03 July 2014, 18:39 | #1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 154
|
What do people think about this as next Gen AMIGA?
SOCKIT Board
* FPGA with over 100,000 LE * In FPGA 512 KB build in 2nd Level cache useable by CPU * As CPU option for 68K Softcore with 200 Mips * 2 Gigabyte of fast DDR3 Memory * Ethernet * USB * VGA out * Audio out |
03 July 2014, 19:04 | #2 |
Total Chaos forever!
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Waterville, MN, USA
Age: 49
Posts: 2,213
|
With a new graphics core that's AGA compatible it would be great! Otherwise why bother? There isn't much non-chipset banging software for Amiga but if you want to run AROS you would be better off with a PC.
|
03 July 2014, 19:08 | #3 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Ames, IA, USA
Posts: 521
|
As much as my curiosity is always piqued when discussions of a "next-gen Amiga" come out, I'd like to see more specifics on such a machine. And after the promise and total debacle of Natami, I'd much rather not hear anything until hardware is ready for sale and shipping. Call me jaded, if you like.
|
03 July 2014, 19:14 | #4 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Norfolk, UK
Posts: 1,160
|
Quote:
It "just" needs the core to be written. Of course writing an AGA core for it is a massive undertaking, but getting the existing Minimig OCS core, Gunnar's CPU core and maybe RTG graphics running on it within a matter of months rather than years shouldn't be beyond the bounds of possibility. (As a bonus the FPGA also contains a dual core ARM Cortex A9 - I'm sure we could come up with some interesting uses for that!) |
|
03 July 2014, 19:21 | #5 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 154
|
Quote:
The above board were on promotoin for $99 per piece. Awesome value for the money in my opinon. The promotion is now over the normal price is $299 |
|
03 July 2014, 19:23 | #6 |
MI clan prevails
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Belgrade, Serbia
Posts: 1,443
|
Seems cool How many LEs could we fill up right now ? I suppose there is enough room for this to be (close)future proof.
If I have found the right thing... it's 300 bucks. That's dirt cheap for a complete powerhouse system. |
03 July 2014, 19:29 | #7 |
Ruler of the Universe
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Lanzarote/Spain
Posts: 6,195
|
I wonder what OS would be the best to use with those specs. I don't know if it can run OS4.1 either. If the board isn't too expensive it would be a marvellous board to run OS3.9 and AmiKit Real with my RTG plugin, but you know there you can not enter HTML5 web pages with actual browsers.
|
03 July 2014, 19:36 | #8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 154
|
Lets give some ballpark numbers
* AMIGA Chipset OCS ~ 4.000 LE * AMIGA Chipset AGA ~ 5.000 LE * Fast 68K CPU with Caches With weak Superscalar ~ 9.000 LE * Very fast 68K CPU with strong super scalar and all bells and whistles ~ 16.000 LE * 68060 compatible FPU with ~ 100 MFlops ~ 10.000 LE * 24 Bit RTG GFX Card ~ 1.000 LE The FPGA is fast and has enough room to add lots of features |
03 July 2014, 19:42 | #9 |
MI clan prevails
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Belgrade, Serbia
Posts: 1,443
|
Comfortable enough for years to come
|
03 July 2014, 20:11 | #10 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 154
|
Quote:
writing a truecolor RGT core is peanuts - really. I did it before. :-D It can be done on a weekend. Starting with an ECS chipset is not bad. AGA is actually not that different from ECS. AGA is technically more an enhancemnt of ECS. If the ECS chipset is desinged halve way sensible than you can keep like 80% of the ECS chipset and only need to change 20% to get AGA out of it. Our CPU core is based around the standard ALTERA Bus protocols. This means instantiating it in an ALTERA chip like this SOCKIT and using the socket DMA/Memory controler "click and play". |
|
03 July 2014, 20:18 | #11 |
The show must go on.
|
but then again, it's nice that the hardware is here now, and the price is somewhat ok, it takes years? to write the software for it. We are not getting any younger you know :-)
|
03 July 2014, 20:37 | #12 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 154
|
Quote:
AMIGA OS is there already - just run it. Hundreds of AMIGA games are there - just play them. If you want new software install AROS 68k in it and surfe the internet with a modern browser... |
|
03 July 2014, 20:44 | #13 | |||
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Norfolk, UK
Posts: 1,160
|
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
I did actually start poking around with extending the Minimig core's colour registers a long time ago. Didn't get that far, since I was still learning (still am!) and didn't have much time to play. |
|||
03 July 2014, 21:12 | #14 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2001
Location: ?
Posts: 19,661
|
|
03 July 2014, 21:23 | #15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 154
|
Lets say you put into the board the following VHDL logic.
* AGA * 200 Mips 68K CPU * Truecolor GFX Card * Network * 2 Gigabytes of fast memory <- Giga not Mega! What would an A4000 system with the above specs cost you today? You would get a compatible System to the best AMIGA 4000 with Cyberstrom, Cybervision, Network Card, USB Card, for a fraction of the price. And the system would be brandnew, with waranty. |
03 July 2014, 21:27 | #16 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Norfolk, UK
Posts: 1,160
|
|
03 July 2014, 22:14 | #17 |
Glastonbridge Software
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Edinburgh/Scotland
Posts: 2,243
|
|
03 July 2014, 22:29 | #18 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Ames, IA, USA
Posts: 521
|
I do stand corrected....I didn't realize the "SOCKIT Board" at the top of Gunnar's first post was actually a product name that was already in existence...
The specs look impressive and I agree, compared to the price of a used 4000, this thing would be far superior even if it basically emulated the same hardware specs as a 4000. |
03 July 2014, 22:33 | #19 |
The show must go on.
|
No no no.. ;-) I mean the software for the FPGA core it self
|
03 July 2014, 22:43 | #20 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 154
|
Quote:
And actually the Sockit board is not the only board on the market. There are also another good boards on the market. One of them cost $170 but it has only 512 MB memory. I wonder if creating special hardware like the Minimig is the future or if choosing existing FPGA systems that give great value for little money is the future. Would a model be possible that developers create new CPU and chipset and offer this for this stock cards for a little bonus.. What do you think? |
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
Thread Tools | |
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Amiga X1000 needs a next gen Launch Game | fondpondforever | Amiga scene | 37 | 18 August 2014 14:46 |
Collective order: X500 Plus next gen case inspired to Amiga 500's shape | Omolungo | News | 10 | 15 February 2013 23:59 |
Classic 1st Gen EA games for the Amiga | illy5603 | support.Games | 8 | 03 July 2010 02:59 |
Next-gen Amiga development | LaundroMat | Coders. General | 3 | 05 October 2002 00:30 |
People vs. the Amiga Inc. | oldpx | Amiga scene | 19 | 21 March 2002 01:51 |
|
|