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Wanted StrongArm CPU |
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vanpeebles (21:22 30/1/2010)
Charlie (23:18 30/1/2010)
robheaton (00:55 31/1/2010)
vanpeebles (09:22 31/1/2010)
vanpeebles (21:21 1/2/2010)
Charlie (13:23 2/2/2010)
filecore (14:31 2/2/2010)
Charlie (18:44 2/2/2010)
vanpeebles (20:54 2/2/2010)
Charlie (21:56 2/2/2010)
vanpeebles (10:58 3/2/2010)
pnaulls (16:28 3/2/2010)
Acornut (17:17 3/2/2010)
tribbles (17:54 3/2/2010)
vanpeebles (08:08 4/2/2010)
Charlie (19:05 4/2/2010)
vanpeebles (19:12 4/2/2010)
Charlie (20:05 5/2/2010)
filecore (21:09 5/2/2010)
asm1 (01:39 21/2/2010)
Charlie (15:25 21/2/2010)
tokyoracer (02:45 22/2/2010)
Soereboe (20:30 22/2/2010)
vanpeebles (15:05 2/2/2010)
z0m8ied0g (11:58 7/2/2010)
vanpeebles (20:14 7/2/2010)
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vanpeebles |
Message #113171, posted by vanpeebles at 21:22, 30/1/2010 |
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Posts: 198
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Has anyone got a spare StrongARM cpu for sale? I have a 233mhz CPU but it's got no DIP switches for the overclock. I could do with a bit more horsepower for A310emu. Cheers! |
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Charlie |
Message #113173, posted by Charlie at 23:18, 30/1/2010, in reply to message #113171 |
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Hi,
I haven't got a spare, but I assume the PCB for the DIP'less version is the same as the 'standard' card - just the DIP carrier missing.
(if you can post close-ups of the PCB to make sure)
If so options would be to do the 'usual' cutting of the tracks then bridge again for, say, 287mhz as most 233 SA's seem to do that...
...or solder a DIP package in place for flexibility...
...or I'm fairly sure ADPL do a good rate on P/X old SA for properly set up SA287.
All the best. |
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Rob Heaton |
Message #113174, posted by robheaton at 00:55, 31/1/2010, in reply to message #113173 |
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Yes APDL do offer a properly setup SA287 - http://apdl.co.uk/turbo.htm
I use one myself, never had any problems. |
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vanpeebles |
Message #113175, posted by vanpeebles at 09:22, 31/1/2010, in reply to message #113173 |
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I'll take a few photos later. Rather not use APDL after a bad experience in the past. |
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vanpeebles |
Message #113205, posted by vanpeebles at 21:21, 1/2/2010, in reply to message #113175 |
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Here we go Charlie:
http://www.zen70509.zen.co.uk/acorn/ARMfront.jpg
http://www.zen70509.zen.co.uk/acorn/ARMback.jpg |
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Charlie |
Message #113216, posted by Charlie at 13:23, 2/2/2010, in reply to message #113205 |
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Hello,
Thanks for the piccies.
Yes, it looks just like a standard SA233 - just the DIP package missing. (ARMFront.jpeg)
So here's the plan:
-Turn the card over & look to the top-right corner as 'ARMback.jpeg' is oriented - see the eight holes where the DIP package would be soldered?
-Cut the two tracks that join the leftmost pair of holes*
*It's a multilayer PCB - DON'T cut any deeper than you need.
*Best to remove a section of track rather than just cutting as that will make sure.
*A sharp craft knife (with some magnification) will be useful.
*Don't forget to earth yourself before you begin.
-At this point you'd usually set the card up with the DIP-switches - never mind!
-Instead temporarily bridge the holes with wire duplicating the tracks you've just cut*
*make sure the fit is snug.
*make sure the bridging wires are't touching each-other or anything else they shouldn't.
-Try the SA card in your RPC - working? Good, you didn't break it!
Moving on...
If you're going to overclock heatsinks would be a good idea:
-For the SA chip itself a small cheapo-active VGA heatsink will do - something like ADPL's:
http://www.apdl.co.uk/pics/turbo.jpg
Actually this is probably over-engineered - a little 40x40mm HS+Fan will be fine.
-Stick heatsink to SA in whatever way you're happy with*
*I'd recommend normal thermal paste with a TINY blob of SuperGlue on two opposite corners of CPU package - That will hold it, while remaining removable + any thermal paste is MUCH better than ANY sticky thermal pad.
*Nothing wrong with thermal glue, but you'll never remove the HS again!
-While on the CPU-side of the card, look top-right as your piccie is oriented. Two black plastic packages between four orange packages?
These are the MOSFETS (power regulators) for the card - The cooler these run, the more stable your overclocked card will be, so put a decent (copper) stick-on RAM-sink over those.
