I was just given a Riscstation 7500 with RiscOs 4 and heaps of apps,
but I have never used this platform at all. Anyway, I was told this one
comes with 128MB of ram, but it can be expanded to 256MB with a single
module. Since the ram in this machine is unmarked or faded I can't tell
what type it is. Does anyone in this group know what sort of ram: ecc,
parity, PC100, 133 etc these machines normally use?
In message <1159534437.266419.207020@k70g2000cwa.googlegroups. com>
"Sallyanne" <sallyanne@writeme.com> wrote:
Hello,
Quote:
I was just given a Riscstation 7500 with RiscOs 4 and heaps of apps, but I have never used this platform at all. Anyway, I was told this one
Welcome to the wonderfull world of RISC OS :-)
Quote:
comes with 128MB of ram, but it can be expanded to 256MB with a single module. Since the ram in this machine is unmarked or faded I can't tell what type it is. Does anyone in this group know what sort of ram: ecc, parity, PC100, 133 etc these machines normally use?
I havn't had the lid off mine for some time but it uses 72 pin SIMMs. I'm
99% sure they're EDO and not FPM. IIRC it'll take between 50ns and 70ns
modules. Hope this helps.
Also remember that RO apps don't need the bucket loads of RAM Windows apps
need. My RS7500 has 16MB in it which is fine for most things, my main RISC
PC that I'm typing this to you on has 64MB RAM + 2MB VRAM which in WinTel
tearms is pathetic but I only ever get low on RAM when using Image Master to
load massive scans in and manipulate them.
Thanks for your reply and the welcome Michael (Mike).
Your information helps, assuming I can now find an EDO 50-70ns 72 pin
256MB
SIMM.
I know, or have been told, that the Acorn/RISC is much more efficient
than an equivalent PC but even with 128MB of ram this machine seems to
refresh the screen slower than I would think is appropriate. Could that
be due to the vram that you mention. I don't think this one is 2MB, I
have to check as I'm writing this on another computer. And while on the
point of video ram, how would a newbie like me get this machine to work
on a 21 inch monitor at a reasonably high resolution. That's why I
wanted to max the ram in the first place, so that I could use if for
DTP.
On 30-Sep-2006, "Sallyanne" <sallyanne@writeme.com> wrote:
Quote:
I know, or have been told, that the Acorn/RISC is much more efficient than an equivalent PC but even with 128MB of ram this machine seems to refresh the screen slower than I would think is appropriate. Could that be due to the vram that you mention. I don't think this one is 2MB, I have to check as I'm writing this on another computer. And while on the point of video ram, how would a newbie like me get this machine to work on a 21 inch monitor at a reasonably high resolution. That's why I wanted to max the ram in the first place, so that I could use if for DTP.
I think you've misunderstood some information.
The RiscStation uses a 7500FE processor and does not have any separate video
RAM (VRAM). It therefore uses main system RAM for video. Although it is
capable of producing large screen resolution (say, bigger than 1024 x 768)
with, up to 16 million colours, as you increase the screen size/colour depth
you will see the machine becoming noticably slower.
No amount of additional RAM will help. In fact, I would suggest that if
you're doing anything that requires you to have more than 64 MB or use a
screen resolution bigger than 1024 x 768 I'd say you've probably got the
wrong machine and would be better getting a Strong ARM RiscPC.
In article <1159573885.589813.31010@k70g2000cwa.googlegroups.c om>,
Sallyanne <sallyanne@writeme.com> wrote:
Quote:
Thanks for your reply and the welcome Michael (Mike). Your information helps, assuming I can now find an EDO 50-70ns 72 pin 256MB SIMM.
I know, or have been told, that the Acorn/RISC is much more efficient than an equivalent PC but even with 128MB of ram this machine seems to refresh the screen slower than I would think is appropriate. Could that be due to the vram that you mention. I don't think this one is 2MB, I have to check as I'm writing this on another computer. And while on the point of video ram, how would a newbie like me get this machine to work on a 21 inch monitor at a reasonably high resolution. That's why I wanted to max the ram in the first place, so that I could use if for DTP.
Thanks, again Sallyanne
One possible cause for slow screen refresh can be if too little space is
allocated for the fontcache. Try double licking on the !Boot application
on the hard disc to load the configuration utility and then on the icon
that says Fonts - you can try playing with the settings here especially
initial fontcache and limit (a limit of zero is effectively unlimited).
