by Here's some more detailed information about the 68020 extension-board for
the ST and other 68K machines.
(I know it must be a very strange request, but if some kind soul could
transfer this note into the comp.amiga.* newsgroup ??? We don't get 'em
on this site ...)
The board is called PAK-68. It was developed by the editors of the
computer magazine c't here in Germany. You'll find it in the August issue
on pages 68ff (!!! --- Though I know some of the guys personally I can say
they're very humorus people --- page 68 ...:-}
TECHNICAL DETAILS :
-------------------
PAK-68 is a PCB with two sockets for a 68020 and a 68881 FPU
and 11 additional standard TTL chips. There's a 64 pin connector
on the bottom of the board, so you can plug it directly into
the 68000 socket of YOUR FAVORITE MICROCOMPUTER (:-}) ...
It TECHNICALLY (from the hardware-aspect) fits into the ST,
the Amiga and nearly any other 68K system.
Unfortunately the current TOS version DOES DEFINITELY NOT WORK
together with the PAK-68 board. Some problems were already mentioned
in this newsgroup some days ago:
- The STACKFRAME during exception handling is quite different
- TOS uses simple DELAY-LOOPS which (un-???)fortunately run
much faster within the 68020 cache ... :-}
- additional minor problems
But there's an operating system, which runs together with PAK-68.
The (in Germany) well known RTOS/UH. A realtime multitasking OS (not
only) for the ST. It's also distributed by c't. If you're interested
I can write another report about this.
AMIGA users might be more lucky! Though the AMIGA supports the 68010
the step to the 68020 is not that far - so the OS RUNS with PAK-68 in-
stalled ... but the author mentioned some doubts about the application
software ...
NOW MY CRITIC : (personal)
---------------
Grrrrrrmbl! What should I do with my (probably Mega-ST) with up
to 4 Meg. and a 68020 (dream ...) WITHOUT a MMU ????????
Damned imagine about all the freaks in NETLAND starting to port
some version of UNIX to that micro ??? Wouldn't this be great.
I MYSELF would have much more interest in a MMU rather than in a
FPU. Don't you ?
ADDITIONAL DATA :
-----------------
Ok, now the most interesting, the PRICE ...
You may buy the PCB directly from c't (Heise Publications) at the
price of DM 49,- (that's ~ $30 incl. shipment).
There's also a company selling parts or the complete board for:
- complete board (12.5 Mhz) WITH FPU: DM 1098.00 (~ $600)
- " " " WITHOUT FPU: DM 798.00 (~ $435)
- complete parts (WITHOUT FPU & PCB): DM 695.00 (~ $380)
THE ADDRESS :
-------------
c't Magazine
Helstorfer Str. 7
PO-BOX 61 04 07
D-3000 HANNOVER 61 (that's WEST(!!)-Germany :-}
Yes, they do have phone:
+49-511-53 52-0
+49-511-53 52-129 (FAX)
(I do have the direct number for the editor-in-chief, but
I think he'll kill me, if I would send it through NETLAND :-}
Ask for either
Mr. Johannes Assenbaum (Author)
Mr. Christian Persson (,,Editor-in-chief`` *)
*= I don't know the english word for this ...
You may also reach 'em via TWX (or TELEX)
923173 heise d
I will offer them a account on our machine, and if they would like
to, you may send mail directly to them. I'll announce the address,
if they're really online ...
I don't want to send the address of the other company via news,
because I don't like advertising in the newsgroups. You may
ask me directly for the address.
UUCP:(from the US) seismo!pyramid!tub!csch
UUCP:(from Europe) mcvax!unido!tub!csch
TWX: (Telex) 186672 rdt d
PHONE: +49-30-332 40 15 (Office)