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From: RBAUER@oregon.uoregon.edu (Robert Bauer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: Gemini/TSI accelerators
Message-ID: <15822@oregon.uoregon.edu>
Date: 6 Feb 90 00:49:22 GMT
References: <2101@ultb.isc.rit.edu>
Followup-To: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Oregon
Lines: 39

In article <2101@ultb.isc.rit.edu>, jjw7384@ultb.isc.rit.edu (Jeff Wasilko) writes:
> I'm looking for comments on TSI/Gemini accelerators, especially compared
> to Radius boards. 
> 
> I see several advantages in going with the Gemini board rather than a
> Radius board. I have heard that the Gemini boards come with an
> additional power supply so as not to tax the already weak MacPlus power
> supply. It also seems less expensive to add a second monitor to the
> Gemini board, and the Gemini board includes an accelerated SCSI port.
> Additionally, Gemini boards are available with an '030, so they can be
> used with Virtual.
> 
>
The Radius board has the main advantages of stability and compatibilty.  If you
want a Radius monitor, it's your only choice.  It also will work with less than
4-Meg of memory, since it has a 32-bit cache while the TSI board forces you to
have 1 or 4 Meg of 32-bit RAM on the daughterboard and ONLY 1 Meg on the
motherboard, since it has no RAM cache.  

There are still some unusual bugs with the TSI board, and their SCSI
accelerator isn't fully compatible with all devices, although the new
software driver is getting better.  The clip-on connector (from KILLY) is
legendary in its ability to pop off at a crucial moment and the solder-on
mount is reliable but butchers your motherboard, forcing you to become 
a non-entity if you ever need servicing from Apple.  Service from 3rd-party
shops shouldn't be a problem, however.  

You're very wrong about the video question.  The TSI board ONLY works with
E-Machines or MegaScreen, not the best choice in a big-screen monitor.  There
is an adapter that sells for about $100 or so, but all this does is allow
you to hook up the accelerator board to the video adapter board, so you're
paying for the big screen monitor, video adapter board, AND TSI's interface
adapter board too.  They've been working on an accelerator with a built-in
video adapter, so all you need to do is add a monitor, but there's no 
delivery date at this time.  

Finally, there's the question of technical support--if you call and ask to 
speak with their technician, you'll probably get their main salesman.  There
is no qualified in-house techie.