On 06 Dec 2025 at 02:04p, Mortar M. pondered and said...

Re: Re: TheA1200
By: Gods69 to Nightfox on Thu Dec 04 2025 22:14:51

All use emulation now, in software or hardware (FPGA).

FPGA is not emulation.

Of course it is. None of these machines, when they were still
being manufactured, shipped with a soft core on an FPGA. They
shipped with regular, run-of-the-mill 68k series CPUs in
silicon.

FPGAs are programmed with a bitstream that makes them do, well,
whatever the bitstream is programmed to do; in this case,
perhaps, implement the core of an MC68k CPU.

Because the FPGA itself is a hardware device that provides
programmable logic, and not a general-purpose CPU that's running
a program compiled to that CPU's ISA that is emulating another
machine, I can see how one might not consider them "emulation"
in the same category as a software emulator. But this is, at
best, arguing semantics.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

I've heard FPGAs are (or can be) generally
100% compatible and don't have these issues though.

They can be, it depends on the implementation. If the designer makes assumptions about how the target system works, they may not faithfully reproduce some edge cases.

For instance, the PC/XT core for MiSTer FPGA is /pretty good/, but can't run the Area 5150 demo, because the final effect depends on **SUBCYCLE** timing of 8237 DMA operations.

Lower level implementations of chips and systems use more FPGA cells than more abstract, higher-level implementations, and are more diffiult to do. It's a balancing act between the capacity of the target FPGA chip, and developer e/effort.
Cheers,
RetroSwim

--- Ezycom V2.15g1 01FD0295
* Origin: >> Pool's Open - The RetroSwim BBS (21:2/121)

On 08 Dec 2025 at 02:50p, Nightfox pondered and said...

Re: Re: TheA1200
By: tenser to Mortar M. on Tue Dec 09 2025 10:22 am

FPGA is not emulation.

Of course it is. None of these machines, when they were still being manufactured, shipped with a soft core on an FPGA. They shipped with regular, run-of-the-mill 68k series CPUs in silicon.

FPGAs are programmed with a bitstream that makes them do, well, whate the bitstream is programmed to do; in this case, perhaps, implement t core of an MC68k CPU.

Because the FPGA itself is a hardware device that provides programmab logic, and not a general-purpose CPU that's running a program compile that CPU's ISA that is emulating another machine, I can see how one m not consider them "emulation" in the same category as a software emul But this is, at best, arguing semantics.

While it might not be the same exact physical CPU, even though an FPGA is programmable, I feel like FPGA could be thought of as a hardware re-creation of the original.

A think I think you probably _could_ do is build a socket-compatible
carrier board for an FPGA that plugged into and acted like a drop-in replacement for the original CPU. But it's important to understand
that it's still not the original CPU; you could change out the
behavior of an instruction if you wanted.

But even so, I've heard software emulation often isn't totally 100% accurate (maybe 99% though); compared to the original hardware, software emulation can have some issues that make it behave differently in some small cases (and corner cases). I've heard FPGAs are (or can be) generally 100% compatible and don't have these issues though.

Retroswim mentioned timing, and that's probably one of the bigger
ones. You _can_ build a cycle-accurate software implementation, but
it runs like a dog. You may have a better time with an FPGA, since
it won't be constrained by _other_ software artifacts, but even then
you are only as bug-compatible as you spend the time and effort to be.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

For instance, the PC/XT core for MiSTer FPGA is /pretty good/, but can't run

Holy crap, I've been so busy using the 486 core that I never even noticed there was a PCXT core! Wonder if anyone is still working on it.

* Origin: 68k Mac Club | bbs.m68k.club (21:1/141)

Holy crap, I've been so busy using the 486 core that I never even noticed there was a PCXT core! Wonder if anyone is still working on it.

They sure are! https://github.com/spark2k06/PCXT_MiSTer

Last merge ~2 months ago

Cheers,
RetroSwim

--- Ezycom V2.15g1 01FD0295
* Origin: >> Pool's Open - The RetroSwim BBS (21:2/121)

Re: Re: TheA1200
By: Gruj to Gods69 on Sun Nov 30 2025 19:15:22

No, I'll probably not buy TheA1200. I already have too many Amigas.

Can I have one? :D
--- SBBSecho 3.31-Linux
* Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (21:2/101)

No, I'll probably not buy TheA1200. I already have too many Amigas.

Can I have one? :D

Yeah, I'll take one too. We need to give you a purpose to buy more. :D

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Clutch BBS * telnet://clutchbbs.com (21:1/199)

Well, I'm not using my A1200 in a towercase. Special price for you my friend. :)

I'm using my A1200(pi4) 95% of the time and my A500 5% of the time. Something like that.

