UPDATE
Excuses Galore (tm) ?

-Had the Telecoms#2 job. Then the subcontracting ended, had to find another money source.
-Now I work in vertical markets design & products firm. Hectic & busy. Looking forward to my first summervacation since years.
-New contacts that should be helfull with this project.
-Still lack of time, but little by little.
-Still hobbying around high level design / rough design
-Putting draft material to web so that brainstorming discussion can then start to get preliminary spec /design done.


Cleanup of:

MajorBrainfartHW project(s) ™
...
The above stuff is me speaking out loud about my planned stepping stones.


Some things:
-OpenSourceHWdesign (unless some financial miracle happens)
-aiming to get basic board HW price very low
- - try to keep the design simple and small
- - try to collect investors and/or buyers to arange 10 000 unit production run
-aiming to make it very modular via busboard and PCIe switches etc.
-aiming to get Linux, Android, AROS etc. opensource SW on board
-ask Hyperion and MOS team about their interest when the product is in working state
-ask ACube and A_Eon and other Amiga HW tinkerers about partnering for the production & sales

For me the project is:
-non-profit for the near future
-teach myself about HW projects and open source
-use my "once in a lifetime" opportunity to do something for my hobby system
(because I just got a fullday job, things will slow down again for me, almost before it even started)

I will be needing a lot of help, that's why it is truly a "community computer" project.


CPU/SoC built as single board computer (example size 12cm x 12cm). HW cost 200eur


Specs: (high level specs awaiting on web to become public)

CPU MODULES: (no CPU modules but a SBC, 1...3 CPU options)

BUSBOARDS: (plan to support standard risers and later have a few own special ones)

....
I will start new thread when I'm ready for it.

OLD stuff below.


***************************************************************
MajorBrainfartHW project(s) ™


Plan:
------
Rouch specs
Rough broschure
Rough design

Closed team brainstorms with design evolution
Open brainstorms with design evolution

Draft specs
Draft design
Professional brochure v1

Potential customers probing with design evolution
(Linux, Aros, Industry, Retro...)

v1 specs
v1 design
Professional brochure v2

Potential investors and partners probing with design evolution
(local firms, international firms, Acube, A-Eon, C=, Freescale/AMCC/c-chip, …)

v2 specs
v2 design

Protoseries team set up & proto project launch
→ HW proto(s)
Demo SW development & testing & design evolution.

SW bundle development & partner projects...

Mass production start, minimum 10 001 units.

Sales via Amiga channels, industry channels, slashdot, retro mainstream, china....

--------------
Initial product idea (prices out of my sleeve):
-200eur (material+production cost) small PPC HW (1...2Ghz etc...) (+-100eur)
-250...300eur with SW bundle (linux, aros,...)
---prebuilt in standard case +200eur
-300eur with SW bundle + AOS4
-$$$eur with SW bundle + MOS3
---prebuilt in fantacy case +200eur

Goal:
-not to get R&D investment back (it's hobby), unless some miracle happens
-learn more from HW+SW design etc.
-get more geeky HW to market
-produce hobby HW without big/huge loss
-produce very affordable PPC development / industry platform
-make Amiga community grow a little?
**************

be back one day, hopefully...
Any feedback?

/me goes back to nurse my kids...

********************
now they are sleeping

Some background:
For a project (potentially my next fully paid job) I'll co-operate with a HW design firm that has exAmigan as it's CEO. It's capable to do 1000 unit runs locally and 10000+ units with it's chinese partner.
+ currently I act as a business developer in organization that enables me to gain good contacts with smaller HW & SW & Telecom companies and investors, there might be a interest for some PowerArchitecture developments, even though most new stuff seem to run on ARM.
+ there's also hundreds of engineers around that have experience of previous PPC R&D
+ one of my contact firm was just at IT/Telecom event in Barcelona, interesting to hear if they managed to meet with freescale people there.

I personally am a absolute newbie with this kind of project(s), but I try to see if I manage to get it going. Initially as an hobby.

Last edited by KimmoK on 29-May-2015 at 08:48 AM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 29-May-2015 at 08:46 AM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 29-May-2015 at 08:45 AM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 16-Mar-2012 at 10:35 AM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 03-Mar-2012 at 07:46 PM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 03-Mar-2012 at 07:44 PM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 03-Mar-2012 at 11:42 AM.

_________________
- KimmoK
// For freedom, for honor, for AMIGA
//
// Thing that I should find more time for: CC64 - 64bit Community Computer?

