Modern CD32 Expansion

[beezle]

Originally Posted by turrican3

PPC + 060/100 mhz + usb + ethernet + gfxcard + 128mb ram etc... etc.... I would like the most huge card ever.
With maximum parts in fpga !!!! And must be compatible with amiga os 4 for classics.

Why would you want os4 compatibily and ppc?
So you can lose compatibily with the cd32 software? (Ie. OS4 doesn't run custom hardware hitting software without an emulator, even on aga hardware).
Would make it the single most pointless upgrade ever :-)

Or was you joking?

On a more serious note, and in response to the actual question, I'd love any sort of cheap upgrade for the cd32, with fastram and an mpeg decoder chip being top of my wish list.
Add a faster CPU to the equation and the cd32 wouldn't be too far removed from the machines it was pitted against when it was new (3do, jaguar, 32x).

[eXeler0]

@beezle Project Hermes is kept simple as Stedy is firmly protecting the original idea from "feature creep". So if we are talking about simple but neaningful upgrades for a CD32 the that one is "it".
Just hoping he'll find more time so it can be finished within a reasonable time span.

[beezle]

Sounds good and is definitely something I'll be keeping an eye on.

[Kloks]

For me it's more about the software and not about the power of a machine. So back in the days it would be nice if the CD32 had more power but today it doesen't matter. If I wana play old games on CD32, ok I am fine with the stock hardware. If I would make different things then gaming on old Aimiga Hardware, I use my Amiga 1200. And if I wana have new software I use my PC or other modern hardware.
I love Retro but I don't really looking for new technology on old machines (only exception is new hardware that can save old hardware).

[beezle]

There's plenty of cd32 software though that would be better with a little more speed.
That's all I'm interested in. Running existing cd32 software better (some cd32 titles are horrid because of lack of speed).

[eXeler0]

Originally Posted by beezle

There's plenty of cd32 software though that would be better with a little more speed.
That's all I'm interested in. Running existing cd32 software better (some cd32 titles are horrid because of lack of speed).

Exactly... Games like Frontier, Gunship etc are awful on CD32.

Adding some fast RAM and possibly higher clocked 020 is only fixing Commodore's old mistakes with this console :-)

[Amiga1992]

There is absolutely no fucking point in adding CPU power to a CD32. RAM and a way to connect mass storage is all it needs, it's a games console.
If you put a faster CPU you make it less compatible and ultimately useless, nobody is making any games for such a spec!

[eXeler0]

Originally Posted by Akira

There is absolutely no fucking point in adding CPU power to a CD32. RAM and a way to connect mass storage is all it needs, it's a games console.
If you put a faster CPU you make it less compatible and ultimately useless, nobody is making any games for such a spec!

@Akira, I already know you like to suffer through slow poly based games on CD32... ;-) and yes it was sold as a game console.. but it was also made with expandability in mind, even being marketed as something you could expsnd into an A1200 and the expansion port obviously supported Accelerators such as SX32.. etc so that ppl coul turn it into something beyond the original limited console.
So who are you to decide what ppl want to do with their CD32s? ;-)
Maybe the CD32 is the only Amiga they own...

[Akiko]

Originally Posted by Akira

There is absolutely no fucking point in adding CPU power to a CD32. RAM and a way to connect mass storage is all it needs, it's a games console.
If you put a faster CPU you make it less compatible and ultimately useless, nobody is making any games for such a spec!

It's called WHDLoad, and for original CD32 games it is even possible with the SX32 Pro to add a simple jumper switch to disable the 030 CPU and extra memory if required too.

I live in an apartment and have limited space, this is my CD32/SX32 setup which fits quite easily into a drawer and is out of the way when it's not in use , if I could add a decent accelerator it would allow me to replace my more bulky A1200 setup.

[beezle]

Originally Posted by Akira

There is absolutely no fucking point in adding CPU power to a CD32. RAM and a way to connect mass storage is all it needs, it's a games console.
If you put a faster CPU you make it less compatible and ultimately useless, nobody is making any games for such a spec!

Always the happy camper aren't you?

Also, very wrong, which I suspect you even know, which makes the above all the more bizarre.

Ever try ab3d on a cd32? How about f.e.a.r? Frontier? Gunship2000? What about ab3d2? Simon The Sorceror? Or, ..or,... Or....

Having had an sx-1, with fastram and a hard drive I know even that doesn't cut it for some cd32 versions of games, not to mention the fact the cd32 was designed from the get-go to also be upgradable to an Amiga.

[Adrian Browne]

Originally Posted by Akiko

It's called WHDLoad, and for original CD32 games it is even possible with the SX32 Pro to add a simple jumper switch to disable the 030 CPU and extra memory if required too.

I live in an apartment and have limited space, this is my CD32/SX32 setup which fits quite easily into a drawer and is out of the way when it's not in use , if I could add a decent accelerator it would allow me to replace my more bulky A1200 setup.

Is that a real cd32 keyboard? Do such things exist?

[Akiko]

Originally Posted by Adrian Browne

Is that a real cd32 keyboard? Do such things exist?

Yes an old thread here about keyboard.

http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=54178

[Amigajay]

Originally Posted by beezle

Always the happy camper aren't you?

Also, very wrong, which I suspect you even know, which makes the above all the more bizarre.

Ever try ab3d on a cd32? How about f.e.a.r? Frontier? Gunship2000? What about ab3d2? Simon The Sorceror? Or, ..or,... Or....

Having had an sx-1, with fastram and a hard drive I know even that doesn't cut it for some cd32 versions of games, not to mention the fact the cd32 was designed from the get-go to also be upgradable to an Amiga.

Whilst i agree with the fps games and frontier, Gunship 2000 was perfectly playable, i used to play for hours no problem, and Simon the sorceror? Why does that need more cpu speed its an adventure game, plays as it should do on stock machine!

[beezle]

I guess those 2 titles are a matter of perspective.
Once you've played them on more reasonable hardware its hard to go back.
Same is true for a lot of point 'n click adventures.

[Akiko]

Also ScummVM needs at least 030 acceleration, with advances in FPGA even the most demanding of these 200+ titles should someday be playable.