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Documentation about the Vampire hardware

Vampire 1200 V4

Georgios Chaideftos

Posts 16
26 Oct 2018 15:52


come on guys when is it due out?a year 6 months say something definite please!


Daniel Sevo

Posts 299
26 Oct 2018 16:34


*Definitely* not in 2018 ;-)

This topic comes back once in a while simply because many are waiting for it, but we need to trust that once there is something conrete to announce, we will surely hear about it here.
Its still a small team with a huge task. Things need to be done in a sustainable way for everyone involved or they might not happen at all, we need to respect this part. Unfortunately, this translates into long waiting for those who want to use the stuff but I see no indication that it wont show up eventually, maybe sometime during 2019. But to make it easier on yourself, don't hold your breath.

GEORGIOS CHAIDEFTOS wrote:

come on guys when is it due out?a year 6 months say something definite please!




Matthew Langtry

Posts 199
26 Oct 2018 16:38


I think a500 version was mentioned to be first then a1200 n standalone


Allonsanfan %

Posts 57
26 Oct 2018 17:44


they have "concretely" announced the v4 (for a500 etc) to be released last year, so I understand why they would hesitate to announce anything else unless they are actually ready.

I'm not holding my breath either, will wait for the core and hardware to mature before I invest.


Andrew Miller

Posts 352
26 Oct 2018 17:53


As far as I know it will be dependant on when Gold 3 is ready. Its a requirement for all the V4's including the standalone.


David Wright

Posts 373
26 Oct 2018 20:00


In the mean time most of us have working Amigas, vampires, Ipads, PC desktop and smartphones.
We will survive.


Vojin Vidanovic
(Needs Verification)
Posts 1916/ 1
26 Oct 2018 21:10


GEORGIOS CHAIDEFTOS wrote:

      come on guys when is it due out?a year 6 months say something definite please!
     

     
      - v4 for all is under beta test, core tweaking and NOT mass produced NOR available. You can track progress by typing Vampire v4 on You Tube
     
      - Gold 3 core + absorption of 2.12 features in one core of a bit different FPGA is what has eaten time too
     
      - Then, when V4 is operational and dandy, and mass produced, you can expect just an A1200 connector and maybe a bit firmware finetune that would make "Vampire 1200 V4" alive and kicking.
     
      Maybe some V2.12 X13 early-bird, depending on AGA, could roll faster then ... I would say 6 more months, but that is just me, not the team. One thing at the time is the pace, and that is V4 for 500, so it seems.
     
      But don't you worry, its all on course.
      Be Happy
      EXTERNAL LINK 
      "Sound System" is on a track
      EXTERNAL LINK     
      V4 demo 3 weeks old
      EXTERNAL LINK   
      One from end of may, but 2018
      EXTERNAL LINK


Crow Mohikan

Posts 78
29 Oct 2018 06:00


Vojin Vidanovic wrote:

 
GEORGIOS CHAIDEFTOS wrote:

        come on guys when is it due out?a year 6 months say something definite please!
       

       
        - v4 for all is under beta test, core tweaking and NOT mass produced NOR available. You can track progress by typing Vampire v4 on You Tube
       
        - Gold 3 core + absorption of 2.12 features in one core of a bit different FPGA is what has eaten time too
       
        - Then, when V4 is operational and dandy, and mass produced, you can expect just an A1200 connector and maybe a bit firmware finetune that would make "Vampire 1200 V4" alive and kicking.
       
        Maybe some V2.12 X13 early-bird, depending on AGA, could roll faster then ... I would say 6 more months, but that is just me, not the team. One thing at the time is the pace, and that is V4 for 500, so it seems.
       
        But don't you worry, its all on course.
        Be Happy
        EXTERNAL LINK   
        "Sound System" is on a track
        EXTERNAL LINK       
        V4 demo 3 weeks old
        EXTERNAL LINK     
        One from end of may, but 2018
        EXTERNAL LINK 
 

Is there any plan after v1200?
 


Ronnie Beck
(Apollo Team Member)
Posts 199
29 Oct 2018 06:52


crow mohikan wrote:

  Is there any plan after v1200?
 

 
  Even for speculating, this is quite early to speculate what happens after the V1200 IMHO.  If it were me, I would be waiting to see how the existing plans settle before laying out plans of what comes next.
 
  In my view, the Apollo Core is revitalising the Amiga scene as many of the Vampire owners I speak with say they had only come back to the Amiga because of the Vampire accelerators.  What would be great to see is the software developers coming back and doing great things with the capabilities of the Apollo Core.  It could be that the software developers steer the direction of the project because, as an example, there is demand for something like 3D rendering to make 3D games on the Amiga.  This topic has already been discussed at great length here.
 
  I am sure the team has some internal ideas of what they would like to do in the future, but as those ideas mature, the direction might change.  I have met some of the guys behind the project and they are super motivated and really energetic.  Just enjoy what we have now, what comes next and appreciate that anything is happening at all.


Vojin Vidanovic
(Needs Verification)
Posts 1916/ 1
29 Oct 2018 15:46


Ronnie Beck wrote:

      I am sure the team has some internal ideas of what they would like to do in the future, but as those ideas mature, the direction might change.  I have met some of the guys behind the project and they are super motivated and really energetic.  Just enjoy what we have now, what comes next and appreciate that anything is happening at all.
   

   
    So far it has been MENTIONED, and we will see what will FUTURE BRINGS
   
    - Finish GOLD3 core for v4 as a starter and appetizer (but with v2.11 functions for v4, no two cores choice)
    - Do as many V4 as possible (Hardware versions for Amigas+standalone)
    - Develop faster, better V4 core (in start higher freq  X13, more cache then V2,might have AMMX2, full blown ApolloFPU of higher precision) with things like Atari modes etc.
    - It would be best time to do some apps and games
    - Make suitable AmiKit and Coffin packages
    - Take another FPGA Cyclone once it gets cheaper and make V6
    with even faster core!
    - Once userbase grows enough, fundraising for ASIC board
    - Fast Vampires (post V4) could have 604 PPC emulator to run PPC OS3 plugins and games + might emulate w3d making full range of OS3 library (JIT would make 200Mhz Vamp as fast as 100Mhz 604)
 
 
Allonsanfan % wrote:

  they have "concretely" announced the v4 (for a500 etc) to be released last year, so I understand why they would hesitate to announce anything else unless they are actually ready.
 

 
  Shit happens, happens, happens, shit, shit.
 
  Test boards were ready and made and standalone in existence, so it was no fake announcement in terms of h/w description. But making GOLD3 core at all (for v2) took more time, a lot of V2 core efforts were done meanwhile (which would be halted if all power was to V4) and surely there are USB, LAN and few more OS3 drivers to be done even after FPGA core is mature.
 
  They could release some half-ready product a la A1-x1000, but that has proven not to be best practice. So patience, but one can see the progress and its much more public then "Trevors fan blog" as similar tool for sharing hope (and delays).

Also, if you read announcement you can see its expected quarters, not really promised availability.

Simply, Vamp board is easy to produce.

Building such extensive FPGA core and OS3 support for it, is what is actually unique with Apollo Team. And it takes time to perfect the beat, but they do it, unlike some other that are "half-baked, half uninterested and move on".

posts 10