Picasso II vs. 2386SX Bridgeboard

[curtis]

Okay, I'm going to duck after I post this!

Going through my stuff, I discovered I have a Picasso II board left over from when I owned an A3000.

Decided to drop it into my 2000 and see how it looks.

Anyway, after installing the software, suddenly the bridgeboard doesn't work!  It would appear they both want to write to the same memory area!

I'm thinking the 2 really don't want to co-exist in the same computer.

So, my questions are:

1.  Which to keep?
2.  Why?

And now I will duck from the people who will probably have some strong things to say about my "OBVIOUSLY VERY STUPID QUESTIONS."

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

AFAIK the PII requires 2MB of ZII address space.  And the bridgeboard requires 2MB.  You may need to cut down any additional memory expansion you have to just 4MB.  Honestly, I'd just remove all your expansions and start adding them back one-by-one until it breaks, to see what's up.  That's probably the easiest way.  

Also make sure you're running this:  http://lilliput.amiga-projects.net/Picasso96.htm   Don't know if it will help, but it might.  

Edit:  Have you checked that they're both showing up in early startup?

[SACC-guy]

The PicassoII is more useful.

[spirantho]

The Bridgeboard is more useful if you want to run PC software  

The two co-exist happily, just make sure there's 4MB memory space available, 2MB each.

[curtis]

So, I can run both, but need to cut my RAM back to 4MB?

Hmmm, I  already installed a switch to flip between 8MB and 6MB for when I want to run the Bridgeboard or not.  Would have to switch between 6MB and 4MB to keep both.

Also, could PC-Task take the place of the Bridgeboard?  Would a 68000 suffice for PC-Task?

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Also, could PC-Task take the place of the Bridgeboard?  Would a 68000 suffice for PC-Task?

You're comparing PC-Task running on a bog-standard 68000 to a piece of dedicated hardware with it's own RAM, bus, and 25MHz 386SX processor?  Ummmm...  I guess it depends on what you intend to do with it, but I think you already know the answer to that one.  :lol:

Edit: side thought:  what are you going to do with A PII graphics card and a plain 68000?  Throw a proper accelerator in there with the PII, and maybe you could use PC-Task (can it use the advanced graphics modes to emulate VGA?).

[Motormouth]

So, I can run both, but need to cut my RAM back to 4MB?

Hmmm, I  already installed a switch to flip between 8MB and 6MB for when I want to run the Bridgeboard or not.  Would have to switch between 6MB and 4MB to keep both.

Also, could PC-Task take the place of the Bridgeboard?  Would a 68000 suffice for PC-Task?

Yes this is correct!  you would need to go down to 4 MB of zorro II memory.  
I have had a PII and a bridgeboard running at the same time in the past with no problems.

If you temporarily need 6mb and don't need the PII (go back to ecs/ocs modes), there is a program that came with the PII, I forget what it was called to allow you to use the PII's memory as Zorro II memory.   This way you can have your cake and eat it too.

[QuikSanz]

@curtis,

Memory is key. With an 060 in my A2000 I could add anything and keep 128 Mb. When it died I had to put back an 030/40 combo with 16Mb max and had to remove 4 Mb to put in PicIV for it to work.

Chris

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

(can it use the advanced graphics modes to emulate VGA?).

Answered my own question.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulation_on_the_Amiga#PCTask

[Motormouth]

Oh I forgot one other thing.

Picasso96 needs an 020+ .
consider using the original RTG program picassoRTG that came with PII/+
can be found over at amiga hardware database
http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/picasso2
http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/picasso2plus

It will not be as compatible with all the picasso96 software out there but it will get 95% of the job done.

I cannot recall if early versions of cybergraphX needed an 020+ or not.

[Gulliver]

I would get rid of the bridgeboard and use PC-Task 3.1 (which supports 68000 Amigas).
And yes, you cannot use Picasso96 on a 68000 Amiga. Use that ancient driver that came with the Picasso II board.

[spirantho]

PC-Task 3.1 will run on a 68000 - at about the speed of a 0.5 MHz 486. If you want to run anything serious, a 386SX bridgeboard at 25MHz is a no-brainer. PC-Task on a 68000 is orders of magnitude slower.

[spirantho]

By the way - if you plump for the Picasso in the end, I'm looking to buy an A2386SX. I have a batch of brand new Cx486SLC2/50 (50MHz 486 chips that work on a 386SX board via clock-doubling) and I want to check them out....

[curtis]

Well, after fussing with the Picasso and all my displays, I've actually decided I really don't care to keep the 2000 at all.  

I don't use it enough to justify "hoarding" it/keeping it "just in case."

My 500's do everything I normally do with an Amiga.

So, I will be parting it out.

Spirantho has first dibs on the bridgeboard.

Anyone want to make me an offer on the Picasso?  It comes with the jumper cable and the DB23 to DB15 adapter.

Ditto the 2000 with the GVP HC8+(8MB RAM switchable to 6MB), SCM PCD-50B, kickstart ROM switch with 1.3 and 3.1 (manually switched - switch located in front under drives), and Indivision de-interlacer/vga adapter, keyboard, mouse (USB with adapter from retrocable).

My location is Amarillo, TX USA, so take that into consideration with your offers.

I'll give it a couple of days then will start the process of listing it on fleabay.  Need to take pics, etc.