Re: ZIp

[dempson@swell.actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <8ayPgc4w165w@qedbbs.com> butch@qedbbs.com (Gabe Sanchez) writes:
> 
> >From: dempson@swell.actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)
>  
> >It is only the 14 MHz 65816 which is
> >very expensive - you should be able to get a processor rated at 7 MHz
> >to 10 MHz for much less.
>  
> Not true, the fastest 65816 currently in production is a 10Mhz rated. Beliave
> me, if there were a 14 Mhz rated 65816 I would be the first to purchase one!

Oh, yes?  What is the "65816E" which was discussed in great detail
over the last year or so?  It is the version of the 65816 which was
re-engineered and  made by Sanyo, and everything I heard about them
said they were typically rated at 14 MHz.  Western Design Center was
selling them for US$95 last time I heard.  Each comes with a "schmoo"
plot showing achievable speed versus power supply voltage.

> The reason why a few of us are running at 14Mhz and faster is because we
> 'push' the processor to do 14 Mhz. It is NOT just a matter of chaning the
> crystal when you are running that fast. There are a buch of little detaisl
> that not everyone knows and thus cannot run a RELIABLE zip any faster then
> 10mhz.

No, the bottleneck is at 12 MHz, and is caused by a design fault in
the ASIC on the ZIP.  You need to bypass some of the internal
circuitry of this chip and add a few logic chips to the card to get
past this speed.

Haven't you read the ZIP/TransWarp FAQ which has been posted here
frequently in the past?
-- 
David Empson                                                               
dempson@swell.actrix.gen.nz                                                
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand