Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Author Topic: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)  (Read 4848 times)

Description:

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Dr_RighteousTopic starter

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2002
  • Posts: 1345
    • Show only replies by Dr_Righteous
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #14 on: November 29, 2005, 06:08:17 AM »
Actually, I realized I was calling for a complete computer on top of the A4000 board right after I wrote that... Really I was just trying to come up with a way to get around the PCI/Zorro bottleneck. And then of course throw in all the other modernizations to help out the old gal.

Of course I'd really love to see a board built from the ground up... Custom chips updated and placed on PLDs. Of course that would require some serious reverse engineering of the chips... Or someone creative enough to turn UAE into hardware.

Oh well, a guy can dream...
- Doc

A4000D, A3640 OC-36.3MHz, custom tower, Mediator A4000D. Diamond Banshee 16M, Indivision AGA 4000, GVP HC+8.

Mac Mini 1.5GHz, that might run MorphOS someday, when the fools who own it come to the realization that 30 minutes just isn\'t enough time to play with it enough to decide whether or not you like it enough to cough up $200.

 - Someone please design SOME kind of DIY accelerator for the A4000. :D -
 

Offline Dr_RighteousTopic starter

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2002
  • Posts: 1345
    • Show only replies by Dr_Righteous
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #15 on: November 29, 2005, 06:25:01 AM »
You know, there may not be that many of us A4000 users out here, but I KNOW many of us have A2000s... And there isn't a PCI upgrade, nor many high-end CPU upgrades for it... Perhaps a CPU/PCI combo could work here? Hell, it'd only take a handfull of chips.
- Doc

A4000D, A3640 OC-36.3MHz, custom tower, Mediator A4000D. Diamond Banshee 16M, Indivision AGA 4000, GVP HC+8.

Mac Mini 1.5GHz, that might run MorphOS someday, when the fools who own it come to the realization that 30 minutes just isn\'t enough time to play with it enough to decide whether or not you like it enough to cough up $200.

 - Someone please design SOME kind of DIY accelerator for the A4000. :D -
 

Offline coldfish

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2003
  • Posts: 731
    • Show only replies by coldfish
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #16 on: November 29, 2005, 09:41:25 AM »
I have to admit, everytime I see an old junked 030, 040 or PPC based Apple at my local computer salvage shop I still think, "Damn, If only I could rip the guts out of that and put it in an Amiga."

I think I may be long past buying anything new when it comes to Amiga.

 

Offline orange

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2003
  • Posts: 2797
    • Show only replies by orange
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #17 on: November 29, 2005, 10:02:10 AM »
That reminds me of link I found on slashdot.. interesting
Better sorry than worry.
 

Offline bloodline

  • Master Sock Abuser
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2002
  • Posts: 12114
    • Show only replies by bloodline
    • http://www.troubled-mind.com
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #18 on: November 29, 2005, 10:28:44 AM »
Quote

coldfish wrote:
I have to admit, everytime I see an old junked 030, 040 or PPC based Apple at my local computer salvage shop I still think, "Damn, If only I could rip the guts out of that and put it in an Amiga."



You could pick it up and run 68k AROS on it...

Offline Waccoon

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Apr 2002
  • Posts: 1057
    • Show only replies by Waccoon
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #19 on: November 29, 2005, 10:54:08 AM »
Quote
Coldfish:  Something has always bugged me about creating a new computer architecture, then attaching it to old hardware.

It's a bad Amiga habit.  I see no point in tuning up and old Amiga when a brand new computer could be made that just feels like the old one.  It's cheaper, too.

Quote
MskoDestny:  Someone needs to implement the basic Amiga chipset in FPGA and build a new system around that.

Why?  Just emulate everything.  The only software that needs the old chipset is the hardware bangin' stuff, and that generally doesn't get a speed boost.

I get annoyed when people say that a "genuine" chipset would offer more compatibility than an emulator.  The nice thing about WinUAE is that you can configure it many different ways.  I have a much harder time getting OCS games working with my A1200 than I do getting it to work with WinUAE.  I wish WinUAE had a better config management system.

