Using VRAM as fast ram?

[carvedeye]

Use OS4.1

Unfortunatly i dont have a PPC accelerator in my system otherwise i would

[danbeaver]

Although I haven't used them, MCP and Watcher have capabilities to add other items to the title bar.  OS4.1 has it as part of the Workbench Prefs program.  AmigaSYS4 has stuff in its title bar, but I don't know if it is an option.

[Karlos]

Use OS4.1

It might be OK as swap memory but it would be a terrible substitute for actual fast ram on a PPC machine. At least if mediator 1200 vram access speed is any measure

[slaapliedje]

Probably just put in version 9.7 or 10 of PCI.library and reboot.

There's a version 10 of pci.library out?

For the question of how to get fast ram to show up at the top of the screen.  I could be wrong, but I think OS3.9 supports it.  If not, maybe it's something else already mentioned, but I know ClassicWB for 3.9 has it, as does Amikit for Real.

slaapliedje

[Gulliver]

Worked a treat many thanks

Now how do i get the graphics mem to show at the top of workbench instead of the AGA graphics mem?

You have several alternatives:

1.Use Directory Opus Magellan, which has an option to do that.

2.Use MCP and configure your workbench title to nearly whatever you want (including showing rtg memory).

3.A more complex one, use availp96 and redirect its output.

If you dont have already installed Magellan, I suggest you use MCP. Avoid at all costs OS4 on Amiga hardware, as it noticeably degrades performance. OS4 is better suited to PPC motherboards such as the SAM and AmigaOne series.

[danbeaver]

...Avoid at all costs OS4 on Amiga hardware, as it noticeably degrades performance. OS4 is better suited to PPC motherboards such as the SAM and AmigaOne series.

As I have stated in the OS4 threads, OS4 on a Blizzard 603e is adversely affected by that hardware when compared to the CSPPC.  Even on a lowly 50/150 CSPPC, OS4.1 is a quick, modern and smooth experience.  The type of HDD interface will make all OS's appear slow or fast, with the UW-SCSI of the CSPPC reaching in the 30+ MB/s range.  The A1200 add ons just won't get near that number.  Having used OS4.1 on A4000D's, A4000T's and an X-1000, the experience is uniformly positive and similar.  The Classic Amiga hardware can not keep up with the graphics and HDD speed of the NG systems, but that is no reason to trash classic Amiga's running OS4.1.  Simply put, a 6 ounce sparrow cannot carry a one pound coconut, i.e., a 603e A1200 can't keep up with an A4000D/T.

As far as the RAM speeds of VRAM, MB RAM, Zorro3 RAM and CS RAM, the numbers are on the Hyperion forums; while the Zorro3 speed is in the middle in between MB/VRAM and on-board Cyberstorm RAM, the Zorro3 RAM is only marginally fast enough to use a swap memory in an OS4.1 system and MB/VRAM just will not cut the mustard. On a OS3.9 system, one would be hard pressed to use up 128 MB or even the 300+MB that can result from combined RAM use.

[danbeaver]

There's a version 10 of pci.library out?...
slaapliedje

Yes, Elbox sold Radeon 92XX cards that were not recognized in OS4.1 and their attempt to write a driver/library for a OS4.1 kernel resulted in version 10.  It can be used to build a kernel that can handle those cards, but it leaves the system unstable; it also does not allow any of Elbox's other PCI cards to run.  The OS4.1 team wrote their own device drivers for the PCI bus of the Mediator which is why there are two different PCI card sets: one for OS3.X and one for OS4.1.  They only overlap on the RTL8029 and the Radeon cards.

[slaapliedje]

Ah, that makes sense, Danbeaver.  It's too bad that no one has been able to get a Mesa/Warp3D driver using the Radeon cards.  Granted I may be talking out of my ass about this, I have no clue how hard it'd be, but it seems that with the 9250 having been working great in Linux, some of that code may be useful in getting that.

But then I think.. besides maybe getting Quake 1 and 2 working with hardware acceleration, would there be much benefit?  I don't know if any of the 3D rendering software for the Amiga would use it.

I've read about some wrappers, but I don't think they work with the Radeon... unless of course you're running OS4.x.  In fact, from what I read somewhere, if you're running OS3.x, Voodoo is the way to get Warp3D, or if you're running OS4.1, Radeon, because one doesn't work in the other.  Unfortunately Voodoo cards are extremely expensive (at least the ones you'd want for an Amiga.)

