HC508 Amiga 500 accelerator card

[Amiga1992]

I am broke but really want one. Will have to start saving.
This is a GREAT device!!!

Good to see it runs on 1.3 because I was worried it would not. I have no idea how hard drive setups are made with 1.3 but seeing yours run, Jope, made me quite happy. Since there is no hard drive drivers in ROM, how does this work? Does it need a boot disk?

(Also didn't know MagicMenu worked in 1.3 ;D and love the custom font!)

[idrougge]

I had the chance to try one out briefly this weekend. Ran some AIBB tests, and the results were very impressive to say the slightest.

[Jope]

Originally Posted by Akira

Good to see it runs on 1.3 because I was worried it would not. I have no idea how hard drive setups are made with 1.3 but seeing yours run, Jope, made me quite happy. Since there is no hard drive drivers in ROM, how does this work? Does it need a boot disk?

This one has a 512k 1.3 ROM with the scsi.device 43.45 patched in.

http://aminet.net/driver/media/SCSI4345p
http://aminet.net/util/boot/kick13scsipatch

I also did the three byte patch to make it an A3000 1.3 ROM, there's a fix for 2MB chip and a bugfix for trackdisk.device in there.

(Also didn't know MagicMenu worked in 1.3 ;D and love the custom font!)

It doesn't, this is SiliconMenus. :-D
http://aminet.net/package/util/boot/SiliconMenus
The WB menus are not ToolsDaemon or Toolmanager, but MyMenu
http://aminet.net/package/util/wb/MyMenu

The font is my childhood favourite, P0T-NOoDLE. It is enabled using FastFonts, which comes with the WB1.3 disk.
http://aminet.net/package/text/bfont/NudelFonts

I've built that 1.3 setup over the years, it has been a lot of fun finding 1.3 compatible versions or alternatives to the stuff I've used under 2.x or better all these years. My 1.3 power user era was so short back then, I upgraded to 2.04 very early on.

Also HD gaming without WHDLoad is a bit more challenging, but also fun. Due to the work needed when hunting down HD installers, onefilers, agafixes and so on, you end up with a smaller catalog of games, but they're all ones you really want to play. :-)

[Amiga1992]

I never used 1.3, hats off for all this research!
If I end up buying an HC508 (hope I do) I will pick your brain about this :P

If WHDLoad doesn't work, what about JST? I think JOTD was working on it again improving 1.3 compatibility.

[Codetsu]

WHDload work just fine
but Quit button not work some games and demos
thats not a big problem just Reset and WB loadup 3-5sec

fun fact whit this Turbocard A500 not need orginal Rom at all...

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by Codetsu

WHDload work just fine

No it doesn't work in 1.3. I was talking about 1.3, not the card specifically.

I don't know what you mean about the ROM though.

[idrougge]

Apparently it can store a Kickstart image in flash memory.

[Jope]

Originally Posted by idrougge

Apparently it can store a Kickstart image in flash memory.

Yes, it does, and this is also recommended for extra speed. It comes with a 3.1 rom flashed in (which you must provide), but I decided I want other things in life and flashed in the 1.3+scsi image I made.

By default the card boots from its onboard flash kickstart, so as Codetsu said, you don't need one on the motherboard.

If I ever get the ACA500+, that can be my 3.1 A500 enabler.

[appiah4]

I really want to support this card but can't find a reason to have both the ACA500+ and this..

[Jope]

They are rather mutually exclusive. The ACA gives you many more features.

[mc68k]

Dear Jope,

please prepare a list of the features You miss from the HC508.

[Jope]

I bought it for what it is, fully knowing what you specified it as having. I received exactly what I purchased with the happy additional discovery, that I was able to get it to work under 1.3 as well, so I don't really miss anything.

The reality is that it has fewer features than the ACA500+, but I didn't mean that as a bad thing. Just stating the facts.

After giving it a bit of thought, it would be cool if the HC508 had a blob of Ranger Fast at $C00000. It can be zero wait state, just like all the rest of the Fast RAM. Before hitting reply, I thought of another one: multiple flashable ROM banks that can be software selected. These might be feasible to implement in future revisions of the HC508. :-)

You have created a solid product that delivers what it promises, no disputing that.

The reason why I mentioned I was considering also getting the ACA was, that I have several A500s in several locations. They don't all need the same kind of expansion. :-)

[appiah4]

Originally Posted by Jope

They are rather mutually exclusive. The ACA gives you many more features.

This is how I feel as well, and why I find it hard to justify buying the HC, at least at this price.

[Amiga1992]

I don't have either, and I think the HC might be the best option for me!

What extras does the ACA500 have besides the possibility of plugging in an A1200 accelerator? I am not interested in that bit. Extra Fast RAM? That could be good.

[idrougge]

The ACA500 has two CF holders, one of which can read PC cards, and an integrated array of Workbench disks. It also has Action Replay emulation.

[Amiga1992]

I see, interesting features! Thanks idrougge.
That and price does make a compelling point for the ACA, but this HC is just really interesting too.

[ovale]

Indeed the first KB of RAM should be 0 wait state (switchable). It doesn't matter if it shadows the chipram. This makes interrupts faster. Also, ACA 500 has some extension that allows latest versions of whdload to support some MMU like functions even with a 68k.

[Snyfls]

Would love to buy cheaper and less powerful accelerator. Something like CPU running at 28 MHz (14 MHz) with 2 megs FAST and IDE *OR* CF connector, nothing more to keep price as low as possible. For people using real hardware occasionally, who dont wanna spend ~150 euros or more but for 50 to 60 euros they would buy one (and maybe second as a spare one :-D) because hard drive and faster CPU is all what they need. I will buy some acc. card sooner or later even for 150 to 200 euros, its something I need. And want. But cheaper and less powerful would fill my needs better.

Anyway, good luck mc68k with this one, the more cards and accesories for A500s the better.

[demolition]

Originally Posted by Snyfls

Would love to buy cheaper and less powerful accelerator. Something like CPU running at 28 MHz (14 MHz) with 2 megs FAST and IDE *OR* CF connector, nothing more to keep price as low as possible.

Those specs match exactly that of ACA500. A bit too handicapped for my taste, but if that is enough for you perhaps it can be found cheap 2nd hand now that the ACA500plus is available and I think some people would upgrade to that one instead.

[Codetsu]

HC is Fastest 68000 ever xD
also i really like that Fast IDE (LOVE)

Zero wait sates hmm.. it really makes 68K happy