Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!prls!pyramid!cbmvax!cbmehq!babylon!rbabel
From: rbabel@babylon.UUCP (Ralph Babel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: GVP Trade-in
Message-ID: <03259.AA03259@babylon.UUCP>
Date: 27 Aug 90 00:53:54 GMT
References: <589@oregon.oacis.org> <38CP09P@dri.com>
Lines: 97

In article <589@oregon.oacis.org> jmeissen@oregon.oacis.org
(John Meissen - Staff OACIS) writes:

> (an additional $10 off if you trade in one of Commodore's)

Or one of GVP's controllers.

> What would these boards cost normally?

Suggested retail:

US-$199 (SCSI-only hard card),
US-$249 (SCSI hard card w/ 8 MB RAM option).

> True DMA (ala the A2090) is VERY important to me. GVP
> claims this board is. Anybody have one that can comment?

I have one in my A2000 (rev 4.1) I'm typing this article on.
It's true 16-bit DMA anywhere in the Zorro-II address space.
(Well, my driver doesn't transfer any data, so I must assume
it's either DMA or magic :-)

> Comments on SCSI implementation,

<devices/scsidisk.h> (multiple LUNs, multiple boards, HD_-
SCSICMD), <devices/hardblocks.h> (Rigid Disk Block standard,
booting from FFS partition), <resources/filesysres.h> (auto-
matic use of 2.0 filing system), full disconnect/reconnect,
support for automatic DiskChange even with 1.3 FFS (e.g.
SyQuest, Bernoulli, those new Ricoh drives), block sizes !=
512, driver automatically executing out of 32-bit memory (if
present), A-Max II (Macintosh emulator) support.

> compatability issues (anybody got a tape drive or CD-ROM
> drive?),

I'm using a WangTek streamer and a NEC CD-ROM drive, I know
of others using Ricoh optical disk drives and Sony WORMs.

> customer support....

Can't comment. ;-)

In article <38CP09P@dri.com> liberato@dri.com (Jimmy
Liberato) writes:

> Actually, if you read VERY carefully they do not claim
> "true DMA." They say something like "DMA to on board ram."

John was talking about the _new_ Series-II ad, and as I
already said: It's 100% real true DMA to the entire 16-meg
address space. And it's even faster when DMAing to the
on-board expansion memory (no Zorro-II bus arbitration
required).

The _old_ Series-I GVP controllers did DMA to a local
on-board RAM buffer (that's what you called "pseudo-DMA").

> As to whether it is a good deal or not:  The ROM upgrade
> for the old GVP boards is around $50.

I'd say it's worth it (don't forget: I'm biased)! But with
true DMA, you'll get even better performance on the new
controllers, of course.

> I would do it if I could convince them to sell me the
> board first and then give me credit upon receipt of my
> tradein.

Call sales, it might be worth a try.

> I find it impossible to get past their voice mail system
> and have yet to have anyone call me back.

Try (215) 337-8770 from 9 AM to 5 PM EST.
Fax (215) 337-9922

> I would never consider sending the controller first and
> then have to wait a month for the board.

From what I've read on the comp.sys.amiga.* groups, most
people say that they received their shipments within a few
days, but I can't really confirm or deny something like
that, so maybe somebody else can comment.

> It is unlikely the new board is even shipping yet.

Absolutely not true! It was shipping even before the
September issue of AmigaWorld was published!

> (This last comment has no factual basis)

Reminds me of: "This statement is false." :-)

Ralph

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