FPGA Replay Board

[Firedawg]

No feature creep on the main board - the B02 board is production ready as far as I can tell. Everything seems to fit and we are processing the manufacturing data.
FPGAs should be delivered next week then we are good to go.

I added some pics on
www.fpgaarcade.com

Note I also have the new ATX power control board back as well. The chips to build it with arrive at the weekend.
/MikeJ

Sweeeeeeet!  I cannot wait to get my crubby mitts on this board. :banana:

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

If you are going to do something, might as well do it properly!
Volume is the only way to get the price.
Lets see how we go.

I totally agree with Mike on the volume approach to achieve an attractive price point to maximize interest.  As for risk I'm sure Mike has done his business due diligence to ascertain interest not only from his own website, but from the various other sites (i.e. A.org).  I believe partnering up with companies like Amigakit, Verslia, and others would be very smart to maximize the impact on the retro-computer scene, and to include the many arcade sites that would love to promote this great piece of kit.  So, is 500 pieces a bit too much, I would say that it is a modest start.

Mike count me on 1, so now there are only 499 left available!

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

Good news, a big box of FPGAs has just landed on my desk!

That news is music to my ears!  

[Firedawg]

The /dev/drupal is a development site, please use the main page for now.
The schematics are a few posts down.

Im having some trouble getting commitment from my assembler. I'm talking to another guy, but what will probably happen is I'll take the parts back to China on Tuesday next week and drop them off with the company which is doing the volume production.
This will actually speed up the volume deployment, but is more risky as I wanted to test the boards before paying for the set up and production stencils (which is kinda expensive).

Either way, I will have boards available by the end of the month.

The 68060 board is still being defined, although the prototype is running well.
It is unlikely to have pass-through connectors for SI reasons, but there are other IO pins on the main board which can be used. I will add a breakout connector for any spare pins.
/MikeJ

Great news Mike.  What an exciting project.

Mike

[Firedawg]

This is a very exciting project and I know I have been waiting with great anticipation.  I have been hounding poor Mikej for months about securing a board that he probably has me on an email block by now.  I do want to thank folks like Yaqube, Darrin, wizard66, amigadave and the many others who have made the financial commitment to get a beta-board and help with fine tuning of the cores and the board in general.  Everyone who is wanting the opportunity to get this board just be patient as many have said to Mike's hard work that he is just one guy doing the job of many.

Firedawg

[Firedawg]

In the past (months ago) I have enquired with MikeJ about the Arcade FPGA but I am not sure I was actually put on a pre-order list. So I messaged him again to make sure that if I am not on the first batch, he puts my name on for the second

Do you guys know if he answers messages? He hasn't answered my last few when I enquired if I was on his list :/

99% certainty that you are on one of his list if you inquired via private pm.  1% if you inquired elsewhere.  

Firedawg

[Firedawg]

Seems I am on the list for an FPGA this January =)

BTW any comments on the wireless case question (my post on top of this).

Looks pretty small and could be a pain to navigate and type.  I purchased a while back a HP wire USB keyboard for my home theater which is small, but not too small for typing, and it has a cool mouse type functionality with a roller/button in the upper right of keyboard for navigation and left clicking, and a button in the upper left for right clicking.  I have been very happy with it.

Mike

[Firedawg]

Hi,
Things will get faster shortly when I start to receive fully assembled boards directly from the factory, the hand finishing and testing takes forever.

Best,
MikeJ

Hey Mike,

If there is room to do so, can I get you to sign my board?

Mike

[Firedawg]

All the first batch have a hand written serial number :
http://www.fpgaarcade.com/common/replay_b02_back.jpg

will that do
/MikeJ

It will do! As I know you are tight on time with getting everything done.:juggler:

Mike

[Firedawg]

I'm back home. This morning I've replaced the regulators on 8 boards and all are fine.
Over the next few days I'll continue building and testing the remain boards.
I'll be in touch first with those of you I have already contacted but not taken money from, and then the next people on the list etc.

I've visited the factory in Shenzhen last week and they have started to source components for the next run.
/Mike

Thanks for the update Mike!  My wife is sniffing around my wallet, as if I have something to hide. :roflmao:

Mike

[Firedawg]

Without reading all 73 other pages, are these available now? If so, how much are they?

As for availability of the board, I believe it is only as Mikej completes them.  Email him at  mikej@fpgaarcade.com to be placed on the list. Pricing has been discussed at 220 EUR, but let Mikej give you that number.

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

mikej response below says it all.

Mike

[Firedawg]

Not having to hunt it down myself is worth a bit extra. 70 euro doesn't sound bad to me. Especially if we'll ideally being able to order the daughterboard + CPU in one package and get it mounted and tested.

+1:banana: Mike put me down for a fpgarcade (on list already)+060+daughterboard!  

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

Yes, I will ship without processors as well, but I need to get some to test it with.
I may have found some....

You and your China connections!:D Somethings we just do not need to know, but we appreciate it just the same.  I'm still hiding the loot from the wife for the FPGA Replay Board and as the daughter card and the 060 will be very much wanted, I have had to add more to the kitty. I'm just glad she is not a forensic accountant or my money tucking ways will be ended.:whack:

Mike

[Firedawg]

Thanks Mike for the exciting update!  This is very cool and I will be one happy camper when these babies start shipping.  Keep up the good work!

Mike