Why no new accelerators?

[MadAngus]

@amigakit

The CPU connector tooling cost would need to be contributed towards.

Sounds like a bounty requirement. There is no retail supply of these connectors anywhere, having the tooling would mean amigakit could indefinitely supply these. Would have to be based on preorders or combined with orders for accelerators.


Looks like people are looking for two types of Expansions

A1200 expansion card
Triple core 2GHZ processor
Address 4Gb DDR2
Supplied with 1GB DDR2 memory
Hardware visualisation

A1200 Port Card
USB 2 ports (+powered)
SATA II ports
10/100/1000 ethernet port
Digital Audio
RTG Graphics

 

[mjnurney]

i suppose , realistically it would be am 060 with 256 mb ram?

 

[www_amigakit_com]

Yes realistically.

Perhaps we should open a webpage asking for customers to register interest?

 

[mjnurney]

yes i think that would be a good idea - i suppose ppc is out of the question?

 

[Ed.D]

@JVDBossc
I mentioned something similar; a new daughterboard just recently in another thread. It would be great.


@Amigakit,

Just wondering, how did you get to a figure of 400 orders? you must have a per unit price tag in mind, yes?


@Madangus, what kind of tooling would be required for the 150 pin connector. Some kind of plastic injection mould or slide mould?

 

[jvdbossc]

I do not get what to gain, if it does not offer anything over second hand. So far in my book ppc + 060 + rtg exists second hand. I agree the price is to high - but new it will cost more. :blased::blased: Close to all suggestions I did exist at different owner-creators...

 

[www_amigakit_com]

Around 400 units would be the point where the investment cost will be paid off and a small profit would start to be made.

 

[mgarnett]

I'd be interested

 

[MadAngus]

@Ed.D
It's a bit more involved than standard injection molding due to the insertion or over molding of the pins. I don't know the exact process but the cost is exasperated by the uniqueness of the connector.

I should also point out the the tooling has a limited lifespan due to the high pressures of the molding process. The life span depends on the metals used for the tooling, the stronger the metals the longer it lasts, stronger metals more cost.

 

[r0jaws]

If we had around 400 firm orders from customers then we would seriously consider funding development and manufacture of a new a1200 060 accelerator.

Such a development is very expensive and potentially risky. The retail accelerator is likely to be 3 or 4 times the cost of the ACA 1230.

So following that logic, if you had 800 firm orders you could reduce the cost x2?
If an 060 was available, do you see it being able to reach that volume of sales, if it was priced in that region?

 

[protek]

Around 400 units would be the point where the investment cost will be paid off and a small profit would start to be made.

So, we'd be talking about an investment of 150000 - 200000 beer tokens? How did they manage it back then? There probably could've not been a significant amount more potential buyers back then than there are now.

Whatever happened to the Blizzard and CyberStorm card schematics?

 

[touringsedan]

You would have more interested if it was possible to support the A1200 AND A3000/4000 products.

I only collect desktops and would buy a couple if they worked on my 3000/4000 systems.

Also, having a high speed CF built into the accelerator would make me happy as I run them all off CF cards anyway.

A new A1200 060 design would probably be an asyncronous design consisting of 256MB SDRAM surface mounted as found in our ZorRAM product. It would need an FPGA with proprietry SDRAM controller code which would need to be licensed at cost.

The CPU connector tooling cost would need to be contributed towards.

 

[MadAngus]

I do not get what to gain, if it does not offer anything over second hand. So far in my book ppc + 060 + rtg exists second hand. I agree the price is to high - but new it will cost more. :blased::blased: Close to all suggestions I did exist at different owner-creators...

I think the gain is availability. Second hand availability will dwindle with time as more are thrown out because the owners are unaware of their value and the reluctance of hobbyists to part with theirs.

 

[NovaCoder]

Jens has already mentioned that when the cost-to-power-ratio of FPGA's is right (a few years off I'm afraid) then he look at doing one.

If this ever happens it will be a one hell of a fast 1200 card

 

[mjnurney]

yes absolutely and more reliable hardware

 

[roy_bates]

If we had around 400 firm orders from customers then we would seriously consider funding development and manufacture of a new a1200 060 accelerator.

Such a development is very expensive and potentially risky. The retail accelerator is likely to be 3 or 4 times the cost of the ACA 1230.

maybe its worth taking a poll to see how many would deffinitley be interested.

yes,i for one agree it would be alot more expensive,the hardest part would be the tooling for the cpu expansion port for the 1200 and cpu fast slot in 3-4000, plus the fpga for the 060 cpu to memory interface and vicer verca.(this will might be what kills a project like this)

 

[mjnurney]

Mr mod can we have a poll please

Yes Id like to register interest...
I'd definatley buy one!
No I don't want one.


If Amigakit could do something a bit special like 512mb ram ? Or is that out of the question really?

 

[roy_bates]

Mr mod can we have a poll please

Yes Id like to register interest...
I'd definatley buy one!
No I don't want one.


If Amigakit could do something a bit special like 512mb ram ? Or is that out of the question really?

512mb could be done by using pc100-133 slot the memory is very cheap,and still available.

 

[mjnurney]

thank you

 

[r0jaws]

Mr mod can we have a poll please

Verily, your whim is my command and delight.....