Whatever happend to the Coldfire project?

[Oli_hd]

Hi,

remember some guy going on about it a while back...  

That would be me  :-D

Any news

Yep, On monday I put an order in to get the next prototype printed (4 layer, high density thing) but still havent had a reply, I will e-mail them next monday and see if they lost my e-mail or something.

info

The current prototype is much better than the first, its got USB, Firewire, AC97 sound, IRDA (Fixed speed) and an SDRam interface that should work this time  ;-)

designs

Link to pic and info of current prototype

This is a small mockup of the design I am getting printed right now as well as some info.

proto boards?

Arriving soon... hopefully.

No funding.. thats what happened..

Fuding is not a problem, I think this version was just a bit over complicated... fun to do mind.

Shame the Coldfire is even further behind than the PPC do be of any real use.  

It will wipe the floor with any current PPC upgrade available  :-)
As for the new era for Amiga, no its not, It could never be, its just an upgrade for current Amiga's to make them run faster, nothing more.

We need to interview this good fellow!

Hehe, sure, please feel free, my e-mail address is oliver@cdtv.org.uk

I'm sorry .. but IMO .. its a waste of time and money.

Well I waste time a lot, and money so why not waist them on the Amiga?  :-?

We need to take the Amiga platform forward

Great, but what about your A1200 and A4000? will you leave them to rot?

The coldfire accelerator isn't about "moving the platform forward", its about making a kick-ass Amiga classic.

totally with you, thats just what the project is about.

Anyway a new PCB is just around the corner, hopefully this one will work  :-)

Im happy to answer any questions, as it stands development continues.

Night all

[Oli_hd]

Hi,

1. How do you intend to make the coldfire work with 68k programs/OS. What software?

As you may know the Coldfire is semi 68K compatiable, the (few) missing instructions will be emulated using software developed under contract from Motorola, This emulates everything needed to get 68K programs and OS working.
The software is loaded from a flash chip before the Amiga's kickstart is loaded.

2. The prototype you are having made.. will it show a Rom screen?

Are you talking about the Kickstarts Rom screen or a Coldfire menu? (Your probably talking about the Kickstart menu)

The kickstart menu would be visable and should work just fine on the prototype but it would be something for me to check.

As for a Coldfire menu, the prototype will have no menu's at all, if a final version would, I dont know, it would be nice to switch between emulated CPU's but I will see.... (Im using a 512kb flash chip on the prototype so I can play with such things)

[Oli_hd]

Hi,

Any idea as to when it will be finished?

Well it shouldnt have been to far off but the last prototype was totally useless which slowed the project up a lot, I am now aiming for the A4K version to be done by December, but thats assuming this prototype does something.  ;-)

(After that it would be the A1200 version and then the A2000 version with the others following in no particular order)

[Oli_hd]

Hi,

have you done any market research?

Well when the project started a news group was set up so anyone who was interested could join, We now have almost 250 people subscribed.
The group has polls to see what people want on the card, for what Amiga, what they would pay for it and such like.
So yes, Sorta.

how will you sell them?

Bit early to say, had a couple of people interested in selling them, I would also sell them myself, basically anyone who wanted to sell them would be welcome.
Bit early to talk about that sorta thing yet though.

Are you doing the USB drivers yourself?

Again, to early to say, I would like to use Poseidon but would create the chip driver myself.

Who will assemble the cards? Id like to recommend where I work

Hehe, well again its to early to say, I looked at the local (UK) PCB companies for this prototype so I could find someone to use for the final card. (Although the one I ended up with doesnt assemble the PCB's, they just print them so a 3rd party assembler may be used.)

Are you doing every thing yourself?

I'm doing the PCB design and software myself. (Although thankfully the software side is just piecing together the examples, filling in the blanks and porting 68K datatypes and stuff.)
I had someone convert some PAL source to VHDL (Xilinx) for me although I havent used it yet.  :-(

do you need investors?

Nope, I have everything needed to finish development and (hopefully) pre-ordered would cover most of the first batch. (start small)

[Oli_hd]

Hi,

Any idea of the price range these cards will fall in?

I am aiming at £170 for a basic A4000 version (USB, IDE, SDRam and 220Mhz Coldfire) however it depends on lots of things so it could go much higer, specially as a lot of people want Ethernet (10/100) as that isnt cheap.

I could imagine the price being higher than the current PPC cards.

Well its only got one CPU for starts which helps a lot in keeping the price down, plus the Coldfire chip is a cheap CPU, its just that the market has more competiton now which may effect the price (less units = higher cost)

I'm under the impression that you're doing this not really for profit?

I dont care if its profitable or not, I dont want to loose a lot either though, as long as I get enough money to develope the next card that fine by me...

It isnt my job so I am not dependant on it making anything.

[Oli_hd]

Hi,

So how much more would it cost to do a whole motherboard?

Hehe, to much  :-)
Anyway apart from the Amiga 4000 being an old system its the best design for the Coldfire CPU.

I was thinking about putting a pegasos into a cdtv case, any thoughts here?

Naaa, Put it in a microwave, that looks much cooler.  ;-)

A set top box Pegasos would look like a nice machine though... but what about the PCI cards? right angle adapters maybe?

