Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Matt_H on April 05, 2014, 07:50:52 PM
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Amiga-news.de is reporting (http://www.amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2014-04-00009-EN.html) on an enhanced version of the MiniMig.
I wasn't terribly excited about the original MiniMig. It's of course an incredible technical achievement and milestone, and it has my infinite praise for that reason, but the fact that it replicated pretty much a stock A500 meant that I wasn't lining up to buy one.
THIS one, however, interests me greatly! I guess I missed/forgot the news on it when it was first announced. 030-comparable performance, plenty of RAM (chip and fast), modern ports, possibility of AGA - now we are talking! I just hope it's a standard form factor or they release a case for it.
Can't wait to buy!
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Amiga-news.de is reporting (http://www.amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2014-04-00009-EN.html) on an enhanced version of the MiniMig.
I wasn't terribly excited about the original MiniMig. It's of course an incredible technical achievement and milestone, and it has my infinite praise for that reason, but the fact that it replicated pretty much a stock A500 meant that I wasn't lining up to buy one.
THIS one, however, interests me greatly! I guess I missed/forgot the news on it when it was first announced. 030-comparable performance, plenty of RAM (chip and fast), modern ports, possibility of AGA - now we are talking! I just hope it's a standard form factor or they release a case for it.
Can't wait to buy!
Honestly I am not looking for AGA. I am looking for SAGA instead. New complete custom chipset all together...forcing AmiBlitz to update their engine to meet the new SAGA commands for example. Better, faster bandwidth for a starter, support 32 bit colors with no degradation of speed and regardless of the amount of sprite and size is a good start.
How about have a 3D custom chipset that compete with PS3 graphics....that is a beginning of enticing me to sell my A4000D for this "MiniMag+". But if you are telling me it is the good old AGA with more CHIP RAM even if it is 1 GB CHIP RAM is nice...but I am ok with what I have.
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That would require a dedicated GPU, not the current FPGA. If you are looking for that kind on Amiga power, it exists in an AmigaNG
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I'm right there with you Matt I chopping at the bit like a dog a Rabid dog. I think it will bring new life to the Amiga especially with the daughter board. It's a cheap entry level for an AGA machine and in a compact foot print. I think it may bring other Amiga enthusiasts back to the scene. Like you I overlooked the 1st Minimig for the same reason. It will be exciting to see what happens!!!!
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And reading the press announcement a little closer, it says "the project will not be ready in the near future."
At least they're honest about it.
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I wouldn't call the Minimig a "stock A500". Mine has a 68000 at almost 50MHz, 3.5MB RAM, 4 "floppies", 2 Hard Drives and a Scan Doubler. You could say it has a PS-2 keyboard and mouse adapter too. ;)
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Sounds good :)
The MinMig is great because it actually exists and works which is quite rare in the Amiga scene.
I'm was never that interest in it but an enhanced version with AGA support would be a lot more interesting, especially if someone can start 3D printing miniature Classic cases for them (I'm looking at you AmigaKit)
:)
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Sounds good :)
The MinMig is great because it actually exists and works which is quite rare in the Amiga scene.
I'm was never that interest in it but an enhanced version with AGA support would be a lot more interesting, especially if someone can start 3D printing miniature Classic cases for them (I'm looking at you AmigaKit)
:)
Yeah, lack of AGA is a pain. Mind you, that's what my FPGA Arcade is for.
Still, for 95% of your gaming needs the Minimig does the job. It is certainly robust and had never given me an issue. Always buy the 4MB version if you can.
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FPGA Arcade is only for developers so far and the AGA source are still not released. So no go.
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hmm the red flag for me is that Dragonball Super VZ is end of lifed. Im not sure freescale produce them anymore.
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Sounds good :)
The MinMig is great because it actually exists and works which is quite rare in the Amiga scene.
I'm was never that interest in it but an enhanced version with AGA support would be a lot more interesting, especially if someone can start 3D printing miniature Classic cases for them (I'm looking at you AmigaKit)
:)
Has been taken care of already by some member of comunity:
http://amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-2014-04-00008-DE.html
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How about have a 3D custom chipset that compete with PS3 graphics....that is a beginning of enticing me to sell my A4000D for this "MiniMag+". But if you are telling me it is the good old AGA with more CHIP RAM even if it is 1 GB CHIP RAM is nice...but I am ok with what I have.
