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[News] New Mediator models from ElboxANN.lu
Posted on 22-May-2001 07:37 GMT by Christian Kemp11 comments
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Elbox exspands the MEDIATOR busboard product line with three new models: MEDIATOR PCI 4000 (for Amiga 4000D computers installed in E/BOX 4000 tower cases (Power Tower) with the Zorro III/PCI busboard); MEDIATOR PCI ZIII (for all Zorro III equipped Amigas (A4000T, A4000D, A3000 and A1200 equipped with the Zorro III busboard)); MEDIATOR PCI ZIV (for Amiga 1200 computers equipped with the Zorro IV busboard).
New MEDIATOR models from ELBOX
ELBOX COMPUTER
http://www.elbox.com
Krakow, 21 May 2001
Elbox Computer, the leading manufacturer of hardware for Amiga computers, the company that introduced the PCI standard to Amiga computers with their MEDIATOR PCI 1200 busboard, is proud to announce expanding the MEDIATOR busboard product line with three new models:
  • MEDIATOR PCI 4000 - for Amiga 4000D computers installed in E/BOX 4000 tower cases (Power Tower) with the Zorro III/PCI busboard;
  • MEDIATOR PCI ZIII - for all Zorro III equipped Amigas (A4000T, A4000D, A3000 and A1200 equipped with the Zorro III busboard);
  • MEDIATOR PCI ZIV - for Amiga 1200 computers equipped with the Zorro IV busboard.
The MEDIATOR PCI busboard line is designed so as to enable expanding the Amiga with a wide range of standard PCI cards like Graphic cards, Ethernet and Fast Ethernet network cards, Modem cards, ISDN cards, USB and SCSI cards, Sound cards and Multimedia cards: TV tuner and MPEG-2 hardware decoders.

Expanding the Amiga with the MEDIATOR PCI busboard opens the way to employing the power of the latest PowerPC G3/G4 processors in Amiga, around which SharkPPC and SharkPPC+ cards are based.

ELBOX Computer adds software to each busboard for supporting the following standard PCI cards:
PCI Graphic cards:
Voodoo5 5500 64MB
Voodoo4 4500 32MB
Voodoo3 3000 16MB
Voodoo3 2000 16MB
Voodoo Banshee 16MB
S3 ViRGE 86C325 2MB
S3 ViRGE 86C325 4MB
S3 ViRGE/DX 86C375 2MB
S3 ViRGE/DX 86C375 4MB
PCI Ethernet cards:
Winbond 89C940F
RealTek RTL-8029
NetVin NV5000S.C.
Holtek HT80232
Holtek HT80229
Compex RL2000
SureCom NE34
KTI ET32P2
Via 86C926.
Specifications of the NEW PCI busboards:

MEDIATOR PCI 4000
-----------------
MEDIATOR PCI 4000 is the most advanced version of the Amiga-related PCI busboard. The card is dedicated for working in E/BOX 4000 tower systems (also known as Power Tower 4000). The card is installed in the special slot of the Elbox Zorro III/PCI 4000 busboard.
MEDIATOR PCI 4000 combines the most advanced electronic solution with a special perfect mechanical design enabling use up to six Zorro III cards simultaneously with up to five PCI cards.

MEDIATOR PCI 4000 features:
  • supports 5 PCI slots (PCI 2.1 compatible)
  • 66 MHz PCI clock
  • transfer between PCI cards up to 264 MB/s
  • includes a busmastering controller supporting transfers between PCI cards
  • includes a busmastering controller supporting transfers between PCI cards and the A4000 motherboard, between PCI cards and the A4000 turbo card memory (DMA), and between PCI cards and Zorro III cards
  • includes an interrupt controller supporting 4 interrupt lines
  • enables simultaneous operation of Zorro III/II cards
  • works with all the turbo card models for A4000 computers
  • ready for installation of the SharkPPC G3/G4 and SharkPPC+ G3/G4 turbo cards
  • supports autoconfig Zorro III
  • up to 1GB continuous PCI memory space
On sale beginning with: June 2001
Suggested retail price: EUR 169.95 (VAT excl.)


MEDIATOR PCI ZIII
-----------------
MEDIATOR PCI ZIII is a PCI busboard in the Zorro III card form.
MEDIATOR PCI ZIII is dedicated for all the models of Amiga computers fitted with Zorro III slots: A4000T, A4000D, A3000 and A1200 equipped with the ZorroIII busboard.

MEDIATOR PCI ZIII features:
  • 4 PCI slots (PCI 2.1 compatible)
  • 66 MHz PCI clock
  • transfer between PCI cards up to 264 MB/s
  • includes a busmastering controller supporting transfers between PCI cards
  • includes a busmastering controller supporting transfers between PCI cards and the A4000 motherboard, between PCI cards and the A4000 turbo card memory (DMA), and between PCI cards and Zorro III cards
  • includes an interrupt controller supporting 4 interrupt lines
  • enables simultaneous operation of Zorro III/II cards
  • works with all the turbo card models for A4000 computers
  • ready for installation of the SharkPPC G3/G4 and SharkPPC+ G3/G4 turbo cards
  • supports autoconfig Zorro III
  • up to 512MB continuous PCI memory space
On sale beginning with: June 2001
Suggested retail price: EUR 169.95 (VAT excl.)


