new Nova drivers

[Idek Tramielski]

Yes, nice work Idek. I'm looking at that large QFP chip on that pcb and thinking pain haha.

Well, the problem was the age and the poor quality of the pcb. The trough holes just didn't want to take any solder and the card has a lot of those.

[Idek Tramielski]

by popular demand - VMG 1.60c in English and German - !beta status!
The program defaults to English. To activate German, just remove or rename the VMGE.RSC file.
Most versions are not tested yet. So please leave feedback.

MegaSTE versions
VMG NOVA MSTE ET4000 T0
VMG NOVA MSTE ET4000 T3
VMG NOVA MSTE ET4000 T8
VMG NOVA MSTE Mach32 - tested
VMG NOVA MSTE ET4000W32

TT versions
VMG NOVA TT ET4000 T0
VMG NOVA TT ET4000 T8 - tested
VMG NOVA TT Mach32 - tested
VMG NOVA TT Mach64
VMG NOVA TT ET4000W32

VoFa versions
VMG VoFa ET4000 T0
VMG VoFa ET4000 T3
VMG VoFa ET4000 T8

I may create other versions if demanded.

You can also find some info in the Tools section of silicon-heaven.org

[leech]

Yes, nice work Idek. I'm looking at that large QFP chip on that pcb and thinking pain haha.

Well, the problem was the age and the poor quality of the pcb. The trough holes just didn't want to take any solder and the card has a lot of those.

Reminds me of trying to fix my SC1435 rgb port... the solder pads came off... I found something to be able to create new ones at one point, but haven't gathered the courage to pop it open far enough to really get at the board and do a proper repair.

[czietz]

by popular demand - VMG 1.60c in English and German - !beta status!

Thank you, Idek, for your continued support and improvement of the Nova VDI and associated software!

[frank.lukas]

I tested the 1.60c VMG for ET4000AX T8 and the Atari TT and it works well. I build up a 1280x960 mono resolution.

[mrbombermillzy]

I havent been much use for testing these cards, but still, I would like to thank Idek very much for his continuing support.

[mikro]

I may create other versions if demanded.

TT/Mach64 would definitely find at least one happy user! (me ;-))

[Idek Tramielski]

TT/Mach64 would definitely find at least one happy user! (me )

added TT/Mach64 version to list above

[frank.lukas]

I tested the 1.60c VMG for the MACH32_TT on my ST with PAK030+Fastram+Panther(MACH32-2MB VRAM) and it works well. I build up a 1280x1024 /256 Color resolution and save it into the BIB File and use it.

At my Atari TT with a 2MB DRAM MACH32 and little BT-85Mhz RamDAC (Mod to 110Mhz BT DAC) works well up to 1024x768 /256 Color all from there work not right but that is not an error from the VMG I think.

[robdaemon]

VMG NOVA MSTE ET4000 T0
VMG NOVA MSTE ET4000 T3
VMG NOVA MSTE ET4000 T8
VMG NOVA MSTE Mach32 - tested

I'm using a ET4000/W32i, do one of these work with it?

Also - thank you for the new versions!!

[Idek Tramielski]

I'm using a ET4000/W32i, do one of these work with it?

Also - thank you for the new versions!!

No, W32 needs a different version. I can try to create a W32 version, but I need to know for what computer (MSTE/TT) and what adapter.
I created a Nova MSTE and a TT version and hope this is what you need.

[krupkaj]

Does your drivers work also with the Imagine VME card from Witch? It looks like older version of NOVA. I have one in my TT. Thanks for info.

[Idek Tramielski]

Does your drivers work also with the Imagine VME card from Witch? It looks like older version of NOVA. I have one in my TT. Thanks for info.

As far as I know, it does not work. I have only seen one Wittich card so far and it didn't work with my drivers. I was not able to determine whether it was a hardware issue or incompatibility with the drivers. Since I didn't want to spend too much time on this topic, I suggested replacing the card with one of frank.lukas Nova adapters.

[Dbug]

by popular demand - VMG 1.60c in English and German - !beta status!
The program defaults to English. To activate German, just remove or rename the VMGE.RSC file.

Cool, going to try that!

By the way, are there versions of Menu/Xmenu in english?
So far all I've seen is in German, and I'm not really comfortable with the language

[Idek Tramielski]

There is an older version of MENU.PRG in English in my Tools section.
I might have to change some the wording though, to make it consistent with the English VMG.

[mikro]

TT/Mach64 would definitely find at least one happy user! (me ;-))

added TT/Mach64 version to list above

Tested and works!

[Dbug]

The english menu is working nicely, thanks

[robdaemon]

No, W32 needs a different version. I can try to create a W32 version, but I need to know for what computer (MSTE/TT) and what adapter.
I created a Nova MSTE and a TT version and hope this is what you need.

Ahhh, okay. I have a Nova MSTE card.

[Dbug]

Question: If we have some alt-ram expansion (like TT Ram, or a MonSTer card), is it possible to have the nova drivers/gem buffers in alt ram instead of ST Ram?

[Idek Tramielski]

Question: If we have some alt-ram expansion (like TT Ram, or a MonSTer card), is it possible to have the nova drivers/gem buffers in alt ram instead of ST Ram?

Afaik
- load to TT-RAM - NO
- malloc from TT-RAM -YES

Actually, I just tested it on a TT with the 3.01 drivers and it seems to also work when both flags are set.

[Dbug]

Ok, then I guess I'll try that, because on the MSTe I don't have much free memory out of the 4 megs of ST ram when I have the 1024x768 screen activated and a few desk accessories

[Idek Tramielski]

New version of English MENU in Tool section -- text now more consistent with VMG --

New driver versions based on V3.01 (English MENU_E.PRG and English VMG.PRG included)
MegaSTE W32i
TT W32i

MegaSTE Mach32
TT Mach32

[Dbug]

I wanted to try them, even downloaded them... then my machine started to crash bomb, so I guess I'm having a hardware failure, will have to remove the VME card and see if that fixes it, possibly just the power-supply struggling with the VME + MonSTer card at the same time.

[Idek Tramielski]

I wanted to try them, even downloaded them... then my machine started to crash bomb, so I guess I'm having a hardware failure, will have to remove the VME card and see if that fixes it, possibly just the power-supply struggling with the VME + MonSTer card at the same time.

Did you actually get to use use the driver?
After the problems occurred, did you remove the driver and test again?
I am confused, since all the drivers in the last post were tested by me and should work.

[Dbug]

Did you actually get to use use the driver?
After the problems occurred, did you remove the driver and test again?
I am confused, since all the drivers in the last post were tested by me and should work.

No, I downloaded them, copied them to the machine, and when I tried to copy them to the auto folder the machine froze with a few bombs on the shifter screen.

Now I'm running a memory test, and next step is to remove the VME card to check a theory about the power supply being wonky.

I trust your drivers, so far they all have worked, no reason that one would be worse