FPGA Replay Board

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I hope there won't be any huge list of extra instruction ISA that all Amiga now should implement. Rather a few instructions that would give a great boost.

The FPGA capacity is limited.

Bloatwarning ..

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You mean Mips=10.30 not MFlops right?
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The SysInfo tests are a joke. SysSpeed is a little better.

Mips, I read the screenshot wrong.

What method difference between Sysinfo and SysSpeed is there that makes SysSpeed benchmark so much more accurate?

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So SysInfo only fails at measure FPU performance accurately, not the CPU performance?

Oh and yeah.. x86 ought to be the example of how to NOT do
Especially the Pentium 4 is a pile of hodgepod that warms really good.

Maybe ARM processors will eat x86 eventually. So CPUs can process data rather than heat your living quarters.

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The video DAC/DVI interface output for analog VGA seems not to have any crowbar protection, is that changed in the final version?

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Sorry, found it now

Btw, where do you buy the CH7301C DVI-encoder chip?

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@psxphill, Good point!

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However, there are a few subtle cases where the ColdFire instruction is not exactly the same as its 680x0 counterpart.

Thus ColdFire and 680x0 compatibility is mutually exclusive when the same op-code is supposed to act in different ways?

Poorly written software will find a way to break no matter what. They will have to be fixed instead of the hardware held back.

Then it's no longer a re-implementation, but something completely new. I see the main goal as being able to run the existing software base independently of rotting hardware.

Instruction sequences that involves some kind of looping can be optimized to identify those in the instruction queue. And performing them directly with logic gates with way less clock cycles per operation.

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You could realtime analyze the instruction sequences but there is no way to reconfigure the FPGA in realtime.  In fact it cannot be reconfigured at all while it is in use.

Actually the trick doesn't require any reconfiguration at runtime. You simple compare the instruction queue contents passively (huge and-gate), and when conditions are meet. Another path of instruction handling is selected.

And the current FPGA:s can be runtime partially reconfigured in blocks. Provided proper internal I/O pads has been configured in the first place. The synthesization of a new block is only dependent of the software used. Be it 120 seconds, or 0.1 seconds with a fast computer.

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I see your point. Making all the instructions 25% faster would be faster overall. I think after a few easy changes, like enabling the cache and

Mike verified that adding the 68020 support has little effect on the speed...

The point is to being able to run software that requires 68020 enchantments. Which some A1200, A3000, A4000 is likely to require.

If you didn't notice, we already have platform fragmentation . We need supported open standards (helps to glue the fragments back together) and that's why I would like to see standards for an enhanced CPU and AGA. There won't be much new software without standards. It's the chicken and the egg problem that I'm trying to solve. The executables that have CF support would be much like for current 68k CPUs (000, 020, 030, 040, 060, 68CF, 68CF2, etc). Compilers only need a recompile to support whatever ISA/CPU.

I was under the impression we were in the business of re-implementing existing  Commodore computers. Not inventing new APIs for which there is no software for. Let the existing Commodore models be the "standard".

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The problem shows when you alter instruction sets, register structure, etc.. which will kill the capability to run exisiting software. Increasing memory, frequency, caches, etc..

If you want updated performance, try Intel Core (MIPS for freedom, or ARM for efficiency might be alternatives), Intel graphics (free API), it ends up being a PC. Though ARM + Graphics is becoming more common as well. However any compatability goes out the window. Also modern systems use memory protection, preemptive multitasking, virtual memory, and user accounts which asfair AmigaOS doesn't support.

It's too bad that Intel/Compaq bought up all good processor projects. NVidia have their super propietary stuff, etc..

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There is software available for the ColdFire! Add ColdFire instructions to the 68k and this software will run with a very high degree of compatibility on the new 68k + CF.

I guess that ColdFire software won't make use of the graphics.

Well, Mike better go back to the 68000 and throw out all the 68020 changes because he's killed compatibility with 68000 code, right? This is blatantly wrong!

I didn't say that.

The 68000 to a 68020 was a very radical change, was not 100% compatible and made a few mistakes in my opinion but it was still a big enhancement in a positive direction.

68020 was in some aspects a requirement for AGA.

Adding CF instructions would be much more compatible than 68000 to 68020. It would be more compatible than enlarging the caches. Maybe you should stick with the MiniMig and ECS so you have all that compatibility. Oh wait, they enlarged memory and added new storage devices. There went compatibility. I guess your only option is an original unexpanded Amiga 1000 so you can enjoy your compatibility.

I didn't say that.

It's interesting that you seem to know what my feature plans are
Adding storage or memory doesn't affect compatibility in any serious way.

I think an updated 68k processor has more potential than ARM. I think with a few relatively minor additions the 68k can have...

I can see the potential in up to date technology. ARM have a tendency to send 3vil lawyers all over the place. But their approach to performance per gate, power consumption, etc.. is worthwhile to sneak at. And FPGA gates are at a premium.

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Yeah, I know. But there's likely other software that exploit the 68020 capability. One program won't prove it for all software. The larger memory bitwidth might be needed on occasion perhaps as well

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All features use gate capacity.

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Some software like cycle accurancy. Thus software emulation won't cut it.

I still rememeber the people that said Minimig is IMPOSSIBLE!!
Oh and AGA.. are you NUTS!?
Mike.. oh forgett it

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Is EMC testing for CE/FCC compliance really required even for this kind of run?, there's some exempts for components that are not a "full system". Ie circuit boards with components.

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Otoh, the authorities usually require one to test before sales not while selling