KCS Power PC Board performance comparison between different models P25-41/42/44

[CrazyBob]

Good evening,

I just wanted to share something I recently found out about the KCS Power PC Boards in combination with software version v4.5.
So far I know there are 3 versions of this board. More info here: http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/powerpc

P25-41 -> 8Mhz V30 CPU + 0.5MB Chip memory addon in Amiga mode
P25-42 -> 10Mhz V30 CPU + 0.5MB Chip memory addon in Amiga mode
P25-44 -> 10Mhz V30 CPU + 1MB Chip memory addon in Amiga mode (A500+/A600)

I've compared the performance of all 3 versions of this card in PC mode and they all perform the same. (P25-41/42/44)


When comparing the clock signal on the V30 CPU it's around 10.7Mhz for all versions. (P25-41/42/44)


Also accessing an A590 SCSI HDD isn't a problem, even with a P25-41 version.


So the limitations mentioned especially for the P25-41 version of the card seem to be software related instead of hardware limitations.

 

[BlindGerMan]

The speed of ALL KCS board versions depends only on the used Software version!

It is between less than 8 MHz in the early 1.X versions up to 11 MHz with Turbo mode in the 2.X versions (approx. 7 MHz without turbo) and end finally in 10.7 MHz starting with the 3.X versions of the software!

And there are NO hardware limitations in the P25-41 boards, not the speed and not the access to hard disks!

And I have some P25-42 boards with 8 MHz NEC V30!

 

[CrazyBob]

Thanks for the additional information

I always thought the limitation was in the hardware...learned something new

 

[BlindGerMan]

In the German a1k.org forum is a very long thread to the KCS boards done by me, but it is in German!

 

[CrazyBob]

Great! Do you have a link?

Update: http://www.a1k.org/forum/showthread.php?t=58275

 

[BLTCON0]

Thanks for the additional information

I always thought the limitation was in the hardware...learned something new

The only hardware limitation I'm aware of is earlier revs (41, 42) won't work with the 2 MB Agnus (i.e. all rev8A boards in either A500+ or A500 config, as well as any previous revision equipped with a Megachip for 2 MB chip RAM).

This probably doesn't apply when using the board with a Zorro adapter, though.

Other than that, as already said, it's the software version that matters for the feature-list, amiga.resource.cx has obviously some erroneous information.

 

[BlindGerMan]

And the P25-44 boards do not work together with the standard A500 of any revision!

And in a A500 Rev. 8A board converted to an A500+ no KCS board is working!

 

[BLTCON0]

And the P25-44 boards do not work together with the standard A500 of any revision!

I recall reading on the package of a later KCS "compatible with all Agnus versions", was there ever a P25-45 revision that worked with any and all variants of the A500?

And in a A500 Rev. 8A board converted to an A500+ no KCS board is working!

That's even more
How would that be possible? The PCBs are identical, if everything is properly taken care for a converted rev8 A500 is indistinguishable from an A500+

 

[RichyV]

Isn't CGA graphics meant to be slower on the 41's?


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[CrazyBob]

Interesting responses so far

Found the thread on a1k.org from BlindGerMan: http://www.a1k.org/forum/showthread.php?t=58275

 

[flashx]

Tjats good to know as I have onr pf theses kcs not bad little board

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