Possible NEW USB solutions for the Amiga

[desiv]

Carefully look at Errata number 1 (I've got no idea if the SMD hub chip crasbe is going to glue onto the board his this "problem", but if it has, then no mice or keyboards will be working)

I would guess that wouldn't pass initial tests, so he wouldn't use that chipset.  Something to be aware of tho....

and number 6 (not that the other ones aren't bad, but the last one would make me refrain from using any MSD devices with it!).

It sounds like that's just something to be aware of for the USB stack (don't use "auto-increment").  I don't see how this affects me at all..
The performance of USB (especially over clockport) is probably going to be throttled by many other things before this would cause an issue..
And remember, this is supposed to be low cost, so slower isn't a big deal.  People who need more speed can buy the more expensive faster cards.  ;-)

So, I don't see any major issues holding this back..

Looking forward to a possible clockport version.

desiv

[platon42]

I would guess that wouldn't pass initial tests, so he wouldn't use that chipset.  Something to be aware of tho....

AFAIK he has not planned to do too many iterations.

It sounds like that's just something to be aware of for the USB stack (don't use "auto-increment").  I don't see how this affects me at all..
The performance of USB (especially over clockport) is probably going to be throttled by many other things before this would cause an issue..
And remember, this is supposed to be low cost, so slower isn't a big deal.  People who need more speed can buy the more expensive faster cards.  ;-)

This is not a clockport card, but a Zorro card. 95% of the CPU time is spent in the copyloop for copying data to and from the USB chip for any card (except for the Deneb in DMA mode, where, hence, the Buster will do the copying) -- at least with bulk transfers involved. The current driver implementation of the Thylacine uses the auto-increment mode. The workaround (in the HCI driver, not the USB stack BTW) as stated in the errata would AT LEAST halve the speed of the data transfer on an already slow 8 bit interface. In my eyes it would render the mass storage use case useless.

So, I don't see any major issues holding this back..

Sometimes I wish the Amiga users wouldn't be wearing those reality-warping glasses.

Looking forward to a possible clockport version.

desiv

The very first Subway prototype used the SL811HS chipset. After experimenting with it in March 2001, it was found completely inadequate and unreliable and was abandoned in favour of the UHC124 chipset (both used on the production version of the Subway and Highway).

[danbeaver]

Could you remark on the unreliable and inadequate statement?  It seems to work on the Thylacine card for 1.1 devices. When there are no solutions out there, even a compromised one is better than none

[desiv]

This is not a clockport card, but a Zorro card.

Yes, but as I said, I'm hoping for a clockport version.

The workaround (in the HCI driver, not the USB stack BTW) as stated in the errata would AT LEAST halve the speed of the data transfer on an already slow 8 bit interface. In my eyes it would render the mass storage use case useless.

However, not all Amiga owners see things thru your eyes, hence there are multiple solutions..  At least half (maybe slower) than it "could be" is still better than no USB (or so expensive that they can't afford it).

Sometimes I wish the Amiga users wouldn't be wearing those reality-warping glasses.

Funny, I'm looking at my office, and I see an Amiga 1200 that wouldn't care about "half the speed."  I think that Amiga is real..
Hold on, let me check...

Hmm...
It seems real....  ;-)

Or do you mean because you "require" it to be faster, that anything that isn't faster is wrong for everyone else?

I wasn't saying this would be the best card ever...
I was saying that even with it's drawbacks (which I admitted are there, no "warped reality"), there are plenty of people who could enjoy it given it's possible price point.

I wasn't saying it wasn't a bad solution for you.  Just that it might be an OK solution for other people..

desiv

[danbeaver]

Folks,

Build a better mouse trap; I will buy one!  It can't all be a"bust."  Just charge more. I mean have you seen the prices for stuff these days, and I'm still in line

[danbeaver]

A check of the postings show major work under way with one card sporting an Ethernet interface. Moma's makin' some gravy now!!

[danbeaver]

I've had two NEW Thylacine cards for a week now from the amazing Genny_Flick. They may only support thumb drives, mice, keyboards, printers, scanners, and Asix based Ethernet dongles, but even with the slow 1.1 speed for €91 or $121 or £78 it is a great investment.

We should all support our own community and display more purring and less hissing.

[djos]

is there a thread on AmiBay for these?

[danbeaver]

Yes.

[danbeaver]

The Thylacine re-developer is working on a half-size board of this USB board.

[Rabbi]

Is there any hope of another run of Subway or Deneb cards in the future or is that thought a futile one and, if so, why?

[danbeaver]

Deneb or Subway?  Ask Michael at E3B.  But Jens should have an anouncement about his X-Surf 100 with 100 Mbs Ethernet and USB onboard.