Blizzard 1230 II

03 June 2008, 01:27

Alright,

On this accelerator, there are two options for a FPU 68882 Floating Point Unit / Mathematical Coprocessor. A PLCC or a PGA.

I have a PGA chip in the loft and wanted to test if it worked on this card. On the PGA socket it appears several tiny pins of metal have been soldered into some of the holes.

Anyone know why this is done? Is it deliberate to stop you expanding it or does it imply that a PGA FPU can not be used - so annoyingly bodged in there I'm worried about damaging the card if I try to desolder and suck out the pins.

- Would a 25w iron be safe?
- If the FPU chip is defunked would it damage the card?

Thanks

rkauer · 03 June 2008, 03:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkippyAR

Alright,

On this accelerator, there are two options for a FPU 68882 Floating Point Unit / Mathematical Coprocessor. A PLCC or a PGA.

I have a PGA chip in the loft and wanted to test if it worked on this card. On the PGA socket it appears several tiny pins of metal have been soldered into some of the holes.

Anyone know why this is done? Is it deliberate to stop you expanding it or does it imply that a PGA FPU can not be used - so annoyingly bodged in there I'm worried about damaging the card if I try to desolder and suck out the pins.

- Would a 25w iron be safe?
- If the FPU chip is defunked would it damage the card?

Thanks

Don't touch the board with a iron!

Probably the socket have just some remaining pins from another FPU. Try to sack 'em with pliers.

If your FGPA FPU is dead, the Amiga simply won't boot until you remove from the board. No damage.

03 June 2008, 08:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkauer

...Probably the socket have just some remaining pins from another FPU...

No, these have definately been put in deliberately then solder added.

Can I also ask - What is the differences between the MK II and the MK IV versions of this card.

UPDATED: Added photos of card to help.

Chain · 03 June 2008, 09:47

just a pic for comparison
http://chain.3dgrafika.cz/data/blizzard_evoluce.jpg

shortly:
II have two simm slots for 2x32MB ram max. and it must be jumpered accordingly.
IV automatically detects ram in one slot, up to 128MB.
scsi kits are different

speed comparison in AIBB

03 June 2008, 10:09

So there's just a slight speed comparsion increase between the MKII and IV and ofcourse the huge memory jump.

Does it state in your Manual what that socket is for next to the CPU.

Nice website too

Nice photos:
http://chain.3dgrafika.cz/joomla/ind...d=52&Itemid=66
http://chain.3dgrafika.cz/joomla/ima...es/towerek.jpg

Dimlow · 03 June 2008, 10:28

Interesting speed test.

I have the MkII and i thought is was as fast as the others. Now i no why i was getting low sysinfo scores! But looks like the MKII is faster at accessing chip ram than the others. Now, i assume that all the Blizzards in that test were running at 50Mhz Right?

As for the FPU my board has no holes soldered. I'm sure i would have noticed that. If it were me id get the solder sucker out.

As a note if you put the FPU in it you will need a second clock chip to run it even if you set the jumper to run it in synchronous mode. Or you could do what i did use a jumper lead from the output of one clock chip to the socket of the other. I did this with a 20Mhz FPU and its now running happy at 50Mhz!

One day a may try putting a 66Mhz clock in it , just to play catchup with the MKIV.

Regards
Gary

03 June 2008, 10:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimlow

...As a note if you put the FPU in it you will need a second clock chip to run it even if you set the jumper to run it in synchronous mode. Or you could do what i did use a jumper lead from the output of one clock chip to the socket of the other...

Uh....

I think a demonstration photo of this would be helpful, I wasn't aware you had to start modding about with things. Clock chips?!

Dimlow · 03 June 2008, 11:08

This was never meant to be permanent but what the hell it worked. There is a pic in my photo bucket http://s208.photobucket.com/albums/bb120/Dimlow_uk/

Gary

03 June 2008, 11:18

Excellent, nice one. I've noticed I have an extra set of jumper pins too.

I'll need to locate the manual for this to configure the jumpers accordingly.

Dimlow · 03 June 2008, 11:21

I have the extra pins too, just that someone snipped them off! its the maprom pins that copy the rom into fast ram if you remove the jumper.

right must go to work, im only 2.5 hours late!

See ya
gary

Chain · 03 June 2008, 12:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimlow

Now, i assume that all the Blizzards in that test were running at 50Mhz Right?

yup

about that jumper settings etc...i have manual and i can scan it, no problem.

