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Documentation about the Vampire hardware

Vampire 4 News?page  1 2 

Paul the Tall

Posts 7
26 Apr 2018 17:16


Sorry about the topic, but its so silent about the Vampire 4......
Vampire 4 is gone on the apollo main page, no forum, no news....whats happening.... ? Please some news.


Paul the Tall

Posts 7
28 Apr 2018 11:21


Anyone? Is it discontinued? It's so silent.


Mo Retro

Posts 241
28 Apr 2018 13:39


Paul The Tall wrote:

  Anyone? Is it discontinued? It's so silent.
 

  Hi Paul, I understand your inpatients. I also would like to see the V4 materialize asap.
  But as long as the Gold core 3, Pamela over DIGITAL-VIDEO, SAGA BLITTER and the USB/ expansion drivers aren't finalized there won't be any V4 for sale.

  Gunnar posted today that they are working on this.
  So lets give them a break, I'm confident that soon they will suprise us with the sales start of the V4.


Vojin Vidanovic
(Needs Verification)
Posts 1916/ 1
28 Apr 2018 17:25


Mo Retro wrote:

  But as long as the Gold core 3, Pamela over DIGITAL-VIDEO, SAGA BLITTER and the USB/ expansion drivers aren't finalized there won't be any V4 for sale.

... all integrated in v4 version of core (2.9 feats. + gold3 feats + v4 apollo cpu with more cache + v4 apollo full fpu), a bit different for standalone, with LAN drivers and production runs of such hardware boards with core flashed. So its not really around the corner, but is on the road.


Matthew Langtry

Posts 199
28 Apr 2018 17:59


Has im aware hardware is done but the team wants the firmware consumer friendly. Everything working out of the box through hdmi.


Roy Gillotti

Posts 517
28 Apr 2018 20:20


Matthew Langtry wrote:

Has im aware hardware is done but the team wants the firmware consumer friendly. Everything working out of the box through hdmi.

Well I think all we know is at least prototype hardware exists, I wouldn't say it's "done" without hearing the team actually say it is.


Vojin Vidanovic
(Needs Verification)
Posts 1916/ 1
28 Apr 2018 20:38


Roy Gillotti wrote:

  Well I think all we know is at least prototype hardware exists, I wouldn't say it's "done" without hearing the team actually say it is.

Its a bit strange with FPGA. In sense of physical parts - board with Cyclone, RAM and ports do exist.

In terms what should be in FPGA, full core yet needs to be developed, so "kind of hardware is missing". Done in software :-)


Roy Gillotti

Posts 517
28 Apr 2018 20:54


Vojin Vidanovic wrote:

 
Roy Gillotti wrote:

    Well I think all we know is at least prototype hardware exists, I wouldn't say it's "done" without hearing the team actually say it is.
 

 
  Its a bit strange with FPGA. In sense of physical parts - board with Cyclone, RAM and ports do exist.
 
  In terms what should be in FPGA, full core yet needs to be developed, so "kind of hardware is missing". Done in software :-)
 

  Well I'm also implying perhaps the final PCB design may need tweaking or something along those lines after further core testing may reveal issues. Since we're in the dark, it just guessing based on other hardware projects I've followed/participated in.


Mallagan Bellator

Posts 393
28 Apr 2018 23:56


Well, removing it from the main page sounds concerning to me.
To be completely honest, I feel like if the Amiga is gonna have a future, it lies in the hands of those guys.
V2+ is a thing, and that’s awesome, but will only take us so far.
With no V4, if it will indeed be canceled as a product (which I neither think or hope), the future ASIC version would be highly unlikely to ever happen, I’m afraid.
Individual computers make stuff for the classic Amigas, as we’re all aware, but really nothing like the vampire


John William

Posts 563
29 Apr 2018 05:02


Mallagan Bellator wrote:

Well, removing it from the main page sounds concerning to me.
  To be completely honest, I feel like if the Amiga is gonna have a future, it lies in the hands of those guys.
  V2+ is a thing, and that’s awesome, but will only take us so far.
  With no V4, if it will indeed be canceled as a product (which I neither think or hope), the future ASIC version would be highly unlikely to ever happen, I’m afraid.
  Individual computers make stuff for the classic Amigas, as we’re all aware, but really nothing like the vampire

Odd thing to say that ASIC is not possible because you think Vampire V4 is cancelled. First, there is no such announcement so let us not spread unwanted rumors. Second of all, why should ASIC development be linked with V4 at all?

ASIC is linked with money and not with versions of Vampire. Just saying, Vampire V4 have nothing to do with ASIC. Even if V4 is released tomorrow in retail stores in millions ASIC will still not be possible. However, if someone willing to donate...hmmm..I do not know 10 million dollars USA better yet...pound even...then we can talk about manufacturing ASIC tomorrow if not today or if not right this second.




Vojin Vidanovic
(Needs Verification)
Posts 1916/ 1
29 Apr 2018 05:49


Mallagan Bellator wrote:

Well, removing it from the main page sounds concerning to me.
 

I see it in products page
CLICK HERE


Stefano Briccolani

Posts 586
29 Apr 2018 09:32


As a matter of fact it seems to me that v4 is shaping up. Team could have meet some trouble? Maybe, but that's not enought to say v4 is shelved. Maybe we can expect some change in specs, but the project of a standalone vampire is surely going on, I've no doubt about it.. 


