Once again, previous speculations has been confirmed, the new Amiga will be called "Commodore A1200 Reloaded"!





The new machine does not directly compare to any existing Amiga mainboard, but if you want a comparison basis, then an A1200 is probably the closest match. However, there are differences that also make it very much "not A1200", hence differentiated with the "Reloaded" suffix.

About the machine:

Commodore A1200 Reloaded is an AGA Amiga using the original chips Alice, Lisa and Paula, along with two CIA chips. Other chips of the computer will be replaced by modern logic chips.

For example: Chipram is one of the special things where the Amiga Reloaded scores: Although it's "only" 2MByte Chipram like all other AGA machines before, the memory is much faster and can be accessed by the processor at full speed even when eight bitplanes are switched on. This is accomplished by making use of modern memory technology, which is a lot faster than the D-RAMs that the AGA chipset was designed for. The higher speed allows inserting extra timeslots between the original DMA slots of the Alice chip.

As a result, the CPU will have high-speed access to chip memory even when 8 bitplanes are used, or the blitter is in "nasty mode", where it will not slow down if the processor signals that it wants to access chip ram. However, this may cause undesired effects with software that can't handle this kind of speed, so this feature can be switched off at the user's choice while the machine is running (no reboot required). It may also be a good idea to patch system functions to not use the blitter, but the CPU to do blitter functions, because the CPU will outperform the blitter in many, if not all aspects, given that it will have at least 14MByte/second performance on chipram.

It will have a floppy connector for a standard PC drive. This drive will work like an original 880k Amiga disk drive without electrical modifications. All track loaders and copy-protected games will work.

It will also have two CF-card slots (one internal, one external) for mass storage, part of the 32-bit IO subsystem.


The target price of the main board with AGA chips is under 200,- EUR!

On top of that you make the following selections:

1. An A1200 CPU card according to your wallet, preference and performance requirements
2a. 15kHz RGB output board (for original Commodore monitors and TV's and monitors that candle it)
2b. Flickerfixer output board (for VGA and HDMI output)
3. Optional USB functionality can be added with the X-Surf-100 version of RapidRoad.
4. Optional 100MBit Ethernet at a considerably lower price than the X-Surf-10


It fits in any original A1200/A500 case with keyboard. And of course in the upcoming NEW A1200 cases (the first ones manufactured this passed monday, now only finishing touches remains!)

Last edited by TRIPOS on 18-Oct-2016 at 09:59 PM.

@TRIPOS

Q: How are you going to use a copyright name like commodore

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@mcbone

Well i think it was Individual Computers that got the Commodore licence for the C64 reloaded from the current owners

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Instead of that 2 megabyts of chipram, it should be atleast 8.

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Quote:

Commodore A1200 Reloaded

So it's Commodore A1200 Reloaded, NOT Commodore Amiga A1200 Reloaded. It's completely two different things.

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@mcbone

Individual Computers has licensed the "Commodore" trademark from its owners (Polabe Holding N.V.)

Best of luck with the project, I hope it works out better than the BoXer, whitch this reminded me a lot off.

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@Yssing

Quote:

Yssing wrote: Instead of that 2 megabyts of chipram, it should be atleast 8.

This is not an emulator, it's a real machine based on the real Amiga AGA custom chips, thus I believe it's the "Alice" defining the limits?

But at least the chipmem is not sluggish and can be accessed by the CPU at full speed:

"the memory is much faster and can be accessed by the processor at full speed even when eight bitplanes are switched on. This is accomplished by making use of modern memory technology, which is a lot faster than the D-RAMs that the AGA chipset was designed for. The higher speed allows inserting extra timeslots between the original DMA slots of the Alice chip."

@Tomppeli

Quote:

Tomppeli wrote: It's completely two different things.

Indeed, the Commodore A1200 Reloaded will be a real product, the other one was something you made up for no reason and doesn't/will not exist!

@amigang

Quote:

amigang wrote: Best of luck with the project, I hope it works out better than the BoXer, whitch this reminded me a lot off.

It does?

Me, I look at the long and solid track record of Individual Computers and feel completely assured!

@TRIPOS

Excellent News. I ordered two of the new Kickstarter Amiga 1200 cases. One of them will be reserved for your new motherboard. Long live the Amiga :)

I appreciate the commitment and perseverance to one of the most unique and powerful pieces of technology in computer history. The Amiga truly revolutionized the computer industry.

Drewliio77

Last edited by Drewlio77 on 07-Oct-2016 at 11:24 AM.

@TRIPOS

One Question, why is your version going to be better than Individual Computers.

Also who are you, what previous products have you brought to the community?

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>For example: the memory is much faster and can be accessed by the processor at full >speed even when eight bitplanes are switched on. This is accomplished by making use of >modern memory technology,

Yes but a 68020 at 14mhz is not enough to take full advantage of this, so...

>It may also be a good idea to patch system functions to not use the blitter, but the CPU to >do blitter functions, because the CPU will outperform the blitter in many, if not all aspects, >given that it will have at least 14MByte/second performance on chipram.

It will maybe even be faster if both are used in parallel.
Kamelito

@TRIPOS

Nice!


Edit: Good name even without Amiga part (thread title is misleading...).

Last edited by pavlor on 07-Oct-2016 at 02:47 PM.

@TRIPOS

This new machine does not directly compare to any existing Amiga mainboard yet it is practically a clone of an A1200? That doesn't make sense!

I agree that it should have 8MB chip RAM. This talk of using CPU for blitter operations means the blitter also needs an update. Where is the 16-bit audio? And new screen modes? And MIDI? UDMA IDE/SATA controller?

These days I fail to see the point of bringing out a new Amiga that works the same as an old Amiga. Escom did that. And Commodore did it for years with old designs and no fresh ideas.

Perhaps I missed the point.

@Hypex

How long may our old hardware hold together? New compatible solutions (Minimig/MiST, this C-A1200) for new decade!

@TheAMIgaOne

Who said TRIPOS will release a Commodore A1200 Reloaded? It is Individual Computers that's going to release it.

@Hypex

It is using the original chipset, that's why 2 MB chip RAM is max.

@TRIPOS

Quote:

It will also have two CF-card slots (one internal, one external) for mass storage, part of the 32-bit IO subsystem.

So you can't fit a real hard-drive in it.

Will it be possible upgrade this computer with a modern graphic card and modern sound card?

Does it have clock port, expansion slot?
Any support for PICE?

Last edited by NutsAboutAmiga on 07-Oct-2016 at 04:58 PM.

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@NutsAboutAmiga

How about atleast trying to understand what this is all about ??

It is a replacement mobo for the A1200 useing genuine C= chips.

It can use an 1200 style accel, so Mediators and various Z2 boards could work.
Or just a BPPC+BVision.

Real HDs only make sense these days when you want to store TBs of data, on the Amiga a few GB will be more than enough to install all SW ever made for it.
Wether that flash storage comes in the form of a SSD,CF card or even an USB-stick does not matter.

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