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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: trip6 on March 10, 2012, 01:04:14 AM
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When will FPGA Arcade Replay Batch 2 be available? The anticipation is killing me... Has anyone heard anything from Mike J? Its looks like the amiga firmware core has been updated from previously... Are they ready for primetime?
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Hi,
I have been a bit snowed under recently with the day job.
Most of the first batch are now assembled, about 20% have shipped. I am mailing out to people on the list as boards are ready, asking if they still want them, taking payment and shipping immediately.
I have been working on Jakub's code to make it a little bit more generic (to support other cores). I would like to ship boards with this new code which is nearly working.
I am going to send out to current board owners a beta release probably on Sunday.
I want to get this all done before I kick off batch 3 with the factory. They have sourced most of the components, but I don't want to get more PCBs made until I am happy with the new memory controller. (I have about 9 boards where the memory interface is not reliable so improving the memory timing is important)
The pace is picking up now though...
/Mike
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Thanks for the update Mike J... cant wait to get one in hand with the backplane cover for my mini itx case.
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I am going to send out to current board owners a beta release probably on Sunday.
/Mike
Yes!!! Great news Mike.
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Yes a core update sweet !!!!
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What's the price? Did the 2nd batch sold out?
I have been watching this development for some time, spread over multiple forums.
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I guess best option of information you can get is via emailing Mike.
Haven't got a reply since last April but hey... he's a busy man :)
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Everybody says 'Email Mike', just don't expect a reply or you are going to be disappointed.
DLH
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@MikeJ, Is the current memory controller too optimisitic regardning timing etc?
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Everybody says 'Email Mike', just don't expect a reply or you are going to be disappointed.
DLH
No, you won't be. Mike is very, very busy, but he will reply. Just be a little patient.
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@MikeJ, Is the current memory controller too optimisitic regardning timing etc?
Well I may not get the new core out today, but soon.
The memory controller has very relaxed timing actually and the performance can be increased. It needs to be a little more flexible in the IO timing as I'm seeing some differences between boards. I do memory controllers for a living, so it's not an issue.
I do try to email everybody back, if I don't then mail me back, I've probably not got the mail.
Cheers,
MikeJ
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I don't think the code has to be "perfect". Likely better to provide firmware that can be upgraded in the field and ship more rapidly.
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does any1 know when the new fpgarcade website be up & running and when orders can be done on mikes site?
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found my original email to mike, hoping to get my reply soon to buy fpga replay and daughterboard 060 too.
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Yesterday at one of Amiga Meetings (AmiWawa 4) in Poland we could see FPGArcade in action with 060 daughterboard. Such a little cute baby she is ;)
I'm attaching few pictures, there are few more taken by one of the amigans at party (Qkiz):
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0MVWLA47Q0Q/T24VGbo52pI/AAAAAAAAImg/pGXFN8jBTTI/s802/DSC00281.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DKMkKqugHD8/T24YDUlKfMI/AAAAAAAAIm8/LuHn8qSKyxc/s802/DSC00283.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8L9QNsg8S6M/T24YFjdpZ4I/AAAAAAAAInM/vFIbsIolC4Y/s802/DSC00285.JPG
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78mips.. does sys info gets only non scalar result or was 060 run at 50mhz?
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@Pampers Thanks for sharing the nice pic's
Looks Like Yacube's personal FPGAArcade setup ;-)
If we only get are hands on the new core update, that RTG picture looks great..
Daughterboard will come soon (I hope)
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78mips.. does sys info gets only non scalar result or was 060 run at 50mhz?
The SysInfo MIPS test does not know about superscaler. It's a pretty poor test anyway. SysSpeed is pretty close though.
CSMK3 68060@75MHz
SysSpeed
71764 DHRYSTONES
74.91 MIPS
50.33 MFLOPS
1.40 CHIPRAM vs A3000
My MIPS are higher for some reason but the fpgaArcade 68060 has better DHRYSTONES for some reason. There must be some caches turned off on the fpgaArcade 68060? I like the chip ram speed of the fpga chip memory ;).
SysSpeed
99.15 MIPS
39.60 MFLOPS
You didn't go to AmiWawa? Isn't wawa a shortened version of your (Polish?) 1st name? Is AmiWawa just a coincidence?
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i live in berlin, now visiting my parents in the south of germany so its a little far form me.
wawa is short ow wawrzyniec (laurent) i use it since childhood, and at that time none has referred to warsaw (warszawa) as wa-wa. y know you have supermarket in the states the same name of;).
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So tiny! Looks fantastic.
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The memory controller has very relaxed timing actually and the performance can be increased. It needs to be a little more flexible in the IO timing as I'm seeing some differences between boards. I do memory controllers for a living, so it's not an issue.
How much difference is it between the boards? I guess it's the memory chip itself that varies and not the FPGA etc.
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How much difference is it between the boards? I guess it's the memory chip itself that varies and not the FPGA etc.
Both actually, but only a little. This was an anticipated problem, it was just the entire first batch worked fine. With the new controller it is very solid.
/MikeJ
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Just trying to get a handle on how many % the timing differs within a batch of memory chips.
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I'd love to put my name down to get one of these. I'll 3D print a case to make it look somewhat like an old wedge Amiga :P
Is there a plan for the layout of the board (size and mounting holes?)
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I'd love to put my name down to get one of these. I'll 3D print a case to make it look somewhat like an old wedge Amiga :P
Is there a plan for the layout of the board (size and mounting holes?)
Which 3d printer are you planning on using and would you mind releasing the 3d file if it all works out? I was tempted to try the same, but haven't got the printer yet :(
From here (http://www.fpgaarcade.com/dev/drupal/?q=node/5) "Tiny size of 140x100mm, fits any mini-ITX cabinet"
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I'd love to put my name down to get one of these. I'll 3D print a case to make it look somewhat like an old wedge Amiga :P
Is there a plan for the layout of the board (size and mounting holes?)
Yes, it's somewhere on the website but I'll put up a new page with all the resources.
/MikeJ
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Which 3d printer are you planning on using and would you mind releasing the 3d file if it all works out? I was tempted to try the same, but haven't got the printer yet :(
From here (http://www.fpgaarcade.com/dev/drupal/?q=node/5) "Tiny size of 140x100mm, fits any mini-ITX cabinet"
I have a small eMaker Huxley, but have almost finished (just waiting to get the extruder parts that can't be printed) building a new one capable of a 200x200x160mm print envelope.
@Mike, could you pop on here the page once it is up, i'll keep looking myself but in case I miss it! :lol:
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I have a small eMaker Huxley, but have almost finished (just waiting to get the extruder parts that can't be printed) building a new one capable of a 200x200x160mm print envelope.
@Mike, could you pop on here the page once it is up, i'll keep looking myself but in case I miss it! :lol:
Send me an email and I'll mail the dwg files to you.
/Mike