.KEYWORD overclocking
.FLYINGHEAD PERFORMANCE TWEAKING
.TITLE The fast and the furious: an introduction to overclocking
.FEATURE
.SUMMARY For years, desktop computer users have been overclocking their processors, pushing them to run at faster speeds than they were labeled. The same thing can be done to your Palm device processor. In this article Paul Gowder shows you how it’s done and introduces you to some software that makes it easy.
.AUTHOR Paul Gowder
Eventually, if you’re a Palm device user in contact with other users through the Internet, local PUG (Palm User Group), or the general geek community, you’ll hear about overclocking. You might have heard of overclocking before, but not in the Palm context.
For many years, desktop computer users have been overclocking their processors, pushing them to run at faster speeds than they were labeled, to squeeze more performance out of their old chips. For example, a Celeron 366 Mhz chip could be run at 500 Mhz, possibly saving the user hundreds of dollars. This was not without its drawbacks. First, it was (and is) very difficult, out of the range of all but the most technically adept users. Second, lower speed chips were sometimes not suitable for the higher speeds users pushed on them. The chips would then overheat and be destroyed. Many users accepted these risks and pushed their computers to the limit. Now this technology has reached the Palm OS platform.
As you begin to explore the potential for overclocking your own device, you’ll probably have many questions. You’ll probably ask yourself: "What is this fantastic creature?" "How does it behave?" Finally, "Where can I get one?" Well, you’re in luck. I intend to answer every one of these questions and more in this article. When you’re finished reading, you’ll have a basic knowledge of how overclocking works. You’ll know the pros and cons of overclocking your Palm device. Finally, you’ll know what programs are useful in speeding up your device and which ones are the best. Read on!
.H1 The hows of overclocking
The first thing you need to understand is the difference between "overclocking" and "wait-state tweaking." Each of these terms describes a way to make your device do various tasks faster. Many "overclocking" programs do both, but, for clarity’s sake, I’ll use the term "overclocking" in its narrowest sense.
The specific technical details of overclocking are beyond the scope of this article. This is mainly because they’re beyond my own technical capacity. I’ve pieced together this article mostly from my own limited technical knowledge. However, the most specific details have been derived from the documentation for Afterburner 3.0 (for overclocking) and Cruise Control (for wait-states). We’ll take a closer look at these two applications later.
Overclocking on the Palm device is much like overclocking on a normal computer. In the most basic sense, overclocking makes the processor run faster. As I understand it, the CPU (Central Processing Unit) has an internal "clock" which regulates its operations. Raising the frequency of this clock (in megahertz) will increase the speed of operations that use the CPU (i.e., everything). Likewise, lowering the frequency of the clock will slow the CPU down.
The CPU in a Palm device is capable of running at much higher speeds than the speeds set in the factory. The Palm IIIx, like many modern Palm devices, uses the Motorola Dragonball EZ chip running at 16 Mhz. The Palm Vx runs the identical chip at 20 Mhz. From that fact alone, you can see that Palm doesn’t run this chip at maximum capacity. In fact, the top speed on this chip is probably 32 Mhz, double the factory speed. Palm probably chose to run its chips at less than the factory maximum for a number of reasons, including battery life (slower chips use less power), device size (slower chips run cooler, eliminating the need for fans), and production cost (slower chips don’t need to be tested at higher speeds).
These corporate decisions, however, don’t need to govern your own device. Because of the user-friendly ease of the Palm OS, programs have arisen to make overclocking a simple task for the average user. Many programs even allow you to tweak specific programs. You can run that bulky document editor at 22 Mhz and run the zippy little hearts game at 10 or 13 Mhz.
Overclocking isn’t the only way to change the speed of your device. You can also tweak the wait-states in the RAM. Technically, this is even more esoteric than overclocking. For some reason, when the CPU accesses the RAM, it sometimes enters a "wait-state." During this time, it isn’t doing anything. Several extremely user-friendly programs exist to reduce or eliminate these wait-states. This noticeably increases the device speed without the need for dangerous operations on the internal clock or the risk of overheating.
.H1 The whys (and why nots) of overclocking
There are a number of advantages and disadvantages to overclocking your device. There is no "right" decision on this one. Overclocking is right for some people and completely wrong for others.
.H2 Advantages
Increasing the speed of your Palm device can have undeniable advantages. There are a number of "power user" programs out there that are very large and very slow. My favorite example is TakeNote!, the document editing program from Landware at http://www.landware.com/takenote/index.html. I wrote large portions of this article using that program. TakeNote! is a wonderful, incredibly useful editor, but it runs so mind-numbingly slow that I’m sometimes tempted to take out my frustrations on the helpless LCD screen of my Palm IIIx.
Without overclocking, TakeNote! takes 17 seconds of my valuable time to start up, import the list of Doc files, and display the current file. With the wait-states removed, it goes down to 14 or 15 seconds. Overclocked with Afterburner 3.0 to a nice reasonable 20 Mhz, and with the wait-states removed, it takes 11 seconds. At a daredevil 29 Mhz with wait-states eliminated, it happens in 8 seconds. This may not seem like a lot, but when you have a brilliant turn of phrase in mind for an upcoming article and you need to write it in before you forget, 17 seconds can seem like a decade. The lowered blood pressure alone is worth the price of any overclocking program.
