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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: barney on July 20, 2008, 06:58:36 PM

Title: SCSI Controller issue
Post by: barney on July 20, 2008, 06:58:36 PM
Hi everybody, I just bought a scsi adapter recently for very cheap (GVP A4000 HC +8).  Does anybody out there know anything about this model?  How well does it operate?  Does it detect a CD-ROM drive successfully and finally does it support hard drives larger than 1GB?  Thanks.
Title: Re: SCSI Controller issue
Post by: rkauer on July 21, 2008, 04:18:20 AM
 Look at here (http://bboah.amiga-resistance.info/cgi-bin/showhardware_en.cgi?HARDID=1197) and here (http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/search.pl?product=HC%2B8&company=GVP)

 All information you need about it.
Title: Re: SCSI Controller issue
Post by: countzero on July 21, 2008, 06:28:22 AM
the BBOAH and AHD have contradictory remarks about this hardware.

BBOAH:
Quote
The original card uses a western digital chipset whereas this card uses a DPRC chipset.


AHD:
Quote
WD 33C93A @ 14 MHz


so different SCSI chip means different ROM ?

Also does anyone have an idea what this gem of information means ? (AHD)

Quote
this memory is technically not Zorro II memory - data is DMA-d from the HD as normal, but not via the Zorro bus for added speed


?
Title: Re: SCSI Controller issue
Post by: Zac67 on July 21, 2008, 07:29:10 AM
amiga.resource.cx seems to have it wrong, check the photo.
Title: Re: SCSI Controller issue
Post by: Kin-Hell on July 21, 2008, 06:23:52 PM
Quote

Zac67 wrote:
amiga.resource.cx seems to have it wrong, check the photo.


No m8 they Dont have the links wrong. The first link is for the A4000 version. The second link is for the A2000 version and there is a selector at the top of the page for the A4000 HC8. All it does is srcoll down the page to an alternative description for the A4000 version, & there is no A4000 Photo.  :-)

All the Pics on the second link are labelled A2000.  ;-)
Title: Re: SCSI Controller issue
Post by: Zac67 on July 21, 2008, 06:45:28 PM
Hmm - you're right about the pics, but since both the A2k version as well as the A4k one have the very same AutoConfig ID, I venture it's the very same card, just rebatched. Could be wrong though.

PS: Actually I looked at the wrong chip :crazy: - the chips on the right are 33C93s. The A4k version on BBoAH matches the A2k on AHD in detail - same card.
Title: Re: SCSI Controller issue
Post by: rkauer on July 21, 2008, 07:15:11 PM
 Those SCSI controllers are all the same, electrically speaking.

 So they are drop-in replacements. If someone doubts, look for the datasheets...
Title: Re: SCSI Controller issue
Post by: Kin-Hell on July 21, 2008, 07:17:24 PM
But the A2000 version of that card does NOT function correctly in the A4000. No Auto boot for starters, so electricly, it ain`t the same!  ;-)
Title: Re: SCSI Controller issue
Post by: Zac67 on July 21, 2008, 09:05:28 PM
Boot ROM version? :roll:

'Eletrically' there's no difference in autobooting from 1.3 to 3.9, regardless of CPU or machine version.

IMHO it was pretty lame to sell a Zorro II DMA controller in an 'A4000' version - Z III PIO (with a bit of FIFO) would've been way faster with less CPU load.
Title: Re: SCSI Controller issue
Post by: rkauer on July 21, 2008, 11:01:35 PM
Quote

Kin-Hell wrote:
But the A2000 version of that card does NOT function correctly in the A4000. No Auto boot for starters, so electrically, it ain`t the same!  ;-)


 I'm not claiming the board is compatible. I was talking about the controller chip itself!

 Those ROM are different, of course, since they are machine-coded for a specific CPU.
Title: Re: SCSI Controller issue
Post by: Kin-Hell on July 21, 2008, 11:19:35 PM
 :crazy: