FPGA Replay Board

[kedawa]

Does the hardware provide direct access to the digital audio within the audio logic?
Real Amigas have integrated DACs, so there's no way to get digital audio output, but it should be possible to bypass the DACs in FPGA implementations of the platform.

Having digital audio to go along with the digital video signal would be really nice.

[freqmax]

Selling the FPGA Replay Board with an OEM copy of AmigaForever would probably be the simplest solution, until the Kickstart replacement is completed.

The AROS m68k ROM is supposed to be completed at 2011-03-31, ie in 20 days. I guess the FPGA Replay Board won't be done in that time.

[wawrzon]

i think the bounty has already been approved complete, which doesnt mean you can run just any 68k application fine. this will be ongoing work for yet some time.

[mikej]

"Does the hardware provide direct access to the digital audio within the audio logic?
Real Amigas have integrated DACs, so there's no way to get digital audio output, but it should be possible to bypass the DACs in FPGA implementations of the platform.

Having digital audio to go along with the digital video signal would be really nice. "

Yes if required. The FPGA can output the signals which would go the DAC as spdif coded, so you just need to buffer an IO pin. I was thinking of adding a connector for this on the daughter board.
MikeJ

[espskog]

"Does the hardware provide direct access to the digital audio within the audio logic?
Real Amigas have integrated DACs, so there's no way to get digital audio output, but it should be possible to bypass the DACs in FPGA implementations of the platform.

Having digital audio to go along with the digital video signal would be really nice. "

Yes if required. The FPGA can output the signals which would go the DAC as spdif coded, so you just need to buffer an IO pin. I was thinking of adding a connector for this on the daughter board.
MikeJ

How is the daughterboard coming along ? Would be cool to see some specs for its current revision. Just so we have something to fuel our excitement yet another notch on the drool-scale :-D

//Espen

[espskog]

Even though this board is MiniITX, it would be cool that someone could custom made a plastic casing that is perfectly made for the replay board + additional holes for the daughterboard connectors. That way we'd have a very small footprint.

Like the cool ones made for the MiniMig boards. With such a small box, it could easily be glued/taped to the back of a sexy looking LCD, making it a killer setup if you add a wireless keyboard and mouse like the ones from Apple etc.

//Espen

[freqmax]

If mikej posts dimensional specifications with a no guarantee disclaimer, it could be done.

There could be a market for a board that joins S/P-dif and DVI into an integrated HDMI signal

[espskog]

If mikej posts dimensional specifications with a no guarantee disclaimer, it could be done.

There could be a market for a board that joins S/P-dif and DVI into an integrated HDMI signal

This might be a job for the daughterboard then :-)
OR a daughterboard on the daughterboard....a grand-daughterboard :laughing:

[freqmax]

Problem is that HDMI lawyer monsters will attack you..

So such board can't be sold.. but it can be etched

[eb15]

i think the bounty has already been approved complete, which doesnt mean you can run just any 68k application fine. this will be ongoing work for yet some time.

Just to further explain the situation, the bounty requirements may be fulfilled but those requirements weren't asking for a complete and 100% AmigaDOS 3.1 binary compatible rom image.  That's more of a longer term goal.   Certain drivers aren't yet completed for fully supporting the Amiga hardware in the AROS kickstart and some things have never been started, even in the mainline aros code base, such as a printer.device.

[freqmax]

Maybe it can be made to work rudimentary?

I think we can live without printer.device for some time

[wawrzon]

you can download the nightly and throw it at your winuae to see for youreself how far things are working already.

[espskog]

Problem is that HDMI lawyer monsters will attack you..

So such board can't be sold.. but it can be etched

So, how about "giving" it away -- or just "accidentally" having the HDMI attached without the connector ? =)

[mikej]

http://www.fpgaarcade.com/common/fpgaarcade_replay_b01_dimensions.pdf

I have provided complete placement data for interested people as well. As the production board moves the SD connector a little I would wait a bit longer ...

Loads of DVI + audio to HDMI combiner boxes out there :
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-SPDIF-Toslink-Converter-Adapter/dp/B0015YYOQQ

Personally, I just use a DVI to HDMI cable (same protocol) and wire the audio with a 3.5mm jack to RCA into the TV.

I should be getting more boards finished, but I'm busy watching loads of old amiga demos on the big plasma ....
/Mike

[freqmax]

Hmm.. Amiga Demo via SP-dif and HDMI on a 50" screen. Now that's quite a different experience than the enviroment under which they were created.

[espskog]

I have two adapters which enables you to connect PSX controllers to any amiga/c64. Which again means, wireless adapters should also work. Which then leads to the ability to have wireless joypads on the minimig/replayboard and in combination with a wireless kb+mouse you are all set for a very nifty gamingmachine :-)

//Espen