Zeus68k – Accelerator/IDE/RAM for the A500/2000/CDTV and others - Page 37

Scrat · 10 June 2014, 13:40

Progress update:

The software department is trying to catch up, at least the system firmware is almost finished now.

15 June 2014, 00:11

Great work scrat! Bring the "golden" zeuscard to us! Respect. I cant wait.

Akiko · 16 June 2014, 01:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by johey

Edit: About the "Yes, we can DMA!" statement... You mean the IDE controller has DMA? If so, this is the only IDE controller with that feature as I know of for any Amiga Classic. I've only one word to say about it: awesome!

The SX32 Pro for the CD32 has an IDE controller that apparently does DMA.

Doctor Clu · 16 June 2014, 16:03

I have a Amiga 500 and was excited to hear a CURRENT accelerator that I had not missed was being made. I'll plow through the last 37 pages of this and after that might have some questions.

svin83 · 03 July 2014, 09:58

I'm realy sorry to bother you like this, but is there a timeframe for this board? I would love to get my hands on this board, but I won't wait another year or two for it. Please tell me If I should look for another expansoin for my A500.

ajack · 16 July 2014, 21:35

Me too!

nikoluis · 17 July 2014, 08:56

If you are looking for ANY other accelerator for your A500, then you can buy the ACA500 and attach a ACA1230 or a Blizzard MK4. If you have read from the start of this thread, you can realize that Zeus is not just an accelerator and it's not a product you can buy whenever you want. I don't think that both of you are operating your A500 for your everyday tasks, so it's worth the wait a little more.

yurif74 · 03 August 2014, 13:08

I'm interested too in this board

Seblington · 14 August 2014, 18:22

has there been any news on this card? I would be interested in one too

svin83 · 03 September 2014, 11:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikoluis

If you are looking for ANY other accelerator for your A500, then you can buy the ACA500 and attach a ACA1230 or a Blizzard MK4. If you have read from the start of this thread, you can realize that Zeus is not just an accelerator and it's not a product you can buy whenever you want. I don't think that both of you are operating your A500 for your everyday tasks, so it's worth the wait a little more.

I HAVE been following his thread ever since I stumbled uppon it about 2 years ago... I don't want just ANY Accellerator, I want the Zeus68k, that's why I'm still checking this thread (over 2 years after it's birth)... Also, the reason my A500 isn't in much use, is that I haven't ordered a RAM expansion, IDE68k with cf adapter, kickstart changer ++ because I'm waiting for the Zeus68k...

Too bad, most projects like this just disappear silently without explanation, so that's why I'm asking.

mr.vince · 03 September 2014, 12:40

It's not disappearing, but several things have happened that are hard to plan and hard to get around unless you're a company with financial backing. Herzi, our main dev, was ill inbetween, and it took time to diagnose what was going on. Then the summer came, vac time, and other things, like job and real life also came in the way.

The pics posted are real, and I am just waiting for the finalised boot menu, to order the boards. We've said we won't release banana stuff that's why we have waited.

I promise to give more updates in the future.

darkfalzx · 12 September 2014, 17:57

You know - you could've set up a pre-order page for this, solving two problems in one shot - A) Getting people excited about the inevitability of the release, and B) Having an inflow of cash.

If you decide to do that - I'll be the first in line.

Mr B · 12 September 2014, 18:37

Yes, they could have. Back when the thread started preferably, i guess. Those that preordered back then, wouldn't be the least bit upset 2.5 years later when there still isn't a product in their hands. I said 2.5 years, since i don't think we'll see this before the end of the year, and thats not to criticize the developers. This a spare time, homebrew hardware project. It's going to take time, and thats all there is to it.
"Selling" pre-orders, while giving additional funds for research and development also means you actually have to provide those units at some point, and preferably before the buyer gets completely feed up with it.

Look at a similar situation, that actually had company backing, even if smalltime... Open Pandora. As far as i know there are still pre-order's not filled. It pretty much seams the only way to get those filled is to "upgrade" and pay 100-200euro more for one of the later breed pandas, something a lot of people did, just to get something out of the deal at all. This device started out at $329, and today, several revisions later it's 499euro.
For the small fee of 200Euro pre-orders can have their unit supplied from the company based in Germany, through community support, and goodwill of the owner, since the UK based company that was supposed to deliver the pre-orders in the first place is defunct. The company based in germany has no ties other then the console to the UK venture, and as such had no responsibility to offer the discount in the first place. And, quite frankly... Would you put down another 200euro on top of the 329USD you already paid, to get something that has a "market value" of 499euro?

