@KimmoK

Ah, I think I get you now (on all counts) sorry but things have been a bit hectic this maorning, I've got a million things to do before my fiance gets here to celebrate your 6 month aniversary and I havn't done any of them with only 30 mins left!

@digitaldisaster

Quote:

The new generation of PCI-Ex graphics cards that I would love to see on the Amiga have a transfer speed of 64gbps on a 16x PCI-Ex slot, sudely 4.3gig jsut seems so slow.

And that's the type of system we all want eventually anyway. It's never too early to start developing it. This type of machine would give Amiga a chance at the front of technology again. I could see myself sitting in front of a system like that. Also imagine render stations running some new version of Lightwave or Maya software.... production houses picking up Amiga's again because of their reliability and powerful processing capabilities. NOW, you have my attention....

How good are the chances of realizing this project? I would definitely be interested in one.

@Herewegoagain

Certainly, all I need is the money and the time
What you would be talking about their is either building your own northbridge or getting someone else to do it for you. Actaully, if you could license the IBM G5 northbridge then yes given a couple of competnet ASIC devlopers and the cash needed then it could be done.
I think that first we should build a board using the momentum reference design and standard chips to get the cost down and the processing power available, then start looking a t custom chips for better expandability.
This is certainly becoming interesting

@Eric_S

Quote:

Well there is the Articia I and Is (...if they ever materialise)

Even if they materialize, it's better to not to put all eggs in the same basket.

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

@digitaldisaster

"Ah, I think I get you now (on all counts) sorry but things have been a bit hectic this maorning, I've got a million things to do before my fiance gets here to celebrate our 6 month aniversary and I havn't done any of them with only 30 mins left!"



Shut the screen and get your *ss on the gear! Otherwise you .

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

@Eric_S

Does an A500 or an A4000T use a standard case?

_________________
This weeks pet peeve:
Using "voltage" instead of "potential", which leads to inventing new words like "amperage" instead of "current" (I, measured in A) or possible "charge" (amperehours, Ah or Coulomb, C). Sometimes I don't even know what people mean.

@olegil

AFAIK the A500 doesn't even come clost to any standards. The A4000T on the other hand uses an AT form factor motherboard and an AT power suply. I'm not sure how incomaptible this is with modern ATX systems, enough to cause a major headach I should think.
If you are thinking of puting an ATX mobo+PSU in an AT case first you have to see if the power supply will fit, I suspect not without a couple of modifications to the monting brackets, next you need to check that the motherboard would fit and that the mounting holes line up or you will need to drill new mounting holes and possible (re)move ny obstructions. NExt up is the backplate, I bet Commadore/Amiga Technologies used a non-standard backplate, I don't know if it's removable or even the standrard size/shape or if ATX backplates fit AT cases. You may have to chopup an exisiting one or even craft your own. Lastly check that those slots on the back line up and that the screwhole to attach the cards to the case fit and voila one ATX case in an AT amiga :D

Right, I will get in touch with Davey in the next couple of days to see about hosting, I will also set up a PayPal account for donations, how many people would be interested in donating? Also, could people please publicise this a bit on other forums, I'm only a member of AW.net (and amiga.com).
Anyone got any good idea's for names? I thought about AmigaOne point Five as it is something more than the existing AmigaOne's and uses G5 technology.

@olegil

A4000T is an AT form factor and can use the pins on the current ATX power supplies w/o the need of rewiring.

A500 use a standard case? Yes, the standard Commodore A-500 case fits nicely around it.

@digitaldisaster

Quote:

digitaldisaster wrote: Anyone got any good idea's for names? I thought about AmigaOne point Five as it is something more than the existing AmigaOne's and uses G5 technology.

* Amiga 64

* Amiga Sonic/G5

* AmigaOne/G5 Extreme

* AmigaOne/G5 Pro





Just a few that came to mind... they are probably pretty lame.

@Herewegoagain

Quote:

Herewegoagain wrote: * Amiga 64 * Amiga Sonic/G5 * AmigaOne/G5 Extreme * AmigaOne/G5 Pro Just a few that came to mind... they are probably pretty lame.

Weak dude! Nah, just kidding.

I would suggest avoiding using "Amiga" in the name to avoid royalties and other such pointless drains. Actually that brings to mind another issue, you need to find out about licencing ("Dongle", UBoot, etc) from KMOS/Hyperion first.

But a name of a motherboard really isn't that important, it called be called Digidis 970, Megatron G5, or Billybob Joe for all the majority of people would care. As long as it's AmigaOS licenced and compatible, I don't think it's that important.

EDIT:

Reason: Flamebait.

L8-X

_________________
Leo Nigro, CTO Commodore USA, LLC
Opinions expressed are my own and not those of C= USA.
Commodore/AMIGA "Beautiful, High-Performance, Home Computers for Creativity and Entertainment."

@BigBentheAussie

Please try to tone down a bit. Okey?

@All

Don't derail this topic or you know what will happen. Try to discuss things is a calm manner.

/Björn

@Uncharted

The name I am asking for is not for the motherboard, but the name of the project that any motherboards will be created under. It has become evident from this that many people want many different things. I am not sure about the legality of using Amiga for the name of a project as I am no lawyer but as AmigaWorld manage to get away with using the word Amiga in their title I would guess that we can, also would KMOS/Amiga Inc really gain anything from getting into a legal fight with a part of an allready small community?

