RapidRoad USB starts shipping oct-20-2014

[demolition]

This sounds like a fun toy and I am considering ordering one. My A600 has an empty slot on the A604 riser which would be nice to get populated.

Any thoughts on how well it works with an ACA620? Will it be fast enough to be usable? I will mainly be using it with USB memory sticks and perhaps mice and keyboards.
Will it make more sense to stick it on the clockport in my 1200 with ACA1232/33?

Or should I get one for both?

[Schoenfeld]

Originally Posted by demolition

This sounds like a fun toy and I am considering ordering one. My A600 has an empty slot on the A604 riser which would be nice to get populated.

That's the recommended way of connecting it in an A600.

Originally Posted by demolition

Any thoughts on how well it works with an ACA620? Will it be fast enough to be usable? I will mainly be using it with USB memory sticks and perhaps mice and keyboards.

Like I already wrote in post#23, it performs quite nicely with the ACA620. It's about twice as fast as the Subway.

Originally Posted by demolition

Will it make more sense to stick it on the clockport in my 1200 with ACA1232/33?

Or should I get one for both?

USB on the Amiga adds a level of convenience that you will quickly miss on other installations if you have multiple Amigas. While the 33MHz 68030 won't do much on performance (the two computers will perform "about equally" on USB mass storage devices), you'll see that you will use the Amiga with USB a lot more often than the one(s) without :-)

Jens

[source]

Does Rapidroad work better than a Subway that is plugged into the ACA500 with an ACA 030 accelerator attached to the ACA500?

[Schoenfeld]

Originally Posted by source

Does Rapidroad work better than a Subway that is plugged into the ACA500 with an ACA 030 accelerator attached to the ACA500?

Although RapidRoad *can* be connected to the ACA500 clockport "somehow", there is no way to do it "out of the box".

The reason is that RapidRoad does not take power from the clockport. This has two safety-reasons: a) the clockport can never supply enough power for the two USB ports and b) by not taking power from the clockport, the damage of a wrong connection can be minimized (not the severe burnt parts and cables that you might know from fried Delfinas and Subways).

There is currently only one solution, and that would be soldering a power cable. This is an expert's job that I might describe in the Wiki, but I will not recommend it. My recommendation is to wait for the network/USB module, which will solve the power connection problem, but also improve speed. Further, you will only need the cheaper version of RapidRoad (the X-Surf-100 version), because the network/USB module for the ACA500 (which I will most likely call "X-Surf-500") will have the same expansion port as the X-Surf-100.

Speed-wise, RapidRoad is about twice as fast as Subway on the clockport. If you already have a Subway, it's definitely worth replacing it with RapidRoad.

Jens

[Retrofan]

Sorry, what's that of the Network/USB module? Are you also working in an internet solution without zorro for desktop amigas or what?

[Schoenfeld]

Originally Posted by Retrofan

Sorry, what's that of the Network/USB module? Are you also working in an internet solution without zorro for desktop amigas or what?

Quoting myself, right above your posting:

the network/USB module for the ACA500 (which I will most likely call "X-Surf-500") will have the same expansion port as the X-Surf-100.

Jens

[demolition]

Originally Posted by Schoenfeld

USB on the Amiga adds a level of convenience that you will quickly miss on other installations if you have multiple Amigas. While the 33MHz 68030 won't do much on performance (the two computers will perform "about equally" on USB mass storage devices), you'll see that you will use the Amiga with USB a lot more often than the one(s) without :-)

So I accidentally clicked the link, typed in my address and paid for it.. I did get the error message you wrote about, but I assume it went through.

I guess I'll try it out in both Amigas to see how it works out. I don't like making holes in the cabinets so maybe the 1200 will win simply because of the expansion slot in the back (and I'm not removing neither the serial nor parallel port in the 600).

Any other things besides storage devices and a mouse would it make sense to use the USB port for? USB floppy drives?

[source]

Do you have an idea when the xsurf 500 may be available?

[Schoenfeld]

Originally Posted by demolition

I did get the error message you wrote about, but I assume it went through.

Yes, everything went fine.

Originally Posted by demolition

Any other things besides storage devices and a mouse would it make sense to use the USB port for? USB floppy drives?

* hubs (oh, really :-))
* USB->Ethernet bridges (five different chipsets supported)
* HID (keyboard, mouse, tablets, joysticks, space navigator)
* Galaxy touch screen
* mass storage
* PTP (digital cameras) and MTP (music players, mobile phones)
* printers
* serial-to-USB bridges (Prolific and SiLabs chipsets supported, but NOT FTDI), also CDCACM (USB modems, also found in mobile phones)
* USB scanners (limitations apply: This goes through RawWrap class and requires FxScan, ScanQuix or Betascan to support the device)
* MIDI (keyboard emulation and CAMD)
* DFU (firmware upload/download)
* USB audio through AHI (read: "soundcard")
* USB video through VHI (read: "webcam")

Tools/toys:
* PenCam, Sonix (VHI stuff)
* UPS (=uninterrupted power source) tool
* USB rocket launcher (office toy, not sure if this has made it "round the world")
* USB multi-power-socket (SIS-PM/Gemtek)
* USB Radio (DRadioTool)

3rd party stuff:
* Lego Mindstorms
* more stuff that I don't remember right now - check Aminet.

Do you see why I call Poseidon *the* most versatile USB stack for the Amiga? Some people call it resource-hungry, but I think it's very effective for what it offers.

Originally Posted by source

Do you have an idea when the xsurf 500 may be available?

Nope - I really need to push other projects into production first. Currently on my list:

- C64 Reloaded
- ACA1221 (new low-cost accel)
- new BigRamPlus production run (almost done)
- new Indivision AGA MK2cr for A1200 production run (almost done)
- another dual-USB-port-mounting option for A1200
- C64 power supply replacement
- C64 hardware diagnosis tool(s)

..and there's surely other stuff that I keep forgetting, because I also have this monster project called Nequester, where we're currently working on VDSL2 with Annex-J and vectoring support. Maybe I should slip in the X-Surf-500 sometime soon, because all the parts are already here. I just don't have a design yet.

Jens

[Retrofan]

Joder (spanish word) . I really need to buy you this RapidRoad thing.

[voyager]

"Speed-wise, RapidRoad is about twice as fast as Subway on the clockport. If you already have a Subway, it's definitely worth replacing it with RapidRoad."

Can you show us a benchmark using a 1200 clockport?

How does Rapidroad behave on a clock port expander? and does it play nice with a prisma megamix on it? I am asking this because I think a lot of people in the future will have more then one devices on the clock port.

I know that you can use the subway and the delfina at the same time, and you can play mp3 files of a usb stick. So I was wondering if any tests are done with the rapidroad with multiple devices on the clockport

[Riempie]

Originally Posted by Schoenfeld

- another dual-USB-port-mounting option for A1200

What is this exactly? Is this some sort of add-on for the current rapidroad usb clockport-versions? Or something else?

[Schoenfeld]

Originally Posted by voyager

Can you show us a benchmark using a 1200 clockport?

I quoted benchmarks in post#23.

Originally Posted by voyager

How does Rapidroad behave on a clock port expander?

It'll work.

Originally Posted by Riempie

What is this exactly? Is this some sort of add-on for the current rapidroad usb clockport-versions? Or something else?

An alternative to the USB port brackets.

Jens

[fitzsteve]

@Jens you forgot ACA1000 & 2000!

[Riempie]

Originally Posted by Schoenfeld

An alternative to the USB port brackets.

Is this alternative attractive enough for A1200-users to wait for an order for the rapidroad once this alternative is available? Is it something which will mount 'neatly' on the back of the A1200 (beside the connector of the Indy MK2 for example?)

[nikos.rizos]

@Schoenfeld

An alternative to the USB port brackets that would be placed in the 1200 rear expansion port would be a HUGE plus for everyone not wanting to start using a dremel on the case. This should have been an option since day one but I guess I am asking to much.

PLEASE don't make it like the amigakit's backplate for Indivision 1200MK2cr. It's just hideous

[Schoenfeld]

Originally Posted by Riempie

Is this alternative attractive enough for A1200-users to wait for an order for the rapidroad once this alternative is available? Is it something which will mount 'neatly' on the back of the A1200 (beside the connector of the Indy MK2 for example?)

That's exactly what I'm thinking of. However, I don't have any timeframe for that yet. I will make this thing available separately, so Subway users can also take advantage of it, and if you already have a RapidRoad, you can add this thing.

Originally Posted by nikos.rizos

An alternative to the USB port brackets that would be placed in the 1200 rear expansion port would be a HUGE plus for everyone not wanting to start using a dremel on the case. This should have been an option since day one but I guess I am asking to much.

The "day one" option is to push delivery of this unit into october, otherwise I'll have a problem paying a few invoices and salaries. I cannot delay things forever (read: until every single customer may find his favourite solution), but need to do a so-called "spec-freeze" at some point.

What I always emphasize is that you should never buy a product for what it may become in the future. If you don't see your favourite solution yet, then don't buy. You should only buy a product for what it really is right now: RapidRoad will dangle around in the A1200 - and I don't plan on changing that. I've put some effort into having an insulating case, and I think it looks nicer than other boards that are dangeling around in the computer. It will also require some heavier modification than with this future USB port option.

Originally Posted by nikos.rizos

PLEASE don't make it like the amigakit's backplate for Indivision 1200MK2cr. It's just hideous

I won't claim that my solution is "nice", but I'm hoping that it'll be at least functional. You know I prefer laser-cutting for metal and plexi-glass, and *very* rarely do I choose injection molding (actually only twice in my carreer so far: new Micromys V4 cases and C64 cartridge cases).

Jens

[Locutus]

Is a RapidRoad on the clockport of a X-Surf2 supported? As this is cheaper then getting a second hand Deneb and less buggy then a homebrew Thylacine.

I'm not so interested in 100Mbit ethernet, as 10Mbit is fast enough and i can live with clockport speed USB as long as it functions bug free for USB HID, Serial and mass storage.

[oops, i only now read the icomp wiki]

I see that the wiki mentions it should work on icomp zorro cards, any idea on expected speed or limitations?

[xraynorm]

Thanks for answering these questions.

So your planning for the "USB-port-mounting option for A1200" to house a DVI connection as well (if there is room)?

In the future might there be faster clock port on the a1200 ACA accelerators like on the A604n?

Originally Posted by Schoenfeld

Nope - I really need to push other projects into production first. Currently on my list:

- C64 Reloaded
- ACA1221 (new low-cost accel)
- new BigRamPlus production run (almost done)
- new Indivision AGA MK2cr for A1200 production run (almost done)
- another dual-USB-port-mounting option for A1200
- C64 power supply replacement
- C64 hardware diagnosis tool(s)

..and there's surely other stuff that I keep forgetting, because I also have this monster project called Nequester, where we're currently working on VDSL2 with Annex-J and vectoring support. Maybe I should slip in the X-Surf-500 sometime soon, because all the parts are already here. I just don't have a design yet.

Jens

What about ACA2000? Will that ever be released?