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GS WorldView: May MM
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Upgrade Your TranswarpGS:
Get the v1.8 EPROM Here!
 

     For those of you interested in upgrading TranswarpGS accelerator
cache memory,  a ShrinkI archive of the v1.8 EPROM v1.8 code (in binary
file format) is available here for public access and download. To write an
EPROM you will need an EPROM "prommer"-- i.e. hardware to write
(or "burn") bytes to an electrially programmable read-only memory IC.

     If you have a way to program EPROMs, and a compatible EPROM IC,
then here's your chance to make the v1.8 EPROM needed to upgrade your
TranswarpGS to 32k cache!

     Maybe you've got a TranswarpGS without the cache upgrade and you
are wondering "Why upgrade?". Here is a snip from the Csa2 Apple II FAQs:
 

     John Link charted some comparisons in 1991 involving nine setups: no-TWGS,
and 7, 8, 9, 10mHz boards before and after the 8kB-to-32kB cache upgrade. He
used three benchmarks:

1. time to calculate page breaks in a 218-page Appleworks document
2. time to scroll through a 39-page Awks-GS document
3. time to compile 4800 lines of MD-BASIC source code

For a 7mHz 8kB TWGS, the speed gain for the 32kB cache upgrade is roughly 33%
to nearly x2.5 plain GS speed.

For a 10mHz 8kB TWGS, the speed gain for the 32kB cache upgrade is roughly 33%
to about x3.25 plain GS speed.

     His charts shows that a 7mHz TWGS with the 32kB cache performs slightly
better than a 10mHz TWGS with 8kB cache on tests 1 and 3; it is a bit slower on
test 2.
 

     So, once you have the v1.8 EPROM, how do you upgrade your  TWGS
to 32k cache? Here's another snip from the FAQs:

     SHH Systeme ( http://www.wbwip.com/shh/ ), a German company,
sells the cache upgrade piggyback board in various states of 'do-it-yourself'
readiness. The ready-to-go version is $69 (+ $14 S&H). It includes three 32K
cache RAMs (62256-15 or equivalent) and can support speed upgrades to
14MHz or better.
 

     If I want, can I just buy the EPROM from SHH?

     Yes. SHH does not automatically include the firmware ROM with the upgrade
board; but, they will supply the v1.8 EPROM for $12 plus shipping and handling
costs.
 

     This archive is being made available as a public service for those
that need it, want it and can put it to use as outline above.

Dowmload v1.8 EPROM code
 

Cheers,
Tom
 

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