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Apollo Team Activity Report (September 2019)page  1 2 3 

Gilles Dridi

Posts 52
18 Sep 2019 20:53


Vojin Vidanovic wrote:

Gilles Dridi wrote:

   
    Chinese on AOS needs « big » fonts (think that is ok) and UNICODE really.
    I learn Zhuyin not pinyin to do something the right way : native.
   
    Regards
 

 
  Japanese/Korean etc. support is also needed, but that is for Hype/Cloanto to do.
 
  Belxjander was only one to try in OS4 camp/AROS, but its not complete to my knowledge.
  EXTERNAL LINK   

Thank you Vojin for the link ; in fact I ´m not really aware of the state of UNICODE and UTF-8 in OS4 (I saw in standard AOS, a Thaï key map using UTF-8 encoding so...).

For hacking, there are opportunities for V4SA with Chinese FPGA chips (and sure some changes on the PCB and perhaps the VHDL code indeed) :

EXTERNAL LINK 
DG


Stefano Briccolani

Posts 586
23 Nov 2019 17:37


Last activity report is from september. Can we expect a new update soon?


Dwight Bonney

Posts 10
23 Nov 2019 21:50


Howdy Amigans,

When do you think the next production batch might be running please, and would it cover all pre-orders or a certain number of units only?  I which case, when would the next production batch start?  For example, do you need to wait for 200 or 1,000 pre-orders before you can start another batch?  I have a pre-order on Vesaila, very excited.


Stefano Briccolani

Posts 586
04 Feb 2020 07:26


Is it time for an updated activity report?



Chris Chris

Posts 25
04 Mar 2020 07:19


Dear Apollo Team,

after a successfull release of the Vampire standalone and serving the the market with cards it is now more than 1/2 year from last Activity Report. Many things are on the way in parallel and many optimization has been done since. I can only say great job and honor to the whole team as well as to ALL helping hands along the way.

It would be really great and the community would appriciate if a main overview or main summary status report as well as a roadmap could be made.

Here are some keywords picked up from the forum - but could even be many more:

1.) Status of Vamp Standalone/1200 in regards to hardware:

- hardware board -> update in near future expected due to new investigations / expansions / shiedlings / electrical stability ?

- Ethernet / WiFi (will Wifi be conneced via Ethernet-Adapter or via the io-ports and then in this case with an own hardware driver?)

- Audio current capacity / channels / quality ?

- USB: can a USB-Hub been added in future ? Will there be a drive to connect further USB port to the io ports ? Would it be possible to connect USB-Stick, 1x USB-Mouse-Keyboard using Bluetooth, USB-Bluetooth, USB-WiFi ? USB-Harddrive ? When io-ports been used, could then the existing drivers package Poseidon be used ? So, active after booting ? Is this a possible szenario ? What would be a solution for future ?

- Keyboards: Would be possible to the exsiting USB connector to connect one USB-Bluetooth-Adapter that is converting Bluetooth-Mouse and Bluetooth Keyboard connected on one USB connector ? Then it would be possible to place one StandAlone Vamp behind the TV on Vese plate and fix it there and sit on the couch and have fun with Amiga without any cables.

- Joysticks: Would be great to have also BlueTooth-Joysticks for gaming w/o cables in front of TV.

- io-ports: are any hardware projects fixed planned that are using io pins and are io pins already grouped for special usage to avoid overlapping of hardware applications using the hardware io pins ? e.g. port 1 for Amiga related expansions as USB-Hub or BT / port 2 for external companies building hardware / port 3 free for users ?

- how can data exchange been made more convinient ? e.g. using an USB-Stick ?

2.) FPGA Software

What is the current main Status:

- what has been updated ? e.g. rom ? booting ? mouse ?
- what has been bug fixed ? e.g. gfx ?
- what has been activated ? e.g. ethernet ?
- what has been optimized ? e.g. booting ?

- what are the main issues which are now needs to be finished first as highest priority ? e.g. furher IDE speed up and bug fixing / Booting / rom update procedures / update procedures

- what are the main targets for the next quarter to solve ?

