It's here! It's here! my Vampire2 has arrived!!!!

[darksun9210]

i know everyone's probably bored of the vampire2 hype, but I don't care. here's mine, curtesy of the hard work and dedication of the Apollo team and especially Kipper2k for being the guy at the pointy end of public relations, email communications, and shipping.

massive thanks to everyone involved for even bringing this piece of hardware into existence.

Our Willing Volunteer. Actually a machine I got free when I bought a couple of 1200's off of fleabay. Its had a bit of a clean to remove the biro that was all over it, and the dust ...

https://weimpg-bn1305.files.1drv.com/y3mbzQaic9C7nWgAX36i8qbrK4-km8Y8hUFHiMRtR8S1PzriZGKJlTilubuKHgpilkJzI2v122_z5SknPAkdLGUrzOhX8Nt3uP8OP4Mv2ACAc9a-w_FOxO2mSu50Eb_7fZSALCa48IZwUpJUB8z9nNROz4Hpu86RlnC7JEMmPc2H4w?width=4032&height=3024&cropmode=none

let's pop the lid:-

https://wuiepg-bn1305.files.1drv.com/y3maKR7ZQ29GdPOoFRu7tv3dlLNBWWk0aIvIX4IpuTjkpIk0e0oaYmYPjPSU2hRuMxyjU8hO3K01KinbR-AuCV9-8l3aQTJwiFE-ZKSTyxLZiU-SGeJFopBDHD_7sXzvXeRobIcao5iQxnhr1exUkodfmgYhHdHXRnRhOv9cKBGb2Y?width=4032&height=3024&cropmode=none

ok so a few things in there that I've added since it was totally stock when it arrived with me originally. lets start stripping it down:-

https://weijpg-bn1305.files.1drv.com/y3m09WDupt5lMr9U7-uEymz9MbbLbfldIsfFCi5f6CMj2bU4kVKEhFQiOx84ySS8suM2BUd3bkzvP0d6tobQs94mAylsIcbl1zmuoRwkwepGut28vyA6yBu28x13YgpwD4ECSEGSALAuB9ZeA8L4LZ4Bia7HdvlmaN3d9XcVkaYx8k?width=3024&height=4032&cropmode=none

vampire sat next to an ACA630 for good measure. sorry Jens. your original bad boy is going back into its box. So. Full mainboard strip and remove from case. felt a little tense with the mounts, but all installed ok I hope

https://weikpg-bn1305.files.1drv.com/y3mJBQRFTp_WVGcCF-PI4VhN3AweE-OxZmvRm7KniJZpChyRbDGwRHbmvxAJ7oQ7w8OS3N64KCpoyB_3hrkSaFqG8bma4aMCGlXhYDfZTG573QfEGHbvWeD-tq3cwyUf1Svduh8L0KV9gwfv14sPEmW4oBjyLfBGC3cefgBXW9-_7k?width=4032&height=3024&cropmode=none

obligatory money shot.

https://weippg-bn1305.files.1drv.com/y3mqyxBfo8nElixGVDOC4GCtEXEzaIf4MbYVLEiwjs1oTb7-72a0Rs6-gdUsZ0wm4Hmvo36JELlnzubUakcL386p1braLTqDd1zQqCYc2ZUcMoi4TyLSuSNl-UJTuuzpKsMDxv6KZ9mZvad6MEx6LsewGzwQjJpwzj47a3zaEmaUkQ?width=4032&height=3024&cropmode=none

So lets get it together and see what happens

https://weiopg-bn1305.files.1drv.com/y3mNkcQq1vKijDPYzjphpUub4u5oR-6hhd3nu8h0a5GBvyyVtrYWKts4Ww_KfwDirwoZqz_SJQO4sOhIdYUSJ9N1z8tbFETDX4cNv-YpphXkmKHv1XKYuRsEjpIOL0h-lG9uFsCn7elQTNBYYJII2e_Ov795E7R3tT08631MJED85c?width=3024&height=4032&cropmode=none

