Blizz 1230 Mk4 Issues

[moondynejoe]

hello all,
I have a couple of questions in regards to my blizzard 1230 mk 4 card and i am hoping someone with knowledge of amiga gear can help out.

First of all i am concerned that my card has a heat problem, I can only run my 1200 for a few hours before i start to get graphical glitches on the workbench screen and am forced to shut her down in fear of destroying my 1230. Is this a typical problem for these cards? are they prone to heat generation like this? the cpu gets almost too hot to touch at times.
It may be worth noting that the grafix issues are only evident on higher resolution screens, games and other low resolutions do not seem to show these issues.
In any case any suggestions on how best to keep her cool? i already leave the trap door cover off and have little feet to raise the machine slightly.

Next issue is the supposed command that turns the card off on boot-up.
A manual which I downloaded from the net claims that holding down 2 during boot-up or reset will completely disable the device, this however does not seem to be the case with my board it in fact does absolutely nothing as far as i can tell. Any ides what the problem may be?

Lastly (for now at least) I am wondering how you guys go about putting the blizz in a tower case? the thing that concerns me is that the cpu and memory on this card face downwards which would make adding a cooler to the cpu would be problematic as the cpu would face the bottom (or side) of the case. If the card ran cool then it would be no problem but with my heating problems i would rather that the card face the other way around. Is there any type of riser or something to help with this? I am looking at towering one of my 1200's and would like to offer better cooling for my accelerator.

Some things that i should mention are that the card is standard 50mhz and has no FPU i have 32mg of ram and have tried other modules in case it is the memory.

other than these issues the card has been excellent.

sorry for the long post and thank you in advance for any posts.

regards,
joe

[fc.studio]

My Blizzard 1230/IV is from Phase 5 (Not DCE). I bought it used about 6/7 years ago. It runs fine, fast, stable. It's common opinion that this is the best 68030 card available for Amiga. Mine has 16 MB RAM and 50Mhz FPU installed and I run it with my trap door cover closed (Manual doesn't report to remove it, so I left it). If I touch this cover I can feel a normal heating, near to nothing if I touch the keyboard. In the past I had my A1200 switched on for days and I had no problems! Surely heating isn't a typical problem for these cards.

My suggestions:
- To be sure you have not memory SIMM problem, you have to use a specific tool that can verify each byte on it.
- If you have a standard A1200 PSU, try the A500 version (more power).
- about on the "2" key, assuming this works, try to clean Amiga and Blizzard connectors (for SIMM too).

[Andymiga]

I also have a Blizzard 1230 (Mk IV) at 50MHz and it's running fine and Dandy(TM). It is really believed to be one of the most reliable accelerators for the A1200.

Two questions:

1) Is the 030 overclocked? You can have a look on the top of the processor, the last two numbers (on the first line) indicate the speed the processor is specified at. Here's a link that might be helpful, too: http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/68030/

2) Did you try the A1200 *without* the Blizzard? (This might be obvious, but it isn't clear from you original post). Do similar overheating symptoms arise? It might be something else than the Blizzard, maybe on the A1200 motherboard itself.

Good luck finding the real problem. I'm sure you'll get a lot of help here at EAB - it's a friendly and very knowledgeable bunch

[fc.studio]

For what I know all Blizzard 1230/IV boards were sold with full 50 Mhz 68030 (not overclocked) and with MMU (not EC).

[Andymiga]

Originally Posted by fc.studio

For what I know all Blizzard 1230/IV boards were sold with full 50 Mhz 68030 (not overclocked) and with MMU (not EC).

Might be but the CPUs are socketed so it's easy to replace them (and the crystals, too I guess).

[Chain]

IV has soldered quare crystal, III has socketed crystals

if there ale graphic glitches then maybe Lisa is overheated, not a 030

[NovaCoder]

Originally Posted by moondynejoe

hello all,
I have a couple of questions in regards to my blizzard 1230 mk 4 card and i am hoping someone with knowledge of amiga gear can help out.

