6100/G3: cranking up the system clock, is 80MHz possible?

[Phipli]

I believe 2MB/4MB HPV cards use a 64-bit memory bus and should perform identically (limited by VRAM amount.)

A/V or VIVO cards use only a 32-bit memory bus and will dedicate half of their 2MB to video input when in use. Because of the 32-bit bus it's a bit slower than the HPV models (guessing it's due to using Quadra AV susbystem parts?)

Ah, interesting, I didn't realise the AV was only 32bit. Bit of a shame. How much real world difference does it make?

 

[jeremywork]

Ah, interesting, I didn't realise the AV was only 32bit. Bit of a shame. How much real world difference does it make?

I haven't tested it well enough to record yet. I intend to get to it, though still getting into round two of IIfx video tests, so it might be a moment. A lot of the video card performance information that isn't recently published benchmarks seem to refer back to this round of testing that @trag did with Kaye Yum in the mid-late 90s, referenced here among other places:

Fastest NuBus Video Card for 68k Macs?

Actually, although scrticly OT, the video on the 840av is blooming stonkingly quick too I'd cry if an accelerated video chip that sits right next to the CPU bus wasn't stonkingly fast. :-) +1 it rocks.

68kmla.org

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I believe 2MB/4MB HPV cards use a 64-bit memory bus and should perform identically (limited by VRAM amount.)

A/V or VIVO cards use only a 32-bit memory bus and will dedicate half of their 2MB to video input when in use. Because of the 32-bit bus it's a bit slower than the HPV models (guessing it's due to using Quadra AV susbystem parts?)

AHA! So the 1/2MB HPV card is indeed High Performance as compared to the A/V card. Hadn't known about that either. Never looked into very much as the 6100 is second in line with parts accumulating for the serious project.

Target machine is the Radius 81/110 I'm building to Radius System 100 I/O spec. with FWB JackHammer F/W SCSI-2 card, Radius Thunder IV GX 1600 VidCard and VideoVision Studio VidCap Card in the third NuBus Slot.

The Big Metal Can™ has room for the G3/HPV4MB combo to be installed without sacrificing a NuBus Slot.

 

[Phipli]

The Big Metal Can™ has room for the G3/HPV4MB combo to be installed without sacrificing a NuBus Slot.

How?! Isn't the PDS slot aligned with the rear opening?

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

The metal adapter brackets for the NewerTech MaxPOWR G3 Cards use a short IDC jumper cable from A/V card's DA-15 connector in a set-back position to match up with the a connector on the backplane of the NuBus Slot'napper assy. Bottom or side mounted HPV Card can have the VGA adapter attached and an HD-15 jumper cable connector lugged up to a DE9/HD15 backplane cover plate . . . du'oh . . .



. . . better, one more step complete!

Atop the standard Slot'napper assembly with A/V Card and jumper cable is one of my MAXpowr G3 Cards with the backplane plate from the Panavue 1bit TPD card/19"CRT combo I bought for my first step up from the periscope on the SE/20/Radius16. Original IIx/Radius Rocket NuBus workstation setup was TPD over DE9 and plate's installed to go into my last NuBus Workstation, the Radius Clone.

Bookmatched bookends for the NuBus era, still have the Rocket33, though the IIx and Monitor went down the storage room whirlpool almost two decades ago.

 

[zefrenchtoon]

Ah, interesting, I didn't realise the AV was only 32bit. Bit of a shame. How much real world difference does it make?

You should check this table (and precisely the "Data path" row).

Power Mac 6100 Graphics Upgrades

And this chapter about performances:

Apple AV Card

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Thanks much for the links, looks like I'm back onto forced forced air intake cooling mod again.

To get the 6100 up to snuff as a 24bit TPD graphics workstation in the day you'd need to use an external HDD a/o a 2.5" internal drive to fit the longer HPV card into the mix. Nice thing about installing a blower under a/o up through the HDD sled would be that most of the noise would be muffled by airflow exiting into the 6100's case.

 

[zefrenchtoon]

Thanks much for the links, looks like I'm back onto forced forced air intake cooling mod again.

To get the 6100 up to snuff as a 24bit TPD graphics workstation in the day you'd need to use an external HDD a/o a 2.5" internal drive to fit the longer HPV card into the mix. Nice thing about installing a blower under a/o up through the HDD sled would be that most of the noise would be muffled by airflow exiting into the 6100's case.

In mine, I swapped the HDD for a BlueSCSI. If you want to get a better airflow, you should try this option.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I try to keep my machines within the spec of hardware available in the day.

I guess I could consider BlueSCSI as the equivalent of using the conversion plate Apple put under the higher capacity 2.5" IDE drives available for use in topflight Blackbirds? Thanks for joggling that neat cheat out of my skull!