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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: CD32Freak on December 23, 2007, 09:02:28 PM

Title: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: CD32Freak on December 23, 2007, 09:02:28 PM
Bassano del Grappa - Italy - 23 december 2007:
ACube Systems is pleased to announce the availability of MiniMig motherboards based on the famous Dennis van Weeren project (version 1.1).

The fully assembled motherboard will be available mid-january directly from ACube Systems and later from other resellers too. The prices and bundles will be announced in the upcoming days.

The MiniMig features an FPGA re-implementation of the A500 chipset with a real 68000 processor onboard and connectors for real Amiga compatible joystick and mouse as well as a PS2 one and a VGA monitor that accepts 31Khz output.

To run the MiniMig it is necessary to copy on a SD memory card a 1.3 ROM that can be legally obtained from Cloanto's Amiga Forever package (www.amigaforever.com).

To order your MiniMig contact ACube Systems at info@acube-systems.com.

Let the myth live again!
http://www.acube-systems.com/eng/news.php?id=20
:-o
:banana:
Now we know where all the Xilinx XC3S400-4PQG208C FPGA's from Digi-Key went to :lol:
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: cv643d on December 23, 2007, 09:03:55 PM
Thanks,, I will be buying one! :)
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: Homer on December 23, 2007, 09:09:04 PM
Hmm, doesn't the word "myth" mean that it didn't actually exist in the first place  :-?

Sorry, just been watching "Hitch Hikers Guide", and it puts the old brain in a kind of "42" situation  :crazy:

More beer :pint: and Happy Xmas to all  :lol:
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: XDelusion on December 23, 2007, 09:19:59 PM
 Wow! Looks like I'll be having a real A500 as well as a MiniMig this coming year!

 I hope that someone can write a driver to fully support the PS2 pad so that modern games can be written for the hardware that take advantage of the analogs and what not. That would be interesting.
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: AMC258 on December 23, 2007, 09:24:58 PM
Quote
just been watching "Hitch Hikers Guide"


Which one?  The good one or the new one?
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: HenryCase on December 23, 2007, 09:39:01 PM
Best Amiga Christmas present yet!!!

Awesome, awesome, awesome!!!!

Thank you ACube! :-D

Someone submit a news story about this, when I clicked on this topic I wasn't expecting such a bombshell.
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: alexh on December 23, 2007, 10:13:20 PM
Quote

cv643d wrote:
Thanks,, I will be buying one! :)

You dont know how much they are yet!

It is very good news, and if they are cheap enough (sub €100) then I will be parting with my money but I doubt they will come close to that price.

The MiniMig v1.1 board is unfortunately too limited. Scandoubler and ADF support is nice, but the 1.5Mbyte RAM and no hard drive (yet) cannot compete with a €20, A600.
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: alexh on December 23, 2007, 10:19:46 PM
Quote

XDelusion wrote:
I hope that someone can write a driver to fully support the PS2 pad so that modern games can be written for the hardware that take advantage of the analogs and what not. That would be interesting.

I can see where you get you nick from ;-)
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: McVenco on December 23, 2007, 10:24:16 PM
Quote
AMC258 wrote:

Quote
just been watching "Hitch Hikers Guide"


Which one?  The good one or the new one?


Since the new one has got Zooey Deschanel in it, I would qualify it "good" as well.
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: cv643d on December 24, 2007, 12:04:26 AM
Alexh: wouldnt you pay at least 200 euro just to support the Amiga market?  :-)
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: thanos on December 24, 2007, 01:06:43 AM
Hmmm...

Will this product really cost $300-400 CAD?

I would love one, but I doubt I could justify spending more than $200.

I always seem to have too many hobbies but not enough time or money.

Still I'm glad that some people will be able to enjoy this super cool toy!  I hope it is a great success.

Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: arnljot on December 24, 2007, 05:58:13 AM
When I get my paycheck, I'll get myself one of these puppies! :)
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: Colin_Camper on December 24, 2007, 09:20:39 AM
@alexh

Quote
The MiniMig v1.1 board is unfortunately too limited.


I am shocked!

The minimig project is open source.

I would have thought that a world class ASIC designer such as yourself would be too busy rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in to find the time to moan about V1.1 on forums.  ;-)
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: Ian-uk on December 24, 2007, 12:03:19 PM
Best news i've heard this christmas. I've had a nightmare trying to track down the parts for mine.
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: skurk on December 24, 2007, 12:40:58 PM
Yes, AWESOME!

I've already sent them a mail showing my interest.  I'll order one once it is available (provided that the final price isn't sky high)

Oh, and merry xmas, fellow Amigans! :-)
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: downix on December 24, 2007, 04:10:24 PM
And here I am almost done with my MiniMig design....
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: Ral-Clan on December 24, 2007, 04:41:31 PM
Quote

Homer wrote:
Hmm, doesn't the word "myth" mean that it didn't actually exist in the first place  :-?


