ACube announces the Minimg+ nearly two years ago during the AlchimieX Meeting:
http://www.amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2013-11-00021-EN.html

Searching ACubes Homepage I could not find much about the announced Minimig+ that was advertised on ACube's web site some month ago.

Most pictures of prototype boards have disappeared silently:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gTFDNYwrXP4/U3PSz9JFSxI/AAAAAAAAEak/EVVJToOUjdM/s1600/Minimig_Plus.jpg

Last edited by OneTimer1 on 16-Sep-2015 at 07:43 PM.

@OneTimer1: maybe it was canceled, since it wasn't a big improvement over the existing Minimig.

Consider that it used a 68000 processor. So, even if they would have been able to implement the AGA chipset (the used FPGA had enough resource for it), almost all AGA software wouldn't have run, since it requires a 68020 (every AGA machine had at least a 680EC020 processor).

The 68000 processor on the Minimig+ is faster than the "stock" one used for Amiga 1000/2000/500/500+/600, so speed isn't the problem here. The real issue is the architecture, which lacked many instructions and the new (and complex) addressing modes.

BTW, considering the costs, doesn't make sense to invest on such board, when you have smaller, cheaper, and more efficient little PCs like the Intel Computer Stick, which are able to emulate any Amiga machine much better any Minimig/like device.

A hardware board makes sense only if it provides a solid added value for its money (e.g.: something that a WinUAE-based solution cannot provide).

I have Minimig and MIST and will get FPGA Arcade too, much more fun to tinker with than emulators are :) Anyhow, the Minimig+ is an odd device as pointed out, and for it to be useful, you also need people who can do the FPGA programming.

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i doubt the project came any far last time it has been mentioned. it wasnt much point in it at the time and with fpgaarcade, mist, vampire and apolo core it diesnt make more sense today.

@wawa

Quote:

wawa wrote: it wasnt much point in it at the time and with fpgaarcade, mist, vampire and apolo core it diesnt make more sense today.

The original ACubve Minimig+ with Dragonball CPU and ECS doesn't make much sense today,
but all the others (FPGAArcade, MIST, Vampire Apollo core) are slower (weak CPU) or not available.

A Minimig with AGA and Apollo Core would be a logical step but I don't know the actual state of the mysterious Apollo core.

@OneTimer1

It's mentioned in A-EON's press release from April.

http://www.a-eon.com/PDF/News_Release_Summit.pdf

@cdimauro

You don't see your own pattern of jumping into ANY thread with ANY topic whatsoever and promoting Intel products? Seriously?

On the technical side you're spot on, though. It would have needed something else than 68000. I would have thought this would be the perfect match for one of Jens' accelerator boards.

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@cdimauro

Quote:

cdimauro wrote: The 68000 processor on the Minimig+ is faster than ...

The Minimig+ was announced using a Dragonball processor that's more like a 68030 with 30Mhz clock.


Quote:

cdimauro wrote: A hardware board makes sense only if ...

This point might kill every new Amiga hardware.

Last edited by OneTimer1 on 17-Sep-2015 at 08:37 AM.
Last edited by OneTimer1 on 17-Sep-2015 at 08:22 AM.

@OneTimer1

"No (bad) news, (still) good news" ... Italian proverb

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@OneTimer1

Quote:

OneTimer1 wrote: @wawa Quote: wawa wrote: it wasnt much point in it at the time and with fpgaarcade, mist, vampire and apolo core it diesnt make more sense today. The original ACubve Minimig+ with Dragonball CPU and ECS doesn't make much sense today, but all the others (FPGAArcade, MIST, Vampire Apollo core) are slower (weak CPU) or not available. A Minimig with AGA and Apollo Core would be a logical step but I don't know the actual state of the mysterious Apollo core.

as you yourself claim above minimig+ would be likely around middle clocked 030. thats what all named alternatives provide or better. even if some are to time not widely available, there is considerable number of users for each of them already. minimig+ in comparison has no users to date, for what i observe. so what would be better about it, considering that dragonball cpu and the whole device to design around it is also a dead end, contrary to fpga solutions?

Last edited by wawa on 17-Sep-2015 at 10:50 AM.

