Terrible Fire Accelerators

[Xicorpt]

Originally Posted by plasmab

Yeah a bad FPU can cause all sorts of issues.



I've seen people get masses of abuse for crowdfunding stuff. There is an expectation of delivery and timescales. Its not for me. Plus everyone wants to drive the creative direction which is already something i struggle to keep under control.

I want to find a way to give the Amiga community free and open source hardware that can be manufactured by anyone. I'd love people to contribute good things to the projects but I dont want forks. I'm happy to hand control of each boards development to a suitable person who will give it love while i work on the newer things.

For sure I will keep the gerbers, jeds and pdf schematics open. I consider the routing my artwork which i am not happy with with it being completely redone. changing a somthing like a 3x7mm xtal to a 2x5 xtal is fine but a substantive change is not and a complete reroute is unacceptable to me.

So i need to find a way to make all of this possible.

EDIT: I think i'll revise that.. I dont want a fork when that fork solves exactly the same problem as the original. So if someone took a TF530 and modified it to work on a Mac (as an example.. maybe it already does) then i'd be cool with that.

Certainly your right about crowdfunding, it can be frustrating to everyone.

There are many of us that would wish to help, and in my case, I don't have the skills to improve the project (hoping to segway into fpga and cpld). My intent was perhaps that we could share some of the cost.

Anyway I'm very thankful for you efforts, building my TF530 was a blast (except hunting for parts :-P)

[plasmab]

Originally Posted by Xicorpt

Certainly your right about crowdfunding, it can be frustrating to everyone.

There are many of us that would wish to help, and in my case, I don't have the skills to improve the project (hoping to segway into fpga and cpld). My intent was perhaps that we could share some of the cost.

Anyway I'm very thankful for you efforts, building my TF530 was a blast (except hunting for parts :-P)

I've done FPGA already. Not interested in putting it in a real Amiga. Too difficult to make it 100% compatible. Even the ARM cpu was an arse to validate 100% and it's much simpler than the stupidly over complicated 68K. For me it's about the originals software and hardware chips.


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[EzdineG]

Originally Posted by jgilcas

I'm using eproms with 3.1. No issues.

Rev 3 and 5 A500 boards are known to have issues with some EPROMS, requiring pull up resistors on some of the pins to alleviate.

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=82824

[Xicorpt]

Originally Posted by plasmab

I've done FPGA already. Not interested in putting it in a real Amiga. Too difficult to make it 100% compatible. Even the ARM cpu was an arse to validate 100% and it's much simpler than the stupidly over complicated 68K. For me it's about the originals software and hardware chips.


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I had the impression that the TF68040 would have an FPGA ... or was it a fat CPLD ?

[plasmab]

Originally Posted by Xicorpt

I had the impression that the TF68040 would have an FPGA ... or was it a fat CPLD ?

The FPGA was an SDRAM Controller. CPLDs arent generally good enough to do that. The CPLD was the bus marshaller. I suppose i should do an architecture video on it.

[Xicorpt]

Update on the 68882 problem:

My rev6A amiga is running haply since the removal of the 68882 @ KS2.05 and KS 3.1, eider using original roms or eprom counterpart. I'm starting to believe that the 68882's I have are fake.

[plasmab]

Originally Posted by Xicorpt

Update on the 68882 problem:

My rev6A amiga is running haply since the removal of the 68882 @ KS2.05 and KS 3.1, eider using original roms or eprom counterpart. I'm starting to believe that the 68882's I have are fake.

Ok thanks for that. I may build a TF530 with ISSI ram later


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[8 Bit Dreams]

Originally Posted by plasmab

Ok thanks for that. I may build a TF530 with ISSI ram later


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Small update,
was able to run one of my TF530 Rev.2 boards on 50Mhz. Works stable. Have currently 1.5Mb of fastram and 2Mb on TF530, so WHDLoad works (however can't run Frontier)

i have used 15ns memory chips to build this board, i can confirm there are no problems with them, so you can use these IC's with no risk

@plasmab
have also played with my second board, diagROM shows no memory faults (slow and fast mem testing), Workbench is starting normally, however, i can not run any game (different errors are shown), wanted to ask, what can cause that problem?

[utri007]

Originally Posted by 8 Bit Dreams

@plasmab
have also played with my second board, diagROM shows no memory faults (slow and fast mem testing), Workbench is starting normally, however, i can not run any game (different errors are shown), wanted to ask, what can cause that problem?

WHDload games? Can you run system friendly apps without problems? WHDLoad problems can be because of numerous reasons. Is it same Amiga wich works nicely with other TF accelerator? Same OS install, not other devices installed or use?

If you are runnin Roadshow TCP/IP stack with Plipbox it prevents WHDLoad games to running etc. just one suggestion.

[plasmab]

Originally Posted by 8 Bit Dreams

Small update,
was able to run one of my TF530 Rev.2 boards on 50Mhz. Works stable. Have currently 1.5Mb of fastram and 2Mb on TF530, so WHDLoad works (however can't run Frontier)

i have used 15ns memory chips to build this board, i can confirm there are no problems with them, so you can use these IC's with no risk

@plasmab
have also played with my second board, diagROM shows no memory faults (slow and fast mem testing), Workbench is starting normally, however, i can not run any game (different errors are shown), wanted to ask, what can cause that problem?

