jimh@hpsadla.HP (Jim Horn (x3130)) (08/06/87)
. . . . . Since nobody has cross-posted this yet to comp.sys.amiga, I thought I would. Anybody know of a translation of the article described or other information about this, including whether it does work on the Amigas? Please, no flames about the Atari slant - we're all in this MC68K boat together. Let's start pulling at the oars, shall we? / Jim Horn {The World}!hplabs!hpspdla!hpsadla!jimh / 1212 Valley House Drive 707-794-3130 \/ Rohnert Park, CA 94928-4999 {So many signals, so little bandwidth!} ================================================================================ From: csch@tub.UUCP Date: Sun, 26 Jul 87 16:02:00 PDT Subject: 68020 Extension-board PAK-68 Path: hplabs!seismo!mcvax!unido!tub!csch Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Here's some more detailed information about the 68020 extension-board for the ST and other 68K machines. (I know it must be a very strange request, but if some kind soul could transfer this note into the comp.amiga.* newsgroup ??? We don't get 'em on this site ...) The board is called PAK-68. It was developed by the editors of the computer magazine c't here in Germany. You'll find it in the August issue on pages 68ff (!!! --- Though I know some of the guys personally I can say they're very humorus people --- page 68 ...:-} TECHNICAL DETAILS : ------------------- PAK-68 is a PCB with two sockets for a 68020 and a 68881 FPU and 11 additional standard TTL chips. There's a 64 pin connector on the bottom of the board, so you can plug it directly into the 68000 socket of YOUR FAVORITE MICROCOMPUTER (:-}) ... It TECHNICALLY (from the hardware-aspect) fits into the ST, the Amiga and nearly any other 68K system. Unfortunately the current TOS version DOES DEFINITELY NOT WORK together with the PAK-68 board. Some problems were already mentioned in this newsgroup some days ago: - The STACKFRAME during exception handling is quite different - TOS uses simple DELAY-LOOPS which (un-???)fortunately run much faster within the 68020 cache ... :-} - additional minor problems But there's an operating system, which runs together with PAK-68. The (in Germany) well known RTOS/UH. A realtime multitasking OS (not only) for the ST. It's also distributed by c't. If you're interested I can write another report about this. AMIGA users might be more lucky! Though the AMIGA supports the 68010 the step to the 68020 is not that far - so the OS RUNS with PAK-68 in- stalled ... but the author mentioned some doubts about the application software ... NOW MY CRITIC : (personal) --------------- Grrrrrrmbl! What should I do with my (probably Mega-ST) with up to 4 Meg. and a 68020 (dream ...) WITHOUT a MMU ???????? Damned imagine about all the freaks in NETLAND starting to port some version of UNIX to that micro ??? Wouldn't this be great. I MYSELF would have much more interest in a MMU rather than in a FPU. Don't you ? ADDITIONAL DATA : ----------------- Ok, now the most interesting, the PRICE ... You may buy the PCB directly from c't (Heise Publications) at the price of DM 49,- (that's ~ $30 incl. shipment). There's also a company selling parts or the complete board for: - complete board (12.5 Mhz) WITH FPU: DM 1098.00 (~ $600) - " " " WITHOUT FPU: DM 798.00 (~ $435) - complete parts (WITHOUT FPU & PCB): DM 695.00 (~ $380) THE ADDRESS : ------------- c't Magazine Helstorfer Str. 7 PO-BOX 61 04 07 D-3000 HANNOVER 61 (that's WEST(!!)-Germany :-} Yes, they do have phone: +49-511-53 52-0 +49-511-53 52-129 (FAX) (I do have the direct number for the editor-in-chief, but I think he'll kill me, if I would send it through NETLAND :-} Ask for either Mr. Johannes Assenbaum (Author) Mr. Christian Persson (,,Editor-in-chief`` *) *= I don't know the english word for this ... You may also reach 'em via TWX (or TELEX) 923173 heise d I will offer them a account on our machine, and if they would like to, you may send mail directly to them. I'll announce the address, if they're really online ... I don't want to send the address of the other company via news, because I don't like advertising in the newsgroups. You may ask me directly for the address. Clemens Schrimpe (csch@tub) UUCP:(from the US) seismo!pyramid!tub!csch UUCP:(from Europe) mcvax!unido!tub!csch BITNET: csch@db0tui6.BITNET TWX: (Telex) 186672 rdt d PHONE: +49-30-332 40 15 (Office)