You talked me into it - PiStorm32 Lite in A1200

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rubber_jonnie
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Re: You talked me into it - PiStorm32 Lite in A1200

Post by rubber_jonnie »

alexh wrote: 09 Nov 2025 11:37
Make sure you install the PiStorm WHDload Wrapper
Hmm, it's supposedly installed...

Main issue is that I don't know how to use it yet :dizzy:

The other issue I currently have is that WiFi isn't working so it's something I need to dig further into.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
Steve
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Re: You talked me into it - PiStorm32 Lite in A1200

Post by Steve »

alexh wrote: 09 Nov 2025 11:37 Make sure you install the PiStorm WHDload Wrapper
I haven't installed that (not heard of it previously) but all my WHDLoad games work fine... what's it for?
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Re: You talked me into it - PiStorm32 Lite in A1200

Post by rubber_jonnie »

OK, so I managed to get some very small 5v fans, so I can potentially get some extra cooling into the A1200, however I was a bit busy with other stuff today, so woll have to get back to this laters.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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JezC
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Re: You talked me into it - PiStorm32 Lite in A1200

Post by JezC »

rubber_jonnie wrote: 09 Nov 2025 09:50 I really am a noob when it comes to the Amiga, so need to figure out the fun stuff a bit better :)
It's not just you in this position @rubber_jonnie so please post links of anything you find useful!

I might start to get a little retro hobby time by the end of the coming week so I need to prioritise a list of tasks & getting the A500/A500+ machines working & then upgraded will be on the list somewhere...and if ther is a good reference for it then that is sure to make them happen sooner than having to do all the research in teh firest place!

:thumbup:
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Re: You talked me into it - PiStorm32 Lite in A1200

Post by rubber_jonnie »

JezC wrote: 09 Nov 2025 20:15
rubber_jonnie wrote: 09 Nov 2025 09:50 I really am a noob when it comes to the Amiga, so need to figure out the fun stuff a bit better :)
It's not just you in this position @rubber_jonnie so please post links of anything you find useful!

I might start to get a little retro hobby time by the end of the coming week so I need to prioritise a list of tasks & getting the A500/A500+ machines working & then upgraded will be on the list somewhere...and if ther is a good reference for it then that is sure to make them happen sooner than having to do all the research in teh firest place!

:thumbup:
I'll post what I find 😁
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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Re: You talked me into it - PiStorm32 Lite in A1200

Post by alexh »

Steve wrote: 09 Nov 2025 17:58
alexh wrote: 09 Nov 2025 11:37 Make sure you install the PiStorm WHDload Wrapper
I haven't installed that (not heard of it previously) but all my WHDLoad games work fine... what's it for?
How technical do I go?

Emu68 (the microcode for the 680x0 in PiStorm) has various "knobs" for tuning compatibility vs speed.

The PiStorm WHDload wrapper is a "database" of games which are known to require a different setting of those knobs from the default.

When you launch a game using WHDload with the WHDload wrapper installed it sets Emu68's knobs to a known compatible setting and puts them back when you quit.

For most games the default Emu settings are good enough. For some games and lots of demos the wrapper solves a lot of compatibility issues.
Senior Principal ASIC Engineer - SystemVerilog, VHDL
Thalion Webshrine - http://thalion.atari.org
ST,STf,STfm,STe,MegaST,MegaSTe,Falcon060
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Re: You talked me into it - PiStorm32 Lite in A1200

Post by rubber_jonnie »

alexh wrote: 10 Nov 2025 10:10
Steve wrote: 09 Nov 2025 17:58

I haven't installed that (not heard of it previously) but all my WHDLoad games work fine... what's it for?
How technical do I go?

Emu68 (the microcode for the 680x0 in PiStorm) has various "knobs" for tuning compatibility vs speed.

The PiStorm WHDload wrapper is a database of games and the best Emu68 settings of those knobs.

When you launch a game using WHDload with the WHDload wrapper installed it sets Emu68's knobs to a known compatible setting and puts them back when you quit.

For most games the default Emu settings are good enough. For some games and lots of demos the wrapper solves a lot of compatibility issues.
Good to know, thanks :)
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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Re: You talked me into it - PiStorm32 Lite in A1200

Post by Steve »

yeah thanks for the explanation @alexh that makes sense.
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Re: You talked me into it - PiStorm32 Lite in A1200

Post by alexh »

Here is a link to the latest version of the PiStorm WHDload Wrapper (taken from the PiStorm Discord WHDload wrapper sub-channel)

http://tinyurl.com/bdhuz3ts
Senior Principal ASIC Engineer - SystemVerilog, VHDL
Thalion Webshrine - http://thalion.atari.org
ST,STf,STfm,STe,MegaST,MegaSTe,Falcon060
A500+,A600,A4000/060,CD32,CDTV
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Re: You talked me into it - PiStorm32 Lite in A1200

Post by rubber_jonnie »

In case anyone is interested I got these from Amazon: Micro Fans

I have the USB connectored fans but there are other variants. They seem to have quite a bit of airflow and are quite quiet, though I expect it would be possible to set up some sort of fan control.

Shown here with an SD card for scale.

IMG20251110101442.jpg
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Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...

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