FrontBench: using Frontier as a benchmark (Discussion thread)

[stephen_usher]

Yeah, the last public release of the firmware is not that quick if there’s any interaction with the main system at all.

[exxos]

I have moved the about the TF536 stuff to its own thread.

https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewt ... =94&t=5318

[coonsgm]

So finally got Frontbench working (mostly) with my CT63 68060LC @ 75mhz

Some glitchiness, but loads of frames

PXL_20221124_011258698.jpg

[Badwolf]

So finally got Frontbench working (mostly) with my CT63 68060LC @ 75mhz

Some glitchiness, but loads of frames

Cool! That's the first 060 one I've seen!

I presume that's in VGA mode too?

BW

[coonsgm]

In this case, yes it was in VGA mode. I've tried in ST mode and had similar glitchy results.

Funny enough, I had been trying running programs from a standard TOS boot and had no success previously with Frontier.

This is running from a Vanilla Mint install. I have no idea why it works under mint but not from TOS.

[Badwolf]

In this case, yes it was in VGA mode. I've tried in ST mode and had similar glitchy results.

Funny enough, I had been trying running programs from a standard TOS boot and had no success previously with Frontier.

This is running from a Vanilla Mint install. I have no idea why it works under mint but not from TOS.

You're our current winner! https://github.com/dh219/FrontBench/blob/main/README.md

@stephen_usher had problems running Frontbench on a vanilla machine. It would crash just as the first planet came into shot. Bit odd. Couldn't replicate it. Similar failure?

A 50Hz RGB mode should give you figures around 7500 all things being equal -- basically the intro runs longer! ;)

BW

[coonsgm]

The intro runs all the way to completion and is playable running from Mint. The colors just glitch on the "frontier" logo at the bottom. Running from base TOS 4.04 in 060 mode (with just nvdi running) it runs for about 5 seconds and then freezes.

[stephen_usher]

Cool benchmark program!

Here's my Atari 520STM (PAL), with 50Mhz TF536.

Running from TT-Ram: 3073
Running from ST-Ram: 1407

My firmware is not stock though. Its got L1 enabled for Rom and ST-Ram access and I believe the stock one only does that for the onboard sdram.

ST-Ram cache misses are not cheap.. but it still makes an noticeable difference for stuff you can't run in fastram without loosing video (ie; framebuffer ending up in fastram)

OK, well I've just tested Frontbench on my TF536 set-up with MAPROM_C.PRG and PAK/3 TOS 3.06 and I'm getting identical results with the "standard" firmware.

All very stable.

[atari030]

I've been meaning to check this on the CT2b, 5321 frames @ 50mhz, 1649 @ 16mhz and 1486 on the MegaSTE @ 16mhz cache on. Not bad for the old birds.

[Badwolf]

I've been meaning to check this on the CT2b, 5321 frames @ 50mhz, 1649 @ 16mhz and 1486 on the MegaSTE @ 16mhz cache on. Not bad for the old birds.

That's great on the CT2b. Good memory speed there.

Is that at 50 or 60Hz, though?

BW