First of all i am concerned that my card has a heat problem, I can only run my 1200 for a few hours before i start to get graphical glitches on the workbench screen and am forced to shut her down in fear of destroying my 1230. Is this a typical problem for these cards? are they prone to heat generation like this? the cpu gets almost too hot to touch at times.
It may be worth noting that the grafix issues are only evident on higher resolution screens, games and other low resolutions do not seem to show these issues.

regards,
joe

Hiya Joe,

I have exactly the same problem with one of my 1200's which has almost exactly the same setup as you. Mine takes about 20 mins to start having issues and as you say, it only happens in the high resolution modes (not games). The only chips that get hot in my setup are the 030 chip on the Blizzard and the Lisa chip. I've done a bit of research and the issue sounds very similar to the infamous 'video tearing' issue that effected some ID4 MB's sold by Escom. The strange thing is that my MB has already had the fix applied to it for this issue. On another ID4 I tried without the timing fix applied the flicker issues were much worse

Is your MB an ID4 and if so, which revision? Mines a Budgie version 1.

I'm going to try putting a standard Memory card in the ID4 with the Lisa timing fix and see what happens but I think our issue is caused by the MB and not the Blizz.

timing issues

[rkauer]

Also look on the electrolytic capacitors on the motherboard. As they dry/leak, they have less capacitance to filter the voltage ripple, causing a lot of misbehaving.

That's specially true for boards on the '1993~95 batches. Swap those cappies are a not so heavy task, and the Amiga will cooler after it.

[NovaCoder]

Originally Posted by rkauer

Also look on the electrolytic capacitors on the motherboard. As they dry/leak, they have less capacitance to filter the voltage ripple, causing a lot of misbehaving.

That's specially true for boards on the '1993~95 batches. Swap those cappies are a not so heavy task, and the Amiga will cooler after it.

Hiya Rkauer,

Which CAPS have this issue, has anyone done any guides for fixing this problem?

Thanks,

[moondynejoe]

I have just opened the case and checked the revision of the motherboard and it is a 1d1. I have no idea if these are a decent revision but it would be an old one no doubt. All of the capacitors seem to be in good condition with no swelling or any discouloration.

the 1230 is a phase5 version, or at least it says that on the board.

it is a fundamental error but i have not tried running the system without the card because of the 2 key doing nothing. I have pulled the card out now and am running the system to check stability. It is summer here also anf today is forecast to be 38c (over 100f in the old money) so it should show some issues soon if it is going to.


I will update in a few hours or so.

[moondynejoe]

AHA!!!

30 min on with no accelerator and guess what? exact same issue is appearing.
seems it wasnt the 1230 after all.

sorry to waste all of your time i really should learn to check the basics before posting.

I guess the question now s what do i do about this? I do have a new motherboard comming but i believe that it is a 1d4 revision which i believe may have isses with accelerator cards correct?

anyway this is the motherboard i would like to towerise so any further advice would be apprieciated.

btw my electronics skill level is not that high replacing caps and such isnt a problem tho so i could do that if it is the problem.
What about this timing fix i have heard about? how can i tell if my MB needs or has it already?

some further info that may be worth mentioning.
I use an a500 power supply on the unit and i have an indivision 1200 FF however it showed these problems with my old external unit also.
by the way is anyone elses aga1200 FF so touchy about placement? the thing stops working everytime i open the damn case and needs reseating i am petrified it is going to stop working for good

[NovaCoder]

Originally Posted by moondynejoe

AHA!!!

some further info that may be worth mentioning.
I use an a500 power supply on the unit and i have an indivision 1200 FF however it showed these problems with my old external unit also.
by the way is anyone elses aga1200 FF so touchy about placement? the thing stops working everytime i open the damn case and needs reseating i am petrified it is going to stop working for good

I think rkauer is right, must be those CAPS. I wouldn't have a clue how to test mine, I'll have to see if someone else can check/fix it for me (maybe AmigaKit will do it).