I think you have unrealistic expectations, even PS2 graphics would make your A4000 cry.
I'd settle for PS1 graphics without requiring a mortgage. It would at least be doable and would make some software possible that wasn't before.
It would just need 15 bit rgb chunky output and some new blitter modes.
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Instead of having SAGA why don't we start porting old games to 24-bit compatibilty?
What would be involved with that?
How many actual games would take advantage of chunky mode?
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I think you have unrealistic expectations, even PS2 graphics would make your A4000 cry.
I'd settle for PS1 graphics without requiring a mortgage. It would at least be doable and would make some software possible that wasn't before.
It would just need 15 bit rgb chunky output and some new blitter modes.
I thought at 2014 I have realistic expectation.
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I wouldn't call the Minimig a "stock A500". Mine has a 68000 at almost 50MHz, 3.5MB RAM, 4 "floppies", 2 Hard Drives and a Scan Doubler. You could say it has a PS-2 keyboard and mouse adapter too. ;)
Heh, fair enough, although those features weren't part of the first Minimigs. I'm looking forward to the extra RAM on the Minimig+ for some basic audio and image processing, as well as a comfortably-sized RAM disk workspace. With the Ethernet, it'll also be sufficient for some basic web browsing - enough to grab some files from Aminet, at least. Having just tried to do this on my 6MB 030 A2000, I can tell you it's a little difficult ;)
We may finally have a true "luggable" Amiga that can handle (almost) any modern display and input devices :)
Now if someone can find/build a case for it with an integrated display...
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Heh, fair enough, although those features weren't part of the first Minimigs. I'm looking forward to the extra RAM on the Minimig+ for some basic audio and image processing, as well as a comfortably-sized RAM disk workspace. With the Ethernet, it'll also be sufficient for some basic web browsing - enough to grab some files from Aminet, at least. Having just tried to do this on my 6MB 030 A2000, I can tell you it's a little difficult ;)
We may finally have a true "luggable" Amiga that can handle (almost) any modern display and input devices :)
Now if someone can find/build a case for it with an integrated display...
Yeah, without ram and/or Ethernet and/or USB the Minimig will always be a games machine. And as you say, while you can surf the net with an 030 on classics, my A2000 and A4000 both have 040 CPUs and RTG which makes a hell of a difference.
At least the FPGA Arcade will give us RTG and then 060, Ethernet and USB via the daughterboard. Eventually.
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I thought at 2014 I have realistic expectation.
Of course you did, but an FPGA at this price can't do PS3 graphics no way no how.
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Yeah, without ram and/or Ethernet and/or USB the Minimig will always be a games machine. And as you say, while you can surf the net with an 030 on classics, my A2000 and A4000 both have 040 CPUs and RTG which makes a hell of a difference.
At least the FPGA Arcade will give us RTG and then 060, Ethernet and USB via the daughterboard. Eventually.
Methinks I need to take a closer look at this FPGA Arcade thingy. I haven't been following it at all - what you're describing sounds pretty darn cool! Is there a good web resource to learn more about its Amiga features?
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Methinks I need to take a closer look at this FPGA Arcade thingy. I haven't been following it at all - what you're describing sounds pretty darn cool! Is there a good web resource to learn more about its Amiga features?
Check out Mike's site:
http://www.fpgaarcade.com/
Especially the forum where there's lots of discussion on the various cores under development.
Here's a pic of the FPGA board with the prototype 68060 board fitted on top.
http://amigatronics.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/060-daughter-board.gif
You can see the CPU, USB ports, extra RAM, clock, optical audio out, micro SD card (which can be used as a "real" Amiga formatted hard drive rather than using HDF files on the main board's SD card), and Ethernet port.
So in short you get the following:
Main board: Various cores running different systems/arcade games. Amiga core to feature: Soft 68000/020 Core, 64MB RAM (user configured between Chip/Fast/etc), OCS/ECS and AGA chipset (with P98 RTG), SD card to hold ADF, HDF, Kickstart and core files, PS-2 ports for mouse & keyboard (optional USB ports for USB mouse and keyboard only), DVI video out (optional S-video and composite), stereo audio out, 2 x 9pin joystick ports, JTAG connector, expansion port (for daughterboard), Serial port, micro USB port for flash updates.
