Whatever happend to the Coldfire project?

[BADHead]

@Kronos
Bvision is not a stupid idea some of us want to retain
there Amigas (A1200) in there original case (or try too)

My A1200 stands a inch high with a flat panel on top

[amimonkey]

Me wants! Me wants! I'm aquiring an old A2000 for free, and one of these would REALLY REALLY make it rock :-)

This is a project in the TRUE Amiga tradition...

Ian

[bloodline]

although... if you port Aros to the Coldfire when its out maybe I could make a one off.

It's 68K compatible, right? then your wish wil be along soonish  :-o (we already have a 68K build of AROS,  for the Dragonball CPU)

Once at Port to the Amiga has been done, it shouldn't take more than an adjustment of the Compiler settings to get it output Coldfire happy code.  :-D

[N7VQM]

bloodline wrote:

Once at Port to the Amiga has been done, it shouldn't take more than an adjustment of the Compiler settings to get it output Coldfire happy code.  :-D

I bet that would be blindingly fast. Not that 68K code won't be!

I'd be interested in a card with a VGA chip on it.  I even wouldn't mind if VGA memory had to to shared with main memory.   :-D

[amigamad]

I will buy one when you get them fininshed .

[jdiffend]

There are some points I should make here (bad and good)...

BAD:
1. The emulation isn't 100%.  Some stuff will never run on it without being recompiled, rewritten or patched.
2. User mode emulation has between a 10% and 20% speed penalty... running the emulation on the OS will be worse since the 5407 doesn't have a supervisor stack pointer.
3. No FPU and current math libs probably won't be compatible thanks to differences in the MPY/DIV and other instructions.
4. Motorola has seemed reluctant or slow to publicly release any parts based on the V4e or V5 core.  (though someone at HP seemed to have access to a V4e part)
5. All that stuff Oli put on the board still needs drivers.
6. Has Oli even gotton the Amiga ROM to boot yet?

Good:
1. Future parts are supposed to have a supervisor stack pointer, FPU and MMU (though the FPU and MMU probably won't be compatible).
2. Future parts on Motorola's roadmap indicate speeds in the 800+Mhz range.
3. Future parts with multiple CPU cores.  If the exec supported multiple CPUs that would be a very quick machine.  Two 800Mhz cores wouldn't offer the peak performance of a 1.6Ghz CPU but could be faster at multiple tasks at the same time and multi-treaded apps.
4. Future parts that can be used (V4 core and above) will have built in USB and 10/100 interfaces... (hopefully on the same part).  Possibly other devices as well.
Personally I want High Speed USB 2.0, 10/100 and IDE.  They have already released parts with USB, 10/100 and/or IDE and with the way the Coldfire is designed they could easily be added to any Coldfire core.
5. If Oli gets the AmigaOS to boot, porting AROS would be pretty easy.

[Dr_Righteous]

AROS on an A4k with a ColdFusion upgrade.... Throw in native AGA support and suddenly you have the Amiga REPLACEMENT OS!  :-D

[jdiffend]

Once I get my Coldfire dev board (in a couple weeks) I'll see about porting AROS to it.  It's a V2 core though so some changes would be needed for a V4.

[heimert]

@oli_hd
Apart from being a boat seller (according to your homepage), do you have any other qualifications necessary to run a project like this?

[Prmetime]

I can think of a couple of reasons this would be a good thing. Besides the fact that it would just be cool to take my A3000s along into the future with me instead of having them hopelessly outdated that is.  Granted the software probably won't be updated much but the existing software I do have would fly!
Yet I digress. :-)

The two reasons I was talking about.  AOS 4 is currently being developed on a 68k base.  For all of us fanatics that still have a "Classic" Amiga, they could release a version of AOS4 still in the 68k form and sell copies for those of us that want to keep the classic machines.  The other thing I would like to see is a replacement board for the A600.  Imagine a new MB with the same keyboard connector, a Coldifre as the processor, All USB (no legacy ports), and onboard video of some sort.  Even an integrated Intel or Sis chipset is more up to date than, not to mention an old Virge 3D like the one on the CV64 3D is better than the original chipset.  Plus you would have the coolest looking Amiga yet!   :-D   Hey, if you are going to dream, you may as well dream big!!!

[amimonkey]

@heimert

Erm... who cares - as long as he can pull it off!?

:-)

Ian

[Revener]

yeah!! I love it I want one for my A500, A1200 and A3000.


 :-)  ;-)  8-)

[heimert]

@amimonkey

Erm... who cares - as long as he can pull it off!?

Noone I suppose, but I do think that knowing his qualifications will give me a pretty good indication on if this project ever will materialize or not. It would also be interesting to know if there are other developers involved.

I think the question should be: Can he pull it off?

[Oli_hd]

Hi,

@oli_hd
Apart from being a boat seller (according to your homepage), do you have any other qualifications necessary to run a project like this?

Ermm, basically none, I have done a few basic designs (CDTV bits) but not actually built any of them.
But I have a lot of time, am willing to learn and money to burn  :-D

but I do think that knowing his qualifications will give me a pretty good indication on if this project ever will materialize or not.

Well one prototype has already be made, another one will be here soon. (Just had an e-mail back from the company so things are moving again)
As for actual qualifications, I dont have any, if I want a bit of paper to say Im smart I will print one myself.  :-D
(joke)
 

It would also be interesting to know if there are other developers involved.

Nope but Motorola have been a great help as they published designs showing how to hook everything up, including schematics to connect the V3 Coldfire in place of a 68020 CPU as well as PAL equations and a free support line (Which I have used once)

I think the question should be: Can he pull it off?

Yep, I have gone in to this in a real pro way, spent loads on software and the Motorola dev board, not to mention the cost of this 4 layer prototype, I could have bought the best A1 for what I have spend so far. :-(
(PS: that just shows that Im keen and not if I will pull it off but I will try my very very best.)

[Karlos]

Oli_hd,

I think I speak for the majority when I say it doesn't matter diddly what qualifications you do/do not have. The fact you already have a prototype (working or not) is proof enough you can cut the mustard.

I sincerely wish you well and maybe your work will be a lease of life for all those systems left in the dark by the move to PPC.

I'd certianly be interesed in a coldfire a1200 to play with :-D

[jdiffend]

There is a huge difference between a non-working prototype and a production board.  And he hasn't even demonstrated a 5407 can run the AmigaOS yet.

I won't say he can't do it.. but at this point he hasn't done it so we need to wait and see.