As to getting the Indivision seated properly....don't get me started on that one

What Lisa chip to you have...is it a Commodore one? I assume it would be with an ID1, if it's an HP one that's most of your problem (different height).

Anyway, this seems to be the best way to go:

1) Clean your Lisa chip first with contact cleaner.
2) Take your MB out of the case and lay it on a bit of cardboard and then press firmly down on the indivision where indicated (you can do it with the MB still in the case but you'll need to stick a towel or something under the bottom of the case to prevent it bowing).
3) Verify that it is working as expected.
4) You some non-caustic silicon to hold it in place (a dab to the left of the Lisa chip and another on the right where you plug the VGA cable in).

If you've got a non CBM Lisa you'll prob have to carefully sand down the outside of the plastic connector using a Dremel (only a couple of mm though, don't kill those pins!).

[rkauer]

1D1 boards are very good ones, just the cappies are growing old. Swap all of 'em with no mercy! If people here needs the BOM*, I'll provide it.

B.O.M. = Bill Of Materials, the same as "buying list".

Some of the capacitors can be swapped for bigger capacitance ones, if they fit. The pair of audio out are preferably no-polarized units, with the exact same value (22 micro-farads, 16 or more Volts).

[moondynejoe]

the lisa chip is a cbm one.
the only "contact cleaner" i have is some isopropyl alcohol i use this and cotton buds to clean all my motherboards.

some sort of glue is a good idea i will look into the silicon you mention.


rkaur i would be grateful for a BOM for all the capacitors on the motherboard the thought of writing my own from looking at the motherboard is painful.


thanks for the help

[so.]

There is a simple hardware modification you could try. You have to short a resistor on the bottom side of the MB.

http://aminet.net/package/docs/hard/flickerfix

If you don't want/can do that, try using software like ColorPatch and change the palette. The white colour is causing this problem. Change it or adjust brightness/contrast/whatever.

http://aminet.net/package/util/misc/ColorPatch_06b

[frank_b]

Originally Posted by so.

There is a simple hardware modification you could try. You have to short a resistor on the bottom side of the MB.

http://aminet.net/package/docs/hard/flickerfix

If you don't want/can do that, try using software like ColorPatch and change the palette. The white colour is causing this problem. Change it or adjust brightness/contrast/whatever.

http://aminet.net/package/util/misc/ColorPatch_06b

I get the same problem with my escom one in vga modes. I usually leave the machine for 15 minutes and the display stabilises. After that it's fine.

Frank

[NovaCoder]

Joe hasn't got an Escom machine, he's using an ID1, does this fix also apply to ID1...I thought it was just for Escom ID4/2B MB's?

If I leave my on for about 15 mins (after the flicker fest starts) it also stabilises so it sounds like that same issue as you Frank. Does your one also stabilise Joe?

[rkauer]

18 caps (all electrolytics)

3 units 10uf x 16 volts SMD

5 " 22uf x 35 Volts SMD*

2 " 47uf x 16 Volts SMD

4 " 100uf x 65 Volts SMD

2 " 470uf x 16 Volts Regular size

2 " 1000uf x 10 Volts Regular size

Be happy!

*2 of those 22uF are preferably swapped for no-polarized units, since they are in the audio section.

[so.]

Originally Posted by NovaCoder

Joe hasn't got an Escom machine, he's using an ID1, does this fix also apply to ID1...I thought it was just for Escom ID4/2B MB's?

If I leave my on for about 15 mins (after the flicker fest starts) it also stabilises so it sounds like that same issue as you Frank. Does your one also stabilise Joe?

Sorry, didn't notice that this was an ID1 board. I doubt it has the same ID4 problem I was talking about.

By the way, my Escom 1200 (before the fix) did not stabilize over time. It was quite unbearable.

[moondynejoe]

thanks rkaur looks like some "fun" for me in the near future.