Any REAL collectors?

[Tahoe]

Now here is something you don't see everyday!
Considering it myself, pretty cult owning one

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1247&item=5156514533&rd=1

[icbrkr]

Yep, I've been bidding on it... and I got outbid!  Grrr.

[spavatch]

Wow! :-o A piece of history... :-)

[Cyberus]

I used to test little X-ray detectors on wafers like that using a probe station...

Those wafers, especially if there's a small run, can cost a LOT of money to produce.

[MiAmigo]

I especially like the write-up accompanying the bid. I sure would like to see the Amiga regain its rightful place at the forefront of technology, that it once held. "It is a dream I have." And a sad dream it is!  :getmad:

[Jeff]

I have it on my watch list. I think another Amiga wafer is up now too, Agnus I believe.  I couldn't find it just now though.  I would love to have one of them but many people seem to have deeper pockets on eBay than I do :-o

Jeff

[leewebb]

@Jeff:

Agnus wafer:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3543&item=8162321947&rd=1

My only concern is the authenticity of these as the photos appear to be stock ones available on the Internet:

Gary:
http://emulazione.multiplayer.it/cbmitapages/foto/nocomm/5719R4_1.jpg
http://emulazione.multiplayer.it/cbmitapages/foto/nocomm/5719R4_2.jpg
http://emulazione.multiplayer.it/cbmitapages/foto/nocomm/5719R4_3.jpg

Agnus wafer:
http://www.retromadness.com/oddbits/fatagnus.htm

Can anyone vouch for them?

[Jeff]

Wow, you're right.  Good bit of detective work on your part.  It doesn't matter too much to me as I won't be bidding on them.
 :-D

[lordv]

By the way, does anybody know if there are still unsold amiga (a1200) chipsets available somewhere? Is there any verilog/whatsoever description of amiga chipset? The amiga (with its hardware) must live forever, but what we have - will die sooner or later. It would be possible to re-create full amiga chipset within some modern FPGA's.

[rayt]

Maybe these 68k notebook guys should bid on this :lol:

[Castellen]

@lordv

I was waiting for the "wow, we can produce new Amiga custom chips now!" discussion to start back up :-P

The basic answer is no, see the lengthy thread on it here:
http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=13188

[lordv]

@Castellen:

what 'no'?

No unsold source of amiga chipsets or - impossible to re-create amiga chipset from descriptions, if there are some?
Other ways are of course impossible.

..otherwise, the amiga would die forever.

[Castellen]

The discussions in that thread pretty much explain everything.

There is probably a few unsold (new old stock) of the devices somewhere, no idea where or how many.  The other question is who is going to do the repairs?  I only know of a handfull of people around the world who do any real detailed Amiga repairs down to component level.

As for making new devices.  The two main problems is that there is no known "internal" documentation on them.  And re-creating some of the logic elements using modern FPGAs and the like would be extremely difficult to get working due to timing issues.

So in short, you'd better look after what you've got :-)

[bloodline]

lordv wrote:
@Castellen:

what 'no'?

No unsold source of amiga chipsets or - impossible to re-create amiga chipset from descriptions, if there are some?
Other ways are of course impossible.

..otherwise, the amiga would die forever.

You had better read the thread.

Forget about the custom chips. :-)

[Holley]

Amigas will live forever - with MinitITX boards mounted in A500 cases running UAE :-D

Most Amigas still in use will at least live to a ripe old age as those who still have them (mostly) cherish them.