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Daniel Sevo

Posts 299
19 Apr 2016 20:32


Gunnar von Boehn wrote:

 
  The plan is the create the world fastest FPGA based CPU card.
 
  Our idea includes
 
  Apollo-CPU with speed grade ~ 400 MHz 68060
  Internal CPU caches of size Icache=64KB / DCache=256KB
  1024 MB DDR3 Memory at 1600MHz
  DIGITAL-VIDEO with Truecolor and FullHD
  SDCard
  SATA-Interface
 
  As price we target 500 Euro
 

1. Does the main speed increase come from a more advanced FPGA? Which one is considered? Cyclone V? (produced @28nm so should allow decent increase in clockspeed). Or are you looking at something even more advanced?

2. Also...How difficult would it be to add USB all things considered? It would open up some nice options without the current bandwidth problems of USB over clockport and such..


Thierry Atheist

Posts 644
19 Apr 2016 21:00


Will there be PS/2 mouse/keyboard connectors on the standalone Apollo Core Amiga?

I think that (don't know for sure) that it is more reliable and stable than using a 480 Mbit USB2 port (that may be run into a hub with 4 or 8 devices total) for no more than 1 Kilobyte per second of data entry.

When I bought my intel i7 motherboard in 2011, I specifically ordered one with PS/2 sockets for the mouse and keyboard.

Will there be old style Amiga mouse/joystick ports on there? How many? (Hopefully 4.)

Is it possible to have Audio-in so that audio digitizing could be done? (3.5 mm or RCA plugs.)

Other wise (this is off topic, I know), is there audio digitizing software for the 680x0 Amigas that can work with USB input?


Gunnar von Boehn
(Apollo Team Member)
Posts 6207
19 Apr 2016 22:11


Daniel Sevo wrote:

  1. Does the main speed increase come from a more advanced FPGA?
 

 
We are looking at ARRIA 10.
ARRIA 10 is at twice as fast as Cyclone 5.
Its a very fast, high end, but also expensive FPGA.
 


Gregthe Canuck

Posts 274
20 Apr 2016 19:02



The ARRIA 10 is a beast. I have been reading the specifications. Massive I/O potential including Gen 3 PCI-Express, 10G Ethernet, DDR4 memory, etc... With enough time one could build an amazing 68K SoC with this chip.

But let's not be impatient with the Apollo team. They are doing a great job evolving the core. Looking forward to future updates.


Nadyr Nick

Posts 54
26 Apr 2016 22:52


Gunnar von Boehn wrote:

 
gregthe canuck wrote:

  High end sounds good. Could you provide a bit more detail on:
   
    - what do you mean by significant? Twice the price? 5 times?
    - the FPGA you plan to use
    - the memory type/speed you plan to use (different from V2?)
   
    Thanks
 

 
 
  The plan is the create the world fastest FPGA based CPU card.
 
  Our idea includes
 
  Apollo-CPU with speed grade ~ 400 MHz 68060
  Internal CPU caches of size Icache=64KB / DCache=256KB
  1024 MB DDR3 Memory at 1600MHz
  DIGITAL-VIDEO with Truecolor and FullHD
  SDCard
  SATA-Interface
 
  As price we target 500 Euro
 
 

 
  I'm interested to buy a Vampire 1200 ARRIA 10 card, with price target about € 500,00, a few questions, points:
 
  -1) Could you please create this new card without ram onboard ? (I prefer a card with 1 or 2 sodimm slots, because if there is a common problem about ram chips It's easier to exchange the fault one module without having to repair the card itself).
 
  -2) I would give a lot of importance to the development of "SAGA chipset" compatible with AGA and with a lot new features (usable for new games/demos/apps, I hope).
  MIPS about CPU are important, but also a new advanced SAGA is the same as.
 
  -3) Will be SATA controller DMA ? with how many ports ?.
 
  -4) card to be connected in 200 pin edge card connector, I hope, right ?.
 
  -5) no longer needed a standalone scandoubler plus flicker fixer (es. Indivision AGA) to use AGA modes (es. games) in VGA modern monitors, because AGA and SAGA output will be automatically deinterlaced in DIGITAL-VIDEO ?.

-6) after vampire 1200, any chance of see a Vampire for Big Amiga 4000/3000 ?


Michael Nurney

Posts 283
29 May 2016 21:32


ill start saving up ....where is the buy button?

;-)


Rod March

Posts 119
19 Aug 2016 05:37


Gunnar von Boehn wrote:

Update : graphic showing bar added.
 
  We plan a HIGH-END Accelerator with roughly 3 times the current performance. With around 400 Points Performance Score.
  So in the order of 68060@ 400 MHz performance result.
 
