From: vangess1@pilot.msu.edu (Rick VanGessel) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews Subject: REVIEW: Cyberstorm PPC 604e+ accelerator Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.hardware Date: 17 Sep 1998 11:09:54 -0400 Organization: The Amiga Online Review Column - ed. Daniel Barrett Lines: 201 Sender: barrett@belvedere.cs.umass.edu Message-ID: <6tr8o2$208@belvedere.cs.umass.edu> Reply-To: vangess1@pilot.msu.edu (Rick VanGessel) Keywords: hardware, accelerator, 604e+, 68060, commercial X-Review-Number: Volume 1998 Number 9 NNTP-Posting-Host: belvedere.cs.umass.edu X-NNTP-Posting-Host: belvedere.cs.umass.edu Path: rcfnews.cs.umass.edu!not-for-mail PRODUCT NAME Cyberstorm PPC 604e+ 200 Mhz w/ 68060 50 mhz BRIEF DESCRIPTION Plug in accelerator for the Amiga computer which allows dual processing between the 060 and the PPC chip. Also supplied is a UWSCSI controller. AUTHOR/COMPANY INFORMATION Name: Phase5 digital products Address: In der Au 27 61440 Oberursel, Germany Telephone: +49 (0)6171/583787 FAX: +49 (0)6171/583789 E-mail: sales@phase5.de World Wide Web: http://www.phase5.de LIST PRICE Without companion 680x0 CPU - $869.95 (USD - excl. VAT) With companion 68040 50 mhz CPU - $949.95 (USD - excl. VAT) DEMO VERSION None SPECIAL HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS HARDWARE An Amiga 3000(T) or 4000(T) computer. The Amiga 3000(T) will need to have a hardware modification performed. SIMM Ram should be identically paired SIMMs (ideally from the same maker as well) SOFTWARE Requires the 68060 and PowerPC libraries from Phase5. Also, Phase5 releases flash rom upgrades for the SCSI controller. Alternatively, you can use the WarpOS from Haage&Partner. COPY PROTECTION None MACHINE USED FOR TESTING A4000 w/12 MB 60 ns Ram on motherboard CSPPC 604e+ 200mhz w/ 060 50 mhz 128 MB Ram on CSPPC card CV64 w/ Cybergfx 3 MFC III card Delfina Lite Video Magician card INSTALLATION The installation was fairly straight forward. Phase5 includes two plastic stands to replace the stands that are in certain Amiga models. These are slightly shorter than the ones they replace and help level the PPC accelerator. I simply had to remove the current accelerator. Since my CSPPC accel. came with an 060 chip, I did not have to remove the CPU from y old accelerator. I then replaced the plastic stands and fit the new accelerator. The installation of the SIMM Ram was a little trickier. The ram modules that came with my CSPPC card (supplied by the dealer that I bought the card from) was double sided. These were a very very tight fit. But, they do fit. Try to get single sided SIMMs if possible. The software the was included with the CSPPC came on two floppies and one CD-Rom. Most of this software was very buggy and most of it did not work. You definitely want to get the updated software (060.lib and ppc.libs) >from he Phase5 site before you install this card. The versions supplied on the install disks very bugged. REVIEW Well. After the installation was finished I powered up my A4000T and nothing happened! The HD LED came on and stayed on. The machine just sat there. I hit the resest button and everything then booted up as normal. The machine recognized all 128 MB of Ram without any problem. The 060 is a pretty quick accelerator compared to what I am used to. Like I said, I tried the included software (the very few pieces) that came with the card and was very disappointed. Most of it did not work. Since that time, a few more PPC programs have been released. From what I have seen, they run fast. Since I have never seen a PPC based computer before I have nothing to compare it too. But, for example, when I used to play MPGs on the 040, the music would pause anytime the system did anything other than the MPG. Using AmigaAMP (PPC version), I have full stereo sound that is not interrupted by windows opening, disk activity, or other commodities. There is more PPC software released all the time for the Amiga. Most of it has been graphics related which unfortunately does not really interest me since I can't draw. I would like to see more PPC based games. Many have been promised, but few have been released to my knowledge. Usually my PPC chip just sits there idle. DOCUMENTATION The documentation was easy to read. The installation instructions were fairly thorough and included pictures to help with the installation. The documentation comes in the form of a small book with German text first, then followed by an English section. LIKES The PPC software that I have tried is fast. The clips used to hold down the SIMMs are made of metal and appear sturdy. The 680x0 CPU is socketed so it can be upgraded to a better one if needed. DISLIKES AND SUGGESTIONS Poor design and construction of certain parts of the card. They need to rethink the CPU fan/heatsink design. Also, they did not put auto-scsi termination on board the card. Very very poor customer support. Buggy software. COMPARISON TO OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS There are no other PPC accelerators for the Amiga line of computers. BUGS Buggy software included. Get the latest versions from the Phase5 software site. VENDOR SUPPORT As usual, the tech support for this product sucks. Phase5 gives their usual poor customer service for this card as well as others. This is the most distressing part because this card is a major purchase for many users, and at over $800.00, one would expect much better service. I have had two problems with the card since I have owned it. The first is that the PPC CPU fan became very loose from the heatsink. After writing to Phase5 twice and waiting about 3 weeks for a reply, they replied that I should use lock-tite on the screws holding the fan to the heatsink. They also said they would send a replacement fan. Ok, that was acceptable...but, there was nothing for the screws to grab onto. The heatsink fins became ground down with the vibrations of the CPU fan and held the fan poorly. Off to the hardware store I went to buy fatter screws. The fan stayed in place and was working well. Then one day I opened the case to install the active terminators to the CSPPC card and was shocked because the PPC cpu fan had froze up. I had no idea how long the fan was like that. Another couple emails off to Phase5. To this day I have still not seen my new heatsink and fan. I even emailed the companies president and after that was promised that they would send the heatsink and fan. Another long wait and still no parts. The other problem is that I can not cold boot my A4000T since installing this controller. I purchased two active terminators and put them on each end of the UWSCSI chain as Phase5 suggested in the first email I got from them. No change. The machine still does not boot up. According to Phase5, the A4000T and the CSPPC use the same interrupt or something and the cold boot problem is caused by this conflict.. WARRANTY Well, my dealer did not warrant the card. Instead I am expected to obtain warranty support from Phase5. Well, as you can see from the above, I can't get any help from them. I would have to say there is no warranty for this product. CONCLUSIONS Despite the troubles I have with the card, I like it. I wish that there were more applications available for the card. The current fate of the PPC chip in the Amiga line up is very questionable at this time due to Amiga, Inc. decision to use a very different chip to base the Amiga line on. Also, the promised boom of PPC based games and applications has not yet happened. COPYRIGHT NOTICE This review is freely distributable. Copyright 1998 Richard A. VanGessel, Jr. --- Accepted and posted by Daniel Barrett, comp.sys.amiga.reviews moderator Send reviews to: amiga-reviews-submissions@math.uh.edu Request information: amiga-reviews-requests@math.uh.edu Moderator mail: amiga-reviews@math.uh.edu Anonymous ftp site: math.uh.edu, in /pub/Amiga/comp.sys.amiga.reviews Web site: http://math.uh.edu/~barrett/reviews.html