Date: Fri, 03 Sep 1999 23:15:36 +0200 From: Darek Dulian To: "Amiga-News.de" petra.struck@online-club.de Subject: FastATA'99 & AllegroCDFS new sofware for PowerFlyer Controller ELBOX Computer is proud to present FastATA'99 ver.4.x. FastATA'99 4.x is the fourth generation ATA/ATAPI control software for ELBOX FastATA/PowerFlyer/Winner HighSpeed Controllers for Amiga 1200. With this software the newest PowerFlyer/FastATA/Winner High Speed Controllers with new EIDE/UltraATA HHDs may reach over 10 MB/sec. (Sysinfo, DriveSpeed) and with new CD-ROM drives may exceed 7 MB/sec. >From FastATA'99 ver.4.0 on, controller users could choose between spliting HDD > 4 GB into 4 GB logical units or using DirectSCSI and TD64 commands. If you would like to receive e-mail updates of the software written for the PowerFlyer FastATA-2/EIDE Controller, please send a message to: support@elbox.com subject: subscribe FastATA'99 body: [your name], [your ATA3.driver version], [the serial number of your controller] If you have a controller version without AllegroCDFS, you may want to purchase it from: sales@powerc.demon.co.uk or sales@elbox.com or your local distributors. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Read more: THE FAST ATA-2/EIDE CONTROLLER In recent times, the extremely dynamic progress in the mass production technology of data storage media has resulted in a huge increase of their capacity and speed. It is especially apparent in the devices which make use of the FAST ATA-2/EIDE standard of communication with computers. Enhanced IDE is at present the most common controller standard for hard drives, CD-ROM drives, CD-RW drives, DVD drives, etc. The Amiga 1200 has a built-in hard disk controller in the IDE standard. However, only the PIO 0 mode of operation has been implemented in the Amiga 1200, which is the slowest of all PIO modes with a maximum transfer rate of about 3 MB/s. The FAST ATA-2/EIDE Controller idea has been based upon the assumption to fully use the currently produced devices in the FAST ATA-2/EIDE standard with their increased speed and capacity. The aim of this solution is to adapt the existing Amiga computer systems to the new, many times more effective devices, while retaining full compatibility with the existing software and hardware installed in the system. The FAST ATA-2/EIDE Controller has been designed to fit inside the Amiga 1200 in its standard casing or in any Tower-type casing. The controller works with two EIDE ports, which can accommodate up to four devices. Apart from the PIO 0 standard, necessary for booting up the Amiga computer from a hard disk and for accepting the oldest types of devices, the card also provides for fast PIO 3 and PIO 4 modes. THE FAST ATA-2/EIDE CONTROLLER FEATURES The FAST ATA-2/EIDE Controller with its many features represents the highest technology controller in its category. The following list describes some of these features: Fast transfer rate of up to 16.6 MB/s The FAST ATA-2/EIDE Controller with its maximum transfer rate of 16.6 MB/s in the PIO 4 mode offers a huge capacity reserve for fast mass storage devices, especially for fast hard drives. Therefore, applications may run much faster if they can count on fast access to large data files. Support of ATAPI standard devices The FAST ATA-2/EIDE Controller implements the ATAPI standard as well, for use with devices like CD-ROM drives, DVD drives, etc. This enables the connection of ATAPI-standard devices to the Amiga with no need for the installation of additional software. Two buffered and terminated EIDE ports The controller operates with two EIDE ports, which enable installation of up to four IDE/EIDE/ATAPI devices. Both controller ports are fully buffered and terminated in accordance with the recommendations set forth in the ATA-3 specification. Fully compatible with hard drives of over 4 GB capacity Limitations on the size of hard disks have been overcome in the FAST ATA-2/EIDE Controller. The FAST ATA-2/EIDE Controller may be used with hard drives of over 4 GB capacity with no need to change the FastFileSystem used so far for file management. Automatically configured devices The Controller automatically recognises any devices attached to it, negotiates the highest possible data transfer rates, switches the devices into its appropriate mode and performs data transfers at their maximum transfer rates. Automatic recognition of the processor type The FAST ATA-2/EIDE Controller automatically detects processor type used and optimises and modifies some software routines in order to achieve the highest possible data transfer rate between the controller and the computer memory. 32-bit access The computer recognises the controller as a 32-bit device configured in the address space of the previous IDE controller, which has been disconnected. Full 32-bit operation of the controller combined with very efficient software guarantees a significant increase in the speed of your computer. Other features of the FAST ATA-2/EIDE Controller: * 2 devices in different modes of operation (PIO 3 or PIO 4) may be connected simultaneously to each of the ports without speed reduction. * New mass storage data verification procedure free of ROM-based errors. * The software installation is performed automatically by the installation programme script found in the enclosed floppy disk. |