Chip RAM

[MarkAshley]

I've just got my new Amiga up and running. Currently it's an A1200 with a Blizzard 040/40/32Mb, 8.4gb HDD and CD-ROM. I have installed OS3.9 on the hard drive. I have also installed some of my games on to the hard disk using WHDLoad.

The problem is that by the time I have loaded Workbench, I don't have enough chip RAM available to run any games. I have about 1.3Mb of chip RAM available, but some of my games require 1.5 or 2Mb.

So here are my questions:

1. Are there any tricks to make OS3.9 use fast RAM instead of chip RAM, thus freeing up some of my valuable chip RAM?

2. I am planning on towering the A1200 and adding a Mediator and Voodoo 3. If I do this, will Workbench still use chip RAM, or will it use the Voodoo's on-board RAM, leaving all my chip RAM free for games?

Thanks
Mark

[MrZammler]

in prefs workbench there is an option to use fast ram instead of chip for graphics.

[orange]

1.I remember that Wb1.3 had fastmemfirst, there must be similar programs for Wb3.9  :-)
2. I'm not sure, it should be correct but only for games that can use voodoo and there ain't many of them

[orange]

oops sorry, double post..

[Piru]

@orange

1.I remember that Wb1.3 had fastmemfirst, there must be similar programs for Wb3.9

I don't. Anyway, any fast memory in modern system has priority over chip mem.

2. I'm not sure, it should be correct but only for games that can use voodoo and there ain't many of them

When you use graphics card such as Voodoo, more chip memory is left available for games.

You need a second monitor for RGB output though, or a tvcard to feedback the gfx to voodoo...

[TNovosel]

If you have only AGA machine, download fblit from aminet, use only 64 or less colors on WB. On my A1200 040 I use WB with 64 colors in 672x576 res., with os3.9 installed. Free CHIP memory is about 1,8 Mb.

[amigakit]

Well you can minimise Chip RAM usage by going into Workbench/Prefs and then clicking on Workbench prefs program.

At the cycle gadget, select Images In: Other Memory

However as has been said here, there is no substitution for having a graphics card such as the Voodoo and Mediator system.  I have constantly 1.868 MB Chip RAM remaining with the Mediator.  Also bear in mind that Chip Memory is very very slow so it pays to use a graphics card with only FAST RAM being used.

[MarkAshley]

Piru wrote:
When you use graphics card such as Voodoo, more chip memory is left available for games.

That's great

Piru wrote:
You need a second monitor for RGB output though, or a tvcard to feedback the gfx to voodoo...

I was planning to use a TV card in the Mediator to view 15KHz screenmodes in a window on the Voodoo. Any idea how well this works?

[amigakit]

I cant see how you would use a TV card to achieve this - because everytime you start a 15Khz app or game, P96 would switch off and hand over to the AGA chipset.

You could do this if you had a second Amiga though.

[MarkAshley]

Oh I didn't realise that. Let's assume I have 2 screens - a VGA monitor on the Voodoo and a telly on the Amiga composite out. If I run a 15KHz game, would my Workbench disappear from the VGA monitor?

[Piru]

@MarkAshley

I was planning to use a TV card in the Mediator to view 15KHz screenmodes in a window on the Voodoo. Any idea how well this works?

It works pretty well. Even HW hitting games work, as long as you initialize the tvout before lauching the game (this might be a bit tricky to get working right, WHDLoad might work pretty well here).

There has been lots of discussion about this, for example this thread.

PS. I've only seen it in action, I haven't actually built such system myself.

[Lando]

MarkAshley wrote:
Oh I didn't realise that. Let's assume I have 2 screens - a VGA monitor on the Voodoo and a telly on the Amiga composite out. If I run a 15KHz game, would my Workbench disappear from the VGA monitor?

I think it depends on the game.  When I had my Mediator-based A4k, I found that some games, and even some scene-demos, would run on the TV connected to the RGB-out, and not only could I still see Workbench on the monitor connected to the Voodoo, but I could still keep working in Workbench too.  Of course this only happens with those demos/games that don't turn off multitasking.

[MarkAshley]

Hmmm, that's not ideal. If I'm going to go for a single-monitor solution I want to know that everything will display on the VGA monitor. Any idea if WHDLoad is more likely to leave Workbench running?

[amigakit]

I can understand system compliant apps/games working without problems through the TV card - but the vast majority of games are hardware banging

I'll certaintly try this with WHDLoad though.

[MarkAshley]

Thanks Amigakit, it would be great if you could try it. It would be worth your while actually, because if it works then I'll be ordering the Mediator and TV Card from you