-Power for your fan can be grabbed off the back of one of the molex connectors in your RPC: Black+Yellow=Fast+loud, Black+Red=Quite & 'good enough'.
NB:
These heatsinks aren't absolutely necessary but will improve overclocking potential AND stability + longevity of your SA.
Time to begin:
-I'd recommend a copy of !Sick to check your results & to stress your overclocked card for stability checking.
-The DIP-switches (you don't have) set the multiplier for the clock-crystal on the card, instead regard 'on' as a temp wire link you've made & 'off' as no link.
->Computer Off
->Card Out
->set the link(s) for the next multiplier up
->Card In + connect up the HS-fan
->Boot Computer
->Back to 'Computer Off'
-Keep going round the above cycle until either it doesn't boot (properly) or seems to be playing silly buggers in some way.
-Step the multiplier down one, reboot, and run !Sick...
...That will confirm how far you got. If !Sick aborts or the computer becomes flaky that's a sign you need to step the multiplier down again.
-For your card, once you know what your maximum stable overclock is I'd suggest rigging up more permanent link wires - insulated & soldered in would be best, unless you feel like soldering in a DIP-package.
Done!  Bask in the glory of your new (faster) RiscPC.
Ah, yes. It would help if you knew what the multipliers are - here's a table I knocked up:
http://grope.thruhere.net/Qube/projects/strongarmtable.html
As a (very) rough rule of thumb:
-Rev J, K, R SA's will max out about 250-280mhz
-Rev S SA's will hopefully manage 350-380mhz.
-Rev T SA's are unlikely to do better than 300mhz
->Rev S is the one to have for overclocking.
-How do you get a 233SA to do more than 279mhz?
Swap the clock crystal for a slightly faster one.
(see table above, metal can on the CPU side)
-I've NEVER seen a SA proven to go faster than 400mhz even with Peltier cooling (I've tried it).
-Faster than 380mhz is probably pointless as despite every stability hack I know the RPC's motherboard really struggles to keep up & you start to loose sub-systems - usually the motherboard-attached NIC card is the one to 'disappear' first.
Have Fun!
Don't forget doing this will invalidate your warranty - har, har!
Charles. |
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Jason Togneri |
Message #113217, posted by filecore at 14:31, 2/2/2010, in reply to message #113216 |
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Ah, yes. It would help if you knew what the multipliers are - here's a table I knocked up Are you expecting little baby tables in nine months?  |
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vanpeebles |
Message #113218, posted by vanpeebles at 15:05, 2/2/2010, in reply to message #113216 |
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Superb stuff Charlie, can't wait to try it tonight |
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Charlie |
Message #113219, posted by Charlie at 18:44, 2/2/2010, in reply to message #113217 |
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Ah, yes. It would help if you knew what the multipliers are - here's a table I knocked up Are you expecting little baby tables in nine months?
LOL: |
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vanpeebles |
Message #113220, posted by vanpeebles at 20:54, 2/2/2010, in reply to message #113219 |
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Worked superb!! Many thanks!! It didn't need any soldiering as all switches off was 279mhz. |
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Charlie |
Message #113221, posted by Charlie at 21:56, 2/2/2010, in reply to message #113220 |
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You're very welcome!
All the best,
Charles. |
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vanpeebles |
Message #113225, posted by vanpeebles at 10:58, 3/2/2010, in reply to message #113221 |
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Just out of interest, have you found a similar way to ring more performance from an A3010? |
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Peter Naulls |
Message #113226, posted by pnaulls at 16:28, 3/2/2010, in reply to message #113225 |
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Just out of interest, have you found a similar way to ring more performance from an A3010? Yep, replace it with a RiscPC. |
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Blind Moose |
Message #113227, posted by Acornut at 17:17, 3/2/2010, in reply to message #113226 |
 No-eye-deer (No Idea)
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.. replace with a RiscPC. Very droll!  |
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Jason Tribbeck |
Message #113228, posted by tribbles at 17:54, 3/2/2010, in reply to message #113225 |
 Captain Helix
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Just out of interest, have you found a similar way to ring more performance from an A3010? If you've got a non-ARM250 board (i.e. one of the mezzanine varieties), then there is the very slim possibility of fitting an ARM3 instead of the ARM2. That would give you up to 35MHz depending on the chip you had (I did have one running at 40MHz, but despite force-cooling it, it died prematurely [still gave a good 3 or so years of heavy activity]).
We did discuss it at VTi for a while but decided against it because we knew the ARM250s would be coming out. |
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vanpeebles |
Message #113233, posted by vanpeebles at 08:08, 4/2/2010, in reply to message #113228 |
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I do have a mezzanine A3010 and asked CJE about swopping it but I don't think there was quite enough room in the end? |
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Charlie |
Message #113241, posted by Charlie at 19:05, 4/2/2010, in reply to message #113233 |
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I have to admit I'd quite like to get my hands on a mezzanine machine just to see how doable it is...