Too Bad I couldn't use my Voodoo 1 or two cards that I think I still have ha ha.

slaapliedje

[danbeaver]

With the release of the version 1 of the Radeon HD driver (for use by the Radeon HD series of cards) by the OS4 team, that driver is described as being "ready for 3D drivers" to be written using not a Warp kludge, but something on the order of OpenGL.  Is seems all the 3D hardware systems code is available for the calls to have it implemented.  OS3.X users will have to rely upon the Voodoo and Radeon 92xx cards for implementation or on cards other than the few much slower Zorro based 3D RTG'S.  Best cost vs benefit card for an OS3.X system is a Voodoo3 2000 that can be over clocked to match the more expensive and harder to find Voodoo3 3000

[slaapliedje]

Ha ha, I was just looking at the cards on eBay, there is still (pretty sure it's the same one that's been there for years) a Voodoo 5 5500 PCI card for $400...  Maybe I'll look into getting a Voodoo 3 2 or 3000 (seems there's both on ebay right now, though one a bit more pricey than I want to spend right now.)  

It'd be nice if someone had gotten 3D acceleration on the Radeon 92xx cards for OS3.x  It looked at one point like someone was going to work on it, but it was a few years back and I didn't see any downloads for it.

slaapliedje

[slaapliedje]

Ha ha, earlier this morning I received the amiga-mediator mailing list post saying that pci.library 9.9 has been released.  It supposedly auto-adds the VRAM from the Radeons that have the 2x128mb banks like my card does.  I think I was messing around with medconfig and set it to 128mb so it'd get the full 128mb from the second bank, so hopefully when I get home, I'll end up with 356mb+128mb of fast ram!

slaapliedje

[danbeaver]

Ha ha, I was just looking at the cards on eBay, there is still (pretty sure it's the same one that's been there for years) a Voodoo 5 5500 PCI card for $400...  Maybe I'll look into getting a Voodoo 3 2 or 3000 (seems there's both on ebay right now, though one a bit more pricey than I want to spend right now.)  

It'd be nice if someone had gotten 3D acceleration on the Radeon 92xx cards for OS3.x  It looked at one point like someone was going to work on it, but it was a few years back and I didn't see any downloads for it.

slaapliedje

Drivers for the Voodoo cards only support one of the two GPU's on the 5500, so a 4500 is the fastest for an absurd amount of money.  Then the fastest PCI bus for the cards is the Grex 4000 @ 50 mb/s.

[Lurch]

I've been using 256MB RAM from my Radeon using the 9.6 pci.library. I've picked up two Radeon 9200's both identical that allow me to do it.

I've had the Voodoo 5 5500 for awhile now, going by prices will hold on to it. Of course you are better off buying through Amibay, Ebay is known for inflated prices.

The issue with the Voodoo 5 is that you can only use one GPU, so the other just sits there idle. However you can clock the Voodoo 5 higher, which helps when playing Quake or Quake2. Smooth as silk. :-)

Duke 3d runs a lot better with the Voodoo 5 too, I've tested it with the Voodoo 3 and I can't get the same performance. Plus with the Voodoo 5 supports higher WB resolutions. 1080p WB is something to see, combined with AFA OS and zune promoter nice :-)

My only gripe is no Warp3D support for the Radeon 9200, otherwise I'd probably remove the Voodoo. Although it does look good having a full length card in the case :-)

Version 10 of the pci.library works fine under OS3.9 but doesn't show any real benefit.

[slaapliedje]

I just tried the new pci.library version 9.9, but it didn't add any extra ram yet.  I only just copied it over though, so I'm guessing that there is a newer version of medconfig that comes with the 2.2 update that Elbox released.

I'll have to check Amibay to see if I can find a Voodoo card.  It's not like anything on the Amiga would even utilize the second GPU, isn't it basically the first 'SLI' on a single card?  I remember that's where Nvidia got the SLI tech from, when they bought 3Dfx.  It was nice when there were 3 or 4 different competitors in the video card market.  Now you basically have ATI/AMD or Nvidia if you want to do any serious 3D with Intel lagging way behind.  Then you have a few other less known ones for embedded systems.  Then there is Matrox who used to totally rock, and at one point in time was rumored to be in the 'New Amigas!!! OMG!" but of course we know how that went...

I also notice there is a huge difference in price and availability between US ebay and UK ebay.  Guess I live in the wrong country for being an Amiga fan.

slaapliedje