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Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: justthatgood on January 18, 2007, 02:24:11 AM

Title: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: justthatgood on January 18, 2007, 02:24:11 AM
It kinda pains me a little bit to think about it, but I think I'm going to have to get rid of my Prometheus. I'm not sure that it's well worth it to keep it as I'm not sure the drivers are well developed enough to make any use of it..

Does anyone know if anyone found the fix for the DMA problems.  The one individual that I knew that was working on that moved out of my state because it's a hick infested cornfield.
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: Plaz on January 18, 2007, 04:30:07 AM
Maybe one of the developers will reply directly with better info, but the last news we had (and it was many,many months ago) was that a flash update was going to be available to enable DMA when all the work and testing was done. Prometheus in it's current state is still very usefull. If you get the supported nic and video cards, you have a net speedy classic Amiga with a very pretty display. Voodoo 3,4 or 5 video with a realtek chip based nic card. Can't recall the realtek chip off the top of my head right now.

Plaz
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: mboehmer_e3b on January 18, 2007, 05:55:21 AM
Quote
Does anyone know if anyone found the fix for the DMA problems.


It's me ;-)


The status is that the CPLD firmware has been tested now intensively, and is ready for the release. We are evaluating details for the upgrade (mainly shipping issues).

Sorry for the long delay, my PhD thesis did eat up quite some time, and I have a "real" job beside this one.

Michael
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: yogisumo on January 18, 2007, 06:38:49 AM
Quote

mboehmer_e3b wrote:

The status is that the CPLD firmware has been tested now intensively, and is ready for the release. We are evaluating details for the upgrade (mainly shipping issues).

Sorry for the long delay, my PhD thesis did eat up quite some time, and I have a "real" job beside this one.

Michael


Thanks for your work and the progress updates.  I have 2 of these boards and am looking forward to the update.  
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: Robert17 on January 18, 2007, 07:56:30 AM
Does the Firmware upgrade require our cards to be sent back to you?

Also, does it only fix the DMA, or are there any other goodies we should know about?  :-D

Robert
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: Crumb on January 18, 2007, 09:03:51 AM
@Robert17

AFAIK yes, we'll have to send him our cards

@Michael Boehmer

Thanks for the update :-)

Could you give us the estimated upgrade price?
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: mboehmer_e3b on January 18, 2007, 09:36:12 AM
Quote
Does the Firmware upgrade require our cards to be sent back to you?


Yes, as it is not feasible to have a JTAG chip programming operation being done by users. You need a special programming dongle, a suitable cable and a PeeCee for this.

Quote
Also, does it only fix the DMA, or are there any other goodies we should know about?


Prometheus supports PCI-PCI DMA in all four PCI slots, with fairness arbitration (no special ordering for PCI cards necessary) and high speed interleaving between PCI and Zorro accesses. Also supported are PCI-PCI bridges as being used on Multi-IO PCI cards (like ethernet + USB2 + Firewire / ATAPI cards) and modern PCI VGA cards, so you can save some PCI slots with ethernet and USB on one PCI card.

There are also quite some internal changes in the firmware which you won't see as user.

Michael

Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: alewis on January 18, 2007, 11:29:22 AM
Hmm

I also have two cards (unused, sacrilige!). What will the update provide/fix?

Brgds
Alan
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: Crumb on January 18, 2007, 12:39:46 PM
@mboehmer_e3b

could we use "active" PCI risers to add more PCI cards?
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: mboehmer_e3b on January 18, 2007, 12:42:37 PM
Quote

could we use "active" PCI risers to add more PCI cards?


Radio Eriwan says: in principle yes. But seriously, what is an "active" raiser card?

For PCI it must provide bus master signals for all cards on the raiser, so it must contain a PCI bridge somewhere, including the necessary DMA arbiter.

Do you have a link to a product in the web?
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: Plaz on January 18, 2007, 12:45:16 PM
Quote
Yes, as it is not feasible to have a JTAG chip programming operation being done by users. You need a special programming dongle, a suitable cable and a PeeCee for this.


Ah yes, you sent me some documentation last year and I was going to build one to use with my prom burner. I need to check my old mail and docs and see if I still have that info.

BTW, congratulations if you've finished your thesis and thanks for the updates.

Plaz
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: mboehmer_e3b on January 18, 2007, 12:52:43 PM
Do you mean something like this:

http://www.tmc-uk.com/images/products/enclosure/rackmount/optional/riser_cards/RS23-32a5.jpg

Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: Crumb on January 18, 2007, 05:16:28 PM
@mboehmer_e3b

Quote
Do you mean something like this:

http://www.tmc-uk.com/images/products/enclosure/rackmount/optional/riser_cards/RS23-32a5.jpg


Yes! that's it :-)

Would that work? It could allow us to use more cards :-)

(although I guess that I'll live without a TV card and will just use USB, Ethernet, Sound and Voodoo3.
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: keropi on January 18, 2007, 05:31:52 PM
so, if this riser work, will it actually fit on the case???
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: mboehmer_e3b on January 18, 2007, 05:40:55 PM
Quote

Yes! that's it :-)

Would that work? It could allow us to use more cards :-)


I guess yes, I have none of these devices here to test.
But as a combo card (NEC USB2 + RTL8139 behind a PCI bridge) did work fine, I see no reason why it shouldn't.

Michael
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: mpiva on January 18, 2007, 06:12:12 PM
Are there actually going to be drivers so I can finally add a soundcard and USB card to my Amiga?
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: mboehmer_e3b on January 18, 2007, 07:37:30 PM
Quote

Are there actually going to be drivers so I can finally add a soundcard and USB card to my Amiga?


USB drivers are available since several months now (ArackAttack). Sound cards are in development, there were none because sound cards need PCI DMA for operation.

Michael
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: Crumb on January 19, 2007, 10:42:35 AM
@mboehmer_e3b

Interesting card :-) I hope that when the firmware is ready you provide the brand and model... saving a PCI slot could be very interesting.
Title: Re: The state of Prometheus Development...
Post by: justthatgood on January 19, 2007, 10:48:09 AM
Well I guess that I will keep my Prommy card then. I'm still interested in what it will cost to get this update. Since up to this point I know I'm never going to be able to have a super powered candy coated CSPPC powered A4000 monster system, the least I want is something that will be able to be a little enjoy able to use.