Radeon 9200 256MB & RAM

[Darrin]

Hi all,

After a long, drawn out battle with the US Post Office who sent me an apology note for destroying (no details on what they did with it, just that they were very, very sorry) the first package, my 5v Radeon 9200 256MB card arrived from Elbox.

Before I go any further, let me thank Elbox support for answering my numerous emails because I'm too dumb to set the jumpers correctly on my Mediator logic card which resulted in all sorts of initial confusion, gurus and head-banging.  

The final driver update package has not yet been released, so the necessary files need to be manually dragged/copied into place.

What's in the box?  Right now, just the Radeon card and some bubble wrap.  The new files can be downloaded from Elbox.

First, configure your Mediator logic board.  In my case, that's the A4000D board.  Set the following jumpers:

MASTER:  CLOSED
WINSIZE:  CLOSED
SWAP CONFIG:  OPEN

Install your RTG software, in my case I used P96 v2.1c, and choose the "Cybervision 643D" option as your graphics card.

Look in your Sys:dev/monitors for the Cybervision monitor driver and rename it "Radeon", then go into the information and change the "BOARDTYPE" to equal "Radeon".

Re-run your P96 install and select "update an installed version" and select only "monitor setting".  Select the maximum supported rate for the monitor you're planning on using.

Manually copy the new PCI.libray file into sys:libs.

Manually copy the Radeon.card file into sys:libs/picasso96

Create a text file containing 2 characters (the amount of memory you wish to reserve for the Mediator - I used "32" for 32MB) and call it "RadeonMem".  Place this file in your envarc:mediator directory.  This will cause your remaining Radeon memory to be added to your available system memory.

Reboot and open your Picasso 96 preferences, select "attach settings" option and choose the available "Board0:Radeon" option.  Adjust your screen modes to your heart's content and SAVE the settings.  I'm still tweaking the various available modes to remain within the range of my monitor, so make sure you TEST each one before you go to the Workbench ScreenMode Prefs and save one of the Radeon modes to use on boot up.

I have a ViewSonic VA2223wm monitor (link: http://www.viewsonic.com/products/desktop-monitors/lcd/value-series/va2223wm.htm ).  I've connected my IndivisionAGA to the VGA input and the Radeon's DVI output to the monitor's DVI input.  My manual monitor switcher box is now on a shelf.

If only one video source (native or RTG) is active then the monitor will automatically switch to it.  If both are active (say I run SysInfo from my Radeon Workbench) then I press the input select button on the front of the monitor to switch screens.  Exiting SysInfo closes the available native screen and the display automatically switches back to the Radeon.

The display is crystal clear and Workbench feels very snappy indeed.

With my Workbench up and running (Classic AGA) with the various utilities and patches in the background, I have the following memory free:

2,031,424 Graphics Mem
308,218,880 Other Mem

this is made up from my 2MB Chip RAM, 16MB RAM on motherboard, 64MB RAM on Warp Engine CPU Card and the remainder from the Radeon.

All in all, this is an excellent solution for those who want a single monitor setup with no switcher-box and some extra RAM thrown in for good measure.  Nice one Elbox.

[Darrin]

Back from oildrilling?!

Could you please check the versions from
radeon.card and pci.library
I am very interessted in ... and adding memory is done like discribed in my "hack"-posting or did they include a own solution for it?

I also loved to see a photo from the radeon-pcb (i like to change to a dvi-version, too) ...

THANX

Hi there,

Sorry for the late reply, but today has been a real shitter.  My brother works on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico and had a heart attack.  He was flown in to a hospital about 3 and a half hours from here so my wife and I drove there this morning and I just got back.  He's having tripple by-pass tomorrow and his wife is flying in from the UK tomorrow evening.

I just run the Mediator config and it reports:

PCI Lib:  v9.0
Radeon.card:  v2.9

I have your "hack" printed out, because this is how I expected to have to do it, but this isn't the case.  All that you have to do to allocate the memory is put the new PCI.library in the sys:libs folder and place that 2 character text file in the envarc:mediator folder.  That is it.  No changes to the startup sequence or anything.  When you reboot the memory shows as available.

I don't know how the memory performance holds up to the new ZorRAM, but before shipping costs, this works out a less than half the price for 256MB (minus the 32MB I reserved for the Mediator).  It also makes the "bundle" package of a Mediator + Radeon card look very attractive.

Now all I have to do is work out how to make a 1920x1080 24bit P96 screen mode for my monitor and I'll be happy as a pig in poo.

[Darrin]

I'm interested to know how you have Radeon.card v2.9?

I got the latest MMCD 2.0 updates, and the Radeon.card version in that is v2.12, also the PCI.library is v9.4. This is confirmed on ELBOX's website - in the downloads section.

I've got an A1200 with a 128MB Radeon card (also got a 256MB card, but not fitted it as yet), and a Mediator TX, but I don't see the additional RAM in my system memory, even though I'm not using all the available RAM on the card.

Anyone else getting the RAM to work / show up in an A1200 Mediator TX setup?

I got the earlier v2.9 (nine) as it was an earlier beta pre-MMCD2.0 (which I haven't installed yet).  I guess the v2.12 (twelve) is the latest and greatest.

Do you have that text file I described in the correct location (envarc:mediator/)?

If in doubt, manually copy the latest PCI.Library file over just in case the installer isn't doing it.

[Darrin]

A1200 needs a working MMU for Memory-Hack.
AND it is not official supported (only on Z3 "A3/4k).
I dont know if the new PCI.library supports the A1200.
Alternativ try my hack (posted a while ago).

It is not confirmed, that it works on a A1200 .... good luck.

(Darren .. did you configured your Mediator with 512MB MemWindow first and 16MB ConfigSpace  as second? .. Otherwise all Z3-Mem is reserved by Mediator and no ZorRam & Deneb will work anymore)
;-)

Errr... don't know.

I set the jumpers as per Elbox instructions and the binary file I created contains "32" to reserve 32MB for the Mediator.  I definately have the additional RAM.

I'm back in Brazil at the moment so I can't fiddle with any settings (and I'm not calling my wife to unleash her on my Miggy!).  

[Darrin]

Which specific hack would that be?

It would be helpful if you could mention it here, while were on the subject, or a link to it would be appreciated, and thanks for your quick response.

As Ratte is offline at the moment, here's a link to a thread he started discussing how to do his "hack":

http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=48423

Just for your info, I first got my Radeon card working and then all I had to do for the extra RAM was replace the PCI.Library file and create the text file.  As soon as I rebooted the extra RAM showed up.

Here's a screengrab of my Workbench and you can see the memory on the top bar and in the bottom left corner:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b134/darrin01311/grab2.jpg