My A500 is modestly updated with RGB2HDMI, IDE68+8MB RAM and it runs a lovely blue WB1.3.

... THE fIRST sTEP iS tO tAKE oFF tHE cAPS lOCK

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Retro32 BBS (21:1/215)

I'm using my A1200(pi4) 95% of the time and my A500 5% of the time. Something like that.

Is the pi4 in a a1200 case?

I'm in the process of building one myself.

The AmigaOS side is pretty much done.... Just been doing some customization, but trying to keep it fairly clean and learning about it as I go...

Getting better at the OS level side of things.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Clutch BBS * telnet://clutchbbs.com (21:1/199)

My A500 is modestly updated with RGB2HDMI, IDE68+8MB RAM and it runs a lovely blue WB1.3.

Also got the IDE68+8MB of Fast RAM on my A500. With a 4GB CF ,KS 3.1 ROM and a 68010 CPU. Also have the RGB2HDMI module but not installed. Still using my old commodore 1085S PAL monitor.

... Our houseplants have a good sense of humous.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Gods69 BBS (21:3/220)

Is the pi4 in a a1200 case?

Yes, it is. I also have a Keyrah stuck inside the case. Running AmigaOS3.2.

My daily driver.

Gruj

... What does it mean to pre-board? Do you get on before you get on?

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Retro32 BBS (21:1/215)

Also got the IDE68+8MB of Fast RAM on my A500. With a 4GB CF ,KS 3.1 ROM and a 68010 CPU. Also have the RGB2HDMI module but not installed. Still using my old commodore 1085S PAL monitor.

Nice setup. I forgot to mention it also has a gotek. The goal was to replicate my first Amiga. It was an A500 with a harddrive (Oktagon 52MB and 8 MB RAM). Now I only need some more chip RAM and an external diskdrive and I'm all set. :)

Gruj

... Origin of Life? Just check my refrigerator...

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Retro32 BBS (21:1/215)

Nice setup. I forgot to mention it also has a gotek. The goal was to replicate my first Amiga. It was an A500 with a harddrive (Oktagon 52MB and 8 MB RAM). Now I only need some more chip RAM and an external diskdrive and I'm all set. :)

Mine also have a gotek drive. Have "destroyed" a little the A500 case to fit it. I have a rare 2MB chip Ram AGNUS chip for A500 but never installed it.
Is not simple to install, need also an PCB with RAM chip and de-solder the Agnus support.

... Gravity doesn`t exist: the earth sucks.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Gods69 BBS (21:3/220)

Mine also have a gotek drive. Have "destroyed" a little the A500 case to fit it. I have a rare 2MB chip Ram AGNUS chip for A500 but never
installed it. Is not simple to install, need also an PCB with RAM chip
and de-solder the Agnus support.

2 MB Chip? The things I would do to get my hands on an upgrade like that. :P Mine has only 512 KB chip RAM. :( Well, I don't really need anymore but it would be nice to have it anyway.

Gruj

... I think I am, therefore, I am... I think.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Retro32 BBS (21:1/215)

2 MB Chip? The things I would do to get my hands on an upgrade like
that. :P Mine has only 512 KB chip RAM. :( Well, I don't really need anymore but it would be nice to have it anyway.

If you have an 6A rev A500 motherboard you have an 1 MB Agnus Chip.
It's easy to transform it to 1MB chip ram with the 512K expansion RAM (A501). Mine work that way.
I also have an ECS Super Demise chip (8373) installed, only swap the chips. Only do a difference if you also have an ECS Agnus...

... I am still an athiest, thank God.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Gods69 BBS (21:3/220)

Is the pi4 in a a1200 case?

Yes, it is. I also have a Keyrah stuck inside the case. Running AmigaOS3.2.

My daily driver.

Nice! This is exactly what I'm aiming for? Did you manage to get the LED lights working? If so, through the GPIO pins, wiring, and LED's ?

I'm planning to put a mini pc in, but need to figure out the power side of things. May buy a barell extension with an inline switch on it and just have it hang out of the case? As for the lighting, not sure....

I may also need to find some 3d printed panels for the back so I can have USB extension ran to it? Still don't know where to buy some from...

Any suggestions?

... You can learn many things from children... like how much patience you have

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Clutch BBS * telnet://clutchbbs.com (21:1/199)

If you have an 6A rev A500 motherboard you have an 1 MB Agnus Chip.

Mine is a rev 5 with a 8371.

