Subject: REVIEW: Amiga Accelerator System (68000) 14MHz Hack
From: [email-masked] (Janne Siren)
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1992 21:16:16 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews

PRODUCT NAME
 
	Amiga Accelerator System: (68000) 14MHz Hack
	Version 4.0, 10/03/1992
 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
 
	Accelerating your Amiga isn't cheap. Even small accelerators like
	AdSpeed, running a 68000 at 14MHz, might just be too much for your
	wallet.  How about building one by yourself?
 
	Livio Plos and Joerg Richter have one answer to the problem:  they
	have released building instructions for a simple 14MHz accelerator
	to the public as shareware.
 
AUTHOR/COMPANY INFORMATION
 
	Name:		Livio Plos
	Address:	via Amalteo 15
			33170 Pordenone
			Italy
	Internet:	[email-masked]
 
	Name:		Joerg Richter
	Address:	Dresdener Strasse 21
			2150 Buxtehude
			Germany
	Internet:	[email-masked]
 
LIST PRICE
 
	Shareware fee:	US $15
	PCB and fee:	US $30
	Components:	US $40 (approximately)
	All in one:	US $70 (approximately)
 
SPECIAL HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
 
	HARDWARE
 
	None, but FAST memory is heavily recommend for best speed results.
 
	SOFTWARE
 
	None.
 
COPY PROTECTION
 
	None.
 
REVIEW
 
	The accelerator I'm testing was built by a friend of mine, and it's
	based on 14MHz hack version 4.0	with a few modifications.  For
	information about building such accelerator, you should obtain the
	building instructions.  You should be able to download the
	distribution archive from your local BBS.
 
	The board is quite easy to install.  First, remove all peripherals
	and open your machine (invalidates warranty!), and then replace the
	old processor with the accelerator board.  And if you did everything
	as you should, your Amiga is now running a 68000 at 14MHz.  It is
	also possible to use a 68010 processor; it's faster, but not very
	stable.
 
	The performance increase is not very much if compared to commercial
	68020 (or faster) accelerators, but with FAST memory expansion you
	will notice the difference.  There might also be some compatibility
	problems, but in general there shouldn't be any problems, because
	(running at 14MHz) only the E-Clock signal is modified a little bit
	and the CIA's of the Amiga can handle this.  You can also turn the
	14MHz mode off, even while the computer is still up and running.
 
	PERFORMANCE
 
	[Basic (7MHz) Amiga 500 with no FAST memory]
 
	SysInfo V2.70 by Nic Wilson
 
	SPEED COMPARISONS AGAINST KNOWN MODELS & PERIPHERALS
 
	A500 512k or A500 with 1MB CHIP ONLY........... 1.06
	B2000, A2000, A1000 or A500 with fast ram...... 0.80
	B2000  GVP A3001 28MHZ ALL CACHES & BURSTS..... 0.09
	A2500  A2620 68020 14MHZ card.................. 0.28
	A3000/25 SCRAM ICACHE IBURST DCACHE NODBURST... 0.12
	A3000  PP&S 68040 ICACHE DCACHE COPYBACK....... 0.02
	IBM PC/XT or compatible........................ 3.44
	CPU Million Instructions per Second............ 0.49
	FPU Million Floating Operations per Second..... N/A
	Speed of Chip Memory vs A3000 Chip Memory...... 0.21
	CIA (A) timer accuracy test ................... Passed
	If Slow/Fast, Error in Ticks per Second ....... 0    
	Nic's Comment.................................. Basic Amiga
	CPU speed in MHZ............................... 7.09
 
	--
 
	[Basic (7MHz) Amiga 500 with 2 MB FAST memory]
 
	SysInfo V2.70 by Nic Wilson
 
	SPEED COMPARISONS AGAINST KNOWN MODELS & PERIPHERALS
 
	A500 512k or A500 with 1MB CHIP ONLY........... 1.30
	B2000, A2000, A1000 or A500 with fast ram...... 1.00
	B2000  GVP A3001 28MHZ ALL CACHES & BURSTS..... 0.12
	A2500  A2620 68020 14MHZ card.................. 0.34
	A3000/25 SCRAM ICACHE IBURST DCACHE NODBURST... 0.15
	A3000  PP&S 68040 ICACHE DCACHE COPYBACK....... 0.03
	IBM PC/XT or compatible........................ 4.25
	CPU Million Instructions per Second............ 0.60
	FPU Million Floating Operations per Second..... N/A
	Speed of Chip Memory vs A3000 Chip Memory...... 0.25
	CIA (A) timer accuracy test ................... Passed
	If Slow/Fast, Error in Ticks per Second ....... 0    
	Nic's Comment.................................. Only Amiga...
	CPU speed in MHZ............................... 7.09
 
	--
 
	[Accelerated (14MHz) Amiga 500 with no FAST memory]
 
