new Nova drivers

[stormy]

In 1995 Computerinsel released the ATI Mach64 NOVA card for the Falcon030.
24 years later in 2019, I released my first Falcon030 driver for Tseng ET4000 NOVA cards.

And now in 2021, I've added a Falcon030 driver for the ATI Mach32. I hope there will actually be somebody out there who can make use of it.

As always, my thanks go to Frank Lukas (frank.lukas) who created the new cards and has been very helpful as my trusty beta tester.

Hi Idek,

Please do you have a driver for VoFa and Mach32, thx, this card:

image0.jpeg

[Idek Tramielski]

Hi Idek,

Please do you have a driver for VoFa and Mach32, thx, this card:

image0.jpeg

No, I don't have a Mach32 driver for the VoFa and unfortunately it is probably not easy to make it work.

[gstoll]

.... disabling the VIDEL always helps too

I remember that this helped a lot when I owned the Afterburner. How is it done? Has anybody information on how to disable the Videl?

https://www.stcarchiv.de/stc1996/09/turbo-nova

[Idek Tramielski]

Thanks!!!

[Rustynutt]

a) Visit this place and download the complete package. It doesn't matter that it says TT. Just download the VME8 package.

That's my site being ripped... well Ok backed up... by Bug. My current site is here. Contents for the Nova are the same.

New PHSW programs can be found at my site as well.

Still end up at your site

[Rustynutt]

New Falcon Mach64 version based on V3.01 (English MENU_E.PRG and English VMG.PRG included)

What a train wreck on my part
Wanted to go back in time before testing the new MACH64 drivers.
Have a back up CD from May 2000 with the Afterburner, MiNT, NAES, NOVA ATI MACH64 files, but didn't have the files saved in order.

Found an Extendos sys info text I'd made, saved me

First, a lot I've forgotten.

So basically, loading NVDI is just to get the screen drivers created in a GEMSYS folder?

Use to have them as "GEMSYSV" and GEMSYSN" to keep the video card and VIDEL files separate.

As NVDI is disabled in the auto folder by the NOVA drivers, the fonts are not loading.

Looking at MENU_E, it does ask how to load the GDOS drivers.

Not sure how to do that with what NVDI did with the fonts.

Else load SPEEDOGDOS and select it as the font driver?
Then does the NOVA driver run it independently, or should it execute in the auto folder?

Using an NEC 24" EA241EAM, it should support a lot of the modes included in the latest MACH64 included bib files.

These LCD's sure aren't as forgiving as a CRT, least even my old bib files I know worked well have the LCD bouncing display all over. Besides 640*480 265, 1024*768*256 are about the only 2 settings close to being usable on this monitor. That's using my old bib and MACH64 bib settings.

All that said, IDEK's MACH64 drivers seem to work as they should.

Was a bit confused as to what in the menu option is "Atari video". After a reboot, gets to the desktop, but a white screen.

Before using that mode, do I have to "rename" my GEMSYS folder so the VIDEL screen drivers are active?

Apologies for being a bore. Think I'm struggling with the monitor settings more than anything else.

Have a 24" Sony Broadcast monitor that will handle anything, but have to have a neighbor help reposition it, weighs about 80lbs

[joska]

Don't try to get everything working at once.

First, install NVDI and get it working properly with the Videl. Then disable it (rename nvdi.prg to nvdi.prx).
Now install NovaVDI and get it working properly with the Nova.

To get NVDI and NovaVDI working together you must do two things:

1. Disable the NVDI screendrivers. These are the "NVDIDRV*.SYS" files in the GEMSYS-folder.
2. Enable NVDI.PRG again and make sure it runs after STA_VDI.PRG in the autofolder.

Reboot. You should now have NovaVDI running fine, with NVDI as GDOS. I wrote a tiny tool to disable/enable the NVDI screendrivers automatically depending on whether NovaVDI was running or not.

[Rustynutt]

Don't try to get everything working at once.

First, install NVDI and get it working properly with the Videl. Then disable it (rename nvdi.prg to nvdi.prx).
Now install NovaVDI and get it working properly with the Nova.

To get NVDI and NovaVDI working together you must do two things:

1. Disable the NVDI screendrivers. These are the "NVDIDRV*.SYS" files in the GEMSYS-folder.
2. Enable NVDI.PRG again and make sure it runs after STA_VDI.PRG in the autofolder.

