News on the X1000!

[DAX]

@Jorkany
It was explained at www.amigaworld.net that it was a needed step to give the green light to production of a significantly higher amount of boards (compared to the very limited Rev.1 batch).
AmigaOS might be ready for testing, but not to check out if the motherboard is working 100% and not flawed itself (you don't want to use an OS in need of testing for that).
Hence the need for a finalized OS suite to check things out and give the green light.

[jorkany]

@Jorkany
It was explained at www.amigaworld.net that it was a needed step to give the green light to production of a significantly higher amount of boards (compared to the very limited Rev.1 batch).

Could you link to where someone from A-eon or Hyperion said that?

AmigaOS might be ready for testing, but not to check out if the motherboard is working 100% and not flawed itself (you don't want to use an OS in need of testing for that).
Hence the need for a finalized OS suite to check things out and give the green light.

And of course the logical time to do this is after missing several stated release dates and  just before ostensibly sending the first boards to the paid beta testers.

So what's been going on the past year or so as these release dates keep slipping? Just crappy management?

[DAX]

@Jorkany
The presence of a rev.2 motherboard clearly is a sign that the work done last year on Rev.1 led to a revision.
Problems occur.
You seem to care a lot for this, as if you had your money ready and the delay is frustrating you.
If that is not the case, don't waste time and energy for the X1000, I'm sure you have better things to do.

[Tension]

@Jorkany
The presence of a rev.2 motherboard clearly is a sign that the work done last year on Rev.1 led to a revision.
Problems occur.
You seem to care a lot for this, as if you had your money ready and the delay is frustrating you.
If that is not the case, don't waste time and energy for the X1000, I'm sure you have better things to do.

Or maybe it's what CBM would call a 'CR' model.

[itix]

@Jorkany
It was explained at www.amigaworld.net that it was a needed step to give the green light to production of a significantly higher amount of boards (compared to the very limited Rev.1 batch).
AmigaOS might be ready for testing, but not to check out if the motherboard is working 100% and not flawed itself (you don't want to use an OS in need of testing for that).
Hence the need for a finalized OS suite to check things out and give the green light.

Hmm... why would the motherboard be flawed? According to A-eon and Hyperion almost everything was already working in May 2010:

You may have read in various interviews that AmigaOS 4.1 has been booting to Workbench on the AmigaOne X1000 hardware for quite some time. We can also confirm that additional Nemo prototypes have been supplied to several OS4 developers to allow them to complete the necessary onboard hardware drivers (SATA, Ethernet and HD sound, USB is already mostly working). Meanwhile a revision 2 version of the Nemo motherboard is being finalised and to ensure we have the widest possible testing we are making 100 Rev 2 motherboards available to Beta testers under a special discount program.

Another update in 21st July they are saying the design was finalized and OS4 running stably:

We are pleased to announce that we have finalised the design of the revision 2 "Nemo" motherboard. Following an extensive testing programme, as well as implementing a number of minor hardware fixes, we have opted to specify an upgrade to the "Xena" XMOS subsystem to provide greater functionality and performance.

The revision 2 standard will be the version shipping under the AmigaOne X1000 Beta Test Programme. With the design finalised, Hyperion Entertainment will soon be sending out the Beta Test information pack to everyone who registered their interest in joining the AmigaOne X1000 Beta Test programme.

In other good news, the Hyperion Entertainment software developers have made excellent progress since the AmigaOne X1000's public debut at the Vintage Computer Festival in June, and AmigaOS4 is now running stably at the fastest CPU speeds.

Since this board revision was finalized long ago and OS4 was already running stable we can conclude Linux was not ported to test the hardware ;-)

[vox]

(the original post is from amigaworld.net and not from me! but i think these news are also interesting for the users of amiga.org)

London, 7th March 2011

Penguins anyone?

As part of the  pre-qualification process Varisys have created a minimal PowerPC Linux  kernel to ensure that all components and subsystems are working as  expected on the revision 2 Nemo motherboard. Understandably, Linux  driver support is far more extensive and by creating a minimal Linux  system Varisys can demonstrate that the board they deliver to the  AmigaOS4 developers it fit for purpose. As an extension of this testing  process we have commissioned Varisys to create a desktop Linux port  complete with GUI. Although we realize that many Amigans will  exclusively run AmigaOS4 we thought that giving the AmigaOne X1000 a  working Linux option would add extra value and allow users to run  software and utilities that may not be currently available under  AmigaOS4.

"It don't matter if you're black or white"

We  have been working very closely with AmigaKit to produce "AmigaOne X1000"  and "Boing Ball" branded peripherals and merchandise to compliment the  excellent A1-X1000 tower case design created by Andrew Korn. In July  2010, AmigaKit began selling a matching black A1-X1000 PS/2 & USB  compatible "Boing Ball" keyboard and mouse. These peripherals can be  used with the SAM range as well as PC or Mac computers and are also  compatible with Classic Amigas by using Cocolino, Micromys, Subway USB  or Deneb USB devices. The original A1-X1000 design was based around a  black tower case but, after receiving many requests from customers, we  decided to also produce a white version with matching keyboard and mouse  combination. AmigaKit began stocking the white mouse at the end of 2010  and hope to be in a position to offer customers and Amiga resellers a  choice of the black or white "Boing Ball" tower case in the near future.  

A-EON Technology CVBA

If it was Yellow Dog Linux, would rocks. This is just a start, and yes, such machine should use Linux PPC as OpenOffice and Timberwolf are not anywhere near completition for OS 4.

Its nice to know there will be white skinned X1000, however, this really all sounds irrelevant to beta testing and OS4 for X1000 progress

[Iggy]

Again, as I asked earlier, has there been some disruption in OS4 development (specifically for the X1000 and SAM460)?

