A little teaser

[matthey]

If there is ever one for the 1200 then sold. Although why only have MB's for RAM? $20NZD for 2GB DDR3.

Why not put a SODIMM/DIMM socket on the board and provide it without RAM. I have a couple of spare SIMM's here :-)

Soldered memory is more reliable and it keeps the complexity on the mass produced fpga board. There are multiple fpga boards with this style connector to choose from so it's cheaper just to buy a higher spec fpga board. More memory and features does draw more power so it's important to consider if the 1st boards will work in a 500 without upgrading the power supply. Different fpgas may require twice as much time synthesizing cores for 2 fpga boards.

Would prefer IDE/SATA connectors over an SD Card.

IDE takes high voltage by modern standards. SATA requires more expensive high speed transceivers although the cost of supporting it is falling. For now, the Amiga doesn't need much storage and an SD card is probably better than what most Amiga users use today for storage.

On the website it states initial tests faster than an 060, what speed 060 and do you have those benchmarks to share? :-)

There are no benchmarks to share as the Phoenix fpga CPU core has not booted an Amiga as far as I know. The Phoenix processor in something like a Cyclone V would probably be 100-150MHz. There is tons more memory bandwidth and plenty of logic for huge caches (32-64kB). The 68060 is superscalar which helps it but Phoenix will likely out muscle it. There is a mostly complete superscalar version of the Phoenix processor also. Each of the integer pipelines is more powerful than the pipes in the 68060 and it has the instruction fetch (from the memory bandwidth) to feed the hungry monster. It's entirely possible, if not likely, that this fpga CPU would eventually outperform the 68060 clock for clock. The Phoenix CPU has to boot AmigaOS first though.

More than 2MB chip RAM would be good too.

Adding chip memory inside the fpga is minor compared to implementing and debugging SAGA inside the fpga. The extra chip memory and AGA/SAGA gfx would only be available when using the DVI/HDMI output.

[Lurch]

Soldered memory is more reliable and it keeps the complexity on the mass produced fpga board.

Fair enough but I see from a previous link an identical board with 1GB as standard, why not use that? 256MB of RAM on my A1200 is the sweet spot for day to day use.

More memory and features does draw more power so it's important to consider if the 1st boards will work in a 500 without upgrading the power supply.

Cheap ATX adapter and PSU for $20-$50 solves that, my A500 and A1200 are both using an ATX PSU.

IDE takes high voltage by modern standards. SATA requires more expensive high speed transceivers although the cost of supporting it is falling. For now, the Amiga doesn't need much storage and an SD card is probably better than what most Amiga users use today for storage.

SD Card is too slow, plus I have 20-30GB of WHDLoad games a lone not including other games. My A1200 has a 250GB HDD running through a FastATA it's the only way to get browsing working well and I got tired of loading times.

There are no benchmarks to share as the Phoenix fpga CPU core has not booted an Amiga as far as I know.

They might want to remove that claim from their site then ;-)

It's entirely possible, if not likely, that this fpga CPU would eventually outperform the 68060 clock for clock. The Phoenix CPU has to boot AmigaOS first though.

Here's hoping, although quite happy with my 060@80MHz but a little more speed wouldn't hurt.

Adding chip memory inside the fpga is minor compared to implementing and debugging SAGA inside the fpga. The extra chip memory and AGA/SAGA gfx would only be available when using the DVI/HDMI output.

Not really fussed about SAGA but more chip RAM is the only bottle neck left on my A1200. Anyway this is for the A500, not sure I'd be purchasing one as I have an 030/indi in the 500plus. But would like a newer accelerator for the A1200 but if it's not going to be faster than the 060 then it's not worth it. Although 1GB+ RAM is far more interesting.

[Hans_]

Sorry, but that is still just hype until you have a product to sell.

Selling this board could be a problem. It has an HDMI port, and to sell devices with one of those you have to pay a licensing fee & royalties (minimum $10,000 USD). They would be better off making it a DVI connector, and providing a DVI to HDMI adaptor (in which case the adaptor manufacturer pays the fees). Alternatively, DisplayPort is royalty-free, but the FPGA might not be capable of producing DisplayPort output signals.

