Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!whoffman From: whoffman@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Walt Hoffman) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: PCDITTO II Summary: pcditto fix Keywords: What's going on. Message-ID: <2848@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov> Date: 15 Feb 90 03:05:43 GMT References: <3703@uafhp.uark.edu> Reply-To: whoffman@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Walt Hoffman) Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA Lines: 65 I received my PCDitto II about 2 weeks ago. I installed it into my 1meg 520ST and it didn't work. It hung right after the point where it asks for a DOS disk. By scanning GEnie messages, I found that my problem was not all that unique. The problem seems to be timing differences in the MMU chip in the ST. There is a fix for the problem to change out two PAL chips (in sockets). I have included a copy of the message from Avante-Garde Systems retrieved from GEnie. Now if we only had the 2-way GEnie hookup active, it could have been here a lot sooner. :-) (I just had to do that, Dave(GBS)) --- following message retrieved from GEnie --- Category 19, Topic 2 Message 73 Mon Feb 12, 1990 AVANTGARDE at 16:54 EST Dear pc-ditto II owners, We are happy to announce we have found the problem with pc-ditto II hardware not working with some STs. We were correct about the changes in timings of some machines being the heart of the problem and our correction widens the tolerance for machines with different timings. We can discuss our findings at a later time in detail, if there are any engineers interested. For now, however, the following describes what to do to receive an update: 1. Correction involves replacement of two socketed chips on your pc-ditto II board. The chips are labeled: U27 GLUPAL (part TIBPAL 20L8-25CNT) and U15 EMSPAL (part TIBPAL 16R4-25CN). 2. Please carefully remove these chips (a flat-edge screwdriver under the end of each chip works best). CAUTION: Please observe static discharge procedures (as noted in the pc-ditto II Installation Manual) to prevent damage to your board. 3. Then, wrap the two chips in a soft packing material and return to Avant-Garde Systems at the following address: Avant-Garde System 381 Pablo Point Drive Jacksonville, Florida 32225 (You may call (904) 221-2904 9am to 5pm Mon-Fri if you have questions.) 4. Please include your name and return address. 5. We will return two new replacement chips immediately along with instructions on replacing them. For owners with pc-ditto II that are already working, replacement of these two chips will not help you. Therefore, we would not recommend "fixing your product if its not broken". We are now working on a blitter fix and standardized Mega expansion port fixture and will post a message soon about those items. (Also, if you have already called or written, you will be receiving a letter concerning the above, as well). Thanks! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, CA 91109 "It better work 'cause after launch, service calls are quite expensive. It's only $40 for the call but it's the mileage that kills you." Walt Hoffman, Real-time Analyst, Galileo Orbiter Engineering Team ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- - if it GLISTENS, gobble it!!