DCE SX32 Pro / Expanded CD32 questions

[HelloBeautiful]

I've splashed the cash and now I've been googling about the SX32Pro and information seems scarce, partial and perhaps outdated so I've got a few things I'd like clarity on.

BBOAH and co state the SX32Pro supports only 64mb of ram but people have 128 mb of ram in their cards. Is this revision specific? What kind of memory works? Apparently if you have 128mb of memory you can preload audio on (most?) CD32 WHDload games. Someone suggested that a socket splitter could perhaps enable 256mb of ram. Would this work?

If I'd update the Kickstart would I need bake one to include CD32 specific libraries? Some versions of WB have problems with the internal CD drive. Which are these and can they be patched these days?

Does the 030 break Akiko C2P ? Does this break games? Which games don't work on expanded CD32? I've read that some games get confused by floppy either because it's existance fails an is this a cd32 -test or because it eats up a tiny bit of memory.

How often should the battery be replaced?

Transfering files. The SX32Pro is an internal device. I guess the options available would be having a cable out, an external disk drive, null modem cable and a Plipbox. Anyone with SX32Pro using a Plipbox? Any good?

Is there no way of using the FMV with SX32?

It's been stated that the SX32 is unstable mainly due to power requirements. What are the alternatives to the original power supply? I wouldn't mind playing with adapters but I'm not the type of person to start peeling off and soldering my own wires.

And on a more generic note is there a quick whdload many that i could boot automatically if no cd is in the tray, perhaps one that could be skipped easily to enter full WB?

Anything else that I should be vary of?

Thanks for any help and for healthy discussion. I probably forgot ten other things that were on my mind.

[xArtx]

Hi
I can’t answer a lot of that since I only own SX-1 units.

The CD32 PSU can barely run the CD32 and a couple of other peripherals,
let alone, memory, HDD, faster CPU, etc.
There’s a beefy CD32 supply on eBay right now that just needs the mains connector (240 Volt mains though).

The CD32 doesn’t need any negative supply rail, so any 12/5 Volt supply of decent power is ok.

FMV works with SX-1 because it can fit in the CD32 enclosure.
I don’t know how you’d propose to connect it with an internal expansion.
If it did technically work, you’d still need to make your own funky expansion adapter.

If the battery is a lithium button, they are supposed to last ten years, and I’ve not yet heard of any of them leaking.
Even litium AA batteries I’ve yet to hear of one leaking crap into battery compartments.

[musashi5150]

My SX32 Pro always worked fine from the standard CD32 PSU - but I did modify a Goliath PSU and I use that instead. But with either one, it's always been rock solid stable for me.

When doing some Akiko C2P coding myself, it seems that the 030 datacache doesn't cooperate with that and I ended up toggling it on/off when doing the actual C2P conversion... not that this really matters as even with an 030 chunky display on the CD32 is too slow to be usable, it was just for my amusement.

For transferring files, I've always just used a floppy or a CDR. I guess you could use serial/parallel cable if you wanted or connect the HD to WinUAE.

I've never had any trouble with mine and I think it's great

[xArtx]

Just lucky... and definitely not good for the PSU.

Stock CD32 console power requirement (printed on the underside label) :
12V - 0.5A, 5V - 2.2A

Stock CD32 PSU:
12V - 0.5A, 5V = 2.2A.

Some saving there, it might be that the console current consumption was given the FMV module is being run,
so the FMV power consumption might be included in it.

[alexh]

Originally Posted by HelloBeautiful

Apparently if you have 128mb of memory you can preload audio on (most?) CD32 WHDload games.

Preloading takes approx 1mbyte per disk plus say 4 Mbytes max for execution space. Pretty sure 64mb should preload anything

Originally Posted by HelloBeautiful

Transfering files. The SX32Pro is an internal device.

External drive and a gotek floppy emulator?

Originally Posted by HelloBeautiful

Anything else?

The sx32 connector can get loose after many insertions. Try not to take it apart too often

[HelloBeautiful]

Hi, thanks for all your good insight.

Originally Posted by xArtx

Hi The CD32 PSU can barely run the CD32 and a couple of other peripherals,
let alone, memory, HDD, faster CPU, etc.
There’s a beefy CD32 supply on eBay right now that just needs the mains connector (240 Volt mains though).

The CD32 doesn’t need any negative supply rail, so any 12/5 Volt supply of decent power is ok.

Do you have a link to the beefy CD32 PSU? I went out and ordered this a Phobya 90W psu and an molex adapter for it from Amikit.

Originally Posted by alexh

Preloading takes approx 1mbyte per disk plus say 4 Mbytes max for execution space. Pretty sure 64mb should preload anything

I've read that the CD32 titles can take up to 128mb with audio and if it's not preloaded I've read that the screen goes black while loading audio.



I don't still really like my options for transfering files but I hope JimDrew get's his WiModem for Amiga done. Meanwhile I'll probably use floppy disks and a computer from another location

[alexh]

Originally Posted by HelloBeautiful

I've read that the CD32 titles can take up to 128mb with audio and if it's not preloaded I've read that the screen goes black while loading audio.

CD32 WHDload slaves don't contain audio and so don't require extra memory to preload.

Think about it. How can they play it back?

A CD32 game with CD audio, the audio takes a unique path direct from the CD to a hardware audio DAC and mixer to be combined with Paula audio which is not under software control.

I.e. you can't play CD audio from HDD

[Update]
I stand partially corrected there is a version of the point and click adventure Beneath a steel sky - talkie which didn't use CDDA but had lots of speech files and that needs 128mb for preload


or you could use a CDR copy ;-)

Originally Posted by HelloBeautiful

BBOAH and co state the SX32Pro supports only 64mb of ram but people have 128 mb of ram in their cards. Is this revision specific? What kind of memory works? Apparently if you have 128mb of memory you can preload audio on (most?) CD32 WHDload games. Someone suggested that a socket splitter could perhaps enable 256mb of ram. Would this work?

If I'd update the Kickstart would I need bake one to include CD32 specific libraries? Some versions of WB have problems with the internal CD drive. Which are these and can they be patched these days?

Is there no way of using the FMV with SX32?

It's been stated that the SX32 is unstable mainly due to power requirements. What are the alternatives to the original power supply? I wouldn't mind playing with adapters but I'm not the type of person to start peeling off and soldering my own wires.
.

Officially, the SX32Pro does support onlyup to 64Mb Ram, but i also read about people trying out 128 mb an it worked. I'm not sure if the amiga is able to adress 256 mb ram.

Cd32 uses a modified WB 3.1 rom, so you shouldn't replace the roms. AFAIK you can't use a A1200/4000 rom.

the original cd32 PSU may work with an cd32 MKII , but it's too weak for a SX32 Pro. i needed to buy another one, which was a modified A500/A1200 PSU using 5A.

You cannot use both, FMV and SX32Pro, since the Pro is an internal expansion card, as it's the FMV module.

[alexh]

Originally Posted by Amigian

I'm not sure if the amiga is able to adress 256 mb ram.

The 68030 can access upto 4GiB but it's whether they connected the address lines to the DRAM bridge on the SX32 and if the logic looks at them. Unlikely