@robo-ant

>>The business with the DVI-VGA adapter and LCD monitors doesn't bother me too much because I don't have an LCD monitor, and when I get one I'll get one with DVI, but... all those missing connectors!
I don't know what they are with the jumper numbers... but I'm guessing that they include the I2C, SPI, and I/O connectors from the FPGA, correct? I want all of those things!




Not too sure about the connectors, there is no black connectors with loads of pins at the bottom (where the atx connector is) for example.

I am not too bothered about the missing pins/connectors/headers I am more worried about the quality on a VGA monitor.

One SAM (first batch) is fine, mine (batch 3?) is not.

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@TheDaddy

Quote:

TheDaddy wrote: @gerograph >>The backplate maybe able to utilize the internal VGA Port, so therefore we can connect to the internal VGA Port rather then converting DVI Signal. What if I don't want to do that? There is a DVI connector onboard and the board comes with an adapter (DVI-VGA). I want to be able to connect my SAM with DV-VGA adapter to my 19" CRT VGA monitor like I CAN do with the other SAM.

Look, to tell you the truth I don't want to change my LCD/TV either. But it remains fact that the comparison between SAM OS4.x running on DVI and VGA is HUGE. DVI is much much better. So, if someone has the money then it really worth to upgrade his monitor.

One more thing, I got my 941MP almost 2 years. It cost me 350 euros back then. Now, I can get with 219 euros a monitor which has: vga, rf, scart, ausio in/out, surround XT, 2 (!) hdmi connectors, DVI, is 3 inch bigger and has many - many more. features.

So, as I said, is someone was in the verge of changing his monitor, os4.x in DVI is a very good reason!

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@Cool_amigaN

I understand everything you say.

This still doesn't explain why two, supposedly, exact boards act differently.

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@TheDaddy

Quote:

TheDaddy wrote: @Cool_amigaN This still doesn't explain why two, supposedly, exact boards act differently.

I understand you too. I don't have any valid answer to give you :( We are stuck in the same line of the train here facing the same problem. I have e-mailed ACube asking about the the I/O connector.

They haven't answered me till now. I hope I will have some news in the week ahead.

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@TheDaddy

Yes, you are right, even though there are workarounds for the described problems, it still should work properly without those...
Is your revision C ? Mine is..

cheers Gero

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@gerograph

Yes, rev C.

Has yours got NO big connector at the bottom?


if you look at the ACube site there is a big connector (FPGA?!), on mine there isn't.

Last edited by TheDaddy on 30-Jan-2009 at 09:33 PM.

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@TheDaddy

Well, mine is already mounted in a Nexus Psile Case (If your case would have been around already, I probably would have gone for your one... ) but as far as I can see, there is no connector at all on the other side of the board.

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@everyone

I have spoken to ACube:

1) Missing pins/headers are of no use to the end user, so we can relax now

2) Quality of display when connected to a CRT VGA monitor using the DVI-VGA adapter is being investigated. It seems to be ok when the signal is taken directly from the board.

3) The backplate is being worked on. It should present all the apertures for the existent connectors plus USB, 5.1 sound connectors and VGA connector (signal taken directly from the motherboard).

Last edited by TheDaddy on 31-Jan-2009 at 07:42 AM.

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@TheDaddy

The problem might be a Radeon thing. I have an Efika with a Radeon 9200Pro / 128Mb and I have the exact same problem.

In the beginning I connected my VGA LCD to the internal VGA header of the Radeon. But because I have no room in the EfikaZ-case for the vga header, I wanted to remove it and use a DVI to VGA adapter. The monitor was displaying perfectly while connected to the VGAheader.

Well I tried two adapters, one from Apple and one that was included with a Sapphire HD3850 Radeon and they both made my screen unsharp while those adapters don't show this behaviour when used with the same monitor on my winbox.

That said I might be able to make someone happy because I have a broken Radeon9250, and I suppose someone could use the backplate and vgaheader cable of it, to use in his SAM. So whoever wants it, paypal me the shipping costs and it's yours. First PM has it.

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@TheDaddy Quote:

Missing pins/headers are of no use to the end user, so we can relax now

No we can't

Can you imagine what would have happened if Commodore saved a few $0.01 by not including the "useless" clock-port connector on the A1200? A long line of highly useful expansions would have been impossible.

IMHO the same goes for *at least* the FPGA connector (J4), and who knows what else on the Sam440?

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@ChrisH

>>No we can't relax
Can you imagine what would have happened if Commodore saved a few $0.01 by not including the "useless" clock-port connector on the A1200? A long line of highly useful expansions would have been impossible.
IMHO the same goes for *at least* the FPGA connector (J4), and who knows what else on the Sam440?


Well this is what I have noticed. My new SAM has all those things missing. To be honest I am a bit disappointed but if they are never going to be used then it's ok.

If, on the other hand, they are going to be used I, like many others with the new version, will be missing out.

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@TheDaddy

Did you check the tooltypes on for devs:Monitors/Radeon

the default is 60hz for all screen modes, thats correct for DVI, but not for CRC screens that often use up to 90hz

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@ChrisH

do you honestly think that the SAM is ever going to be hacked, modified or whatever you have in mind compared to the A1200 & co ? Maybe when Hyperion goes bankrupt and the SAM is the last AmigOS compatible for the next 10+ years like the A1200 once was... but I hope that's not going to happen.

I can remember buying my µA1 and waiting for a PCIriser to come ( without having to buy 10 different ones to *maybe* get one working ) and a lot of people waited for the promised faster cpumodule that never materialized.... or should I lsay vapourized ?Not a single hardware upgrade has shown up, except for some hacks that solved designproblems.
Look to the Efika ... everyone knows it should be possible to add more RAM somehow.... does it happen ?

Point is: except maybe for that FPGA, I doubt there is much upgrading going to happen with your SAM hardware. And if Acube thinks they should remove things, I am sure they have a good reason for that and they didn't make that decision overnight.

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@NutsAboutAmiga

I'll try checking the devs:Monitors/Radeon although I don't think it's that.

It's not possible to have two SAMs and one displays nicely and the other doesn't on the same monitor, same configuration.

Anyway, I'll give it a try, thanks.

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@TheDaddy

The only thing that can be maybe different is the Radeon chip ... different batch, different revision maybe ? Maybe some other hardwarecomponent that is related ?

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@ChrisH

Could you please check the following on your SAM?

After choosing Screenblanker = GLMatrix

I left for about 20 minutes, I went back and the GLMatrix was still running....fine I thought.

I went back 40 minutes later and it was still running but it was all fuzzy, like a non tuned television.

Do you get that? Could you please try?

Also how hot are the two chips to the touch? My SAM is naked on the table at the momen (let's not start silly jokes please) and they are both hot to the touch, not scorchingly hot but very hot.

So I decided to change the screenblanker and I was going through the GL ones:

Select GLSchool and you can hear a crackling/frying like noise coming from one of the chips.

It happens with all the GL ones (GLHypertorus for example) and if you just highlight GLBoxed then the mouse goes into jerk mode.

The same noise (frying/crackling) can be heard when in Workbench you click on the bar of a window and move it around or make it bigger.

Could you try that please and let me know?

Thank you.

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@Aminicle

>>The only thing that can be maybe different is the Radeon chip ... different batch, different revision maybe ? Maybe some other hardwarecomponent that is related ?

No idea.

Regarding the crackling noise, I wonder if it's overheating?! Or maybe that is the noise the chips make?!

Weird.

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about the FPGA connector...

The board I got a few days ago does have the FPGA extension connector.

And I think that after some kind of developer kit for the FPGA is relesed it would be worthwhile to ask ACube to arrange the change of motherboard for those that do not have the FPGA connector.

(IMO: every marketed feature should/must exist on the board)


hmmm.... I have to check that I have those I2C connectors in place, I'll be needing those....

UPDATE:
I've been lucky? I have all motherboard connectors in place.

I think it's "serial number" is 1091A0700109 .

I've not tried the VGA yet, I hope I'm able to do it early next week, after I get the 2.5" drive I ordered...

and IMO: if the chips are (almost) too hot to touch when the CPU & GPU are fully loaded, I will ad a big fan inside my case (running silently @ 7 volts) my Amigas need to last 10+ years (unlike my AMD systems that smoke every now and then).

Last edited by KimmoK on 31-Jan-2009 at 05:50 PM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 31-Jan-2009 at 05:39 PM.

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@KimmoK

As I said before, my board hasn't got the fpga connector and it's missing those connectors I listed.

A bit of a shame but ACube say they are not needed by the end user.

In the meantime I was playing a cd through Multiview, since PlayCD doesn't want to play it, and I opened the Screensaver program and the song started stuttering.

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@Aminicle Quote:

do you honestly think that the SAM is ever going to be hacked, modified or whatever you have in mind compared to the A1200 & co ?

Please try re-reading what I said, and don't put words into my mouth.

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