PaulJ's H4 Mongrel Build x 2

[PaulJ]

Ya, the UltraS runs @ ~990 -> ~1020 kbytes / sec while the IDE is consistently is 1420. DMA's read cycle / byte is faster but IDE is reading two bytes for each read.

Plus, the way IDE is designed for the Atari, the CPU can do two 16-bit IDE reads with a single instruction. Therefore, it takes only 20 CPU clock cycles to transfer 4 bytes. IDE only becomes slow when you start using PC-compatible media, which appear byte-swapped to the Atari over the 16 bit IDE bus and have to be "unswapped" by the CPU. (Unless one uses the Lightning ST, of course; the only IDE interface for the ST that achieves the same fast transfer speed even with byte-swapped media.)

Didn't realize the IDE hardware took a 32 bit read instruction. That helps explain why the IDE is faster than the DMA interface. I actually prefer IDE to the UltraS. I never really use a DOS formatted SanDisk but prefer netusbee or a Lightning card with a ethernet adaptor. I'm a hardcore windoze hater and really avoid it at all costs. When I was at Microware I ported their IDE development system from Sunos to Windoze and really learned to appreciate the pile of smoking dung windoze is. Things that were eligant and simple in Sunos turned into abortions on windoze. I do have a windoze machine to runs some apps that only run on windoze but it only gets powered up occasionally.

[PaulJ]

The good news is netusbee works great with the H4. The bad news is the H4 clock does not work when the netusbee is plugged in. Must be some address contension between the two.

[exxos]

May be worth emailing its creator and mention its not working with the rtc chip ?

[PaulJ]

@Exxos, for some reason the clock on the H4 is working with netusbee plugged in today. Shesh I even powered off yesterday to see if issue cleared. One note though is the auto program sets the year to 99 even though I set the clock to 119 with the fixed set time program.

I'm about to start H4#2 using the SMT MMU and GLUE. Has anyone built a board with the SMT devices and have that board running? Looked at the build directories and it appears no one has used them. Is there a chip PDF for the SMT glue and MMU so I can ohm things out prior to soldering these puppies on the board. Also is there a see throw pic of the board so I can see the traces in the area of the DAC so I can sever the grounding of the analog inputs to the DAC. Rather not have those three leads sticking out.

[exxos]

@Exxos, for some reason the clock on the H4 is working with netusbee plugged in today. Shesh I even powered off yesterday to see if issue cleared.

Odd...

BTW - when using the @PaulJ thing, you have to select the name from the pop up menu else it doesn't work... the text goes red in the post if its worked....

One note though is the auto program sets the year to 99 even though I set the clock to 119 with the fixed set time program.

Maybe @rubber_jonnie know more about it ? There may be a conflict in versions and patches etc I hardly ever used that stuff, but likely it will be soon obsolete when flashyclock comes into play anyway.

I'm about to start H4#2 using the SMT MMU and GLUE. Has anyone built a board with the SMT devices and have that board running?

Not that I am aware of.

Looked at the build directories and it appears no one has used them. Is there a chip PDF for the SMT glue and MMU so I can ohm things out prior to soldering these puppies on the board.

The pinouts are correct.. I prototyped them ages ago... https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewt ... =77&t=1285

Also is there a see throw pic of the board so I can see the traces in the area of the DAC so I can sever the grounding of the analog inputs to the DAC. Rather not have those three leads sticking out.

Good luck with that.. GND is on a inner layer

IMO its just easier to lift the pins up on the chip, or just break them off

Capture.JPG (77.11 KiB) Viewed 3984 times

[PaulJ]

Ok, all sounds reasonable. Guess I'll just leave the leads standing out at attention. Never know when one might want to use them. Too much trouble to putts with ungrounding the analog in pads.

Ya, the clock chip is pretty pricy for what it offers. The program to set the ST time appears to be broken with a y2k bug.

Guess its time to forge on and beat @PhilC to completion of the SMT version.

[rubber_jonnie]

One note though is the auto program sets the year to 99 even though I set the clock to 119 with the fixed set time program.

Maybe @rubber_jonnie know more about it ? There may be a conflict in versions and patches etc I hardly ever used that stuff, but likely it will be soon obsolete when flashyclock comes into play anyway.

@exxos @PaulJ The clock setting can be problematic dependent on which version of TOS you use. TOS 2.06 needs a slightly different set up to earlier versions. Not a lot of difference, but enough to be annoying.

The install of the clock module I built, which is a reverse engineered ForgetMeClock II, is detailed here: https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/last/ ... lation.pdf and this is replicated on the Mongrel with the same clock chip.

The clock setting instructions are on page 8 of the install guide, and you need to be sure to follow them exactly, or your clock won't work correctly. Note the slight difference when setting under TOS 2.06, it is subtle, but enough to make a difference.

The order items are added to the auto folder makes a difference too, hence the boot disk image that is linked to on page 10. All of the software on that disk works correctly, so if in doubt, that's the one to go for.

Let me know how you get on, I intend to start mine over the Christmas period, the final few components are being delivered today.

[PhilC]

Guess its time to forge on and beat @PhilC to completion of the SMT version.

Best get to it then @PaulJ as mines 80% complete.

[PaulJ]

Guess its time to forge on and beat @PhilC to completion of the SMT version.

Best get to it then @PaulJ as mines 80% complete.

Ya, you've got a big jump on me for this board.. I wouldn't let the grass grow under my feet @PhilC.. figure I'll be done around xmas.

[PaulJ]

Thanks @rubber_jonnie , looked at the documentation you provided. Looks like the clock is set correctly but the clock set from the auto folder using 2.06 is AFU. In my book the software should handle any warts that exists in the setting of the clock. I really had no plan on really using this on board clock when the Icky, Exxos flash clock board will available soon.. I do appreciate you providing the additional info.