NIKHEF Digitizer Software Setup

This page describes how to load a new kernel and filesystem onto a NIKHEF digitizer, as well as how to build the setup from scratch using the Buildroot system. I have also posted gcc cross-compiler toolchains for the Voipac PXA270 PC card which serves as the CPU for the digitizer.

Cross-compiler Toolchains

These toolchains will allow you compile binaries for the AERA digitizer. These are required to build the DAQ, for example, as well as the device drivers.

Toolchain for Ubuntu 8.04 (glibc 2.7):arm-uclibc-8.04.tar.gz (46 MB)
Toolchain for Ubuntu 9.04 (glibc 2.9):arm-uclibc-9.04.tar.gz (62 MB)

To use: untar somewhere, and then set up an environment variable $ARM_HOME pointing to this location. Add ${ARM_HOME}/usr/bin to your path. Then in your Makefile you can set

CC = arm-linux-gcc

and add

--sysroot $(ARM_HOME)

to your CFLAGS.

Loading the Digitizer

The digitizer flash memory can be loaded with a new kernel and filesystem through the serial port.

Please see this text document for the details. You will need to checkout the digitizer project from SVN on merum (talk to me for an account), or download a snapshot here:

Digitizer setup (2010-11-10): digitizer_101110.tar.gz (71 MB)

Please see the README_loadfs files in the doc/ subdirectory for more detailed information on process of creating a new filesystem.

Building the Kernel and Filesystem

The toolchain, kernel, and filesystem can all be compiled from scratch with the Buildroot system, using kernel patches from Voipac. WARNING: this is not fun, as Buildroot is a bit cumbersome.

The kernel (2.6.27.48) and filesystem for the v2.0 NIKHEF digitizers were built with Buildroot 2009.02 (buildroot-2009.02.tar.bz2, 6MB). The configuration files, patches from Voipac, and a detailed README file can be found here, as well as in the digitizer project on merum:

Buildroot configuration (v2009.02), for 256MB Voipac NOR-flash module br_2009.02_vpac1_256_nor.tar.gz
Buildroot configuration (v2009.02), for 256MB Voipac OneNAND-flash module br_2009.02_vpac2m_256_nand.tar.gz

NOTE: All AERA Phase I digitizers are currently using the NOR-based Voipac cards. However, all of the new spares are of the NAND variety.