A sneak peek at the ACA1240/1260 cooling system

Quote from Jens

One of the next things to test is a similar kind of IDE speeder on the ACA1240/1260. Since the ACA1233n-55 has rather limited logic, only two speeds were implemented (PIO mode 3 and 4), but the ACA1240/1260 can implement much finer granularity in terms of timing, so we can push/relax timing much better. Still, this may require a buffered adapter or high-quality CF card to work reliably. I've had great results with a buffered IDE adapter and a physical IDE drive (old IBM 16G drive), as that was MUCH faster than any CF card or DOM that I could find (>10MB/s).

On-board IDE is not planned. I don't want contraptions with a wobbly CF card adapter on such an expensive card.

Would be great if the ACA1260 would have faster IDE speeder than the ACA1233n-55.

I had also mixed results with the IDE speeder on the ACA1233n-55 with the A1200. With the SanDisk Ultra CF 16GB 30MB/s I have around 2.6MB/s and with the SanDisk Ultra CF 32GB 50MB/s. Which works the best with my AOS 3.1.4..1 BestClassicWB 1.5 and AOS 3.1.4.1 BestWB 1.3 with FFS. The SanDisk Ultra II CF 8GB 15MB/s is the fastest around 3.4MB/s but that speed I can only have with AOS 3.1 BetterWB 4.3.

The ACA1233n-55 with the ACA500Plus V2 I have around 6.9MB/s with a SanDisk Ultra CF 16GB 30MB/s card. With AOS 3.1.4.1 BestClassicWB 1.5 and BestWB 1.3.

How fast would be a CF card with the ACA1260 with the A1200. Have the IDE speeder also have speed difference with AOS 3.1 and AOS 3.1.4.1 such as the ACA1233n-55. The ACA1260 is nice to have on the ACA500Plus V2 but would like it more on the A1200 for the AGA 060 Demos.

Quote from Jens

While I think you plain forgot to activate the IDE speeder if you're only getting 2.6MB/s, it's plain impossible to reach 50MB/s.

Jens, you read it wrong.

Use these SanDisk Ultra CF 32GB 50MB/s card with the A1200.

Quote from Jens

While I think you plain forgot to activate the IDE speeder if you're only getting 2.6MB/s, it's plain impossible to reach 50MB/s.

The IDE speeder on the ACA1233n-55 is activate with ACAtool 2.4. See now that there is a newer 2.5.1 version. Maybe that work.

Quote from Jens

One of the next things to test is a similar kind of IDE speeder on the ACA1240/1260. Since the ACA1233n-55 has rather limited logic, only two speeds were implemented (PIO mode 3 and 4), but the ACA1240/1260 can implement much finer granularity in terms of timing, so we can push/relax timing much better. Still, this may require a buffered adapter or high-quality CF card to work reliably. I've had great results with a buffered IDE adapter and a physical IDE drive (old IBM 16G drive), as that was MUCH faster than any CF card or DOM that I could find (>10MB/s).

On-board IDE is not planned. I don't want contraptions with a wobbly CF card adapter on such an expensive card.

Sounds good, as long as higher IDE speed can be obtained I'm happy. Higher IDE speed makes a very noticeable difference in usage. I wouldn't mind using a buffered adapter, even though I think my Transcend PATA SSD should give good performance without it.

Also curious to see other expansion options, RTG in conjunction with an indivision AGA MK3 enabling a single output on RGB and RTG would be awesome too. I will sit patiently (okay, somewhat excited) until the card comes out!

Quote from VosCoBoss

RTG in conjunction with an indivision AGA MK3 enabling a single output on RGB and RTG

agree, it would be nice gamechanger.. but maybe would also be possibe as separate product, I mean small internal board that have 2 inputs, one for indivision and second for rtg from modern cards, and gives only one single hdmi output with active signal..

Hi Jens can you share any updates on the ACA1260 developments and availability ?

Great Jens👍. I'm really excited about.

Will it be possible to buy a version with 68060? Am I right to assume that it'll be hard to acquire one, because of limited availability?

I am really looking forward to the card and hope it'll be released this year. Thank you for the hard work.

When I buy an ACA1240 card from you (later this year, fingers crossed) will it come with the CPU ?

I just want to know if I have to start running around searching for a specific variant and speed of 68040 chip or,
if I can just relax and play some more A500 games, because you're gonna ship my CPU already installed on my card.

Thank you,

Quote from ljmarent

When I buy an ACA1240 card from you (later this year, fingers crossed) will it come with the CPU ?

I just want to know if I have to start running around searching for a specific variant and speed of 68040 chip or,
if I can just relax and play some more A500 games, because you're gonna ship my CPU already installed on my card.

Thank you,

The card will always ship with a CPU. Has to do with warranty and/or other regulations. This is explained in detail on the first two pages of this thread.

Yeah, the crazy 68060 prices are why I will stop at the 68040.
I've been warned that 68040 is the 'red headed step child' in terms of compatibility issues, I would not know personally.

I'm hopeful that most of the 040 issues are WHDLoad related, because I have a different machine for that work load.

Thanks for the details, sorry it was a repeat.

The 68060 Rev6 CPU have crazy high prices. But the demand is very high and not so many 68060 Rev6 CPU are out there. For me the best CPU would always be the 68030. A 68060 card is a great card to have but for the right price. Hope that I can afford the ACA1260. It’s a very long time ago that I had a Blizzard 1260.

For now the ACA1234-50 would be a great investment for my 4th A1200 project. I’m a big fan of the Blizzard 1230 IV and the ACA 68030 cards.