MEDIATOR PCI ZIV
----------------
MEDIATOR PCI ZIV is dedicated for Amiga 1200 computers fitted with the Zorro IV busboard. It is connected to one of two of the ZIV connectors in the Zorro IV busboard.

MEDIATOR PCI ZIV features:
  • 4 PCI slots (PCI 2.1 compatible)
  • 66 MHz PCI clock
  • transfer between PCI cards up to 264 MB/s
  • includes a busmastering controller supporting transfers between PCI cards
  • includes an interrupt controller supporting 4 interrupt lines
  • enables simultaneous operation of Zorro II cards installed in the Zorro IV busboard
  • enables simultaneous operation of devices connected to the Clock Ports in the ZIV busboard
  • works with all the turbo card models for A1200 computers
  • ready for installation of the SharkPPC G3/G4 and SharkPPC+ G3/G4 turbo cards
On sale beginning with: June 2001
Suggested retail price: EUR 189.95 (VAT excl.)

Mariusz Wloczysiak
ELBOX COMPUTER, Press Department
New Mediator models from Elbox : Comment 1 of 11ANN.lu
Posted by Amifan on 21-May-2001 22:00 GMT
Oops, I forgot to add <BR>, But they are there in the "read more" info
New Mediator models from Elbox : Comment 2 of 11ANN.lu
Posted by Ben on 21-May-2001 22:00 GMT
1) So how many Z3 cards can be used at the same time as PCI cards in the A4000 Z3 solution?
2) When will Shark PPC be out - any idea on price?
3) Will I be "OS4 compatible" (I believe the "DE" doesnt matter to me right now as OS4 is not "part" of it).
New Mediator models from Elbox : Comment 3 of 11ANN.lu
Posted by Amifan on 21-May-2001 22:00 GMT
>1) So how many Z3 cards can be used at the same time as PCI cards in the A4000 >Z3 solution?
I think it depends on how many zorroIII slots you have. I assume it's something like the matay sollution.
>2) When will Shark PPC be out - any idea on price?
>Dunno anything about the SharkPPC, but the SharkPPC+ is set to be released at >the same time as AOS4.0. Pricings are something like (IIRC):
~400 EURO for a G3 400Mhz
~550 EURO for a G3 550Mhz
(1 EURO/Mhz :) )
>3) Will I be "OS4 compatible" (I believe the "DE" doesnt matter to me right >now as OS4 is not "part" of it).
Erm...haven't you read the announcement on www.elbox.com or www.amiga.com? :)
Yes, The SharkPPC+ will run AmigaOS4.0
New Mediator models from Elbox : Comment 4 of 11ANN.lu
Posted by Darrin on 21-May-2001 22:00 GMT
Now we will have hopfully heard the last from A3000 and A4000 owners banging on about how Amiga Inc is leaving them behind with OS4. Of course, there must be hundreds of thousands of A500 owners out there still waiting for a PCI/PPC solution for their machines....
Even better news is the fact that by Elbox and Matay having competing products it should help keep the prices down.
New Mediator models from Elbox : Comment 5 of 11ANN.lu
Posted by Amifan on 21-May-2001 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 4 (Darrin):
As this is nice for the people wanting to expand their setup, I think that it's better when Elbox cobined their technology (PCI and SharkPPC+) into a kickass mainboard.
My a1200 is really showing it's age right now......
Anyway, we might expect one by the time AOS4.5 ships :)
New Mediator models from Elbox : Comment 6 of 11ANN.lu
Posted by Olivier on 21-May-2001 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 4 (Darrin):
I don't think Prometheus could compete with Mediator ZIII.
Prometheus doesn't support busmastering/DMA between PCI cards and Amiga and Mediator ZIII from Elbox supports this busmastering.
Sure, making a card without DMA is much easier. No DMA, then sending all data from PCI cards to Amiga must be done by Amiga's processor. Just imagine a SCSI, USB or FastEthernet PCI controller in Prometheus which takes up 100% processor's time.
New Mediator models from Elbox : Comment 7 of 11ANN.lu
Posted by Anonymous on 22-May-2001 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 6 (Olivier):
You are missing the point. The transfer rate of the Zorro III bus is limited to 12 MB/s anyway so it won't matter if you have DMA or not, you will still be stuck with those 12 MB/s.
New Mediator models from Elbox : Comment 8 of 11ANN.lu
Posted by den on 22-May-2001 22:00 GMT
well done, now where is support for soundcards ... the one thing that would make me want to buy one ...
New Mediator models from Elbox : Comment 9 of 11ANN.lu
Posted by Don Cox on 22-May-2001 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 8 (den):
There will be support for sound cards in AmigaOS 4, but that would
need a Shark as well as Mediator.
New Mediator models from Elbox : Comment 10 of 11ANN.lu
Posted by victor # on 22-May-2001 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 7 (Anonymous):
The DMA thingy makes a big difference in cases like using a tuner card.. (Direct transfer into the gfx-card's memory..) Also don't forget the upcoming G3 cards.
New Mediator models from Elbox : Comment 11 of 11ANN.lu
Posted by Crumb on 23-May-2001 22:00 GMT
Have you noticed that the Mediator Z3 is physicaly smaller than the Prometheus? It will fit without touching the scsi & ports of the A4000T :)
So I will be able to use PCIs & zorros... mmm that sounds good. It would be even better if their SharkPPC used ZIF sockets to use Mac processor modules. And even better if they had a working Warp3D driver.
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