Also, does anyone know where A-eon sourced the PA6T processors used in the X1000? There have been conflicting statements made about this.
Varisys, the designer of the X1000, has removed all mention of the PA6T from their website (including the board they made with that processor).

How does Trevor intend to continue to build a board based on a processor that has a limited future?

[jorkany]

Again, as I asked earlier, has there been some disruption in OS4 development (specifically for the X1000 and SAM460)?

Also, does anyone know where A-eon sourced the PA6T processors used in the X1000? There have been conflicting statements made about this.
Varisys, the designer of the X1000, has removed all mention of the PA6T from their website (including the board they made with that processor).

How does Trevor intend to continue to build a board based on a processor that has a limited future?

In one of the news items on the A-eon site (due to the crappy design of that site news items cannot be linked) it was explained that Varisys had an existing relationship with PA Semi, and they leveraged that to source the processors. It does not say what the actual source was however.

I've also read, either on a forum or an interview, that the followup to the X1000 isn't necessarily going to use PA6T. At the rate things are going that probably won't be this decade.

[Norway]

Again, as I asked earlier, has there been some disruption in OS4 development (specifically for the X1000 and SAM460)?

Also, does anyone know where A-eon sourced the PA6T processors used in the X1000? There have been conflicting statements made about this.
Varisys, the designer of the X1000, has removed all mention of the PA6T from their website (including the board they made with that processor).

How does Trevor intend to continue to build a board based on a processor that has a limited future?

The PA6T CPU paves the way for the introduction of SMP with AmigaOS4.x. Also check out the new multi-core CPUs being developed by Freescale, in particular the 64-bit dual core, 2.2 GHz P5020 and the 8-core, 1.5GHz P4080.

A-EON Technology CVBA

[DAX]

@Itix
It remains to be seen if what Varisys is building now, it's actually rev 2 or a "rev 2.5".
At AmiWest -October 2010- a rev3 mobo was mentioned but then they went hush hush.
I wouldn't rule out the possibility that the "finalized" rev-"2" board mentioned earlier, wasn't so finalized ending up in another revision.
I'm sure fine details about this will be divulged once there will be no more secrecy about the project.
  Also consider they probably have a clause on the contract against defective boards, it is probably the Varisys guys that want a "proof" that what they will be building in numbers is good (with Linux at least), and therefore will have to be paid by A-Eon regardless if Aos4 runs perfectly or not.

[eliyahu]

It remains to be seen if what Varisys is building now, it's actually rev 2 or a "rev 2.5".
At AmiWest -October 2010- a rev3 mobo was mentioned but then they went hush hush.

ummm..... yeah... that was kinda my fault. i was writing a reply to someone on AWN while at amiwest, and in mentioning the rev2 boards, i accidentally hit '3' on the keyboard.  there is no rev3, and none was planned as of last november.

i've since cleared that up at the other forum.

-- eliyahu

[itix]

@Itix
Also consider they probably have a clause on the contract against defective boards, it is probably the Varisys guys that want a "proof" that what they will be building in numbers is good (with Linux at least), and therefore will have to be paid by A-Eon regardless if Aos4 runs perfectly or not.

Port Linux 9 months after completion of design? Hell, I can not believe they would have wasted so much time only to prove the design is working.

More likely it is used for XMOS chip. I mean, to use their Linux based development tools.

[DAX]

@eliyahu
Missed that one. we're clear about that issue at least.

@Itix
After 9 months? Well they are announcing it now, they didn't say the Linux thing started yesterday.
Anyway, when money are at stake I wouldn't be so quick in ruling out possibilities ;-)

[actung_bab]

Or maybe it's what CBM would call a 'CR' model.

WHy dont you rent the movie finding nemo
yeah maybe bruce the shark ibm and other shark mac and your the dentist duaghter hehe
and amiga 1000 is marlyn

actually cr is also prefix for some best racing motorcross bikes and pure racing designs from
honda they rock

[Iggy]

In one of the news items on the A-eon site (due to the crappy design of that site news items cannot be linked) it was explained that Varisys had an existing relationship with PA Semi, and they leveraged that to source the processors. It does not say what the actual source was however.

I've also read, either on a forum or an interview, that the followup to the X1000 isn't necessarily going to use PA6T. At the rate things are going that probably won't be this decade.

 
You know that's strange because earlier Trevor was quoted as saying that his PA6T supplier recommended Varisys for the design work. At this point I have no idea where they got the processors, but chances are that they have a limited supply.

When I mentioned PPCs to a Varisys rep they recommended Freescale's QorIQ so the P5010 and P5020 would make good successors. These should be available this year and Freescale lists a T5020 and T5040 that are based on the same  e5500 core but supplemented with AltiVec for the near future.

[takemehomegrandma]

Boing ball branded merchandise for the fan boys, rebranded white mice, Linux, yada yada and whatever smoke screens. To sum up the *essentials* of this "news"; the project has been pushed back even further, and people can only speculate of the reasons. It could be problems with HW, problems with OS, or for whatever other problem, but *some* kind of problem disrupted the time scheme yet again.

Now beta testers are said to get their boards during Q2 instead. After that, there ought to be a reasonable time frame to actually beta test the thing, and to correct any bugs reported by the participants in the beta test program, right? Given this, when can a consumer release be expected? Late Q3? Q4? In time for Christmas 2011?

I don't think many of us are particularly surprised, and it's kind of funny how it follows the "Amiga One" tradition in more ways than the name. But other than this, there is nothing new to see here, so can we please leave it now and move on? This one doesn't even have any "popcorn value"...