blog:286_shootout_vlsi_vl82c201

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blog:286_shootout_vlsi_vl82c201 [2021/02/16 22:18] – [Results] johnblog:286_shootout_vlsi_vl82c201 [2021/05/27 18:47] (current) – [Addendum - Shadow RAM / UMB Support] john
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 This board was offered to me by a member of the [[https://www.vogons.org|Vogons.org]] DOS gaming forum, in fact the same individual who benchmarked a similar board to the results seen in the [[https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=65395|second]] of those links above. This board was offered to me by a member of the [[https://www.vogons.org|Vogons.org]] DOS gaming forum, in fact the same individual who benchmarked a similar board to the results seen in the [[https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=65395|second]] of those links above.
  
-===== Differences between this Unknown VLSI VL82C2012 and others =====+===== Differences between this Unknown VLSI VL82C201 and others =====
  
 {{:blog:286_motherboard_vlsi.jpg?330|}} {{:blog:vlsi-82c201_r.jpg?280|}} {{:blog:motherboard_286_vlsi.jpg?320|}} {{:blog:286_motherboard_vlsi.jpg?330|}} {{:blog:vlsi-82c201_r.jpg?280|}} {{:blog:motherboard_286_vlsi.jpg?320|}}
  
-**From left to right:** //Ekb's// VL82C2012, //pshipkov's// VL82C2012, //my// VL82C2012+**From left to right:** //pshipkov's// VL82C201, //Ekb's// VL82C201, //my// VL82C201
  
 Compared to the boards in the benchmark results above, mine has only 6 ISA slots (4x 16bit + 2x 8bit) versus 7 in the others (although 3x 8bit slots is not massively useful for gaming purposes). Compared to the boards in the benchmark results above, mine has only 6 ISA slots (4x 16bit + 2x 8bit) versus 7 in the others (although 3x 8bit slots is not massively useful for gaming purposes).
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 ===== Configuration ===== ===== Configuration =====
  
 +There are several chips that make up the motherboard chipset:
  
 +   * {{:blog:dsascans15-79903.pdf|VLSI VL82C100 - Peripheral controller datasheet}}
 +   * {{:blog:dsahi000173478.pdf|VLSI VL82C201 - System controller datasheet}}
 +   * {{:blog:dsahi000173479.pdf|VLSI VL82C202 - Memory controller datasheet}}
 +   * {{:blog:dsahi000173480.pdf|VLSI VL82C203 - Address buffer datasheet}}
 +   * {{:blog:dsahi000173481.pdf|VLSI VL82C204 - Data buffer datasheet}}
 ===== 0 Wait State ===== ===== 0 Wait State =====
  
 The BIOS on this board is extremely rudimentary, offering only Video and System BIOS shadowing and no other performance options whatsoever. Unless I can find out the jumper configuration for the board (and therefore if there is an option for ISA clock speed, memory parity settings or wait-state configuration), I will have to assume that this is the only change I can make. The BIOS on this board is extremely rudimentary, offering only Video and System BIOS shadowing and no other performance options whatsoever. Unless I can find out the jumper configuration for the board (and therefore if there is an option for ISA clock speed, memory parity settings or wait-state configuration), I will have to assume that this is the only change I can make.
  
-It's fairly poor, really.+It's fairly poor and typical of very early AMI BIOS interfaces.
 ===== Math Co-Processor ===== ===== Math Co-Processor =====
  
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 {{:blog:img20210216214103.jpg?200|}}{{:blog:img20210216214123.jpg?200|}}{{:blog:img20210216214140.jpg?200|}}{{:blog:img20210216214301.jpg?200|}} {{:blog:img20210216214103.jpg?200|}}{{:blog:img20210216214123.jpg?200|}}{{:blog:img20210216214140.jpg?200|}}{{:blog:img20210216214301.jpg?200|}}
 +
 +{{:blog:img20210217202923.jpg?200|}}
 ==== Results ==== ==== Results ====
  