Just presented the grazy idea to 50 innovation tinkerers.
They did not laugh me out.
They all aplauded (very polite people me thinks).

next: waiting a confirmation about my next job... (it should be clear in next 30 minutes)
if it's "A" then I would have some time and resources also for this.
if it's "B", then I'm with Telecoms again 5/7 and less time.

Update:
its option B, I'm employed starting from monday. C/C++, HW testing, Telecom, NI tools, ....
well... at least I will be able to start donating soon.

Last edited by KimmoK on 16-Mar-2012 at 04:03 PM.

_________________
- KimmoK
// For freedom, for honor, for AMIGA
//
// Thing that I should find more time for: CC64 - 64bit Community Computer?

@KimmoK

I didn't really understand, what is your plan? Another OS4 system?

_________________
Amiga A1200, 3.1 ROMs, Blizzard 1230 MKIV 64MB & FPU, 4GB DoM SSD, Workbench 3.1

@A1200

Another PowerPC HW.
The above stuff is me speaking out loud about my planned stepping stones.

Some things:
-OpenSourceHWdesign
-aiming to get basic board HW price very low
- - try to keep the design simple and small
- - try to collect investors and/or buyers to arange 10 000 unit production run
-aiming to make it very modular via busboard and PCIe switches etc.
-aiming to get Linux, Android, AROS etc. opensource SW on board
-ask Hyperion and MOS team about their interest when the product is in working state
-ask ACube and A_Eon and other Amiga HW tinkerers about partnering for the production

A lot of ideas have been discussed in some HW threads recently.
I'll try to deliver some documentation and sketchups within one week.
(I've been learning a lot during the past week)

For me the project is:
-non-profit for the near future
-teach myself about HW projects and open source
-use my "once in a lifetime" opportunity to do something for my hobby system
(because I just got a fullday job, things will slow down again for me, almost before it even started)

I will be needing a lot of help, that's why it is truly a "community computer" project.


UPDATE:
I wish the Verisilicon chip was available:
"Power PC-based SoC for x-Pad and Media Tablet
Custom Silicon turn key service from specification.
CPU (PowerPC 460)
Android 2.3 and Flash Player 10.1.
1080P HD video playback, including WebM.
HD audio: DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby TrueHD.
2D/3D GPU with OPENGL ES2.0 and OPEN VG1.1.
1080P HDMI output.
Wireless access: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 3G.
Up to 1280x800 TFT panel with multi-touch."

UPDATE:
happy but exhausted from the first work week...

Last edited by KimmoK on 24-Mar-2012 at 07:52 AM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 17-Mar-2012 at 09:01 PM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 16-Mar-2012 at 07:35 PM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 16-Mar-2012 at 07:35 PM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 16-Mar-2012 at 07:31 PM.

_________________
- KimmoK
// For freedom, for honor, for AMIGA
//
// Thing that I should find more time for: CC64 - 64bit Community Computer?

CC1 idea (dream still alive (TM))

CPU/SoC built as single board computer (example size 10cm x 15cm). HW cost 200eur

Specs:
- 4000+MIPS (dualcore)
- 2GB DDR2/DDR3 RAM (soldered or DIMM)
- SD card as mass storage
- HDMI (2D GFX + stereo audio out)
- 1x 1Gb Ethernet

Expansion potential:
- mini PCIe
- 0...4x SATA
- 2...6x USB 2.0
- PCIx4 + PCIex1 card edge connection available
(usable via PCIex4 external option & PCIex1 external
option or via optional busboard)
-custom expansion connector (offers some extra what SoC can deliver)

Mounting alternatives:
- custom (minimig kind) of cases
- ATX/ITX case card slot
- built in keyboard cases

Busboards:
- 1xPCIe x4
- 1xPCIe x4 + 1xPCIe x1
- large (using PCIe switch chips)

OSs:
- Android, Linux, AROS included
- commercial OSs sold separately / bundled as needed for additional cost

CC2 idea (like CC1 but with 10000MIPS SoC for about 500eur)
-SoC with full SIMD unit(s)
-tbd

Last edited by KimmoK on 15-May-2012 at 07:59 AM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 15-May-2012 at 07:54 AM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 15-May-2012 at 07:53 AM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 15-May-2012 at 07:52 AM.

_________________
- KimmoK
// For freedom, for honor, for AMIGA
//
// Thing that I should find more time for: CC64 - 64bit Community Computer?

Putting ideas together....


