CT6x/CTPCI new firmware update - SDR & CTPCI

[wongck]

For those who did not know...
There are new firmware updates for CT6x and CTPCI.
These are mainly to correct the bugs in CTPCI that stops USB and possibly network from working.
One update is DMA for video mode is working. Previous version hangs the machine after some time.
So far with this version I use it for over 3 hour without any hanging.

ABE_V7E, SDR_V7D & CTPCI_1K are the new firmware to get.

http://www.powerphenix.com/CTPCI/english/update.htm
http://www.powerphenix.com/CT60/english/update.htm

[mdivancic]

Any reason to update if I just have the CT63?

[Dal]

What version do you currently have on your CT63?

[wongck]

Any reason to update if I just have the CT63?

I guess none.
If you do not have a CTPCI, then you will not miss anything if you do not flash the firmware.
It's really just add functionality to enable some features of CTPCI to be running.

[paul92706]

Does anyone know if Rodolphe still has CT60/CTPCI boards for sale?

[wongck]

Back in Dec, I received an email from him, trying to sell off his last ( may be last few) CTPCI.
No mention of CT6x in the email.
I assume that the CTPCI is probably sold by now, as there are many enhancements ( well not really enhancement...) done to it now.

[paul92706]

Back in Dec, I received an email from him, trying to sell off his last ( may be last few) CTPCI.
No mention of CT6x in the email.
I assume that the CTPCI is probably sold by now, as there are many enhancements ( well not really enhancement...) done to it now.

oh ok, i wonder if there will be more in production in the future.

[wongck]

News on DHS.net
The IDE ports are now debugged but needs software from Didier and possibly new HDDriver version to support this !!

[paul92706]

News on DHS.net
The IDE ports are now debugged but needs software from Didier and possibly new HDDriver version to support this !!

i sent rodolphe an email 2 days ago on the status of my Ct60 and he replied back with he was finishing up the process. So does this mean we have IDE HD support on CTPCI?

[Dal]

Nearly. As Wong says, it needs some software modifications before it's complete.

[wongck]

Worried that there may be some more delay... look at a huge technical post by Rodolphe to Didier, some disagreement .... but at least there's communication on going...

[paul92706]

Worried that there may be some more delay... look at a huge technical post by Rodolphe to Didier, some disagreement .... but at least there's communication on going...

hi wongck what website is it posted on? i also heard from rodolphe in a few months he is designing a new product, maybe a new accelorator board?

[Dal]

Look on Dead Hackers Society for the latest ct60/CTPCI news. I also had a message from Rodolphe about this 'possible' new accelerator. I did ask whether it might be coldfire based but he said it would be 68060 - although I don't know where he might find a good supply of rev6 060's? I ordered my 2nd ct63 from him at the beginning of November and he still hasn't got a decent 060 for it yet.

[Mug UK]

Rodolphe has requested a CT60 sub-forum on here - or was that in the same message you're referring to Dal (I can't remember these days which messages get sent to which admins!).

[Dal]

Did he? Ok, let's get it done... Give me a few minutes.

[Dal]

Tis done!

[wongck]

Did he? Ok, let's get it done... Give me a few minutes.

Tis done!

What??!! That took 7 minutes, why so long.... just joking impressed actually.

[wongck]

Worried that there may be some more delay... look at a huge technical post by Rodolphe to Didier, some disagreement .... but at least there's communication on going...

So much for communication.... the 2 great gurus are now debating about SDR transfers...

[wongck]

hi wongck what website is it posted on? i also heard from rodolphe in a few months he is designing a new product, maybe a new accelorator board?

WOW.... you don't know DHS? You're missing out on the action!!!!

[paul92706]

hi wongck what website is it posted on? i also heard from rodolphe in a few months he is designing a new product, maybe a new accelorator board?

WOW.... you don't know DHS? You're missing out on the action!!!!

lol! yes i have been channeled in!!! i asume you were speaking of another website! sweet!! we have a new CT60 subfolder forum on here! awesome!

[wongck]

I have wired my system to use the new IDE port on the CTPCI.

I did a benchmark using HOWFAST.
The write speed was 2 x faster than the Falcon IDE port - that around 1200 KB/s.
But the read speed was slower - about 20% - that around 3800 KB/s.

[paul92706]

I have wired my system to use the new IDE port on the CTPCI.

I did a benchmark using HOWFAST.
The write speed was 2 x faster than the Falcon IDE port - that around 1200 KB/s.
But the read speed was slower - about 20% - that around 3800 KB/s.

So i would asume it would take longer to execute programs but i would asume its faster than stock IDE still huh? and super fast at saving files.

[wongck]

So i would asume it would take longer to execute programs but i would asume its faster than stock IDE still huh? and super fast at saving files.

Well, TBH, I did not feel it was slower loading AUTO stuff in TOS. I guess loading is fraction of what it's doing when initialising the system.
OTOH, I always felt that writting has always been slow, so a 2x increase is great.

The story seems to change with Mint, I had always good benchmark in Mint for hard disk.
I think it is the efficient caching of Mint file system. That's why I seldom use it for bench-marking.
With MINT, it says it is reading 9+ MB/s which is full speed of what it display at boot time.
That's more than double the speed when using the falcon IDE.

[paul92706]

Thats impressive, now i wonder if tests have been done on a CDROM?

[wongck]

Ok, here are some simple test to compare between Falcon IDE & IDE using Kronos CTPCI 2:01
(I yet to update to 2.02)
Using same Hard disk via 44pin to 40pin converter.
Cache set to 5s option.

Running on TOS using Falcon IDE:
DISK_READ = 5882; (Mo / sec)
DISK_WRITE = 3.600; (Mo / sec)
DISK_MULTIREAD = 4644; (Mo / sec)
DISK_MULTIWRITE = 4719; (Mo / sec)
DISK_CREATE_DELETE = 121.7; (op / sec)
DISK_READ_WRITE_CACHE = 4689; (Mo / sec)

Running on using TOS CTPCI IDE:
DISK_READ = 10 959, (Mo / sec)
DISK_WRITE = 4776; (Mo / sec)
DISK_MULTIREAD = 7211; (Mo / sec)
DISK_MULTIWRITE = 7336; (Mo / sec)
DISK_CREATE_DELETE = 143.2; (op / sec)
DISK_READ_WRITE_CACHE = 7318; (Mo / sec)

Running on using MINT Falcon IDE:
DISK_READ=6.190; (Mo/sec)
DISK_WRITE=5.893; (Mo/sec)
DISK_MULTIREAD=38.669; (Mo/sec)
DISK_MULTIWRITE=36.499; (Mo/sec)
DISK_CREATE_DELETE=159.0; (op/sec)
DISK_READ_WRITE_CACHE=37.616; (Mo/sec)

Running on using MINT CTPCI IDE:
DISK_READ = 12 379, (Mo / sec)
DISK_WRITE = 12 851, (Mo / sec)
DISK_MULTIREAD = 40 215, (Mo / sec)
DISK_MULTIWRITE = 37 362, (Mo / sec)
DISK_CREATE_DELETE = 255.0; (op / sec)
DISK_READ_WRITE_CACHE = 39 010, (Mo / sec)

TOS is nearly 200% faster read, write, is 30% faster!

Look at the last results, MINT on CTPCI IDE .... is that correct?
I think MINT caching is at play here.
So may be best to look at TOS results only.

Edit: clarify this is with cache 5s option.