Raven. A homemade Atari-like computer

[agranlund]

Mach32 specific memory map looks like it was broken too, and that may explain why that card was working a while ago but not when I tested it recently. I fixed that particular code issue but didn't get a chance to verify.

That was indeed the issue and the Mach32 sprung to life.
Needed some firmware changes to once again work stable and glitch-free, will need to test with the other cards and with the PicoGUS which is especially sensitive to timing.

I may end up needing to make the "speed hacks" for isa-ram access software controlled -- what works on my particular gfxcard may not necessarily be so welcomed on another model.

[agranlund]

I tried the MOD plugin on Panther/2, and GUS. It plays, but for example: the mouse doesn't work properly (it runs to the left). OPL and MID not working.

Lacking a Panther/2 I am unable to test, but if my hunch is correct then the latest version of the mod plugins may work without upsetting the mouse.
It no longer does unnecessary blocks with all interrupts disabled. If nothing else, it at least makes my machine responsive and without jerky mouse cursor during uploading of samples.

https://github.com/agranlund/atarisound/tree/main/bin

[agranlund]

Made a couple of more Simms to test 48MB configuration and indeed... I'm an idiot :)

@Oldskool, try the attached files. I'll get the changes onto Github after you've given a thumbs up.
The attached versions of rom + firmware depends on each other so you cannot use an older firmware with the new rom, or vice versa.
The address for the ROM Simm slot was changed to $40000000 to not cause conflict when enough tt-ram was mapped.

raven_240819.zip

[Oldskool]

Made a couple of more Simms to test 48MB configuration and indeed... I'm an idiot :)

@Oldskool, try the attached files. I'll get the changes onto Github after you've given a thumbs up.
The attached versions of rom + firmware depends on each other so you cannot use an older firmware with the new rom, or vice versa.
The address for the ROM Simm slot was changed to $40000000 to not cause conflict when enough tt-ram was mapped.

raven_240819.zip

Yes it works. It boots and vga output is there.
Memtest also passes successfully.
Thanks!

[agranlund]

Got this ET4000/W32i in the mail today and it appears to be working fine.
It worked out of the box with EmuTOS mono driver but just like with Mach32 it requires some firmware tweaks to be happy when using the Nova driver and SVGA modes. I'll have to get that wip/test stuff integrated and submitted at some point.

I wasn't expecting the Nova driver to support W32i hardware acceleration, but either it does, or it's just a lot faster than the regular AX version?
There is a noticeable difference when scrolling up/down in Devpac, PureC or any kind of situation where large blocks of screen memory is being moved. That was a pleasant surprise and the card went from "a toy for later" to possibly "this one will stay in the computer" :)

w32i.jpg

It's the cheaper and unwanted 512Kb model but for my purpose that's perfectly adequate.
I mainly got it to experiment with the hardware blitter in game-like situations, but since I run my desktop in 800x600 anyway the ram is actually sufficient for that too.
Perhaps it's possible to upgrade it to 1meg?

[frank.lukas]

The W32i chip has a hardware blitter like the MACH32 but the Nova driver doesn't use it I suspect. In my tests the W32i is just as fast as an ET4000ax. The W32i can manage more RAM. There are circuit diagrams online. Perhaps the 1MB in 8x 256kx4 chips can be replaced by 1mx4 chips (4MB) on the card. the W32i has a RAM address line A9...? There are RamDAC chips out there from BT up to 110Mhz.

[danboid]

Sounds like Oldskool managed to get Doom and Quake running - brilliant stuff. No sound for those on the Raven still right?

agranlund:

Might you consider adding Raven support to hatari or whatever your fave open source Atari emulator is, once its stabilised a bit and we know its working well?

My UltraSatan should be arriving today so with my 4 MB RAM STFM I should just meet the minimum requirements to boot FreeMiNT, in text mode at least, I think. I just want to be able to compile a few small programs with gcc and see how slow it is at 8 Mhz :D

Its getting slightly OT but whilst I'm here does anyone know if the Falcon and A1200 can handle a 256 colour desktop under FreeMinT without extra graphics hardware?

[agranlund]

The W32i chip has a hardware blitter like the MACH32 but the Nova driver doesn't use it I suspect. In my tests the W32i is just as fast as an ET4000ax.

Those were my expections since I haven't really heard anyone talk much about the W32i.
But here there is a significant difference when compared to the AX card I was using:
This has to be using the hardware blitter, or it has an internal speed difference that is just nuts compared to my other card.

ET4000AX
[bbvideo]https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WkZdj4k9WhE[/bbvideo]

ET4000/W32i
[bbvideo]https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UaggOzYwH1c[/bbvideo]


Edit: It also appears to be able to use all of the 1MB onboard as framebuffer so 1024x768 appears to be working, and scrolling/block-copying the entire 1024x768 screen is just as fast as in 800x600 and pretty much the same experience as when I use the Mach32.
The regular AX card crawls when doing that.

The card was advertised as 512Kb and the picture from the MS-DOS utility did say 512Kb.
I'm not very familiar with the W32i but perhaps the interleaving stuff is a register option set by the driver, and it goes faster at the expense of halving usable memory on MS-DOS/Windows but not so with the Atari Nova drivers? Or perhaps, the ebay listing was incorrect.

Either way, this card is getting better and better :)

[Oldskool]

Ok I’m convinced. Also bought one.

[PhilC]

They are still surprisingly quite affordable. Typical I just fixed my Mach 32 :lol: