PiStorm600 or A630 Accelerator - Amiga 600?

[Hatt]

I'm not sure if I really want an accelerator or not on my Amiga 600. But for the sake of understanding the options and good old curiosity.

What do people think of the PiStorm600:

https://www.retropassion.co.uk/produ...or-amiga-a600/

vs

The A630 Accelerator Turbo Card:
https://www.retropassion.co.uk/produ...ard-amiga-600/
https://www.retropassion.co.uk/produ...3-accelerator/

Clearly there is quite a price difference, even accounting for the fact you need a Raspberry Pi and Micro SD card added to the PiStorms price.


Any views on why you'd go for one over the other?

I've seen reviews showing good performance with the PiStorm. But part of me thinks, that if you are emulated that amount of hardware via software with an entirely new mini computer sat inside the Amiga's case. Then why not go the whole hog and just build a Raspberry Pi standalone (indeed I have using Amiberry). Surely using the old hardware means using the old hardware, not just making it look like you are using it?

The A630 is obviously all hardware and not emulation. Which sort of feels a bit better, although again is supplanting much of the original core hardware to the point that part of me says just keep it standard with some extra chip and fast RAM, no accelerators. After all if I need a more powerful machine I have a Mac Studio and an Xbox One....


Anyhoo..... enough rambling. Which would you choose and why?

[NovaCoder]

I think you ask a very relevant question, as much as I like modding original hardware....you can take it too far and then it all gets a bit silly and you just end up with a retro case.

[ant512]

I have both.

I opted for the A630 initially because it was closer to original hardware. It has a real CPU. I was put off the PiStorm by the fact it’s a separate computer emulating a 68k.

My A630 overheats and is unstable. It’s useless.

I then got a PiStorm. The PiStorm is spectacular. It turns out that I don’t care that it’s an emulated CPU. It can play Gloom Deluxe in a window on an RTG desktop and has 300MB+ of RAM. I just finished upgrading to AmigaOS 3.2.2.1 and didn’t have to buy more ROM chips to do it, because the ROM is read from the Pi’s SD card.

I was worried that the PiStorm would introduce a significant boot delay. There’s no noticeable delay in boot up time, at least with Emu68.

I was worried about more thermal problems. None at all. The PiStorm seems to be rock solid. It’s considerably more stable than the towered 1200 I used to own that had all manner of daisychained expansions to get RTG working.

In terms of raw CPU speed it’s faster than my Blizzard 1260 accelerated Amiga.

[tomcat666]

Also with the current developments of Emu68 the compatibility of pistorm shot through the roof. We are even nearing 99% compatiblity with WHDLoad games. For the old demos the number is a bit lower, but they aren't perfect on any accelerator really. Considering that you will get the fastest real amiga possible it is stunning how compatible it is.
In my book the fact it is running on a rPI is no different than other accelerators that use FPGA. In the end they all run code that emulates the 68k instructions. Be it fpga or arm code it is irrelevant.

[derSammler]

The question is not "what is better", but what you want to do with your A600. If all you want to do is playing WHDLoad games, get the A630 or any other similar card like the Furia.

If you want to go RTG, play ports you would normally need a Pentium PC for, listen to MP3s and other stuff, get a PiStorm. Don't get a PiStorm if all you want is playing OCS/ECS games!

They both have very different purposes.

As for "real hardware": you already break that rule when installing a Gotek, as that emulates a floppy disk drive and is therefore not real hardware. Personally, I have much more issues with something like the Indivision ECS, which replaces and emulates the Denise chip. And that is, unlike a run-of-the-mill 68000, what makes the Amiga an Amiga. But people don't seem to have issues with that. But emulating just the CPU is no longer real hardware...

[alexh]

I'm not sure how good a fit the PiStorm600 is (i.e. can you close the case with it installed?). You'd definitely want the TV modulator removed so you can fit a HDMI output for RTG.

All A600 PiStorms really need a Firmware upgrade to support a disable. Unlike the A500 version the A600 CPU stays in place and is disabled by pulling certain pins at the correct time (actually I think PiStorm does it in a very hacky way). It should be perfectly feasible to add a switchless disable.

[derSammler]

Yes, the case can be closed. The PiStorm600 takes less space than e.g. the Furia 020.

But you need to run power to it and upgrade the PSU, should you use the standard 3A one.

[tomcat666]

Originally Posted by derSammler

Yes, the case can be closed. The PiStorm600 takes less space than e.g. the Furia 020.

But you need to run power to it and upgrade the PSU, should you use the standard 3A one.

Are you sure ? I was running my A600 with rpi3A+ which also has rgb2hdmi with another pizero from a standard A500 heavy brick. Did not try the original A600 light brick at all though.
I think a PSU upgrade is recommended anyway these days.
Running power to the actual pistorm600 is not required though.

[derSammler]

How much current did your "standard A500 heavy brick" deliver?

The A600 PSU has 3 amps on +5v. That's not enough for stable operation, as the Pi alone needs up to 2 amps already. It may not boot reliably or crash when under load if the PSU can not deliver enough current.

Later A500 PSUs had 4.5 amps on +5v. These are fine.

Running power to the actual pistorm600 is not required though.

There's a reason why you can. You don't want to run another 2 amps thru traces on the board that were never meant for taking that much current.

[tomcat666]

It does say 4.5A for +5V on the A500 heavy brick.

[Karlos]

There are plenty of good reasons to chose a 630, but if you want to explore amiga productivity to it's fullest potential, I think the PiStorm is the obvious choice. You'll get an 040 class CPU with performance off the chart compared to any real silicon.

[wiz12]

Is the A600 really considered by people to be a productivity machine though compared to the A4000 or even A1200 with AGA chipset and extra chipram? To me the A600 was always a cheap games machine so perhaps both options are overkill for it.

[Kin Hell]

Originally Posted by wiz12

Is the A600 really considered by people to be a productivity machine though compared to the A4000 or even A1200 with AGA chipset and extra chipram? To me the A600 was always a cheap games machine so perhaps both options are overkill for it.

Aye,you're about right there fella.

But then again, all you have is an A600 & you want more power....

The OP asked which of the two to go for on his original post, so I'd do the £220 affair. https://www.retropassion.co.uk/produ...3-accelerator/

£40 more over the £180 card gives you an FPU in an A600.

[Hatt]

Originally Posted by derSammler

If you want to go RTG, play ports you would normally need a Pentium PC for, listen to MP3s and other stuff, get a PiStorm. Don't get a PiStorm if all you want is playing OCS/ECS games!

Curious, but how many people actually use Amigas for productivity or playing PC games on? Not saying you shouldn't, but surely there are just easier ways these days.

[tomcat666]

Originally Posted by Boing-Ball

Although like many have stated it’s compatibility.

With current updates of the Emu68 the compatibility is about the same or even BETTER (because of the extra options you get to fiddle with) than any other very fast accelerator.