3.) OS on Vamp

- what is status on Amiga OS 3.1 / 3.9 on licences and are there any movements ? Time horizon for solutions ? It is currently a mess not to have lates package possible to be bought working on original Amiga and Vamps.

- AROS has been announced to be OS for Vamp:
    - what is current status
    - what is time line where it is working
    - what is missing for today to make it a good platform (just by lack of programming capacities)
    - what is the outlook on AROS

So, many questions. A lot is found in the forum. Would appreciate to get an overview.

Many thanks and all the best to all of you keeping the Amiga flag high !!!

  BR Chris



Ray Couzens

Posts 93
06 Mar 2020 09:02


I eagerly await an email saying my V4SA is ready. I think the team are so busy with the next AROS version they don't have time to write a report. 

I would rather they write code then a report, but I know silence is frustrating :-)




Mr Niding

Posts 459
06 Mar 2020 09:40


Regarding AOS 3.x;

I would think thats more a question for Hyperion/Cloanto.
Beyond that, the latest Coffin version is the "status" of the Vampire branch.

It sounds like they are abandoning that deadend (AOS 3.x), espescially now that Kalamatee seems to be going full force in AROS development, with others helping out. Its not bogged down in decades of legal quagmire, so Im very happy to support Kala thru Github for example.


Vojin Vidanovic
(Needs Verification)
Posts 1916/ 1
07 Mar 2020 07:52



My pers answers:

Chris Chris wrote:

  It would be really great and the community would appriciate if a main overview or main summary status report as well as a roadmap could be made.

Overall Roadmap exists in Vamp Wikipedia, as well as reports as they go. Seems current report is "improving V1200 and V4SA cores as well as AROS as major milestones"

 
Chris Chris wrote:

  - hardware board -> update in near future expected due to new investigations / expansions / shiedlings / electrical stability ?

You mean which Classic hw works? Same as on v2 minus PCMCIA A1200 is being fixed. V1200 and V4SA are stable. What about electrical shielding?

 
Chris Chris wrote:

  - Ethernet / WiFi (will Wifi be conneced via Ethernet-Adapter or via the io-ports and then in this case with an own hardware driver?)

V1200 ETH: same as other v2
V4SA: Driver of their own in house beta, hope soon to be done
Wi Fi: Proposed, not yet done! I hope for it, but note that my OS4 Prism2 card exp is that OS4 has manual config and no Wi Fi indicator, hope this can be done better


  - Audio current capacity / channels / quality ?
 

V2 cores same as Classics
V4 cores: No AHI driver for Pamela yet, just play16 ADOS cmd
Full 16 bit 8 ch (Doubled Paula quality)

 

  - USB: can a USB-Hub been added in future ? Will there be a drive to connect further USB port to the io ports ?
 

Currently its mouse and kbd. If mouse on DB9 is used, it leaves one free USB port. In future USB Mass Storage is a must, but first do the KBs, mouse and joystick extensive testing and support (current phase)

 

  Would it be possible to connect USB-Stick, 1x USB-Mouse-Keyboard using Bluetooth, USB-Bluetooth, USB-WiFi ? USB-Harddrive ?
 

No BT stack for AmigaOS. Took quite long time even for Linux PPC, so wont count at it at all. Special USB devices needs a bit of drivers too, and vendors wont do them, team is too small. Maybe as outsourced job. It would be better to take the bite, then to just wish.

 

When io-ports been used, could then the existing drivers package Poseidon be used ?
 

V1200 uses all Classic ports, v4SA has none beside DB9 and USB.

Poseidon is NOT needed and might conflict (havent tested) but COULD bring USB Mass STorage support (anyone tried?)

 

So, active after booting ? Is this a possible szenario ? What would be a solution for future ?
 

USB support is hardcoded in ROM, avail on power independetly of AOS.

 

  - Keyboards: Would be possible to the exsiting USB connector to connect one USB-Bluetooth-Adapter that is converting Bluetooth-Mouse and Bluetooth Keyboard connected on one USB connector ? Then it would be possible to place one StandAlone Vamp behind the TV on Vese plate and fix it there and sit on the couch and have fun with Amiga without any cables.
 

No, you have PS3 and 4 and Wireless joysticks, but Sony is not behind Amiga.

