(announcement) AMIGA MEETS GIGAHERTZ

[lesta_smsc]

Quoting Richard Joseph from Chaos Engine: "Giga power!"

[diablothe2nd]

This is good news, but I wont hold my breath

I too would like an answer to the A1200 question. looking at the photo I think it's safe to say it wont fit in the desktop wedge, but a version for towerised 1200's would be excellent.

[Akira]

Gotta be the grumpy old guy here and say: why PPC? Why an 040??
Not really interested in this development specially since it is for A3000 and A4000, but good luck to Gideon, massive respect to him for 1541U (please get back on that).

[diablothe2nd]

Akira, Given the rarity (and cost) of the now rare BPPC and CSPPC's I think it's a pretty obvious choice. It also means more of us can run OS4 from our favourite platforms

Although aiming for the less common model baffles me a little :P

[fitzsteve]

Got to say Kudos on this, I really look forward to reading more about this! It would be awesome if this gives OS4.1 Classic Users the speed needed to get the most out of this OS and dual booting with OS3.x would give an awesome setup

I'd definately pre-order one and would be happy to pay a desposit now if it helped with developement.

I can also offer my services for testing, being an experienced OS4.1 Classic user with multiple A4000 setups (A4000D RevB/A4000D RevD+Mediator4000D and an AT A4000T) I could test accross multiple platforms

Keep us posted!

Steve.

[roy bates]

i think ppc would of been the next logical step for the amiga,even if im a 68k kind of person.



on a positive note the 040@33mhz is connected to 128mb of ddr2 memory

has anyone seen os 4.1 on a cpu over 800mhz,this thing will fly

[fitzsteve]

My Micro AmigaOne is 800mhz and it runs OS4.1 very well as seen in my Youtube Vids (search Fitzsteve on Youtube)

And I'm sure it runs ultra smooth on 1ghz+

040 33mhz is a nice enviroment to run OS3.9 with RTG/Sound Card/USB

My A4000D is 040 @40mhz + 128mb DKB3128 + CV64/3D + Toccata and is an awesome setup to use OS3.9 with and one of my favourite Amiga's

[Crumb]

Originally Posted by GideonZ

Jens, thank you for this amazing compliment! I also see a lot of software effort on our path. A good thing is that this time it is not going to be a one-man show.

Gideon

Nice effort!

I have some questions:
-The PPC you have chosen uses incompatible FPU. Any plans to change it?
-Will you put 060 as an option? My big box miggies use 060 and my demos require 060.
-If PPC part works correctly and has access to Amiga motherboard why not remove entirely the 040 and use a JIT emulator? That way it would be faster than 060 and design would be easier.

[brett71]

I can't wait until this is released and I plan on getting one, even if I have to sell both my kidneys.

Having said that, though, and after seeing the picture of the board on their website, I have some design concerns related to using this in a stock 3000D, like mine.

Personally, the CPU(s) in it don't bother me. Either an 040 or 060 are going to be huge horsepower upgrades for my machine. (Side note: to use this, do I need to make any mods to the 3000D? I read somewhere about having to make mods to the board for CPU cards to work, or maybe it was CPU cards with SCSI?)

However, here's my concerns:

With the SATA connectors, there shouldn't be an issue because they make right-angle connectors, but I think the DVI connector would be blocked in a 3000D. Furthermore, unless the built-in video also includes a passthrough for native Amiga video, I'd probably opt to stick with my Cybervision 64.

On the site they do mention that the ethernet jack on the card would likely be blocked in a 3000D and have included a pin-header for a breakout cable, however, at the cost of speed. (100mb is still a step-up from the 10mb on my X-Surf, but the full 1Gb would be awesome.) I think they'll need to do something like that for the USB connectors as well.

[imigger]

i would like a new ppc model for the 1200 please with a nice 040 ,and lots of memory

why make 1 for a 3000/4000 without thinking about us poor lonely 1200 users which theres more of.

[Ffin]

Originally Posted by imigger

i would like a new ppc model for the 1200 please with a nice 040 ,and lots of memory

+1 on the A1200 version, that would be excellent.

[LTAC]

[Ezrec]

(Tried sending this to contact at ultimateppc.nl, but it bounced for the last 3 days)

Hi there! This is Jason McMullan, one of the lead m68k developers for AROS.

I was wondering if you would like AROS support for your RTG, USB, Ethernet, and SATA devices?

Also, is there m68k visible ROM space on the device? If so, I should be able to make ROMable versions of the RTG and SATA device drivers, suitable for both AROS and AmigaOS m68k

I have an A4000 suitable for device testing, if you do not have the time to test code changes sent to you.