VOCABULARY:
CC - CommunityComputing (module)
CA - ComputerAssembly (unit)
CG - CommunityGaming (unit)
CZ - CommunityPizzaBox (mediacenter unit)
CB - CommunityBusboard (module)
CX - CommunityXena (module)
CF - CommunityFPGA (module)
Ce - ePCIe (module)
CI - Interface / I/O (module)
CIU-Bridge over USB
CIP-Bridge over PCMCIA
CIC-Bridge to Classic (CIC-A500...A3k)
CGPU-Custom GPU board with audio (FPGA based)
CAUX-Custom Audio board
CDAQ-kit to extend CF and/or CX to DAQ use

CPU MODULES:
------CC1---CC2---CC3---CC4
cost--100+--250+--500+--800+ (EUR)
SoC---82181-86290-T2080-T4240 (example)
MIPS--2k----5k----30k---100k+
SIMD--na----na----yes---yes
RAM---512M--2G----4G+---16G+
PCIe--1x1---2*----3**---3***
SATA--1-----1/2---2-----2
USB---2+2---2+2---2+2---2+2
1GBE--yes---yes---yes---yes
10GBE-na----na----yes---yes
CI----1-----2-----3-----4 (interface version)
CB----1+----1+,2--2,3---3,4++ (compatibility for optional board)
*=4x+1x PCIe2.0
**=8x+2x PCIe3.0/2.0
***=8x+4x+ PCIe3.0
(512MB boot flash, SD card slot etc... on every CPU board)

BUSBOARDS:
------CB10--CB12--CB15--CB20--CB30--CB4T--CB5T
cost--50----50+---100+--200+--300+--300+--500+ (EUR)
PCIe--ePCIe-mPCIe-1-----2-----3-----6*----8**
*=PCIe to PCIe switch (+xorro if use cases appear)
**=PCIe16x to PCIe16x switch (+xorro if use cases appear)
(note: CB15c & CB30c to use classic PCI expansions)

EXAMPLE configurations (units):
CA300u--CC1+CIU+picoBox (CB as option ->CA300uB)
CA300p--CC1+CIP+pcmcia (CB as option)
CA300c--CC1+CIC+picoBox (CB as option)
CA600---CC1+CB10+CGPU+picoBox (CG600 variant for 2D gaming)
CA1200--CC1+CB12+3DGPU+miniBox (CG1200)
CA1500m-CC1+CB15+3DGPU+miniBox
CA1500T-CC1+CB15+3DGPU+TowerBox
CA2000m-CC2+CB15+3DGPU+miniBox (CG2000, CG2200, !!)
CA2000T-CC2+CB20+3DGPU+TowerBox
CA2500T-CC3+CB20+3DGPU+TowerBox
CA3000T-CC3+CB30+3DGPU+TowerBox (CG3300, !!)
CA3500T-CC4+CB30+3DGPU+TowerBox
CA4000T-CC4+CB4T+3DGPU+TowerBox
CA5000T-CC4+CB5T+3DGPU+TowerBox

EXAMPLE use cases:
Any computer + CA300u
x86 Laptop + CA300p
ClassicAmiga + CA300c
CA600
CG600

OTHER HW (EXPANSIONS):

Details:

Last edited by KimmoK on 06-Sep-2012 at 02:36 PM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 06-Sep-2012 at 02:34 PM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 06-Sep-2012 at 07:47 AM.

_________________
- KimmoK
// For freedom, for honor, for AMIGA
//
// Thing that I should find more time for: CC64 - 64bit Community Computer?

Going through some options for Audio.

For a SoC that does not any audio out, one could use the audio that is built in Radeon GPUs that have HDMI out.

Another option is to use SPI or I2C chip for Audio:
http://fi.farnell.com/texas-instruments/tlv320aic3262iyzft/codec-audio-192khz-spi-i2c-81wcsp/dp/2115231
After look at the specs, also that chip seem to require serial audio port...
More options: http://www.altera.com/literature/an/an487.pdf

Yet another is to use custom FPGA (perhaps with some 24bit paula imitation).
Yet another is to use XCORE USB audio reference designs (could be modified to work over some other than USB interface).
Yet another is to see if delfinaDSP design is available to be used on NG thing.

For FPGA solution, I should be able to protorype it with the FPGA on my SAM.

Anyone with link to a good VHDL study material?

Last edited by KimmoK on 20-Sep-2012 at 07:09 AM.
Last edited by KimmoK on 20-Sep-2012 at 06:29 AM.

_________________
- KimmoK
// For freedom, for honor, for AMIGA
//
// Thing that I should find more time for: CC64 - 64bit Community Computer?