New type of accelerator design?

[tone007]

I don't think about a big gun like PPC or faster processors. I beleive the old Amiga systems must stay 68k based so a 68030, 68040 and 68060 based accelerator is a good idea.  

There seem to be enough of the lower-end accelerators to go around, judging by prices, at least for the A1200/2000/3000/4000s.  Do you think you'll get a newly designed one for less money than existing accelerators?

[tone007]

I guess it depends what kind of accelerator we're talking about. The '030 cards are fairly common, and sell for ~$200 generally.  AmigaKit has had some listed at $229 for months now, either they've got a ton of them or people are holding out for something better, or are finding what they need on the used market.  I doubt a newly designed and manufactured card could compete with those prices.

The '040s and (especially) '060s are another story as there seem to be a lot less of them kicking around.

As for simple RAM cards, I've never paid much attention to those when it comes to the 1200, but from what I've seen they do sell for a bit more than I'd pay for one.

[tone007]

Depending on accelerator design it could theoretically be possible to keep both CPUs on the bus, but don't expect anything Amigaish to support a 2nd CPU for SMP.

Wouldn't be SMP either way, unless your second processor was the same as the one onboard (or acting like it.) Asymmetric multiprocessing, anyone?

[tone007]

It makes more sense for a 3000/4000 though which don't actually use the chipset (in which case are they even really Amiga's in the first place?).

This nonsense requires clarification.  No Amiga chipset in the 3000/4000?  Where are you getting that?

[tone007]

If you're talking about using the classic chipset (eg a 1200), the faster the accelerator the less sense it makes (as detailed above).  

It makes more sense for a 3000/4000 though because they don't actually use the chipset (in which case are they even really Amiga's in the first place?).

You seem to be a bit confused.  The 1200 and 4000 share a chipset, the 3000 is closer to the "original" chipset but they're all the Amiga chipset, just different revisions.

[tone007]

It'd make exactly as much use of the chipset as a 1200 with a Mediator, Radeon and PPC/060 would.

[tone007]

Your typical 4000T with a Mediator, Radeon, PPC/060 etc wouldn't make use of Paula and friends in day-to-day usage.

It'd make exactly as much use of the chipset as a 1200 with a Mediator, Radeon and PPC/060 would.

In otherwords, how many RTG users run WB in AGA

Those are some other words.  A great many RTG users out there are using classic Zorro RTG cards, and not Mediator setups.  Accelerators help there, too.

[tone007]

So to get back on topic, a super fast accelerator for the 4000....yes please, for the 1200/600/500 then no thanks.

Seriously, quit bundling the 1200 in with the "old" machines, it's nearly as powerful as the 4000 with the right parts.  You've obviously never seen a nice 1200T setup.

[tone007]

But that's my point, a nice 1200T setup with Mediator + RTG & PPC makes no sense to me.....the 1200 MB is not even being used anymore.

Of course it is.  What if you want to play a game of Lemmings?

[tone007]

@tone007
 It's off topic, but I am intrigued with your avatar, is that a Commodore Pet monitor with Workbench on the screen?

It's an Educator 64, which is a standard C64 board in a PET case. In the pic it's running the Contiki OS (complete with telnet client, www browser and server, and plasma screensaver!)