	SysInfo V2.70 by Nic Wilson
 
	SPEED COMPARISONS AGAINST KNOWN MODELS & PERIPHERALS
 
	A500 512k or A500 with 1MB CHIP ONLY........... 1.16
	B2000, A2000, A1000 or A500 with fast ram...... 0.88
	B2000  GVP A3001 28MHZ ALL CACHES & BURSTS..... 0.10
	A2500  A2620 68020 14MHZ card.................. 0.31
	A3000/25 SCRAM ICACHE IBURST DCACHE NODBURST... 0.13
	A3000  PP&S 68040 ICACHE DCACHE COPYBACK....... 0.03
	IBM PC/XT or compatible........................ 3.78
	CPU Million Instructions per Second............ 0.53
	FPU Million Floating Operations per Second..... N/A
	Speed of Chip Memory vs A3000 Chip Memory...... 0.29
	CIA (A) timer accuracy test ................... Passed
	If Slow/Fast, Error in Ticks per Second ....... 0    
	Nic's Comment.................................. Basic Amiga
	CPU speed in MHZ............................... 11.92
 
	--
 
	[Accelerated (14MHz) Amiga 500 with 2 MB FAST memory]
 
	SysInfo V2.70 by Nic Wilson
 
	SPEED COMPARISONS AGAINST KNOWN MODELS & PERIPHERALS
 
	A500 512k or A500 with 1MB CHIP ONLY........... 1.49
	B2000, A2000, A1000 or A500 with fast ram...... 1.13
	B2000  GVP A3001 28MHZ ALL CACHES & BURSTS..... 0.13
	A2500  A2620 68020 14MHZ card.................. 0.39
	A3000/25 SCRAM ICACHE IBURST DCACHE NODBURST... 0.17
	A3000  PP&S 68040 ICACHE DCACHE COPYBACK....... 0.03
	IBM PC/XT or compatible........................ 4.85
	CPU Million Instructions per Second............ 0.69
	FPU Million Floating Operations per Second..... N/A
	Speed of Chip Memory vs A3000 Chip Memory...... 0.26
	CIA (A) timer accuracy test ................... Passed
	If Slow/Fast, Error in Ticks per Second ....... 0    
	Nic's Comment.................................. Maxamundo!
	CPU speed in MHZ............................... 12.83
 
	--
 
	[Basic (7MHz) Amiga 500 with 2 MB FAST memory]
 
	CPU-Performance-Test V1.4 by J. Richter
 
	MULU/S  0.98		CMP    1.10
	DIVU/S  0.98		NOT    1.08
	ASL/R   0.98		OR     0.98
	LSL/R   0.98		EOR    0.98
	ROL/R   0.98		AND    0.98
	ADD     0.98		SWAP   0.98
	SUB     0.98		MOVE   0.98
	NEG     1.08		EXG    1.08
	CLR     1.08
 
	--
 
	[Accelerated (14MHz) Amiga 500 with 2 MB FAST memory]
 
	CPU-Performance-Test V1.4 by J. Richter
 
	MULU/S  1.65		CMP    1.42
	DIVU/S  1.81		NOT    1.41
	ASL/R   1.90		OR     1.23
	LSL/R   1.81		EOR    1.22
	ROL/R   1.90		AND    1.05
	ADD     1.22		SWAP   1.05
	SUB     1.22		MOVE   1.04
	NEG     1.42		EXG    1.42
	CLR     1.41
 
	--
 
	[Basic (7MHz) Amiga 500 with no or 2 MB FAST memory]
 
	PC-Task V1.12 (PC-Emulator) by Chris Hames
 
	CPU Benchmark Test
 
	Elapsed time in seconds  . . . . . . . . . . . . 169.73
	Unable to identify CPU type
	Effective clock speed is . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00
	Estimate MIPS at . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.02
	Times faster than original 4.77 mhz PC . . . . . 0.10
 
	(C) Copyright 1989 Visionary Software Technology, Inc. Canton, CT
 
	--
 
	[Accelerated (14MHz) Amiga 500 with no or 2 MB FAST memory]
 
	PC-Task V1.12 (PC-Emulator) by Chris Hames
 
	CPU Benchmark Test
 
	Elapsed time in seconds  . . . . . . . . . . . . 145.77
	Unable to identify CPU type
	Effective clock speed is . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00
	Estimate MIPS at . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.03
	Times faster than original 4.77 mhz PC . . . . . 0.12
 
	(C) Copyright 1989 Visionary Software Technology, Inc. Canton, CT
 
WARRANTY
 
	None.
 
CONCLUSIONS
 
	This hack won't increase your Amiga's performance very much, but it
	gives certain amount of boost, and won't cost you much.  If you have
	the time and interest, go for it.
 
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
 
	Copyright 1992 Janne Siren.  All rights reserved.
	No warranties are made about the reliability of this review.

---

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