Daystar Powercache (?)

#1 Sat, 22 May 2010 - 07:04

I picked one up. Looks like a 50MHz 030 accelerator, based on Derrick Garbell's article here:

http://www.wap.org/journal/IIciwicked/default.html

I have the same card minus the large square chip just right of center of what's posted. I am guessing that the missing chip is the FPU. Are the drivers needed posted here:

http://daystar-tech.com/Daystar_Technology_Mac_Support/Daystar_Technology_Mac_Downloads/Daystar_Digital_Mac_Downloads/software/b_dsd_software_download1.html

Best,

John

#2 Sun, 23 May 2010 - 10:39

I had some time and found out the answer to my questions: Yes. Looks like I got a good deal, plus I have a IIcx adapter if anyone needs it.

Best,

John

#3 Thu, 6 Oct 2011 - 22:09

Is this IICX adapter still available?

#4 Sat, 8 Oct 2011 - 00:51

So what's faster? A 50Mhz 030 or 25MHz 040?

#5 Sat, 8 Oct 2011 - 02:10

The '040. Internally the '040 clocks most of its components at double (thus 50MHz) to begin with, and is a fully pipelined design with significantly bigger L1 caches to boot. I remember some contemporary benchmarks that showed exactly this, viz., the '040 clearly ahead at "half" the CPU speed.

#6 Sat, 8 Oct 2011 - 04:18

ISTR a comparison in one of the Mac Mags that said the FPU-less'040/Quadra 605 did Floating Point Operations faster than the IIfx.