True discussion MegaSTE vs MEGA with Pak68 et al

[Bikerbob]

OK

So as many of you know who have read my posts .. I have had a couple of MEga STEs for a few years now. UPgrades.. or MODs etc.. have been very difficult for this machine because the cost and speciality of making PLCC adaptors is ridiculous.

I love them.. but if I would like to run Mint or any serious DTP or multitasking environment.. getting the MEgaSTe up to it.. is at the moment a wish .. unless MonSTEr boards come back out or rpineau's board gets to the point where I can produce one .. which is a plan.. but this might be a year or two off yet.
I think the re-worked STF is still a while off as well?

I did just pickup a Mega 2 - now a Mega4 (populated ram) - It currently has an ADSpeed in it.. which is cool. but I am thinking of maybe going the nine yards with this and getting a PAK68/3 system Pupla Frak Panther.

I think.. a mega 4 with all that in it.. is about as good as I can go with still having ST compatibility.

The MegaSTE might .. maybe .. be able to get extended ram and accelerator at some point. But not right now.

Opinions? I am thinking of going for the Pak68 stuff.. any real issues with going that route?

James

[PhilC]

Hi James

I have a Mega ST4 with a Pak68/3 running at 40mhz, an Ultrasatan and have a 2mb ET4000 connected and it's a pretty quick ST but mines lacking in the Alt Ram or TT ram area but presuming I could get a Frak, I'd happily upgrade it.

I think the main issue will be getting hold of a Pak68/3 in the first place. I'd happily build a second if I could find another PCB.

[Darklord]

Agreed - the Pak boards are rarer than proverbial hens' teeth. :)

That being said, as far as sheer power goes, a fully decked out Pak
setup will blow a stock Mega STe away.

BUT...as many people will be quick to point out, and rightfully so, you
will not get all the audio/video bonuses that a Mega ST has....so you
might want to factor that into your considerations as well.

Good luck! :)

[DoG]

BUT...as many people will be quick to point out, and rightfully so, you
will not get all the audio/video bonuses that a Mega ST has...

Must be Mega STe you mean.

[exxos]

Pak should win CPU wise. It has internal cpu caches , the mste does not. I posted benchmarks for the mste a while ago. Mixed results but its only a 68000 with cache ram. 16mhz boost vs 40mhz pak etc.

[Darklord]

BUT...as many people will be quick to point out, and rightfully so, you
will not get all the audio/video bonuses that a Mega ST has...

Must be Mega STe you mean.

Yes, that is what the discussion was about. Couldn't figure out how to edit my post.

[TheNameOfTheGame]

There's a discussion currently at the German forum about the mainboard boot roms needed for non-German TOS versions when using the PAK.

Can anyone comment on what they are using for the boot roms in their systems? Are you using them at all or does it just work with the existing mainboard roms?

[PhilC]

Can anyone comment on what they are using for the boot roms in their systems? Are you using them at all or does it just work with the existing mainboard roms?

I'm using UKTos 1.02 on the main board of my Mega ST, with the Pak 3.06.

Boots with no issues here.

[DoG]

I'm using swedish TOS 1.02 and sometimes swedish TOS 1.04 when running in 68000 mode. Have US pak TOS when running 68030 mode. Works fine.

Don't think I have tested pak without ROMs on the main board.

[TheNameOfTheGame]

That's interesting since the manual says boot roms are needed for TOSes other than German.

Guess it's not needed. :?: