A600GS Updates

[Boing-ball]

This is looking good! Do we know what the prices will be and launch date?

[Boing-ball]

Didn’t the mini have a bit of drama with the WHDLoad lot before it was released? Seem to recall they had to agree a licensing fee as that was it’s primary function to getting the games to work.

[Boing-ball]

@Boing-ball

We approached the author of WHDLoad to offer him a licence fee for the A600GS but unfortunately it seems that it has been exclusively licenced to Retro Games Ltd.  This is probably an anti-competition measure.    We have since found alternative ways of delivering games software.

Wasn’t implying that you were infringing on intellectual property rights. But good to know you have a different mechanism in place to execute the games etc with 👍🏻 Be very interested in seeing this in operation when launched 😉

My inquiry was more around the Maxi product. Which if this is again a retro games Ltd product. Then it answers the question on how they are going to use the Whdload mechanism. 👍🏻

[Boing-ball]

They've got my interest.  I'd really like to know more about it and I hope there's a lot more info coming before the A600GS is released.

How easy will it be to install my existing classic Amiga software?
How compatible is it with classic Amiga demos?

From the looks of the screenshots, it’s bespoke. Although I would be interested if the A600GS will allow for a full on Amiga Workbench experience?

[Boing-ball]

I think the bigger question would be. Can you install classic native Amiga Programs on this system? Which would negate the need on relying on 3rd party products being released.

[Boing-ball]

Will these machines be on sale at Kickstart 02?

That’s a good question. Would be a missed opportunity if it wasn’t. A limited edition Kickstart 02 version 😉

[Boing-ball]

The A600GS will be on sale at Kickstart 02 show.

We have some big news coming this week about some software development of it.

Excellent! Any plans for any YouTubers will be getting their hands on one to review and demonstrate?

[Boing-ball]

Cardiff, 9th March, 2024

AmigaKit Ltd is pleased to announce an important software development for the forthcoming A600GS computer system.  The new ARM Graphics Library is  pre-installed accelerating the performance of AmiBench and 68K applications.

The ARMgraphics.library was created by AmigaKit's in-house developer to bypass the bottleneck of the 68K graphics functions.  It accelerates graphics rendering performance in applications.

AmiBench is pre-installed on the A600GS computer system.  It opens the desktop environment in high resolution 1080p with True Colour icons. Now it can use the new ARM Graphics Library for various purposes including faster rendering of windows, icons and backgrounds.

Third party developers can take advantage of this library by using it's powerful functions from their 68K application.  It also offers an opportunity for 68K games developers to enhance their games with faster graphics rendering.

The library provides a link between 68K programs and the native ARM processor.

Further work is underway to patch 68K system graphics functions so older applications that are not written to use the ARM Graphics Library can benefit.
 
AmigaKit has developed AK-Datatypes, Picture Datatype and Datatypes Library over the many years for the Enhancer Software on X5000, X1000 and A1222+.  These have been compiled for 68K to run on the A600GS,  In addition these system components can also be accelerated by the ARM Graphics Library for extra performance.

The A600GS computer system is due for launch in the second quarter of 2024.   

Additional Information about A600GS, AmiBench and it's components can be found on these websites:

A600GS:         www.a600gs.com
AmiBench:      wiki.amiga.org/amibench

Looks good and comes with a Fully Licensed Octamed as well 👍🏻
Maybe Ravi Abbott could give it a go for his DJ mixing 😉

[Boing-ball]

Looks good…

Will this also support Warp3D gaming? Such as Payback.

How are the screenmodes done? P96 or is it some sort of New Monitor drivers that emulate the Alice?

[Boing-ball]

...and the recent Wazp3D port of WipEout?

Didn’t know about that.. Is it on Aminet? Or somewhere else.?

Cheers.

[Boing-ball]

@Boing-ball

A Warp3D driver for the A600GS is a large development project - months of work.   The current ARM Graphics Lib is a large undertaking so that has some additional development first before moving onto newer projects.

A-EON Technology owns Warp3D and we have the source code to port over in future if need be.

That’s good to know. I think it would great if Warp3D was developed on further. Plenty of older RTG type games out there 👍🏻

[Boing-ball]

Excellent! Can’t wait to see how this works…

Will any YouTubers be getting one to demonstrate and review? I know Chris Edwards mentioned he was to receive one, but nothing transpired.

[Boing-ball]

Wow! Ethernet and Wireless! Fantastic. What will be used for the TCP/IP stack? And USB Stack?

Cheers Amigakit 👍🏻

[Boing-ball]

Obviously it uses Linux for tcp/ip and wifi, UAE provides bsdsocket.device to the Amiga.

Thanks Shelly. 👍🏻