A quick roadmap for you to give your oppinions on:

1) An ATX form factor board based on the momentum PowrPC 970 reference design.
An adapter and fireware update to allow Apple CPU modules to be used on AmigaOne boards
2) MicroATX and Mini-ITX versions of the G5 board
A G3/G4 A1200 Accelerator and AGP/PCI busboard with options for SATA, USB 2.0 and Firewire 800 slots
3) A new modular G5 based design featuring a custom northbridge with a PCI-Express 32x backplane connected to the CPU via a custom hypertransport bus and running DDR2 or XDR RAM

@digitaldisaster

OK, I am away from home at the moment so I can't do any work on the admin side of this as I have no access to a computer for long periods of time, also I'm using windows (Yuck!) with no remotly decent software!

What I would appreciate is if people can make logo's for this project and post them here, either use your own names or those that have allready been posted, if you aren't graphically talented then sugest a name.

Once I get home I will set up a pay pal account for this and do a web site.

OK, go be creative and have fun!

@digitaldisaster

1) ATX PowerPC970 design able to run AmigaOS4.x would be cool. Arctic I should be able to fill this void so you don't have to design the northbridge yourself. I wonder what/if software changes to AmigaOS4.x expecting AGP be needed for PCI-Express. Also, if the ATI x800 or Nvidia 6800 will work with AmigaOS4.x. --- You might need a bit of assist from Hyperion there.

2) MicroATX -- not a bad idea. As for the G3/G4 A1200 accelerator. Personally, the A1200 and A4000's are aging. As such they're closer to permanent failure and costs to build such an animal, while nice, may be better spent in building a MicroATX motherboard. I'd love to keep the A4000T forever but every thing comes to an end.

3) I'd like to see an Amiga make use of the same connector the Mac users. There's probably licensing issues involved to do this however, that may prove limiting. But, as Mac users discard their processors it'd be cool to pick up a used one for the Amiga. Consequently, you could make a faster G5 card and sell to Mac and Amiga users both.. Probably never happen but cool.

Added by me.
4) Amiga getting their OS on as many systems as possible would be a good thing such as the IBM JS20 Blade Server w/ G5 or the Apple G5 machines. Once again just a dream..

@BrianK

The chipset used by the Momentum evaluation boards which this design will be based on is the IBM CPC925, this is actually ready for prouction round about now, compared to the Articia I which is still just a dream in Mai's eyes as far as I can tell from talking to them and considering that the P and Sa haven't been released yet and again don't seem to be likely to be ready any time soon. I was never considering building my own northbridge, at least not for a long time as I simply don't have the skills to do that at the moment, I was simply pointing out what would be required for a modular PCI-Express design.
Different form factor boards would not be dificult once the first has been completed, Eyetech have shown this with the speed at which they completed the MicroA1, despite having to wire RAM and a graphics card in!
The classic upgrade certainly has a questionable market at best and so wouldneed more research but wouldn't be that much work over a standard G3/G4 board, the hardest bit would be the Trapdoor to PCI-X interface, which I would probably need Jens Schofeild's help with.
Getting Apple pinouts probably does require licensing and I doubt they would license them to a competeing motherboard manufacturer but an Apple to Mai converter would be a more realistic optcion, that way wither connector can be used and cheaper more common place Apple CPU modules can be used on our A1 boards. I have no idea how the G5 CPU's are connected as I have never seen one of the machines in person nor any clsoe up photos, if someone could take some or point some out to me I would be gratefull. Maybe I will look through Apple's technical/developer info and service manuals when I get home
I once treid talking to KMOS and Amiga Inc. about getting AOS4 on Macs and whether it was the manufacturer taht needed to licesnse it or anyone could taht could produce a dongle but never got a resonse. Maye someone from Hyperion could answer this for me. I will email Thomas Freien when I get back to see if he can answer this for me.

@BrianK

3) I'd like to see an Amiga make use of the same connector the Mac users. There's probably licensing issues involved to do this however, that may prove limiting. But, as Mac users discard their processors it'd be cool to pick up a used one for the Amiga. Consequently, you could make a faster G5 card and sell to Mac and Amiga users both.. Probably never happen but cool.

I actually sent an email to PowerLogix on the same subject, but never received a reply. If a few Amigans would send similar emails, that might get their curiosity started on looking into the Amiga market as well.

Though I haven't looked at the PPC970 Eval board in depth, what does it lack in regards to a normal mobo configuration/chipset?

_________________

@digitaldisaster

Why make a G5 capable motherboard now?

I would offcourse buy one if it was priced right (which would be hard with a little production) but how many others would.. 1000 maybe 1500 Amigans and some Linux people?

What we need now is all the basic software in OS4 native versions, after we get that OS4 might be interesting to new users. Atm. there's probably not a single native program that can even use a G3-600mhz to it's fullest, why hurry with a G5?

I dunno what plans IBM/Motorola has and where we have to be in two years to be competitive, but right no I wish we could concentrate on the software side and let Eyetech take care about the hardware side for now.

_________________

@Troels


Well spoken!


Agree that the most important thing now is to get OS4 ready, and get some good PPC-native software running on it.

It's no harm though in planning a few steps ahead on the hardware-side.
But what's the use of a G5 without software that can use it to it's full potencial?
Except the geek-factor

_________________
Site admins are people too..pooff!