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Conference hydra::amiga_v1

Title:AMIGA NOTES
Notice:Join us in the *NEW* conference - HYDRA::AMIGA_V2
Moderator:HYDRA::MOORE
Created:Sat Apr 26 1986
Last Modified:Wed Feb 05 1992
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5378
Total number of notes:38326

1810.0. "LUCAS 68020/881 Accelerator Project" by NAC::PLOUFF (Cider Season Has Begun) Mon Oct 24 1988 13:22

    After months of discussion about a 68020 accelerator hardware project
    in _Transactor_for_the_Amiga_ magazine, the following appeared on
    Usenet.  LUCAS looks like a nice accelerator board and has gotten
    good reviews from the few who have seen it before now.  Has anybody
    gotten the whole archive from elsewhere?  (Looks like _TtfA_ is
    defunct after two issues... too bad.)
    
    Wes
    
    -=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-

Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Path: decwrl!labrea!agate!eos!ames!mailrus!cornell!batcomputer!itsgw!steinmetz!uunet!mnetor!utgpu!anakin
Subject: PD 68020-68881 hardware, LUCAS PROJECT
Posted: 19 Oct 88 19:24:27 GMT
Organization: University of Toronto Computing Services
Checksum: 28336
 
 
 
***  L U C A S   IS   H E R E !  ***   
 
        A few months ago I posted a message about a Public Domain 
68020-68881 accelerator board for the 1000 which I wrote for Transactor 
magazine and was to be released when the article appeared.
 
        Unfortuneately Transactor has developed some difficulties, 
however the board described in the article is alive and well. After 
discussing with Transactor we agreed that I should publish the project 
on the Nets.
 
	The board, called the LUCAS Project, is available now! The bare
board can be had for $40.00 and the four PALS used on the board for
$30.00. There is a disk which comes with the board and PALS, and I have 
uploaded that entire disk to BIX, and CRS so you can download it if your 
interested.
 
        The file is called LUCAS.ARC and should give you enough information 
to evaluate the design. The article as I submitted it to Transactor 
can be found in the ARC. (Please excuse any anacronisms). Also contained
in the arc are the drawings, Pal equations, and documentation. If anyone
thinks it's worth the trouble to post the ARC on USENET, I'd appreciate
it.
        I did this project to allow the cheapest possible upgrade to 
a 68020-68881 pair. The board provides for 32-bit wide memory expansion
and has an asyncronous design which allows speeds up to 20 Meg.
 
	Even if your just interested in 020-881's in Amigas this 
article will introduce you to what you can and can not expect from
an 020-881 pair.
 
	The ARC contains complete information on how to get one.
 
                                  Enjoy !
 
					Brad Fowles
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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1810.1exitFSDEV1::JBERNARDMon Oct 24 1988 14:343
    Can someone with access to usenet/whatever upload this here?  Sounds
    like an interesting project...
    
1810.2Hardcopy schematics availableNAC::PLOUFFCider Season Has BegunWed Nov 02 1988 17:217
    LUCAS arrived over comp.sources.amiga just a few days ago and looks
    solid.  Schematic plots are available from me.  If DEC interoffice
    mail reaches your site, send me a request via e-mail, including
    your name and mailstop.  Copies of the Motorola application note
    are also available.
    
    Now let's go out and _build_ these suckers!
1810.3Electronic schematics, tooNAC::PLOUFFCider Season Has BegunThu Nov 03 1988 14:0916
    By popular demand, these schematics are available in electronic
    form.  Copy from
    
    	NAC::USER$12:[PLOUFF.PUBLIC.AMIGA]PLOTS.ARC	<-- HP 7475
    					  PLOTS_PS.ARC	<-- Postscript
    
    Both will produce 10 x 15" plots on 11 x 17" paper.  PLOTS.PS is
    output for an HP7475 plotter, but should work on almost any HP plotter,
    also on the old DEC buyout desktop plotter.  PLOTS_PS.ARC produces
    good quality plots on an LPS40 printer.  Read the 'readme' file
    in the archive.
    
    Due to space limitations, these files will only be available here
    until about Nov. 18.
    
    Wes
1810.4WJG::AMIGA:WJG::GUINEAUFri Nov 04 1988 07:392
There also on WJG::AMIGA:
1810.5more peices anywhere?DNEAST::PFISTER_ROBI cant put *THAT* here.....Fri Nov 04 1988 08:314
    The schematics look pretty good on an LPS40!! is there more info,
    (like where to get the Board, PAL's instructions??)
    
    Robb
1810.6The whole enchilada from UsenetNAC::PLOUFFCider Season Has BegunFri Nov 04 1988 09:596
    LUCAS appeared in Usenet comp.sources.amiga postings just at the
    beginning of the week.  The whole thing is in several notes in the
    Usenet 'shadow' notesfile MSBIS::AMIGA_USENET.  Look somewhere between
    notes 4500 and 4850.
    
