Been pondering a processor upgrade for my 500, but not a replacement. As in something that could toggle with the 68000 with either a hardware switch (preferable), or via software. If it's software I would want it to default to the 68000 until switched to the faster chip in Workbench.
I'm sure I've come across something like that while sifting through Amiga World, but it's not coming to me. Any ideas?
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Shot97
- Detroit, MI, USA
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intric8
- Seattle, WA, USA
Interesting question.
I use one that could be used with a hardware switch - it has a jumper that would allow one to rig one up. My little accelerator of choice is the ICD AdSpeed, which pops right into the 68000 socket and doesn't take up hardly any additional room. I have it boot up in 14 Mhz mode with a software strip that loads up on bootup that I can use to switch it down to 7Mhz with the click of the mouse (you can set it to default to 7, too). What the 14Mhz mode provides on my ol' A1000 is a minor speed boost that is most noticeable in reads/writes as well as screen drawing. So simply opening a drawer the icons inside will render more quickly. Launching programs is faster, even formatting disks. Things are just snappier so I leave it that way. The AdSpeed can use a regular 68000 or 68010. How it creates its speed enhancement I have no idea, but it sits on top of a little board that does the magic. And that presses into the 68000 socket.
The AdSpeed has two big problems.
In 2023, everyone always removes the 68000, which I understand (a little) but find slightly depressing. Getting a new device to work in the AdSpeed fashion... I'm not sure. It's an interesting question and not one I've thought of in a long time. I'll poke around, too.
I use one that could be used with a hardware switch - it has a jumper that would allow one to rig one up. My little accelerator of choice is the ICD AdSpeed, which pops right into the 68000 socket and doesn't take up hardly any additional room. I have it boot up in 14 Mhz mode with a software strip that loads up on bootup that I can use to switch it down to 7Mhz with the click of the mouse (you can set it to default to 7, too). What the 14Mhz mode provides on my ol' A1000 is a minor speed boost that is most noticeable in reads/writes as well as screen drawing. So simply opening a drawer the icons inside will render more quickly. Launching programs is faster, even formatting disks. Things are just snappier so I leave it that way. The AdSpeed can use a regular 68000 or 68010. How it creates its speed enhancement I have no idea, but it sits on top of a little board that does the magic. And that presses into the 68000 socket.
The AdSpeed has two big problems.
- Very hard to find. Over the years I've sourced only 3. I lost one (I know I know) and I sold another to David Dunklee so he could try to essentially learn how it worked and use those learnings in his own designs. (By the way, he made a Parceiro II for the A500 last year, but never really told anyone. He's also working on an AdSpeed-inspired accelerator that will work in harmony with it all, too.) So, I only really have one left. I always look for more but it's not common. They didn't sell many, and I think most folks that have them just hang onto them.
- The hardware switch/jumper sometimes works and sometimes doesn't from device to device. The one I'm running today works great. The one I lost didn't. That device was always set to 7Mhz and could only be changed after loading WB, which was a bummer when I wanted a mild speed boost on a game that had to be booted off-disk. It's like the jumper simply didn't work, and was not repairable (I had 2 different people look at it). I'd heard from some other folks it was a flip of a coin for them, too, even when they were brand new. The software switch always works. But if you want to boot something from DF0: and you really want it in 14Mhz mode for more juice you were SOL. But, since I found a working one I've basically left it alone and it's been great. Walldog, who is also a site member here, also found one and his works great, too.
In 2023, everyone always removes the 68000, which I understand (a little) but find slightly depressing. Getting a new device to work in the AdSpeed fashion... I'm not sure. It's an interesting question and not one I've thought of in a long time. I'll poke around, too.
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intric8
- Seattle, WA, USA
Interesting!
So with his switch (Matze is SO damned good) you can basically use your original 68000 and ANY other accelerator board you desire, which really kinda opens up some possibilities as long as said accelerator respects your OS/HDD requirements.
That's super cool!
In case you don't have an account to A1K, this is what it looks like.
This way you pop whatever you want into the spare 68K socket. Nifty! This could include the open-source 14Mhz accelerator by Mathesar (github, EAB post). Supposedly costs only $40 if you build it yourself. Not sure if anyone is selling those pre-built or not, but it would do the trick. Definitely opens up some possibilities.