Gruj

... Fer sell cheep: BBS spel chekker. Wurks grate.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Retro32 BBS (21:1/215)

Nice! This is exactly what I'm aiming for? Did you manage to get the LED lights working? If so, through the GPIO pins, wiring, and LED's ?

Sort of, the power led works. But I have installed a LED-strip inside the case. Looks fabulous when turned on.

I'm planning to put a mini pc in, but need to figure out the power side
of things. May buy a barell extension with an inline switch on it and
just have it hang out of the case? As for the lighting, not sure....

Nice, lots of power then. With host-run you can get the best of both worlds with that setup.

I may also need to find some 3d printed panels for the back so I can
have USB extension ran to it? Still don't know where to buy some from...

I don't have any panels on the back, so there is room for improvment on that for me. :)

Gruj

... If at first you don't succeed, blame your parents!

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Retro32 BBS (21:1/215)

Yes, it is. I also have a Keyrah stuck inside the case. Running AmigaOS3.2.

My daily driver.

I forgot to mention that when I say "daily driver", I really mean "Daily driver". I use it for everything except work stuff. Software I use on a weekly basis (at least): Wordworth, TurboCalc, Scala, Personal Paint and Term. Not so much gaming on it, for that I use my old Amiga 500. And with the help of Host-run I also use Chromium (from the pi4s Linux OS).

Amiga, for the creative mind!

Gruj

... A SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables. Asks: 'Can I join you?'

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Retro32 BBS (21:1/215)

Sort of, the power led works. But I have installed a LED-strip inside
the case. Looks fabulous when turned on.

That's not a bad idea.... You got any photos you could post somewhere?

Nice, lots of power then. With host-run you can get the best of both worlds with that setup.

Yes, but I've built it using dietpi so it feels like a dedicated machine, but with the power of linux as the backend to transfer files over to it etc.. Also make backups.

I don't have any panels on the back, so there is room for improvment on that for me. :)

Okay.

Oh! I just got my case today, so I stripped my mini pc and it appears it will work just fine.

I'm actually dialed in with it now, within the case and a seperate keyboard.

Now I gotta buy a keyboard and a keyrah v3, some extension cabling and what not...

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Clutch BBS * telnet://clutchbbs.com (21:1/199)

That's not a bad idea.... You got any photos you could post somewhere?

An old picture but it looks the same today. At the moment the LED is blue. :) As you can see in the picture I'm using AmigaOS3.2 with the Chromium webbrowser (browsing absinthebbs.net). Chromium is a Linux application ofcourse.

https://media.mastodon.nu/media_attachments/files/109/360/301/456/157/192/ori ginal/3795f1716a444e7b.jpg

Gruj

... (A)bort, (R)etry, (I)nfluence with large hammer.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Retro32 BBS (21:1/215)

An old picture but it looks the same today. At the moment the LED is
blue. :) As you can see in the picture I'm using AmigaOS3.2 with the Chromium webbrowser (browsing absinthebbs.net). Chromium is a Linux application ofcourse.

Getting am access denied trying to load that link.

... Unzip... expand... What kind of pervert came up with this?

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Clutch BBS * telnet://clutchbbs.com (21:1/199)

Mine is a rev 5 with a 8371.

Is not very difficult to do the modification but now is more difficult to find a cheap 8372A Agnus Chip... :-(

... Massachusetts has the best politicians money can buy.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Gods69 BBS (21:3/220)

Getting am access denied trying to load that link.

Forgot that you'll need an account on Mastodon to access the picture. Sorry about that.

You'll have to trust me when I say that it looks marvelous. :)

Gruj

... A .GIF is worth a thousand .TXT.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Retro32 BBS (21:1/215)

Is not very difficult to do the modification but now is more difficult
to find a cheap 8372A Agnus Chip... :-(

True that. Those Agnus chips are expensive and rather hard to find too.

I actually did that mod on my rev5 A500 (another one) back in the days... probably 1990 I think... give or take a year or two...

Gruj

... THE fIRST sTEP iS tO tAKE oFF tHE cAPS lOCK

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Retro32 BBS (21:1/215)

You'll have to trust me when I say that it looks marvelous. :)

:) I trust you.

I got my case, and got some extension cables on ordered.

Need to place an order for the keyboard and keyrah now... Issue is, a1200.net doesn't have their keyboard out yet.

Wonder if I should get a preorder in now? What the turn around time will be on this thing?

... A penny saved is not very much

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Clutch BBS * telnet://clutchbbs.com (21:1/199)

True that. Those Agnus chips are expensive and rather hard to find too.

Now they're destroying the old machines for selling it in spare parts... :-(

... Warning: Reading taglines can affect your humour.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Gods69 BBS (21:3/220)