--
-------------------------------------------------------------
Rob Hemmings Southport
Thanks for your reply and the welcome Michael (Mike). Your information helps, assuming I can now find an EDO 50-70ns 72 pin 256MB SIMM.
I'm not sure 256MB 72 pin simms exist. I think you would need a second
128MB simm. However I would not pay much for extra RAM, because I don't
think it will be of benefit. Extra RAM doesn't usually speed RISC OS
systems up, because it doesn't use virtual memory. Basically it runs at
full speed, until it runs out of memory then you can't load more
programs, fortunately programs are usually very efficient. Most
programs take only a couple of MB maximum, plus the size of the data
they are manipulating and some work space. I think you will run into
processor power limits before you run into RAM limits with that
machine. Even RAM hungry web browsers will run fine on a 128 MB
machine.
Quote:
I know, or have been told, that the Acorn/RISC is much more efficient than an equivalent PC but even with 128MB of ram this machine seems to refresh the screen slower than I would think is appropriate. Could that be due to the vram that you mention. I don't think this one is 2MB, I
The R7500 does not have separate video RAM, that is possibly the
problem. As you go for higher video modes the processor proportion of
the time drops. I have experience with the two similar models to the RS
(the Mico and The A7000). With those machines the machine is noticably
slower above 800 x 600. I understand that the R7500 can use faster RAM
(50 nS) and be speeded up, this *may* require a setting change.
Hopefully someone will experience of the machine can help.
As someone suggested, turn up the font cache - 1MB is maximum I think
and worth using, it may still be set to values sutable to an 8MB
machine, which is the sort of size of RAM common in RISC OS machines
when it was the R7500 was designed.
Quote:
have to check as I'm writing this on another computer. And while on the point of video ram, how would a newbie like me get this machine to work
The Risc PC is the only machine with video RAM, lower and earlier
machines share the RAM, newer machines typically have video cards like
PCs.
Quote:
on a 21 inch monitor at a reasonably high resolution. That's why I wanted to max the ram in the first place, so that I could use if for
The Mico and A7000 aren't really usable above 1024 x768, but I have
read the RS can do 1600 x 1200, (I don't know in how many colours).
To be honest, an LCD screen is best for this type of machine, because
you can set the refresh to 60Hz (migrain inducing on a CRT), reducing
the overhead on the memory bandwidth.
The Riscstation is a very nice basic machine (I wish I had advised my
brother to get one rather than a Mico) It uses a standard PC case and
has networking built in (uncommon, when the machine was built) which
means it is pretty easy to put on broadband.
In message <4o6gniFd770rU1@individual.net>
David Holden <black_hole@apdl.co.uk> wrote:
Quote:
On 30-Sep-2006, "Sallyanne" <sallyanne@writeme.com> wrote:
Quote:
I know, or have been told, that the Acorn/RISC is much more efficient than an equivalent PC but even with 128MB of ram this machine seems to refresh the screen slower than I would think is appropriate. Could that be due to the vram that you mention. I don't think this one is 2MB, I have to check as I'm writing this on another computer. And while on the point of video ram, how would a newbie like me get this machine to work on a 21 inch monitor at a reasonably high resolution. That's why I wanted to max the ram in the first place, so that I could use if for DTP.
I think you've misunderstood some information. The RiscStation uses a 7500FE processor and does not have any separate video RAM (VRAM). It therefore uses main system RAM for video. Although it is
My appologies, I didn't make it very clear. As David sais above the RS
doesn't have sperate VRAM, only the RISC PC (RPC). I find that the RS is a
very capable machine untill you start battering the graphics system then it
slows very abruptly.
Quote:
capable of producing large screen resolution (say, bigger than 1024 x 768) with, up to 16 million colours, as you increase the screen size/colour depth you will see the machine becoming noticably slower.
I don't have the faster 50ns RAM in my RS so I can't comment on how much
more graphics performance that gives you but hopefully some one here can.
It may make a difference but IIRC at the time it was available the 50ns
"upgrade" was very expensive.
Quote:
No amount of additional RAM will help. In fact, I would suggest that if you're doing anything that requires you to have more than 64 MB or use a screen resolution bigger than 1024 x 768 I'd say you've probably got the wrong machine and would be better getting a Strong ARM RiscPC.
Seconded or an Iyonix which uses a seperate "standard" graphics card,
currently an Nvidia GF 2MX. Soon FX5200 and FX5500 cards will be supported
and will repersent a signifficant performance boost. This solution is of
course going to be rather more costly than a free RS!
