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Author Topic: The Coldfire AMIGA  (Read 4882 times)

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Offline SystemTopic starter

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The Coldfire AMIGA
« on: April 17, 2002, 07:58:43 PM »
Myself, PJ Matthews, owner of www.walibe.com and Oliver Hannaford-Day owner of www.cdtv.org.uk are currently in the process of designing a new classic AMIGA based around the coldfire processor. We hope to use the AGA chipset along side another as yet undecided GPU.  



Its a big project and we want your help, paticuarly in securing a batch of Coldfire processors, so if you know of anywhere selling in small batches please contact us, also you can join our group in buying 24 coldfire processors, just contact us with how many you need. Visit walibe.com for all the latest info on the subject.

Many thanks to you all.
http://www.walibe.com
 

Offline Treke

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Re: The Coldfire AMIGA
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2002, 08:15:22 PM »
Don't see the point.
Why to desing an 'old' machine which is moreover incompatible ?

For having fun ?
For hobby ?

re

Treke
 

Offline SystemTopic starter

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Re: The Coldfire AMIGA
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2002, 08:21:53 PM »
It should be 100% compatible once the emulation layer (hardware or software) has been implemented- or very close.

 It offers an alternative to classic AMIGA users, we hope to have an A1200 accelerator board also using the processor, just look at the what the coldfire chip can and what bridge chips are currently available, you'd be mad not to be interested.

PJ - www.walibe.com
 

Offline 4pLaY

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Re: The Coldfire AMIGA
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2002, 08:38:06 PM »
i guess it can be fun at the right price but nothing id seriouly us as my main computer

Offline SystemTopic starter

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Re: The Coldfire AMIGA
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2002, 08:43:15 PM »
Some designs can even include PCI slots and an AGP slot, it'll be the most powerful true AMIGA you have ever seen and it'll beable to play all your classic games as well as more moderns. The possibilties for a set top box unit similar to the CDTV based around this make the mind boggle. It should be cheap and be almost 100% compatible with all your classic software which is why our main aim is.

www.walibe.com
www.cdtv.org.uk
 

Offline pteppic

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Re: The Coldfire AMIGA
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2002, 08:47:12 PM »
Replicating the AGA chipset will be extremly difficult, as proved to be BoXeR's downfall.

pt
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Offline SystemTopic starter

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Re: The Coldfire AMIGA
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2002, 08:51:23 PM »
Its been done - the Inside Out just stuck it all on one chip. We're after the rights to the chip or just the rights to manufacture a batch. Or the very worst it could just be ECS with an optional extra GPU.
 

Offline seer

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Re: The Coldfire AMIGA
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2002, 08:59:13 PM »
Don't see the point.

What's the point with the Commodore-one ? Who needs a C64 clone ? Yet, lots of people are interested

If (it's a big if) they can get this "coldfire" Amiga a reality, it could be your best change when you want to run old AGA games when your A1200/4000 dies, and UAE doesn't "Cut it"
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Offline SystemTopic starter

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Re: The Coldfire AMIGA
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2002, 09:11:01 PM »
That my dear  friend was my original intention. You can CDs full of AMIGA games for next to nothing. Retro computing is becoming popular again and this could be your answer people to running that older software, bringing back the memories.

Finally an AMIGA user whos plugged in, nice one seer.

Phil
 

Offline Desler

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Re: The Coldfire AMIGA
« Reply #9 on: April 17, 2002, 09:18:08 PM »
If im not mistaken the coldfire series are intented for handheld devices. Its been a while since I checked the specs last, but I think remembering something about 300-400 mhz and a instructionset that was smaller than the one for 68000.
The 68xxx emulator in os 4.0 (I think its called petunia or something) is said to be able to emulate an 68040 at 200-400 mhz on a G3 machine if I remember it right. So I think Ill save my money for the amigaOne
Its sad though... We could really have used this accelerator 5 years ago
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Offline SystemTopic starter

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Re: The Coldfire AMIGA
« Reply #10 on: April 17, 2002, 09:27:58 PM »
Theres faster processors in the coldfire line due out, but this also an issue of compatability. I'm betting the AMIGA One runs few of your older applications but then again these are two different machines. Reduced instruction set yes, its a RISC processor after all.
 

Chathurawind

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Re: The Coldfire AMIGA
« Reply #11 on: April 17, 2002, 09:52:34 PM »
Great project, I would even be happy to donate the money to buy a CPU, get 20 people to do that,  and you're off

Signed: Lasse Bodilsen  (will make a profile later)
 

Offline redrumloa

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Re: The Coldfire AMIGA
« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2002, 09:59:07 PM »
Quote
Its been a while since I checked the specs last, but I think remembering something about 300-400 mhz and a instructionset that was smaller than the one for 68000.


IIRC the most recent Coldfires were touted as 68060 instruction compatible, just not pin compatible.

Quote
Why?


Why not? I'd say good luck to these guys!
 :-o
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Chathurawind

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Re: The Coldfire AMIGA
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2002, 11:28:23 PM »
Hi,
Heres a little reason I am looking at the Coldfire V4,
It uses SDram or 72Pin ram as standard (either or both), 1 chip PCI interface, 2 chip Firewire interface and the 162Mhz is A: equal to a 160Mhz PPC (233MIPs) B: is twice as fast as any 68060 available.
The 16Bit Amiga`s have been left out in the cold with the new PPC range and this expansion will at least give them the needed PCI interface to add a 500Mhz G4 but can do so much more, The Amiga was designed around the 68000 CPU and any PPC upgrade will be a patch with a new OS needed, New Kickstart needed and more, Now Amiga are doing the OS and scrapping the kickstart and infact stripping the Amiga range from all of its custom chips. The Coldfire V4 is a new 68000 CPU (Like a 68080 if you like) and is under constant development (a 233 and 333Mhz version has been prototyped and will be available soon.
So if you have a A1000, A500, A600, CDTV or CD32 then this will be the fastest upgrade available, The A1200, A3000 & A4000 upgrades will still be good, including upgrades that simply arnt available yet.
And best of all the Coldfire V4 CPU is very cheap, The CPU costs £25-£30, A 68030 costs £130 from Arrow UK (Motorola`s main UK resaler), This upgrade will be a cheap way to upgrade every Amiga and in a way that simply wasnt open to Commodore when they were around, Otherwise I am sure they would have used it.
Now we are looking at doing a CPU upgrade first but would love to do an Amiga laptop, desktop and more, all based around the Coldfire (Which is designed for use in anything from a palmtop to an internet server).
Anyway any questions? :-P
Oliver Hannaford-Day
Web master of the Commodore CDTV Information Center @ www.cdtv.org.uk
 

Chathurawind

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Re: The Coldfire AMIGA
« Reply #14 on: April 17, 2002, 11:47:40 PM »
YOUR DA MAN

Cheers for the feedback people - any e-mails I've seen will be forwarded to Oliver (and ive had tons) so watch out Oliver for a few meg worth of e-mails.

PJ