Daughterboard adds following (subject to change): Real 68060 CPU, extra 128 MB RAM, Micro SD card slot (as hard drive), optical audio out, real time clock, USB, Ethernet.
While the daughterboard is being developed with the Amiga core in mind (and anyone can build their own cards for the slot), I see no reason why an old Mac core or Atari ST core couldn't make use of it either.
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Check out Mike's site:
http://www.fpgaarcade.com/
Especially the forum where there's lots of discussion on the various cores under development.
Here's a pic of the FPGA board with the prototype 68060 board fitted on top.
http://amigatronics.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/060-daughter-board.gif
You can see the CPU, USB ports, extra RAM, clock, optical audio out, micro SD card (which can be used as a "real" Amiga formatted hard drive rather than using HDF files on the main board's SD card), and Ethernet port.
So in short you get the following:
Main board: Various cores running different systems/arcade games. Amiga core to feature: Soft 68000/020 Core, 64MB RAM (user configured between Chip/Fast/etc), OCS/ECS and AGA chipset (with P98 RTG), SD card to hold ADF, HDF, Kickstart and core files, PS-2 ports for mouse & keyboard (optional USB ports for USB mouse and keyboard only), DVI video out (optional S-video and composite), stereo audio out, 2 x 9pin joystick ports, JTAG connector, expansion port (for daughterboard), Serial port, micro USB port for flash updates.
Daughterboard adds following (subject to change): Real 68060 CPU, extra 128 MB RAM, Micro SD card slot (as hard drive), optical audio out, real time clock, USB, Ethernet.
While the daughterboard is being developed with the Amiga core in mind (and anyone can build their own cards for the slot), I see no reason why an old Mac core or Atari ST core couldn't make use of it either.
Can I order the FPGA Replay then now? Where can I go in the website to order it?
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Can I order the FPGA Replay then now? Where can I go in the website to order it?
All you can do is email your interest to go on the list, however there is an authorized reseller:
http://amiga.amedia-computer.com/
Mike is in China at the moment (with a board) and is still fiddling with the core. As he's selling the product you can understand why he needs it as good as he can before it goes out because he's the one who will get grief from the users.
Some of us know what a "beta" core is, unfortunately others don't.
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hmm the red flag for me is that Dragonball Super VZ is end of lifed. Im not sure freescale produce them anymore.
I doubt freescale "produce" any of the classic m68k chips any more. They have stockpiles to make sure they can supply parts for 15 years after first shipment or whatever Freescale guarantee...
Which doesn't mean anything here anyway. This will be a limited run of boards in the hundreds of units. If ACube have gotten hold of a few trays of chips they should have all the chips they need and plenty enough for spares. I have 8 or so of those chips in my parts bin. They aren't that hard to find.
Maybe try being excited that someone is bothering to source NOS chips to do stuff like this instead of inventing non-issues to be worried about. I'm impressed that they can make the SZ work like that (if it does actually work). It will be interesting to see if the built in I2C, SPI, DMA etc are usable from AmigaOS.
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I just read about the BoXer and I had no idea how many times the goal got changed. Future this, future that.
This link: http://www.amigahistory.co.uk/boxer.html (http://www.amigahistory.co.uk/boxer.html)
It's unlikely it would have ever been finished.
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I thought at 2014 I have realistic expectation.
But what's the point, it's not like software would magically support new features.
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I think it's great are doing something interesting in the Classic scene and it's about time the MiniMig was updated.
Of course it would be better with an 030 and larger FPGA but it's still a nice update :)
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Is the DragonBall Super VZ 100% 68000 compatible then?
This is a good step up for the classic Minimig design, especially if AGA is eventually implemented. The FPGA Arcade is great, but the board on its own is looking to be £200 or thereabouts, so if this board is significantly cheaper it will be a good alternative for those that don't need the option to add on an '060 board and run alternative cores.
But ... availability is the big thing here, as with all the FPGA Amigas.
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Is the DragonBall Super VZ 100% 68000 compatible then?
The DragonBall VZ and SZ are the same core as the 68SEC000.
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The issue is if the Dragonball Super VZ (MC68SZ328 (http://cache.freescale.com/files/32bit/doc/ref_manual/MC68SZ328RM.pdf) pdf reference manual) is used then wouldn't it's FLX68000 core be incapable of running any AGA software that required a 68020? They aren't instruction compatible are they? Does kickstart 3 work on a 68000? I thought the reason the FPGA Arcade uses a new 68020 soft core was because of incompatabillity with AGA software on the earlier soft cores. :confused:
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The issue is if the Dragonball Super VZ (MC68SZ328 (http://cache.freescale.com/files/32bit/doc/ref_manual/MC68SZ328RM.pdf) pdf reference manual) is used then wouldn't it's FLX68000 core be incapable of running any AGA software that required a 68020? They aren't instruction compatible are they? Does kickstart 3 work on a 68000? I thought the reason the FPGA Arcade uses a new 68020 soft core was because of incompatabillity with AGA software on the earlier soft cores. :confused:
Some early AGA games appear to have been complied for 68000 but most AGA will not run without those 020 instructions :(
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Looking forward to this new Minimig+. I don't play games whatsoever, so really been looking forward to something with an Ethernet port and something with more functionality than the original Minimig, which is admittedly very gamer focused.
Been looking for a "desktop" class modern hardware solution to run my BBS on, never did get an email back from the FPGA Arcade folks when they initially did their interest check years ago :/
Love my SAM, but it doesn't run the old BBS doors as well as I wish it did :(
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Been looking for a "desktop" class modern hardware solution to run my BBS on, never did get an email back from the FPGA Arcade folks when they initially did their interest check years ago :/:(
I'm sorry, I do reply to all mails - sometimes I get a bit swamped and forget. Mail again.
/Mike
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FPGA Arcade is only for developers so far and the AGA source are still not released. So no go.
Not quite, a number of boards are with non-developers. Shipping is increasing now.
The Replay board is designed for mass-production, so a lot of effort has been put into board test etc - I don't want any problems with the hardware in the field.
It's also been designed from the ground up to support multiple cores, with a core library and flexible menu system. This has taken some time.
As soon as the Amiga new FD/HD system is working, I'll start shipping like crazy and all code will be released.
/MikeJ
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I'm one of the "early adopters" of the FPGA ARCADE and the board is incredible, but patience is definitively a must. I had to learn that this used to be a one-man effort (there's more people involved making and porting cores), so these things take time.
But look: we're getting all the sources. This is the kind of projects we need to keep the Amiga and other platforms alive, not closed useless hardware like the MCC-216 or the TC64 wich get lost in time when their commercial period ends.
So don't even think about it an insist MikeJ, I'm not a developer but I got board long ago, so it's definitely possible to get one :)
Or just wait, you'll be getting one anyway, as soon as you see it working :D
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Mikej, I want to order the board as soon as possible. I will wait until it is available in your main website, but the problem with your website Mikej is it does not allow me to ship to Canada. Can you please put Canada part of the shipping country...it is much appreciate it?
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It is official! I am selling my A4000D and instead I am getting an FPGA Replay instead.
Advantages are as follows:
1) Tiny size compared to the huge size of the Amiga 4000D
2) I can have 64 MB of CHIP RAM instead of 2 MB CHIP RAM
3) Faster bandwidth for CHIP RAM and blitting over the very slow one on A4000D
4) No more need to worry about real disk as everything can be done on ADF and HDF file
5) Build in scandoubler (build in VGA port)
6) Build in USB ports
7) Build in RTG
8) Allow me to expand it with 060 running at least at 110 Mhz if I wanted too with Ethernet port
All of those even if it cost me 800 dollars without the 060 expansion of course...all of this is going to cost me cheaper than getting an A4000 and expand it and still be weaker than FPGA Replay Arcade.
Here is why? In order to get a voodoo card or PCI ethernet card for example I need to pay 440+ for the mediator. Ok my Amiga 4000D already cost me 700 dollars stock version before shipping and handling which would cost me another 200 dollars.
So my stock Amiga 4000D cost me 900 bucks plus 440 equal to $1340.
Then if I want to expand it to 060 running at 050 Mhz it is going to cost me something like 700 dollars what with the market in the eBay and in AmiBay etc. So my Amiga 4000D end up costing me now with expansion $2040. Do not forget if I am ordering them in the internet I have to add shipping and handling cost so let us add another $100 bucks so it cost me $2140. What if I want to expand the RAM from 16 MB to 128 MB in AmigaKit.com it cost me 104.82 before shipping and handling for RAM so now the total amount I spend on the Amiga 4000D will be 2144.82. Bare in mind I am still stuck with 2 MB CHIP RAM and bottleneck of this hardware. Even if I went extreme and I halved it and I actually spend $1072.41 expand the Amiga 4000D that is way more than an FPGA Replay Arcade which gave me all this already as default setting with the exception of 060 daughterboard and still 10x faster than the original Amiga 4000D in all regards including graphics blitting, etc.
Ok so the one disadvantage FPG Replay may have that it does not support PPC as say Amiga 4000D does, but if you think about it that is not really a lose. The Amiga 4000D in order to support PPC it will use an outdated garbage card that cost 2000 dollars easy and still be weak enough not to run anything say like the NG does. So this feature in my A4000D I will never use in my life so I lost nothing.
Ok one could say the daughterboard 060 could easily be the same cost as an fgpa replay say 800 dollars. Even if I get the fpga replay plus expansion to be 1600 dollars it is still cheaper than the A4000D had I decided to go full force expanding it. But with the A4000D I am still limited with 2 MB CHIP RAM and severe bottleneck. With FPGA Replay I could do things that I can never be able to do on classical Amiga.
I am sure you guys could come in again and attack me or have a point you guys wish to proof, bring it on :)
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Honestly I am not looking for AGA. I am looking for SAGA instead. New complete custom chipset all together...forcing AmiBlitz to update their engine to meet the new SAGA commands for example. Better, faster bandwidth for a starter, support 32 bit colors with no degradation of speed and regardless of the amount of sprite and size is a good start.
How about have a 3D custom chipset that compete with PS3 graphics....that is a beginning of enticing me to sell my A4000D for this "MiniMag+". But if you are telling me it is the good old AGA with more CHIP RAM even if it is 1 GB CHIP RAM is nice...but I am ok with what I have.
Do you have any idea how long it would take the number of those who can and are interested in doing so for open-source Amiga to make something on-par or better than PS3? If we can get sources for OpenGraphics that may be the best starting point. I don't remember if it was actually open-RTL code as sometimes it seemed only the software register programmin model would be open-spec for easy driver making.
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@ AmigaClassicRule:
You're thinking along my lines. My main Classic Amiga is my A4000 with a 68040, Mediator/Radeon/SpiderUSB/SB128, FastATA400.
I expect my FPGA Replay to replace this as my main Classic machine once the daughterboard is released. OK, we're not going to have any Zorro/PCI slots, but since I installed USB in my Amiga, I've expanded it using those ports anyway. I can actually close the case at last! :D
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@ AmigaClassicRule:
You're thinking along my lines. My main Classic Amiga is my A4000 with a 68040, Mediator/Radeon/SpiderUSB/SB128, FastATA400.
I expect my FPGA Replay to replace this as my main Classic machine once the daughterboard is released. OK, we're not going to have any Zorro/PCI slots, but since I installed USB in my Amiga, I've expanded it using those ports anyway. I can actually close the case at last! :D
EXACTLY! :laugh1::):) Darrin, even if the daughterboard somehow never managed to be released ever in existence for whatever reason...still the FPGA Replay by default setting is a major expansion and improvement over my original A4000D and still faster than my 040 @ 25 Mhz could ever muster and I have even feeling I can watch .hv movies on my FPGA Replay by default with 20 fps running smoothly over my A4000D running now which is crawling and only doing 4 fps with sound...* shivers * AND I am getting 64 MB CHIP RAM! NO more worrying about coding tricks and moving data from fast to chip and and and..no more worrying about how much size sprite needs to be, amount of color, speed, out of chip ram YOU NAME it! No more have to worry about all that...I am now free as a programmer instead of being jailed by the limitation of a restrictive hardware.
So in the end it is a win-win for me...and the size is tinier than my A4000D. So if someone in eBay wants to buy it out of my hand for fetish of just owning it...go for it.