 

  - Joysticks: Would be great to have also BlueTooth-Joysticks for gaming w/o cables in front of TV.
 

Would be, but again no BT on Amiga.

 

  - io-ports: are any hardware projects fixed planned that are using io pins and are io pins already grouped for special usage to avoid overlapping of hardware applications using the hardware io pins ?
 

Oh there is tiny CPU  expansion port like on other FPGAs but I am to much social worker to understand what you are asking.

 

e.g. port 1 for Amiga related expansions as USB-Hub or BT / port 2 for external companies building hardware / port 3 free for users ?
 

There is one port and on V4SA I would use it for Wi Fi once done.
Dont expect too much.

 

  - how can data exchange been made more convinient ? e.g. using an USB-Stick ?
 

Use SDCard slot and SDCard reader on PC.

 

  - what has been updated ? e.g. rom ? booting ? mouse ?
 

Constantly fixing USB support.

 

  - what has been bug fixed ? e.g. gfx ?
 

There are newer SAGA drivers

 

  - what has been activated ? e.g. ethernet ?
 

VIP on v4SA

 

  - what has been optimized ? e.g. booting ?
 

Its not classic KS, optimized is whole core, see last beta V12 core changelog - turtle mode, 040.library in ROM and few goodies and game fixes.

 

  - what are the main issues which are now needs to be finished first as highest priority ? e.g. furher IDE speed up and bug fixing / Booting / rom update procedures / update procedures
 

Seems to be PCMCIA on V1200 and further speed improvement, backporting GOLD3-V4SA fears to V1200
On V4SA I would say LAN is highest priority as well as overall core improvements.

 

  - what are the main targets for the next quarter to solve ?
 

Mentioned above and finalizing GOLD 2.12 core for all V2 users, in the end finalizing V2 GOLD3 core too.

 

  - what is status on Amiga OS 3.1 / 3.9 on licences and are there any movements ? Time horizon for solutions ? It is currently a mess not to have lates package possible to be bought working on original Amiga and Vamps.
 

OS 3.1 can be bought from Cloanto, OS 3.9 from few remaining copies, OS 3.1.4.1 will be succeded by minor OS 3.2, Hype is slowly backporting OS4 feats and milking us instead of OS4 A1 community in chaos.

 

  - AROS has been announced to be OS for Vamp:
    - what is current status
 

Fixing booting on all Vamps, improving AROS RTG

 

    - what is missing for today to make it a good platform (just by
 

Backport of AROS x64 apps to AROS m68k. We will have OS but not all the AROS apps.

 

    - what is the outlook on AROS
 

See any AROS on PC - Spartan Zune looks like improved OS 3.1 theme with big icons. Gladly, this can be changed.
 
 

  So, many questions. A lot is found in the forum. Would appreciate to get an overview.
 

Join telegram group of read FAQ and Vampire Wikipedia.
CLICK HERE 
 

  Many thanks and all the best to all of you keeping the Amiga flag high !!!
 

Hear ya Chris, the banner is raised. How High Method man and Redman would ask :) (No ... part 2 is laame)


Gunnar von Boehn
(Apollo Team Member)
Posts 6207
07 Mar 2020 11:28


I think the team is very active.

V4 made a lot progress lately.

a) V4 100Mbit ethernet with 64bit DMA.
b) Highspeed IDE with 15-20 MB/sec (depending on device)
c) 3D demos, development
d) USB improvements
e) PIP (Picture in Picture) video feature
f) Improved compatibility with TURTLE mode
g) CD32/AKIKO support

Also the V1200 got some nice new cores.
- x12 Core tuned for buildin Fast-IDE
- x12 Core with PCMCIA

The Team worked nice together on testing and helping polish AROS.
If this continues then AROS has all the means to become next AMIGA OS.

Some next Software /Updates were developed.
a) Driver for V4-Ethernetchip
b) RIVA with Vampire PIP support

The team worked a lot on the excellent DIABLO port
The Diablo port to AMIGA OS is a great achievement.
I think it was wonderful done, and is maybe one of the best polished game ports ever done for AMIGA.
I think that the porters deserve a big "THANK YOU" for this from the Amiga community.