Reboot. You should now have NovaVDI running fine, with NVDI as GDOS. I wrote a tiny tool to disable/enable the NVDI screendrivers automatically depending on whether NovaVDI was running or not.

Awesome, that little program will save a heap of time. As you know, renaming folders between modes is a pain

Have to look at the "Turbo" program too, not seen that in my archive

Had 2 issues last night, besides being on a binge
First one was the NVDI V5 disk were for a Magic C Mac installation. It gave me fits. Should work, didn't.

Have NVDI 5 installed, buy the GEMSYS folder is from my old installation of V4.XX NVDI. Works fine, even NAES booted right up with MiNT 1.17b

I'll have to look at the Vanilla MiNT archives again. Looks like you updated to a later MiNT?
It's not I don't like XaAES, just NAES is "pre-configured" to awesome mode

With the ROM mod, boot at 1/2 clocks with a 46MHz oscillator, caches off so HD Driver and Extendos can log the SCSI bus, the just back to full clock cache on afterwards. Just have to drop back to 1/2 clock via acc to use SCSI.

With respect to IDEK'S MACH64 drivers, I benched both the older drivers Doug was passing around and his, there was an across the board performance increase between them. Unfortunately GEMBENCH is one of those system killers, so didn't record the test.

Have Kronos, but really think that over kill in the AB.

Learning a bit here before jumping to the ET4000 cards.

Loads this in less than 10 seconds

BTW, I discovered a few things about the AB you may be interested in.

One, having the second bank of fast ram fitted and enabled makes it where 4OMHz clock is max. With a single bank filled, 46MHz is stable. If you change your ROM COMBEL/CPU 1/2 speed at boot, fix the ACIA clock, you can boot with a 46MHz oscillator no Nemesis required. In VIDEL mode, HRTC works well, with some artifacts. Really need 48 MHz. Went to a different brand simm, Micron 60ns made the difference.

[Rustynutt]

One thing I learned about the VMG is the pixel clock value can be changed/increased. That helped getting the setting correct

[Rustynutt]

Would it be possible to build the ET4000 driver for the Falcon?

I am quite sure that this is possible. It requires modifying the drivers and it might also be necessary to change the GAL content.
Since my Falcons are currently not on my workbench, I can't easily check the situation right now. Next time when I have a Falcon in front of me, I will do a quick test, but I will not promise how soon that will happen.

Apologies to you Idek. Was moving from testing MACH64 drivers on the Afterburner to try the ET4000 cards, and now can't find them
Remember a box with several. Thinking I may have given then away because not having a use at the time.
Is there a best ET4000 card option from your site, or do they all pretty much perform the same way?
Obviously, you have a lot of time invested in the drivers, I don't mind purchasing a few to test.
Regards,

[Idek Tramielski]

Apologies to you Idek. Was moving from testing MACH64 drivers on the Afterburner to try the ET4000 cards, and now can't find them
Remember a box with several. Thinking I may have given then away because not having a use at the time.
Is there a best ET4000 card option from your site, or do they all pretty much perform the same way?
Obviously, you have a lot of time invested in the drivers, I don't mind purchasing a few to test.
Regards,

Not necessary, the Falcon ET4000 drivers have been tested okay on a standard (no AB-) Falcon.

[Rustynutt]

Thanks for that, felt kind of bad
Looked, didn't realize most the ET cards are 1MB.
Also didn't realize how much the MACH64's are going for!

Until I do some more hardware mods, this is about the performance I can squeeze out of the AB.

Zip file attached is a Kronos bench file.

1024*768 256 68040 ATI MACH64 at 46MHz, all CPU, Fast Ram D and I caches active, with copyback enabled .

Can't do 16 color on the ATI, but looks like it holds it's own against the SuperVidel and CTPCI in some respects.

Tested in 24bit mode, there was a slight drop in the bench.

Also booted the latest MiNT build, lost a lot of performance, only improving IDE speed.

Could probably dig around, is there a reason why the 4MB on the ATI isn't fully used?

Thought I remembered using 32bit years back on a CRT, but can't get this LCD to work at 640*480 32bit properly, but can see the card is able too.

Thanks for continuing to support the community.

Will revisit once the 060 is working on the AB

[joska]

Looks like ET4000 ISA-cards are still being manufactured:

https://microlabs.com/

$79 for 1Mb ISA ET4000, $99 for W32.

[dhedberg]

Wow, that's pretty cool. So both of these should work with the Nova?

[frank.lukas]

I only know a single card that does not run and that is a Diamond Speedstar ...

