Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbatt!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!beatyr
From: beatyr@pur-ee.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: TechniSoft (was: Memory expansion summary)
Message-ID: <5182@pur-ee.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 5-Jan-87 19:51:18 EST
Article-I.D.: pur-ee.5182
Posted: Mon Jan  5 19:51:18 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 6-Jan-87 06:04:16 EST
References: <736@cadomin.alberta.UUCP> <898@ulowell.UUCP>
Reply-To: beatyr@pur-ee.UUCP (Robert Beaty)
Organization: Electrical Engineering Department , Purdue University
Lines: 65

In article <898@ulowell.UUCP> page@ulowell.UUCP (Bob Page) writes:
>>I am especially interested in the Techni Soft expansion because they
>>are the lowest price.
>
>I've been hearing horror stories about TechniSoft ... you pays your
>money and --
>	and --
>		nothing.
>-- 
>Bob Page,  U of Lowell CS Dept.      ulowell!page,  page@ulowell.CSNET

    Well... I finally got my TechniSoft 2 MB RAM-BOard! I ordered it
on the 16th of Nov. After repeated phone callings, and they don't seem
to call back if you leave your name on their machine, I got the following
story (condensed):
	1-> I ordered it.
	2-> A week later they shipped it. The delay (they told me when
	    I ordered it they were shipping next-day) was due to an
	    engineering change. I didn't mind if it meant I was getting
	    a better board - it was only a week.
	3-> After a month plus, I insisted they track it with UPS. Their
	    response was that UPS had lost it and they sent another.
	4-> After another week it finally arrived.
    This description leaves out all the frustration in getting a busy
signal from them and their non-returning of my calls. Oh well...
    On to the mini-review... I will say that they claim NO wait states,
and I have not had a chance to check performance benchmarks (someone
want to send me a test program for Lattice 3.10?). Here is what I have
found out:
	1) The physical bow is so-so. it matches the color of the Amiga
well, but does not win any style awards. It is bent sheet metal construction.
The buss-pass-through is marginal due to the fact that it is in fact,
two connectors, not a connector and a pc board edge connector. They say
that a small pc board connector to fit into the connector and allow true
buss pass through, will be shipped as soon as it is finished in manufacture.
The buss conector, since the main unit sits on top of the Amiga about 1.75
inches tall, goes out the right side of the main unit and down to the
Amiga's buss connector. This is exposed. No cover is shipped. They say
that this too will be shipped as soon as it is available. This causes
some interesting effects. The T.V. in my computer room has the bad shakes
on channels 2,3,4,5 and 6. In fact, it is so bad on 2 and 3 that when I
hit a key the screen scrambles (no foolin'!). Oh well... enough about the
less than perfect (or FCC approved if I don't miss my guess)...
	2) OK, is it worth the $604.95? I don't know. It works PERFECTLY.
I really can find nothing less than perfect about the operation of the
memory. I have had no problem with Autoconfig-ing under 1.2, no problems
with the testing programs they give to you. In general, I can't say
enough about the quality of operation. I am really impressed.
    OK, so-so shipping (make them ship it Fed-Ex or UPS Overnight!),
so-so packaging, but very good operation. Is it worth it? The next
cheapest 2MB board was another $100. I honestly don't know if I would buy
it or the TechniSoft board. Since I am a cheap-ie I would get the
TechniSoft, but make them ship it Fed-Ex, so they don't have any excuses
for 'we shipped it today' stories.
    If someone wants to send me a benchmark program I will compile it under
Lattice 3.10 and post the results. Oh! by the way, my friend and co-worker
ordered another TechniSoft 2MB board, his should be here tomorrow (about
the same delivery time on the same order date)

				Bob B.
----------
   ... ihnp4!pur-ee!beatyr      <- usenet
  ... beatyr@ed.ecn.purdue.edu  <- arpa-net
   ... beatyr@pur-ee.UUCP       <- UUCP
----------