Amiga games machine

[weirdami]

So, I've been using up my brain to figure out how there is even any possible way for there to be a new kind of computer, like how Amiga was when it first came out. Pretty much, the only thing I can think of is that the only new kinds of "computer" that have come out lately are games machines (consoles). There is no hardware difference between a windows box and macintosh box anymore, so the only new thing coming out in the personal computer arena are OS's. So, really, if people want new "Amiga" hardware, the only way I can think of is for AI to become a console maker and rock the super graphics game house to the ground, as it were. :-) Someone would just need to come out with an add-on to make the games machine be a home computer dealy for those people that want to do that sort of thing.

[amigakid]

HEHE yeah Mac sold out didn't they, now all the difference is OSX Tiger or what ever and honestly I like Vista Enterprise just as much as Tiger (Yes I have both) so really there to me isn't much of a difference except for price, Mac is still damn expensive...Funny huh.

[weirdami]

Well, even before the Intel switch, the only difference from a windows box was the PPC chip. Macintosh stopped being different, really, once you could buy peripherals without buying mac specific ones.

[TrevorDick]

HEHE yeah Mac sold out didn't they, now all the difference is OSX Tiger or what ever and honestly I like Vista Enterprise just as much as Tiger (Yes I have both) so really there to me isn't much of a difference except for price, Mac is still damn expensive...Funny huh.

Yes Apple is able to trade on the "anti-windows" sentiment and  that coupled with "stylish" hardware and clever marketing means they can charge more for their product. However, you must remember that Apple have been around for a long time and their hardware has always been expensive. They are still around though, unlike Commodore!

TrevorDick

[coldfish]

If Ainc ever ventured into consoles the results would be something like the the Infinium/Phantom rort.

http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/true-infinium-stories-the-73-million-phantom.ars

The computer market is all stitched up and so are consoles, anyone hoping to do anything meaningful in these markets with (non free) alternatives had better bring a billion dollar cheque book and a LOT of marketing clout.

[foleyjo]

@TrevorDick --- Check www.commodoreworld.com and you will find Commodore is around and about to start releasing PC's dedicated to Gaming

[Tomas]

That might have been true with xbox, but the ps2, xbox 360 and ps3 all use some kind of custom like chipset.
All of these could have been great in my opinion if they came with a keyboard, mouse and was a open architecture. The main reason why consoles suck today is because they are completely closed, while the amiga was completely open for anyone to develop on.

[Tomas]

foleyjo wrote:
@TrevorDick --- Check www.commodoreworld.com and you will find Commodore is around and about to start releasing PC's dedicated to Gaming

But what is special about them?? It is just a completely standard pc just that it has a commodore sticker on them. I bet they even use a motherboard from a manufactor like asus, msi, abit or similar.

[TrevorDick]

@foleyjo

Check www.commodoreworld.com and you will find Commodore is around and about to start releasing PC's dedicated to Gaming

Yes I know about Commodore gaming. I visited them in the Netherlands recently.  The are making very high specced gaming PC's with very "cool" case designs and motifs.  I quite like their retro "Commodore" case design.  I was referring Commodore Inc company of the PET, VIC20, C64 and Amiga fame.

[jorkany]

I think it would be a wasted effort to try to come up with a new fully custom computer, but what I think could work is a fully open graphics card, or full open A/V card, which works on standard buses.

Sure, there are open drivers out there, but with the hardware DRM built into Windows Vista those drivers will soon be history. Once all hardware is thoroughly DRM'd you can pretty much forget about innovation in graphics hardware as industry, the true customer market for Vista, will favor the lowest common denominator.

As far as a games machine goes, what about the GP2X? It's new, and it's open to development. I wonder what the Amiga community would think of a GP2X derivative in an all-in-one case with keyboard and mouse that connected to a television.

[foleyjo]

@trev--It may have different owners now but its still Commodore as long as its got the Chicken Head logo. Commodore never went away it just got lost and now some kind owners are bringing it back.
From what you said we could claim Codemasters is no longer around because its not the same company that gave us classics like Dizzy.
Im a big Chicken Head fan you may have guessed :lol:

As for GP2X the handhelds scene reminds me so much of the Amiga scene. It would be great if there was a way to run Amiga software on it without the aid of UAE.
Like WHDLOAD for GP2X.
Prob just a dream

*Just realised it may sound like im trying to start an argument. That is not the case. I just waited years not giving up hope that Commodre would one say be back and now that they are I dont want anyone to spoil it for me**

[TrevorDick]

@foleyjo

Just realised it may sound like im trying to start an argument. That is not the case. I just waited years not giving up hope that Commodre would one say be back and now that they are I dont want anyone to spoil it for me

No offence taken. :-)  I am also a Commodore fan and collect Commodore 8-bit and 32-bit machines and their derivatives.  Commodore (mainly in Europe) sold a lot of Commodore branded PC's to their business customers.  It's just that IMHO Commodore will forever be associated with the PET/64 & Amiga and not the PC.

However, I wish the new Commodore every success and I will eventually buy one of their super PC based games machines with a Retro C64 design case.

TrevorDick

[guru-666]

ohh  no not this again!  good luck... and don't forget "ignorance is bliss".

[AmigaMan]

I totally agree about the custom chipset. As I have said years ago, custom chips is the only way to go if you want to be different from al the others.
Using a NVidia GPU will not create an Amiga that can do more than any WindowsBox, only special 'better than the rest' hardware will.

And yes, I still think an Amiga comeback is TECHNICALLY possible. Today is no different from the situation Jay Miner was in 20 years ago, only further up the road.
Some people say, development is to an end, nothing to be done anymore. That's not true, that's never true.

The power of Amiga should be the mix of a gameconsole and 'office' capabilities. As it was 20 years ago.

[BillHarrison]

This is honestly the ONLY logical way I could see the Amiga making a comeback.  We have PC's, which is market maxed out, commodity hardware elcheapo land.  

We have game consoles, which are subsidized, and sold below cost to make up money later on hardware and accessories.

Make an "Amiga" kickass games console (Granted, the logisitics of such a thing is well beyond anyone associated with amiga right now), then also let on that its a "Sweet" office / home computer as well.

Really what made the Amiga the first time around.  Selling it purely as a pc replacement wont fly these days.  It has to have that "Special" niche, and for the amiga it always was graphics and sound.  Why not make it those again, except TOP notch Gaming graphics and sound!