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The daughterboard could be an PPC one instead of 060 if one so wishes. It's mainly a PCB routing and assembly pain.
The OpenGraphics project (OGP) is a nice thought but uses high end FPGA where the cost for chips and route-and-place tools is prohibitive. So it's in practice a no go solution. It's better to polish your knowledge in graphics and start from scratch. Do less, do the important and be confident that it's enough (less is more). Are all functions of the PS3 really needed? if not which one would be the most important ones?
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@ AmigaClassicRule:
You're thinking along my lines. My main Classic Amiga is my A4000 with a 68040, Mediator/Radeon/SpiderUSB/SB128, FastATA400.
I expect my FPGA Replay to replace this as my main Classic machine once the daughterboard is released. OK, we're not going to have any Zorro/PCI slots, but since I installed USB in my Amiga, I've expanded it using those ports anyway. I can actually close the case at last! :D
whats the problem closing the case? i only kept my mediator 4k open as of late because constantly exchanging hardware for testing. any heat issues are easy to solve with a pci slot fan without any further mods.
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The daughterboard could be an PPC one instead of 060 if one so wishes. It's mainly a PCB routing and assembly pain.
please no! i hope the development will further concentrate on 68k compatible solutions instead trying to force through uncanny clumsy hybrids there is almost no software for.
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I don't think an old computer is meant to have several levels of upgrades to do modern tasks. You could have a G3 with PCI slots, but that is almost a second computer getting shoved in.
There must be a number of things that cause real slow downs. Even PCI is getting old now.
A4000 is the faster computer from 20 years ago.
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p.s I don't require PowerPC cards either. I don't think there is anybody who could make one at the moment anyway.
edit:
Oh Okay. I should read the post properly. Could have PowerPC. It sounded like "we should have a PowerPC card for it"
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please no! i hope the development will further concentrate on 68k compatible solutions instead trying to force through uncanny clumsy hybrids there is almost no software for.
My point was that FPGA Arcade doesn't exclude PPC capabilities. As most software for Amiga is 68k anyway. The PPC path is quite moot.
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whats the problem closing the case? i only kept my mediator 4k open as of late because constantly exchanging hardware for testing. any heat issues are easy to solve with a pci slot fan without any further mods.
I don't have heat issues, I'm just always poking around inside swapping cards/drives.
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I don't have heat issues, I'm just always poking around inside swapping cards/drives.
Good news!! I am in the pre-order list of FPGA Replay! My setting include the entire S-Video, Composite Port, DVI Port and able to install any LED for my power and HD activity to my favorite casing of choosing!! That means I can order X500 and have the power LED on the X500 case turn on/off for the Amiga audio filter or it flashes if the Amiga core crashes hahahahahahah!!!!!
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The primary problem with the '060 card is the dwindling supply of decent quality processors.
At least PPCs are available.
I, for one, wouldn't mind a PPC supplemented Replay that could run OS4.
Performance would be much better than a PPC equipped legacy system and the additional compatibility brought to OS4 would be nice.
But, let's get the initial steps done first.
Mass production of the Replay.
Release of the '60 board.
And then whatever evolves after that.
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The OpenGraphics project (OGP) is a nice thought but uses high end FPGA where the cost for chips and route-and-place tools is prohibitive. So it's in practice a no go solution. It's better to polish your knowledge in graphics and start from scratch. Do less, do the important and be confident that it's enough (less is more). Are all functions of the PS3 really needed? if not which one would be the most important ones?
Everything is of course a tradeoff. If one wants, PS3 graphics, as the person I replied to suggested, then one will pay for it. If one wants something relatively inexpensive, then one might not get PS3 level graphics. Especially in an FPGA, compared to Sony's custom ASIC. The overhead that makes an FPGA able to "be anything" will slow it down compared to the custom ASIC. Plus, Sony had a big team of specialists and a huge budget, as do Nvidia, AMD etc., compared to the people willing and able to work on such things for open-hardware, or even proprietary in our kind of market, so our results may differ from theirs from those things as well. :)
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Everything is of course a tradeoff. If one wants, PS3 graphics, as the person I replied to suggested, then one will pay for it. If one wants something relatively inexpensive, then one might not get PS3 level graphics. Especially in an FPGA, compared to Sony's custom ASIC. The overhead that makes an FPGA able to "be anything" will slow it down compared to the custom ASIC. Plus, Sony had a big team of specialists and a huge budget, as do Nvidia, AMD etc., compared to the people willing and able to work on such things for open-hardware, or even proprietary in our kind of market, so our results may differ from theirs from those things as well. :)
Actually I am thinking of PPC to FPGA Replay is not a bad idea!! :D THIS WAY I do not have to worry about buying a NG hardware that cost me 10k for example...I can have OS 4.1 running in that adorable, tiny cute little squishy FPGA Replay Arcade hehehhe even if it cost 1000 dollars for the CPU only it is still affordable over say 3.3k for X1000!
