Can CD32 Connect to Internet?

[kneehighspy]

gotta agree, but my 040/25, egs spectrum 24/28 a3000d w 2mb chip and 16mb fast ram runs the internet at a tolerable pace, even downloading from aminet.

but this souped up CD32 i would love to see, especially in a 24kt gold tower case and keyboard.  i think we are all kinda intrigued right now.

[fondpondforever]

Let's just leave the CD32 as a Games Console then.

[kolla]

You would think if it runs OS3.9, it would run OS4.1.

I guess you are just young, and didn't follow the history as it unfolded?

[BozzerBigD]

We're not discounting the benefit of turning a CD32 into a fully functioning 030 50Mhz CD based Amiga computer, it is quite frankly awesome as a OS3.9 machine with full CD32 compatibility and highly portable! However, it will never run OS4.x as no one is going to retrofit a CD32 with a PPC accelerator at this point in our history. What would be the point? Where is the market? The SX32 line only sold around 2,000 units from 1995-98 as far as I can remember. An awesome product but the market simply wasn't there. People ditched the CD32 to buy a Playstation and didn't think to upgrade their Amigas like I did.

[kolla]

Bought the SX32 Pro to run Linux, believe it or not

[paul1981]

We're not discounting the benefit of turning a CD32 into a fully functioning 030 50Mhz CD based Amiga computer, it is quite frankly awesome as a OS3.9 machine with full CD32 compatibility and highly portable! However, it will never run OS4.x as no one is going to retrofit a CD32 with a PPC accelerator at this point in our history. What would be the point? Where is the market? The SX32 line only sold around 2,000 units from 1995-98 as far as I can remember. An awesome product but the market simply wasn't there. People ditched the CD32 to buy a Playstation and didn't think to upgrade their Amigas like I did.

Wasn't there a 68K version of OS4? :laugh1:

[agami]

Let's just leave the CD32 as a Games Console then.

And why would we do that? Certainly we haven't explored all the possible options with the world's first CD-based 32-bit gaming console. After all, by basing it on the A1200 Commodore released a machine with so much latent power we would be fools not to exploit it:

- Can we upgrade the CD drive to a CD burner and attach it to another computer for burning tasks?
- Can we upgrade the CD drive to a DVD drive and play movies?
- Can we replace the CD drive with a 3.5" floppy drive to play floppy-based games?
- Can we run ShapeShifter on it and turn into a Pippin?
- Can we get AROS 68k on there and move all the screen drawing routines through the Akiko chip for a 3D user interface?
- Can we use the the DSP logic in the Akiko chip to play SACDs?
- Can we boost the CD laser so the CD32 can be turned into a cost-effective laser lithography 3D printer?

The questions are almost endless, but invariably the answer will be No to every one of them.
The CD32 is not even all that good at being a games console. About the only thing it does well is play music CDs.

[agami]

In all seriousness though, the best thing that could happen to the CD32 hardware today is that someone designs and manufactures an adapter board that converts the CD32 (male) expansion port to an A1200 trapdor (male) expansion port. That way we could use any of the existing boards in circulation. Even a Mediator board.

Also, it would be cool if when the Apollo Team is done with the A1200, A2000, A3000, and A4000 FPGA expansions they design and manufacture an FPGA expansion for the CD32. Then potentially one could load many types of cores and play NES/SNES, Master System/Mega Drive (Genesis), and games from other classic systems.

[rockape]

Hi,

I've connected a CD32 with an SX-1/8 Meg Fast RAM to a Dial-Up connection using the Serial Port OK.

Using Amiga OS Ver 3.1 and Miami with the Reaction GUI and WookieChat.

Regards, Michael.

aka rockape

[kolla]

In all seriousness though, the best thing that could happen to the CD32 hardware today is that someone designs and manufactures an adapter board that converts the CD32 (male) expansion port to an A1200 trapdor (male) expansion port. That way we could use any of the existing boards in circulation.

I agree with this, and it should be quite doable.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

- Can we replace the CD drive with a 3.5" floppy drive to play floppy-based games?

Don't forget, there's always this thing:

http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.com/bboah/product.aspx?id=1880

Although for the love of g**, why didn't they at least spray paint them gray to match the color?  :lol:

[Rob]

Don't forget, there's always this thing:

http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.com/bboah/product.aspx?id=1880

Although for the love of g**, why didn't they at least spray paint them gray to match the color?  :lol:

Analogic Computers still list the floppy drive.  The 15 pin port on the back is an RGB and they also sell a SCART cable to connect this to a TV.
Because the board has a pass though for the RTC, you should be able to connect an alternative internal expansion if such a thing existed.

[psxphill]

Wasn't there a 68K version of OS4? :laugh1:

No.

I'm still hoping that eventually someone will do an FPGA accelerator for the Amiga that does PPC and then maybe they'll do a CD32 version. Maybe another 30 years or so.

[Rob]

In all seriousness though, the best thing that could happen to the CD32 hardware today is that someone designs and manufactures an adapter board that converts the CD32 (male) expansion port to an A1200 trapdor (male) expansion port. That way we could use any of the existing boards in circulation. Even a Mediator board.

You'd still meed mass storage.  Not all accelerators have the option of SCSI and the modules are rarer than the cards they fit.  All this adds up and SCSI hardware tends to be more pricey.

Putting an SD card reader an/or IDE/SATA could be an option but if you're doing that it make more sense to add ram and maybe a CPU.

Also, it would be cool if when the Apollo Team is done with the A1200, A2000, A3000, and A4000 FPGA expansions they design and manufacture an FPGA expansion for the CD32. Then potentially one could load many types of cores and play NES/SNES, Master System/Mega Drive (Genesis), and games from other classic systems.

Wish they did a Vampire daughter board and open the specs so that other hardware makers can do carrier cards for the different Amigas.  That way they just have to concentrate on making one board for all systems.

The way they are currently produced is too time consuming and restricts the number of people able to get the hardware even if it doesn't make the hardware too cheap.  Kipper2K can't be expected to keep producing these boards especially if new cards are being added in the future and it will be a long time before we see A3000 CPU slot and CD32 version anytime soon, if ever.

Vampire 2 is €150 I reckon many people would be happy to pay another €100 for the power it offers so I don't understand why they don't at least sort out some sort of production run.

[kolla]

Simple clockport, roadshow/subway, usb-stick for mass storage, ethernet... done. My idea is to use an ACA1221 that is tiny and comes with high speed clockport.