I have been away for a while, and I'm finally getting ready to update my Micro-AOne to the latest OS release.
Yes, I'm late for this, but better late than never!

The OS info says a "Radeon 9250" is the ideal video card, and I'd be happy to get one.. But how well will that co-exist with the built in radeon chip?

I'm not trying to run dual monitors, I'd be happy to disable the built in video if it would help. I'm just wondering if the Micro can be happy with a new video card.. and I'd like to know if the DVI output would be enabled. I'm planning a new monitor too, and I'd really like to go "all digital" if it's possible.

Thanks,
LyleHaze

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@lylehaze

In short: forget it.


A bit longer: The UBoot versions available for MicroA1 do not traverse the PCI tree deep enough to get hold of any PCI graphics card, so it doesn't get initialized and won't be seen by AmigaOS.

And no, it's pretty sure that Hyperion will not update the A1 UBoot. Simply because the firmware is the job of the boardmanufacturer as long as he doesn't ask Hyperion to do so AND pay them. Unfortunately Eyetech is no longer, so there is nobody who could assign Hyperion for the job nor pay them. Additionally updating UBoot for A1s would in any case lead to a great amount of "after-sales" support, for which nobody at Hyperion would have the time.

Sorry to say that, but A1 and MicroA1 owners are stuck with what they have now (just like Peg users won't get any firmware updates anymore, even though the manufacturer would be still around).

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AmigaOS4 development team member

"In the beginning was CAOS.."
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@Cyborg

Quote:

Cyborg wrote: @lylehaze A bit longer: The UBoot versions available for MicroA1 do not traverse the PCI tree deep enough to get hold of any PCI graphics card, so it doesn't get initialized and won't be seen by AmigaOS.

Yes and that is only one problem of the U-boot PCI initialization code.

Quote:

And no, it's pretty sure that Hyperion will not update the A1 UBoot. Simply because the firmware is the job of the boardmanufacturer as long as he doesn't ask Hyperion to do so AND pay them. Unfortunately Eyetech is no longer, so there is nobody who could assign Hyperion for the job nor pay them. Additionally updating UBoot for A1s would in any case lead to a great amount of "after-sales" support, for which nobody at Hyperion would have the time.

Well, we got the A1 U-boot source code, which is available from the git repository of the uboot-amigaone.sourceforge.net project. So if there is someone that can help us to speed up (better said to kick off) this project then please join the uboot-amigaone project. Fixing this PCI bug bug would definitively be a high priority task.

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A1SE: G3@600MHz, 2GB, 1GBit network card
A1XE: G4@933MHz, 2GB, refitted AC'97 codec
microA1: G3@800MHz, 1GB

- A1 Linux support -

Well, I guess that answers that.
The big flat screen HDMI TV will have to wait until after the X1000.

Thanks for the info!

LyleHaze

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@Geri

It's not just the firmware. There is a newer version that shipped on some Micro's that will work with PCI video cards. No one seems to have this version in a downloadable format.

Beyond the Firmware the Micro is just plain broken. You would need to turn off IDE DMA and some or all of the USB ports to make the PCI video card work.

I wanted to upgrade my Micro a while back and gave up after researching the problems.

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Micro A1 866 Mhz and AmigaOS 4.1
PowerMac G4 1.4 Ghz and MorphOS 2.7

As a MicroA1 owner, I plan to upgrade to Sam460EX when it is available..
32MB Radeon 7000 became too limited for OS4.x nowadays.

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AmigaOS4 Beta-Tester
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Amiga X5000 8GB Radeon RX 560
Amiga A1222 2GB Radeon RX 550
Sam 460 2GB RadeonRX 550

@SinanG

I did (A Flex 440) and never looked back.

Wizz.

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Rev 1D3 Amiga 1200, Apollo 1240 (40Mhz '040, 64MB RAM), Indivision MKII, Fast ATA MK V, Rapid Road USB, PCMCIA WIFI & OS 3.14

@SinanG

Quote:

As a MicroA1 owner, I plan to upgrade to Sam460EX when it is available.. 32MB Radeon 7000 became too limited for OS4.x nowadays.

Same here!

I love/live-with my micro now for nearly six years. By any standards in ICT, except when related to Amiga, far to long.
Now that I just got my micro to boot in one go by disabling the rear USB-ports in UBoot...

OldFart

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Time is a waste of life.
Get wasted all the time
and you'll have the time of your life!

@BobW

Quote:

There is a newer version that shipped on some Micro's that will work with PCI video cards.

What are you referring to here? Uboot?

If so, no.

It was shipped with the October, 2004 version of Uboot.
The last shipment was made well prior to the March, 2005 version.

I should add that "potentially" there may have been a few Micros shipped from dealers who made the update to March, 2005 uboot for the customer. This would be virtually impossible to track.

#6

Last edited by number6 on 05-Sep-2010 at 02:32 PM.

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@BobW

Quote:

BobW wrote: @Geri It's not just the firmware. There is a newer version that shipped on some Micro's that will work with PCI video cards. No one seems to have this version in a downloadable format.

A good reason to work on an improved firmware!

Quote:

Beyond the Firmware the Micro is just plain broken. You would need to turn off IDE DMA and some or all of the USB ports to make the PCI video card work.

