Piccolo SD64 empty socket. What's it for?

keropi · 31 January 2005, 12:27

I just bought a PiccoloSD64 RTG , in order to replace the picassoII I have, hoping that the SD64 behaves better with its autoconfig data on my busboard... But on the pic, I see there is an empty socket... what goes there? for what IC ? and for what reason?
Also, anyone has one? Is it good?

ant512 · 31 January 2005, 13:18

As this card can have either 2MB or 4MB of video RAM, I'd guess the socket is for a 2MB upgrade. Looks like it should be user-upgradable, too. There's a bit of info about the card here, but not much:

http://www.amiga-hardware.com/showha...cgi?HARDID=454

keropi · 31 January 2005, 13:24

No, the ram sockets are above that "empty socket" see? some are even inside a rectangular, meaning that this is where u must place the extra 2mb... and the card already has 4MB installed... the empty socket reminds me of the vga bios, that many isa/vesa/pci cards have....

Jope · 31 January 2005, 17:35

Just guessing, that's probably a socket for an "RTG ROM" (which most likely doesn't exist).

keropi · 31 January 2005, 19:54

rtg rom????

Jope · 31 January 2005, 21:57

You know, a ROM with RTG components in it so you can use the board's screen modes without installing CGX or P96.

keropi · 01 February 2005, 07:44

ahhhhh..... it sounds nice.... if only it existed!

Jope · 01 February 2005, 07:50

Well, the real benefits would probably be pretty small in comparison to a separately loaded RTG suite. :-)

keropi · 01 February 2005, 08:11

nice then

04 February 2005, 12:46

Blimey someone else with one of these. I thought I was alone.

I *think* it's for an upgrade or sorts which will enable the SVHS and composite outputs, but it was never released. I'll update the Amiga Guide with stuff that I know about this - I still have the manual.

keropi · 04 February 2005, 13:24

ah, so the vhs and svhs do not work out of the box...

04 February 2005, 13:30

Unfortunately not. I don't think (and I could be wrong - I stopped amiga'ing in 1996 and have only just got back in the saddle) that Ing. Helfrich ever released any planned modules for it.

keropi · 04 February 2005, 13:41

Fortunately I don't care about those outputs

How's the card though? Is it good? I am still waiting for it to arrive....

04 February 2005, 16:42

It's not bad. I reviewed it for CU Amiga or Amiga Computing "back in the day" and ended up buying it - it was that good.

A year or two later, I reviewed the CyberVision 64, which comprehensively beat it in terms of performance, but this could be because of the driver software rather than the card. I'd also got the CyberStorm 060 to review at the same time, and that combo really flew :-)

It'll come with EGS (Enhanced Graphics SOftware) by default, though both Picasso 96 and CyberGraphics have drivers for it. I'm just about to replace the EGS suite with Picasso 96... I'll let you know if there's any difference in performance.

Alex · 05 February 2005, 22:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiark

I don't think that Ing. Helfrich ever released any planned modules for it.

The video module was released, it activates the S-VHS and Composite outputs. Here's a photo of it: amiga.resource.cx/photos/photo.pl?id=piccolosd64

Alex · 05 February 2005, 22:41

Many other Amiga RTG cards have such an EPROM socket (EGS 28/24 Spectrum, EGS 110/24, Merlin, Piccolo, Rainbow II, Retina Z3, Visiona) but only the Retina Z3 has a ROM chip in it. The socket of Merlin is labeled as "RTG/device EPROM".

keropi · 06 February 2005, 11:55

that module goes to the other connectors... so there was an eprom planned...

Alex · 06 February 2005, 12:36

As Jope said the ROM socket was meant for RTG drivers.
If Commodore had released official RTG librarires (and included them in Kickstart), graphics cards would have their specific drivers in their own ROM. This way the early startup menu would retarget too.

07 February 2005, 11:08

I stand corrected - thanks!

keropi · 11 February 2005, 07:36

I got and installed yesterday the SD64.... it is a very good card! Now I can ever use the os3.9 ROMUPDATE again, because the piccolo does not dissapear like the pII on my setup

but the picture has less quality than the pII one... it is not that clear...

