gt0t+@andrew.cmu.edu (Gregory Ross Thompson) (11/20/90)
I've got a few questions about the Innovative Systems FPE. #1) Is it fully DMA compatible? Will it cause problems with my DMA SCSI? #2) Does it have problems with accellerators? TWGS and/or ZIP GSX #3) Is Innovative Systems still supporting it? ie: fixing compat. problems, etc... #4) How much are they and where can I get one for a decent price? #5) What kind of tools does it come with for programming it? Any and all info would be appreciated except for the standard "I think it's neat, buy it..." Thanks in advance. Please reply via mail. -Greg T. gt0t+@andrew.cmu.edu
TMPLee@DOCKMASTER.NCSC.MIL (11/21/90)
<In reply to the following:>
[30004] (20 lines) Network_Server.Daemon 11/20/90 1526.3 est Tue info-apple
Subject: FPE Compatibility...
From: info-apple-request@APPLE.COM@RELAY.CS.
<I'll answer what I can. I have an FPE in my son's GS, but not in mine,
for the reason given below.>
I've got a few questions about the Innovative Systems FPE.
#1) Is it fully DMA compatible? Will it cause problems with my DMA
SCSI?
<I don't know. The machine it's on has an AMR SCSI card.>
#2) Does it have problems with accellerators? TWGS and/or ZIP GSX
<Apparently the TWGS needs a mod (jumper and/or cut wire). I didn't
want to be without mine long enough to bother. It's possible that the
new ROM needed for the TWGS to work with the DMA SCSI card fixes whatever
the problem is, but I haven't tired it.>
#3) Is Innovative Systems still supporting it? ie: fixing compat.
problems, etc...
<I'm not excited about their support. I had to call them several times
before I got mine and didn't get many prompt call-backs. I also wrote
them a letter describing some problems I had with it (it would only
work in one slot, I forget which now, even though it's supposed to work
in many.) No reply, and it's been several months..
#4) How much are they and where can I get one for a decent price?
<I got mine from Byteworks, I think. A2-Central also carries them; there
were disagreements among the varous people I called about what the
fastest way to get on ewas; I don't think the prices varied much.>
#5) What kind of tools does it come with for programming it?
<Not much. It patches itself into the GS toolbox and there is also
a patch for classic appleworks. I dunno about AWGS. There are some
enhancments due to Glen Bredon, I think, that allow you to program it
at the register level from Basic. I believe some HLL's will compile direct
code for it; TML PASCAL (I or II) doesn't, but do use it automatically through
the SANE interface. It has several demos and a self-test.>
Any and all info would be appreciated except for the standard "I
think it's neat, buy it..."
Thanks in advance. Please reply via mail.
-Greg T.
gt0t+@andrew.cmu.edu
---[30004]---gwyn@smoke.brl.mil (Doug Gwyn) (11/21/90)
In article <kbG=AOy00WB_I40lwe@andrew.cmu.edu> gt0t+@andrew.cmu.edu (Gregory Ross Thompson) writes: > I've got a few questions about the Innovative Systems FPE. Ok, I have one and it NOW works great; read on for the problems.. > #1) Is it fully DMA compatible? Will it cause problems with my DMA >SCSI? So far as I can tell there is no adverse interaction between the FPE and the Apple High-Speed (DMA) SCSI Card. I don't know about the RAMFast, but I would be somewhat surprised if there were a problem there. > #2) Does it have problems with accellerators? TWGS and/or ZIP GSX Until I finally obtained the TWGS PAL upgrade that resolved the TWGS/ SCSI DMA conflict, I couldn't get the FPE to work with my TWGS at all, even without the SCSI card installed. The FPE did work with the original 65816 chip but not with the TWGS. There is a mod required on the TWGS (lift pin 1 of U22) before it will work right with the FPE, AE said, but even after making that mod (you should let AE do it unless you are really skilled), I still couldn't get the FPE to work with the TWGS. As I said, only after I upgraded my TWGS PAL to fix the SCSI DMA problem did the FPE start working with the TWGS. I don't know whether or not pin 1 of U22 still needs to be lifted, but it's working this way and I don't want to mess with it any more. > #3) Is Innovative Systems still supporting it? ie: fixing compat. >problems, etc... The only FPE upgrade I'm aware of has been to the software that comes with the card (diagnostics, patch for BASIC to use the card, INIT for GS/OS to get SANE to use the card, benchmark sources, macros, etc.). IS is a small company, but they were most responsive to my requests for advice when I was still having compatibility problems, even offering to let me haul my equipment to their location and work with them to track down the problem (fortunately I don't have to do that now). > #4) How much are they and where can I get one for a decent price? I got mine through ByteWorks (the ORCA company). I think it was around $150 but I might be mistaken. > #5) What kind of tools does it come with for programming it? See the description in my response to #3. ORCA/C and ORCA/Pascal can generate code to directly access the FPE registers on the Apple II bus, which is much faster than going through even the FPE-using SANE tools.