potential PPC Amiga REAL CHEAP

[billt]

Ack, just realized how old the post I replied to was, that was probably beaten to death since then.

[Hammer]

billt wrote:
Ack, just realized how old the post I replied to was, that was probably beaten to death since then.

Convince Foxconn(WinFast graphic card fame)(ODM of Apple’s Mac-Mini) and ASUS(everybody should already know this ODM)(ODM of Apple’s Powerbook) to release bare bone PPC based products.

[Louis Dias]

http://www.qoobchip.com/index.php

Things just keep getting easier...

lou_dias wrote:
http://www.qoobchip.com/index.php

Things just keep getting easier...

So does this thing allow you to burn a GC ISO to a mini DVD+R and play it on your gamecube?

[billt]

>Convince Foxconn(WinFast graphic card fame)(ODM of Apple’s
>Mac-Mini) and ASUS(everybody should already know this
>ODM)(ODM of Apple’s Powerbook) to release bare bone PPC based products.


Brush up on your marketing and speaking skills, put together a decent business proposal describing how they can make money at this, and make yourself some appointments with these guys to discuss it with them. And remember, these people are accustomed to selling in quantities of hundreds of thousands, not hundreds or maybe thousands. These companies don't read Amiga forums, so you have to take this stuff to them.

Discussing ideas here is fun and all, but won't get anything done or started.

Keep in mind that they will want to know how they will make big bucks on such a thing, they aren't looking for a charitable cause to support. Who will pay any OS4 licensing fees? Why should they pay it? How many units can they sell, and at what retail, and at what cost to them?

If you don't know how much components or licenses cost, you do not have a business proposal. If you do not have a good idea of how many units they can sell, you do not have a business proposal. If you do not have a good reason for them to pay any OS licensing fees that will result in big returns to them, then you do not have a business proposal.

Once you've got answers to the sorts of things an MBA will ask of you, then you can start talking to the businessmen who make such decisions. Such discussions have already shown that no one else here is going to do that for you, so if you aren't up to doing something like this, then the idea is toast before you discuss it here.

Now, get to work!

[Louis Dias]

mdma wrote:

lou_dias wrote:
http://www.qoobchip.com/index.php

Things just keep getting easier...

So does this thing allow you to burn a GC ISO to a mini DVD+R and play it on your gamecube?

The mod chip will allow you to play MP3 files, it includes an MP3 player.

The Linux package (www.gc-linux.org) has ATAPI DVDROM drivers now that will read a full 5" DVD.  If you open your gamecube, you will notice that the drive head can span a full 5" CD/DVD disc.  However when it stops at the outer limit of a 3" by default when powered down.  So I assume reading the extra inch of radius is just a programming issue which they have overcome.  This leads me to believe that the only difference in hardware, as far as the drives go, between the Panasonic Q and the Gamecube is the default stop/start position of the drive head...and that may just be a ROM issue...  Hence the case mods that allow for 5" discs to be used only require a case mod and appropriate SOFTWARE and no expensive DRIVE change.  Right now you can get the case mod and qoob chip for $75 as a bundle.

So much for the propriety 3" disc issue...
Never the less, how many standalone Amiga apps couldn't fit on a 1.8GB miniDVD disc?  Most don't even fill up a 650MB cd.  To me the disc size/capacity was NEVER an issue.  But the hatemongers needed something to chime about.

[adolescent]

Viper, Qoob, and Ninja mods have been out for a long time.  There is no software issue (or hardware) to overcome to load full size DVD-Rs other than the standard streaming problems which plague certain games (note: illegal use).  If you take the case off, you can use full size DVD-Rs.  Mini DVD-R is hit and miss in quality, and most can't be read without adjusting the GC laser.

How this will help the OS4 port, it won't.  There's still a lack of a local writeable filesystem.  Things like SDLoad aren't usuable or fast enough to be used for local storage.  And, no other HD exists.  

True, the Linux is progressing.  But, I'd say it's about where Xbox Linux was 1-2 years ago (as well as being slower, and having less supported hardware).  Sorry, it's still not even a viable computing platform for Linux, much less OS4.

[Louis Dias]

Well, the Linux distribution not includes support for a network drive file system.  So while you won't have ATA133 speeds, it's fast enough for launching applications.  That's how all my business apps ran at a company I was working for from 1999-2002.

