FPGA Replay Board

[Darrin]

DVI->VGA appears to work just fine on any of my LCD monitors.  DVI direct connection does not work with Phoenix.  There is also a non scan-doubled mode (15KHz), so I was trying to connect a DVI->VGA->RGB converter board to see if an old Amiga monitor would work.  I don't think its worth the effort at this point.

It seems that most games use a standard 60Hz refresh with VBI, so I don't think this is too common.  You can look through the MAME info and see which games were non-standard.

I have to tell you, I am pretty excited about this board.  Once I got everything setup correctly, it's pretty simple.  I think a micro-ATX case is going to be mandatory.  It spooks me a bit to have everything laying out on the counter, with test leads and such everywhere.

Thanks, so the DVI-VGA connection I have "should" be good for Pheonix then?  Just don't to DVI-DVI?

I've been using my FPGA Arcade uncased and just sat on a wooden desk since I had it.  Hopefully my X500 case isn't going to be too much longer.  

[Darrin]

@MikeJ

I only intend to use it as an Amiga. Basically running an .HDF file with Workbench 3.1, WHDload and a bunch of games.

- Will the core in its current status be able to handle this ?

I also need:

- RGB/Scart Cable
- ATX adapter
- Backplate

Thanks!

I already have it doing just that.  My FPGA Arcade is running ClassicWB based on the OS3.1 install with WHDLoad and KG's game packs.

I also have it running OS3.9, but the old core had a few bugs that stopped certain things working correctly (or more likely it was the old 68020 soft core).  I'm hoping it will be better with the new core.

[Darrin]

Sounds slightly worrying. I thought bugs related to running stock OS was fixed by now. Any specifics on which events that trigger the bug(s) ?

They probably have, but I've never had a core update so I can't confirm anything until the new one has been released.

From memory, I had to disable several commodities that came installed as standard with OS9 and replace a couple of files with earlier versions.  It was trial and error to find out what kept crashing the system.  Finally, the last remaining big bug was that attempting to open the screen mode prefs would crash the system from Workbench.  Not that I change my screen mode much, but it is bloody annoying.  In order to change it I have to load the HDF file in WinUAE, change the mode, save it and then put the SD card back into the FPHA Arcade.

ClassicWB 3.1 works fine and the suggestion was that it was more likely to have been bugs in the softcore 68020.  Again, I've never had a update to that core and I'm sure it is much better now.

Another bit of evidence that it was more likely the softcore CPU was that I'd get the same crashes on the Chameleon64 using the 68020 and OS3.9.

Oh, and one more:  Jakub could run OS3.9 OK on his machine using a real 68060.

[Darrin]

To post a Minimig from ACUBE it is $50. To get one from AmigaKit US it costs $25.
Why is there such a price difference in postage?

AmigaKit put it in an envelope and strap it to a carrier pigeon while ACube hire a private courier to hand carry it to your house in a giant, padded titanium container?

Who knows.  Postage rates vary from country to country and different companies use different methods of posting.

I tried to order a rugby shirt from Wales once (where AmigaKit is located) and the company wanted $80 to mail it to me.  I ordered a soccer shirt from Swansea City ( a few miles down the road) and they mailed it for $20.

[Darrin]

As someone who has an expanded A4000 as my main "real" Amiga and as an owner of a FPGA Arcade, I expect the FPGA Arcade to replace my A4000 once I can get the daughterboard.

As a bare FPGA Aracde, it is really an expanded A1200 with a faster CPU, extra RAM, scan doubler, RTG and a PS2 mouse adapter (or USB mouse adapter).

Once the daughterboard is added, you can say that it has a 68060, even more RAM, another hard drive, sound card and a Deneb USB.

When I consider what it cost for me to put my A4000 into a tower, add a Warp Drive 68040 with extra RAM, FastATA4000, SD/FF, Deneb, Mediator for RTG, Spider USB and SB128 Sound, then I think the FPGA Arcade will be the cheaper option.

That said, I can't plug my Emplant card into the FPGA Arcade (but I could always run Shapeshifter I guess).  

[Darrin]

And the point is?

Buy low, sell high?  

[Darrin]

Is it not possible that someone could own an A4000D and in the future FPGA Replay? I am sure the answer is yes.

Absolutely.  And for what it is worth, I agree with you.  Since you want an "A4000" experience then you shouldn't think of buying an FPGA Arcade until the daughterboard is actually available to purchase.

[Darrin]

THANK YOU!!


Yes, I really want the A4000D experience...and I want to keep it with me...for a very long time   I am already enjoying the A500 experience...and yes I will buy the FPGA Replay in the future...and yes I want also in the future the OS 4.1 experience.

LOL.  You're welcome.  

[Darrin]

Glad you got one.  There is a lot of work going on, not just on the Amiga core.  I know this wait for the update seems like an eternity, but that's just because Mike isn't going to release the core until he's completely satisfied with it.  2 more weeks?  

[Darrin]

I've been sent new firmware to run the latest core (and which should allow me to load some additional cores).  Unfortunately I've been busy with some other stuff so I wasn't going to reflash until the weekend (hopefully tomorrow).

[Darrin]

Are there any good recent videos of the minimig core running on the FPGA Arcade? Can't find much on Youtube, and certainly nothing recent.

Also, how well is the core running now?

Check out Mike's forum for the latest info.  I'm still using the old core because they keep tinkering with the code to improve it and squeeze out the best performance.  The result is that one day something works and the next it is broken, and then it is fixed again, etc.

Last time I checked it seemed to be the optimization of the hard drive and floppy emulation that was holding things up on the Amiga side.  There's also plenty of news there on how the other cores are progressing.

[Darrin]

Floppy (including SCP) and hard disk stuff all done - including direct block transfers to speed thinks up. RDB synthesis is missing still.
Main focus is on tweaking CPU/chipset access speeds and graphics glitches in AGA mode.
It should remain usable now as it was the disk stuff which was disruptive.

/Mike

Cheers Mike.  So I should be OK to look at reflashing my board and using the new core?

[Darrin]

Yup. Remember to update the ARM firmware and the ini file as well.
/Mike

Yeah, I'll need to look up those instructions when I get back from this latest trip.