Originally Posted by Crumb

Nice effort!

I have some questions:
-The PPC you have chosen uses incompatible FPU. Any plans to change it?
-Will you put 060 as an option? My big box miggies use 060 and my demos require 060.
-If PPC part works correctly and has access to Amiga motherboard why not remove entirely the 040 and use a JIT emulator? That way it would be faster than 060 and design would be easier.

The JIT emulators I have used in the past usually take a ~40x performance hit - so on a 1Ghz 'host', you end up with a about 30Mhz-25Mhz of emulated speed.

Often, you will get 'apparently higher' speeds (ie Rosetta on the Mac OSX platform), because the JIT is only recompiling the application - all drawing, disk, os, and input calls are handled by the host OS.

That would not be the case for the system you discuss - it would be emulating the entire system, not just the applications, so the 40x speed hit effects everything.

Find me a m68k JIT for PPC hosts with better performance numbers, and you would then be able to make a good case.

[Crumb]

Originally Posted by Ezrec

The JIT emulators I have used in the past usually take a ~40x performance hit - so on a 1Ghz 'host', you end up with a about 30Mhz-25Mhz of emulated speed.

That's really bad performance.

Often, you will get 'apparently higher' speeds (ie Rosetta on the Mac OSX platform), because the JIT is only recompiling the application - all drawing, disk, os, and input calls are handled by the host OS.

Apple software is overrated.

That would not be the case for the system you discuss - it would be emulating the entire system, not just the applications, so the 40x speed hit effects everything.

No problem, that 40x speed hit doesn't affect good JITs.

Find me a m68k JIT for PPC hosts with better performance numbers, and you would then be able to make a good case.

Trance. Feel free to send me any m68k bruteforce test and I'll execute it.

Example of Lame m68k running on trance powerup (old version) on 603e/200Mhz with no L2 cache and slow edo ram running twice faster than a 68040/40Mhz:
http://www.ppa.pl/forum/amigaos-4.x/...anego-68k-test

Example of Ocean Machine from The Black Lotus running on AGA+JIT on a 603e/240Mhz (no rtg, no ahi, just the ppc writting to custom chip registers and chipram using slow ram)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuzY7pXTQ10

A peg1 running at 600Mhz runs rings around 060s running m68060 code.

And despiting Petunia is slower than Trance it's still faster than 060.

[wawa]

Ppc should be quite good at emulating 68k. We have done such tests. Afair you could compare 604 to 060 clock by clock in running 68k code. What costs much in say uae is custom chip emu. That said im against yet another Hardware tailored version of aros. Its up to the Hardware devs to provide compatibility to existing branch, be it 68k or ppc, Imho. Otherwise wie will get lost in translations..

[LTAC]

Declariing Interest.
First in line.
PM sent!

[diablothe2nd]

Originally Posted by LTAC

Declariing Interest.
First in line.
PM sent!

you're actually 4th

Originally Posted by Reynolds

okay then, may I have the SN0000001 please?

Originally Posted by Source

I would like to put my name on SN00000002 and SN00000003

[LTAC]

Really?
So I would like "SN00000004"

I've sent a msg to GideonZ to offer my PPC CPU (IBM).

[Akira]

Originally Posted by diablothe2nd

Akira, Given the rarity (and cost) of the now rare BPPC and CSPPC's I think it's a pretty obvious choice. It also means more of us can run OS4 from our favourite platforms

I guess my views come from just not giving a single toss about OS4 or Power PC in an Amiga.

What I would wish someone would do is an affordable 060 so I can watch those demos...

[Ezrec]

Originally Posted by wawa

That said im against yet another Hardware tailored version of aros. Its up to the Hardware devs to provide compatibility to existing branch, be it 68k or ppc, Imho.

I think I wasn't clear enough. I am offering help to write m68k drivers for the SATA/Ethernet/USB components, that can work on either AOS 3.x or AROS m68k.

I do not have any time nor intention to support a e500v2 PPC CPU, since that is incompatible will all Amiga PPC OSes. (Due to the crazy SPE FPU unit)

[TotO]

Nice project!

He make the perfect choice to add a 68040 CPU for the Amiga 3000/4000 range of computers.

I can see a molex power supply connector perpendicular to the board.
There is a high risk to damage the board buy unplugging it.
If possible (Imax), it's better to use a floppy connector or to find a way to put it horizontal on a edge.

Else, if I understand weel, the FPGA will provide 2D GFx. So, he can support RTG (Picasso96 like, as UAE do)

But... What about the sound ?
A new AHI driver for Paula, using the PPC power for mixing channels ?

