A sneak peek at the ACA1240/1260 cooling system

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Don't Panic. Please wash hands.
  • 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.




    A1200 GHOST Rev2B RECAP TSB 2020 / CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK3 / Blizzard 1230 IV

    A1200 CD32 Rev1D.4 RECAP TSB 2019 / CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK3 / ACA1234-50
    A1200 BLACK Rev2B RECAP TSB 2018 / CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK3 /
    Blizzard 1230 IV

    A1200 TRANSLUCENT Rev1D.4 RECAP TSB 2018 /
    CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK2CR / ACA1233-55 LE
    A500 BLACK Rev6A / CA-PSU / ACE2 / Indivision ECS V1-V2 / ACA500Plus V1-V2 / ACA1221 Rev1.3 / ACA1233n-55

    C64R MK1-MK2 TRANSPARENT 2015 DM / iComp 12V 2.0A / TC64 V1

  • 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.

    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.


    I can't tell what speed you can get in the end with the ACA1240/1260, as it heavily depends on the CF card and the software. We may even add an IDE-fix-like package to the software in order to get the best-possible speeds. That said, the original IDE-fix package might be worth looking at for you, as that will also take serious advantage of the IDE speeder of your 55MHz card.

  • 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.


    A1200 GHOST Rev2B RECAP TSB 2020 / CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK3 / Blizzard 1230 IV

    A1200 CD32 Rev1D.4 RECAP TSB 2019 / CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK3 / ACA1234-50
    A1200 BLACK Rev2B RECAP TSB 2018 / CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK3 /
    Blizzard 1230 IV

    A1200 TRANSLUCENT Rev1D.4 RECAP TSB 2018 /
    CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK2CR / ACA1233-55 LE
    A500 BLACK Rev6A / CA-PSU / ACE2 / Indivision ECS V1-V2 / ACA500Plus V1-V2 / ACA1221 Rev1.3 / ACA1233n-55

    C64R MK1-MK2 TRANSPARENT 2015 DM / iComp 12V 2.0A / TC64 V1

  • 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.

    A1200 GHOST Rev2B RECAP TSB 2020 / CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK3 / Blizzard 1230 IV

    A1200 CD32 Rev1D.4 RECAP TSB 2019 / CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK3 / ACA1234-50
    A1200 BLACK Rev2B RECAP TSB 2018 / CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK3 /
    Blizzard 1230 IV

    A1200 TRANSLUCENT Rev1D.4 RECAP TSB 2018 /
    CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK2CR / ACA1233-55 LE
    A500 BLACK Rev6A / CA-PSU / ACE2 / Indivision ECS V1-V2 / ACA500Plus V1-V2 / ACA1221 Rev1.3 / ACA1233n-55

    C64R MK1-MK2 TRANSPARENT 2015 DM / iComp 12V 2.0A / TC64 V1

  • 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!

  • 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..

  • We're in the process of verifying Proto#4, which came from assembly late last week. I'll post news when there are any.

  • 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.

  • 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 have bought plenty of CPUs in the past ten years - by far the most limited ones are MC68060 Rev.6 CPUs, but XC68060 and 68LC060 are available in not-too limited quantities. Still, I believe that many people will be surprised about what kind of performance a 68040-40 can deliver.


    Proto#4 is still in transit to Peter's place. Looks like extra insurance on a parcel means extra transit time :-/.

  • 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,

  • 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.

  • I have always tried to keep people from buying CPUs, as this has created huge artificial demand on the market. While I was able to buy 68040 CPUs @ 0.50 USD per MHz back in 2010, prices have skyrocketed. I continue to preach this, but people just won't listen - they push up prices on eBay beyond 800,- USD per 68060 CPU.


    I still won't sell any card without a CPU. Whatever you buy from iComp "just works".

  • 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.

    A1200 GHOST Rev2B RECAP TSB 2020 / CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK3 / Blizzard 1230 IV

    A1200 CD32 Rev1D.4 RECAP TSB 2019 / CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK3 / ACA1234-50
    A1200 BLACK Rev2B RECAP TSB 2018 / CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK3 /
    Blizzard 1230 IV

    A1200 TRANSLUCENT Rev1D.4 RECAP TSB 2018 /
    CA-PSU / Indivision AGA MK2CR / ACA1233-55 LE
    A500 BLACK Rev6A / CA-PSU / ACE2 / Indivision ECS V1-V2 / ACA500Plus V1-V2 / ACA1221 Rev1.3 / ACA1233n-55

    C64R MK1-MK2 TRANSPARENT 2015 DM / iComp 12V 2.0A / TC64 V1

  • I've been warned that 68040 is the 'red headed step child' in terms of compatibility issues, I would not know personally.

    Many of the problems are related to poor chip ram write speed, which is where the ACA1240/1260 shines: We reach 7MB/s (the theoretical max) at every clock rate. The 68040 can be made very compatible with the right patches in place - and we plan to have that in the flash of the card, so you won't have any "installation pain". You'll be surprised how well the 68040 performs.

  • Any news reg. the ACA1240/60? My Amiga-money is burning a hole in my pocket…