:D I like this...now I want this FPGA Replay even more...it is truly the best toy ever!!
No need for NatAmi, no need for C-One, no need for MiniMig...this is what we want :D
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Good news!! I am in the pre-order list of FPGA Replay! My setting include the entire S-Video, Composite Port, DVI Port and able to install any LED for my power and HD activity to my favorite casing of choosing!! That means I can order X500 and have the power LED on the X500 case turn on/off for the Amiga audio filter or it flashes if the Amiga core crashes hahahahahahah!!!!!
For the X500 case, make sure you order it with the USB keyboard connector and adapter. My FPGA board is the old type with the PS-2 connector and I've got to return it to Mike for an update (or get another one) before I can use it properly in my X500 case.
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For the X500 case, make sure you order it with the USB keyboard connector and adapter. My FPGA board is the old type with the PS-2 connector and I've got to return it to Mike for an update (or get another one) before I can use it properly in my X500 case.
I think I will keep it with it's original case. The case is really tiny, cute,, adorable and have a good size fan :D :D. The X500 case is nice but it is TOO BIG...takes a lot of my table for nothing. The FPGA Replay is too small and I am not taking all the space of that case...not worth it. I think my FPGA Replay will have PS/2 ports which is good for me! I can get an ps/2 keyboard and mouse from value village for like 6 bucks in total! Or I can just get the keyboard for 3 bucks and use my original Amiga mouse!
Like for example this is my default case: http://store.antec.com/productimages/Originals/root/ISK100_sbe.jpg look at that faaaaan :D :D :D :D :D :D What I will do is buy the loudest fan possible and install it in there Mmmmmmmmmmmm
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Everything is of course a tradeoff. If one wants, PS3 graphics, as the person I replied to suggested, then one will pay for it. If one wants something relatively inexpensive, then one might not get PS3 level graphics. Especially in an FPGA, compared to Sony's custom ASIC.
PS3 graphics are rendered by an NVidia chip, it also has a load of multi ghz cpu/math cores. Anyone who thinks they will be able to get anywhere near that on a cheap FPGA is deluded. You could just buy a PS3 and run Linux on it.
The best you can hope for is somewhere between PS1 & PS2 and that is still pushing it.
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If you could have a PowerPC it would cost $2000. Plus a year or two in the prototype phase. More likely.
ask Jens, he got all the phase 5 IP?
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If you could have a PowerPC it would cost $2000. Plus a year or two in the prototype phase. More likely.
ask Jens, he got all the phase 5 IP?
dont think so, he got apollo ip afaik. p5 ip went to dce and is now lost as as the person in charge died. the question has been asked though even before and it was too expensive to consider.
ppc accelerators make no sense. please leave it out of discussion at least this one time.
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Wouldn't it be awesome to have PPC card on the FPGA Replay Arcade :D?
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No, a PPC expansion board for the FPGA Arcade Replay would suffer from the same drawbacks as all other PPC expansion cards and computers, over priced and under powered.
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No, a PPC expansion board for the FPGA Arcade Replay would suffer from the same drawbacks as all other PPC expansion cards and computers, over priced and under powered.
I agree. If anyone wants a PPC Amiga there are already plenty of viable NG options such as the Sam series....
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Well there is a port there for upgrading, what should you do with it?
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you might put a fast clocked cpu on there running 68k emu. prefferably not a ppc except there was a very good reason to do so.
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Well there is a port there for upgrading, what should you do with it?
