Harvey_Taylor@mindlink.UUCP (Harvey Taylor) (03/29/91)
In <grimkirk.0475@amiganet.chi.il.us>, grimkirk@amiganet.chi.il.us (Mike Schneider) writes: | [ XETEC FastTrak SCSI raves] | I got the Xetec MiniFast card to go with the CDROM. It does seem to be functional, BUT! BUT! BUT! it turns off the interrupts for seconds at a time. It is quite annoying to have your machine freeze every 5-6 seconds for 2-3 seconds while the driver is accessing the cd. How are other hard drive controllers in this respect. HardFrame? GVP? -het "he looked so immaculately frightful as he bummed a cigarette and went off sniffing drainpipes & reciting the alphabet" -R Zimmerman Harvey Taylor Meta Media Productions uunet!van-bc!rsoft!mindlink!Harvey_Taylor a186@mindlink.UUCP
blgardne@javelin.es.com (Blaine Gardner) (03/31/91)
Harvey_Taylor@mindlink.UUCP (Harvey Taylor) writes: >In <grimkirk.0475@amiganet.chi.il.us>, grimkirk@amiganet.chi.il.us > (Mike Schneider) writes: >| [ XETEC FastTrak SCSI raves] >| > I got the Xetec MiniFast card to go with the CDROM. It does seem > to be functional, BUT! > BUT! > BUT! it turns off the interrupts for seconds at a > time. It is quite annoying to have your machine freeze every 5-6 seconds > for 2-3 seconds while the driver is accessing the cd. Horrible! That's even worse than the old CLtd controllers, they just messed up >1200 baud transfers. The Hardframe and the A2091 and (I think) the GVP Series II controllers are all genuine DMA controllers. They are capable of higher speeds than CPU driven controllers like the Xetec, and do not have to cripple the system to get high transfer rates. Personally I've owned a Hardframe for several years, and have no complaints. It can keep up with the fastest drives, and does not degrade the system's performance at all. -- Blaine Gardner @ Evans & Sutherland 580 Arapeen Drive, SLC, Utah 84108 blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com or ...dsd.es.com!javelin!blgardne DoD #0046 My other motorcycle is a Quadracer. BIX: blaine_g 289 miles to go....
johnhlee@CS.Cornell.EDU (John H. Lee) (04/01/91)
In article <5318@mindlink.UUCP> Harvey_Taylor@mindlink.UUCP (Harvey Taylor) writes: > I got the Xetec MiniFast card to go with the CDROM. It does seem > to be functional, BUT! > BUT! > BUT! it turns off the interrupts for seconds at a > time. It is quite annoying to have your machine freeze every 5-6 seconds > for 2-3 seconds while the driver is accessing the cd. > > How are other hard drive controllers in this respect. > HardFrame? GVP? Ick. Is the Xetec non-DMA? Thankfully, my HardFrame (being full DMA) doesn't suffer from this problem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The DiskDoctor threatens the crew! Next time on AmigaDos: The Next Generation. John Lee Internet: johnhlee@cs.cornell.edu The above opinions of those of the user, and not of this machine.
Harvey_Taylor@mindlink.UUCP (Harvey Taylor) (04/01/91)
In <1991Apr1.172158.25341@swbatl.sbc.com>, davidh@swbatl.sbc.com (Dave Howarth) writes: | I have a Xetec Fastcard and it does NOT display the problems I've | read in this thread. I feel the delays are with the device driver | for the CD and probably has nothing to do with the disk controller. As the original poster who mentioned Xetec CD problems, I should say that this may well be so. I have not finished disassembling the harddisk.device & the CDxFileSystem, so I can't be sure, yet. Also Xetec did mention there was a cdrom.device upcoming, and this may fix the problem. | In fact, I like Xetec's FastCard software/hardware. As I said it is functional. With the CD there is an install program that writes a mountlist and copies various stuff to your system. I have a prejudice against such installation wares. -het "If science fiction means anything, we should prefer the unmarked trails." -G. Benford Harvey Taylor Meta Media Productions uunet!van-bc!rsoft!mindlink!Harvey_Taylor a186@mindlink.UUCP
davidh@swbatl.sbc.com (Dave Howarth 5-9085) (04/02/91)
I have a Xetec Fastcard and it does NOT display the problems I've read in this thread. I feel the delays are with the device driver for the CD and probably has nothing to do with the disk controller. I use my serial port at 9600bps, an rlogin session over a 10mbit ethernet, and access disk (Q105), without the delay's encountered by the prevous posters. In fact, I like Xetec's FastCard software/hardware. It has worked flawlessly over the last year and seems very flexible. Not to mention, the company has been very courteous to me. Just my humble opinion. DavidH
rbabel@babylon.rmt.sub.org (Ralph Babel) (04/04/91)
In article <5318@mindlink.UUCP>, Harvey_Taylor@mindlink.UUCP (Harvey Taylor) writes: > BUT! it turns off the interrupts for seconds at a > time. It is quite annoying to have your machine freeze every 5-6 seconds > for 2-3 seconds while the driver is accessing the cd. > > How are other hard drive controllers in this respect. > HardFrame? GVP? There is no such interrupt disabling in GVP's drivers. Ralph
rbabel@babylon.rmt.sub.org (Ralph Babel) (04/04/91)
In article <1991Mar30.163638.2661@javelin.es.com>, blgardne@javelin.es.com (Blaine Gardner) writes: > The Hardframe and the A2091 and (I think) the GVP Series > II controllers are all genuine DMA controllers. Yup, Series II is real DMA. > They are capable of higher speeds than CPU driven > controllers like the Xetec, and do not have to cripple the > system to get high transfer rates. True. Ralph