Quote
Dr Righteous:  Or someone creative enough to turn UAE into hardware.

The holy grail of computing is to turn hardware into software, and we don't want to get into a situation where the hardware is built, and there's no way to improve compatibility later.  Wrappers for a GPU even a few years old would blow away any attempt at an updated AGA chipset.

You know what I want to see?  An affordable floppy reader.  If I could get a $40 USB floppy drive adapter for my PC that reads Amiga disks seamlessly with UAE, I'd buy it instantly.  I'm very, very disappointed that the AmigaOne doesn't have some kind of floppy adapter of any sort.  That alone would convince me it's not "just a Teron."

Quote
orange:  That reminds me of link I found on slashdot.. interesting

I've always wondered... if you enter a teleporter on Star Trek, do you die, and a mere physical copy of yourself takes your place?

I sure wouldn't want to be beamed all over the place... especially when I can drive my WRX.  :-D
 

Offline Amiga1200PPC

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Join Date: Sep 2002
  • Posts: 25
    • Show only replies by Amiga1200PPC
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #20 on: November 29, 2005, 11:23:33 AM »
Try the Catweasel.
 

Offline asian1

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2002
  • Posts: 1359
    • Show only replies by asian1
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #21 on: November 29, 2005, 12:03:34 PM »
Perhaps in the future there will be Accelerator PCIe card/Co-processor card based on PA SEMI Pwrficient SOC for running AmigaOS 4/AROS/Linux PowerPC/BSD PowerPC/MacOnLinux.

The card will be based on Slotserver or similar technology.

http://www.14south.com/

The connection to the main computer is through PCIe, Ethernet, Zorro (board with dual golden finger), dual ported ram or shared hard disk space.

Perhaps a card with dual bus design with jumper (PCIe or Zorro), similar to IRMA convertible:

http://www.dealtime.co.uk/xPF-Attachmate_Irma_3_Convertible_143207_65
 

Offline MskoDestny

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Join Date: Oct 2004
  • Posts: 363
    • Show only replies by MskoDestny
    • http://www.retrodev.com
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #22 on: November 29, 2005, 02:15:47 PM »
Quote

Waccoon wrote:
Quote
MskoDestny:  Someone needs to implement the basic Amiga chipset in FPGA and build a new system around that.

Why?  Just emulate everything.  The only software that needs the old chipset is the hardware bangin' stuff, and that generally doesn't get a speed boost.

Because real hardware is more fun. Besides it's obvious that emulators aren't satisfying everyone's desires. If they were we wouldn't see ridiculous prices on obsolete accelerators.

Quote
and we don't want to get into a situation where the hardware is built, and there's no way to improve compatibility later.

That's the beauty of programmable logic. Find a bug after the hardware ships? Just send out a firmware update. Assuming your hardware was designed with user-perform firmware updates in mind unlike say the Prometheus.

Quote
I've always wondered... if you enter a teleporter on Star Trek, do you die, and a mere physical copy of yourself takes your place?

There was an outer limits episode like this
 

Offline daydreamer

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Join Date: Oct 2002
  • Posts: 20
    • Show only replies by daydreamer
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #23 on: November 29, 2005, 03:17:37 PM »
Transportation as in Star Trek - I've seen Space Balls and Galaxy Quest, I hope I don't ever have to try it.
 

Offline minator

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2003
  • Posts: 592
    • Show only replies by minator
    • http://www.blachford.info
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #24 on: November 29, 2005, 04:31:18 PM »
Quote
I've always wondered... if you enter a teleporter on Star Trek, do you die, and a mere physical copy of yourself takes your place?


I believe in Star trek the idea is that you are transmitted to another place and reassembled so no.

However experiments have been performed which do what you say (thankfully not on people!).

