What's the Deal With CommodoreUSA?

[Iggy]

The product is not what we want. We want a successor to the Commodore 64 or 128 which was probably going to be a C-65, run Basic or another language, have Commodore ASCII on the keys, be 80 colums or more, run sprites, have 512K, run at 40 MHZ or more and have new hardware.

We could probably build something like what you're suggesting ourselves.
I have 14 MHz WDC65C812S chips sitting here right now.
SIDs can be emulated (the code only takes up one cog in a Parallax Propeller).
The video generator would be the toughest task to design.

[Iggy]

Doesn't this troll fest belong in a basement subboard?

Hey Dammy,
Didn't Leo just make a post where he got the name of his company's product wrong?

[Iggy]

Can your Parallax Propeller do this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5eU8pHpy-c

The Xmos chip has more power.  There are other boards and chips that have more power.

If you guys want to make a computer, help me petition Amiga.org for a forum.

Actually, YES, that's doable AND higher resolutions that can't be done with an Xmos processor because each cog in a Propeller is equipped for video generation.

But I was only suggesting doing I/O, sound, and glue circuits w/o a Prop.
And unless you used multiple chips, I don't think either could handle the kind of video we're talking about.

So why don't we try to build a faster C65?

[Iggy]

I haven't seen good graphics on the Prop without a CPLD and then it pales in comparison.
 

From one Prop developer board:
"VGA support, build time option for 64 color Parallax compatible mode or extended 256 color mode
working 1024×768 4 color driver, I am adding individual palette entries for each scan line
COMING SOON: 256×192 256 color per pixel gaming mode (expected in 1-2 weeks)
Sprites will be added after initial gaming driver release - 16×16 pixels, 256 color palette"
 
Remember - This is an $8 chip.
 
Then there's this:
http://obex.parallax.com/objects/177/
 
A 1600x1200 VGA tile driver (only uses six out of eight cogs).
 
So, what resolution can you get with Xmos?
 
I left the ARM comparisons out because that an apple and oranges situation unless you want to discuss something like the M4 (which I'm will to discuss as I have one on order).
 
What bug got up your ass?
Two Props could generate VGA, emulate dual SIDs, interface a PS2 keyboard and mouse, generate other I/O and still have the ability to run code.
 
Yeah, I can get an ARM board that will do more then that, but not one based on about $30 worth of components.

[Iggy]

Hi Chuck,
The Prop is very limited when it comes to built in memory.
But I' ve seen it connected to 512K of external memory, SD cards, etc.
 
And it can be connected to more.
 
ARM does look more difficult to work with.
 
The Prop comes in a 40 pin DIP package making it easy to mount.
 
And there are existing code examples, including LCD drivers.
 
Of course, there are other choices as well. There are plenty of MCUs other then ARM. Even Coldfire based products.

[Iggy]

Re - Gameduino:
 
 
I'm confused as to the specs
 
 
"video output is 400x300 pixels in 512 colors"
 
 
later
 
 
"background graphics
512x512 pixel character background"
 
Huh?
 
What's the resolution again?
 
 
BTW - Pretty neat.
 
Edit - Just found an Arduino shield to Propeller adapter. Could potentially be used to drive Gameduino.

[Iggy]

This video shows the Gameduino on an Arduino and another Gameduino on a Maple microcontroller which is basically an ARM chip running at 72 MHZ. The DNA is made up of 250 Sprites and you can see the difference between microcontrollers.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DhYCXpEgCVs

 
Nice, yet another MCU to look at.
Thanks Chuck.
 
Your posts and your PMs have been really enlightening.

[Iggy]

That's kind of the thing though. Nobody is in a position to provide this on anything other than a hobby level and that doesn't seem to be changing.
 
Morph OS (the one I have the most experience with) is great... if you are coming to it with an Amiga experience in mind. It's hopeless for a mainstream computer user, for a whole host of reasons I won't go into here.

 
I come from a mainstream background and I have no problem with it.

[Iggy]

Seems like most claims of "normal people won't get this" just boil down to "people who are expecting Windows and don't want to hear any different won't get this," in my observation...

Ah. That makes a lot of sense. I pre-date GUIs so I don't have too many preconceptions.
 
The only Windows feature I really like in MorphOS is the right mouse button click.

[Iggy]

I'd not feel very comfortable sending something from windows XP to hunting down MUI classes for a 20 year old email app to work
 
 

Why would you want to use a 20 year olde-mail app? don't use an e-mail app?
 
Actually, Fab toldme how to get Comcast's e-mail working under OWB, so I don't use an e-mail app.
 
Thanks Fab (you're fab).
 
Most of the rest of the 68K software I use just works.

[Iggy]

Chuck had a good point.
And not only is WDC still around, but they promoting FPGA use (they have a design based on one that supercedes the 65C816).
 
I don't know that FPGAs are fast enough for the main processor (they could aid in an accurate emulation of the 68K), but FPGAs and other programmable logic could be used for video, I/O, and glue circuitry.
 
Its quite possible for an individual (or a group) to design a powerful new system without custom chips.
 
We could set up a forum right here for proposals, interaction, and cooperative development. If its not a commercial product, no one claiming IP property rights could stop us from developing it.

[Iggy]

The other option that occurred to me was to ask Great Valley Products. Just look at the board in that photo:
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Valley_Products
 
Anyone with the talent to build a 40 MHZ accelerator certainly has the ability to build a computer that is worth our time. Amiga users should have the moxy to sign a petition and ask them!!!
 
They are still in business, they make an impressive product and here is their website:
http://www.gvp-m.com/

GVP-M is not the same company.
They just hold the right to the hardware.