okay@tafs.mitre.org (Okay, S J) (02/27/90)
Okay, well, its been a few weeks since I posted my request for real-world 2630 experiences, and since i haven't gotten any more responses, I figured it was time for a summary (The ratio of "Send me what you find out" vs. "heres what happened to me" was about 10:1, so I figured a summary was probably a good idea).From those that did proffer their experiences, it seems like the general consensus was that while the GVP and similar boards may be faster, they aren't nearly as stable as the 2630, so I think I *AM* going for the CBM board. Thanks to everybody who contributed, it always helps to get "field reports" as opposed to just having the "spin" put out by the press to go on. ------------CUT HERE---------CUT HERE---------------CUT HERE---------------- Viet Ho had this to say: >Well, I don't particularly own one, but I have had experience >with the other boards on the market (GVP3001 &Hurricane030) and know >someone in Arizona who has all three and prefers the 2630 for its >stability. The 2630 is about the most rock-solid board out there >(in terms of crashing), but a slight sacrifice in speed. The GVP >clocks in at around 10.52 (@25Mhz) and the A2630 runs around >8 on the CPU_Speed benchmark program (that's 8x the speed of a >normal amiga 68000 which is =1 ). > From my experience with the GVP, it crashed quite often on >various applications and even 020 geared software. For instance >in the middle of a complex ray-trace it would hang. It was >FAST, but not worth the instability. > With some modification to the A2630, the guy in Arizona go it >up to 10 on the CPU_Speed (You can also pluck in 33Mhz parts to >rev here up even faster). > As for the Hurricane, it is rocksolid once you get it up and >going and is about as fast (a tad bit faster maybe) as the GVP >board. > > I think the 2630 is a good buy, how much is it for students??? > > -Viet > vho@ucsd.edu > > > Terry SmallWood replied: From: TERRY SMALLWOOD <canremote!terry.smallwood> Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: A2630...real world report Hi Steve, I have the 2630 board installed and working (finally - after two bouts with shorts due to grease under the chip sockets) and am VERY pleased with its operation. I've already added the extra 2Mb of fast RAM and am getting about 7.6 MIPS out of the board. In real world terms that means a significant increase in such things as (hard) disk I/O speed (more than double) and a more than remarkable decrease in compile and render times. Quite often I am downloading using BaudBandit, Zipping with PKAzip, and reading files at the same time and I'd like to see someone without an accelerator do all that without going mad. In going from a 2620 to a 2630 I found that more programs worked rather than fewer (I think C= learned a few things from their '020 board). As an example Populous (which wouldn't even work with the 2620 disabled) now works flawlessly. Hope this helps. Terry --- * Via ProDoor 3.2aR From: MTR780::WINS%"eapu030@orion.oac.uci.edu" 13-FEB-1990 17:07:19.17 I have had a A2630 for several weeks now. When I first got it I was amazed by the speed increase in every program I own. Very quickly, however, I became used to the /030 and now its not so much that the /030 seems fast but that I just could never use a stock 68000 again. Programs like DTP, CAD, and RAY-Tracing are virtually amazing! The only software pakage I have found that didn't run is Turbo-Silver and the company is working on it, by running from the CLI it works now, but its a little sketchy. Sculpt 4D works GREAT. Also it makes a program like lharc really shine. Even Excellence! which I once thought was a dog is now a very usuable word processor. GoodLuck, -Jason- --------CUT HERE---------CUT HERE-----------CUT HERE------------------- ------------- Stephen Okay OKAY@TAFS.MITRE.ORG Technical Aide, The MITRE Corporation "Never let reality stand in the way of a good media campaign" Disclaimer:Yes, you're right, these are *MY* opinions