Amiga and PCI: Where to go?

So, my A4000 board has just returned from the rather awesome Anthony Hoffman and I've also managed to lay claim to a Matay Prometheus PCI bridge. So, the question is, if I've got three PCI slots to play around with, what should I be looking at putting in there? Definitely going to go for a graphics card, but what's the best option there? I've got a few PCI cards kicking about, so which will work and which won't?

I guess there's also the option of network cards, sound cards, USB cards etc, but I also have Zorro cards that do all those functions (X-Surf, Sunrize AD1012, Thylacine USB) -- Of course, the Zorro cards could equally well be deployed into the A3000 instead.

So, what d'you guys reckon?

Go Voodoo3 if you can provide sufficient cooling.

Do a sound card.

For anything else go xsurf or deneb. In fact the deneb will do sound for you too, but at a CPU cost from what I've heard.

Network on amiga PCI is only awesome on GREX, other than that do xsurf. It's still sold as you know.

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Originally Posted by arnljot

Go Voodoo3 if you can provide sufficient cooling.

Do a sound card.

For anything else go xsurf or deneb. In fact the deneb will do sound for you too, but at a CPU cost from what I've heard.

Network on amiga PCI is only awesome on GREX, other than that do xsurf. It's still sold as you know.

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Is Voodoo 3 the best you can do on a Prometheus? I know there are some tales of people making Radeon cards work on Amigas, and I happen to have a spare PCI Radeon with 32MB RAM. That would be quite awesome if I could pull it off!

What's the beef with PCI networking on non G-REX boards? After all, the X-surf is just an ISA network card, bodged into a Zorro adapter card (but with bonus IDE and clockports)

What do you suggest for a sound card? As I say, I've got this AD1012 to play with, but that could always go into the A3000.

Is PCI USB achievable, or only with the infamous Elbox Spider?

I have a voodoo3 16mb in mine and a realtek network card. As far as i know there is only 1 sound card that is compatible, i think its a terratec 128i cos it does not need dma or summat.. i recall reading..
As for usb, i am not sure.. there is some drivers on the openpci website. but i dont think they were finished.

http://bvernoux.free.fr/DevPCI.php#download

I might be talking out my backside though..:D

But defo a voodoo3 2000 or 3000. passive cooled.

The Voodoo3 3000 cannot do with anything else than active cooling. Or elese it'll just (ironically) freeze after some time of operation from overheating.

There are some OpenPCI USB drivers, but to my knowledge you cannot use the latest version of Poseidon USB stack with those. So your safest USB route will be to go for the Deneb.

Now, USB will most importantly give you mass storage and camera access. Less importantly it'll also give you keyboard and mouse.

Then there is sound (ahi) and network (samba2), both of these are arguable the most important features, but there is alternative solutions to this besides Deneb USB, especially for you who've got PCI.

Also both of them are a bit CPU intensive over their PCI/Zorro counter parts from what I've heard. I've yet to test it out for my self.

The last important feature of the Deneb is the flash space for ROMable modules... :)

from what I know, on a Prometheus board only rtg works 100% .... sound/lan are either problematic or not working at all... but this is what I have read, never tried one

Tbh Andy, look at using your A4K in stock condition first & get use to how she behaves. Then you won't feel so lost trying to shove a Prometheus in her. ;)

I wouldn't know what is best to use in this PCI card as I never entertained one. Total lack of DMA with this PCI card, meaning an X-surf is probably slicker with DMA on the ZORRO plane.

RE USB, you could use the >Subway< off an X-Surf Clockport, as you will probabaly have DMA issues with the Deneb when set to operate in DMA mode. ;)

Charlie

Quote:

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Originally Posted by arnljot

Network on amiga PCI is only awesome on GREX, other than that do xsurf. It's still sold as you know.

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I disagree here.
getting a cheap realtek 8029 pci card (or any other NE2000 compaitble netcard) will make you able to use the 10x more expensive x-surf in the A3000

I don't think that there is so much difference in performance, it only narrows down to bus performance.

regarding Voodoo vs. Radeon (or perhaps virge) is all depending on how you are going to use your A4000. if it's 3D gaming with PPC, then go with the voodoo, if it's just 2D workbench, grab a Radeon 9200/9250 with 256MB Ram. On the A4000 the mem on the gfx card can be used as fastram if you do some hacking (google it).

just my 2 cents ;-)

The top of the line for classic amigas with prometheus is the voodoo line of cards, only select mediator busses support the radeon cards.

vs xsurf and 10mbit pci cards on prometheus I only have a feeling that the xsurf will be better, but yes it'll be more costly. Also, with the Prometheus in a stock a4000 you'll be severly limited as to how many zorro cards you can house.

believe it or not, on my G-Rex4000 A4000 , the Ariadne2 was performing better than a RTL-8139 on the pci.... !