exciting times! so exciting, I forgot to plug the case lights back in

https://weiqpg-bn1305.files.1drv.com/y3mOsZ_Ic0Igz2MNRQroWuNEoaCx2DB6AzrLYSqqixLNYHJZw4mA4aLFBI29xNrCjeV67zcCafuMFqernUHFR9stO_5YVb21HA9706l2xmnSTsPc3rySyLiF31II6hKPgIzIgZKDJTX8FlnTcCzEeM7eQ_uZPSbTGhG6KUxfgOdciw?width=3024&height=4032&cropmode=none

base 3.1 install. my original 3.9 build generated a pink screen so figured i'd start from fresh

https://weinpg-bn1305.files.1drv.com/y3mACOvDmxSo48MbhmPK4Ena7SS6Z2PXNbbmyRE_vApmtlF4R40g7SIy1-OiS_CaY5rocAOBrqCQe5leoSFkEGGJPbXrSZr8BZQS9BqACnqQqosD6eo4HZX36piz0NENoFlAPEgtvRmCLL47_whH-fXRvfUv86MLX0dYKtDjlfvcak?width=4032&height=3024&cropmode=none

where I am right now.
base 3.9 install. you can see a shell window copying the 3.9 video files off an 8gig usb stick to the apps: drive, and in the mean time action playing back the phantom menace trailer from the OS3.9 install media. all in lovely 4 colour ECS yumminess...

https://weidpg-bn1305.files.1drv.com/y3mB3Oa3y9CSCCin1ppW9dU_oQeveh8SFp4qoQK4Hmp3sq1FD6yNhBP0JUNMfQ_uG9wKCZXcynljyhJakAY_eBrFBqrFwdfU4GUGURGode5kcbvx5IZgJSj_yw2KQ3e5mGelneafCEt8QbfkpT2tmtFdtR75eLARAAJ1cgStj3l8Xc?width=3024&height=4032&cropmode=none

still to do. network driver stuff, P96 graphics stuff, internal HDMI to external port of some description.

[Pat the Cat]

I'm very happy that A600 owners can upgrade so massively.

It was a very difficult machine to promote, in terms of expandibility, when first introduced.
Bearing mind that 486 bundle deals were available for a similar pricepoint.

[PPC]

Congrats with your vampire 2, i have one myself and it's a lot fun i must say.
The P96 install is pretty much straight forward just follow the steps as described on the Apollo Wiki.
Only to get some of the screen resolutions going takes some tinkering (640x480 60hz should work out of the box)
You'll have to adjust the pixel clock in the P96 settings to get the most of the resolutions going so they match what your monitors supports.

One quick tip: set resolutions like 320x200, 640x360 etc to inactive by double clicking them in the P96 prefs, most monitors will not support them.
By setting those inactive SAGA will open these on a 640x480 screen automatically if programs are hard coded to use these.

[darksun9210]

Thanks for the info! will definitely bear that in mind  
I've not much experience of P96, as was firmly in the Cybergraphics camp since getting my first CV64/3D at World of Amiga London twenty odd years ago... lol man time flies.

[midway]

Congrats! When did u order urs or sign up?

[darksun9210]

time scales... wow... ok, just gone through my emails.
I hope the guys have gotten a bit more of a flow going these days! just put in an order for my Vampire 500 V2+....

anyway...
I originally kicked off with an email to register interest on the 17th of Feb 2016.
I can't remember if I put myself on the waiting list on the website but i'm pretty sure I did as soon as it was available. but that would have been much much later in the year i'm sure.
Kipper then got back to me around the 15th(?) of September 2016 to confirm my order and organise payment.
the email had gone into my "junk" mail folder and it was pure chance I found it within a week or so and replied on the 21st, praying to be within the one week deadline to keep my order place. but my excitement got the better of me and instead of moving it back to my inbox, dropped my phone and inadvertently swiped the wrong way and deleted the email!
grovelling email sent on the 23rd when I found where I could reply to!
payment completed on the 28th,
Kipper updated to say the boards were back and being programmed and tested on the 7th of Nov 2016
Board arrived on the 23rd of Dec 2016

[Pat the Cat]

i know everyone's probably bored of the vampire2 hype.

Not me. I only found out about it a Week ago! :hammer:

The A600 was the ugly sister, the kid machine, the Amiga that you could plug nice hardware into but it just wasn't fast enough to do much useful with them. The Amiga that you felt a partially retarded, over emotional, sensitive type for even owning, let along using.

