Best Video Card for A2000?

[grizzlyaddams]

What is the best video solution for an A2000?

I have ECS chipset hooked up to 1084 monitor. I love the picture but the whole thing seems to shimmy a little bit in PAL 640x256 mode. (NTSC system converted to PAL with ECS Agnus)

If I try to switch to PAL 640x512 interlaced, there is massive waving and flickering in the picture and it is unusable.

So I was considering an ICD video card or IndiECS to solve the flicker and resolution problems as well as use any VGA monitor I might want.

But then I was thinking I might want more than 16 colors or even to run a full hi res, hi color desktop and was wondering what the best video cards are for the A2000 that can still be acquired today.

My system is:
A2000 REV 4.2 motherboard
Kickstart/WB 3.1 installed to autoboot HD.
ECS Chipset with 1mb chip
A2630 Accelerator @ 25mhz cpu/fpu/mmu with 4MB fast
DataFlyer PLUS SCSI + IDE
DataFlyer RAM with 4mb fast
Single internal 720k floppy
Gotek floppy emulator

Also, is the slight shimmy in the picture of the 1084 common, or should I expect my monitor to exhibit other problems soon? It doesn't seem to do this in NTSC modes, though even if I choose NTSC during soft-boot menu, WB still loads in PAL.

[gulliver]

I would risk to say that the best video solution for an A2000 would be a Picasso IV graphics card in ZII mode.

Still I find a pitty no one has managed to create and market a Zorro II version of a Mediator or even better, a Prometheus (which has been open sourced). I know Zorro II is limited both in speed and addressable memory, but then a slower A2000 compatible version of any of those PCI expansion boards would certainly provide a great benefit to users and a vast potential market for retailers. There are always ways to circumvent the 8MB limit the A2000 has...

[fitzsteve]

The best as Gulliver says would be the PIV in ZII mode but a Picasso II or even an EGS Spectrum with pass through would be a nice solution and not break the bank as much

[jPV]

CyberVision64/3D would probably work fine too, and it's quite common to get. But remember that the original CyberVision64 (not the 3D) is Zorro3 only.

[fitzsteve]

Originally Posted by jPV

CyberVision64/3D would probably work fine too, and it's quite common to get. But remember that the original CyberVision64 (not the 3D) is Zorro3 only.

I forgot the CV64/3D was ZII/III so yeah that would be faster and has more memory then the Picasso II and pretty much equal to the PIV. I wonder does it work with other scan doublers or just it's own optional SD module?

[mark_k]

One thing to be aware of, is that since you currently have 8MB of Zorro II RAM, in order to install a graphics card (other than one which supports paged memory like the Retina) you'd have to disable some of that in order to use the graphics card. Installing a 4MB card would require you do disable 4MB of your Zorro II RAM.

[zipper]

Originally Posted by fitzsteve

I forgot the CV64/3D was ZII/III so yeah that would be faster and has more memory then the Picasso II and pretty much equal to the PIV. I wonder does it work with other scan doublers or just it's own optional SD module?

Of course it works but easiest with Eyetech switcher+sd+flifi.
(done it on A500T)

[grizzlyaddams]

Thanks guys. That's all great advice, and I've seen all those cards here and there. I guess it will come down to what's available. Right now I can't even get 640x512 laced bc the flicker is so bad. I have NewIcons + the Visual Prefs and Full Palette tweaks with Birdie 2000. It looks good even in 640x256x16 but I definitely wish I could bump it up!

[source]

The only problem with cyber 3D with the A2000 you need to make sure you have an MMU. It will not work without it. I have a 3D in my 2000, but I have an 060 card in my 2000.

[jPV]

And as a general mention, RTG driver software (P96 and CGX are the only practical de-facto standardized options) requires 020 or better, so they won't work on unexpanded A2000. But in this case there's a 030 accelerator so it isn't a problem.

[DrBong]

Originally Posted by mark_k

One thing to be aware of, is that since you currently have 8MB of Zorro II RAM, in order to install a graphics card (other than one which supports paged memory like the Retina) you'd have to disable some of that in order to use the graphics card.

The Picasso II is another card with paged memory that will allow the OP to retain 8MB of Z2 fastram. The Picasso II (2MB) and Retina Z2 (4MB) cards are the best VFM options IMHO (otherwise the CV64/3D card, if 3D is needed, as Picasso IV's are ridiculously overpriced!).

Installing a 4MB card would require you do disable 4MB of your Zorro II RAM.

Yes, with old accelerators like the C= 2630. Newer accelerators like the GVP/Tekmagic and Blizzard cards, though, will map fastram outside the Z2 address space, so a 4MB gfx card like the Retina would be a better option with those.

Personally, one of my backup A2000s combines a Picasso II (2MB with passthrough) and C= A2320 flickerfixer with the C= 2630 (+ 8MB fastram onboard), and I have to say that I'm pleasantly surprised by the general responsiveness!

[grizzlyaddams]

Thanks guys I will probably try for a Picasso II. But, I am having some problems with my Z2 RAM already.

When I boot normally without intervention, all expansions enabled and I get 8mb FAST (4mb on a2630 and 4mb on DataFlyer) + 1mb CHIP.

If I disable the A2630, using the built in A2630 startup menu, it ignores the 4mb on the 2630 and the 4mb in the Z2 DataFlyer RAM card, leaving me 1mb CHIP and 0mb FAST.

If I leave the A2630 enabled, but do so using the built in A2630 startup menu, it uses the 4mb on the A2630, but still ignores the DataFlyer RAM, leaving me with 4mb FAST and 1mb CHIP.

So far I have not run into a reason to soft-disable or soft-enable to A2630, but I would really like to know why it behaves this way and if there is something I can do to avoid it.

[utri007]

I would recomend GVP Spectrum, it has a passthrough connector and it uses same chip than Picasso II. As a bonus, it also supports Zorro III, wich doesn't help you, but at least you have a option for that.

Spectrum might be easier to found as there was new patch for that few years ago.

By the way, I have a similar setup and I already got Spectrum wich is waiting for installation and inspiration