SDK Documentation
Confidential & Proprietary
to VM Labs Inc.

Copyright © 1997-2001
VM Labs, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

 

February 23, 2001


Updating Your Development System's Firmware

WARNING: These instructions are for revision 5.x systems only!

Checking Your Current BIOS Version Boot/BIOS ROM -VS- "The Stub"
Updating ROM-Based BIOS & Boot Code Important Notes For The
2001-02-13 Firmware Release

Checking Your Current BIOS Version

There is a sample program in the SDK that can print out information regarding the BIOS version that is currently installed.  Go to the directory:

    \VMLABS\SAMPLE\DIAGNOSTIC\SYSINFO

And enter the command "gmake load".  If your system is configured correctly, the program will be built if needed, and then it will execute.  If everything works right, you'll get a display on your TV screen with text showing the current BIOS version.

If you have difficulty building or running the sysinfo program, please make sure that your system is properly configured.  Refer to the Hitchhiker's Guide To NUON document for information.


Boot/BIOS ROM -VS- "The Stub"

Before you update anything, please make sure you understand the difference between the two parts of your NUON development system which use FLASH ROM.  They are:


Updating ROM-based BIOS & Boot Code

NOTE: These instructions only apply to updates dated February 13, 2001 or later.

The ROM-based BIOS and startup boot code for your Revision 5.x system may be updated by following the instructions below.  Please note that if you have just received a NUON development system, it is probably not necessary for you to update it right away.

  1. Make sure your SDK is properly installed and that your MD_PORT environment variable is set correctly.
  2. Change to the VMLABS\BIOS Update directory.
  3. Reset your development system and wait for the reset process to complete.
  4. For NTSC-based systems, execute the UPDATE-NTSC.BAT batch file.
  5. For PAL-based systems, execute the UPDATE-PAL.BAT batch file.

These steps will result in a program being downloaded to your development system, followed by the data to be programmed into the FLASH ROM.  Your development system's display will indicate the current status of the update through a progress bar.  Once the update is completed, a message will be shown and you can then reset your system.


Important Notes For 2000-02-13 Firmware Release:


Synth Wavetable Data

Revision 5.x machines are equipped with a Flash ROM.  In the past, it was common practice to download the wavetable data used by the NUON SYNTH library to this Flash ROM, where it would be available at all times. 

This was done largely because the original plan was to include the wavetable data in the ROM of production machines.  However, this plan changed because we determined that the majority of games will not use MIDI.  Rather they will use streaming audio from disc for music.  This fact made it hard to justify devoting so much ROM space to the SYNTH wavetable data when that space could be used by other things.  Plus, since that original plan was made, the minimum RAM size of a NUON player has increased from 4mb to 16mb, so it just seemed like a better idea to RAM-load the data when necessary.