Question for AGA and OS3.9 users (no gfx card)

[starf81]

Hi to everyone!

I was just curious to know your experiences and hints using OS3.9 without a GFX card.

I mean, I think my actual A1200 is quite powerful (see the sign...) but, obviously, the 2MB of chip memory aren't enough to a "free and easy" use of OS3.9 with AGA.
A simple backdrop and very few opened windows are enough to full the chip mem.

I've reduced colours on screen and obviously it is a little better but not enough... and it isn't so rewarding a 68060 with 8 colours, is it?

Is there a way to improve performances? Can I use also the fast mem?
Please, don't say me to buy a dedicated graphic card because I want take my 1200 in original desktop case and the only way would be a Bvision but I'd need also a PPC Blizzard and, now, I don't have money for it... :roll:

In the past I had a Picasso II, it was great but I have no space for a tower. :cry:

Sorry for my silly question... I've used Amiga for many years but I'm new with OS3.9 and "advanced" hardware
:-P

Thanks in advance
Alex

[amigagr]

you can use fblit to load images and .info files icons on fast ram and not to chip ram. here (http://www.gregdonner.org/) you can find some configurations on how to do it and here (http://uk.aminet.net/pub/aminet/util/boot/fblit.lha)
the fblit

[blobrana]

Hum,
there are loads of tweaks tha can be done...

ie, HappyEnv or envhandler.lha (Weblink) (http://stephan-rupprecht.de/)) (there are a few others there...)

A trawl through Aminet is always good fun...today i spotted an unofficial OS3.9, KCON, screennotify and settings.mui patch.

http://www.aminet.net/util/sys/OS39_update_patches.lha

But watch!, as they sometimes conflict...the fun comes trying to see what works and what doesn`t... :lol:

[AmigaMance]

@starf81
And don't forget to install SystemPatch after FBlit http://web.tiscali.it/ziosante . Your system will be multiple times faster after this and the chip memory consumption will be minimized!


@blobrana
Does the new workbench.library give you purple icon text?

[motorollin]

There is an option built in to the Workbench prefs in 3.9 to load icons and backdrop in to Fast RAM.

--
moto

[starf81]

THANK YOU!!!

Fblit does exactly what I need!
Unfortunately sometimes it shows some strange lines on the screen, do you know if and how I can solve?

@motorollin:
I had already tried that option but it works only with RTG modes. Indeed, simply with AGA all my icons were showed very bad.

Alex

[tonyvdb]

Hey, I would love to know if these patches will work with OS 3.5 as well?

[motorollin]

@starf81
I didn't know that option is only effective in RTG modes. Easy to become complacent with chip ram when you've got a GFX card :-P

@tonyvdb
Yes FBlit should work on OS3.5.

--
moto

[Doobrey]

IconBeFast (http://main.aminet.net/package.php?package=util/boot/IconBeFast.lha) does exactly what it says on the tin.
Been using it for the last week or so without any problems, and a noticable speedup when opening workbench windows.

[adrian82]

Hi folks,

so, how usable is OS3.9 on an A1200 with AGA only, then ?
Is it worth upgrading to Kick 3.1 to install 3.5 or 3.9
or should I rather stick to 3.0. My A1200 has a Blizzard
1220/4 and a squirrel SCSI-controller at the moment
(I am looking to buy an 1230/50 on eBay though ;)).

greetings,

Adrian

[darksun9210]

i'd get the upgrade to 3.1 with 3.5 or 3.9.

3.9 comes with a full easy to install TCP/IP stack, but if you get a decent browser, like ibrowse or something, them its perfectly usable on AGA... just get Fblit, or iconbefast (as i found from another thread ;-) )to make images and icons faster in more colourfull screenmodes. just if your used to surfing on a decent spec PC, have a little patience :-)

otherwise OS3.9 is still very usable on an 030/AGA, just don't expect to be playing movies or playing mp3's (which is what the bulk of the 3.9 CD is filled up with :lol: )

[Doppie1200]

Get the 030 upgrade and max out your fastram. 4MB fastram is really very tight with OS3.9

[tomekm]

some time ago, when i had an aa1200 and apollo1240/40, i had OS3.9 installed and CGX-AGA+CGX4+FBlit as acceleration system configured. It was usable (`fast` :lol: , chipRAM aware) enough, even with VGA resolutions (Multiscan:640x480/128cols, or even Super72:800x600/128cols).

[tonyvdb]

Hi, I installed the FBlit along with the recomended WBDfast (I think thats what it is called) and there is not a difference in the amount of chip memory that they use when I ramp up the Colours in the preferences. What did I do wrong here, I folowed the instal instructions or so I thought.