    Wes
1810.7LUCAS ----> A2000?????DNEAST::COMBAR_CURTCurtis T. Combar - Augusta QISFri Nov 04 1988 10:474
    Ooops, in my eagerness to explore this little beauty and print out
    the plots, etc.  I hadn't noticed that it's only for the A1000!
    Has anyone had any ideas for porting this thing over to the A2000?
    
1810.8Amiga Transactor has more specifics...WINERY::COLLUMFri Dec 16 1988 16:3618
    There is an article in the latest (issue 3 i think) of Amiga Transactor
    about the LUCAS board. There is an address to write to obtain a
    bare board ($40) and the 4 PALs ($25). 
    
    	Brad Fowles
    	RR #5 Caledon East
    	Ontario, Canada
    	L0N 1E0
    
    Anyone in this conference build one yet?  Software compatibility?
    Benchmarks?
    
    					Jim
    
    He (Brad Fowler) says he will be writing an article about a 32bit
    memory daughterboard for this coprocessor in a future article.
    
    
1810.9unrelated - Transactor?!?WJG::GUINEAUFri Dec 16 1988 22:246
re .-1:

Does that mean the Transactor is shipping now?


John
1810.10$$$ problemWINERY::COLLUMFri Dec 16 1988 23:258
    Yep. They even explain why so long. Financial difficulties that
    have since been remidied. If I recall , they now have a new publisher
    (i left the magazine at work, when I entered the previous reply).
     All in all , a good issue (a little piece on ray tracing theory
    too)
    
    					Jim
    
1810.11U.S. vs. Canadian money BARDIC::RAVANThu Jan 05 1989 13:577
I had a question reading the Transactor article as to whether the dollars
mentioned in the prices for the Lucas board were Canadian dollars or
U.S dollars.  And anyhow, how does one send money, U.S. or Canadian,
to Canada?

regards,
-jim
1810.12Use cash or International Money order.MQOFS::LEDOUXReserved for Future UseThu Jan 05 1989 16:4414
    re. .11
    
    If you want to send money to any other country, you should send
    the currency of the country.  Most stores refuse personal checks
    if foreign currency.
    
    Any bank (at least in Canada eh!) is able to give you a International
    Money order in the currency of your choice.  It is like a certified
    check in the foreign curency specified on it.

    The post office also sell this service (again, in Canada, not sure
    about USA?). The cost of this is about one $.
    
    Vince.
1810.13Checks probably OKLEVERS::PLOUFFWes PlouffThu Jan 05 1989 17:227
    Major Canadian banks accept U.S. checks written in U.S. dollars
    with no problems.  May take a while to clear back to your account.
    (Source -- friend in Montr�al.)  In this case you're probably safe
    sending an ordinary check from the States.  But you should ask first
    if you can.
    
    BTW, sending checks in the reverse direction is much more difficult.
1810.14International Postal Money OrdersULTRA::KINDELBill Kindel @ BXB1Fri Jan 06 1989 09:4012
    Those Canadian businesses that cater to customers from both sides of
    the border are usually willing to accept payment in either currency,
    but they give a pretty poor exchange rate.  Many others don't want to
    be hassled by the long delays and uncertainties of the echange process. 
    
    I've found that International Postal Money Orders are the easiest and
    cheapest way to send payment in foreign funds.  My local bank wanted a
    stiff service charge ($20!) on top of the exchange fee to write a check
    in Canadian Dollars.  It wasn't worth it.  Any U.S. Post Office can
    write a money order for Canadian funds (they use the domestic form and
    write in "Canadian Dollars"); only major offices (generally the same
    ones that accept passport applications) handle other foreign currencies.
1810.15Amuricun Banks !!! Arrrrgggghhhh !!!!!ULTRA::BURGESSFri Jan 06 1989 09:489
	Well, in *_CIVILIZED_* countries, by which I mean those with 
decent banking systems, it is possible to write a cheque in just about 
any currency.  The person receiving the payment doesn't have to bother 
about the exchange rate, thats all handled by the bank upon which the 
cheque is drawn and the fee should be very small if anything.

	Reg

1810.16use Postal Money OrderFSCORE::KAYEHe who dies with the most toys...is deadFri Jan 06 1989 12:158
    Being from the Great White North and dealing with the US for many
    things i try to use plastic first, then a Postal Money Order in
    US funds. For a magazine i subscibe to, they wanted an extra $10
    if i sent a canadian check (this was the charge that the bank charged
    them for cashing it). The Postal Money Order is easy and the exchange
    rate is quite good. 
    
     mark
1810.17Thanks. Now, Canadian vs. U.S. dollars?BARDIC::RAVANTue Jan 10 1989 19:1511
Thanks for the info regarding International Money Orders.  When I order the
board, I'll do it that way.

Now (and this repeated question is probably directed more to our Canadian
readers), any idea whether the dollars mentioned in the prices for the Lucas
board were Canadian dollars or U.S dollars?  Since the Transactor is a Canadian
magazine, I'm assuming that the prices were quoted in Canadian dollars. Right?
Wrong?

regards,
-jim