RAN101@PSUVM.BITNET (09/20/88)
i have an amiga 2000 and am considering getting a 68881 chip. can i just buy the chip, or does it have to come on a special board or with special software? i'm aware that most programs will not recognize it but i want it primarily for ray tracing (sculpt-3d). will the chip cause any software incompatibities? Also, how hard is it to install? can you just drop it into a slot designed for it, or do you have to play around with dip-switches? thanks, Robb
billsey@agora.UUCP (Bill Seymour) (09/25/88)
From article <53986RAN101@PSUVM:, by RAN101@PSUVM.BITNET:
:
: i have an amiga 2000 and am considering getting a 68881 chip. can i just buy
: the chip, or does it have to come on a special board or with special software?
:
You'll need a board to mount it on. Either one of the various 68020
boards or the Processor Acclerator. If you have one of the Starboards with
the adapter card, you can add the multi-function module to allow the '881 also.
Any way you go, make sure it comes with software to configure it under 1.3.
That will simplify programming for it by wuite a bit. All you'll need to do
is use the IEEE libraries, and the math chip will be automagically used.
: i'm aware that most programs will not recognize it but i want it primarily for
: ray tracing (sculpt-3d). will the chip cause any software incompatibities?
:
As far as I know, at this time, Sculpt 3D only supports a math chip
as a coprocessor in conjunction with a 68020. I do know someone who's supposed
to have a version that's been recompiled to use the IEEE libraries, but Byte-
by-Byte hasn't announced a '881 version yet.
: Also, how hard is it to install? can you just drop it into a slot designed
: for it, or do you have to play around with dip-switches?
:
I can only speak for the PA board, but you just plug it in and plug
in the appropriate speed crystal oscilator. When you first use the PA software
to toggle your processor speed to 14Mhz, it configures the math chip for you.
Or you can use the software to configure the math chip without toggling your
speed.
: thanks,
: Robb
Any time! (Hope I wasn't too commercial...)
--
-Bill Seymour ...tektronix!reed!percival!agora!billsey
...tektronix!sequent!blowpig!billsey
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