Vampire 600?

[magnetic]

Hi someone requested new core with TG68.C MC68000 based, but with more memory, it is on my site so please test it.

It is build in just 2 hours, all from my head because I lost most of my codes. Core is not so fast but according to my test stable.
I m sorry for waiting but this this year was not so nice for me and that's why I was away. But I ll explain everything on my site when I found the time.

Also in this version (0.2) memory allocation is strange but I don't want to start talking about that because I afraid that this will bring new discussion between me and BigGun hahahhahaa

Majsta

Ok so I uploaded the v 0.2 core and it seems pretty good! Thanks for posting it up. Interesting how the Ram is configured. ShowConfig shows 16mb fast expansion and 4mb fast expansion and 1mb fast expansion for a total of 21mb! Yay! And good news, the fast ram is now reset proof! I dont know if its because you changed the memory addresses but the whole 21mb survives a reboot now. Tested multiple times. Here is a report of some software

Demos tried (non whdload all original exe)

State of the Art (works)
BoogieTown (works)
9 Fingers (works)
Knoppix by DCS (Works)

Software all working

Octamed 5 (from floppy)
Mind Eye (crashes on exit though)
Delitracker 2
Music X 1.1
Disk Salv 4
DJ PT1210 Software (Akira vs Hoffman)

Software Not working

Octamed 5 (from hard drive) for some reason works from floppy and not from HD?

My cf reader broke, i'm waiting for a new one to come in then ill install more software and report more results.

Looks like V 0.2 Core is pretty good. However, I'm really dying to see the Phoenix core as I'd like to use AmigaAmp to playback some mp3s on this a600 and also to use certain 020+ software.

[magnetic]

Brian
You can achieve that now if you wish to purchase the hardware..

http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1078

Looks out of stock atm but they make them so i'm sure they have a batch coming soon.

[magnetic]

Majsta

Cool it would be nice to see the last core with 020 support. Cant wait for Phoenix too i'm gonna try to catch Biggun on irc. Meanwhile i'll be rockin the V0.2 core!

btw did you see in my post that the Fast ram is surviving warm reboot with the .2 core?

[magnetic]

Yes I did see that part of the msg.
I was playing with the code a little
Also I will try today to build another core with 020 support and 64MB of FastRam.
All the time I was thinking that someone will build new better versions after I opensourced the code, but for half a year nothing.

Majsta

Cool man Ill try the new core for you! One thing I noticed with the 1.0 and .2 core is sometimes simple commands from c: like installer and lha guru? Can you test for me? thanks

[magnetic]

Majsta

Ok Ill check out the thread but i'm banned from EAB so wont be able to contribute. I really need LHA working as I'm doing a lot of file transfering and building up my system. Do you know an lha that works? I've done more testing of .2 core and outside LHA not working properly it seems pretty good. Well another major bug sometimes copying to ram freezes the machine and man we cant have that! Here are some more apps tested as fully working

1. Whdload
2. TSGUI
3. Deluxe Paint IV
4. Dopus 4
5. ClassicWB 68k
6. MagicWorkbench 2.0

If you post up another build i'll try it out and report back.

[magnetic]

Old Lha archiver / self extracting archives does not work with the Vampire600 TG68.C-core version 1.0. Download latest version of LhA:

http://aminet.net/package/util/arc/lha_68k

Known issues in the TG68.C-core version 1.0 (2Way cache -MC68020)

SHK
Thank you very much I couldnt find that info. The EAB link doesnt work for me because i'm not a member and banned

Majsta's site is down??

[magnetic]

wrath

Thank you but i'm already aware of all of that. (not only that its said earlier in the thread) looks like his site is working now

[magnetic]

Kipper2k did manufacture a bunch of boards. He did a hi quality job my board is from him

[magnetic]

He is extremely busy he will get back to you

[magnetic]

I believe the Vampire still comes with the 68000 TG68 core which works out of the box, even for beginners. Your ACA620EC is pretty nice and the Vampire with this core would not offer much if any performance gains (the 68020 is much stronger than the 68000 TG68 without caches per clock). Your ACA620EC supports 68020 compatible code which is a large advantage for applications and games. The Vampire has significantly more memory which may be worthwhile if you are trying to use larger applications but offers little for games. I wouldn't bother upgrading (or should we say side-grading for now) if I was you unless a better core is released.

Yes I'm dying for a new core without cache full 020 w/ ram many apps I need to run on this a600 need 020+

[magnetic]

Old Lha archiver / self extracting archives does not work with the Vampire600 TG68.C-core version 1.0. Download latest version of LhA:

http://aminet.net/package/util/arc/lha_68k

Known issues in the TG68.C-core version 1.0 (2Way cache -MC68020)

Yes! that version of LHA works. However its slow as hell (like a regular 7mhz 68000) Whats weird is Dopus 4 on both versions will extract the lha archive but then it crashes the machine. So i've been using shell for unarcing.

[magnetic]

Akiko

Most people on the list didnt get a follow up as majsta decided not to produce the boards and work on other projects. however, as you can see kipper is making boards.

having said this i want to tell you guys its pretty beta (the cores that is) we really need a stable 020 + core. Right now only 68k is stable , granted its 84mhz with 21mb fast!

[magnetic]

Apollo-team is working hard with the Phoenix-Core. It has already succeeded boot with KS1.3 to CLI window. However, I'm not sure will there be the full 020-support. In the meantime I recommend to use TG68.C-core version 0.2 (no cache - MC68000) and make sure that you have the latest public release of the Directory Opus 4.12: http://dopus.free.fr/files/CU_DirectoryOpus.zip

Its cool that the Apollo team is working with Phoenix now. I've been running 0.2 core for over a week now pretty stable but some memory operations crash or freeze the amiga and I get things like 435,567,078 Chip ram!  

I will try that version of Dopus. Ill have to check my version.

One of my main reasons for going vampire was I thought it would be better than the 620 aca board as i need 020+ for my applications.

Majsta where r u?

[magnetic]

I would have worked on the TG68 68020 nocache with full memory core first. The clock speed will probably be somewhat slower but it becomes more powerful per clock to make up for some of it. I suppose some people would miss the compatibility with the original 600 68000 but then it gains more software compatibility with 68020 support. The Vampire doesn't have any kind of fallback to the 68000 does it?

AFAIK vampire doesnt have fallback or diasable to revert to 68000. I had the a600 on for over 12hrs unzipping archives and ran like a champ. We need one last core for TG68 just like you said with no cache and proper memory map. For instance I was using Hoffman and Akira's PT1210 dj software and after like 20mins locked up on me like 3 times! This must be do to memory configuration ( I may go back to 0.1 core to test)  It would be nice to at least implement the quit command for whdload in current core its annoying to have to reboot to play another game. Not that I game that much but from time to time.

[magnetic]

@magnetic
Hey, I m focused on getting Phoenix to work those days, but I started to work on some TG68 based cores, with 020 supprot and maybe reset fix. Pls just be patient since I don't have much time.

.

Hey Majsta

Thats cool because Phoenix looks like the way to go! However, a stable 020 with stable mem access is the ticket for now i think. The reset thing is not that big of a deal and it appears like you found a workaround but I think those new memory addresses crash the box when the mem gets allocated funny. Stability is the biggest thing for me since i'm using this for music production and sampling and live playback. Should I revert to 0.1 core? I think i'm just going to leave my usb blaster plugged into the vampire and run a cable out of the amiga so if you need any core testing let me know. I went on Apollo team irc the other night but nobody was around I was up late and gave it a shot.

[magnetic]

Ok so since my rf modulator is removed I'm running my usb blaster cable through the hole into the 600 its great. Ready to programme!