New Amiga motherboards from Jens

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by gulliver

Oh, and another thing: Why two CF slots?

Because one is internal and the other one is needed for file transfer, since he has removed the PCMCIA port.

PC case sounds really ridiculous though, it stops being a classic Amiga if it looks like any off market PC.

[vagrant]

Very interesting..
Will the "special version" of the AGA MK2 support 50hz this time?

I originally purchase the MK2 only to have it collect dust on a shelf because it lacked 50hz support

[gulliver]

Originally Posted by Akira

Because one is internal and the other one is needed for file transfer, since he has removed the PCMCIA port.

PC case sounds really ridiculous though, it stops being a classic Amiga if it looks like any off market PC.

IDE is way more flexible interface than CF (lets you use with very cheap and widely available adapters: SSD, SATA HDD, CDROM, DVDROM, CF, SDCARD, TFCARD, etc) and cheaper to manufacture (and if you want CF you can fit a $2 adapter from ebay or buy the one that Jens manufactures).

A PC case is not ridiculous, after all the A4000T was a PC case, and you cant argue that it wasnt an Amiga. PC cases are abundant, Amiga wedge cases are scarce, always used (you cannot buy a new one) and not in the best shape, since they are more than two decades old yellowed plastic suff.

[snoopy77]

Very excited to hear about this new board. I'm got an A500 (the first computer I ever bought - 1990) that isn't working at the moment, so looking forward to rekindling that!

[kamelito]

I don't think that there's a lot of A1200/A500 case and keyboard available this mean that people will start to butcher their working Amigas. Any plan for cheap one would be nice.
Having an NMi and memory to fit an Action Replay would be nice too.
Kamelito

[Predseda]

Originally Posted by kamelito

I don't think that there's a lot of A1200/A500 case and keyboard available this mean that people will start to butcher their working Amigas. Any plan for cheap one would be nice.
Having an NMi and memory to fit an Action Replay would be nice too.
Kamelito

I will buy those redundant original mobos, then

[roy bates]

@jens

can we have an IDE header,its more useful than a cf port if people want a cf they can add it the way they do now.

people who want reall drives wont have the option otherwise.

[alenppc]

Originally Posted by Predseda

I think it is not necessary as all the old software is written for up to 2MB chip mem and there is not any new software that would benefit from bigger chip memory. Also possible backward compatibility issues.

Not true, you have 8 MB of emulated chip ram on Draco AND WinUAE and the software will use it seamlessly providing there is a way to emulate the blitter.

It won't make any difference for games obviosuly. But they would work the same way they did before, by ignoring the page mode altogether.

Another possible improvement: onboard PS/2 mouse interface on top of the Amiga mouse interface. I am not sure how the mouse port is wired inside the existing models but a simple PIC does a good job of converting the protocol. This might even be offered as an optional add-on.

[Predseda]

Yes, better mouse port would be really appreciated!

[Mrs Beanbag]

would prefer a USB port for mouse even if it only supports the PS/2 protocol since most new mice only come with a USB plug on and a PS/2 adapter.

[kamelito]

HW wise the so called classic seems pretty healthy. The problem is the OS it hasn't really been developed for 68k since the demise of CBM. Alternatives are use AROS and improve it, licence the AmigaOS 3.1 and develop it further or do what Zeta has done with BeOS.
Kamelito

PS do nothing is also an option.

[Mrs Beanbag]

Originally Posted by Photon

Speaking of that, I think would be a golden opportunity to pre-mix the Paula channels for the excellent 3.5mm output (like WinUAE default) - everything will sound better and it would be a true problem-solver for musicians, and there are lots of them. It's an absolute drag to get the equipment to do it outside the Amiga, but inside only a couple op-amps are necessary.

But inside there are a couple of op-amps anyway, all you need to do in theory is wire the two outputs together (it is four LF347s in a single TL084 IC according to the schematics). You could just make a little adapter with a couple of resistors, i believe this should be safe.

[eXeler0]

In short: for a new Amiga mobo to make sense, it should focus on solving problems ppl have with the current (old) mobos. As I stated before, I really do believe there are far more working A1200 mobos out there than still active 68k Amiga users. Also, I have an Apollo 060 card. If my current mobo fails, the reloaded wont be the solution anyway.

However, one obvious problem is the obsolete stuff on the mobos that no one is using anymore and lack of modern ports that improve on the obsolete things.
So yes, USB snd PS/2 ports would definitely make sense as would an ethernet device (cable or wireless) +keeping the IDE interface (buffered from the beginning) instead of a cf only "port".
Lack of the first 3 is an actual problem users have today as they try to transfer files between Amigas and modern platforms.

I do understand the design choices Jens has made, but Im getting the feeling a majority does not agree with them?

Jens Im not sure if this is how you roll, but maybe a poll.. top 3 things you'd change on the proposed Amiga reloaded mobo and listen to what ppl have to say?

[Lord Aga]

Originally Posted by eXeler0

but maybe a poll.. top 3 things you'd change on the proposed Amiga reloaded mobo and listen to what ppl have to say?

And then you get:
1. Built-in 060 CPU @ 100MHz
2. 6 SATA III ports
3. Native HDMI 4K enabled video output

Because Amigans are realistic like that

[Arnie]

You forgot WLan & USB.

[jbenam]

Originally Posted by Lord Aga

And then you get:
1. Built-in 060 CPU @ 100MHz
2. 6 SATA III ports
3. Native HDMI 4K enabled video output

Because Amigans are realistic like that

What? SATA? Are we talking about an old computer of some sort here?
Obviously it needs to have M.2 slots for the fastest SSDs out there!

[spudje]

Originally Posted by Arnie

You forgot WLan & USB.

You mean WLAN 802.11ac and USB 3.0 obviously :P

[eXeler0]

Ok...
Lets try this again.. :-)
Jens lists 10 features and ppl can cast votes - between 1 and 10 points on the respective features (where 1 point = sucks, dont want and 10 points = fantastic, I want this now).
Now...hows that gonna be trolled? ;-)

[Mrs Beanbag]

personally i think it should either be a drop-in replacement for an existing Amiga motherboard, supporting all the same connectivity (except perhaps a new PSU connection)... fast Chip RAM, great... no on-board CPU, well ok as long as you can get a plain 68EC020 card for it... but if it doesn't even do everything an Amiga can do more-or-less out of the box i must have missed the point of it.

if the point is a super-expandable barebones Amiga i don't know why not go for some PC form factor.

[IanP]

The original wedges hold a lot of affection for many users. Looking at it you instantly know it's a true Amiga and not some anonymous PC.