ABOUT THE STE V1 BOOSTER 2017 - 2020

Help & information about the STE V1 series boosters.
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ABOUT THE STE V1 BOOSTER 2017 - 2020

Post by exxos »

Image

Image

The STE 32MHz Booster is comprised of 2 parts. The CPU booster itself and the Fast ROM board which replaces the older slower TOS ROM's.

Results above are the STE running GB6 at 32MHz CPU & ROM. This gives a huge boost in ROM/GEM speeds and also huge boost in Integer Division. This booster can be switched back to 8MHz by linking the SW wire to GND. When the wire is left disconnected the 32MHz boost is active and is its default operating mode.

This kit requires the CPU socket to be removed and the booster installed in its place.

STE V1 HOME
http://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/last/V1STE/index.htm

STORE LINK
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/store2/#0147

If you are looking for help with this booster, please open up a new topic in this section.
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viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1585 Have you done the Mandatory Fixes ?
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Re: ABOUT THE STE V1 BOOSTER

Post by exxos »

2020 BATCH.


Is almost identical to the original STE V1 design. It fits and works in exactly the same way as before. Probably the only notable difference is that the corner of the board is now "pre-cut" at the PCB factory to miss machines with a socketed blitter.

IMG_5097.JPG
IMG_5097.JPG (417.41 KiB) Viewed 5529 times


THE FAQ

I get asked about the plug-in version a fair bit. This was abandoned because there are just too many variations on sockets.. Reliability issues in assembly and long-term operation. Also as it was running at 40MHz on a basically experimental firmware, there was some issues which could not be resolved in a 22V10 GAL. In part this is why the current 2020 batch of V1 is more expensive than before, because I basically had to write off all the plug-in boards.

Could all the be resolved I hear you ask ? well the short answer is yes but I just do not have the time to work on the STFM stuff, nevermind the STE. while my 64MHz SEC booster may one day be ported over to the STE..Running a 64MHz only CPU is not going to yield hardly any speed gain over 32MHz.

Basically for starters, the ROM is maxed out at 32MHz. While these are problems we are working on currently with the SEC booster (flash and fast ram etc) but it is likely the long way off because again, we are working on so many projects at once that progress is always incredibly slow. The STE would it need its own version of the project could be done, but again I do not think it is really worth spending time on.. Because the SEC booster is about 95% wired up as a 020 CPU. Only once we have a 64MHz 020 running on the SEC design, will I consider porting it over to the STE. Of course we still have to complete the SEC work and design and test the 020 CPU yet.. so we are easily the year away.

As I said many times in the past, there is nothing to stop people from designing a alt-ram addon board for the STE booster. Its more than capable of interfacing with a external RAM board and running at 32mhz. That would make a extremely fast system!
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viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1585 Have you done the Mandatory Fixes ?
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Re: ABOUT THE STE V1 BOOSTER

Post by exxos »

ADDENDUM

As mentioned *somewhere* these boosters work best on machines which have a external blitter IC.

I am unable to test, but integrated blitter machines may need a resistor changing on the board to function correctly.


KNOWN ISSUES

Machine will not boot without pressing the reset button.

Solder a 22uF capacitor across C100 or replace it with a higher value.

IMG_5184.JPG
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https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/store2/ - All my hardware mods for sale - Please help support by making a purchase.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1585 Have you done the Mandatory Fixes ?
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Re: ABOUT THE STE V1 BOOSTER 2017 - 2020

Post by exxos »

@Steve Send me this image is verified as being the best routing for the 32MHz wire.

32mhz line.jpg
32mhz line.jpg (603.23 KiB) Viewed 5286 times

Also note, PARITY simms will NOT work with this booster. You will get issues like in this video.


https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/ All my hardware guides - mods - games - STOS
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/store2/ - All my hardware mods for sale - Please help support by making a purchase.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1585 Have you done the Mandatory Fixes ?
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Re: ABOUT THE STE V1 BOOSTER 2017 - 2020

Post by exxos »

UPDATE FOR 2020 BATCH - INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL BLITTER MACHINE MODS.

Because of various issues with the STE's 8MHz clock, the following values are known to be the best for its version of the machine. It is possible this may be relevant to previous batches as well.

NOTE : R1 may be a SMT or through-hole resistor depending on batch version.


EXTERNAL BLITTER
R1 = 470R (220 might be better)
C1 = 47pF

INTERNAL BLITTER
R1 = 68R
C1 = removed
IMG_5097.JPG
IMG_5097.JPG (418.5 KiB) Viewed 5232 times
There is no need to do these modifications if your booster is stable. Generally the current batch assumes External blitter machines.
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/ All my hardware guides - mods - games - STOS
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/store2/ - All my hardware mods for sale - Please help support by making a purchase.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1585 Have you done the Mandatory Fixes ?
Just because a lot of people agree on something, doesn't make it a fact. ~exxos ~
People should find solutions to problems, not find problems with solutions.
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Re: ABOUT THE STE V1 BOOSTER 2017 - 2020

Post by exxos »

ADDENDUM 2020

if you have done the mandatory fixes by replacing the bus resistors to 2.2K, and fit the booster which has the pullups on it as well, the overall value is too low and it will generally cause the floppy drive to malfunction, in my case it says " the output devices not receiving data".

Removing the motherboard SILs will solve this problem ( as they are generally fitted on the booster board anyway)


NOTE - my SILs are in sockets as this is my dev-machine.

IMG_5653.JPG
IMG_5653.JPG (430.27 KiB) Viewed 4645 times
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/ All my hardware guides - mods - games - STOS
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/store2/ - All my hardware mods for sale - Please help support by making a purchase.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1585 Have you done the Mandatory Fixes ?
Just because a lot of people agree on something, doesn't make it a fact. ~exxos ~
People should find solutions to problems, not find problems with solutions.
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