W32 only works W32i cards. I know the W32 from microlabs is a W32i but there is no speed differents between a ET4000AX and a W32i with the nova driver. The Nova driver only works with 1MB W32i cards, 2MB will not work.

[dhedberg]

If anyone buys one of these newly manufactured cards, please let us know. Used ones sell for about $50-$60 on ebay and I rather buy a new one for $79 or $99. Too bad the 2MB version is sold out.

The Tseng Labs ET4000/W32i 1MB card is capable of 1024x768 in 256 colors, or 800x600 in 16-bit which I consider good enough though.
https://microlabs.com/xl2.html

Looks like it's upgradeable to 2MB as well, if you can find the DRAM that is.

[Idek Tramielski]

I only know a single card that does not run and that is a Diamond Speedstar ...

W32 only works W32i cards. I know the W32 from microlabs is a W32i but there is no speed differents between a ET4000AX and a W32i with the nova driver. The Nova driver only works with 1MB W32i cards, 2MB will not work.

Maybe it would be possible to modify the drivers, but I never had access to a 2MB W32i card.
I am currently working on Mach64 drivers for the MegaSTE......many sleepless nights and lots of frustration...

[joska]

Mach64 for the MSTE would be absolutely fantastic, and would give me the motivation to finish my MSTE Nova build

[dhedberg]

I am currently working on Mach64 drivers for the MegaSTE......many sleepless nights and lots of frustration...

Wow! That sounds pretty awesome! Thanks!

Out of curiosity, what goes into making a driver work? Is it a pure programming task or does it involve measuring hardware signals as well? A lot of trial and error?

[mrbombermillzy]

Just as an aside, the Mach64 isnt just a trivial 64bit wide version of the Mach32. Its pretty much a re-designed card. Hence...

I am currently working on Mach64 drivers for the MegaSTE......many sleepless nights and lots of frustration...

Great effort Idek. Im sure I can speak for the other ISA card owning guys here in saying you are doing a tremendous job for the community!

[Idek Tramielski]

Out of curiosity, what goes into making a driver work? Is it a pure programming task or does it involve measuring hardware signals as well? A lot of trial and error?

Well, I tried to make this work years ago, but never succeeded. Frank even made a special version of the adapter card for me.
Part of the problem is that the MegaSTE's VME is only 4MB small from 0xA00000 - 0xDFFFFF and the Mach64 only supports linear memory apertures of at least 4MB. They can also only be located at multiples of 4MB.
But with a change to the GAL and grounding one signal on the ISA side, the connection was made.
Making 2 color mode (b/w) work was relatively easy since it utilizes the VGA memory and is not accelerated. The color modes were quite another thing and made me throw in the towel several times during the last couple of years.
Last month I restarted this task and did more single step debugging sessions with TEMPLEMON (thank you, thank you, thank you) than ever before....and still did not find an answer. Everything looked fine and no logical reason to be found for the problems with color modes. I scanned and rewrote a lot of the code and by accident found a totally unrelated (so I thought) part that had looked wrong to me earlier. I even left a comment there to look at it later.
I rewrote this part today and surprisingly, the color problem was solved. I guess the old code didn't cause a problem since the Mach64 drivers usually worked in combination with a 68030+ CPU. Now on a 68000 it caused strange results.
Anyhow, there is still a lot of work to be done. Some of the code is 68020/030 code, but I am pretty confident that I can work this out. 256 colors are already working fine.
(I also included the Lightning VME address window in the GAL and drivers.)

[dhedberg]

Thanks for the details and congratulations! Sounds like quite a reward to finally get it to work after all the hard work!

[TheNameOfTheGame]

Nice to hear of your success with the driver after all that time! The explanation was interesting to read.

[Idek Tramielski]

I finished a first release candidate version of the MegaSTE Mach64 drivers.
Since the memory requirements of the Mach64 card are different it was necessary to change some of the NOVA logic.
As with the Falcon, maximum video memory is 2MB.

- It is necessary to set ISA A21 to GND. As far as I know, all of Frank's newer cards are equipped with JP2 to do this. Setting JP2 to 2-3 will set ISA A21 to GND. On older cards, this has to be done manually by cutting a track on the pcb and connecting it to GND.
- It is also necessary to use a new GAL which reflects those address changes

Here are some pictures.

12801024_256.jpg

640480_256.jpg

JP2.jpg

[Cyprian]

@Idek Tramielski well done,
I would read more stories like that