Okay, PCI DMA could be a problem. But I guess a bigger problem is the PCI MMIO bug, which affects all AmigaOnes (and can't be fixed in software).

On the other side I heard the uA1 has a real hardware fix for the IDE DMA problem (not just a rewiring of the DMA request lines). Doesn't that improve stability of the system?

_________________
A1SE: G3@600MHz, 2GB, 1GBit network card
A1XE: G4@933MHz, 2GB, refitted AC'97 codec
microA1: G3@800MHz, 1GB

- A1 Linux support -

@Geri

Quote:

On the other side I heard the uA1 has a real hardware fix for the IDE DMA problem (not just a rewiring of the DMA request lines). Doesn't that improve stability of the system?

I realize you've addressed this to Bob, but since I'm here atm...

Stable is a misunderstood term I believe. Once when SG2 used the term, it was discussed in terms of vcore adjustments on the A1s (all models).
From years of reading, and realizing how many small batches of inconsistent parts with different tolerance levels went in these things, I can only conclude that each user would answer your question quite individually.

Mine - stable. I have tracked every issue to either software, outside forces (lines), user error (heh), etc.
This is not to say, however, that the known issues/limitations do not exist in my machine.
It is also interesting to note that Alan (according to ACK) never intended this model (Micro) to be released to the public.

#6

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@number6

Quote:

number6 wrote: @Geri Stable is a misunderstood term I believe. Once when SG2 used the term, it was discussed in terms of vcore adjustments on the A1s (all models). From years of reading, and realizing how many small batches of inconsistent parts with different tolerance levels went in these things, I can only conclude that each user would answer your question quite individually.

Okay, but are there any problems with VIA IDE DMA and ethernet operation at the same time? And what about disabling the rear USB ports to get it to boot? I don't have to disable them on my A1XE (at least I can't remember it)!?
I wouldn't wonder, if this is mostly the result of the completely broken U-boot PCI init code (IMHO).

Quote:

Mine - stable. I have tracked every issue to either software, outside forces (lines), user error (heh), etc. This is not to say, however, that the known issues/limitations do not exist in my machine.

I don't know much about the uA1 hardware. Does it have other issues than the A1SE/XE?

Quote:

It is also interesting to note that Alan (according to ACK) never intended this model (Micro) to be released to the public.

Uhh, that doesn't sound good.

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A1SE: G3@600MHz, 2GB, 1GBit network card
A1XE: G4@933MHz, 2GB, refitted AC'97 codec
microA1: G3@800MHz, 1GB

- A1 Linux support -

@Geri

Please see PM.

#6

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@number6

I have confirmed, on my own micro, that there is some instability while powered up if the battery voltage is any less than excellent.
No great surprise, we have heard of it before.. but it is unusual that battery voltage affects operation when fully powered!
I have considered building a module that will power the battery circuit with an adjustable regulated voltage off the mains power when the power is on.. Actually if it's off the +5SB part of the power supply, it would be always-powered!
More recently..

_REALLY USEFUL INFORMATION HERE_

I learned that the "BR2032" battery, while a bit harder to find, will maintain the output voltage much longer than the more common CR2032 battery, and this might be just enough to make a difference for those that are tasked with frequent battery changes..
The BR maintains very close to full voltage for the life of the battery, then suddenly falls off when it's spent. I'll be ordering one next week in my next Mouser order.

I hope to put my Amiga and music gear back into service, either Tomorrow or next week, as time allows. I really miss my toys!

LyleHaze

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@Cyborg

Quote:

Sorry to say that, but A1 and MicroA1 owners are stuck with what they have now

Officially, sure.
But we've had a strictly "unofficial" set of h/w fixes for the XE, where it was made clear by Eyetech that users did so at their own risk, due to "unforeseen" consequences that could arise.

So, considering that there IS a uboot team of sorts who HAS stated fixes have been made and others were planned, what prevents them from making said changes available under the same condition of "at your own risk"?

@Hyperiomp

Would there be any liability issues or similar from your standpoint if users took this upon themselves?

#6

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@lylehaze

Right.

I read your former posts about this battery and other Micro users have commented on this in the past.
CR2032 is often claimed to NOT be the right battery for the Micro in particular. But again, officialy, no one can pursue a different path here.
See my other post about what I would term a user initiative, since I do not believe Hyperion would be in a position to recommend anything regarding your idea.

#6

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@number6
http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/uboot-amigaone/index.php?title=Main_Page

The plans are to work on improving out uboot using Linux to test, and when we're happy with something then show it to Hyperion and hope they'll add the OS4 special sauce so we can then test using OS4 and when we're all happy with that then consider public release.

Of course time is not our friend at the moment and it's a very slow project right now.

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@number6

There are definetly some MicroA1 with UBoot 1.1.4 out in the wild. Ive seen one, and I got the UBoot image from it. I simply dont dare to try the flash, as I still need my Micro for my software projects and theres always a hazard in flashing UBoot. If I could afford a SAM or even a X1000 as a replacement machine some day, I will try the flash

@billt

Thank you Bill.
To be honest, I WAS trying to coax a post on this from both you and Geri. Heh.

#6

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@whose

I do think keeping the posts in the same thread on the Hyperion forum is wise, so people don't have to look all over creation to keep up with this.

You might want to consider posting some or all of your amigans.net post over there.

post I referred to

#6

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