pshipkov wrote on 2021-10-15, 08:10:

With pod100 and L1 cache in WB mode the system gets quite unstable here. Can you comment on overall stability you get ?
Also, is that with 1m L2 cache ?

Been running Second Reality for well over an hour on the POD100 L1 WB now, no issues, this is with a single stick of 32MB FPM memory. I did notice some oddities when trying to run two sticks but didn’t test it long.

--- with POD @100MHz:

https://www.petershipkov.com/temp/retro_pc_im … quake1_27.3.mp4

Basically:
wolf3d - 149.2 fps
p3b - 29.3 fps
doom - 65.1 fps
quake 1 - 27.3 fps
etc.

What SpeedSys says:

Notice that RAM was reduced to 48Mb "only".
Above that amount the system gets unstable.
Tested thoroughly with many RAM sticks and L2 cache chips - no difference.
It is clearly POD L1 cache WB related, since the problem does not exist with 486 CPUs or POD + L1 in WT mode.

--- with 486DX5 @160MHz

https://www.petershipkov.com/temp/retro_pc_im … i-486sv2gx4.mp4

wolf3d - 149.6 fps
p3b - 28 fps
doom - 68.1 fps
quake 1 - 18.4 fps

All scores are tiny bit lower than what was captured 1-2 years ago. Annoying, but don't ready to give up just yet.
Clearly remember the 18.8 number on screen and my "woah" reaction. Would like to experience it again.
Also, this was before the time when started capturing more details from the retro experiments - screenshots, videos, descriptions of what happened and how.

Thanks for sharing pshipkov and putting in the work, very clean build! It looks like you are tracking 0.2 frames ahead of me in Quake with both the POD and 5x86. I know we’re only talking 0.2 but I'm really curious what makes the difference.

I’ll need time to compare the other scores you shared. Hopefully you can hit that 18.8 mark again, I know the frustration.

While writing my previous reply I was thinking about why the difference since we use the same hardware really.
Ruled-out already the 2TheMax culprit.
It is unlikely that Asus gimped the 2.1 VLI revision.
So it must be something subtle on your side.

Let's try the basics as a starting point:
Appropriate jumpers for the POD or DX5 CPU, L1/WB.
All BIOS settings on max
DOS 6.22
8 or 16 Mb RAM only
no autoexec.bat
1 line config.sys: DEVICE=C:\PATH_TO\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF /M:1

What you got ?

jakethompson1 wrote on 2021-10-16, 02:18:

Chadti99 wrote on 2021-10-15, 07:53:

I hear the Trio64V+ VLB is quite the rare card! How’d you come across it, got any pics? How does she perform compared to the vanilla Trio64?

It's an STB PowerGraph 64V. I don't have a plain Trio64 to compare it to, so not sure.

Can you please dump the BIOS ROM ?
That would be very kind 👍

pshipkov wrote on 2021-10-17, 02:11:

While writing my previous reply I was thinking about why the difference since we use the same hardware really. Ruled-out already […]
Show full quote

While writing my previous reply I was thinking about why the difference since we use the same hardware really.
Ruled-out already the 2TheMax culprit.
It is unlikely that Asus gimped the 2.1 VLI revision.
So it must be something subtle on your side.

Let's try the basics as a starting point:
Appropriate jumpers for the POD or DX5 CPU, L1/WB.
All BIOS settings on max
DOS 6.22
8 or 16 Mb RAM only
no autoexec.bat
1 line config.sys: DEVICE=C:\PATH_TO\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF /M:1

What you got ?

So far I’ve tried :

Bios chipset settings: no change
16MB FPM: no change
Config.sys as mentioned: perf decrease observed

I still need to try DOS 6.22

Please let me know jumper settings you are using for POD in WB, I think you previously shared WT jumpers.

This is unfortunate.

For POD L1/WB i use the same jumper configuration from the picture you posted several posts ago.
Tried this morning Win95 and 98 - no perf difference.

VLB is in 0-ws and <33MHz, right ?

pshipkov wrote on 2021-10-17, 17:10:

This is unfortunate. […]
Show full quote

This is unfortunate.

