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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Retro_71 on December 07, 2007, 03:08:38 PM

Title: Which IDE interface for the A1200
Post by: Retro_71 on December 07, 2007, 03:08:38 PM

Hi All,
I'm planing on buying and IDE interface for my A1200 which would you recommend?

4xEIDE'99 Buffered Interface (with Allegro CDFS)
http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=42&products_id=194&osCsid=78e93cf3693984bc8ca828453d783c00

IDE-Fix Express Buffered IDE (A1200)
http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=425&osCsid=78e93cf3693984bc8ca828453d783c00

FastATA 1200 MK-III IDE Interface
http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=42&products_id=192&osCsid=78e93cf3693984bc8ca828453d783c00

I plan on using OS 3.9 (don't have PPC so not even thinking of OS4), which would be better, the FASTATA is faster but the EIDE can get up to 147GB as apposed to the fastATA 4GB (or is this not important as os3.9 supports Larger drives?).

Title: Re: Which IDE interface for the A1200
Post by: Damion on December 07, 2007, 06:26:48 PM

IDE-Fix Express is my recommendation. It's not as fast as the FastATA (which is still non-DMA anyway), but it's much easier to install, costs less and comes with a great software package. Your transfer speed will about double, and it uses a bit less CPU than stock IDE.

 

Title: Re: Which IDE interface for the A1200
Post by: Retro_71 on December 08, 2007, 01:00:21 AM

Thanks for that. Another question which out of the three uses less CPU power?

Title: Re: Which IDE interface for the A1200
Post by: Damion on December 08, 2007, 07:42:47 PM

Quote

Retro_71 wrote:
Thanks for that. Another question which out of the three uses less CPU power?

All are non-DMA, so the differences are going to be negligible. I can't recall by how much, though my IDE-Fix Express did use *slightly* less CPU than stock or with the standard 4-way I had before.

Do you have an accelerator card? Depending on what you have, I may be able to give you an idea of how the IDE-Fix Express will perform (varies quite a bit).

Title: Re: Which IDE interface for the A1200
Post by: Retro_71 on December 10, 2007, 01:32:43 AM

I have a corba 030 with 882 fpu, 32 mb ram

Title: Re: Which IDE interface for the A1200
Post by: Damion on December 10, 2007, 10:49:08 PM

Quote

Retro_71 wrote:
I have a corba 030 with 882 fpu, 32 mb ram

030 should generally get the best results. I get about 4 MB/s on my Apollo 030 card (quick SysInfo measurement), you should get similar (+/- a bit). Maximum theoretical is 5.1 MB/s, IIRC.

EDIT -- Another good way to tell -- check it with SysInfo, and figure about double whatever it is now. Jens said this once somewhere, and I've found it to pretty accurate.

Title: Re: Which IDE interface for the A1200
Post by: Retro_71 on December 10, 2007, 10:53:50 PM

Well it will still be faster then before. I have been reading up and there seems to be some issues with Fast ATA interface on some miggy's. So i'll go for the IDE-Fix then.
As soon as AmigaKit send out my first order I'll get it from them ..... Hint Hint...  :-D  :-P   ;-)