Zetr0 · 03 June 2008, 12:15

@Skippstah

hmmm interseting... personally theres no need for that solder there, get rid of it! use a low setting on your iron, lots of flux (use plumbers flux from Wilkinsons/Wicks), and, tortion the spring in your solder sucker a bit,

Crystals / Oscillators are easy and cheap to get hold of www.futurlec.com would have them i believe

now the pics,

Pic 1:

That i beleive was a non-implemented ROM chip, I dont even know if there is logic on the card to run it.

Pic 2:

Yes Nasty blobs..... get rid of them...

Pic 3:

I have a sister.... STAY AWAY

musashi5150 · 03 June 2008, 12:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zetr0

I have a sister....

....Reeeaaallly...

03 June 2008, 13:20

Well, I didn't have a De-Solder/Solder Sucker to hand so I got a Bic biro, removed the inners and gaffa-taped it to the end of the vacuum cleaner to give me 1200w sucker.

Got the FPU chip out of the loft. Removed all the solder that some doughnut put it the holes. Added the wire mod, and set the jumper.

And... Yellow screen. So the FPU is probably dead, it was out of an old printer board - untested. So I'll have a look on Ebay for another to test.

Bit of a crap result.

Zetr0 · 03 June 2008, 13:26

@Skipstah

I have an 68882 33mhz PLCC spare you can use to test the port if you wish. as long as you promise to send it back

it should be fine to run at 50mhz

PM me your deets if interested

Dimlow · 03 June 2008, 13:29

I got the yellow screen when there was not clock signal hence the wire, but also check that you have the clock jumper in the same place as mine, maybe that has something to do with it. Oh yea, i didn't bother going to work in the end!

Gary

Dimlow · 03 June 2008, 13:36

Oh the Jumper settings are here http://amiga.resource.cx/manual/Bliz...30_jumpers.pdf

Also i read on the net some place that you always need a clock for the FPU what ever way the clock jumpers are set! It said it was a design error.

Gary

03 June 2008, 14:04

The FPU I tried was the Motorola MC68882 RC 25 Rev A

When I de-solder that wired mod it stops the yellow screen, but still doesn't boot. So its either FPU knacker/mod works or FPU works/need clock.

Double-checked all jumpers, even switched them about to get different results, but still no joy - shame.

Unless, whoever dropped the solder into the FPU holes was hinting at "the FPU socket doesn't work". Can't remember where I got this card from either Eyetech, Power Computing or Software Hut.

Zetro - PM'd

Zetr0 · 03 June 2008, 14:13

sorted, in the post for the morning.

Dimlow · 05 June 2008, 21:06

Any news Skippy ?

03 June 2008, 01:27	#1
SkippyAR Posts: n/a	Blizzard 1230 II Alright, On this accelerator, there are two options for a FPU 68882 Floating Point Unit / Mathematical Coprocessor. A PLCC or a PGA. I have a PGA chip in the loft and wanted to test if it worked on this card. On the PGA socket it appears several tiny pins of metal have been soldered into some of the holes. Anyone know why this is done? Is it deliberate to stop you expanding it or does it imply that a PGA FPU can not be used - so annoyingly bodged in there I'm worried about damaging the card if I try to desolder and suck out the pins. - Would a 25w iron be safe? - If the FPU chip is defunked would it damage the card? Thanks

03 June 2008, 11:08	#8
Dimlow Likes to be thought of as Join Date: May 2008 Location: Kent,UK Age: 55 Posts: 529	This was never meant to be permanent but what the hell it worked. There is a pic in my photo bucket http://s208.photobucket.com/albums/bb120/Dimlow_uk/ Gary Last edited by Dimlow; 03 June 2008 at 13:25.

03 June 2008, 11:18	#9
SkippyAR Posts: n/a	Excellent, nice one. I've noticed I have an extra set of jumper pins too. I'll need to locate the manual for this to configure the jumpers accordingly. Attached Thumbnails

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03 June 2008, 09:47	#4
Chain A-Collector, repairments Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Czech Rep. Age: 50 Posts: 1,536	just a pic for comparison http://chain.3dgrafika.cz/data/blizzard_evoluce.jpg shortly: II have two simm slots for 2x32MB ram max. and it must be jumpered accordingly. IV automatically detects ram in one slot, up to 128MB. scsi kits are different speed comparison in AIBB