For POD L1/WB i use the same jumper configuration from the picture you posted several posts ago.
Tried this morning Win95 and 98 - no perf difference.

VLB is in 0-ws and <33MHz, right ?

Correct 0ws, <33MHz, ND

We’ll figure it out eventually and in the meantime I’m just enjoying the hell out of this config playing some Albion. Sound works fine with POD L1 WB in this game.

Next up, I’d like to optimize this Promise controller.

Right on.
This is more fun than splitting graphics performance hairs.

matze79 wrote on 2021-10-17, 10:05:

jakethompson1 wrote on 2021-10-16, 02:18:

Chadti99 wrote on 2021-10-15, 07:53:

I hear the Trio64V+ VLB is quite the rare card! How’d you come across it, got any pics? How does she perform compared to the vanilla Trio64?

It's an STB PowerGraph 64V. I don't have a plain Trio64 to compare it to, so not sure.

Can you please dump the BIOS ROM ?
That would be very kind 👍

I'm the ebay seller who was selling these for "ridiculous prices" 😀

http://www.yiff.com/~libretto/junk/rom/PG64V12.BIN

Heh, don't take it personal.

libby wrote on 2021-10-17, 22:49:

matze79 wrote on 2021-10-17, 10:05:

jakethompson1 wrote on 2021-10-16, 02:18:

It's an STB PowerGraph 64V. I don't have a plain Trio64 to compare it to, so not sure.

Can you please dump the BIOS ROM ?
That would be very kind 👍

I'm the ebay seller who was selling these for "ridiculous prices" 😀

http://www.yiff.com/~libretto/junk/rom/PG64V12.BIN

Hey thanks for sharing this, and more power to you if you have something and know what it’s worth. I wish I had known 🤣.

Chadti99 wrote on 2021-10-18, 10:11:

libby wrote on 2021-10-17, 22:49:

I'm the ebay seller who was selling these for "ridiculous prices" 😀

http://www.yiff.com/~libretto/junk/rom/PG64V12.BIN

Hey thanks for sharing this, and more power to you if you have something and know what it’s worth. I wish I had known 🤣.

eh, I bought 38 cards off an electronics store for 5 bucks each after spotting them in a photo someone posted of the store's innards, I just emailed the store and offered to buy everything

there were six of those, I sold two to buddies on discord cheap, two on ebay for 160 bucks or so and kept two

I think one of the remaining two has a 1.3 firmware and I'll put that up if so

Pretty cool and a lucky as hell find! Shot you a PM.

Chadti99 wrote on 2021-10-20, 00:53:

Pretty cool and a lucky as hell find! Shot you a PM.

site doesn't seem to let me reply to PMs, but to answer the q, not currently

I think you need 10 or 20 posts before you can PM. If you wish to relinquish another, PM me.

Did they sell fast? I cannot find them using the completed items search.

feipoa wrote on 2021-10-22, 00:12:

I think you need 10 or 20 posts before you can PM. If you wish to relinquish another, PM me.

Did they sell fast? I cannot find them using the completed items search.

I sold either two or three on ebay and they all sold inside a few days for 160 or close (I take best offer on most stuff)

was like 5+ months ago now so likely won't show up in completed items anymore

last two I have

ed: site seemed to turn my png 8-bit so changed it to a jpeg

This site has started re-compressing uploaded photos, even jpegs. It used to be up to 2 MB was left untouched.

Did all of them have v1.2 printed on the EEPROM? Do you know if there was a later version?

feipoa wrote on 2021-10-22, 06:02:

This site has started re-compressing uploaded photos, even jpegs. It used to be up to 2 MB was left untouched.

Did all of them have v1.2 printed on the EEPROM? Do you know if there was a later version?

some were 1.1, these two were 1.2. I dumped and uploaded the 1.2 ROM earlier in this thread

no idea what if any difference there is for functionality or performance

I can probably be convinced to let one of these two cards go for the 160 bucks* plus ship

* freedom bucks not monopoly money

I sent you another PM libby, not sure if you can reply yet, thanks!