MiSTer FPGA Forum

tlaloc wrote: ↑Sun Jul 05, 2020 9:22 pm

tontonkaloun wrote: ↑Sun Jul 05, 2020 10:03 am

bbond007 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 05, 2020 2:37 am

I could be wrong, but I think that is due to using the "Lite" version of Quartus.



I have compiled the DEV branch.

It would probably be be better to wait for official release from the people who know what they are doing, but if you can't...

ao486_Cache.zip

Make sure you update Main_MiSTer or you won't get video.

Thanks

I had compiled it but I got the file "limited time.sof"

I had tried to convert it but with an error message with the same command as you.

I admit, I didn't look any further

I think I am limited with the lite version of quartus, I wanted to take a license today!

If you've got $2,995 to burn, go right ahead
Then again, maybe you're a developer and can actually use the license for more than just compiling up-to-the-minute DEV releases of these MiSTer cores discussed here.
I think I'll wait till the ppl that know what they're actually doing compiles it properly for release before trying to compile myself again. Although I feel I 'know what I'm doing', having gotten this far, it's that 'knowing what I'm ACTUALLY doing' part that gets me

Strange thing is... certain cores [e.g. TG16CD] allow me to compile an RBF using Quartus Lite, not so with this 'ao486' core... why/how, I wonder, does that occur?

FPGAzumSpass wrote: ↑Sun Jul 05, 2020 4:52 pm More improvements from today (yellow bars). I fear this will not improve more so easy

32bitaccess.png

lroby74 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 1:40 pm With previous (no cache) version, LM60 (Landmark System Speed Test 6.0) gives same speed of a 386 sx 25 mhz...
will try with last new test cached version

dshadoff wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 4:00 pm With no math coprocessor, it should be compared with a 386DX or 486SX.

JUNKER Seed wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 10:28 pm That is quite the improvement.

bbond007 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 10:00 pm This is a test of the latest where FPGAzumSpass has disabled the (faulty) ao486 level 1 cache for an additional boost!

--> https://youtu.be/y9CycqjfOxY

dshadoff wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 4:00 pm With no math coprocessor, it should be compared with a 386DX or 486SX.

NightShadowPT wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:13 am

dshadoff wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 4:00 pm With no math coprocessor, it should be compared with a 386DX or 486SX.

With a 2.5x to 3x performance improvement from the current core? (roughly equivalent to a 386SX 25Mhz)?

Seems to be too drastic an improvement not to put the new core at a 486DX performance level.

SuperBabyHix wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:33 am The DX vs SX differentiation really is not significant for games. Off the top of my head I can think of maybe three games (prior to Quake coming out in 1996) that made use for a math co-processor (Falcon 3.0, MS Flight Sim 5, and I believe Sim City.) The Doom engine, for example, used integer math exclusively.

You can check against the very massive Phils VGA Benchmark Database to see this core is performing around the 486 SX/DX 33 level.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... edit#gid=0

dshadoff wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 5:29 am Strictly speaking, the core is similar or slower than a 386 running at the same clock speed (note that the clock speed of this core is 90MHz). However, I believe that it may implement the new 486 instructions (minus the coprocessor). You may not remember 386DX-40 or 486SX2/50, but they existed and would be suitable comparisons for performance (and would likely outmatch the core in its current state). But honestly, it doesn't much matter since there were so many other factors speeding up or slowing down machines of that era.

dshadoff wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 5:29 am I see the cache-related performance increases as releasing the original potential of the core, but I see other people in this thread wishing for more and more CPU-thirsty games, which eventually will be beyond the reach of this core.

I think it might be interesting to send the core into a new direction like to pursue the NEC PC-98 series of PC-like computers, which might actually be easier than reworking the CPU's pipelining and execution units.

dshadoff wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 5:29 am Strictly speaking, the core is similar or slower than a 386 running at the same clock speed (note that the clock speed of this core is 90MHz). However, I believe that it may implement the new 486 instructions (minus the coprocessor). You may not remember 386DX-40 or 486SX2/50, but they existed and would be suitable comparisons for performance (and would likely outmatch the core in its current state). But honestly, it doesn't much matter since there were so many other factors speeding up or slowing down machines of that era.

Beeble wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 7:18 am Those benchmarks are an indicator, but performance varies n comparrison.

Wing Commander 2 runs on the Mister like a 486 DX50 at least I would say, which doesnt reflect in the synthetic benchmarks.

Impression may vary depending on scenario I assume.

Neo666 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 10:30 am Just tried ao486_Cache3.zip core that bbond007 posted earlier - great speed improvement over official core - Doom runs a lot better!

However, I'm getting no music from the Sound Blaster for some reason, same VHD has SB music with official core. Anyone else had this issue?

Thanks

Neo666 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 11:16 am Yes, it's working just fine with the official build, but the same VHD with the same settings has no Souind Blaster music on the test core - sound effects are playing though