Need Advice, A1200T RTG woes

[fitzsteve]

Hi All,

I stated part 2 of my tower build over the weekend and started to run into problems which had me tearing my hair out lol!

I bought put my A1200 into a Tower, all went well and was running nice with an 030 but I upgraded that to an Apollo 1240, again running very well

Next step was to introduce my Micronik Z3i Busboard which fitted nicely but upon booting I have no Fast Memory on the Apollo

Now reading about the Z3i it seems it does not like the Apollo A1200 Accelerators, but I was going to try and get it to work until I ran into problem 2:

I put my 030 back in (Since Fast Memory is working with this card) so I could try and set up my RTG card which is a Cybervision 64/3D

Card is detected fine (running in Z2 mode as you need a A4000 accelerator to enable Z3 on the Z3i) and the CGFX and Picasso96 drivers see the card just just fine. However haveing tried for 8 hours editing display modes and such I cannot get anything to display on my modern LCD's best I could do was get 'Out of Range' on my LCD TV.

What I am thinking now, is to change direction and go for a Mediator PCI setup and a Voodoo GFX card as I am hoping that I will have more joy on my modern LCD displays, do you think that would be a good way forward?

I know the Mediator is expensive but that would be offset by the sale of the CV64/3D and a cheaper Voodoo card.

This will hopefully also be happy to work with my Alpollo 1240 and save me messing around trying to get the Fast Memory on that going.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Steve.

 

[Kin Hell]

How about fitting a dedicated Flicker Fixer/Scan Doubler?

DCE or Indivision perhaps.

Kin

 

[keropi]

Have you tried installing CGX4 and configure a normal resolution like 640*480 with the VESA preset?

 

[arnljot]

Changeing bus boards won't help you create screen modes for your card

First off, what screen do you have?

Here is the latest archived site for CGX4, archive.org is very slow.

Here are predefined CGX4 monitor files

I was also going to look up www.picasso96.cogito.de in the archive for you, but then it went down under my feet

 

[Kin Hell]

These Z3i boards are a nightmare to set up. Personally, I've never had the pleasure/displeasure, but Anrljot is right. Changing bus-boards will not give you screen resolutions to work on un-supported display devices. Don't you have an old CRT or something you can try?

Tbh, CGX4 is better than Picasso96 from what I've seen, though user preference will always take priority.

Kin

 

[fitzsteve]

Thanks for all the replies

I thought the flicker fixer/scan doubler was just for displaying native screens? Although I know the Indi supports 1024x768 but I still like the idea of proper RTG

Also I was intending to use the RBG Scart for that as the TV I am using is a JVC LCD TV, these are the specs of the PC VGA Mode:

@arnljot, thanks for the links. I will have a good look at those when I get home

@keropi, 640x480 was the nearest I could get, it was just out of range to give me a display

@Kin, no I don't have an old CRT Monitor, only my 1084 but that does not have a VGA input and to be honest I want to use the A1200T on a modern LCD screen. I thought since the Voodoo card was a proper PC VGA card it should work with a modern screen?

Also even if I get the CV64 working I still have the Apollo issue oh:

Thanks,

Steve.

 

[Buleste]

I have a z4 and CV64/3d along with CGX4 and P96 but I have a 1084s so I'm lucky however I do know how much of a ball ache it can be. Are you able to get any sort of display on your TV? All I can think of at the moment is if you try literally typing in the Horiz and vert frequencies and testing them in 8 bit mode.

 

[fitzsteve]

I have a z4 and CV64/3d along with CGX4 and P96 but I have a 1084s so I'm lucky however I do know how much of a ball ache it can be. Are you able to get any sort of display on your TV? All I can think of at the moment is if you try literally typing in the Horiz and vert frequencies and testing them in 8 bit mode.

No, the best I could get was 'out of range' that was 640x480 8bit

I didn't have an option to type in the frequencies, just a slider bar (clock rate?) to get them as near as possible. That was with the CGFX 'edit' screen.

Maybe thats where I was going wrong?

 

[Buleste]

I haven't used my miggy for ages so I'm just trying to remember how to do things. If I remember whilst you can edit with just the clock (try moving it to 60 HZ) you can also click on the boxes of the HF and VF and type in. P96 is a little different and can be both easier and harder than CGX. Which version of CGX are you using?

 

[cosmicfrog]

Thanks arnljot been looking for predefined config files

but can`t download any of them

 

[fitzsteve]

I haven't used my miggy for ages so I'm just trying to remember how to do things. If I remember whilst you can edit with just the clock (try moving it to 60 HZ) you can also click on the boxes of the HF and VF and type in. P96 is a little different and can be both easier and harder than CGX. Which version of CGX are you using?

I was using the Floppy's that came with the card, but I've downloaded a new version now, yet to try it though!

Thanks for the advice

 

[Buleste]

Those are CGX3 I think. Try to get version 4. It works better and is a little easier to config.

 

[fitzsteve]

Those are CGX3 I think. Try to get version 4. It works better and is a little easier to config.

Thanks Buleste, I might have another crack at it with CGX4 once I've had a good read of the links posted by arnljot.

Thanks all

 

[fitzsteve]

I've decided to sell the Micronik Busboard & CV64/3D and will use the funds raised to buy a Mediator PCI
They're available in the Marketplace

Steve.

 

[jvdbossc]

@Fitzsteve: I have no good words to say about the mediator pci, expect no support from them.. I think one of the strong points of Amiga was while still strong easy install, click and run... It won't be like that

 

[Kin Hell]

<snip>

@Kin, no I don't have an old CRT Monitor, only my 1084 but that does not have a VGA input and to be honest I want to use the A1200T on a modern LCD screen. I thought since the Voodoo card was a proper PC VGA card it should work with a modern screen? <snip>

No m8y. Alas, not all LCD's are compatible, but me-thinks it's the Z3i being a right royal pain. (from what I've read)

You could always ship it all to me & I could see what I could do for you. Absolutely no guarentee I could suss it for you though.
Another alternative is you take a short weekend break with the Family & whilst you're loving Cornwall up, I'd be more than willing to have a play for you.

Kin

*edit* - Having just seen your CV64 & Z3i up for grabs, I guess you're already dead set on changing your set up.

 

[fitzsteve]

<snip>

@Kin, no I don't have an old CRT Monitor, only my 1084 but that does not have a VGA input and to be honest I want to use the A1200T on a modern LCD screen. I thought since the Voodoo card was a proper PC VGA card it should work with a modern screen? <snip>

No m8y. Alas, not all LCD's are compatible, but me-thinks it's the Z3i being a right royal pain. (from what I've read)

You could always ship it all to me & I could see what I could do for you. Absolutely no guarentee I could suss it for you though.
Another alternative is you take a short weekend break with the Family & whilst you're loving Cornwall up, I'd be more than willing to have a play for you.

Kin

*edit* - Having just seen your CV64 & Z3i up for grabs, I guess you're already dead set on changing your set up.

You're a Gent Kin

But as you've spotted I'm moving on now...

But if I'm down your way maybe I can buy you a Beer :beer:

Steve.

 

[Kin Hell]

^^^^^^

It could be three Steve, but I'd be buying you some too.

Charlie

 

[arnljot]

I realise that you're not working anymore on this problem.

Still, here is the original P96 info page:
Picasso96 cogito

And here is the download section
Picasso96 files, some are settings files.

 

[fitzsteve]

Thanks arnljot

If my stuff dosen't sell I might give it another try as I've learned a lot from this thread and my post over at EAB, you never know I might get it going!

Cheers,

Steve.