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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

3558.0. "Memory expansion card with disc controller ?" by ULTRA::BURGESS (Abject oriented poverty) Wed Mar 07 1990 09:36

	I would like some help in figuring out a reasonable expansion 
plan for an Amiga 2000.  I want to get a hard disk in the fairly near
future and (presumably) more memory.  Somewhere I seem to have read
that memory expansion cards are available that also have disk
controllers on them (maybe its the other way around ?).  This sounds
attractive as long as the memory expansion is available as "regular"
memory, i.e. NOT devoted to disk caching/buffering.  I assume I could
add such a card and maybe 2 meg of memory which would be useful right
away, then when bux$ permits, get the drive itself.

	The questions are:

a)	Are there such cards, or did I just wishdream it ?
b)	Do they work reasonably well - or are the trade-offs 
	intollerable (opinions will be valued and respected)
c)	What are the brand names and numbers, etc. ?

	Reg
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
3558.1their out thereSALEM::LEIMBERGERWed Mar 07 1990 10:496
    GVP makes disk controllers that hold memory. One model holds two
    meg,others more. Just yesterday I saw a card that had a scuzzy 
    controler,and room for 8 megs of pop on sim memory. I have a GVP
    controller,and like it.However I use an 8meg CBM card too hold my
    expanded(2 meg) memory,so I can't tell how they work.
    							bill
3558.28 megs and SCSI controllerVIVIAN::S_GOLDSTEINSteve G...DTN 847-5415 Wed Mar 07 1990 16:398
    
    I don't know how true it is but GVP anounced an 8 meg + SCSI
    controller.
    
    But I've also heard that it doesn't autoconfig the mem and may have
    more problems.
    
    
3558.3gvp setup is ok for meUBEAUT::MANDERSONPhotographers do it in the darkWed Mar 07 1990 19:5815
    I had a GVP SCSI+2 which is a scsi disk controller and either 0 or 2mb
    or ram (as sips)
    
    I was having a disk (segeate) problem and opted to upgrade to a GVP
    scsi + 8 mb (with a quantam 40s drive). This allows up to 8mb in 2mb
    increments (using sip's as well). If populated to 6mb the 3rd 2mb will
    not be autoconfig - the 2/4/8 are all autoconfig'ed. 
    
    With both the GVP boards the ram and the disk are 'optional' extra's
    (although I cannot see anyone running a board only without either
    :-}...)
    
    regards 
    kevin
    
3558.4C= A2091BOMBE::MOOREEat or be eatenWed Mar 07 1990 23:203
    Commodore is now shipping A2091 controllers in it's 2000-HD systems.
    This is a SCSI controller with sockets for up to 2MB of 256Kx4 DRAM
    chips (in 512KB increments).
3558.52meg not enoughSALEM::LEIMBERGERThu Mar 08 1990 03:447
    I would recommend getting a controller that has more than 2 meg.It
    seems that 2meg of expansion will not be enough in the close future.
    I am thinking of trading in my 8meg CBM card & my GVP controller
    toward one of the GVP 8MEg scuzzi boards.Don't read me wrong at
    he moment I am running with 2meg expanded just fine,but I would
    be uncomfortable if I did not know I had room for more memory.
    							bill
3558.6It depends...FROCKY::BALZERChristian Balzer DTN:785-1029Thu Mar 08 1990 04:5613
    Re: .5
    
    While I can see the need for more than 2MB FastMem, most users reaching
    for that amount of memory typically also reach for a faster CPU.
    I don't see a 68000 serving all the tasks in an 8MB system...
    In my example I use the 2MB 16bit memory mostly for disk caching
    (BlitzDisk) and the VD0:, while the 32bit memory is used for the
    programs.
    Also note that the A2091 is a DMA controller, unlike the GVP.
    
    Regards,
    
    <CB>
3558.7BOMBE::MOOREEat or be eatenThu Mar 08 1990 23:292
    And you can always add another card if you really need more memory
    later.
3558.8Byte size expense expansion,,,,ULTRA::BURGESSType &#039;show password&#039; at the prompt.Fri Mar 09 1990 10:3816
	Thanks all.

	The GVP SCSI card that takes up to 8 meg is $306 from Abel
(with no memory, of course).  Thats about the same price as an 8-up
board and a disk controller with no memory capacity, so the only
economy is in slot use. There may be some improvement in the total
reliability, but the cost of replacement/repair likely outweighs that
if something does go PHUT !  - oh, I don't want to go into all that 
stuff about distributing the heat load over 2 slots vs 1 and whether 
that buys back enough reliability.....  I'll probably go for the 8-up 
board first, by the time I'm ready for a hard disk controller they'll 
likely have dropped a bit in price.

	Reg