Amiga Thread.

[TrashyMG]

@ClockworkCoder - oh cool, may be a nice winter project for me to do as well, plus I have an STM32 programmer just sitting around from a prior project.

 

[TrashyMG]

Last 6 days, and while the backers picked up a little in the last day or so it looks like it will be tight if it does make it. So if anyone is on the fence, this is your chance I guess.

 

[TrashyMG]

^ Actually picked up a bit, hopefully will make it in the next several hours.

 

[ZXDunny]

New AmigaOS 3.1.4 is now available as a digital download (ROM image + Workbench install disk images) with actual hardware upgrade just around the corner, apparently:

http://hyperion-entertainment.biz/index.php/where-to-buy/direct-downloads/188-amigaos-314

System requirements have gone up a bit - minimum of 2MB RAM required... Which is a bit steep if you only own a vanilla miggy. Upgrades for these things are costly.

 

[ClockworkCoder]

A little more on the AmigaOS update...

 

[rSl]

a kewl boingball kick + superlarge partitions = true amiga

 

[ZXDunny]

Can it do tiled background images in Workbench? I asked, but the authors didn't specify.

 

[TrashyMG]

Some initial news on the A1200 V4 Vampire version. one post shows the board off, the other discussing the issues with sourcing the PCB edge connector.

http://majsta.com/modules.php?name=News&file=categories&op=newindex&catid=10

 

[samuraicrow]

The board being shown off is a stand-alone Vampire motherboard. The A1200 version won't come out until after the stand-alone Vampire computer is available. The Amiga 500 version of the V4 Vampire will use a similar board to the stand-alone and will come out no later than that board.

 

[TrashyMG]

The board being shown off is a stand-alone Vampire motherboard. The A1200 version won't come out until after the stand-alone Vampire computer is available. The Amiga 500 version of the V4 Vampire will use a similar board to the stand-alone and will come out no later than that board.

It's shown literally being plugged into the expansion of the A1200 motherboard, with a title of v1200 chip test from the guy that makes the vampire boards on his own website... which I got from a link on IRC from Majsta himself....

The standalone is pretty much already done hardware wise, FPGA core development still needs to hashed out and is in closed development at the moment. This is the v1200 being shown off for the first time.

 

[samuraicrow]

The video was just posted today and I hadn't seen it. The card-connector pursuit post was from May 2016, however.

 

[TrashyMG]

The video was just posted today and I hadn't seen it.

Well I suppose that is why I shared the link...

I read that second article a while ago, but the link shows both articles, figured it was interesting anyway

 

[rSl]

sorry for beeing ot, but i just watched „The Deathbed Vigil and other Tales of Digital Angst“ by Dave Haynie the first time (and yes, i'm a noob

 

[Farox]

Vampire v4 standalone make boot....Amiga reborn

 

[ClockworkCoder]

I've got my Gotek upgraded now:

• Latest FlashFloppy firmware
• Internal piezo speaker to simulate the floppy drive sounds
• OLED display indicating current loaded file and track loading info
• Rotary encoder; rotate to select, and press to eject

Really happy with it, although I'm getting a different knob for the encoder as the one I got feels really cheap. One I've ordered is also transparent, so hopefully it will blend in more with the case. Also I'd prefer to have the display somewhere else more visible, although I'm not really sure where best to put it, and I don't want to cut the case unless I'm absolutely sure it's the right thing to do (I've seen many people put holes through for the original Gotek forward/back buttons, which are rendered obsolete with the rotary encoder mod.

 

[rSl]

I'd prefer to have the display somewhere else more visible, although I'm not really sure where best to put it

maybe it is readable shining through the transparent case when it sits flush? then you could put it anywhere inside the top case-part.
update: looked it up and it seems the oled is installed inside the gotek and is not freely moveable, so this limits the options of this idea somewhat.

 

[pmprog]

Vampire v4 standalone make boot....Amiga reborn

Looks amazing

Do we know if this will support usb mice/joysticks? All my db9 connector peripherals are rather old, and it's one thing that's makes me weary of these fpga replicas.

 

[samuraicrow]

Looks amazing

Do we know if this will support usb mice/joysticks? All my db9 connector peripherals are rather old, and it's one thing that's makes me weary of these fpga replicas.

USB peripherals will be supported but only some are guaranteed to be available at startup.

 

[ClockworkCoder]

maybe it is readable shining through the transparent case when it sits flush? then you could put it anywhere inside the top case-part.
update: looked it up and it seems the oled is installed inside the gotek and is not freely moveable, so this limits the options of this idea somewhat.

I installed the OLED myself. Originally it had a 7 segment display installed and I had to cut the Gotek slightly to allow space for the full display (the OLED is longer than the original display.

So in theory I could rewire it and put it anywhere inside.

Unfortunately the case is frosted, and the writing is unreadable through it. There are different cutouts available in the case (ie. For USB ports for some other mod/use) but I don't think there's one suitable for this purpose.
[doublepost=1542528350,1542527287][/doublepost]

USB peripherals will be supported but only some are guaranteed to be available at startup.

Indeed. I have an adapter for a usb mouse which works perfectly, but I just use original joysticks. Actually I replaced the cable on a Konix Speedking joystick I got on Ebay and having realised how easy it is I'm now half tempted to make an arcade type controller for it. The serial connector they use is just the same as the 9-pin din connectors for monitors, so they are easy to get and hack apart.

Re "available at startup", and as with older computers like this, they were never designed for hot swapping peripherals. Plugging anything in after bootup runs the risk of damage. I've heard the joystick/mouse controller chips are notoriously susceptible to damage, so best to be careful.

Actually I have an intermittent issue with the keyboard, which could feasibly be the result of plugging a joystick in, although I'm inclined to think it's something else in this case; perhaps when I was replacing the capacitors a while back. Not sure, or it could be a dry/fractured solder joint somewhere, as sometimes it's fine. In either case it's fortunately still usable.
[doublepost=1542528923][/doublepost]

Looks amazing

Thanks!

See my comment above regarding joysticks. I think it would be a fun / rewarding project to make an arcade (microswitched) controller, if you're so inclined. I think the wiring would also be easier than dealing with USB too, and the result would be great to use.

Not sure if joysticks work with the adapter I've got, but I wouldn't even like to try, as joystick wiring varies. There may be something, although I haven't really looked to be honest.

 

[pmprog]

I think it would be a fun / rewarding project to make an arcade (microswitched) controller, if you're so inclined

I had previously thought about that making one, but all the db9 connectors i can find have panel mount holes, which make them too wide to plug in my c64, so i advice the Amiga too. Though i did find some extension leads, but they havea squarer shape than my c64 ports. They fit, but it'sa bit tight.