  As reminder 68030@50 scores 11 points.
  This new Apollo accelerator will therefore deliver a speed in the order of 1800 MHz 68030.
 
  But the accelerator will have significant higher price.
  What do you think about this?
 
 

Way late to this discussion, but for what the feedback is worth:

The high specs are absolutely worth the cost.

I haven't used Amiga in decades, but when I discovered this project I rebuilt my A2000 just to put a Vampire2 in it and bought an A1200 just on the promise of the A1200 card. Can't wait.


Mr-Z EdgeOfPanic

Posts 189
19 Aug 2016 07:47


@Rod March

This project got my Amiga fire lit again too.

You won't regret it, got my Vampire 600 just a week ago and man what a lot of fun it is.
Like the Amiga you always wanted but never had, now you can.
It's worth the wait!

I also would love to have a high spec A1200 Vampire :-)


Szyk Cech

Posts 191
19 Aug 2016 12:32


Mr-Z EdgeOfPICNIC wrote:

  I also would love to have a high spec A1200 Vampire :-)

You must be aware, that "high spec" == "high cost", so it shrinks target group...


Nadyr Nick

Posts 54
19 Aug 2016 14:53


I also, I'd like to buy some with high specs for A1200 and A4000.
For A1200 you could do two or three different versions (es. with Cyclone III, Cyclone V, Arria 10 and with differences about max ram onboard, with/without nic ethernet, with/without usb, with/without  sata ...), for A4000 one or two different version with high or medium and high specs.


Szyk Cech

Posts 191
19 Aug 2016 15:19


You must remember, that the Team is relatively small, so make 3 cards (V600, V500 and V1200) is challenge. You propose 5 (literally: FIVE!!!) new cards whereas there is obviously no resources for that...

On the other hand you must also remember, that in many ways better will be do stand alone version of Vampire. And I think it has higher priority than V4000...

So it can took few years before V4000 emerge...


Rod March

Posts 119
22 Aug 2016 04:24


Szyk Cech wrote:

  On the other hand you must also remember, that in many ways better will be do stand alone version of Vampire. And I think it has higher priority than V4000...

Stand-alone version sounds seriously exciting also...


Olaf Schoenweiss

Posts 690
22 Aug 2016 12:39


nadyr nick wrote:

I also, I'd like to buy some with high specs for A1200 and A4000.
  For A1200 you could do two or three different versions (es. with Cyclone III, Cyclone V, Arria 10 and with differences about max ram onboard, with/without nic ethernet, with/without usb, with/without  sata ...), for A4000 one or two different version with high or medium and high specs.

I do not know how big the market for A3000/A4000 and partly A2000 really is because people there often already have lots of cards in it that would be partly replaced by Vampire. I think there is some potential for a pure and affordable accellerator on the big boxes but I do not know how big priority is to do that. So I would personal say priority to A500/A600,A1200 and standalone.



Rod March

Posts 119
23 Aug 2016 07:28


Olaf Schoenweiss wrote:

  I do not know how big the market for A3000/A4000 and partly A2000 really is because people there often already have lots of cards in it that would be partly replaced by Vampire. I think there is some potential for a pure and affordable accellerator on the big boxes but I do not know how big priority is to do that. So I would personal say priority to A500/A600,A1200 and standalone.
 

I consider it a huge plus that the Vampire A500 works on an A2000, especially since A2000 accelerators are rare/expensive and slow. This card makes the A2000 the choice big-box machine (in my view). Can't speak for A3000/4000.

Keep up the great work!


Olaf Schoenweiss

Posts 690
23 Aug 2016 09:45


as long as it needs not much extra work like it seems that the A500 version also works in A2000. But as it seems from discussions on other sites the big box users want just a cheap accellerator, not a complete solution that replaces half of the stuff they put inside but something that integrates, at best even as a zorro card. It sounds a little like collectors :). So I am not sure how many really would buy a vampire for f.e. their A4000. Priority should be the small amigas in my view.


Simon Vergauwen

Posts 11
17 Sep 2016 11:05


Standalone in true Amiga fashion. (m)ATX form factor with pci-express combined with the FPGA in accelerator slot. Makes it possible to make a low and high end machine and future upgrades no ?


Mo Retro

Posts 241
17 Sep 2016 17:41


Simon Vergauwen wrote:

    Standalone in true Amiga fashion. (m)ATX form factor with pci-express combined with the FPGA in accelerator slot. Makes it possible to make a low and high end machine and future upgrades no ?
   

   
  I second that :-)
 
  In addition USB, Ethernet and SATA ports are a necessity.
  And if possible at least one PCI-Epress slot and sdram slots to make it future proof :)
 

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