AppleSqueezer GS

[D Finnigan]

Has anyone here used this new accelerator for the Apple IIgs?

https://www.applesqueezer.com/


------------


What is the AppleSqueezer GS?

The AppleSqueezer GS is an accelerator + 14MB memory expansion for the Apple
IIGS, built from scratch with modern components. It uses an FPGA in addition
to a 14MHz 65816. It's simple to install: all you have to do is remove the
existing 65816 CPU from the IIGS motherboard, and plug in the AppleSqueezer
GS in its place. From that moment forward, your GS will be accelerated! It
will run faster than ever before, and have 14MB of RAM.


Memory expansion

Of course, the AppleSqueezer GS isn't just an accelerator: it also expands
your RAM memory to 14MB! A normal GS/OS install only allows using 8MB, so if
you want to use the full 14MB, you have to use a tweaked version of GS/OS.
You don't have to stick anything into the memory expansion slot for this to
work.


Installation

Installing the AppleSqueezer GS is as simple as removing your existing 65816
CPU, and plugging the AppleSqueezer GS back into its place. The machined
pins ensure a good fit into the socket.


Compatibility

The AppleSqueezer GS has been tested with various software, including:

System 6.0.1, 6.0.2 and 6.0.4
AppleWorks GS
Graphic Writer III
Beagle Draw
Beagle Write
Deluxe Paint II
Animasia 3D
Out of this World
Deja VU I and II
Wolfenstein 3D
Zany Golf (much smoother animations!)
a lot more..

[D Finnigan]

Just noticed this little tidbit in the FAQ page:

"By the way, the AppleSqueezer actually has 256MB of RAM on board, so there
are even more possibilities in the future. For instance, bank-switching
could be used to allow using even more RAM. However, this is probably not
generally usable unless software is (re)written to support that."

[Hugh Hood]

David,

I've been following that project, and apparently some have been sold,
although I never did see a price mentioned.

I believe Antoine has tested one and he might share some of his
impressions with us.

The AppleSqueezer is not currently DMA compatible, and since my most
useful and valued IIgs peripheral is the RamFAST SCSI card, I won't be
ordering one in its current form.

But, if he's able to add DMA compatibility, and the price is not all the
gold in Ft. Knox, Kentucky, I'd try one. My ZipGS boards are all 7/32's,
so I'd love to double the speed provided the cards are rock solid stable.

IIRC, in order to do DMA you must have access to a slot, but perhaps my
memory is wrong on that point.




Hugh Hood

Post by D Finnigan
Has anyone here used this new accelerator for the Apple IIgs?
https://www.applesqueezer.com/

[[e-mail]]

I've wondered about the slot thing. The ZipGS and TranswarpGS will work without being in a slot but they then don't have DMA. On the other hand a stock IIgs does DMA.
You can turn off DMA on the RamFast and it's still pretty fast. I'm wondering if a faster accelerator would make up for the lack of DMA.

[Antoine Vignau]

Hi Guys,

The AppleSqueezer is inserted into the CPU socket, and it works well on ROM 01 and 3 machines. It brings 14MB by default to the machine. All software run fine, either 8-bit or 16-bit (desktop-based or no tools-based). As written in the FAQ, it does not recognize 5.25" drives (yet), and its size prevents long cards from being inserted into slots 1 to 4. Until Niek makes a slot-version, I wonder whether a long cable could be used to free the slots.

A great product priced at $270.

Antoine

[KP]

Antoine,

Do you know when more AppleSqueezers will be available for sale? At the moment, the site indicates that they are out of stock.

Thank you,
Kevin

Post by Antoine Vignau
Hi Guys,
The AppleSqueezer is inserted into the CPU socket, and it works well on ROM 01 and 3 machines. It brings 14MB by default to the machine. All software run fine, either 8-bit or 16-bit (desktop-based or no tools-based). As written in the FAQ, it does not recognize 5.25" drives (yet), and its size prevents long cards from being inserted into slots 1 to 4. Until Niek makes a slot-version, I wonder whether a long cable could be used to free the slots.
A great product priced at $270.
Antoine

[D Finnigan]

Post by Antoine Vignau
Hi Guys,
[...]
As written in the FAQ, it does not recognize 5.25" drives (yet)

This is because it does not slow down to 1 MHz for Woz timing?

[s***@alfter.diespammersdie.us]

I've wondered about the slot thing. The ZipGS and TranswarpGS will work
without being in a slot but they then don't have DMA. On the other hand a
stock IIgs does DMA. You can turn off DMA on the RamFast and it's still
pretty fast. I'm wondering if a faster accelerator would make up for the
lack of DMA.

I once had a 10-MHz RocketChip and a rev. C RamFAST in a IIe. I/O with full
acceleration and no DMA was faster than with DMA and no acceleration. It
wasn't even close.

[D Finnigan]

Post by s***@alfter.diespammersdie.us

I've wondered about the slot thing. The ZipGS and TranswarpGS will work
without being in a slot but they then don't have DMA. On the other hand a
stock IIgs does DMA. You can turn off DMA on the RamFast and it's still
pretty fast. I'm wondering if a faster accelerator would make up for the
lack of DMA.

I once had a 10-MHz RocketChip and a rev. C RamFAST in a IIe. I/O with full
acceleration and no DMA was faster than with DMA and no acceleration. It
wasn't even close.

Scott, was that with a fast 7200 RPM hard drive too?

[s***@alfter.diespammersdie.us]

Post by D Finnigan

Post by s***@alfter.diespammersdie.us

I've wondered about the slot thing. The ZipGS and TranswarpGS will work
without being in a slot but they then don't have DMA. On the other hand a
stock IIgs does DMA. You can turn off DMA on the RamFast and it's still
pretty fast. I'm wondering if a faster accelerator would make up for the
lack of DMA.

I once had a 10-MHz RocketChip and a rev. C RamFAST in a IIe. I/O with full
acceleration and no DMA was faster than with DMA and no acceleration. It
wasn't even close.

Scott, was that with a fast 7200 RPM hard drive too?

That would've been with my first hard drive, a Conner CP340...so no. I had
some large AppleWorks files that took a while to load, probably due to
having to span multiple banks of a RAMWorks III, and the accelerator helped
with those.

(My current setup uses a 4.3-GB Seagate Barracuda that was yanked from a
server, but the RocketChip got sold off long ago. :-( I don't know if
AppleWorks is better at handling IIGS memory than RAMWorks memory, other
than that it makes more complete use of it.)