Re: Hyperstation 30 motheroboard

[Mike Spooner <mike.spooner.ux%gmail.com@localhost>]

I can confirm that the Hyperstation-30 definitely supports 128MB
DSIMMs, Ross used that specific feature (1GB maximum RAM capacity),
amongst others, as a specific selling-point against the Sun SS20. I
suspect (but cannot confirm) that the slightly earlier Hyperstation-20
also supports 128MB DSIMMs too.

The Hyperstation-20 and Hyperstation-30 use the Ross RT523+RT521
System Controller chipset, not the Sun/TI SMC nor the Sun/TI EMC.

That same Ross chipset is used in the SPARCplug.

One of the interesting features of said chipset is
software-programmable MBus frequency - you can program eg:
50/60/66/70MHz MBus operating frequency using OBP commands. However,
only the later-rev Hyperstation-30 mobos can reliably run above 50MHz.

http://mbus.sunhelp.org/systems/ross/hs30.htm
http://mbus.sunhelp.org/misc/hsmb.htm

-- Mike Spooner


On Tue, 12 Feb 2019 at 07:40, Chase Rayfield <cusbrar2%yahoo.com@localhost> wrote:
>
> >It would be nice to know all the differences between SS20 and>hyperstation mainboards. So when you get there please report what does
> >or doesn't work, and if possible send me the ofctl -p output.
>
> No SX, I believe it does support 128MB modules as would go in an Ultra 1. I picked up a bunch of SS20 parts to build it out...
>
> The extended NVSIMM/VSIMM slots aren't there.... half the SCSI subsystem is unpopulated. No ISDN. DBRI, Ethernet and a single SCSI controller is there. Presumably a custom chipset.
>
> https://imgur.com/gallery/fxwiAIA Photos of the board itself. I'll get it running later hopefully... a prom dump may be a good idea also since I don't remember ever hearing of an HS30 prom image anywhere.