All in all, no, i think it's a good idea to stay away from pre-orders until there is a product ready for production.

Heard at an internal meeting:
Skinny bald guy: (He was a short fat bloke with lots of hair when this started. Hey, i'm imagining things, create your own characters) Hey, we finalized everything, and we are ready for production. If we can make 1K units in a batch, we get a great price, how do we found this...
Freckled redhead: Um, guys, how about a kickstarter?
Skinny bald guy: Nah, they take a huge cut of the totals... I know, Pre-orders! We can fill em in about 6 months, we should be able to give everyone a set date...
Accountant cutie: It's a done deal. I'll set up the webpage, and the info. You guys spread the word on the forums. Make it happen in a hurry, we need the bulk of pre-orders in a short timewindow, so we can make it happen.

What i mean is... Having a solid product, and knowing you can actually make it, is a HUGE comfort for a venture such as this. Taking peoples money, and hoping you can pull a rabbit out of your ass, to save the hat... No, wait, thats backwards. Anyway, you don't want to have to enter panic mode where you need to sell everything, and move back home to your mother, while still not being able to deliver the pre-orders.

cugar124 · 13 September 2014, 08:33

Keep up the good work guys nothing good comes quickly and this does look good.

nikoluis · 21 November 2014, 13:27

Hello all. Any updates?

Scrat · 23 November 2014, 14:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikoluis

Hello all. Any updates?

We're still working on it

Zetr0 · 24 November 2014, 02:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.vince

RSCP anyone?

Attachment 39566
Attachment 39567

RSCP rocks! I love that program, very configurable and accurate!

So, 6.6MB a sec with virtually no CPU cycles.... now that is most impressive!

Quote:

Originally Posted by johey

About the "Yes, we can DMA!" statement... You mean the IDE controller has DMA? If so, this is the only IDE controller with that feature as I know of for any Amiga Classic. I've only one word to say about it: awesome!

If I am not mistaken the Masoboshi 703 Has a 16bit DMA IDE controller

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akiko

The SX32 Pro for the CD32 has an IDE controller that apparently does DMA.

Well now this make an amazing 3!

nikoluis · 24 November 2014, 10:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrat

We're still working on it

I'm sure about it! I just wanted to bring this thread on top of the others

Keep up guys! Thanks.

JanciB · 24 November 2014, 13:14

Do you mean 6.6MB a sec with no CPU cycles free?

J.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zetr0

So, 6.6MB a sec with virtually no CPU cycles.... now that is most impressive!

Mr B · 24 November 2014, 13:25

I suspect he means USING no CPU cycles. But i might be reading both him, and the screen's wrong.

03 July 2014, 09:58	#725
svin83 Meditating Guru Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Trondheim / Norway Posts: 32	I'm sorry. I'm realy sorry to bother you like this, but is there a timeframe for this board? I would love to get my hands on this board, but I won't wait another year or two for it. Please tell me If I should look for another expansoin for my A500.

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10 June 2014, 13:40	#721
Scrat Registered User Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Germany Posts: 35	Progress update: The software department is trying to catch up, at least the system firmware is almost finished now.

15 June 2014, 00:11	#722
Ali7 Posts: n/a	Great work scrat! Bring the "golden" zeuscard to us! Respect. I cant wait.

16 June 2014, 16:03	#724
Doctor Clu Registered User Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Dallas, TX- USA Posts: 48	I have a Amiga 500 and was excited to hear a CURRENT accelerator that I had not missed was being made. I'll plow through the last 37 pages of this and after that might have some questions.

16 July 2014, 21:35	#726
ajack Registered User Join Date: May 2014 Location: Malaysia Posts: 115	Me too!

17 July 2014, 08:56	#727
nikoluis Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Greece Age: 49 Posts: 14	If you are looking for ANY other accelerator for your A500, then you can buy the ACA500 and attach a ACA1230 or a Blizzard MK4. If you have read from the start of this thread, you can realize that Zeus is not just an accelerator and it's not a product you can buy whenever you want. I don't think that both of you are operating your A500 for your everyday tasks, so it's worth the wait a little more.