Kamelito Loveless

Posts 260
07 Mar 2020 14:09


This is great of course but in the end of the day a C compiler that produces optimized code for the Apollo instructions set is needed. That way ports and new games will be easier to do while being fast. Not everyone is willing to use assembly language. Beebo was working on that front but it has been a long time since We heard about him.


Gunnar von Boehn
(Apollo Team Member)
Posts 6207
07 Mar 2020 14:48


Kamelito Loveless wrote:

This is great of course but in the end of the day a C compiler that produces optimized code for the Apollo instructions set is needed.

Well actually APOLLO 68080 instruction set is 68K-Family instruction set. And APOLLO runs normal 68K code better than any other 68K CPU.

The average C compiler of course only creates average quality ASM - but this is a general a general problem and not related to 68080.

Regarding the special instructions like AMMX which the 68080 supports. In my experience the AMMX instructions are very useful in high performance code which in general coder will write in ASM.




Chris Chris

Posts 25
07 Mar 2020 17:43


Dear Voijn,

many thanks for answering the specific Q's so detailed. Appreciate it very much. And yes, this gives a good picture I was asking for.

It shows at the same time how much work and haw much details needs to be exchanged between issues at for bug fixing, optimization of code and hardware parts in fpga, further development of new things in the fpga especially the issue with the OS and now to get AROS run in a smooth way to make it the Vamp's OS.

Thanks for the Link. I am following regularly the forum but missed that topic. Oh, my fault. The Vampire page I do not look at it. So I will do in future more deeply. Sry.

Dear Appolo-Team,

all of you are making a great job !!! I can understand that achieving a big step is more important than making reports. So, fine at alt. I think when cores are aligned over plantforms, AROS is aligned and stable working as well and that mouse and keyboard are working that than a big step has been achieved making things easier, especially for having stable packages for the community increasing sales.

Many thanks to all of you and my special Amigian greetz to the community.

    BR Chris



Amiga 4Life

Posts 101
07 Mar 2020 19:02


agreed, thanks to Voijn for answering questions.. thanks to gunnar and the Apollo team for the updates..


Martin Randall

Posts 22
07 Mar 2020 19:53


There are some Amiga ASM, C and other links here.
 
  EXTERNAL LINK 

  I just recreated the JForth web site and pulled some old files together.
 
  It needs cleaning up as some of the files were created with different web standard versions. 
 
  Perhaps I will have time to clean it all up next week.
 
  Hope it's useful
 
  Regards and best wishes...Martin.


Vojin Vidanovic
(Needs Verification)
Posts 1916/ 1
09 Mar 2020 07:46


Gunnar von Boehn wrote:
 
  The team worked a lot on the excellent DIABLO port
  The Diablo port to AMIGA OS is a great achievement.
  I think it was wonderful done, and is maybe one of the best polished game ports ever done for AMIGA.
  I think that the porters deserve a big "THANK YOU" for this from the Amiga community.

Its all great progress, THANK YOU PEOPLE!

However, none of mentioned above is avail for general audience (yet).

My proposal is:

a) Less video teasers until done. More glory to public downloads!
b) More news posts here and in Wiki on progress
c) Best one or two things at the time, until done.

I believe its best PR for the team and product :)



Gunnar von Boehn
(Apollo Team Member)
Posts 6207
09 Mar 2020 09:21


Vojin Vidanovic wrote:

However, none of mentioned above is avail for general audience (yet).

Of course is the port available for download since long.
They even have a public development channel.



Artur Jarosik
(Apollo Team Member)
Posts 94
09 Mar 2020 12:36



Vojin Vidanovic wrote:

  However, none of mentioned above is avail for general audience (yet).
 

It's on Aminet.

EXTERNAL LINK 


Vojin Vidanovic
(Needs Verification)
Posts 1916/ 1
09 Mar 2020 23:48


Artur Jarosik wrote:

 
  It's on Aminet.
 
  EXTERNAL LINK 

Thanks Arti for public upload.

a) If I get it right, Apollo team was involved, but port is no way using 080 MMX for time being, even it runs well on 080?

b) Here you can see a lot of people ask for NetSurf 3.10+ with MUI or Reaction and are willing to pay even. What is your idea, feasable or not?


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