Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyprian
But you know, those "dots" are not points/pixels on the screen but something more complex
Regarding dot/pixels DSP has the same as 68k dedicated instructions for that - BSET/BCLR (single cycle or two cycles each, don't remember now).
|
56k was used as 3D graphic accelerator and dot product is one of key operation in vector graphics.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyprian
It wasn't "design limitations" but outdated design in both cases Falcon and A1200. I think both computers were late and should be released two years earlier
|
I didn't called Falcon design outdated - it was way newer in approach than A1200 but cost reduction approach made Falcon way worse machine than it could be - having 32 bit CPU/RAM interface and FAST 56k connection (DMA drive?) with bigger DSP RAM will be beneficial for overall Falcon performance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyprian
You can't use HAM in Workbench or inside your own GUI window.
Regarding games - I'm not really interested in this area, but I know only one game preview (shown here this year - really nice screen) with HAM but sprites there are static.
|
This is not HW limitation but pure software choice - you can imagine Workbench with HAM (on AGA machines where 640 and 1280 pixels modes are capable to be active with HAM) - under some limitations you could use also ICS/OCS/ECS if 320 pixels limitation accepted.
So when we talk about HW capabilities then we comparing all HW capabilities. - this is pure software design choice/limitation. I can imagine perhaps even not so slow Workbench in HAM mode as Workbench may use only CLUT part of screen (so changing only limited number of planes) and with some tricks this will work in HAM quite OK. Problem is more CPU cycles required but today with PIStorm this is probably possible - also simulating 24 bit converted on the fly to 12/24 bit HAM.
Simply no one tried this before...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyprian
good point, I'm wondering the same thing.
Atari had a new fast architecture - Jaguar. It had 108Mb/s bus bandwidth (compared to Falcon's 32MB/s Falcon or A1200's 28MB/s), and Falcon Painter (with 68040) had integrated Jaguar chipsets.
Amiga had Ranger chips if I'm not wrong.
Both companies had an interesting technology, but both were very slow to implement it.
|
No clue why but it was not implemented - now we all see that it could be right choice - fast serial buses dominated modern designs.