Details for the next generation of Flickerfixers from Individual Computers

[Exit]

i pre-ordered mine...hope it will be availible before christmas..but else i'll wait, jens makes great hardware, but we must give him the time to do it right

[jman]

I've preordered one too, looking forward to see what an FF/SS card can do.

I'm not sure I've clearly read anywhere in this thread if this upcoming card ensures compatibility with the following models: A1200, A4000T and A4000D.
I'm not aware of the components displacement and the internal space available of these three models (I own an A4000D and a A1200) so what may appear obvious to many of you it is not the same for me ;-)

[Schoenfeld]

The prototype I'm currently working on is for A1200 and A4000T.

I've had a special version of the old model for A4000D and CD32, but that sold extremely slowly. I may or may not make such a special version again, because it's fairly risky to bind capital in such a slow-selling field.

I may make a "special order period" where anyone interested in an A4000D/CD32 version can pre-order and pre-pay his unit, but I will most probably not stock them. Based on the numbers of the old model, I'm expecting higher cost than for the A1200/A4000T version.

Jens

[jman]

Originally Posted by Schoenfeld

I may make a "special order period" where anyone interested in an A4000D/CD32 version can pre-order and pre-pay his unit, but I will most probably not stock them. Based on the numbers of the old model, I'm expecting higher cost than for the A1200/A4000T version.

Hi Jens,

thanks for your quick reply and important info. Sad news, I didn't imagine the Indivision for A4000D could be a less desirable item.
I have to withdraw at once my preorder at Vesalia (not to self: ask before pre-order).

I will do my best to spread the word about this possibility you may offer, hoping to raise interest so to help *you* getting the numbers and *me* getting the card :-)

[stachu100]

Bad news for me as well. I'm looking forward to buy Indi AGA MKII for my A4000D. Where can I pre-order this?

[jman]

Originally Posted by stachu100

Bad news for me as well. I'm looking forward to buy Indi AGA MKII for my A4000D. Where can I pre-order this?

Please re-read Jens' comment. He *may* evaluate the possibility to nose count how many A4000D MK2 could be sold, then *maybe* decide to produce a batch. At higher price.

In short: don't hold your breath, no pre-order at the moment.

[NovaCoder]

A little birdy told me that we might be getting true color Graffiti after all (fingers crossed).

If it happens I can finally port my 3D engine over to AGA (which uses true color lighting) and maybe some newer PC games

[jbenam]

This is a really great news, NovaCoder

I'm also really excited for the SATA/CF adapter.

Thanks Jens

[T_hairy_bootson]

Originally Posted by Schoenfeld

I may make a "special order period" where anyone interested in an A4000D/CD32 version can pre-order and pre-pay his unit, but I will most probably not stock them. Based on the numbers of the old model, I'm expecting higher cost than for the A1200/A4000T version.

Please do consider doing this, I really could kick myself for missing out on the mkI 4000 version.

[ajk]

I don't know if this is really the place to show interest in the A4000D version, but I like the old card I have a lot, and if new ones come available I'd very likely get one for the other A4000.

[Schoenfeld]

Originally Posted by NovaCoder

A little birdy told me that we might be getting true color Graffiti after all (fingers crossed).

Did that little birdy also tell something about data rates? 3 bytes per pixel is a lot, and the "Graffiti" principle uses chipmem for the framebuffer, so you're limited to 2Mbytes.

Yes, you have full datarate on chipmem because you're only enabling 4 bitplanes, but with 7MBytes/second (or less if you have the wrong CPU card), this framebuffer is not exactly "high-performance".

For a really well-performing high-resolution and "lots-of-colours" screen, I'd vote for a combination of the following:

- keep the framebuffer in fastmem of accelerator
- use MMU routines to check for changes
- clever protocol for transferring changes to Indivision AGA MK2 framebuffer
(where "clever" includes runlength-encoding and window-drawing with modulo-copies)

This requires a lot of development on both the hardware and the software side. Luckily, such updates can be added when the hardware is in the field and basic functionality (it's still a flickerfixer!) is ensured on all systems. Gives me time to actually finish the hardware and some coders to show up and implement stuff ;-)

Jens

Would highcolor (15Bit) mode not be enough, and there would be only 3x5Bit pro a pixel so only 2x8bit data transfers.

[magnetic]

Jens

What is the probability that it will be out for christmas?

[desiv]

Originally Posted by magnetic

What is the probability that it will be out for christmas?

If you take into account Jens' Infinite Improbability Drive, I believe it is:
"..two to the power of two hundred and seventy-six thousand to one against and falling"

desiv
(Or was that something else?? )

[Schoenfeld]

Originally Posted by magnetic

What is the probability that it will be out for christmas?

Since the target is to be out with the thing by october, the probability is *very* high. I have finished the register-communication on the new prototype in a way that I can update timing parameters of the CPLD with some FPGA signals. This way, I'll be able to adapt timing to weird accelerator cards with a simple flash upgrade.

I hope I can make the same thing for the pixel timing; some of you may know that the old Indivision AGA had trouble with Lisa chips by NCR, but works fine with HP and most Commodore Lisa chips. I'll know later this week.

Jens

[mfilos]

Thanks for the proto photo Jens! It really looks great
Btw, is the thing on the left a proto idefix?

[magnetic]

Originally Posted by Schoenfeld

Since the target is to be out with the thing by october, the probability is *very* high..

Jens

Awesome news! Thanks. I'll be sure to order 1! Good luck with it.

Originally Posted by NovaCoder

A little birdy told me that we might be getting true color Graffiti after all (fingers crossed).

If it happens I can finally port my 3D engine over to AGA (which uses true color lighting) and maybe some newer PC games

Nova Coda sounds promising!

What games for example could you port?

[Schoenfeld]

Originally Posted by mfilos

Btw, is the thing on the left a proto idefix?

Nope, that's the first-ever buffered interface for the A1200, the "Randy Rom" from 1996. Back then, I did the design for MLC who were put out of business after they sold illegal copies of IDEfix.

Jens

[mfilos]

@Jens
Thanks for the answer Jens. Didn't know the story till now

@Jens
News about the start of production ?
I have amiga 4000T waiting