03 August 2014, 13:08	#728
yurif74 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Italy Posts: 23	I'm interested too in this board

14 August 2014, 18:22	#729
Seblington Amiga Nutter Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Paignton, Devon. Age: 43 Posts: 220	has there been any news on this card? I would be interested in one too

03 September 2014, 12:40	#731
mr.vince Cheesy crust Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hawk's Creek Age: 48 Posts: 1,383	It's not disappearing, but several things have happened that are hard to plan and hard to get around unless you're a company with financial backing. Herzi, our main dev, was ill inbetween, and it took time to diagnose what was going on. Then the summer came, vac time, and other things, like job and real life also came in the way. The pics posted are real, and I am just waiting for the finalised boot menu, to order the boards. We've said we won't release banana stuff that's why we have waited. I promise to give more updates in the future.

12 September 2014, 17:57	#732
darkfalzx Developer extraordinaire Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Ocean, NJ USA Age: 45 Posts: 114	You know - you could've set up a pre-order page for this, solving two problems in one shot - A) Getting people excited about the inevitability of the release, and B) Having an inflow of cash. If you decide to do that - I'll be the first in line.

12 September 2014, 18:37	#733
Mr B Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sweden Posts: 749	Yes, they could have. Back when the thread started preferably, i guess. Those that preordered back then, wouldn't be the least bit upset 2.5 years later when there still isn't a product in their hands. I said 2.5 years, since i don't think we'll see this before the end of the year, and thats not to criticize the developers. This a spare time, homebrew hardware project. It's going to take time, and thats all there is to it. "Selling" pre-orders, while giving additional funds for research and development also means you actually have to provide those units at some point, and preferably before the buyer gets completely feed up with it. Look at a similar situation, that actually had company backing, even if smalltime... Open Pandora. As far as i know there are still pre-order's not filled. It pretty much seams the only way to get those filled is to "upgrade" and pay 100-200euro more for one of the later breed pandas, something a lot of people did, just to get something out of the deal at all. This device started out at $329, and today, several revisions later it's 499euro. For the small fee of 200Euro pre-orders can have their unit supplied from the company based in Germany, through community support, and goodwill of the owner, since the UK based company that was supposed to deliver the pre-orders in the first place is defunct. The company based in germany has no ties other then the console to the UK venture, and as such had no responsibility to offer the discount in the first place. And, quite frankly... Would you put down another 200euro on top of the 329USD you already paid, to get something that has a "market value" of 499euro? All in all, no, i think it's a good idea to stay away from pre-orders until there is a product ready for production. Heard at an internal meeting: Skinny bald guy: (He was a short fat bloke with lots of hair when this started. Hey, i'm imagining things, create your own characters) Hey, we finalized everything, and we are ready for production. If we can make 1K units in a batch, we get a great price, how do we found this... Freckled redhead: Um, guys, how about a kickstarter? Skinny bald guy: Nah, they take a huge cut of the totals... I know, Pre-orders! We can fill em in about 6 months, we should be able to give everyone a set date... Accountant cutie: It's a done deal. I'll set up the webpage, and the info. You guys spread the word on the forums. Make it happen in a hurry, we need the bulk of pre-orders in a short timewindow, so we can make it happen. What i mean is... Having a solid product, and knowing you can actually make it, is a HUGE comfort for a venture such as this. Taking peoples money, and hoping you can pull a rabbit out of your ass, to save the hat... No, wait, thats backwards. Anyway, you don't want to have to enter panic mode where you need to sell everything, and move back home to your mother, while still not being able to deliver the pre-orders.

13 September 2014, 08:33	#734
cugar124 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Belfast Posts: 82	Keep up the good work guys nothing good comes quickly and this does look good.

21 November 2014, 13:27	#735
nikoluis Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Greece Age: 49 Posts: 14	Hello all. Any updates?

24 November 2014, 13:25	#740
Mr B Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sweden Posts: 749	I suspect he means USING no CPU cycles. But i might be reading both him, and the screen's wrong.

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