31 January 2005, 12:27	#1
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	Piccolo SD64 empty socket. What's it for? I just bought a PiccoloSD64 RTG , in order to replace the picassoII I have, hoping that the SD64 behaves better with its autoconfig data on my busboard... But on the pic, I see there is an empty socket... what goes there? for what IC ? and for what reason? Also, anyone has one? Is it good? Attached Thumbnails

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31 January 2005, 13:18	#2
ant512 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: California Posts: 965	As this card can have either 2MB or 4MB of video RAM, I'd guess the socket is for a 2MB upgrade. Looks like it should be user-upgradable, too. There's a bit of info about the card here, but not much: http://www.amiga-hardware.com/showha...cgi?HARDID=454

31 January 2005, 13:24	#3
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	No, the ram sockets are above that "empty socket" see? some are even inside a rectangular, meaning that this is where u must place the extra 2mb... and the card already has 4MB installed... the empty socket reminds me of the vga bios, that many isa/vesa/pci cards have....

31 January 2005, 17:35	#4
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,900	Just guessing, that's probably a socket for an "RTG ROM" (which most likely doesn't exist).

31 January 2005, 19:54	#5
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	rtg rom????

31 January 2005, 21:57	#6
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,900	You know, a ROM with RTG components in it so you can use the board's screen modes without installing CGX or P96.

01 February 2005, 07:44	#7
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	ahhhhh..... it sounds nice.... if only it existed!

01 February 2005, 07:50	#8
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,900	Well, the real benefits would probably be pretty small in comparison to a separately loaded RTG suite. :-)

01 February 2005, 08:11	#9
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	nice then

04 February 2005, 12:46	#10
chiark Posts: n/a	Blimey someone else with one of these. I thought I was alone. I think it's for an upgrade or sorts which will enable the SVHS and composite outputs, but it was never released. I'll update the Amiga Guide with stuff that I know about this - I still have the manual.

04 February 2005, 13:24	#11
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	ah, so the vhs and svhs do not work out of the box...

04 February 2005, 13:30	#12
chiark Posts: n/a	Unfortunately not. I don't think (and I could be wrong - I stopped amiga'ing in 1996 and have only just got back in the saddle) that Ing. Helfrich ever released any planned modules for it.

04 February 2005, 13:41	#13
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	Fortunately I don't care about those outputs How's the card though? Is it good? I am still waiting for it to arrive....

04 February 2005, 16:42	#14
chiark Posts: n/a	It's not bad. I reviewed it for CU Amiga or Amiga Computing "back in the day" and ended up buying it - it was that good. A year or two later, I reviewed the CyberVision 64, which comprehensively beat it in terms of performance, but this could be because of the driver software rather than the card. I'd also got the CyberStorm 060 to review at the same time, and that combo really flew :-) It'll come with EGS (Enhanced Graphics SOftware) by default, though both Picasso 96 and CyberGraphics have drivers for it. I'm just about to replace the EGS suite with Picasso 96... I'll let you know if there's any difference in performance.

05 February 2005, 22:41	#16
Alex Amiga Hardware Database Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Budapest / Hungary Posts: 23	Many other Amiga RTG cards have such an EPROM socket (EGS 28/24 Spectrum, EGS 110/24, Merlin, Piccolo, Rainbow II, Retina Z3, Visiona) but only the Retina Z3 has a ROM chip in it. The socket of Merlin is labeled as "RTG/device EPROM".

06 February 2005, 11:55	#17
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	that module goes to the other connectors... so there was an eprom planned...

06 February 2005, 12:36	#18
Alex Amiga Hardware Database Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Budapest / Hungary Posts: 23	As Jope said the ROM socket was meant for RTG drivers. If Commodore had released official RTG librarires (and included them in Kickstart), graphics cards would have their specific drivers in their own ROM. This way the early startup menu would retarget too.

07 February 2005, 11:08	#19
chiark Posts: n/a	I stand corrected - thanks!

11 February 2005, 07:36	#20
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	I got and installed yesterday the SD64.... it is a very good card! Now I can ever use the os3.9 ROMUPDATE again, because the piccolo does not dissapear like the pII on my setup but the picture has less quality than the pII one... it is not that clear...

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