[Oli_hd]

Hi,

1) What's the fastest coldfire cpu available that would be feasable in an accelerator

Well I see no limit that I can see, although the Coldfire can run at up to 333Mhz it has a bus speed of only 50Mhz. (actually its selectable but thats what I am running the prototype on)

2) What sort of missing instruction emulation will be used? Hopefully something like oxypatcher / cyberpatcher...

Nope, its got to load before the Kickstart so you wont see it running at all.
Information can be found at http://www.microapl.co.uk/
 (They also do a 68K emulator for the PPC as well as programs to port 68K assembler to Coldfire native code.)

[Oli_hd]

Hi,

Anyhoo, I meant hopefully the emulation works like ocypatcher - ie patching instructions rather than trapping them every time

Opps  :-)
Answer: Traps, as I read it anyway.

A little bit from the emulators website:
"CF68KLib is a 680x0 emulation library which enables you to run 680x0 binaries either unmodified, or very slightly modified, on a ColdFire processor (Version 3 cores onwards). It achieves this by catching exceptions caused by unimplemented 680x0 instructions, performing the equivalent operation, and adjusting the stacked program counter to continue at the next instruction."

"the library takes over all ColdFire exceptions, and simulates a complete virtual 680x0 machine. As a result, your RTOS will behave as though it were running on a real 680x0 processor."

[Oli_hd]

Hi,

Does this project make any sense anymore?

Yep,  Coldfire's are getting faster all the time so it will make sense for a long time to come too.  :-D

Now when amiga has migrated from 68k

It hasnt fully migrated yet, we are still using a 68K OS and loads of 68K programs.

Most new programs come in 68K and PPC versions, there are more 68K/Coldfire developers tools than PPC tools, There are more 68K games than PPC games, there are more people with 68K Amiga's than PPC Amiga's.

and legacy hardware coldfire doesnt seem to be attractive

 :-o  A few words... Prometheus, Vlab Motion, Toaster,  Emplant (well, I like it), IOBlix, Picasso IV.
Some great cards, With drivers!!!
Look at what drivers are available for PCI cards, you will have a basic system (a fast basic system mind) compared to lots of standard A4000's

Plus do you want to scrap  your Amiga as you move to the A1? Leave it to rot? Let a bunch of spiders take up residence (And I aint talking about USB cards here)

I love Zorro slots, clock ports and side expansion ports, give me more, I want more (I only have  Zorro slot free, I wonder if there is a 14 slot Zorro bus board?)
I like the idea you can just extend and extend the slots, 36 Zorro slots anyone?

Its not as powerful as ppc

Its more powerful than any PPC your going to have on an A3/4000 or A1200. (assuming the Shark isnt launched running OS4.0)
The built in SDRam interface will give a massive speed increase compared to the shared 72pin Sims on the PPC cards.

and none of the new amigaos-flavor os-es will run on it.

But they are ports of the 68K version, yes they have better icons and cleaner interfaces but these can be patched even on OS3.1 (Birdie, Newicons or OS3.5+)

It appears a fair bit of OS4.0 has been done on the 68K, maybe a port would be possible if enough Coldfire's sold (Although I dont think that will happen you never know)

I classify it as hardcore geek toy

Hehe, well Im just a hardcore geek.

[Oli_hd]

Hi,

Did Oli say something about PCI?

Yes but for 16 bit miggys only, The A2000 mainly.
The developers card I got (Motorola 5407C3) has PCI on it (And the designs on how its connected) and the chip is easy to get so it looks easy enough.
The A3/4K and 1200 versions wont have that option as they already have PCI board available and the PCI chip isnt small (Its the size of the Coldfire).

how about a Cheap integrated VGA on there aswell... damn!!! that would be one serious geek toy!!!

Hehe, sorry but nope.  :-(
although... if you port Aros to the Coldfire when its out maybe I could make a one off. ;-)

I've got my fingers crossed for 500Mhz...  

Well I will use the fastest available at the time but that looks like its going to be a 220Mhz V4.
V5 is planned and will be launched by the end of the year (Motorola says) but chances are I wont be able to get them for a long time.

Anyhow just sent an e-mail to the PCB company to give them the hurry up  :-)

[Oli_hd]

Hi,

@oli_hd
Apart from being a boat seller (according to your homepage), do you have any other qualifications necessary to run a project like this?

Ermm, basically none, I have done a few basic designs (CDTV bits) but not actually built any of them.
But I have a lot of time, am willing to learn and money to burn  :-D

but I do think that knowing his qualifications will give me a pretty good indication on if this project ever will materialize or not.

Well one prototype has already be made, another one will be here soon. (Just had an e-mail back from the company so things are moving again)
As for actual qualifications, I dont have any, if I want a bit of paper to say Im smart I will print one myself.  :-D
(joke)
 

It would also be interesting to know if there are other developers involved.

Nope but Motorola have been a great help as they published designs showing how to hook everything up, including schematics to connect the V3 Coldfire in place of a 68020 CPU as well as PAL equations and a free support line (Which I have used once)

I think the question should be: Can he pull it off?

Yep, I have gone in to this in a real pro way, spent loads on software and the Motorola dev board, not to mention the cost of this 4 layer prototype, I could have bought the best A1 for what I have spend so far. :-(
(PS: that just shows that Im keen and not if I will pull it off but I will try my very very best.)