 ^ Test                         ^ Config 0  ^ Config 1    ^ Config 2    ^ ^ Test                         ^ Config 0  ^ Config 1    ^ Config 2    ^
 |Processor Speed               | 16MHz     | 20MHz       | 25MHz       | |Processor Speed               | 16MHz     | 20MHz       | 25MHz       |
-|Wait states                   | ?         | ?           |             | +|Wait states                   | ?         | ?           | ?           | 
-|Norton Sysinfo CPU            | 12.3      | 15.4        |             | +|Norton Sysinfo CPU            | 12.3      | 15.4        | 19.4        | 
-|Norton Sysinfo HDD            | 1114KB/sec| 1319KB/sec  |             | +|Norton Sysinfo HDD            | 1114KB/sec| 1319KB/sec  | 1471KB/sec //(2)//  | 
-|Norton Sysinfo Overall        | 11.3      | 13.7        |             | +|Norton Sysinfo Overall        | 11.3      | 13.7        | 16.7        | 
-|CheckIt Dhrystones            | 4041      | 5139        |             | +|CheckIt Dhrystones            | 4041      | 5139        | 6374 //(3)// | 
-|CheckIt Whetstones            | 534.5K    | 633.8K      |             | +|CheckIt Whetstones            | 534.5K    | 633.8K      | 831.4K      | 
-|CheckIt Video chars/sec VGA 1 | 3197      | 3965        |             | +|CheckIt Video chars/sec VGA 1 | 3197      | 3965        | 5112        | 
-|CheckIt Video chars/sec VGA 2 | 3450      | 4248        |             | +|CheckIt Video chars/sec VGA 2 | 3450      | 4248        | 5425        | 
-|CheckIt HDD Transfer          | 1091KB/sec| 1292KB/sec  |             | +|CheckIt HDD Transfer          | 1091KB/sec| 1292KB/sec  | 1437KB/sec  | 
-|Landmark CPU                  | 24.76MHz  | 31.28MHz    |             | +|Landmark CPU                  | 24.76MHz  | 31.28MHz    | 39.17MHz    | 
-|Landmark FPU                  | 17.87MHz  | 22.50MHz    |             | +|Landmark FPU                  | 17.87MHz  | 22.50MHz    | 28.15MHz    | 
-|Landmark Video VGA 1          | 2943.2    | 3052.9      |             | +|Landmark Video VGA 1          | 2943.2    | 3052.9      | 3110.89     | 
-|Landmark Video VGA 2          | 6922.8    | 8623.1      |             | +|Landmark Video VGA 2          | 6922.8    | 8623.1      | 10685.2     | 
-|3DBench VGA 1                 | 6.3       | 7.9         |             | +|3DBench VGA 1                 | 6.3       | 7.9         | 9.7         | 
-|3DBench VGA 2                 | 6.8       | 8.6         |             | +|3DBench VGA 2                 | 6.8       | 8.6         | 11.6 //(1)//| 
-|ATPerf RAM Read               | 0         | 0           |             | +|ATPerf RAM Read               | 0         | 0           | 0           | 
-|ATPerf RAM Write              | 0         | 0           |             | +|ATPerf RAM Write              | 0         | 0           | 0           | 
-|ATPerf ROM Read               | 2         | 2           |             | +|ATPerf ROM Read               | 2         | 2           | 2           | 
-|ATPerf Video Write VGA 1      | 8         | 11          |             | +|ATPerf Video Write VGA 1      | 8         | 11          | 14          | 
-|ATPerf Video Write VGA 2      | 2         | 2           |             | +|ATPerf Video Write VGA 2      | 2         | 2           | 2           | 
-|CompTest RAM thruput          | 7552KB/sec| 9473KB/sec  |             | +|CompTest RAM thruput          | 7552KB/sec| 9473KB/sec  | 11915KB/sec | 
-|CompTest Effective WS         | 0.1       | 0.1         |             | +|CompTest Effective WS         | 0.1       | 0.1         | 0.1         | 
-|CompTest MFLOPS               | 0.46      | 0.058       |             | +|CompTest MFLOPS               | 0.46      | 0.058       | 0.073       | 
-|CompTest Video BIOS VGA 1     | 7881      | 9829        |             | +|CompTest Video BIOS VGA 1     | 7881      | 9829        | 12144       | 
-|CompTest Video BIOS VGA 2     | 7743      | 9511        |             | +|CompTest Video BIOS VGA 2     | 7743      | 9511        | 12065       | 
-|CompTest Video Direct VGA 1   | 4651      | 5814        |             | +|CompTest Video Direct VGA 1   | 4651      | 5814        | 7299        | 
-|CompTest Video Direct VGA 2   | 5556      | 6993        |             | +|CompTest Video Direct VGA 2   | 5556      | 6993        | 8772        | 
-|CompTest Dhrystones           | 4253      | 5322        |             |+|CompTest Dhrystones           | 4253      | 5322        | 6676        |
  