Or put rasberry like expansion or an x86 or something fun :D Or keep it there just for the giddy feeling you have an expansion port that is not used but it is there :)
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Well there is a port there for upgrading, what should you do with it?
mikej has already explained that it's for a 68060 daughterboard. The Replay board was never intended for PPC expansion as there are already plenty of PPC options/systems out there. The Replay is for those who want to replace their classic hardware with some enhancements on top, not for those people who want a PPC system.
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Remember that the Replay is intended to be a multi-platform implementation not just Amiga. The expansion ports will allow tailoring of the Replay to support or enhance other platforms for which cores are developed.
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Remember that the Replay is intended to be a multi-platform implementation not just Amiga. The expansion ports will allow tailoring of the Replay to support or enhance other platforms for which cores are developed.
The word "Amiga" did not appear in my earlier post a single time.
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The word "Amiga" did not appear in my earlier post a single time.
You are sure? :insane:
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You are sure? :insane:
Positive. Post #61 has no Amiga in it anywhere......if you'd learn to read maybe you could have answered that yourself instead of bothering me.
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Remember that the Replay is intended to be a multi-platform implementation not just Amiga. The expansion ports will allow tailoring of the Replay to support or enhance other platforms for which cores are developed.
Correct. The main board was designed to be low-cost and suitable for a broad range of applications - with just enough on board. What's on there is ok though, 192KHz audio DAC and DVI/Analog/Composite outputs with decent filtering and line driver.
The daughterboard for the Amiga/Atari has Ethernet/USB and an optional 68060 (with associated memory).
Another daughterboard has a JAMMA connector for arcade game cabs.
There is a patch daughterboard as well which as 5V translators on all the IO and a place to wire up other chips (processors / SID etc) for analysis. This way I can run the original chip against the soft copy. I am doing this at the moment for some of the AGA chips to fine-tune the timing.
/MikeJ
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Can one make use of the addon board memory without any extra CPU ..?
As for expansion, I prefer more FPGA matrix anytime. And if one wants more power and isn't dependent on strict timing there's always the latest 4 GHz offerings with Gigarams of bytes.
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Can one make use of the addon board memory without any extra CPU ..?
As for expansion, I prefer more FPGA matrix anytime. And if one wants more power and isn't dependent on strict timing there's always the latest 4 GHz offerings with Gigarams of bytes.
Possible, the SDRAM controller sits in the main board FPGA.
In theory the soft processor could be used internally with both the external DDR and SDRAM.
/MikeJ
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Possible, the SDRAM controller sits in the main board FPGA.
In theory the soft processor could be used internally with both the external DDR and SDRAM.
/MikeJ
Mikej, plllease can you give us an update when can I order the FPGA Replay from you? As in, can you give us an idea when the AGA and Amiga core is going to be completed??
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Mikej, plllease can you give us an update when can I order the FPGA Replay from you? As in, can you give us an idea when the AGA and Amiga core is going to be completed??
Now, and it is done - one AGA bug to fix and HD still a bit odd, nearly fixed.
/Mike
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* goes into complete dance mode * * jumps up and down and dances left and right * I am happy...mmmmmmmmmm...oh yeah baby!!!
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Now, and it is done - one AGA bug to fix and HD still a bit odd, nearly fixed.
/Mike
When will the 060 daughter board appear, would love to buy together if possible :-)
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Wouldn't it be awesome to have PPC card on the FPGA Replay Arcade :D?
I think it would be neat. Too bad the zCore never actually got uploaded to OpenCores...
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I started a discussion on creating a PPC clone in some hardware description language in 2010 (http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=55671) here. It fails to work because it would be extremely large and real chips was at least in 2010 a more efficient way.
Also feature creep seems to make many Amiga projects go into oblivion. The FPGA Arcade is not possible to buy for anyone yet nor is the source available. So let's get it to work first.
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I havent followed the minimig development to close. But I saw this youtube video labeled Minimig AGA 060, posted a year ago, so I was puzzled when I read about minimig+.
Was that video a hoax or what is it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug4_yh3Q288
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I havent followed the minimig development to close. But I saw this youtube video labeled Minimig AGA 060, posted a year ago, so I was puzzled when I read about minimig+.
Was that video a hoax or what is it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug4_yh3Q288
That's the FPGA Arcade board, the video should have been labelled better.
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Hi,
When is the next run of Minimig or FPGA arcade?