News on the X1000!

[Iggy]

What is going on with OS4 development for the X1000 and the SAM460?
Are the developers actively working on these ports?

[Iggy]

Again, as I asked earlier, has there been some disruption in OS4 development (specifically for the X1000 and SAM460)?

Also, does anyone know where A-eon sourced the PA6T processors used in the X1000? There have been conflicting statements made about this.
Varisys, the designer of the X1000, has removed all mention of the PA6T from their website (including the board they made with that processor).

How does Trevor intend to continue to build a board based on a processor that has a limited future?

[Iggy]

In one of the news items on the A-eon site (due to the crappy design of that site news items cannot be linked) it was explained that Varisys had an existing relationship with PA Semi, and they leveraged that to source the processors. It does not say what the actual source was however.

I've also read, either on a forum or an interview, that the followup to the X1000 isn't necessarily going to use PA6T. At the rate things are going that probably won't be this decade.

 
You know that's strange because earlier Trevor was quoted as saying that his PA6T supplier recommended Varisys for the design work. At this point I have no idea where they got the processors, but chances are that they have a limited supply.

When I mentioned PPCs to a Varisys rep they recommended Freescale's QorIQ so the P5010 and P5020 would make good successors. These should be available this year and Freescale lists a T5020 and T5040 that are based on the same  e5500 core but supplemented with AltiVec for the near future.

[Iggy]

>Saying sorry no release date, no we won't discuss where we are getting  this niche processor, or in what quantities, sorry we won't give any  reason for the year+ delay in release... Thats just bullshit.

On this we really agree Haywire. When I talked to a Varisys employee, he told me A-eon had to source their own processors, now Trevor says they were obtained through Varisys? And since PA Semi is now owned by Apple, how long will the PA6T be available?
Don't pin your hopes on this one guys. It sounded neat on paper, but its rapidly becoming pointless.

[Iggy]

Not quite. I read in Amiga Future that while Hyperion needed more time to work on the software, AEON decided to fix a few small layout problems and offer better functionality and performance. It further mentions that Hyperion got the first five of the rev 2 boards in february of 2011.

So the CPU is out of production and A-eon is still revising the motherboard?

[Iggy]

Either it is still in production or Apple has stocked millions of them. But they won´t sell it on the open market.

I don't see any proof for either of those suppositions, but Trevor has said that Apple has ceased production.

[Iggy]

Varisys isn´t the only customer, who is still using that chip, wich is far from outdated if you look beyond the PC and smartphone market. Apple has signed a contract when they bought PA-Semi. AEON won´t sell many X1000s, so Varisys could easily stock a supply that is enough for - say 5 years - enough time to plan for the furure.

No. There is no contract that requires Apple to continue to supply the PA6T.
Apple promised that it would be available till at least 2011 and possibly as long as 2013.
But PA Semi is a fab-less design firm and it appears that production of the processor has ceased.
No one knows how many of these chips remain, but all firm that formerly created hardware with the PA6T (including Varisys) have removed the processor fro their web pages and no longer recommend it for new designs.

And no one has a firm idea of where A-eon obtain their CPUs in the first place as there have been conflicting statements made about this.

Personally, I really like the design of the X10000, so I hope Trevor has a good supply of PA6Ts on hand.

[Iggy]

The reassurance that the X1000 is on schedule and that A-eon has secured adequate PA6T and SB600 components is a relief.
I also received word today from Freescale that the P5020 and P5010 (the first e5500 cored products) are also on schedule for Q2 release along with an evaluation board (set at the usual high price of $4000).

So PPCs aren't dead and we've received some good news recently. I'm happy.

[Iggy]

What schedule would that be that you're talking about?  The X1000 was supposed to released late last summer, then it slipped to the fall, now it's Spring of 2011 and it will continue to slip.  It's vaporware just like the last NG Amiga system that was offered by Adam Kowalczyk of ACK Controls back in 2007.  The X1000 is just a repeat of that fiasco and the specs for both systems are about equal.  The X1000 will be a failure even if it does see the light of day.  Not many people are willing to pay $3000-4000 USD for a systems that's already lagging by about 6 years.  The only thing special about the X1000 is the lack of performance for the price.

It's a little harsh comparing a system that is known to exist with a Bill McEwen backed project that apparently never made it past the press announcement stage.

Yes, the infamous "I believe" ad lists availability as 2010 (doesn't look like they're going to make that one). But all recent statements have indicated that release to the beta testers is imminent and that Hyperion has received the first five boards.
So they seem to be back on track and meeting their revised time lines.
While I will not be a customer for this product (as apparently you won't either), I do think very highly of the firm that designed it (Varisys).
We're I to look for a partner to build a P5020/P5010 motherboard, this company would be one of my first choices.

And yes, the price is high, but you know if I had it I'd pay the $4000 for the Freescale evaluation board I previously mentioned and it doesn't have either AOS or MOS support.

No one's forced to buy the X1000 and its performance/price ratio isn't good. But when available it will be the highest performing PPC based NG system available.
Some people are willing to pay a premium for this.