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Difference between revisions of "Hardware/Starlet"

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== Specs ==
 
== Specs ==
  
* NEC ARM926EJ-S SoC. See also [http://www.chipworks.com/seamark.aspx?sm=s4%3BDatedfl14%3BDeviceCategory6%3BMemoryfl10%3BReportCode12%3BCAR-0703-201&cw=detail ChipWorks].
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* NEC ARM926EJ-S SoC. See also [https://www.techinsights.com/products/nec-c10046f5-211-pn2-circuit-analysis-report ChipWorks].
 
* Big endian for compatibility with the Broadway
 
* Big endian for compatibility with the Broadway
 
* ARM and thumb instruction set
 
* ARM and thumb instruction set

Revision as of 05:45, 5 August 2019

The Hollywood includes an ARM9 core to handle I/O and security, nicknamed the Starlet. This is a very interesting piece of hardware, as it basically does everything that makes a Wii different from a GameCube.

Note: this page is incomplete. Please expand it as you see fit!

Specs

  • NEC ARM926EJ-S SoC. See also ChipWorks.
  • Big endian for compatibility with the Broadway
  • ARM and thumb instruction set
  • Clocked at 243MHz (Hollywood clock)

Boot

See also: boot process

Starlet is the first processor to run code in the Wii.

  • Starlet boots from an internal Mask ROM, BOOT0 (about 1300 bytes of code out of 4K possible)
  • boot0 decrypts, verifies, and runs the first few blocks of NAND, BOOT1 (up to the first 48 pages of flash)
  • boot1 locates, loads, decrypts, verifies, and runs BOOT2
  • boot2 bootstrap then loads the embedded ELF file
  • boot2 starts the IOS
  • IOS loads code into the EXI buffer and bootstraps the Broadway

Links

More information about the Starlet: