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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

5357.0. "Question re 040 boards in a 2000" by MEO78B::MANDERSON (Amiga + '030 == MicroCRAY) Tue Jan 21 1992 01:25

    I am doing some work on my ami which is heavy cpu use and the 030 is
    just to slow. I have been seriously thinking of selling my GVP030 board
    and getting one of the 040 (Fusion) boards. Not a question of chip ram
    access where the performance degradation on the 2000 would make it not
    worth it - just serious cpu.
    
    SO question time:
    	From my reading it is only the fusion 040 board that has on board
    	RAM - true false?? How much on card ram is supported?
    
    	If true will the 32 bit ram off a 28mhz gvp 030 board work on it or
    	is it too slow for the 040? 
    
    	Has anyone else been using the Fusion board and have any comment to
    	offer.
    
    	What sort of performance does the 2000 have with a fusion 040 board
    	- is it really several times faster than an 030?
    
    regards
    kevin
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5357.1A'sCOMET::BELLMJTue Jan 21 1992 02:5019
    There are several boards which support on board memory, most notably
    the G-Forces from GVP.  They have up to 8MB of *40* ns memory, to fully
    take advantage of the burst mode feature of the 68040.  The 2000
    G-Force I believe is coming shortly and has a SCSI controller as well
    (which is the fastest available DMA for the Amiga, I think).
    
    Check out the January Amiga World issue, which has a whole section of
    reviews on 8 (eight) 68040 boards.  I think two are only for the 3000,
    but it's still a good article, and shows benchmark tests.
    
    If you'd like I'll send you my copy--I'm done with it--just give me
    your interoffice mailstop and I'll get it to you ASAP.
    
    Mike
    
    P.S.  Interestingly enough, one of the benchmark tests was a Lightwave
    scene.  In the column for the Progressive Peripherals 3000 68040 board,
    there was N/A.  I guess that the Amiga World techs don't know that
    Lightwave is *software.*   ;-)
5357.2Fusion 040MQOOA::LECOMPTEAcid Rain: It's raining deathTue Jan 21 1992 13:1338
    Hi,
    	I have a fusion 040 board in my A2000.
    The board is populated with either 1Meg SIMM for a total of 8Meg or 
    4 Meg SIMM for a total of 32 Megabyte of 32 bits memory. The speed of
    the chips are 80 nSec.
    I do not know if the GVP memory SIMMS would fit in the board but from
    what I can remember from a usenet discussion they have their own
    standards.
    
    Since I bought the board there was 3 changes in the software from RCS
    improving the speed between the 16 bit interface and the 68040 and, 2
    hardware changes.
    
    The original speed of the board was 25Mhz, it is now 28Mhz and they 
    have replace the heat generating PAL for a new device call a GAL.
    
    The biggest problem I had was that the maximum speed on a DMA disk
    transfer was about 100K versus 700K with a 68000. This is not really
    a problem with the board has such but is cause by the fact that the
    memory is not in the 9 Meg addressable range and that the Hardframe
    (or any SCSI DMA controller) cannot talk to the memory directly.
    
    I must say that with their latest changes they are doing about 600K
    with a 2091 and a Quantum drive.
    
    There is a connector on the module for the 32 bit bus and RCS is
    currently working on a SCSI-2 interface that would do very fast 
    DMA transfer.
    But, I bought a TrumpcardPro non-DMA controller and I have about
    800 to 900K of transfer.
    
    They are also working on some "virtual chip ram" that would give from
    2 to 4 MByte of chip ram.
    
    I will post the results of the tests that AW did but, using my board
    you will be able to see for yourself the numbers.
    
    Hubert.
5357.3Try Pro PeriphsSDOGUS::WILLIAMSTOPGUNTue Jan 21 1992 15:1215
    I've been playing with a 32MB 040 from Progressive Peripherals.  All I
    can tell you is...W O W!
    
    No problems in installation.  No problems with bringing up the disk. 
    Trumpcard Pro disk controller and a Fujitsu 500MB and Quantum 50LPs
    drive.
    
    Very nice stuff!
    
    I have had none of the ``approved'' disk problems I've seen with GVP. 
    I am using normal 4X8 SIMS (instead of the 'special' memory chips of
    some manufacturers).  I didn't have to pay for the advertising overhead
    which some manufacturers have.  All in all, very nice board.
    
    Clark