I have an RPC with 1MB VRAM up for sale but I'm waiting to hear back from
some one else who may want to purchase it (and it's not StrongARM, sold that
one the other week) but you'd really want one with 2MB VRAM.
Thanks for your reply and the welcome Michael (Mike). Your information helps, assuming I can now find an EDO 50-70ns 72 pin 256MB SIMM.
I'm not sure 256MB 72 pin simms exist. I think you would need a second 128MB simm. However I would not pay much for extra RAM, because I don't think it will be of benefit. Extra RAM doesn't usually speed RISC OS systems up, because it doesn't use virtual memory. Basically it runs at full speed, until it runs out of memory then you can't load more programs, fortunately programs are usually very efficient. Most programs take only a couple of MB maximum, plus the size of the data they are manipulating and some work space. I think you will run into processor power limits before you run into RAM limits with that machine. Even RAM hungry web browsers will run fine on a 128 MB machine.
Quote:
I know, or have been told, that the Acorn/RISC is much more efficient than an equivalent PC but even with 128MB of ram this machine seems to refresh the screen slower than I would think is appropriate. Could that be due to the vram that you mention. I don't think this one is 2MB, I
The R7500 does not have separate video RAM, that is possibly the problem. As you go for higher video modes the processor proportion of the time drops. I have experience with the two similar models to the RS (the Mico and The A7000). With those machines the machine is noticably slower above 800 x 600. I understand that the R7500 can use faster RAM (50 nS) and be speeded up, this *may* require a setting change. Hopefully someone will experience of the machine can help. As someone suggested, turn up the font cache - 1MB is maximum I think and worth using, it may still be set to values sutable to an 8MB machine, which is the sort of size of RAM common in RISC OS machines when it was the R7500 was designed.
Quote:
have to check as I'm writing this on another computer. And while on the point of video ram, how would a newbie like me get this machine to work
The Risc PC is the only machine with video RAM, lower and earlier machines share the RAM, newer machines typically have video cards like PCs.
Quote:
on a 21 inch monitor at a reasonably high resolution. That's why I wanted to max the ram in the first place, so that I could use if for
The Mico and A7000 aren't really usable above 1024 x768, but I have read the RS can do 1600 x 1200, (I don't know in how many colours). To be honest, an LCD screen is best for this type of machine, because you can set the refresh to 60Hz (migrain inducing on a CRT), reducing the overhead on the memory bandwidth. The Riscstation is a very nice basic machine (I wish I had advised my brother to get one rather than a Mico) It uses a standard PC case and has networking built in (uncommon, when the machine was built) which means it is pretty easy to put on broadband. HTH
Hello Sallyanne, I've got a RiscStation, as well as 2 RISCPCs with 2Mb
of VRAM - one of them only has a 710 processor, the other has a
StrongArm processor. Both of them do screen re-draws faster than the
7500 - I think thats mainly due to the VRAM. (As mentioned - not
available on the RiscStation).
Depending on the monitor definition file, you can get 1280 x 1024 in
256 colours on the RiscStation - on a RISCOS machine, you'll generally
find that pictures still look quite good in 256 colours, but if you
really wanted to check the colours, you may have to go to 800 x 600 to
do so.
With regard to the font settings for the RiscStation - I've got mine
set (Go via Boot/Fonts) to Cache bitmaps to 84 point, Anti-alias up to
60 point, Sub-pixel anti-alias to 12 points horizontal, and set
initial font cache to 256Kb, and don't set a font cache limit. This
may speed up screen re-draw from what you already have.
I believe screen re-draw can be slightly improved by fitting EDO RAM,
but don't hold me to that.
Another option may be to go to a RISCOS club thats having an auction -
The Wakefield club will probably be holding an auction on 1st of
November - I know I've bought a RiscPC with 2Mg VRAM and programmes
there, for less than £50.
Go to www.wrocc.org.uk to check for meetings
I hope that helps - Peter Richmond - peter@wrocc.org.uk
On 1 Oct 2006 Peter J Richmond <peterjrichmond@freeuk.co.uk> wrote:
Quote:
With regard to the font settings for the RiscStation - I've got mine set (Go via Boot/Fonts) to Cache bitmaps to 84 point, Anti-alias up to 60 point, Sub-pixel anti-alias to 12 points horizontal, and set initial font cache to 256Kb, and don't set a font cache limit. This may speed up screen re-draw from what you already have.
I'd turn off subpixel a-a on the slower machine as it does slow down initial
rendering for each new font block loaded in to the cache, and takes 4x as
much memory. The improved rendering from spaa is nice, but not essential.
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