Help.

[amigagr]

did you try these instructions (http://www.gregdonner.org/os35faq/iconoperation.html#2) ? i used theme once with 3.5 and was working ok. if you have a graphics card maybe you need a diferent configuration. read all the faq carefuly

[AmigaMance]

@tonyvdb
I don't know what you are doing wrong (reading carefuly the guide of FBlit will probably help) but google doesn't give me anything for "WBDfast".

[amigagr]

probably he means IconBeFast as Doobrey mention.

[zipper]

WB2Fast (on 3.5 CD). But I think it needs a GFX card.

[tonyvdb]

Sorry guys it was "WBCtrl"
I folowed the instructions but I am not sure if i put evrything where it was suposed to be.
I added the lines:
FBlit
WBCtrl IMT=ICONFAST
to the startup sequence as well as per the instructions.
The instructions say to put the WBCtrl and the FBlit in C:
is that the "C" drawer?
and if so then should the startup sequence not say
C:FBlit
C:WBCtrl IMT=ICONFAST

[amigagr]

yes C: is the assign to the C directory.

C:FBlit

the wbctrl must be set just before loadwb
add the SIMPLEGELS to the loadwb too

C:WBCtrl IMT=ICONFAST
LoadWB SIMPLEGELS
EndCLI


-edit-
the fblit just before BindDrivers

-edit2-
and the workbench prefs to
Images in: other memory

[tonyvdb]

"-edit2-
and the workbench prefs to
Images in: other memory"

Hi amije,
I dont quite follow you on this last one? could you explain a bit better.

Thanks

[AMIGAZ]

tonyvdb wrote:
"-edit2-
and the workbench prefs to
Images in: other memory"

Hi amije,
I dont quite follow you on this last one? could you explain a bit better.

Thanks

In Sys/Prefs there's Workbench(prefs) in which you can change so icons and such use the fast men instead of chip mem
You can also alter so icons have no borders and such there

[tonyvdb]

Thanks for the reply,

I looked there and I don't see an option to do that, All I have is a box for "No Color icons", "no newicons", then there is two windows alowing for "quality" and "Boarder size". I also have a "stack size" thats set a 8kb.(I think its because I only have OS 3.5 not 3.9)

I did wat was sugested so far and it now seems to be working as with my colors set to 256 it still only uses 1.8mb of chip ram where before it used 1.4mb so thats alot better.

Thanks

[AMIGAZ]

tonyvdb wrote:
Thanks for the reply,

I looked there and I don't see an option to do that, All I have is a box for "No Color icons", "no newicons", then there is two windows alowing for "quality" and "Boarder size". I also have a "stack size" thats set a 8kb.(I think its because I only have OS 3.5 not 3.9)

I did wat was sugested so far and it now seems to be working as with my colors set to 256 it still only uses 1.8mb of chip ram where before it used 1.4mb so thats alot better.

Thanks

What resolution are you using and what monitor driver?

Using dblpal (high res, no flicker) here with max overscan, 256 colours..left with just over 1.4mb chip ram most of the time

[tonyvdb]

I'm using Highres as if I use DBLNTSC I cant use the Video Toaster as there is a compatabilitty issue with having the DblNTSC even in the dev drawr.

[AMIGAZ]

tonyvdb wrote:
I'm using Highres as if I use DBLNTSC I cant use the Video Toaster as there is a compatabilitty issue with having the DblNTSC even in the dev drawr.

ok, that explains why you have 1.8meg chipram left :-P
My res would leave me with minus 1meg chip ram if I didn't use patches like FBlit :lol:

[amigagr]

tonyvdb wrote:
I looked there and I don't see an option to do that, All I have is a box for "No Color icons", "no newicons", then there is two windows alowing for "quality" and "Boarder size". I also have a "stack size" thats set a 8kb.(I think its because I only have OS 3.5 not 3.9)

have you install the 2 boingbags of 3.5? as far as i remember
the workbench prefs are the same for both 3.5/3.9

[AMIGAZ]

Thanks to these patches my chipram eater looks like this click (http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/8488/graba1200gq.png)

[tonyvdb]

"have you install the 2 boingbags of 3.5?"

Yes I have I even installed the hard to find Boing bag 2a

[amigagr]

i restore the latest 3.5 backup i have done and i discover that you're right about workbench prefs (version 44.15).
there isn't any option for images in other memory. all the other setup with fblit wbctrl and simplegels is just the same, so in normal situations must work ok.