Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.csd.uwm.edu!wuarchive!wugate!uunet!mcsun!unido!laura!atoenne From: atoenne@laura.UUCP (Andreas Toenne) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: Duesseldorf: personal impression of the TT(T) Message-ID: <1581@laura.UUCP> Date: 31 Aug 89 11:22:21 GMT References: <8908251936.AA19454@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> <1572@laura.UUCP> <123947@sun.Eng.Sun.COM> Reply-To: atoenne@laura.UUCP (Andreas Toenne) Organization: Universitaet Dortmund Lines: 110 In article <123947@sun.Eng.Sun.COM> cmcmanis@sun.UUCP (Chuck McManis) writes: >So onto some questions on your comments : >In article <1572@laura.UUCP> atoenne@laura.UUCP (Andreas Toenne) writes: >->is somewhat special (close to VGA but not close enough) so good ones >->like NEC multisync will work but result in a bad picture with thick >->borders around. >Hmmm, the whole graphics capability question is really foggy so far. Some >specific questions : > 1) What is the exact resolution (X by Y by n) and what, if any > are the limitations on what resolutions can be used in what > situations. > 2) You say the "multisync" will work, does it *require* a multisync > or can you just use one? > 3) If you use a multisync, can the hardware generate different > video modes? The resolutions are (if I remember them right) 1280@960 in monochrome 640@480 in some (2-4?) colors 320@240 in 256 out of 4096 (but I may be wrong regarding the number of colors) Additionaly the old ST resolutions are supported (even the video-ram structure remains the same for this resolutions) >->It RUNS the old ST harddisks so you can get it cheaper than 6500DM incl.VAT >->None at Atari is willing to give final statements about that though. >Does this mean it has a "DMA" port like the 520/1040/MegaX ? Does it have >a "real" SCSI port as well? What kind of through put can be expected from >the hard disk interfaces? Can it do DMA and access > 4Meg ? It HAS ACSI and SCSI interfaces. However I do not know if the SCSI is accessible from the outside (you'll need a flat cable perhaps) but the DMA port is accessible. >This is damning with faint praise! What does Atari envision will be plugged >into this silly slot that runs at 2Mhz? Certainly not memory expansion >boards, how much memory can this thing be expanded to internally. Is the >VME slot the _only_ way to expand it, or does it have a Mega compatible >expansion connector as well? A full 32 bit slot is much more expensive. I'll guess you'll plug in adaptor cards, interfaces, graphics boards, ........... The system is expandable to: 2MB + 6 * 1mb sim === 8mb or 2MB + 6 * 4mb sim === 24mb or any combination of these. That's enough for me. It has no Mega slot as this would be incompatible to old Mega cards. >->2. The speed factor is 3times(my minimal guess) < 4times < 5times (Leonard). >->So do some calculations.... Smalltalk80 for instance runs at 40% Dorado on >Your calclations seem to leave out factors (like hard disk speed, memory >speed) but maybe a more interesting number would be comparing it to the >Amiga 2500 with a 68030 processor (25Mhz from GVP) since it seems like >they will cost about the same. I don't know the 2500. What processor does it use ? Is it compatible to other Amiga software ? I'd compare the TT to a '386 machine or a MacII. In both cases the TT looks pretty good. As for the hard disk.... it's just a matter of money you put in the drive. If you use expensive drives with SCSI then the IO prerformance is good. >->3. The TT uses this so called 'Slow Ram' for the lower 2meg only. The real >->memory expansion (who uses a workstation with 2meg anyway?) takes place >->at 16meg++ addresses and is called "Fast Ram". This uses full and sophisticated >->caching with 4*64bit burst filling. >What is "slow ram" ? I thought all of the Atari ram was "Fast" ram in that >the processor always had full access to it. What is "Fast" ram in your comment >and how much can one add (I'm guessing it can't sit on that VME slot). Also >do you have any idea how an "old" application will deal with the loader flag >business? Does the TT run TOS 1.4 or 1.x? How does one set up the MMU in the >'030 (if at all ?) Well... it is called slow ram because it is shared with the video chips. So the CPU can't access at full speed and the cache cannot use full burst-filling (timing problems as in the MAC). All additional ram is FAST RAM. The loader flag distinguishes the binaries location and the Malloc location. If you'r aplication assumes that both must be consecutive (bad bad bad) then put both in one area. Otherwise the aplication will not notice the use of flags. It uses TOS1.4 for the TT. The MMU is set with 68030 specific instructions (it's on the chip you know). >Does it have a Blitter ? No! A simple blitter like in the ST will not result in speed improvements over a well written 68020 bit-blt code. >->Nobody dared to name an exact date though :-) >Well, what you describe sounds like what the ATW had when it was "demoed" Well, I am pretty sure that it will not be late in the next year. I'll expect to buy one around March. Andreas Toenne ~~~~~ Keep those rumours coming