For a typical user running browsing, email, word processing and games (CD/DVD based) it more than accomplishes this task.  It would run circles around an '060 based amiga and a Blizzrd/Phase5 PPC'd Amiga once the apps were in memory.  Eventually drivers will be written for the adapter I own that gives me a ps2 keyboard/mouse connector into a controller port.  A keyboard already works on games like Phantasy Star Online 1-3 and a couple of other games released for the 'Cube.

For someone looking to run OS4 and some games and surf the web, it's got the power.  Much more power than any classic & expanded "real" Amiga.

The nice thing about the qoob chip is that is has 2Mbit of flash memory for a custom bios that can, for instance, boot an OS from the network, SD card or DVD drive.  It also give you a USB port.  Ain't that nice.

[Tripitaka]

Wow! I can't believe this thread is still going. I think I would rather see OS4 on an XBOX 360. Anyone willing to give it a go? I would be willing to do graphics for that free. I'm an artist however, not a programmer, so I couldn't code it myself. Of course, the 360's not out yet, but not long to wait. :inquisitive:

[Louis Dias]

That's fine about the 360, it's PPC but an unknown platform.  The GC is well known and could be done faster and offers a potential simple upgrade to the Revolution hardware....

Also, if you read all the 'next-gen' news on the gaming sites, some developers have said that they may only use one core out of the 3 in the 360 because no one knows how to take advantage of it yet...which would make it only twice as powerful as the current XBOX.  I'll try to find the article...

[Louis Dias]

after a bit of searching:

http://www.ps3forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3833

http://www.ps3forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3532

Nintendo's claims of a system that is 3-4 times more powerful than the Gamecube not seem reasonable and possibly better than the PS3 and XBOX 360.  If they stay with a dual-core OoO executing cpu and provide a dedicated sound processor (unlike the 360 and PS3 who will use a thread or dedicate an SPE), you may be surprsied afterall on who has the most powerful system.

From the desktop OS perspective, an in-order cpu (360) is far from ideal.

[Tripitaka]

lou_dias wrote:
after a bit of searching:

http://www.ps3forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3833

http://www.ps3forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3532

Nintendo's claims of a system that is 3-4 times more powerful than the Gamecube not seem reasonable and possibly better than the PS3 and XBOX 360.  If they stay with a dual-core OoO executing cpu and provide a dedicated sound processor (unlike the 360 and PS3 who will use a thread or dedicate an SPE), you may be surprsied afterall on who has the most powerful system.

From the desktop OS perspective, an in-order cpu (360) is far from ideal.

I am always open minded with new consoles. I will give it a read.
Any chance of Amiga DE on the DS to go with the OS4 Gamecube? That would kick ass!

[Louis Dias]

Tripitaka wrote:

I am always open minded with new consoles. I will give it a read.
Any chance of Amiga DE on the DS to go with the OS4 Gamecube? That would kick ass!

Just picture a Revolution port that allows downloading applications to the DS!  Now you'd have portable Amiga apps running on Nintendo DS hardware.  Now that would be Revolutionary.

[Louis Dias]

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=510&Itemid=2

about coding these new systems...

if Nintendo stays with an OoO REAL G5, it will be potent

[Tripitaka]

I read the article above. :inquisitive: Interestng stuff indeed :inquisitive:. Being the owner of quite a few consoles at the momment I wonder what to do with them when they get replaced by newer stuff. So far my N64(with V64) and Dreamcast still get used but with 2 gamecubes, XBOX and GBA things could get a bit silly come yet another generation. I have 2 NES, a powermac and 2 CD32's in my loft as it is. It's not a space issue with me, I just need to find a role for my hardware to make it worth keeping.
The Mac I intend fixing up for video (it has the cards but needs a new hard drive or two) and I may have a role for one of my CD32s soon .
So what's my point?
Well I guess what I am saying is that 2 Amiga OS Gamecubes would find a place alongside my A1200 very nicely when the revolution comes out......just one question:

ARE WE ALL JUST TALKING OR IS SOMEONE GOING TO GIVE IT A TRY? :huh:

[Louis Dias]

Well, AROS is the best we can get without any support from Hyperion.  I couldn't find any PPC port of AROS but since the source is available, anything is possible.

Since the qoob mod chip has 2MB of flash memory for custom BIOS's...I'm sure Hyperion could get there 'UBOOT'(I think that's what it's called) BIOS code ported to it with a quickness.  But would they...  Heck, didn't they open source that?  Now if they only would open-source the OS4 HAL...

I already own 1 of these: http://www.mayflash.com/gc/gc020/GC%20020-1.asp

Another would let me plug in both a keyboard and mouse...however, the qoob chip PRO version includes a USB port...so there are possibilities there as well.