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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: LordSpunky on March 25, 2013, 09:59:20 PM

Title: Deneb USB
Post by: LordSpunky on March 25, 2013, 09:59:20 PM
Why isn't the Deneb USB controller for sale anymore?

Was on my to buy list and now it is too late......wanted to network the A4000 and was heading for the Deneb / USB Ethernet dongle route.......
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: Rob on March 25, 2013, 10:27:31 PM
I'm not 100% but I think there's some strange political reason behind it.
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: spirantho on March 25, 2013, 10:55:04 PM
There was a "minor disagreement" between the software author and the hardware designer.

It's all on the forum in threads a few years back.
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: Akiko on March 25, 2013, 11:01:29 PM
Yes as I recall it was because Michael Böhmer of (e3b) and Chris Hodges the author of Poseidon had some personal disagreement and fell out with each other, but why Michael simply didn't continue manufacturing the Deneb and Subway for intended use with the free USB stack (ANAIIS) is another question.
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: Fransexy_ on March 26, 2013, 12:16:27 AM
Quote from: Akiko;730361
Yes as I recall it was because Michael Böhmer of (e3b) and Chris Hodges the author of Poseidon had some personal disagreement and fell out with each other, but why Michael simply didn't continue manufacturing the Deneb and Subway for intended use with the free USB stack (ANAIIS) is another question.


Is not poseidon stack open source now? ???!!!!
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: Nearly-Right on March 26, 2013, 02:26:27 AM
Quote from: LordSpunky;730349
wanted to network the A4000 and was heading for the Deneb / USB Ethernet dongle route.......

You can still get a Mediator 4000D and fit an RTL 8029AS PCI NIC, and a Spider USB PCI card and use Poseidon v4.4 on it.

Then you'd also be able to fir a Radeon 9200/9250 PCI GFX card, and use some of the memory - up to ~250MB if you acquire a compatible Radeon with that much RAM on the GFX card as RAM, and fit a Soundblaster PCI 128 soundcard, and more besides, but I don't know what you're setup is or if this suits your needs, it's just a suggestion, and maybe a way around the problem you currently have as acquiring a Deneb is unlikely.

I have a Spider, and a Radeon, and Soundblaster 128 card, and a RTL 8029 Ethernet card in my A4000 Mediator, and it all works fine. :D
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: Matt_H on March 26, 2013, 03:30:42 AM
I don't think the dispute is the reason the Deneb is no longer available. More likely one or more components used on the Deneb is no longer manufactured.
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: spirantho on March 26, 2013, 07:57:37 AM
http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=59188&page=3

Post #44....
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: nicholas on March 26, 2013, 12:33:06 PM
How much do Denebs go for second hand?  PowerUp prices I guess?
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: José Manuel on March 26, 2013, 01:52:53 PM
Possibly more of 350€
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: nicholas on March 26, 2013, 02:43:12 PM
Quote from: AlicePPC;730400
Possibly more of 350€

Wow!
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: Senex on March 26, 2013, 03:54:23 PM
Additionally there's also an old interview by amiga-news.de with both of them, but it's in German (http://www.amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-2011-09-00026-DE.html) only, unfortunately (Google translation (http://translate.google.de/translate?sl=de&tl=en&prev=_t&hl=de&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http://www.amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-2011-09-00026-DE.html&act=url)).
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: Borut on March 26, 2013, 04:14:57 PM
A used HIGHWAY USB or. ALGOR USB card could be cheaper and probably good enough?
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: LordSpunky on March 26, 2013, 04:54:43 PM
Thanks for this, I wasn't aware of all the problems around Deneb.......read the tread and I am amazed - and a bit pissed off that I never ordered one when I saw it on Amigakit a couple of years ago.

Sadly, the cost of second hand Amiga 'tech' seems to go up in price with every day that passes, that in turn limits and turns the Amiga Community into an elitist group. I understand it in some ways, but in others *sigh* £1,000 ish for a Cyberstorm PPC card ?*sigh* outta my range totally! Could some clever chap design a modern PPC card for the A4000? Yes, R&D costs....production costs etc I bet out way the resell.

Anyway.......maybe instead of buying a Deneb and using USB for everything it would be better for a Mediator and use PC based PCI cards.....I guess (hopefully) it works out cheaper - PCI network, PCI USB controller, PCI sound card.......all work?.....anyway.......

What do I want to do with my A4000D?

I'm not sure - I wanna keep it retro - ish.....within my limited budget with some presents along the way and get it online.
OS3.1, Cyberstorm MK2 040 96MB FastRAM, Picasso IV and a 4GB CFF HDD. That is about the current spec.

Quote from: spirantho;730392
http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=59188&page=3

Post #44....
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: nicholas on March 26, 2013, 06:49:36 PM
Quote from: LordSpunky;730415
Thanks for this, I wasn't aware of all the problems around Deneb.......read the tread and I am amazed - and a bit pissed off that I never ordered one when I saw it on Amigakit a couple of years ago.

Sadly, the cost of second hand Amiga 'tech' seems to go up in price with every day that passes, that in turn limits and turns the Amiga Community into an elitist group. I understand it in some ways, but in others *sigh* £1,000 ish for a Cyberstorm PPC card ?*sigh* outta my range totally! Could some clever chap design a modern PPC card for the A4000? Yes, R&D costs....production costs etc I bet out way the resell.

Anyway.......maybe instead of buying a Deneb and using USB for everything it would be better for a Mediator and use PC based PCI cards.....I guess (hopefully) it works out cheaper - PCI network, PCI USB controller, PCI sound card.......all work?.....anyway.......

What do I want to do with my A4000D?

I'm not sure - I wanna keep it retro - ish.....within my limited budget with some presents along the way and get it online.
OS3.1, Cyberstorm MK2 040 96MB FastRAM, Picasso IV and a 4GB CFF HDD. That is about the current spec.

A Mediator 4000D is 400 notes on its own, plus another $90 for a Spider USB PCI card.
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: LordSpunky on March 26, 2013, 10:55:31 PM
Quote from: nicholas;730424
A Mediator 4000D is 400 notes on its own, plus another $90 for a Spider USB PCI card.

Oh for smeg sake!!! :destroy:

So checked Amigakit, Mediator 4000Di - £219.99, Spider USB - £60 - but not available, network card - £10

£289.97 to get USB and on the net........can I hide that from the wife?........doubt it!

Stupid Question
Do I assume with no video slot on the Mediator that I can't use my Picasso IV? - Then again would I want to if I could have a Voodoo3 again!
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: Cammy on March 27, 2013, 11:53:37 AM
The Thylacine USB card design has been open-sourced, so anyone can build one themselves if they have the skills, or you can order one in the next batch that gets made (none left in the current batch but I'm sure more will come) - http://www.amibay.com/showthread.php?t=42395

There's also an improved design being worked on on the A1K forums, but I don't know if they've started producing batches of them yet.
Title: Re: Deneb USB
Post by: danbeaver on March 27, 2013, 12:27:09 PM
Technology follows all rules of economics. In the case of the Amiga, it would make sense in economic terms to just use UAE. No retro hardware needed.

But sentimentality prevails over economics. Some folks collect; others restore; some just want to continue to use (and update when need be) what they bought years ago and still maintain today.

I have 40 years of computer experience, 30 with Commodores, 27 years with the Amiga. Go figure.