pbrody@udenva.UUCP (03/23/87)
The Amiga 2000 is a new computer with a lot of exciting potential. One area has particularly gotten my interest is in multi-processor/multi-tasking/multi- OS. The 2000 is well suited to this and I hope that there are a number of cards in development for the 2000. The things that I would particularly like to see are the following: 1) and 80286/80287 or 80386/80387 coprocessor card with MS-DOS 2) a 68020/68881 or 68030/68882 coprocessor card which can be used with AmigaDOS as well as Unix. 3) A new video card supporting higher resoltion, and better animation. I am not aware if any of the above possibilities are ready to be implemented in the near future or are under development. If the 68020/68881 card comes for less than $1000 then the Amiga 2000 could really have one-up on the MacIntosh II. Does anyone know what cards exactly are being developed for the 2000 ? Does anyone know where Commodore-Amiga is headed in the future as far as new products go, and maybe a bit of marketing (just possibly ?) ? Finally, what improvements do the new custom Amiga chips have ?
higgin@cbmvax.UUCP (03/23/87)
In article <3277@udenva.UUCP> pbrody@udenva.UUCP (Paul Brody ) writes:
$The Amiga 2000 is a new computer with a lot of exciting potential. One area
$has particularly gotten my interest is in multi-processor/multi-tasking/multi-
$OS....
$The things that I would particularly like to see are the following:
$ 1) and 80286/80287 or 80386/80387 coprocessor card with MS-DOS
As you know, Commodore is coming out with an 8088 card for the A2000.
Since we also make AT-clones, we're also working on an 80286 card. 80386
is down the road a year at least (as far as customers are concerned, although
3rd parties may do it sooner).
$ 2) a 68020/68881 or 68030/68882 coprocessor card which can be used
$ with AmigaDOS as well as Unix.
The former will be available at or right after launch from a third party.
The latter isn't even available from Motorola so cut us a break.
$ 3) A new video card supporting higher resoltion, and better animation.
3rd parties for now. There's some development going on out there.
$Does anyone know what cards exactly are being developed for the 2000 ?
RAM, hard disk controllers, SCSI's, digitizers, and Genlocks to name a few.
$Does anyone know where Commodore-Amiga is headed in the future as far as new
$products go, and maybe a bit of marketing (just possibly ?) ?
The A2000 is hardly a stop-gap machine - it IS our future for quite a few
years. It is our future because it IS expandable to meet the needs
beyond today's customer as they become economically feasible.
$Finally, what improvements do the new custom Amiga chips have ?
None from a user's perspective.
Paul Higginbottom.brent@well.UUCP (03/24/87)
In article <3277@udenva.UUCP> pbrody@udenva.UUCP (Paul Brody ) writes: > >Does anyone know what cards exactly are being developed for the 2000 ? Commodore has announced that an 80286 version of the bridge card will be released, though not at the time of the 2000's introduction (soon). A 68020 card is also "in the works", but no date is set for its release, as far as I know. >Finally, what improvements do the new custom Amiga chips have ? What new custom chips? Well, actually, I've heard of the "Fat Agnus" chip, which is simply the old Agnus chip with some of its support circuitry now included on the chip, supposedly for cost reduction. C-A doesn't seem to be talking too much about the rumored 2Meg addressable graphics chips et all... brent "Sometimes he tries to cure the scars, When he forgets, he sometimes cries." - "The Jeweller" (T.M.C.)
ccplumb@watnot.UUCP (03/25/87)
In article <1583@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> higgin@cbmvax.UUCP (Paul Higginbottom SALES) writes: >The A2000 is hardly a stop-gap machine - it IS our future for quite a few >years. It is our future because it IS expandable to meet the needs >beyond today's customer as they become economically feasible. Bat pukey. The A2000 is a boring rehash of the A1000, with hype laid on to make it seem like some great leap for mankind. As for `being Commodore's future for quite a few years', Humph. Apple's got an '020 box, Atari's getting an '020 box, and Commodore is working on an '020 expansion card. If the folks at Commodore know what's good for them, they'll turn that card into a whole machine Real Soon Now. In article <3277@udenva.UUCP> pbrody@udenva.UUCP (Paul Brody ) writes: >>The Amiga 2000 is a new computer with a lot of exciting potential. One area >>has particularly gotten my interest is in multi-processor/multi-tasking/multi- >>OS.... I heard that this is actually one area in which the 2000 is better than the 1000. Apparently, the 1000 had timing problems that would make bus sharing among multiple processors difficult, which have been fixed in the 2000. I have no idea how reliable this information is. Would someone like to comment? It seems strange that a genuine improvement wouldn't be mentioned in reviews, but perhaps this is a bit too technical for most magazines. (I haven't checked the _Transactor_ yet.) >> [I'd like to see:] >> 2) a 68020/68881 or 68030/68882 coprocessor card which can be used >> with AmigaDOS as well as Unix. > >The former will be available at or right after launch from a third party. >The latter isn't even available from Motorola so cut us a break. Yes, but when the latter becomes available, it would be a nice way to get a jump on the competition. Perhaps I'm dreaming, but that would make a *very* mean machine. Also... would it be feasible to add a 1-bit SRAM somewhere in the Amiga to do memory protection? No address translation, just write inhibit. (Everything would still be globally readable.) It could save a lot of reboots, at low cost. -- -Colin Plumb (watmath!watnot!ccplumb) Silly quote: I've got to put my duff to the grindstone.
grr@cbmvax.UUCP (04/07/87)
In article <3277@udenva.UUCP> pbrody@udenva.UUCP (Paul Brody ) writes: > >I am not aware if any of the above possibilities are ready to be implemented >in the near future or are under development. If the 68020/68881 card comes for >less than $1000 then the Amiga 2000 could really have one-up on the MacIntosh >II. > >Does anyone know what cards exactly are being developed for the 2000 ? >Does anyone know where Commodore-Amiga is headed in the future as far as new >products go, and maybe a bit of marketing (just possibly ?) ? >Finally, what improvements do the new custom Amiga chips have ? We're supposed to have a hard disk controller, a 2MB memory card and the 8088 bridge card available when the machine is released. We've also talked about an 8MB memory card, a 286 bridge card and a 68020/MMU card with no specific dates mentioned. The 68020 card will definitly work with AmigaDOS, much in the manner of existing 68020 enhancements. AmigaDOS already understands 68020's though not MMU's. The custom chips used in the A500 and A2000 just offer improved system integration while retaining compatibility with the A1000 and "zorro" expansion architecture. We are working on some improved chips that will offer straightforward extensions to the current capabilities. -- George Robbins - now working for, uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr but no way officially representing arpa: cbmvax!grr@seismo.css.GOV Commodore, Engineering Department fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)