In addition, some things just work better when you’re moving fast. For example, I’ve noticed a significant increase in graffiti recognition when overclocked a little. Granted, this might be imaginary. Bulky launchers (like Handscape Pro by MobiMate), date books (like DateBk4), and even some games (like PocketChess) run a lot less frustratingly slow with a little more speed.
.H2 Disadvantages
There are numerous drawbacks to overclocking, however. The battery life problem is probably the first for most users. When using CPU-heavy applications, the change in your battery life is roughly directly proportional to the change in clock speed. This means that underclocking a 16 Mhz device to 13 Mhz could, if you use the device constantly, increase your battery life by around 20%. Similarly, overclocking a 16 Mhz device to 20 Mhz could reduce your battery life by a quarter. Especially for users of devices running on AAA batteries, this can get expensive. At its peak, when I had my Palm IIIx tuned up to 20 Mhz and in near constant use, I changed batteries weekly.
.CALLOUT Do not overclock any Palm device older than the Palm IIIx and do not overclock the Palm VII.
Since the CPU is running faster and consuming more power, the next drawback should be easy to figure out. Yes, heat. Much like a desktop computer, overclocking your Palm device can cause your CPU to overheat. This is very, very, very bad. The best that will happen is that your device will crash. You might lose some data. The worst that can happen is your device might be destroyed completely. Jeff Kirvin, the highly respected author of "Writing on Your Palm," (at http://www.jeffkirvin.com/writingonyourpalm/) reports that overclocking-related death can be signaled by "a black screen with random vertical streaks." All of a sudden, the device just drops dead. Removing the batteries and leaving it to cool for a while (as in days) could help, as could a hard reset. However, both will cause you to lose all of your data. Moreover, neither is certain to work.
On the bright side, you can probably avoid this with a few simple steps. First of all, do not overclock any Palm device older than the Palm IIIx and do not overclock the Palm VII. The Palm III and earlier devices (as well as the Palm VII) use the older Motorola Dragonball processor. Overclocking this chip isn’t nearly as safe. Just don’t do it! However, if you do, don’t go any higher than around 19 Mhz.
Second, do not overclock the Dragonball EZ devices too high. Clocking a 16 Mhz device at 20 Mhz will produce a significant performance improvement, especially when combined with wait-state tweaks. To the best of my limited knowledge, wait-state tweaks have no measurable impact on power consumption or heating. 20 Mhz should be safe for the EZ processor, since the Palm Vx and Palm IIIc are clocked at 20 Mhz by default.
Please note that I said "should be," not "is." There are no guarantees in this business, and the chips designated for the 16 Mhz Palm IIIx, Palm IIIe, and the like may not be subject to as rigorous testing at the factory. 24 Mhz is also generally considered to be safe for the Dragonball EZ. Anything faster than that, and you’re playing with fire. 29 Mhz is considered to be safe by risk-taking types, and many people (most often writers of overclocking applications) claim to go that high on a regular basis without ill effects. There’s no excuse to go above 29 Mhz. Except on the latest high-speed Handspring models (the Visor Platinum and Visor Prism), the risk of running your device at something like 30 Mhz is significantly higher than any imaginable gain. So don’t do it.
.CALLOUT Many overclocking programs will make it impossible to use the infrared or serial ports at anything other than the normal, factory-set speed.
There are also a few more minor drawbacks. Many overclocking programs will make it impossible to use the infrared or serial ports at anything other than the normal, factory-set speed. Tornado V and the registered version of Afterburner 3.0 claim to be free from this problem. Keep in mind, this problem is only caused by overclocking, not wait-state tweaks.
More annoyingly, some programs are quietly subverted by more speed. For example, Afterburner 3.0 claims to be able to correct the "system ticks" on your device (so that the time and date will remain accurate). Unfortunately, this doesn’t appear to carry through to other timer programs. I narrowly averted a disaster once because of this.
I was proctoring a timed standardized test as a favor to a friend. I used a simple third-party stopwatch program to time the students. Unfortunately, the overclocking apparently reached the stopwatch. About halfway through the exam, I noticed that my Palm stopwatch was running substantially faster than the clock on the wall. I had cheated the students of about a third of their time on several sections and had to correct it by giving them more time to go back and make up the lost minutes. Overclocking almost seriously hurt the scores of a number of innocent exam-takers.
.H1 The wheres of overclocking
This is where I provide you with a simple list of the applications that you might come across in your quest for overclocking glory.
.H2 Afterburner
Afterburner (at http://www.palmspot.com/software/detail/ps5974a_9882.html) is the patriarch of overclocking programs. Through version 2, it was a freeware program by Jean-Paul Gavini. Now, at version 3, it has been taken over by Daniel Wee and made into shareware. Afterburner 3 is easily worth the eight dollars. It does both overclocking and wait-state tweaking. You can set the clock speed for each program individually. You can set a number of other things that allegedly affect the speed of your device, but completely mystify me. The registered version also eliminates the problems with serial and infrared ports. It’s pictured in Figure A.