Tango One

Posts 102
29 Apr 2018 09:53


Does that also include V1200 (V4) or is that put on hold. ?




Alan Haynes

Posts 140
29 Apr 2018 13:48


Mallagan Bellator wrote:

Well, removing it from the main page sounds concerning to me.
  To be completely honest, I feel like if the Amiga is gonna have a future, it lies in the hands of those guys.
  V2+ is a thing, and that’s awesome, but will only take us so far.
  With no V4, if it will indeed be canceled as a product (which I neither think or hope), the future ASIC version would be highly unlikely to ever happen, I’m afraid.
  Individual computers make stuff for the classic Amigas, as we’re all aware, but really nothing like the vampire

To me V2 is like the original Amiga 1000 & 500 but re-born.
V4 is like the 1200 but re-born.
Think, how long between the a500 and the a1200. How many years?
A lot more that we have had to wait to go from V2 to V4.
Anything worth having is worth waiting for.
Be patient and let the team do their job.

Remember with any appliances, computers motor vehicles; in fact anything manufactured there is always the proviso that, product specifications may change without notice.
We will get the V4 and when it arrives we won't be disappointed.

Cheers from Australia
Love my Vampire V2 500+



Roy Gillotti

Posts 517
29 Apr 2018 18:37


tango one wrote:

Does that also include V1200 (V4) or is that put on hold. ?
 
 
 

Only ones stating anything is on hold or cancelled are just people speculating.

No news doesn't equate to bad news.


Barana V
(Needs Verification)
Posts 59/ 1
29 Apr 2018 22:36


'Even if V4 is released tomorrow in retail stores in millions ASIC will still not be possible."
I understand from what gunnar has said and simple maths That if they wanted an asic version of apollo, 10000 orders is the starting point.$500 per board, say 100 for the asic x10,000 = 1,000,000.
not related to thee v4, but in the realm of possibilities, considering ages ago they said they had around 4k orders.


Mallagan Bellator

Posts 393
29 Apr 2018 23:07


John William wrote:

Mallagan Bellator wrote:

  Well, removing it from the main page sounds concerning to me.
  To be completely honest, I feel like if the Amiga is gonna have a future, it lies in the hands of those guys.
  V2+ is a thing, and that’s awesome, but will only take us so far.
  With no V4, if it will indeed be canceled as a product (which I neither think or hope), the future ASIC version would be highly unlikely to ever happen, I’m afraid.
  Individual computers make stuff for the classic Amigas, as we’re all aware, but really nothing like the vampire
 

 
  Odd thing to say that ASIC is not possible because you think Vampire V4 is cancelled. First, there is no such announcement so let us not spread unwanted rumors. Second of all, why should ASIC development be linked with V4 at all?
 
  ASIC is linked with money and not with versions of Vampire. Just saying, Vampire V4 have nothing to do with ASIC. Even if V4 is released tomorrow in retail stores in millions ASIC will still not be possible. However, if someone willing to donate...hmmm..I do not know 10 million dollars USA better yet...pound even...then we can talk about manufacturing ASIC tomorrow if not today or if not right this second.
 
 

Yes, right this second.. ok I should have checked the product page instead of just trusting the word of someone who just posts here.
Why I linked the development of the V4 to future ASIC is purely because of the stages of development that I see taking form here. Vampires are FPGA based systems today, probably will be throughout the year and the next too, because development takes time. This is understandable, and totally normal.
ASIC is further down the line of development, and if the V4 was canceled, it would mean that development had taken a huge thorn. Development, as I have said a couple of times now, is what will eventually lead to ASIC, IF the money that you speak of, shows up and makes it possible.



Mallagan Bellator

Posts 393
29 Apr 2018 23:14


Barana V wrote:

'Even if V4 is released tomorrow in retail stores in millions ASIC will still not be possible."
  I understand from what gunnar has said and simple maths That if they wanted an asic version of apollo, 10000 orders is the starting point.$500 per board, say 100 for the asic x10,000 = 1,000,000.
  not related to thee v4, but in the realm of possibilities, considering ages ago they said they had around 4k orders.

And if they were to make an ASIC in those quantities, I really don’t think they would make them from the 2.9 core.

I might be wrong.

Anyone wanna make an educated guess?


Barana V
(Needs Verification)
Posts 59/ 1
29 Apr 2018 23:56


Ive always found it frustrating that when someone imo the mentality of a 10 year old and the patience of a goldfish purposely puts a rumour of cancellation into circulation JUST so it will spread like wildfire, so that the makers have to quell the rumour with some facts and figures of the project.It seems this is a form of attempted manipulation.
I think that someone like that needs a character transplant,and no, Im not talking comics here.
  anyway back to programming, and reality.


Barana V
(Needs Verification)
Posts 59/ 1
30 Apr 2018 00:03


considering even general motors uses a 68k mpu in their vehicles to run it all, and that theres a ceiling to what a 68336 can do, a 68080 mpu version would stave off at least 20 years of eol and an expensive retooling for another cpu family I think theres companies that would be willing to purchase a 68080mpu and toolchain.There may be little profit in it, but it has its flowon effects!

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