@Massi

Quote:

Massi wrote: @OneTimer1 "No (bad) news, (still) good news" ... Italian proverb

good news, the project being abandoned and something more reasonable started?
same problem here as with ultimate ppc. to narrow a concept perspective. imho.

@wawa

I'm sure the Minimig+ will emerge but with an FPGA CPU, which makes a lot more sense. Hopefully it'll offer something over the MiST and FPGA Arcade, or maybe be the best of both worlds. Both are very good though, so it's not really worth waiting if you want an FPGA Amiga now.

As an aside, this is what I think are the strengths and weakness of the two at the moment:

MiST

+ Cheap (£140) and readily available
+ Fast (68040 speed)
+ Supports USB keyboard and mouse (and game controllers as alternative to classic joysticks/joypads)
+ Nice compact metal case as standard
+ Tons of other cores available to play with
- Quality of video output isn't that great for applications - FPGA Arcade and Indivision are better

FPGA Arcade

+ High quality video-output
+ Fast CPU (68040-level) and RTG support coming soon
+ Excellent compatibility
- Currently slower than the MiST (just about 68030 speed)
- Limited supply and more expensive
- No USB, so requires a PS/2 keyboard and mouse
- No other cores available yet
- No networking (daughterboard has been talked about but timescales with the project tend to be quite optimistic)

For me, a MiniMIg+ would ideally be widely available, offer the FPGA Arcade's Amiga core and sound & video output, and have USB ports like the MiST. On top of that, I'd like to see an ethernet port and a second SD card slot for transferring files to the Amiga core. That would make for a really good product.

Last edited by clebin on 17-Sep-2015 at 11:48 AM.

@clebin

to be honest mist seems what one should go for so far, even if it has been always claimed lesser quality. but we see the progress. i on the other hand wouldnt wait for any fpgaarcade daughterboards, we see that the project delays year to year, it is obviously too ambitious.

@wawa

Quote:

good news, the project being abandoned and something more reasonable started? same problem here as with ultimate ppc. to narrow a concept perspective. imho.

The project doesn' t seem officially cancelled, does it?

Try to ask ACube ...

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@Massi

Quote:

Try to ask ACube ...

no interest, really.

@Massi

Why do I even bother posting links?

@Rob

I already knew your link which is rather outdated.
I think people interested in the project here are asking if more recent news exist.

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@wawa

Quote:

to be honest mist seems what one should go for so far, even if it has been always claimed lesser quality. but we see the progress. i on the other hand wouldnt wait for any fpgaarcade daughterboards, we see that the project delays year to year, it is obviously too ambitious.

The MIST is a lot of fun, especially for gaming. If you're into old games, the sheer number of cores make it a must-buy.

The FPGA Arcade is in a more niche position. As a pure Amiga I think it still has the edge over the MiST but because of price, you're probably better off spending a little more and getting a real A1200 + Indivision AGA + accelerator.

When they get the '040 speed CPU and RTG graphics in there, there's a stronger argument for the Arcade as that stuff on real hardware is expensive as hell.

Chris

Last edited by clebin on 17-Sep-2015 at 01:45 PM.

@clebin

Quote:

The FPGA Arcade is in a more niche position. As a pure Amiga I think it still has the edge over the MiST

Quote:

When they get the '040 speed CPU and RTG graphics in there, there's a stronger argument for the Arcade as that stuff on real hardware is expensive as hell.

it has always been an argument in favour of fpga arcade, that it will have an edge over mist, potentially.. but weeks and years pass and so far even technically it seems that mist has an edge over fpgaarcade, especially in therms of speed, and also for number of other reasons, like that the core is open as far as i know, also mist seems a more pragmatic approach.

Quote:

you're probably better off spending a little more and getting a real A1200 + Indivision AGA + accelerator

it has always been my opinion that fpga accelerators for genuine hardware should come first. thinkering with amiga chipset reimplementation is fine and may be lot of fun but it can take years to improve as we have been witessing. it should be treated as open work in progress subsequent to hardware release, because there is even a remaining number of people who would contribute.

@OneTimer1

i own minimig and use it get to get it set up again it go to take to club and meeting as it light and good to set up

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