Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!jarthur!nntp-server.caltech.edu!toddpw From: toddpw@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2 Subject: Re: Zip Chip GS (I HAVE ONE AND IT WORKS!!!) Message-ID: <1990Nov1.013920.9352@nntp-server.caltech.edu> Date: 1 Nov 90 01:39:20 GMT References: <9010300529.AA10831@apple.com> <14289@smoke.brl.mil> Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena Lines: 104 October 24, wednesday, 1:10 pm. I read on comp.sys.apple2 that Roger Coats has ZIP GS's. Twenty minutes later I've got a GSX on order for a total bill of $293.31. Nothing happens until saturday afternoon. I get a call from RC verifying my credit card and order (supposedly because I'm a new customer). I am barely awake (it's 1 pm) and don't make any judgements on that until later. They tell me it will ship monday. October 30, tuesday. I get a package. It's hip. It's hot. IT'S HERE. runs at 8 mhz out of the box, documentation sez it's user-upgradable to 10 mhz. Lots of config options, the only one I have to change from default is Appletalk compatibility delay. The disk they give you has a hyperstudio stack w/ the runtime version that shows you around the card and how to install it. I found it to be worthless after looking through the manual but I like that they went to the trouble. The stack is basically a readme file in case they have last minute changes. Basically they have a copy of the Installer on the disk, with two scripts: install the Init, CDev, and CDA install the application that lets you configure the Init The Init overrides the DIP switch settings. Switches you would only change when you boot the O/S can be flipped for you by the Init -- a nice feature. (maybe because I'm using it?) Initially, I had gobs of problems because I was using the RAMfast loaded driver: cursor tracks during disk access, finder.info getting rearranged. I isolated the loaded driver by reinstalling the system without it (worked fine) and then adding the driver (always crashed during boot). So far it has worked fine as long as I am using the firmware and not the loaded driver. The only problem I have noticed is that ORCA/C prizm and its custom open file dialog crashes if you try to click disk and you're on the last HD partition. I believe this is due to the firmware RAMfast driver (or rather, prizm not reacting to it properly) because I remember it doing that before I installed the RAMfast driver when I originally got it (a few weeks ago). I am running 5.0.3, ROM 1 w/ 2.25 megs (GS Sauce), Sonic blaster in slot 1, and Appletalk on the printer port. The RAMfast is in slot 6 and the ZIP GS is in slot 3. I have noticed few other compatibility problems. (twilight started acting funny when I had AppleTalk disabled via slot 7 in order to try MIDI Synth though.) All the FTA demos run smoother, Rastan looks smoother, Arkanoid doesn't slow down when there are a lot of objects moving (uh oh), crystal quest is about the same speed but I didn't play a real game, Qix is the same speed because it is syncing to VBL. The desktop is a lot nicer, but view by name windows with lots of files still take a while to draw in finder -- it is more bearable however. Soundsmith works. Graphic player is the same speed (it's sync'd to the music). The software experience "Z" demo barfed after about a second. AppleTalk stuff works if the AppleTalk compatibility delay is enabled (I have the card's dip switches set for no AppleTalk -- the Zip Init changes the AppleTalk setting whenever I boot the O/S (which also installs the AppleTalk support code). Orca/C works perfectly fine as long as I don't try to click disk too often in prizm's custom get file box. Now to appease you techies: the Zip GSX board is darn spiffy. very few components, and I was amazed at how cool it runs. They have revised the board a LOT, however, mine has a ceramic capacitor soldered between two pins on the back side of it. The Tag RAM is also in a thin DIP 28 package as opposed to the 600 mil package used by the Data RAM (which is 6264's at 100 ns!!) ... BUT the silk screening shows that they originally planned on 600 mil packages for the Tag RAM too. There is an unconnected 40 pin DIP socket which you can plug your old 65816 into. the cable between the Zip board and the 65816 socket is 40 pin ribbon and it is plugged into the board on a 40 pin header -- so you can make your own replacements by buying a few inches of ribbon cable, and IDP-40, and an (I think) IDC-40, all of which are availble from our EE dept.'s stockroom although I can probably get them cheaper at a local electronics supply store. I don't expect my cable to get trashed, but I like it that Zip made the easiest to trash part of the thing so that it could be replaced easily. The chip count on the thing is amazing -- CPU, big fat ASIC circuit to control everything, and cache ram -- the ASIC is soldered directly (it's a 128 pin QFP/Gullwing) however. The only big minus I see is that the ASIC runs at 40 mhz already (4x max. main CPU speed) so pushing this baby for the ASIC 65816 could be a real challenge depending on how Zip is getting their glue ASIC fabricated. BTW, there is a spot for you to solder in a voltage regulator in case you want to experiment with WDC prototype 65816's, and there is a dip socket for both types of oscillator cases (user upgradability again). Summary: damn good considering how long it's been available. I am however looking forward to getting a loaded driver for the RAMfast that works properly (even before I got the Zip it wasn't much faster than the firmware driver!) and I hope Zip cleans up the board soon because it looks like they have the hardware changes pretty much figured out. I would like to see the final board design user-upgradable to 20 mhz but I am not expecting miracles. Recommendation: if you use your GS a lot, BUY IT! Todd Whitesel toddpw @ tybalt.caltech.edu