Roland DIF-AT

PCB photos, Pinouts, Pin header, Device operation, Connections between subsystems. Notes on firmware structure, Machine language monitor program, DFU, firmware extraction, firmware update script (python)

Roland's page on the DIF-AT

rolands publicity image (still online)

Brief outline

I bought this device to repair. They are rare, and interesting. It would not respond any longer or be recognised by host hardware. (it runs in conjunction with host digital mixer / host music production device, translating digital audio formats in real time)

I damaged a lot of traces on the device and gave up on it. However, I learned how to micro-solder and became inspired to continue the repair with reverse engineering techniques.

Given the device was already non-responsive (and now damaged) -

Goals-

1. De-solder NOR Flash and read firmware.
2. Determine potential corruption of firmware.
3. Re-flash firmware onto new NOR flash (if good).
4. Determine operation / potential corruption of Xilinx CPLD and/or Alesis OTP? IC - read contents if possible.
5. Analyse firmware for anything interesting.
6. Determine and examine / analyse hardware architecture.
7. Repair traces, replace ICs. Test.

PCB Photos

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  Main board

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  Cpu (not mcu!)

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  Main board, alt

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  SRAM + NOR Flash (512kb)

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  Custom Alesis chip OTP?

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  TDIF daughter board

[more is coming, I'll continue editing this page in the coming days]