color soldermask in the video would at least show proof the board is a reproduction and not a real USBgecko passed of as the reproduction...


good luck, post your results good or bad

[tueidj]

Does this include the 512KB flash chip? Because nobody ever uses that (besides me for personal stuff), if it's more than a couple of bucks I'd say leave it off (and get rid of the nand commands).

[emu_kidid]

http://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.php?title=USBGecko

I've uploaded some pictures of v1 and SE.

It looks like the code released is for the Altera since it references flash stuff but I haven't looked at the PCB schematic myself.

avanomi, do you have the schematic/code for SE or something we haven't found?

[avanomi]

Does this include the 512KB flash chip? Because nobody ever uses that (besides me for personal stuff), if it's more than a couple of bucks I'd say leave it off (and get rid of the nand commands).

It does, the chip costs around $5 CAD if I remember right.

http://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.php?title=USBGecko

I've uploaded some pictures of v1 and SE.

It looks like the code released is for the Altera since it references flash stuff but I haven't looked at the PCB schematic myself.

avanomi, do you have the schematic/code for SE or something we haven't found?

The SE schematic/code is on the googlecode page. I got this schematic/code from http://wiibrew.org/w/images/6/6c/Usbgec ... matics.zip

Is it perhaps possible to dump the VHDL code from a USB Gecko it's self?

[novenary]

Might or might not be possible depending whether the FPGA is copy protected or not. If it is, there us still the possibility to decap the chip to disable that.

[Arnachy69]

Is there no solution for you guy's to make an sort of virtual comport on adres 55020 listned like the usb gecko from dolphin.
Is this not possible to make one that work with wiird GUI.? it is...

Have also prefer the real but that was the total price from the market, I believe $ 42
But if you can make it and not the $ 200 I was definitely interested