Let's build a complete Mediator guide

[cmsj]

Hey folks

I'm new to the world of Mediators and I've really noticed that information about Mediators is really fragmented. The official docs are not great, and most forum threads are pretty vague and inconclusive.

So, let's fix it.

https://mediators.github.io

The source for the page is in a project on GitHub (https://github.com/Mediators/UnreliableGuide) if you want to file bugs, propose patches, or join the team.
Since GitHub/git is a hard workflow for classic Amigas, I'm also very happy to take fixes/additions/suggestions on this thread, or via my email.

Let's go!

[cmsj]

The part I need that I don't see here is which versions of the software are needed and what order to install it all in. It's sort of glossed over.

Yes, it would be nice to have more detail here. The issue I have with writing that, is that I'm brand new to Mediators, so I've come in with a 2.0 MMCD and only had to apply the 2.5 MM_CD_UP, and this week's pci.library 11.0.

If someone would like to chime in with some experience of going from older MMCDs to current releases, I will transfer the knowledge into the guide

I think over time it would be nice to be able to build up a complete from-scratch install guide, since Elbox's installer is pretty messy.

As far as I'm aware, video cards aren't DMA devices.

Should it be:
The details here are unimportant, leave the jumper open
unless you have a Zorro 3 device which does DMA (e.g. A4091) or a Zorro
3 graphics card.

Good catch, thanks. It should be that first option and I have fixed the guide

[cmsj]

So is it true that you can skip from the 2.0 CD directly to the newest update?

I thought that if you didn't install them each in order, you actually missed some files.

I could have sworn that even before the new pci.library, it needed at least 2 update installers to get everything.

I tore apart a couple of the recent update installers and it looks to me like they include all of the previously updated drivers too, so I think you can just go straight for the latest update.

[cmsj]

It would be a good idea to accumulate drivers for the mediator here. Despite owning two mediator boards, the drivers and their updates are the biggest PITA when dealing with Elbox.

I've just pushed an update to the guide which lists which versions of the drivers are in which of the updates. As I mentioned a couple of posts up, you definitely don't need to install any intermediate versions, just the latest MMCD (2.0) and then the latest MM_CD_UP (2.5 at the time of writing)... (plus any individual files that have been updated, like the pci.library v11 that was released last month).

Please let me know if you have any MMCD or MM_CD_UP versions that aren't listed in the guide (and send me a copy so I can add them!)

I went straight to the latest mediator install and then the latest multimedia installer with no problem after a clean install on my A4000T. I've also done it for a friends machine. The MM-up! disk that comes with them is out of date from the start and no point in using it.

Yeah I was a bit disappointed that the CD didn't have any obvious version number on it, and was out of date, but installing MMCD 2.0 and then MM_CD_UP 2.5 has worked fine for me, and isn't too much work

I also think their install is a giant mess of ugliness, especially the AHI stuff, it seems to end up shoving a smear of different versions onto your hard disk.

[cmsj]

Nice, it would be great too, if you can squeeze in, when in the whole process of installing an Amiga with a Mediator, adding a workbench enhancement like ClassicWB would fit in.

Interesting idea. I don't really use any of the workbench enhancers, so I'm not sure I can add anything useful there, but if they don't touch things like AHI/P96, they can probably be installed any time.

[cmsj]

I will try later this or next month. If it isn't part of the guide by then, maybe I can add it.

Happy to have any additions that can help Mediator users

[cmsj]

Updated the guide with the start of a Troubleshooting section. Please, please, if you have ever had to fix a weird issue with your Mediator, please describe it to me so I can try and get more into the troubleshooting section

[cmsj]

thanks

Progress is pretty slow at the moment, mainly because I can't actually get my Mediator to work. I sent it back to Elbox after months of struggling with a weird issue, and they confirmed it was defective and sent a replacement, and now it doesn't seem to work at all.

So frustrating, I have this beautiful A4000 with a bunch of really great PCI cards, and I'm stuck with nothing :angry:

[cmsj]

Just to let everyone know, I'm stepping back and have marked myself in the guide as being inactive.

If someone else would like to take up maintainership of the guide, please contact me and I'll be happy to transfer it over.