Final Call for the MiniMig (at least from me)?

[Illuwatar]

I have been off from these projects for a while due to other reasons, but I haven't lost the interest of it. Also, a few of my PCB's actually got sold to happy users out there. But this thread is more about the future...

Recently, I had a look at the FPGAarcade project and it seems like it still not playing any games (or I have missed out something). The project is amazing and I will certainly buy a board when it runs Turrican or Silkworm. But that leaves the MiniMig 1.1 and my 2.0 as the only options that actually run games without having an actual Amiga or an software emulator running off a different host.

So the "Final Call" is a check for any updated version of my MiniMig 2.0. My plans is then to basically incorporate all features that could be hacked on to a 1.1 - the ARM-controller by Yaqube and the 4MB RAM piggy-back add-on. All other parts of the design would be the same as the 2.0. If the interest is large enough, I would consider a design update of my PCB and a prototype run. If (when) it works out well, the question of pushing the price down is an issue and that involves parts and assembly. That would require help from someone in the industry.

Please comment and give me a clue of what to do - if the MiniMig in it's current form should evolve or just fade away in the wait for the FPGAarcade board?

[Everblue]

I'm still holding my breath for Clone-A.

But not for much longer.

[Darrin]

As a Minimig-ARM-4MB owner/user I have to say that if you update your 2.0 board to incorporate all of these features then it would be one killer games machine.

Apart from the S-Video out and the nicer board design, there's not a good reason for me to upgrade to one of your boards, but you can put my name down for one anyway and I'll donate my old Minimig to my kids.

One question though, is there any way to incorporate a printer port so that the Minimig can use word processor software, etc without doing a serial link to a PC?

Regards,

Darrin

[SamuraiCrow]

I'm still holding my breath for Clone-A.

But not for much longer.

The last AGA patent expires next year so you may not need to wait much longer for Clone-AA.

[Illuwatar]

The problem with adding more features requiring new ports one the MiniMig design it the FPGA - it does not have any more I/O left. That's why the FPGAarcade deserves it's place - it uses a much larger FPGA (both I/O's and gates), allowing for more fun stuff to be hooked up and implemented. For that kind of expansions, the MiniMig design is a dead end.

One possible way to solve just the parallel port thing could be through the ARM-controller. Let the ARM emulate a parallel port and hook up the physical port to the ARM through suitable buffers. That would require some serious work in both the ARM and the FPGA. Yaqube - where are you ?

[Everblue]

Problem regarding Clone-A is, if not please correct me, that no one knows what form it will take:

1. Amiga in a joystick?
2. ATX compatible board?
3. Complete amiga in a proper box?

The possibilities are endless, the mind boggles.

[SamuraiCrow]

@Nostromo

You forgot option 4.  

4.  A collection of scandoublers for existing Amiga hardware.  ;-)

[Darrin]

The problem with adding more features requiring new ports one the MiniMig design it the FPGA - it does not have any more I/O left. That's why the FPGAarcade deserves it's place - it uses a much larger FPGA (both I/O's and gates), allowing for more fun stuff to be hooked up and implemented. For that kind of expansions, the MiniMig design is a dead end.

One possible way to solve just the parallel port thing could be through the ARM-controller. Let the ARM emulate a parallel port and hook up the physical port to the ARM through suitable buffers. That would require some serious work in both the ARM and the FPGA. Yaqube - where are you ?

Ah, cheers for that.  I was forgetting about the lack of I/O options.

The alternative is a serial cable to a PC and using software to mount the PC's printer.

[Everblue]

@Samurai Chow

I hope not

[SamuraiCrow]

The point I was trying to make is that the Indivision AGA basically replaces the Lisa chip's functionality with an external board that can do 2.5x the scan rates of existing AGA chipsets.  The Indivision ECS has dual-head support.

Individual Computers is milking the Clone-A chip designs for all they are worth already.  Things can only get more involved from here.  I expect we will all be pleasantly surprised when the last AGA patent expires.

[Crumb]

@Illuwatar

I lack the technical knowledge so forgive my ignorance but wouldn't be easier to use Tobiflexx core and get rid of the arm&68k&pic chips? I think that the design could be made cheaper removing these three chips (tobiflexx core does *all* 68k&arm&pic chips do but without the need of these additional "useless" chips that make the design more expensive and more complex).

I think that a board that used tobiflexx core and had digital out for sound, a powerful fpga, DVI out and its DAC has 8bits per colour channel would be more interesting now and in the future too if AGA was ever implemented.

IMHO releasing so many modifications of original Dennis release does not make much sense. Getting rid of additional chips that make the design expensive, time consuming and more complex would be a good idea.

Just my 2cents.

-edit- Tobiflexx core works on Altera DE-1 and DE-2 boards.

BTW, even if this would lack any sense it would be funny that the board included pins in the side of the board for something like an A500 cpu slot (perhaps it's not so easy... or even better A2000 cpu slot to connect a Blizzard2060 just for fun), a clockport (it's easy and would be funny to connect subway USB to it). If MiniMig included a cpu slot for 680x0 cpus it should be for a 68060 but that would probably need a lot of work as it would be a whole 060 computer...

now back to reality: something with a powerful FPGA like an Altera DE-2, without PIC/ARM/68K and with decent video/gfx output would be nice.

[jkonstan]

An updated version of MiniMig 2 would be a good idea:
1. Use the ARM-controller by Yaqube along with the ARM Reflash USB connector.
2. Use 4MB SRAM (QTY=2 of CY7C10612DV33=> 2 x 1Megx16 )
3. Since FPGA is out of I/O, you could include a small Xilinx CPLD & some transceivers  (74LCX16245) on  68K bus to add a real IDE interface with A600/Gayle register set & 44pin IDE connector.
4. Connector with 68K bus on it.

[kolla]

OK, I just have to ask - why stop at 4MB RAM? Why not 8MB, or even 10MB?
My old A500 has a GVP HD8+ and 8MB FastRAM - on Minimig, with ARM controller, lots of floppy drives and HD images, the more RAM the better. 1.5MB chip + 8MB "other RAM" would be excellent for a machine like this, and much more fitting for the 28MHz CPU. Anything less, and there wont be much benefit over Minimig 1.1 + ARM controller.

Oh yeah - RTC, dont forget battery backed RTC.

Heck, while I'm on it... add cheap ethernet controller, maybe with a RTL chip, or simulate lance/amd am7990 (A2065/Ariadne) in FPGA or something, and it's best amiga clone ever already

[Dwyloc]

@Illuwatar
I already own a minimig with an arm addon board but I would be intrested in a mini-itx board with the ram upgrade and arm board included as standard.

I also know a few other former amiga owners that would like them if they could be purchased for about the same price as the existing minimig boards but with the upgrades as standard.  The ability to use a standard pc mini-itx board would also be a good selling point rather than requiring a special expensive custom case.

[mcostanza]

Problem regarding Clone-A is, if not please correct me, that no one knows what form it will take:

1. Amiga in a joystick?
2. ATX compatible board?
3. Complete amiga in a proper box?

The possibilities are endless, the mind boggles.

I would love to see a Clone-A in a A1000 like mini-pizza box package with a detached keyboard. That would be cool...

Regards,
MC