...I suspect room issues will be down to the ARM3 board used.
Someone I know on another BB said back in the day he had an A3010 with a (I think) Simtec Turbo-Board. Basically it overclocked the memory & ARM250 in the machine for 'better than A5000 performance'. As is often the case when he moved on to PC's he gave it to a friend's little brother...
...both he & I have e-mailed Simtec to see if they'd be willing to share schematics - sadly no reply.
-I'd really love to get my hands on one of these, would make a fun project-
(The company who took over W.E. were very helpful regarding a similar e-mail. They spent some time looking for old schematics, sadly in the end they came up blank - all gone!)
[Edited by Charlie at 19:10, 4/2/2010] |
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vanpeebles |
Message #113242, posted by vanpeebles at 19:12, 4/2/2010, in reply to message #113241 |
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I remember saving up enough to buy a turbo ram upgrade and when my Mam rang Simtec they had stopped making them due to poor quality ram which struggled with the timing. I was gutted! |
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Charlie |
Message #113255, posted by Charlie at 20:05, 5/2/2010, in reply to message #113242 |
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I remember saving up enough to buy a turbo ram upgrade and when my Mam rang Simtec they had stopped making them due to poor quality ram which struggled with the timing. I was gutted! Shame, I remember well disappointments like that |
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Jason Togneri |
Message #113256, posted by filecore at 21:09, 5/2/2010, in reply to message #113255 |
Posts: 3867
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We're all full of excitement and nostalgia for Acorn and RISC OS, and so quick to condemn Wintel boxen, but when I think back hard - and I mean really hard - I can remember a lot of disappointments from hardware and software vendors alike. It was great while it lasted and it is great in nostalgia, but there was a lot of crap that's been forgotten in the meantime. |
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Stephen Barriball |
Message #113264, posted by z0m8ied0g at 11:58, 7/2/2010, in reply to message #113171 |
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I'll swap yours for one with dip switches if you want. |
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vanpeebles |
Message #113268, posted by vanpeebles at 20:14, 7/2/2010, in reply to message #113264 |
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Posts: 198
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Thanks for the offer but it's all sorted and overclocked now |
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Andrew |
Message #113469, posted by asm1 at 01:39, 21/2/2010, in reply to message #113241 |
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I have to admit I'd quite like to get my hands on a mezzanine machine just to see how doable it is...
...I suspect room issues will be down to the ARM3 board used.
Someone I know on another BB said back in the day he had an A3010 with a (I think) Simtec Turbo-Board. Basically it overclocked the memory & ARM250 in the machine for 'better than A5000 performance'. As is often the case when he moved on to PC's he gave it to a friend's little brother...
...both he & I have e-mailed Simtec to see if they'd be willing to share schematics - sadly no reply.
-I'd really love to get my hands on one of these, would make a fun project-
(The company who took over W.E. were very helpful regarding a similar e-mail. They spent some time looking for old schematics, sadly in the end they came up blank - all gone!)
[Edited by Charlie at 19:10, 4/2/2010] That would be me then LOL  Found this in a google on "A3010 Mezzanine" Dammit I wish I hadn't sold the Super turbo Machine  .
Dreadfully off topic I know, but hey. I thought I'd see if my login for here still works
I still haven't managed to track the chap down I gave it to, but his dad thinks he no longer has it...
/Me beats self up.... AGAIN! I was 17 and stupid!! GRR.
Andrew |
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Charlie |
Message #113470, posted by Charlie at 15:25, 21/2/2010, in reply to message #113469 |
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Hi Andrew,
Still no luck, eh? FWIW: I could relate stories about stuff I've regretted giving away - such is life.
All the best. |
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Tokyoracer |
Message #113479, posted by tokyoracer at 02:45, 22/2/2010, in reply to message #113470 |
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Well his luck may have turned.
I have a StrongARM @ 233 Mhz if he is interested. Was going to eBay it.
Only thing it it needs a cap to be re-attachd which is something that's going to be done and tested by a pro solderer (not me!).
PM me if you are interested.
P.s. Never been overclocked or messed with, in great condition too.
[Edited by tokyoracer at 02:47, 22/2/2010] |
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Soereboe |
Message #113483, posted by Soereboe at 20:30, 22/2/2010, in reply to message #113479 |
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Hi! Do you know what is the factory default setting for the 4 dip switces on the StrongArm 233Mhz card?
> Thanks found. If its that link above. doh.
[Edited by Soereboe at 20:39, 22/2/2010]
[Edited by Soereboe at 20:53, 22/2/2010] |
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