Oberursel, 10/30/1996: After some delay in the first six months of 1996 due to the unclear situation at Amiga Technologies and the break-off of negotiations on a possible joint venture, the PowerUp project of phase 5 digital products is now really getting up steam. The start of deliveries of the PowerUp-Alpha Developer Boards to leading software developers who actively support the Amiga has given the green light for the birth of a new generation of high-performance processor cards. What this means is that Amiga will now be doing more than merely keeping step with the rising standards of performance in the field of personal computing. Due to the implementation of a novel dual processing technique which involves the parallel operation of 68k and PowerPC processors in an integrated, multi-tasking Amiga environment, this enormous boost in performance will go hand-in hand with full compatibility. The existing software runs as usual on the 68k side while new, optimised program versions supported by the strength of the PowerPC processor offer vast potential for an outstanding performance.
The commercial PowerPC acceleration cards from phase 5 digital products,
which will be ready for delivery by the end of the first quarter of 1997, are
powerful, dynamic dual-processor systems in 64-bit technology. Here the two
processors installed, either a 68040 or a 68060 together with a PowerPC
processor, share the memory and the system bus as required. At the same time
a complex interrupt system ensures dynamic distribution of the bus cycles,
depending on the activity of the processors. The obligatory option of
expanding the memory to 128 M-bytes is integrated as a 64-bit memory while
full burst mode implementation for the 68k and PowerPC processors ensures a
high data transfer rate so that both processors have rapid parallel access to
the RAM. Due to this active parallel operation the power of both processors
can be used simultaneously. The tasks running on the different processors are
able to exchange data and signals via a message system. Of course both
processors can access the entire available address space so that the PowerPC
processor can write directly into the chip memory or into graphic cards. This
integration allows software manufacturers or active programmers to easily
optimise existing programs step by step on the PowerPC.
Beginning of October 96, in the labs of phase 5:
Worlds first dual processing Amiga system with a 68060 and a PowerPC
processor, here connected to Tektronic TLS520 and Phillips PM3585 logic
analysers, runs the first Amiga-PowerPC program!
Along with the powerful hardware, the PowerPC acceleration cards will also go
hand-in-hand with a versatile range of software. The users of commercial
programs will certainly be most interested in the CyberGraphX V3 Native, in
which multi-media functions for the display of MPEG video and the new 3D
implementation, CyberGL, are realised. The exceptional power of the PowerPC
processor and the optimised design of the mighty PowerUp accelerator give
reason to expect outstanding performance in this field, elevating the product
into the creme de la creme of the modern world of personal computing.
Many well-known software manufacturers for the Amiga greet the concept of
phase 5 digital products as an avantgarde step which ensures the success of
the Amiga system in the future and have announced their support. This means
that Amiga users who decide in favour of the PowerUp board can already reckon
with a wide range of programs optimised for the PowerPC as soon as the turbo
cards become available. Some of the most important software manufacturers who
will be giving their support to the PowerUp Project are (in alphabetical
order):
Cloanto Software Cloanto is planning an adaption of the well known Personal
Paint for the next release version 7, which also will be featuring a lot of
new functions. The program is due to its modularity well prepared for a fast
and easy migraTION TO THE PowerPC. In addition Cloanto is planning to port
other programs of the actual product palette to the PPC.
Contact Cloanto under www.cloanto.com
Digita International Digita International is working with phase 5 to find the
best method of porting Wordworth and other Digita applications. Digita's
Managing Director, Jeremy Rihll, commented: "phase 5 has developed some
really stunning technology that would work really well with Wordworth. After
the launch of Wordworth 6 in November, we will be turning our full attention
to looking at working with phase 5 and its products."
Contact Digita International under www.digita.com
GP Software The producer of such famous applictions as Directory Opus and
GPFax supports the PowerUp program and is planning the adaption of all
applications to the high perfomance PowerPC processors.
Contact GP Software under www.livewire.com.au/gpsoft
Haage und Partner With the introduction of the phase 5 PowerUp accelerators,
StormC, an integrated software development solution, will become available,
which is the first integrated package to support the PowerPC software
development. This powerful development tool will offer state-of-the-art
options and comfort for programmers. A demonstration of the first version is
planned for the Computer 96 show in Cologne.
Contact Haage &Partner under:
ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Haage_Partner
Irseesoft "We are very interested in the PowerUp project. There is a strong
demand on bringing back the Amiga to the latest hardware development state
available. Most important is the increase of computing speed. The step to the
PowerPC is the only solution we can imagine for that purpose. By knowing
about these facts, we are going to port our products, such as Turboprint
Holger Kruse Holger Kruse The author of Amiwin and Miami is going to port his
products to the PowerPC to keep up to the current level of computing.
Contact Holger Kruse under www.nordicglobal.com
Maxon Computer Maxon Computer is planning the migration to the PowerPC
version of the famous raytracer and animator MaxonCinema4D with the PowerUp
project. Adaptions to the PowerUp accelerator for other current and future
applications is also planned.
Contact Maxon Computer under www.maxon-computer.com
Nova Design The adaption and optimization for the PowerPC is planned for the
high perfomance applications ImageFX and Alladin 4D to achieve the highest
possible computing perfomance from the PowerUp accelerator boards. Users of
these programs can expect powerful upgrades in early 1997.
Contact Nova Design under www.novadesign.com
Oberland Computer Oberland Computer states the PowerUp project as the only
possible future of the Amiga. By knowing this, the software engineers are
already working to fly their famous REFLECTIONS raytracer on the PowerPC.
First results are expected for the Computer 96 in Cologne. First test
calculations show up a new era for Amiga raytracing to come with the PowerUp
accelerator boards.
Contact Oberland Computer under www.oberland.com
ProDAD ProDAD is supporting the PowerUp project as Alpha Developer from the
very first days on. Andreas Huber, general manager of ProDAD: "ProDAD
appreciates the realisation of the PowerUp project and will surround this
project with own ideas and innovations. CockTel, the picture phone system,
for example will be one of the first PowerPC compatible applications with
especially the compression and decompression routines taking advantage of the
PowerPC resulting in higher transmission quality. The products Monument V3
Professional and Adorage will also take advantage on the increased perfomance
capabilities of the PowerUp project by providing new features and functions
at higher speeds. Updates with PowerUp support of the mentioned products will
follow soon. The first PowerPC native operating system onthe market will be
"p-OS", which was designed to support the PowerPC CPU from the first days of
development on. With this in mind, the PowerUp project has first priority on
the development of p-OS. The CPU perfomance of the PowerPC together with the
lean and fast modern operating system will surprise not only the Amiga
community. Innovation, not emulation is the wayto maximum perfomance and the
PowerUp project as well as the p-OS development are following this guideline.
So they will support each other to be innovative and to serve the users!"
Contact ProDAD under www.prodad.de
RBM Computertechnik RBM Computertechnik RBM is planning to port their scanner
software ScanQUIX to the PowerUp accelerator boards. Also future developments
are announced to be PowerUp aware.
Info for all software developers: If your name does not show up on this
page,but you are going to officially support the PowerUp project, please feel
free to contact us.
Several of the above mentioned vendors plan to show first demos of software
supporting the PowerUp accelerators already on the Computer 96 show in
Cologne. In addition to these well-known names about 500 software developers
have registered for the phase 5 PowerUp Developer Support Programme and it
can be expected that they will develop numerous applications for the future
especially in the shareware and PD field. In addition to this, phase 5
digital products will give particular support to special projects such as
Linux porting and similar, with the result that such projects will probably
have already produced results by the time that the PowerUp accelerator
becomes available.
All active Amiga users who are interested in PowerPc upgrades for their preferred system are invited to contact the vendors of their preffered software products and inquire for updated versions of these software applications which are optimized for the PowerUp accelerator boards. Send your requests or wishes by post, fax, or email to the vendors of the software you'd like to see reaching a new performance level - even to those vendors which are not (yet) listed here. Your strong feedback will help the software vendors to quickly realise the products that you are waiting for! Go ahead and show your support for a Power(PC)ful Amiga future!
When deliveries of the Beta Developer Boards start the worldwide support from active Amiga software developers will grow. All developers registered in the phase 5 Developer Support Programme now immediately have access to information on the PowerUp Beta Developer Boards and are able to order them. Delivery will commence by middle of November, according to developer status and in the sequence that the orders come in. The Beta Developer Boards are designed as plug-in boards for the Cyberstorm MkiI accelerators and allow professional software development in the accustomed software environment.
The amazingly fast, 64-bit PowerPC accelerators which will be available soon
mean that existing Amiga systems can be upgraded to a level of performance
which is on a par with that of today's fastest personal computers at prices
which will make the hearts of convinced Amiga enthusiasts beat faster.
Switching to a PowerUp Board will become a worthwhile investment for
practically any Amiga user and one which offers outstanding value for money.
In order to give you an impression of the prices for the coming 64-bit
high-performance accelerators there follows a list of the prices currently
anticipated for some typical PowerUp configurations, calculated on the basis
of current market prices for components.
The table above gives you an informative overview of the coming PPC604e-based
accelerators. The prices for the extremely low-cost PowerPC603e-based
accelerators, which are also in the planning, have not yet been decided. But
they will also offer attractive upgrade possibilities, particularly for Amiga
1200 users and the owners of blizzard boards for the Amiga 1200. As the
PowerUp boards for the Amiga 1200 will make it absolutely essential to
upgrade the A1200 with a tower housing (if only for EMC reasons), phase 5
digital products will be working closely with the manufacturers of the
relevant systems. Look out for more - you will be receiving further
information on a regular basis.
With the PowerUp project we will be taking an initial, pioneering step into
the future, a step so long awaited by the Amiga community. We at phase 5
digital products and our partner firms mentioned here are aware of our
commitment to continue to promote and support the outstanding concept of the
Amiga. Providing accelerator cards in a performance class which puts the
Amiga on a par with today's high-end PC's is a major step forward. An equally
important step will be the active support from software manufacturers. More
steps will follow. A 100 % Amiga-OS 3.1-compatible operating system core has
already been realised in the development laboratories of phase 5 digital
products and is currently undergoing intensive testing. We also anticipate
further important innovations in this area - also in co-operation with major
software developers and partners who are eager to enhance the system and
pursue the Amiga vision. The final goal is to produce a full PowerPC-based
operating system.
But in addition to this, here an ambitious project is assuming concrete form.
This is a project that represents major step in innovative design and which
is being consistently implemented using all the necessary resources: We are
proud to present the A\BOX.
Kontakt: phase 5 digital products In der Au 27 61440 Oberursel, Germany
Telefon: 06171/583787 Intl. Phone: +49 6171 583787 Fax: 06171/583789
Intl.Fax: +49 6171 583789
Email: mail@phase5.de oder: aproject@phase5.de
Specifications are subject to change without notice. AMIGA is a registered trademark of the respective owners. PowerUp is a registered trademark of phase 5 digital products. PowerPC is a registred trademark of the IBM Corporation.