.FIG A Afterburner 3.0 is the patriarch of overclocking programs.
.H2 Tornado V
Tornado V (at http://www.iscomplete.org/Tornado_V/isctornado_v.htm) is basically Afterburner, only less well known. Probably because the name isn’t nearly as catchy. It’s also more expensive, less useful unregistered, and has an irritating "license manager" you must install to run the program. It’s pictured in Figure B.
.FIG B Adjust the overclocking speeds of individual applications with Tornado V.
.H2 Cruise Control
Cruise Control (at http://www.bluenomad.com/cc/prod_cruisecontrol_details.html) is a freeware program that just does wait-state tweaks. It only works on devices using the Motorola Dragonball EZ processor. However, for those of us using that processor and not using a full overclocking program, there’s no reason not to get Cruise Control. Wait-state tweaks are harmless, and this is a free program. Cruise Control is also made by the same people who make the staggeringly popular and useful BackupBuddy program, so you know it’s high quality. Where’s the downside? It’s pictured in Figure C.
.FIG C Fast or slow, your options are clear with Cruise Control.
.H2 NoWaiTZ
NoWaiTZ (at http://www.execpc.com/~tz/) is another wait-state tweaking device. It’s like Cruise Control, but it has somewhat fallen by the wayside. To activate it, all you have to do is tap the icon, pictured in Figure D.
.FIG D This icon is all you’ll see of NoWaiTZ.
.H2 StreakHack
StreakHack (at http://www.quartus.net/products/streakhack/) doesn’t really belong here. It does a tweak that removes a number of strange lines from devices running Palm OS 3.1 However, it does create noticeable speed improvements, thus meriting a brief mention in this listing. It’s pictured in Figure E.
.FIG E StreakHack offers speed improvements as a side benefit.
.H2 Benchmark
Finally, I’d like to mention Benchmark. Benchmark is a program used to test your device’s speed. It compares your speed to an unmodified Palm IIIx and returns the result as a percentage. It’s useful to be sure your overclocking program is working as advertised.
.BEGIN_KEEP
.H1 Conclusion
I’ve tried to give you a solid overview of the ways to improve the performance of your Palm device. You’ve learned about the basic details of overclocking and wait-state elimination. You’ve also been treated to a discussion of the pros and cons of overclocking. Finally, I’ve tried to provide a road map to the various programs that will help you break all handheld speed records.
In closing, I’d like to reiterate some of my recommendations above. Always do the wait-state tweaks; they’re harmless. Don’t overclock any device older than the Palm IIIx. Never overclock above about 24 Mhz, and absolutely never overclock above 29 Mhz unless you back up your data daily and you’re rich enough to buy a new Palm device whenever your current one fries. Underclock lightweight applications like card games and Calc to save battery power. Finally, remember that it’ll affect stopwatches and the like.
Speeding up your device has both risks and rewards. If you’re careful, you can find a combination of settings and speeds that works perfectly for you.
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on Afterburner 3.0, visit http://www.palmspot.com/software/detail/ps5974a_9882.html.
For more information on Cruise Control, visit http://www.bluenomad.com/cc/prod_cruisecontrol_details.html.
For more information on Motorola Dragonball EZ, visit http://e-www.motorola.com/webapp/sps/prod_cat/prod_summary.jsp?code=MC68EZ328.
For more information on TakeNote!, visit http://www.landware.com/takenote/index.html.
For more information on Handscape Pro, visit http://www.mobimate.com/handscapepro/index.html.
For more information on DateBk4, visit http://www.pimlicosoftware.com/datebk4.htm.
For more information on PocketChess, visit http://www.pocketexpress.com/Catalog/Product_Pages/Chess_Deluxe.html.
For more Jeff Kirvin’s "Writing on Your Palm," visit http://www.jeffkirvin.com/writingonyourpalm/.
For more information on Tornado V, visit http://www.iscomplete.org/Tornado_V/isctornado_v.htm.
For more information on NoWaiTZ, visit http://www.execpc.com/~tz/.
For more information on StreakHack, visit http://www.quartus.net/products/streakhack/.
For more information on Benchmark, visit http://www.quartus.net/products/benchmark/.
For more information about Palm computers, visit http://www.palm.com.
.H1 Bulk reprints
Bulk reprints of this article (in quantities of 100 or more) are available for a fee from Reprint Services, a ZATZ business partner. Contact them at reprints@zatz.com or by calling 1-800-217-7874.
.END_SIDEBAR
.BIO Paul Gowder is a lawyer, writer, and general geek. Visit his extremely obsolete Web page at http://www.paultopia.net. He can be reached via email at paul@paultopia.net.
.DISCUSS http://powerboards.zatz.com/cgi-bin/webx?50@@.ee6efaa
.END_KEEp
