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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Everblue on August 29, 2007, 07:13:44 PM
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Maybe answers for these can contribute towards a Minimig FAQ :)
1. How compatible is it with a normal Amiga 500?
2. Is there a list of compatible games and other software?
3. Is the kickstart rom left in the flash memory card or its written to an eprom on board?
4. What kind of disk images can minimig handle? ADF? DMS?
5. How do multiple disk games deal with this?
6. Can a "hard drive" be mounted in the flash memory card?
7. How much memory does it come with?
Feel free to answer/add more questions :)
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Everblue wrote:
3. Is the kickstart rom left in the flash memory card or its written to an eprom on board?
It's on the flashcasrd.
6. Can a "hard drive" be mounted in the flash memory card?
Not yet, this is a feature I would like to see though :-)
I would like to add a question: can the Minimig be upgraded by just replacing the FPGA core? I understand that a lot can't be upgraded (eg. no AGA using the current design) but could compatibility be improved for example just by putting an updted core on the MMC? Or have I misunderstood how FPGAs work?
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1. How compatible is it with a normal Amiga 500?
2. Is there a list of compatible games and other software?
3. Is the kickstart rom left in the flash memory card or its written to an eprom on board?
It's on the flashcard.
4. What kind of disk images can minimig handle? ADF? DMS?
5. How do multiple disk games deal with this?
6. Can a "hard drive" be mounted in the flash memory card?
Not yet.
7. How much memory does it come with?
2 Megabyte - 512k are used for kickstart ROM, 1.5 Megabyte are used as normal Amiga RAM (Chipmem/Fastmem)
8. Can the Minimig be upgraded by just replacing the FPGA core? Could compatibility be improved for example just by putting an updted core on the MMC?
9. What CPU does it come with?
68000, just like a real A500
10. What ports does it come with?
Spare 4x generic I/O from the fpga (GPIO)
JTAG for programming chips (TMS, TDI, TDO, TCK)
Serial Port (RS232)
2 Joystick ports - Amiga joysticks
VGA (15-pin) (which can output PAL compatible signals to connect to SCART)
MMC Flash memory card slot.
PS/2 connector Keyboard + Mouse
3.5 mm audio jack
+5V DC 2,1 mm cylindrical dc plug power supply inlet.
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hi,
I'm sure some of your questions could be answered here: home of minimig (http://home.hetnet.nl/~weeren001/), like cpu, ports etc
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Thanks for the heads up - i have answered a few questions from the minimig site... I still waiting for some answers, especially number 5.
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1) Sprite bugs, 1 priviligied instructuin (not priv on A500)
2) http://www.opencircuits.com/Minimig_Software_compatibility
3) Kickstart is loaded just like any software from sd/mmc flashcard
4) ADF only
5) You load and unload disc ADF images from a builtin menu
6) The hardware is capable of this, but there's no implementation at this time
7) 1.5MB for fast/chip, 0.5M for kickstart
8) The behaviour of the FPGA can be upgraded by changing the contents of the flashcard. But some limits like 16-bit bus is dictated by the current design.
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@freqmax,
The list quoted in 2 shows only one game (Lemmings) as tested and working and the rest have question marks. Is there not another list of tested working games and programs somewhere? Surely Dennis, or one of the other three persons he gave v1.0 Minimigs to have been playing with them and testing other software?
It would come as a big disappointment to the many members who want a Minimig, to find out that it does not run a majority of OCS Amiga games and programs, which is its target compatibility.
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I have no way of knowing what works until they (Dennis & friends) post that information publicly :-)
The only stuff I know of so far is the software mentioned on that list.
I would like to know how the Fast/Chip memory is split up. 50%/50% or something else?
(SysInfo hints at 1M-fast/512k-chip)