 

Offline bloodline

  • Master Sock Abuser
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2002
  • Posts: 12114
    • Show only replies by bloodline
    • http://www.troubled-mind.com
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #25 on: November 29, 2005, 04:36:09 PM »
Quote

minator wrote:
Quote
I've always wondered... if you enter a teleporter on Star Trek, do you die, and a mere physical copy of yourself takes your place?


I believe in Star trek the idea is that you are transmitted to another place and reassembled so no.



But only information can be transmitted at any great speed (ie the speed of light), so it would make more sense to destroy the object/person at the source while mapping the exactly location of each particle (Heisenberg compensators on full power!), and then build and identical copy at the destination based on that information.

Offline billt

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2002
  • Posts: 910
    • Show only replies by billt
    • http://www.billtoner.net
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #26 on: November 29, 2005, 04:50:07 PM »
@MskoDestny

Quote

Someone needs to implement the basic Amiga chipset in FPGA and build a new system around that.


BoXeR tried and failed, and they had a good bit of money involved.

At this point, with OS4 no longer relying on the classic chipset, why must it be present at all? AmigaOne doesn't need it. If Troika works out that won't need it. (I refuse to call it Prometheus as I already bought an Amiga harware by that name, I wish Troika would rename theirs to something unique) There's no TECHNICAL reason OS4 couldn't run on Pegasos, only political, and it doesn't rely on the old chipset.

So I don't see any reason to have it at all anymore. Maybe Jeri will make an Amiga in a joystick someday to play classic games like Lemmings on TV or something, to complement the C64 joystick, but other than that I don't see any reason to bother anymore.
Bill T
All Glory to the Hypnotoad!
 

Offline billt

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2002
  • Posts: 910
    • Show only replies by billt
    • http://www.billtoner.net
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #27 on: November 29, 2005, 04:59:57 PM »
Quote
Really I was just trying to come up with a way to get around the PCI/Zorro bottleneck.


Get rid of Zorro completely. The Grex pretty much does that for you already bt going direct through the CSPPC's expansion connector and avoiding Zorro that Mediator is still subject to. I'm not sure what more beyond that you'd want from your proposed "fatherboard".

I know it's hard to find Grex, and I'm not sure how well OS4 supports it, but it is one already existing candidate for you.
Bill T
All Glory to the Hypnotoad!
 

Offline Doppie1200

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Join Date: May 2004
  • Posts: 497
    • Show only replies by Doppie1200
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #28 on: November 29, 2005, 07:26:05 PM »
Toss zorro? Emulate the chipset? mmmm....

I'm seeying alot of these upgrade threads about these days.
Question to all you guys and gals; what makes a piece of hardware that uses all kinds of modern techniques an Amiga?

The way I see it now is that these threads are about creating something that is somehow able to run amiga software without using an emulator and is thus an amiga. Sticking it in an old amiga case seems to add to the fun.

Now that thread about that A600 accelerator lately. That was a good idea!
Regards,
Erno

(O\\\\_|_/O) <- this is supposed to look like the front of my beetle
(entire front not possible in signature)
 

Offline Dr_RighteousTopic starter

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2002
  • Posts: 1345
    • Show only replies by Dr_Righteous
Re: The most ambitious hardware proposal ever... UAU (wow)
« Reply #29 from previous page: November 30, 2005, 04:12:00 AM »
@billt

Hmm, I never knew the GREX 4000D existed... I'd only ever seen the one for the Blizzard. Excellent! Now I know what to save my pennies for. Then of course comes the real trick... Finding one someone'd part with.

PS: I remember that Outer Limits episode... Spooky as f&%$!
- Doc

A4000D, A3640 OC-36.3MHz, custom tower, Mediator A4000D. Diamond Banshee 16M, Indivision AGA 4000, GVP HC+8.

Mac Mini 1.5GHz, that might run MorphOS someday, when the fools who own it come to the realization that 30 minutes just isn\'t enough time to play with it enough to decide whether or not you like it enough to cough up $200.

 - Someone please design SOME kind of DIY accelerator for the A4000. :D -