any BDI2000 user here? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2023, 01:28:24 pm
content: let me know, I need feedbacks

author: Njk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2023, 12:12:57 pm
content: I've some. Which feedback?

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2023, 01:44:07 pm
content: Quote from: Njk on August 21, 2023, 12:12:57 pmI'd like to hearhow good/bad is for {PowerPC4xx,CPU32,Coldfire-v1,MIPS32r2} if ever usedhow good/bad is the software on the host side with GDB(BDI)if it's worth the money to buy one (second hand) these daysThe BDI2K support for coldfire and CPU32 is confusing, some coldfire see not supported at all.In this forum I asked several times about e-jtag and debugger for MIPS and Coldfire-v1, unfortunately it seems nobody is debugging for the (vintage) architectures of my interest.Thanks

author: Njk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2023, 09:01:02 pm
content: Used that boxes long time ago, to develop MGT560 and MGT5100 systems. No experience with GDB as it's not the only debugger. Commercial compiler suites such as CodeWarrior are usually more convenient. Imho the main problem with BDI2000 today is that PPC architecture is no more in fashion and the Abatron guys has retired with no firmware made available for public. My boxes are for PPC6xx/PPC7xx. The firmwares for ARM does exist (in theory) but I never seen it.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2023, 11:01:53 pm
content: Quote from: Njk on August 21, 2023, 09:01:02 pmGreenHills are even better, if you have the money to pay the license.The point about GDB-BDI is making it cheap and justifiable for hobby.Quote from: Njk on August 21, 2023, 09:01:02 pmAbatron is gone, and PPC4xx is no more used for avionics, too. Things like PPC460 are EOL since 2017.But I don't care about modern stuff.

author: Njk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2023, 01:23:25 am
content: BDI2000 is still a bit expensive. About $200 at ebay for used ones and some instrument trolls are still trying to sell the firmware packs for kilo bucks. And yes, all the associated SW stuff was even more expensive. But no one would buy it unless a strong reason. One of the reasons is the convenience that allows you to be concentrated on actual project development, not on the housekeeping. The free tools, on the other hand, creates irresistible temptation to use them for commercial purposes. That tools are typically clumsy, but the problem can be solved by outsourcing the development to cheap guys who're abundant and will be more than happy to deal with that BS because it's anyway a better business than, say, to unload railway cars at the cargo ramp. Even better, they will have to be really quick, because the free tools can be used by everyone so there will be more competition. Very soon that will be assumed as a norm (those grown up on junk food have no idea how tasty a good food can be). It's "race to the bottom". Sounds familiar? I'm not sure that way is better. Sustainability is the main problem.As for personal use, I think the only reason to get BDI is if you have all the other tools already. In that case, the box can provide you with comfortable and familiar environment. BTW, to my memory, BDI2000 were necessary only for relatively recent Motorola PPCs, (MGT5100/5200). For the older ones, cheap BDM boxes were enough

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2023, 08:50:04 am
content: Quote from: Njk on August 23, 2023, 01:23:25 amand PPC4xx: 440 and 460, they are jtag.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2023, 09:20:24 am
content: Quote from: Njk on August 23, 2023, 01:23:25 amsupposing you can find the firmware, opensource support like BDI + GDB-BDI: does it make sense if you have to pay 200..500 euro just for the BDI2K?Well, for me, BDI2K is a milestone in the history of computing, so it should deserve a monumental place in my lab display cabinet; however, it might only make sense for poorly supported architectures/sub family (e.g. PPC4xx(1)) in the hobby world.I agree that no one would buy it as things keep getting better and cheaper, and above all the Segger cables and their clones, now we are talking about ARM and RISC-V, that is the present and the future of CPUs and MPUs, whereas Coldfire, PowerPC and MIPS are the past.(1) PPC40x is much simpler than PPC44x and PPC460.

author: Njk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2023, 12:46:27 pm
content: Quote from: DiTBho on August 23, 2023, 09:20:24 amThen it can be possible to modify open source USBDM firmware for PPC40x?BTW the Indian moon mission just landed successfully. Congrats to them!

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2023, 12:57:23 pm
content: Quote from: Njk on August 23, 2023, 12:46:27 pmThey are Jtag, not BDM.USBDM is a very complex project, oriented more towards Coldfire support.Everything is possible, in theory, if you have unlimited time; in practice, it depends on your skills and know-how, as well as how much time and effort you can put into it.