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[News] AmigaONE schematicANN.lu
Posted on 25-Feb-2001 11:05 GMT by Christian Kemp25 comments
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Henrik Mikael Kristensen wrote: I doubt this has much interest (cough), but at the alt.WOA show, someone hung up an AmigaONE schematic on the wall here. :-)
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 1 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by SimplePPC on 24-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
The PCB Layout can be seen as 'proof' that work is being done, i had a nice time
looking were the various parts would go and imagined it in my Elbox tower :)
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 2 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by Troels Ersking on 24-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
It seems that the actual AmigaONE board (prototype?)is also ready, but Fleecy had asked Eyetech to wait to reveail it until the St.Louis show.
So it seems that the AmigaONE is the "Amiga hardware" they intend to show us there.
It sure is going to be exiting to see what announcements the will do at St.Louis....Can't wait!
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 3 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by the man in the shadows on 24-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 2 (Troels Ersking):
Oh man. Could this be another part of the rumor that I heard earlier about hardware at the St. Louis show. Hmm.. The rumor unfolds. Remember, still only rumor until it is known for a fact.
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 4 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by Colin Wilson on 24-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
Fleecy said something about the AmigaOne prototype not being available at the show for "technical difficulties", and from little I heard at the back of the room (PA system was dead) he said there were 3 large partners "that you will have all heard of" (his words) that were going to be announced at the St Louis show.
No sign of the student vers of the SDK ("mail gary@amiga.com for info on that")
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 5 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by Graham on 25-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
My Quick and Dirty overview of the board (with some guesses):
Top Left: Battery (Circle)
Below: AGP Slot
Below: 6 PCI Slots
Middle Right: 2 DIMM sockets - SDR.
Below: Northbridge connecting to DIMM slots and to Processor Slot Below
Left: Southbridge (PCI slots, chip to left (audio? network? Proprietary controller chip?) )
Above: 2 IDE connections
Above those: ATX Power Connector
I don't know what the two 96-pin devices at the top are - maybe Z4 slots, or connection to A1200 motherboard?
Problems with the design (sorry guys):
Processor slot blocks one PCI slot for large cards
DIMM sockets block another PCI slot
IDE sockets block another PCI slot and long AGP cards
No 64-bit PCI (well, it isn't a major issue I suppose, but it would be nice)
Northbridge is below the Southbridge if I have got everything correct so far - if what I think is the northbridge is actually the processor, then I do not know what the connector below is for. Not a problem, just interesting.
The motherboard is very compact, which is nice I suppose. I would really like to see more pictures though.
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 6 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by Graham on 25-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 5 (Graham):
Hmmm, where are the ports for USB, Serial, Parallel, PS/2, Audio etc?
They must be on a separate card - this could explain the use of the 96-pin things at the top of the motherboard - output pins for parallel (25) serialx2 (18), USB x2 (8), Network, Firewire, Audio/Midi/Gameport, PS/2 etc.
Oh, I don't know. I will be very interested to see the final product - be sure to take a better picture next time! We want to see that baby in exquisite detail.
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 7 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by victor # on 25-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
Hmm, really nobody has a better photo of it??? (BTW, it's a PCB, not a schematic... That would be interesting yet...)
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 8 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by MelfNeerg on 25-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 6 (Graham):
I agree with Graham's layout summary in Comment 5.
However, you wouldn't see the connectors for the ports as I suspect (in order to allow easy mounting in an A1200 tower), they are providing headers for the ports and then using backplate connectors, as that would make life a lot easier.
It isn't an AT/ATX form factor card remember - that's still to come :)
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 9 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by the man in the shadows on 25-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 8 (MelfNeerg):
IIRC, there are no parallel or serial ports on the board, just usb and potentially firewire. USB is only a 4 pin connector kind of like an atapi audio connector and firewire is a 6 pin (plus 1 ground) connector which could be the 20 pin connector near the top of the board. I'm pretty sure that the two 96 pin connectors have something to do with the cpu slot on the 1200. As for the limitation of not being able to use full length pci/agp cards, I'm not upset by it at all. From what I've found in the past, only first run type of boards are the full length design or the really high end equipment like the Pinnicle/Pro AGP boards. Just wish that whoever took the picture didn't use a direct flash. Oh well.
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 10 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by Graham on 25-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 9 (the man in the shadows):
The board is able to run without a host A1200 though, and as the southbridge would provide support for parallel, floppy, serial, etc, (or an LPC device connected to the southbridge would provide this support) by default. So in the end I think that one of the 96-pin connectors is for the A1200 edge connector, and the other 96 pin connector carries all of these signals.
Still it will be nice when this gets up and running for real, and according to rumours, this could be at St Louis! It surely will not take Eyetech too long to modify their design to an ATX format - maybe 3 months in total. I will be buying that when it comes out, definitely. I hope that it will be modern motherboard as well - supporting the latest standards (ATA100, DDR memory, AGP4x, etc).
Amiga and their partners need to remember that to succeed against PCs, they have to offer more in the box. Like Apple, Amiga will need to take new technology and get it out there fast, and built-in. FirewireX2, Serial-ATA, USB2, etc. PCs usually take longer (e.g., Firewire is starting to become standard on a couple of motherboards (<1% though) and laptops) as they rely on the PCI card upgrade market.
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 11 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by the man in the shadows on 25-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 10 (Graham):
Posting a quote from someone who attended the show:
"These boards will not have serial or parallel ports, but they will have AGP, USB and Ultra ATA, and the price is expected to be 'very attractive' when compared to current high end PPC solutions for the Amiga."
