[coreboot] Tester hardware

[Carl-Daniel Hailfinger]

On 23.02.2010 21:14, Peter Stuge wrote:
> Ward Vandewege wrote:
>   
>> The automatic testing framework Stepan built a few years ago - I'd
>> love to get a few boards set up for that. I have some boards lying
>> around that could be used for that. My main problem is cost:
>>     
>
> You're not alone. I've wanted to create affordable tester hardware
> for quite some time now. I think it's the only way we'll get more
> boot testing.
>
> [...] I think a small microcontroller and
> actual flash chips may be the simplest and cheapest way to do it. The
> microcontroller is for flashing from ALIX, maybe also GPO pins and
> serial port.
>   

Speaking with y flashrom hat on, I'd like to point out that you can use
the FT2232H Mini Module (~$30) to perform in-system-programming (well,
as long as the machine is powered of) of SPI flash chips right now and
of LPC/FWH chips in the near future. Parallel flash chips need some
small additional circuitry because the FT2232H doesn't have enough pins
for output and can only deliver 3.3V, but that's it.

Regards,
Carl-Daniel

-- 
"I do consider assignment statements and pointer variables to be among
computer science's most valuable treasures."
-- Donald E. Knuth