 Games tests are run with the fastest VGA option (normally VGA #2). Games tests are run with the fastest VGA option (normally VGA #2).
  
 ^ Games Test                         ^ Config 0  ^ Config 1    ^ Config 2    ^ ^ Games Test                         ^ Config 0  ^ Config 1    ^ Config 2    ^
-| Wolfenstein 3D                     | 12.7      | 15.8        |             | +| Wolfenstein 3D                     | 12.7      | 15.8        | 19.7 //(4)// | 
-| F1GP Bench 1                       | 156-172   | 127-135     |             |+| F1GP Bench 1                       | 156-172   | 127-135     | 105-110     |
  
 **Software Versions** **Software Versions**
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 **Notes** **Notes**
-   *  +   * //(1)// - 3DBench did not finish correctly. The 3D visuals disappeared and the counter continued until it reached 0 then displayed the calculated //11.6fps// total. 
 +   * //(2)// - Norton Sysinfo crashed the first time it was ran. 
 +   * //(3)// - CheckIT 2 crashed several times until I was able to get a full run from it. 
 +   * //(4)// - Once the system is up to temperature it is difficult to get this to run on the ET4000 at 25MHz. Starting from cold it runs at an ultra fast (//for a 286//) 19.7FPS.
 ===== Conclusion ===== ===== Conclusion =====
  
  
 +----
 +
 +===== Addendum - Shadow RAM / UMB Support =====
 +
 +//The Last Byte// supports the VL82C802 memory controller used in the VLSI chipset on this board. However, I had problems enabling it.
 +
 +Whichever way you set shadow RAM in the BIOS, it always ended up with an error message about 'Shadow RAM relocated':
 +
 +{{:blog:286:vl_amibios.png?400|}} {{:blog:286:lastbyte_sys.png?400|}}
 +
 +Unfortunately there's no labelled jumpers on this motherboard m(
 +
 +Through trial and error, and reading the {{:blog:286:chipset.doc|}} documentation included with //The Last Byte//, it seems that shadow RAM control is by pin #69 of the chip. Checking for continuity from that led me to a set of jumpers just above it - which were shorting to ground. Removing the jumper from J16, below:
 +
 +{{:blog:286:img20210527191631.jpg?600|}}
 +
 +//Note to self: it was in position 3-4, furthest away from the board edge//, this lead the board to start up with 3712KB of RAM, versus 4096KB. A good sign. On booting Dos and watching //The Last Byte// load, I was greeted with this more successful looking banner:
 +
 +{{:blog:286:lastbyte_vlsi_working.png?600|}}
 +
 +**However**.
 +
 +Once //The Last Byte// has loaded, the system is incredibly unstable - with the keyboard or screen locking up at frequent intervals.
  
 (Go back to the [[blog:286_pc|286 PC main page]]) (Go back to the [[blog:286_pc|286 PC main page]])
  • blog/286_shootout_vlsi_vl82c201.1613513882.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2021/02/16 22:18
  • by john