So with his switch (Matze is SO damned good) you can basically use your original 68000 and ANY other accelerator board you desire, which really kinda opens up some possibilities as long as said accelerator respects your OS/HDD requirements.
That's super cool!
In case you don't have an account to A1K, this is what it looks like.
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intric8
- Seattle, WA, USA
@dalek
Do you know if anyone is selling pre-built Garlic Boards anywhere?
Do you know if anyone is selling pre-built Garlic Boards anywhere?
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Shot97
- Detroit, MI, USA
The AdSpeed was the one I was thinking of from Amiga World, soon as I read the name I could see it. Sucks hearing about the luck of the draw with them. That Garlic Board looks very cool, but I'm not a member of that site, nor do I speak the language so I'll have to look into more I suppose. Certainly if I could get a hold of one prebuilt that would be nice. I'll solder toggles and simple things but generally I hate the tediousness with chips.
But yeah, for me I've gotta have the 68000 there, too much runs "right" with it for me to even want to default to anything faster. If anything wants to boot from floppy I'd be thinking it would tend to run better with the 68000, hence wanting that as the default. I do have WHDLoad for the rare thing I can't get to work, but I've seen issues with it on those rare moments I've needed to use it. God, try the WHDLoad of Seven Cities of Gold, AWFUL garbage that should never have been offered to the public because once one person does it, it seems nobody else is interested (the damn ship and your character on land are INVISIBLE, yet the notes say this is only a "minor" thing). That's a game that is unplayable on everything except a 1000 because it requires kickstart 1.1, and even my software ROM switchers won't go into 1.1 unfortunately. So yeah, side tangent but WHDLoad is not the answer for me when the people doing it won't even work on games that absolutely need a playable version like Seven Cities. I'm always reaching for the ability to go stock even if I have some upgrades.
If anything I'm more sensitive to games running faster than they're "supposed to" as opposed to games running slow. NTSC mode and extra RAM make most things run great, but there's some later games or "Sierra-ish quality" ports that I'd like to speed up a bit. Maybe play Wing Commander fast for the first time ever on an Amiga.
But yeah, for me I've gotta have the 68000 there, too much runs "right" with it for me to even want to default to anything faster. If anything wants to boot from floppy I'd be thinking it would tend to run better with the 68000, hence wanting that as the default. I do have WHDLoad for the rare thing I can't get to work, but I've seen issues with it on those rare moments I've needed to use it. God, try the WHDLoad of Seven Cities of Gold, AWFUL garbage that should never have been offered to the public because once one person does it, it seems nobody else is interested (the damn ship and your character on land are INVISIBLE, yet the notes say this is only a "minor" thing). That's a game that is unplayable on everything except a 1000 because it requires kickstart 1.1, and even my software ROM switchers won't go into 1.1 unfortunately. So yeah, side tangent but WHDLoad is not the answer for me when the people doing it won't even work on games that absolutely need a playable version like Seven Cities. I'm always reaching for the ability to go stock even if I have some upgrades.
If anything I'm more sensitive to games running faster than they're "supposed to" as opposed to games running slow. NTSC mode and extra RAM make most things run great, but there's some later games or "Sierra-ish quality" ports that I'd like to speed up a bit. Maybe play Wing Commander fast for the first time ever on an Amiga.
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intric8
- Seattle, WA, USA
Thanks for the recommendation McTrinsic
Just one comment regarding the original post #1 here.
In case this is an option, you might want to consider an ACA500+.
Extremely expandable with additional accelerators beyond its own speed-up.
Plus, -and the important part here- you can switch on a so called „cloaking mode“. If you get strong Klingon vibes I assume that’s intentional
.
That means, the ACA500+ and added accelerators will be disguised and the A500 will behave like a vanilla system.
Highly recommended.
On some sort of YOLO move you might check eBay for some ribbon-cable expansion port relocators that put the ACA internal. This might impact system stability, though - YMMV.
In case this is an option, you might want to consider an ACA500+.
Extremely expandable with additional accelerators beyond its own speed-up.
Plus, -and the important part here- you can switch on a so called „cloaking mode“. If you get strong Klingon vibes I assume that’s intentional
. That means, the ACA500+ and added accelerators will be disguised and the A500 will behave like a vanilla system.
Highly recommended.
On some sort of YOLO move you might check eBay for some ribbon-cable expansion port relocators that put the ACA internal. This might impact system stability, though - YMMV.