Suddenly I find out the A600 has become the Amiga Tankgirl. :flame:

Natami begat tribes. One of the tribes is called Vampire. Arriving in your local hood soon, in yer face bro.:laugh1: :pint:

I don't know about the DMI adaptor or what the graphics capabilites are, but even if just ECS, if you stick with just 16 greyscale hires laced, I would imagine it's still pretty impressive what you can achieve with that kind of CPU and fast RAM combo.

[PPC]

Not me. I only found out about it a Week ago! :hammer:

The A600 was the ugly sister, the kid machine, the Amiga that you could plug nice hardware into but it just wasn't fast enough to do much useful with them. The Amiga that you felt a partially retarded, over emotional, sensitive type for even owning, let along using.

Suddenly I find out the A600 has become the Amiga Tankgirl. :flame:

Natami begat tribes. One of the tribes is called Vampire. Arriving in your local hood soon, in yer face bro.:laugh1: :pint:

I don't know about the DMI adaptor or what the graphics capabilites are, but even if just ECS, if you stick with just 16 greyscale hires laced, I would imagine it's still pretty impressive what you can achieve with that kind of CPU and fast RAM combo.

Well about the RTG, I'm running my WB in 720P high color on the Vampire 2 at the moment and it's VERY responsive.
Currently I'm running OS3.9 BB2 with all the gfx goodies (visual prefs,birdie,MUI 3.8,magic menu with transparency etc etc)
Even when playing an MP3 with Amiga Amp at full quality i do not notice a real slowdown

It even makes the A4K CSPPC (060/60Mhz+233Mhz 604e) feel sluggish

[Pat the Cat]

Well about the RTG, I'm running my WB in 720P high color on the Vampire 2 at the moment and it's VERY responsive.
Currently I'm running OS3.9 BB2 with all the gfx goodies (visual prefs,birdie,MUI 3.8,magic menu with transparency etc etc)

It even makes the A4K CSPPC (060/60Mhz+233Mhz 604e) feel sluggish

Never dreamed that could happen. Not on an A600. Not in a million years.

[PPC]

Here another teaser for the upcoming Gold 2 core.

Have you ever seen MPEG playback like this on Classic Amiga ?

https://vimeo.com/194335129

Above video is A500+vampire v2 black edition with x13 (multiplier setting)
On my A4K CSPPC+CVPPC I've tested the same fragment with AMP2 (PPC MPEG player)
And i got 13,8 FPS with medium sound options (22Khz)

[Pat the Cat]

Well... TBH, not exactly.

I did see a demo of the CD32 MPG card, and that "perfect" playback but...

1) It did not have the colour definition, or HD range, or the pixel fideliy of the clip, using the AA chipsept like all CD32s.

2) The resolution was not as good. I'd estimate one quarter to a ninth of res of the video you posted.

3) The sound was stereo 16 bit audio, but I think the dev kind of faked that by having a separate audio track on the CD, rather than making any attempt to compress it or decompress. In my opinion, anyway, it could have been genuine encoded audio, but I noticed how the drive kept accessing, and the CD usage seemed excessive, for the length of that clip.

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, as I remember. 576 lines at most, probably half of that. Low Horizontal resolution. Seemed HAM8 mode.

[vince_6]

Here another teaser for the upcoming Gold 2 core.

Have you ever seen MPEG playback like this on Classic Amiga ?

https://vimeo.com/194335129

Above video is A500+vampire v2 black edition with x13 (multiplier setting)
On my A4K CSPPC+CVPPC I've tested the same fragment with AMP2 (PPC MPEG player)
And i got 13,8 FPS with medium sound options (22Khz)

It looks amazing indeed.
Can't really remember my results with blizzard ppc/voodoo 3 at vcd playback, but kinda look the same.
I can't even remember if it had fps option.

I will do some tests probably when I change CIA on my A1200T :-/

[UberFreak]

Am I the only one who's really puzzled by all this effort and excitement, of being able to play a low-res clip encoded in a long obsolete format?

When was the last time any of you saw MPEG1 encoded video, anywhere?
For me, it was the very early 2000s.

[David Wright]

Yes, now we are only 15 years behind!

[kolla]

Am I the only one who's really puzzled by all this effort and excitement

No, you are not alone.