[Coco] Is the 6309 worth it?

[Mark Marlette]

Do a mdir on the current NitrOS-9 version of the 6809 vs the 6309 and  
you'll be amazed........

Worth it? Yep, plus they are on sale now......

http://www.cloud9tech.com

Mark


Quoting Roger Merchberger <zmerch-coco at 30below.com>:

> Rumor has it that Leon Howell may have mentioned these words:
>> I've heard the 6309 only makes the CoCo 15% faster. I've heard it makes some
>> things up to 10 times as fast. What does it make 10 times as fast, and
>> would I
>> really notice the improvement? I've heard NitrOS-9/6309 is about twice as
>> fast, but I have NitrOS-9/6809, and it seems at least twice as fast as OS-9.
>
> There's 3 "modes" to the 6309 - 1) pure compatibility mode - to the
> software, it's a 6809. 2) "Enhanced 6809" mode: no new instructions, but
> some instructions take fewer cycles to complete - that's the 15% number
> you've heard. That can goof up some timing loops in games & whatnot. 3)
> full 6309 Mode: There are extra registers, extra instructions, extra,
> extra, extra and some instructions execute even quicker, IIRC.[1]
>
> You get 2 extra 8-bit accumulators, which can also be utilized as a 16-bit
> accumulator, and *also* with the existing 16-bit accumulator (D) to make a
> 32-bit accumulator{!} amongst other things.
>
> I dunno about the "10x faster" bit, but software written to take advantage
> of the 6309 can be quite snappy, comparatively (yet vaguely ;-) speaking.
>
>> I've also heard the 6309 is very rare and very sensitive to static, etc.,
>
> It's CMOS -- everything CMOS is static-sensitive.
>
>>  and
>> of course I would have to cut out my 6809 to avoid destroying my motherboard
>
> Or pay someone who has the tools that can preserve both the motherboard &
> CPU. I have a very good vacuum-pump desoldering gun, and have removed
> several 40-pin chips without harm, but my spare time quotient is so far in
> the negative that it'll take me to next month to catch up to last week.
>
>> (my soldering skills stink) but I was thinking of installing a double speed
>> upgrade, so I'll have to do that anyway. I just don't want to spent all that
>> time and money installing a new os and a chip that will go up in smoke the
>> first time the cat walks by.
>
> If the computer you're doing your email on right now won't "gesplode" due
> to your cat, your CoCo certainly won't either... 99.99999% of processors
> made in the last 15 years are CMOS. OK, maybe not "quite" but durned near
> all of 'em for consumer use are, and if your hub, switch, router, alarm
> clock, Athlon and Pentium are safe from your cat now, no need to worry. ;-)
>
>>  It seems like a 32 mhz clock crystal (2.0/4.0
>> mhz) would do the same thing, and be less sensitive, but what about
>> compatibility?
>
> It wouldn't do "the same thing." The 6309 gains speed due to efficiency, a
> crystal swap gains speed via overclocking, and remember: you're
> overclocking the system buss. So, not only will your CPU overheat (because
> dollars-to-donuts it can't dissipate that much heat with convective
> cooling) you're also overclocking the memory (which won't be none-too-happy
> about that!) and the GIME (which quite likely will gesplode) and of course,
> the video circuitry, which means you won't be able to see how fast your
> computer's running before it fries.
> :-O
>
> If I had time to tinker right now, the 6309 is definitely worth it.
> ;-)
>
> Laterz,
> Roger "Merch" Merchberger
>
> [1] I've never had a 6309, so I'm quoting from my admittedly poor memory. ;-)
>
> --
> Roger "Merch" Merchberger   | Anarchy doesn't scale well. -- Me
> zmerch at 30below.com.         |
> SysAdmin, Iceberg Computers
>
>
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