New Apple IIgs

[krfkeith]

Me and my friend are considering making an Apple IIgs using an FPGA. The deciding factor will be if anyone is interested. So...tell me! :beige: The thing should be pretty cheap because almost everything will be implemented on the FPGA. It will be very similar to the minimig (FPGA implementation of an Amiga 500). A PIC microcontroller will act as a sort of BIOS. In the sense that it will load the FPGA's files (the FPGA is RAM-based) and that it will perform on-the-fly disk image (HD and Floppy) conversion. It will be maxed out on RAM and include a built-in excelerator so you won't have to worry about buying that. Also an SD/MMC slot will be included which will hold the firmware, the HD image files, and the floppy image files. All of the ports on the Apple IIgs will be included. We might be able to include IDE and Ethernet, however that might be kind of complicated because "fake" cards will have to be written in Verilog. Unless of course we could implement the designs already in existence. Also it will include a working Apple //e, as it that already been implemented. The final version will be in a portable form factor. If you have any requests or questions just reply to this post.

**DISCLAIMER**

I am NOT making any promises, so don't say I am. This may or may not happen. It depends or the amount of interest and other factors (i.e. my personal life ). I hope it will happen though!

 

[Unknown_K]

I have both a IIgs and an Amiga 500, so I would not want an emulated version of either.

The CommodoreOne (c64 emulater in FPG) never panned out, and was a bit pricey so few purchased one.

The concept of a new and better system is interesting but when the original equipment is still plentiful and cheap I don't see too many people wanting to rush out and buy one. Sure being able to use a new monitor is nice, but you lose a bit of the old school look that way as well. Plus few people would use the extra speed for anything usefull.

 

[Twilight_Rodent]

You did not mention anything about video out? Could it connect ot a LCD ?

On the excellerator would the speed be adjustable to suit the software? What speeds are we talking about?

Not that much familar with the FPGA. I am sure alot have not much of an Idea of what it is.

You did not mention what cheap is? Nobody will hold you to it. But a starting point might help.

Take Care

 

[magnusfalkirk]

How portable would this be? Could it be hooked up to a PSOne LCD? Also as Twilight Rodent asked what price are we talking about as far as "cheap"? I have a ROM 01 GS plus the motherboard for a ROM 03 but the idea of a portable GS sounds good if it could be done.

Dean

 

[krfkeith]

Sorry, I didn't list all of the features. I wrote that right before I went to bed . When I say portable I mean like the size of a newton. Hopefully it will include a screen but probably not to keep cost down. Also it should cost around $75 because the only main components are the FPGA and the PIC controller. However it might be less, I don't know.

 

[chris]

That'd be sweet, man. Make it able to use the original drives(obviously) and don't include a screen. Better to make it a device that people can play with on TVs(if possible add VGA)

 

[krfkeith]

Well thanks for the support. We have decided upon a device that is like a Commodore 64-everything's in the keyboard. The mouse will be a trackball on the keyboard. It should inlcude all the of the ports on the original. We havent finished the desing but were hoping it will cost less than $80

 

[magnusfalkirk]

For that kind of price I would definitely be interested in one. I like having the real hardware at the house but it would be nice to have a small, portable version to take along if I want to.

Dean

 

[equant]

Keyboard and mouse, as I'm sure you know, will increase the cost. I'd be interested in your original idea, up to $100. If it had a keyboard and mouse built it, I guess I'd be more critical of the form factor and design before I could commit. I mean, either I'd fall in love with it or I wouldn't. I can't stand crap keyboards, so that's always a concern.

Any chance of USB for HID? Mass-storage? RCA video out would be nice, especially if it's portable. Battery powered?

Nathan

 

[Charlieman]

I think that this is an excellent project which is implementable because it can use a lot of existing research and emulation techniques. I have to question cost: assembly costs are non-trivial, and you need to add in the cost of physical connectors for mouse, keyboard, video (multiple outputs?), flash drives.

Don't use physical ADB connectors. PS/2 is much more common.

But, yeah, I'll buy one.

 

[krfkeith]

Thanks for all of the support! We are probably going to end up making two systems in the end. However to get our foot in the door, we will be making the first one a box with two PS/2 ports, Ethernet, USB, VGA, MMC/SD and some other stuff. More updates will come later. However the proccesor core has already been started. Well as in, I downloaded the source code to an incomplete core that was given up on on 2002. I don't think too much was done to it though :'( .

 

[chris]

I've gotta say that's an ambitious project. I'd say to miniaturize the board to a reasonable extent and not include much more than the actual board, maybe a plastic case.

Oooooh... GS mini! Woohoo!

 

[krfkeith]

No, it will be in a case don't worry. But I was thinking, what do you guys think is the best option for Ethernet? Should I emulate a modem then route the Ethernet to it or should I create and ethernet card through the FPGA? Didn't it take that guy who created the Uthernet card like 3 years to make it? And I can't just copy his design.

 

[magnusfalkirk]

I take it you're thinking of being able to hook it into a LAN or would you actually be thinking about being able to get online and web surf with this?

No, it will be in a case don't worry. But I was thinking, what do you guys think is the best option for Ethernet? Should I emulate a modem then route the Ethernet to it or should I create and ethernet card through the FPGA? Didn't it take that guy who created the Uthernet card like 3 years to make it? And I can't just copy his design.

Just curious what you have in mind,

Dean

 

[krfkeith]

Yes, you will be albe to surf the web if all goes right! However it will be text only.

 

[foody]

Sorry, but I hate it. I like the real thing, if I am going to do emulation then I would not even bother spend money on an Apple II gs and use the emulator for the PC. That is exactly the same thing I said towards the C64 that I bought, Amiga 1200 that I spend money on it and now the Apple II gs. Sorry. Unless you are adding cards for the Apple II gs that provide faster CPU yet still maintaining original speed for software compatibility, or enhance other features to allow running System 7+ software up in an environment of Apple II gs, etc then there is no point for me to spend on this.

 

[magnusfalkirk]

I respect your opinion and agree that I also prefer the real Apple IIGS to any sort of emulator. Having said that, I also am intrigued by the idea of an Apple IIGS that I can take with me. I have looked at the website on hacking a real GS into a portable version but it stops after talking about the disk drive. Without any other info to go on it would be hard for me to try and do this myself.

Sorry, but I hate it. I like the real thing, if I am going to do emulation then I would not even bother spend money on an Apple II gs and use the emulator for the PC. That is exactly the same thing I said towards the C64 that I bought, Amiga 1200 that I spend money on it and now the Apple II gs. Sorry. Unless you are adding cards for the Apple II gs that provide faster CPU yet still maintaining original speed for software compatibility, or enhance other features to allow running System 7+ software up in an environment of Apple II gs, etc then there is no point for me to spend on this.

So in the long run it simply comes down to a matter of taste. At home I'll take the real GS, but since there is no portable version of our beloved GS something like this will have to do.

Dean

 

[Kallikak]

I think of it as a clone, and as such it is much more interesting than an emulator.

 

[Quadraman]

Are you talking about putting a IIGS on a single chip? It would be interesting to see how that could come about since you wouldn't be able to mass produce such a thing without permission from Apple.