You're correct. I think they mistakenly used "myth" instead of the word "legend".
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: taunusand on December 24, 2007, 06:57:58 PM
To late for st christmas present. But still, nice surprice  :-D
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: Ken86Stang on December 24, 2007, 11:10:52 PM
I'm interested!  Be nice to see what the price will be.
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: tonyyeb on December 24, 2007, 11:21:12 PM
/Awaits price
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: adonay on December 25, 2007, 12:06:49 AM
Hmmm no interest yet .. The day it beats my amiga 1200 use  :madashell:  :madashell:  :madashell: i have to buy one ...
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: kolla on December 25, 2007, 12:37:13 AM
Quote

Ian-uk wrote:
Best news i've heard this christmas. I've had a knightmare trying to track down the parts for mine.


Knightmare? Is that the kind of mare a knight would ride? :-D
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: Godai on December 25, 2007, 12:56:15 AM
Hmm. I'm pretty sure the Amiga Forever ROMS are not compatible with the minimig. They need to be decrypted with the rom.key file like with WHDLoad. You probably would need a real dump of 1.3 :)
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: Firedawg on December 25, 2007, 01:09:54 AM
Good news, but I have already ordered and received most of my components for my migs.  Well, at least I can say I built a couple of them.
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: kolla on December 25, 2007, 01:20:34 AM
Quote

Godai wrote:
Hmm. I'm pretty sure the Amiga Forever ROMS are not compatible with the minimig. They need to be decrypted with the rom.key file like with WHDLoad. You probably would need a real dump of 1.3 :)


What happens when you dump a ROM from within UAE running with ROM from Amiga Forever? ;-)
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: Godai on December 25, 2007, 09:14:30 AM
Hmm. That would probably work yeah :)
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: alenppc on December 25, 2007, 11:45:16 PM
Quote

alexh wrote:

It is very good news, and if they are cheap enough (sub €100) then I will be parting with my money but I doubt they will come close to that price.

The MiniMig v1.1 board is unfortunately too limited. Scandoubler and ADF support is nice, but the 1.5Mbyte RAM and no hard drive (yet) cannot compete with a €20, A600.


Unless you are on this side of the planet where the A600s are rare in which case you can pay up to $200 to import one from the UK... ;-)

But yeah, I will be waiting for the price also...
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: amiga2000 on December 26, 2007, 12:07:44 AM
Where would you install this minimig motherboard? Do you need to get a custom mini-tower, does it fit into a drive bay?
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: BodyHammeR on December 26, 2007, 07:12:42 PM
Quote

kolla wrote:
Quote

Ian-uk wrote:
Best news i've heard this christmas. I've had a knightmare trying to track down the parts for mine.


Knightmare? Is that the kind of mare a knight would ride? :-D


Knightmare is RC739 (c) 1986 Konami, as can be seen here (http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/softwareinfo/855)  ;-)
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: Fizza on December 26, 2007, 08:24:14 PM
I'm sorry if this has been asked/answered before, but is it possible to make the minimig into a PCI card?

Merry Christmas!
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: Crom00 on December 26, 2007, 08:32:45 PM
There is no way they can get it below the $200-250 /100 euro mark.... Unless they get 1000 units or more made, even then the margins wil be really low at that point. At 100 units at a clip they will make very little money with prices at $200-250

BUT REGARDLESS OF ALL THAT...

This is all good news!

Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: downix on December 26, 2007, 09:09:33 PM
Quote

Fizza wrote:
I'm sorry if this has been asked/answered before, but is it possible to make the minimig into a PCI card?

Merry Christmas!

No.
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: tonyyeb on December 26, 2007, 09:54:51 PM
Quote

Fizza wrote:
I'm sorry if this has been asked/answered before, but is it possible to make the minimig into a PCI card?

Merry Christmas!


Asked before

http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=32211

(Found it using the search function... give it a go sometime  ;-)  )
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: Belial6 on December 26, 2007, 10:41:02 PM
I was noticing that the MiniMig 1.1 board is almost exactly the size of a GameCube.  When I finally get around to building mine, I might see how well this spare case I have will work.  It will definitely be WAY taller than necessary, but if the width and hight are as close as it looks like it will be, I can live with the extra height.
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: tonyyeb on December 28, 2007, 11:21:12 AM
Well I sent my e-mail registering my interest.

I bet if they got a news artcile onto slashdot and other techie news sites annoucing the availability of their Minimigs, they would easily sell 1000 along with all the Amiga fans on these forums (and others of course).
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: hardlink on December 28, 2007, 02:05:27 PM
Quote

alexh wrote:
... cannot compete with a €20, A600.


Good to be over there in Euroland these days; here, it's more like USD$200 A600's, and if they boot and you can then get your own stinking hard drive &cable &bracket &working power supply.

I had an expatriate friend go back to England this summer to visit family, and I was very tempted to empty my pockets of change and ask him to bring back a pile of A600's :)
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: soiaf on December 31, 2007, 01:49:51 PM
I notice that they're now giving an indicator for the price on this page

http://www.acube-systems.com/eng/hardware.php

They mention 138 euro (before taxes). Not bad at all, I'd be quite happy to pay that for a MiniMig.
Title: Re: When the myth becomes... mini!
Post by: denli on January 02, 2008, 06:59:14 PM
Acube have changed top domain from .com to .biz
http://www.acube-systems.biz/eng/hardware.php