Hans

[wawrzon]

Selling this board could be a problem. It has an HDMI port, and to sell devices with one of those you have to pay a licensing fee & royalties (minimum $10,000 USD). They would be better off making it a DVI connector, and providing a DVI to HDMI adaptor (in which case the adaptor manufacturer pays the fees). Alternatively, DisplayPort is royalty-free, but the FPGA might not be capable of producing DisplayPort output signals.

Hans

Wondered about that too. Would hate to see a minor issue block the way. Gunnar, care to comment?

[biggun]

The version you link to has 1GB of memory instead of 128MB. The brand, board layout and connectors look to be the same. The price is right too. Anybody want a 1GB memory Amiga for Christmas?

1 byte = 8 bit

[matthey]

1 byte = 8 bit

You are right. The web page says 1GB (with a capital B) in 2 places at the top but down below is says 1Gbit of memory. Talk about deceptive marketing. It did seem too good to be true .

[Lord Aga]

Well I think it's very good for a start. It will be affordable for everyone. It's a better way to build up a base than to start with an expensive product.

Our friend with a fast 060 config may not have the reason to upgrade this round, but everyone else will.

[OlafS3]

Well I think it's very good for a start. It will be affordable for everyone. It's a better way to build up a base than to start with an expensive product.

Our friend with a fast 060 config may not have the reason to upgrade this round, but everyone else will.

Even if someone already has a fast 060 then it is interesting to buy. It has a lot of functionality including LAN and Gunnar has promised to add RTG as first step so you have already a accellerator with fast CPU, more RAM and graphic card and it is affordable. So I think it will be a good buy for everyone, even for power user.

[biggun]

But would like a newer accelerator for the A1200 but if it's not going to be faster than the 060 then it's not worth it.

As you know performance if very hard to compare with a single number.
Every test you do will give you its own result.
Therefore saying this CPU is that much faster than that CPU is always unfair..

We did so far only a handfull of test.
E.g running the texture map demo, running dhrystone, running memspeed.
All three tests scored in the order of 68060@120-150 MHz - but this was for the small Vampire600 which has a 90nm Cyclone 2 FPGA.

The new 28nm Cyclone 5 card which you see on the teaser pictures is much stronger and much faster. We expect to double the performance with it.
We are right now very early in the testing. We believe that in 2 month we will be much further and will be able have AIB, sysinfo, and lame and other results.

[Lurch]

The new 28nm Cyclone 5 card which you see on the teaser pictures is much stronger and much faster. We expect to double the performance with it.
We are right now very early in the testing. We believe that in 2 month we will be much further and will be able have AIB, sysinfo, and lame and other results.

Will be watching :-) Have bought a few Amiga items, new projects etc and love nothing more than a new fast accelerator with a ton of RAM but for the A1200.

But there will be a huge demand for this from A500 users, the A500 needs a decent accelerator.

[A6000]

@biggun, will you have any problem getting the 150 pin connector for the A1200 accelarator cards?

[Djole]

I think our brothers from China can make any connector you can think of.

[IanP]

In the animation of the two boards slotting together the 5x2 header appears to go straight through the HDMI connector. Will the 5x2 header need to be removed/unpopulated, will the 2x20 sockets be extended or will the HDMI connector be moved on a later revision?

Good luck with the project.

[KimmoK]

@NG classic computer

I would like to have a stand alone system.
(in the meanwhile I have some A500 and A2000 (etc...))

But it would be nice to have future proof 68k as well. Those oldies are showing their age.

[OlafS3]

@NG classic computer

I would like to have a stand alone system.
(in the meanwhile I have some A500 and A2000 (etc...))

But it would be nice to have future proof 68k as well. Those oldies are showing their age.

Gunnar (and the others) are planning a standalone system already, but one step after the other. A standalone system would need full tested AGA and similar and that needs time. The accellerators are the chance to get something relative quickly that works, helps and is affordable for most of us.

[kwaku85]

Standalone system is not needed if We still have working Amigas. I think older models will have new life now. Faster than 060 CPU on CDTV? And AGA or SAGA support? I don't need A1200 anymore!
And I can use my A500 now (most beautifull amiga for me). Three times YES!