Picasso II / Flickerfixer Advice needed

[dougal]

I just bought a 2MB Picasso II for my A2000 Rev4.4. Hopefully will receive it soon.

At the moment My A2000 only has the stock 68000 and 1MB Chip and GVP Impact SCSI with 8MB Fast ram.

I am making a deal where i should soon be getting an A2630 '030 accelerator with i think 2MB 32 bit fast ram.

My question is this. When I had my A4000T with 68060 and Picasso IV i used to have it with 800x600 resolution @ 24bit (16 million colors) and yet with the built in flickerfixer i could run normal native PAL stuff like my favorite games through WhdLoad on the same monitor.

The Picasso II if i'm correct has got a pass through and built in switch for native resolution.

If i buy this flickerfixer solution https://www.amibay.com/showthread.php?t=20468 which looks cheap and very good, would I be able to use it along with the Picasso II so that i can have P96 Modes and native modes using the same LCD VGA monitor ?

Also, I know i have to reduce the ZII fast ram to 6MB because of the 2MB of the Picasso II. I will (if i get the A2630) be compensated by the 32bit fast ram.

Till then will the 68000 + 6MB fast ram + Picasso II be able to handle 800x600 @ say 16bit or even 24bit and still work smoothly ?

What about with the A2630 '030 @ 25Mhz + 2MB 32bit fast ram?

Also first question about that flicker fixer being interfaced with the Picasso II is pretty important?

Thanks a lot guys

 

[fitzsteve]

Yep that should all work as expected, not sure how fast the PicassoII will be in your system but it should support the VGA pass through with the Picasso96 driver just fine

 

[BlindGerMan]

But remember, the 32bit fastram used on a A2630 accelerator is mapped into the ZII area, so even with you accelerator you will have only 6 mb fastram!

 

[dougal]

Yep that should all work as expected, not sure how fast the PicassoII will be in your system but it should support the VGA pass through with the Picasso96 driver just fine

Thanks

But it should work at a good speed with the A2630 no ?

Also i would still be needing that flickerfixer thingy from ebay right?

---------- Post added at 21:16 ---------- Previous post was at 21:13 ----------

But remember, the 32bit fastram used on a A2630 accelerator is mapped into the ZII area, so even with you accelerator you will have only 6 mb fastram!

You sure? What about those accelerators that allow 16mb/32mb etc.. etc.. Do they not map it into the ZII area?

I think before reaching a deal for the A2630 i better be trying to get a better accelerator using an A600 as currency.

 

[BlindGerMan]

I think it would work in a really acceptable speed, when you have installed your A2630!

---------- Post added at 21:19 ---------- Previous post was at 21:16 ----------

You sure? What about those accelerators that allow 16mb/32mb etc.. etc.. Do they not map it into the ZII area?

I think before reaching a deal for the A2630 i better be trying to get a better accelerator using an A600 as currency.

Yes, I am sure, I have a A2630 in my C= only A2k, all ZIP fastram is mapped into the ZII area. Other accelerators, e.g. GVP, Blizzard, etc. do not that! So you can mount up to 128 mb 32 bit fastram, depending on your accelerator!
The only way to use really 32 bit fastram on a A2630 is to use expensive additional ram boards like the ACCESS32!

 

[dougal]

I just bought that GBS-8220 sd/ff thingy. Can't wait for it to arrive.

I will read the thread about it in detail properly later on but till then just 2 quick questions.

All i need to adapt it to work as an Amiga SD/FF is a DB23/Cable like the ones that go from the Amiga's video out to the SCART or 1084S but with the monitor/TV plug cut off ?

I bought it from the USA but from what i read in the thread it works great PAL too. Is that right?

Looks like a simple job which just involves soldering a few wires to adapt the Amiga cable or am i missing something?

 

[Xanxi]

The A2630 is not so bad, even if the RAM is not true 32 bits. It can be expanded with the so-called DKB board that can piggy back on the A2630 for up to 96 MB of RAM.

I think this genuine Commodore board is a good basis to build a 100% genuine Commodore A2000, with Commodore only boards (A2630 as accelerator, more RAM on the A2058, SCSI with an A2091, network with an A2065, a Commodore Amber card as FF and any Commodore bridgeboard.

I will certainly do that in the future if i have the opportunity to revive my second A2000 (which is totaly smashed apart for years).

 

[BlindGerMan]

The A2630 is not so bad, even if the RAM is not true 32 bits. It can be expanded with the so-called DKB board that can piggy back on the A2630 for up to 96 MB of RAM.

I think this genuine Commodore board is a good basis to build a 100% genuine Commodore A2000, with Commodore only boards (A2630 as accelerator, more RAM on the A2058, SCSI with an A2091, network with an A2065, a Commodore Amber card as FF and any Commodore bridgeboard.

I will certainly do that in the future if i have the opportunity to revive my second A2000 (which is totaly smashed apart for years).

This is my second A2k project now! Only a A2065 and a A2320 is missing!
And of course, the A2630 is a good accelerator with MMU, which is not usual for 25 MHz 030er.

 

[Xanxi]

This is my second A2k project now! Only a A2065 and a A2320 is missing!
And of course, the A2630 is a good accelerator with MMU, which is not usual for 25 MHz 030er.

Yeah .
I only lack the A2065 but of course i need more space at home.

 

[BlindGerMan]

This is my second A2k project now! Only a A2065 and a A2320 is missing!
And of course, the A2630 is a good accelerator with MMU, which is not usual for 25 MHz 030er.

Yeah .
I only lack the A2065 but of course i need more space at home.

space could really be a problem, I know...

 

[dougal]

I only have one A2000 and it cannot be Commodore only as my SCSI controller and Fast ram is a GVP HC +8 and I am awaiting a Picasso but the idea is nice.

I'm 99% going for the A2630 as it seems a great CPU accelerator. If I need lots of Ram and CPU power I can always use my A1200

 

[BlindGerMan]

Good decision! Good luck with your A2k!!!

 

[dougal]

Good decision! Good luck with your A2k!!!

Thanks! After having it for about 2 years as hardly working junk I am finally giving it the attention it deserves.