Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!spool.mu.edu!uwm.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!mbs110 From: MBS110@psuvm.psu.edu (That neat guy, Mark Sachs) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy Subject: Re: Blitter vs. 040 (was: Computer Architecture question Message-ID: <91135.003156MBS110@psuvm.psu.edu> Date: 15 May 91 04:31:56 GMT References: <1991May10.180908.29565@convex.com> <6o6Hk!=@cs.psu.edu> <1991May11.191434.3615@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <0r6Hnxt1@cs.psu.edu> Organization: Penn State University Lines: 58 In article <0r6Hnxt1@cs.psu.edu>, melling@cs.psu.edu (Michael D Mellinger) says: > >In article <1991May11.191434.3615@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> >es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita) writes: > > >The 040 is equal to at least 3 68030's. > > Ah, one second here. Motorola is claiming 20 mips for the > 25MHz 040. NeXT claims 15 mips. Well, my A3000 running an 030 is > doing 7.6. It seems like 2 68030s to me, not at least 3. > > > >Ok, we're playing with different #'s here. The 030 NeXT was only 5 >mips. Anyway, even if you take an A500 which is less than 1 mip and >the blitter you still get awesome graphics animation. If the blitter >is approximately equal to an 030, where does the blitter start to lose >its advantage? On the 40Mhz Mac IIfx, the 10MHz NuBus is suppose to >be a bottleneck. By the way, I though that the IIfx was only around >an 8 mip machine. How is Commmodore getting 7.6 out of a 25MHz 030? > >So, the question again is a 68040 > 68030 + blitter? For example, on >a 68040 A3000 is the blitter now the bottle neck? Sigh... I don't know why I'm even bothering to say this, but... 1. NO. IT IS NOT A BOTTLENECK. IT ISN'T, ISN'T, ISN'T. If you really want to you can feed all the graphics stuff through the 68030 and ignore the blitter completely. Pretend it doesn't exist. However, you can take advantage of its being a coprocessor and let it do graphics/memory-move stuff while the 68030 does the important CPU stuff. Multiprocessing, get it? Pretty neat. And 68030 + Blitter running flat out WILL ALWAYS be faster than 68030 running flat out. Period. Maybe this easy to understand diagram will help you. What Mike Thinks Reality _________ ____________ \ \_________ _________ <- 68030 / Blitter _________/ ____________ 68030 ____________ <- Blitter Got it? 2. Now if 68030 + Blitter > 68030... doesn't this mean: 68040 + Blitter > 68040? Drop a 68040 into an Amiga, and whatever miniscule speed advantage the NeXT may or may not have will be stomped, once again. Now can we please declare this thread closed? /Mark "Remixed for Common Household Appliances" Sachs IS: MBS110@psuvm.psu.edu\ | STEVEVAX Administration HQ, World Domination & Bake Sales Ltd. || //AMIGA|| | DISCLAIMER: It's NOT MY FAULT. Kei and Yuri forced me to say it.||\X/ Power|| \== "I think this calls for some diabolical laughter! RAAH HA HA HA HA HA!" ==/