So it doesn't look like the boards for the 1200 will have parallel or serial ports however, this does not mean that the boards to be released as standalone products will not have them. Also, there is no information on the final 4000 version of the AmigaONE yet so here's hoping. One cool thing though - "The boards are slated to go out to beta testers in May"
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 12 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by Brad on 26-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
Umm... this message is to the poster. It's not a schematic, it's a PCB like the label in the picture says. Just wanted to point that out.
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 13 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by Anonymous on 26-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 11 (the man in the shadows):
Out to beta testers in MAY?
wtf?
The things were supposed to be in the hands of developers a month or so ago at least.
Ho hum.
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 14 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by Henrik Mikael Kristensen on 26-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 12 (Brad):
Thanks for correcting me.
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 15 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by Darrin on 26-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 11 (the man in the shadows):
As the AmigaOne is supposed to be able to access the A1200's PCMCIA slot to use (for example) the squirrel, is it therefore possible that the AmigaOne may be able to take advantage of the A1200's serial (better than nothing) and parallel ports? Apparently the AmigaOne's mouse and keyboard are being connected via the A1200's motherboard too - at least until USB drivers allow USB keyboards and mice.
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 16 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by the man in the shadows on 26-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 15 (Darrin):
It makes sense why they are doing it that way though. Why duplicate something that's already there. The only reason why I could see them adding the serial/parallel ports would be to update the technology. Doing that would not make any sense though. USB is all that standard serial and parallel is and more. If you look out in todays world there are more products available for usb than there is for the EPP or highspeed serial ports combined. I'll have to say kudos for that decision. I'm sure that since the 1200 and 4000 boards will have access to the native hardware that they will incorporate the parallel and serial ports somehow into the DE as needed. Now, when it comes down to making stand alone AmigaONE boards, I would definately say that they should require serial and parallel ports for compatibility reasons. As an example, you can not use a multitype printer (scanner, copier, fax) on the usb port. The same holds true for most laser printers. There are also products out there that you cannot get on anything but serial or parallel. This is why I believe parallel and serial should be a requirement. At least until usb is more accepted in the computer industry.
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 17 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by Amifan on 27-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 16 (the man in the shadows):
If you really need a serial or parallel port, you can buy a USB->RS232 or parallel hub
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 18 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by J on 27-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 16 (the man in the shadows):
Yep, you can buy USB -> Serial/parallel or you could just add a PCI card that has both on. Obviously drivers would have to be written but it seems a relativly simple(!) and cheap solution.
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 19 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by Troels Ersking on 27-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
From Czech Amiga news:
27.2.2001 More Information About AmigaOnePPC 1200
Alan Redhouse, Eyetech CEO: "Because of Amiga Inc's 'St louis' news embargo we cannot ship boards to beta testers until after that date. That (obviously) means that the board will not be on general release in 1Q01 (which ends at the show). Our best estimate is that the AmigaOne1200 will be with dealers around the middle of 2Q01 - ie late May. That is what I said at Alt-WoA."
Amigart website
Eyetech Group Ltd website
ExiE
A1 -With DEALERS late May, sounds ok to me...I'm used to waiting:)
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 20 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by Martin Baute on 27-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 16 (the man in the shadows):
Parallel, Serial and ISA are officially dubbed "legacy" devices for some years.
> There are also products out there that you cannot get on anything but serial
> or parallel. This is why I believe parallel and serial should be a
> requirement.
Didn´t stop Apple from producing systems w/o serial / parallel ports. Those ports are going to vanish. Your multi-devices (printer/scanner/fax) will probably available as USB, Firewire or whatever soon( and you couldn´t use them on the "Classic"´s parallel port either, could you?); and if you want a laser printer, you´ll probably want the ethernet version anyways... ;-)
I think it´s a wise decission, and helps keeping focused. Do the USB stuff, that should help with 90% of today´s peripheral needs.
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 21 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by ElfKing on 27-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 20 (Martin Baute):
Yeah, that's right, they did say that USB would be used in place of the Legacy
keyboard, mouse, serial, parallel, etc ports. Or was that when Gateway had the
promise ball, ala Amiga MCC? ... NO, Walker?... No, that's not it.
Phoenix?... NO, BlizardPPC.. NO, TV set-top box thingy from QuickPAC?/VISICorp?
No, a PC with no Legacy ports running AROS? ... No, maybe it was Amirage. I
know, it was that IWIN - WE_LOOSE folly. I guess I'm just cornfused.
ElfKing
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 22 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by Martin Baute on 27-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 21 (ElfKing):
I feel your pain. ;-)
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 23 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by the man in the shadows on 28-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 17 (Amifan):
> If you really need a serial or parallel port, you can buy a USB->RS232 or
> parallel hub
Okay, so what happens if the USB->whatever doesn't work? I've got a multifunc printer that won't work as well as an IR receiver that won't work. I've contacted the makers of the components and have been told that they would not make an adaptor for USB or firewire. To top that off, USB was already a standard when I purchased the components. The worst part is that I purchased a usb IR receiver and it wouldn't work with the software that was looking for the serial based IR receiver. Where the adaptors are great and I fully respect their use, I can say that they work about 80-85% of the time where as the rest of the components you're just s.o.l. IMHO, serial, parallel, and ISA should have gone out LONG ago. Total USB ports on my computer system: 18 (5 on the computer, 5 on the monitor, and an 8 port belkin hub).
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 24 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by the man in the shadows on 28-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 20 (Martin Baute):
> you couldn´t use them on the "Classic"´s parallel port either, could you?
Won't work on the PC (no port available), it's sitting on the 4000's parallel port now for printing. I can just hit the "fax" button twice to make a quick copy of something without software so it works for now.
AmigaONE schematic : Comment 25 of 25ANN.lu
Posted by Martin Baute on 28-Feb-2001 23:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 24 (the man in the shadows):
Hitting the fax button twice will probably still work with the AmigaONE - or without any computer for that matter.
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