03 June 2008, 10:09	#5
SkippyAR Posts: n/a	So there's just a slight speed comparsion increase between the MKII and IV and ofcourse the huge memory jump. Does it state in your Manual what that socket is for next to the CPU. Nice website too Nice photos: http://chain.3dgrafika.cz/joomla/ind...d=52&Itemid=66 http://chain.3dgrafika.cz/joomla/ima...es/towerek.jpg

03 June 2008, 10:28	#6
Dimlow Likes to be thought of as Join Date: May 2008 Location: Kent,UK Age: 55 Posts: 529	Interesting speed test. I have the MkII and i thought is was as fast as the others. Now i no why i was getting low sysinfo scores! But looks like the MKII is faster at accessing chip ram than the others. Now, i assume that all the Blizzards in that test were running at 50Mhz Right? As for the FPU my board has no holes soldered. I'm sure i would have noticed that. If it were me id get the solder sucker out. As a note if you put the FPU in it you will need a second clock chip to run it even if you set the jumper to run it in synchronous mode. Or you could do what i did use a jumper lead from the output of one clock chip to the socket of the other. I did this with a 20Mhz FPU and its now running happy at 50Mhz! One day a may try putting a 66Mhz clock in it , just to play catchup with the MKIV. Regards Gary

03 June 2008, 11:21	#10
Dimlow Likes to be thought of as Join Date: May 2008 Location: Kent,UK Age: 55 Posts: 529	I have the extra pins too, just that someone snipped them off! its the maprom pins that copy the rom into fast ram if you remove the jumper. right must go to work, im only 2.5 hours late! See ya gary

03 June 2008, 12:15	#12
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	@Skippstah hmmm interseting... personally theres no need for that solder there, get rid of it! use a low setting on your iron, lots of flux (use plumbers flux from Wilkinsons/Wicks), and, tortion the spring in your solder sucker a bit, Crystals / Oscillators are easy and cheap to get hold of www.futurlec.com would have them i believe now the pics, Pic 1: That i beleive was a non-implemented ROM chip, I dont even know if there is logic on the card to run it. Pic 2: Yes Nasty blobs..... get rid of them... Pic 3: I have a sister.... STAY AWAY

03 June 2008, 13:20	#14
SkippyAR Posts: n/a	Well, I didn't have a De-Solder/Solder Sucker to hand so I got a Bic biro, removed the inners and gaffa-taped it to the end of the vacuum cleaner to give me 1200w sucker. Got the FPU chip out of the loft. Removed all the solder that some doughnut put it the holes. Added the wire mod, and set the jumper. And... Yellow screen. So the FPU is probably dead, it was out of an old printer board - untested. So I'll have a look on Ebay for another to test. Bit of a crap result.

03 June 2008, 13:26	#15
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	@Skipstah I have an 68882 33mhz PLCC spare you can use to test the port if you wish. as long as you promise to send it back it should be fine to run at 50mhz PM me your deets if interested

03 June 2008, 13:29	#16
Dimlow Likes to be thought of as Join Date: May 2008 Location: Kent,UK Age: 55 Posts: 529	I got the yellow screen when there was not clock signal hence the wire, but also check that you have the clock jumper in the same place as mine, maybe that has something to do with it. Oh yea, i didn't bother going to work in the end! Gary

03 June 2008, 13:36	#17
Dimlow Likes to be thought of as Join Date: May 2008 Location: Kent,UK Age: 55 Posts: 529	Oh the Jumper settings are here http://amiga.resource.cx/manual/Bliz...30_jumpers.pdf Also i read on the net some place that you always need a clock for the FPU what ever way the clock jumpers are set! It said it was a design error. Gary

03 June 2008, 14:04	#18
SkippyAR Posts: n/a	The FPU I tried was the Motorola MC68882 RC 25 Rev A When I de-solder that wired mod it stops the yellow screen, but still doesn't boot. So its either FPU knacker/mod works or FPU works/need clock. Double-checked all jumpers, even switched them about to get different results, but still no joy - shame. Unless, whoever dropped the solder into the FPU holes was hinting at "the FPU socket doesn't work". Can't remember where I got this card from either Eyetech, Power Computing or Software Hut. Zetro - PM'd

03 June 2008, 14:13	#19
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	sorted, in the post for the morning.

05 June 2008, 21:06	#20
Dimlow Likes to be thought of as Join Date: May 2008 Location: Kent,UK Age: 55 Posts: 529	Any news Skippy ?

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