[Photon]

What are the differences/benefits of this vs. a modern OS on a PC with UAE for the Amiga software?

[roy bates]

Originally Posted by Photon

What are the differences/benefits of this vs. a modern OS on a PC with UAE for the Amiga software?

at first glance its a real 68k/ppc amiga hardware on a real amiga,and you will be able to use ppc sofware with dvi rtg with ahi ,sata and ethernet.from the readup anyway.

[wXR]

Omfg

[Exit]

i would really like to see an amiga 1200 version, hope when this boards get a succes..then maybe?

[imigger]

i would like a nice cheap 1200 060 board aswell that would be nice with 256mb ummm yummy.

[darksun9210]

I'm going to put my hand up for another sale here. this sounds and looks awesome!

i had to double check the dates to make sure this wasn't an April the 1st post!

so i'm joining the queue to buy, and maybe if there is enough interest, an A1200 version will be born?

if there is anything i/we can do to help this along, please let us know

[b0lt-thrower]

Is anyone paying attention to the fact that this thing, assuming it gets built in numbers and sold for public consumption, can't run any existing PPC software? At all? Which means probably upwards of $700-$800 for an 040/33 accelerator with 128mb RAM.

It'd be better if they'd go back to the old Freescale 7451, if they're going to provide a PowerPC solution on the board as well. That, at least, is OS4 compatible.

(Note: I have no dog in this fight; I'm just sayin'.)

[tom256]

Originally Posted by b0lt-thrower

Which means probably upwards of $700-$800 for an 040/33 accelerator with 128mb RAM.
(Note: I have no dog in this fight; I'm just sayin'.)

Don't forget about:
- USB,
- SATA,
- PCIe,
- LAN
- and GFX.

[b0lt-thrower]

Originally Posted by tom256

Don't forget about:
- USB,
- SATA,
- PCIe,
- LAN
- and GFX.

Very true; and I don't mean to denigrate their efforts on this front. The onboard video doesn't impress me that much as it's only 2d, but...whaddyagonnado.

What's the PCIe interconnect? Does it support a daughter-board or what, exactly?

[Methanoid]

Incredible specs... we needed this years ago... but isnt an A4000 board gonna make this rather expensive and limited in market? A1200 would sell many more possibly (even if needing a towered A1200). Still, I'm very keen to see this get to market... and hopefully not in several years like some projects (when was NatAmi supposed to get out? Which year?)

[gibs]

I want one!

Hope "end 2012" is not the end of the world

[Methanoid]

The Devs have listed this place as their support forum

I'd be interested in a BALL PARK figure for the cost of this

I'm also interested to know how the 2D video will work. They say Picasso96 and DVI but what about the AGA output. Will it be routed through the DVI and somehow scandoubled or are we back to 2 monitors? Or something else?

I so hope that their Xmas 2012 target isn't a NatAmi summer 2010 type date!!!

[rkauer]

I hope for £300, but surely pay up to £500 for such a hardware.

Yes, I'm that crazy.

[mousehouse]

Happy Holidays from the UltimatePPC team!*

As we are nearing the summer holidays it is time for a quick status update from our side. The last few months have been hectic as both Gideon and myself have been extremely busy with personal affairs besides trying to advance the UltimatePPC project. As we have the prototype boards in our hands we have been actively working on booting a basic kernel on the PowerPC core and interfacing the board to the Amiga bus. Parallel we are starting the software development side of things, with WarpOS support being worked on - as well as first contact with Hyperion regarding AmigaOS4 support.

We also keep an eye on feedback from the community and are evaluating the choice made for the P1013 CPU.We knew that the FPU in this processor is incompatible with the ones found on older PowerPC boards. Our original plan to fix these incompatibilities in software turns out to have more impact that we had foreseen. For this reason, we will reconsider the choice of PowerPC CPU, while continuing the development work of other important stuff on the current prototype.

So what's next? First we'll take a few weeks off for holidays and time with family. Somewhere in August we get together again… Expect a new update end of August! Happy holidays!

[Zetr0]

This will make my A4000!

Although I could end up with two... one for my A3000 UX.... and run a real Unix/*Nix

[amiman99]

Any updates?

[andy]

As was said just above:

Originally Posted by mousehouse

Expect a new update end of August! Happy holidays!

[amiman99]

Originally Posted by andy

As was said just above:

Cool, just checking...
There are alot of projects that lose steam after awhile, just wanted to make sure that the project is on track.

Cant wait for pricing to see if I can afford it.

[tom256]

Originally Posted by andy

As was said just above:

Any news???