Frontier needs 1Mb of Chip to run in WHDLoad (i think). Try the floppy version.

[emufan]

Originally Posted by 8 Bit Dreams

however, i can not run any game (different errors are shown), wanted to ask, what can cause that problem?

I'm not sure, but there is WHDLoadCD32. may happen you should use this, instead of standard whdload.

[alenppc]

Originally Posted by 8 Bit Dreams

Small update,
was able to run one of my TF530 Rev.2 boards on 50Mhz. Works stable.

Wow, that's impressive. I was unable to run rev 2s faster than 36 MHz, at 40 they boot, but crash and burn very shortly after. The fastest CPU I have is 33 MHz though, so that might be the reason. Even the floppy drive stops working at 40 MHz for some reason.

[8 Bit Dreams]

Originally Posted by utri007

WHDload games? Can you run system friendly apps without problems? WHDLoad problems can be because of numerous reasons. Is it same Amiga wich works nicely with other TF accelerator? Same OS install, not other devices installed or use?

If you are runnin Roadshow TCP/IP stack with Plipbox it prevents WHDLoad games to running etc. just one suggestion.

it's same Amiga and CF Card i use. Runs nice with one TF530 card without errors, and has issues with my second TF.. It's very strange, if i start Keirs memetest - it doesen't start and crashes immediately, games are not working ot this TF, diagROM shows no memory issues, so i am stuck at this point..

Originally Posted by alenppc

Wow, that's impressive. I was unable to run rev 2s faster than 36 MHz, at 40 they boot, but crash and burn very shortly after. The fastest CPU I have is 33 MHz though, so that might be the reason. Even the floppy drive stops working at 40 MHz for some reason.

it was just about the price. i've paid 8€ for 40Mhz chips while ceramic CPU's was sold for 30€ and more... 40Mhz chips runin' nice at 50Mhz without heatsink, it's pretty warm, but not extremely hot. my riser boards isn't arrived yet, hence the housing isn't closed, i will apply heatsink on the CPU when i'm done.

I am wondering why Steve got more than 10 000 dhrystones on the same (48.40Mhz) frequency, while my board reaches 7600 only? What exactly causes these differences? RAM? Is it because of 15ns memory chips?

planning to buy some 60Mhz oscillators, however i think 40Mhz CPU will not be able to run on that speed (if i recall correctly - Stephen has tryed it on one stream, and this CPU failed to boot), so need to pick up a ceramic 50Mhz CPU too.
About FPU: will my 40Mhz FPU survive?
Question:
these black oszillators are crap?
http://www.ebay.de/itm/2x-Epson-SG80...-/281832718021
i recall Stephen has used them on one stream, but those wasn't good

[keith]

Hi Guys I have a rev2 my second build @50mhz with a 50mhz rc gold cpu, I just get red screen tried without fpu, I do not have diag rom, red screep point's rom/kickstart. I have tried many different firmwares will try another cpu, any pointers if that's not working... ps rev6a mobo with 3.1 rom, and my other rev2 board works fine@24Mhz.

[8 Bit Dreams]

Originally Posted by keith

Hi Guys I have a rev2 my second build @50mhz with a 50mhz rc gold cpu, I just get red screen tried without fpu, I do not have diag rom, red screep point's rom/kickstart. I have tried many different firmwares will try another cpu, any pointers if that's not working... ps rev6a mobo with 3.1 rom, and my other rev2 board works fine@24Mhz.

Just swap the cpu, gold cpu should work on 24Mhz board (if this CPU is good)
I got red screen because my CPU socket was faulty, swapped out to turned pins, now works nice

[plasmab]

Originally Posted by 8 Bit Dreams

Just swap the cpu, gold cpu should work on 24Mhz board (if this CPU is good)
I got red screen because my CPU socket was faulty, swapped out to turned pins, now works nice

Agreed. RED = a dead CPU, bad solder joint/contact or the CPU is running too fast (usually).

[plasmab]

Another order of TF530 Rev 2s arrived and now available on a popular auction site

[kgc210]

Thanks plasmab just bought 3 of them.
Look forward to playing with them.

Will keep an eye out for the CD32 ones. Would like one for my CD32 if it still works?

[keith]

Thanks all!! got it going of sorts not the cpu but the amiga 68k socket, for some reason the 24Mhz accelerater pins hit a sweet spot, but not on the 50Mhz so gonna grab me a relocater & a nice gold turn pin socket!

[8 Bit Dreams]

Originally Posted by keith

Thanks all!! got it going of sorts not the cpu but the amiga 68k socket, for some reason the 24Mhz accelerater pins hit a sweet spot, but not on the 50Mhz so gonna grab me a relocater & a nice gold turn pin socket!

i had the same issue. don't forget - these sockets are more than 30 years old, it isn't big wonder that they are corroded and worn. Just swap that socket out, maybe Kickstart socket too, if You like to be sure, then You can swap all caps on MoBo and PSU, and You'll be on the better side of the moon with perfect A500 You can even imagine.