As probably you've already noted, the latest beta of WinUAE comes with a lot of interesting features. Some of this will open the road for the PPC emulation under Windows. What you think about?
E-UAE is so far behind (although fine for most things) it might be extremely hard to add all the little features WinUAE has now. If you read the WinUAE beta changelog, you'll note that at this time, only the boards are emulated, not the PPC CPU, although it might be possible for someone to bolt on the CPU emulation from QEMU.
Then, you could probably run some PPC applications, although you can forget about running OS4 any time soon. There's a plethora of hardware OS4 expects to see that won't be emulated (gfx/sound chipsets, uboot etc.). So I don't expect OS4 to run in emulation except maybe in the very distant future.
Passibly, my guess is that different CPU emulation code will be needed to run on AmigaOS4 / PowerPC, then what is used on Windows/x86/x64.
X64 is pretty fast this days, and there is lots CPU cores that sitting more or less ideal, if you have i7 cpu for example. one 4Ghz core can easily emulate 400-800 CPU or should be able to.
A 1.8 Ghz PowerPC CPU has advantage that instructions are native but some how you need to emulate the memory address space, so you wont get full speed, maybe you get around ½ or 1/3 so maybe 600 to 900Mhz, but its lots of work.
This will make it possible to run AmigaOS4.1 classic legally and illegally under emulation. On x64 hardware. It will be interesting to see if AmigaKIT get increased sales of AmigaOS4.1 classic.
I can see my self turning a PC laptop into a AmigaOS4.1 classic laptop.
(NutsAboutAmiga)
Basilisk II for AmigaOS4 AmigaInputAnywhere Excalibur and other tools and apps.
I could see myself having some OS4.1 environment in emulation if my real hardware stopped working, while I saved up money for another system. I just don't expect it to be a reality any time soon, because of other hardware that would need to be emulated (other than what I listed above, there's also USB and SATA/IDE controllers).
You are confusing AOS4 for NG platform with Aos4 Classic.
Here are the requirements for classic. Quote:
The minimum requirements are: An Amiga 1200 with Blizzard PPC or Amiga 3000(T) with Cyberstorm PPC, or Amiga 4000(T) with Cyberstorm PPC accelerator card Minimum 96MB memory installed on Blizzard PPC or Cyberstorm PPC Kickstart 3.0 ROMS IDE or SCSI CD-ROM drive (on Cyberstorm PPC) for installation 1GB hard disk drive on IDE internal port or Cyberstorm PPC SCSI Amiga 880K Floppy Disc Drive.
All of which winuae emulates except currently the PPC cpu. Once the CPU code is in place there is nothing stopping you from emulating an A4000 with a CyberstormPPC. That should be plenty to boot AOS4.1 classic.
although you can forget about running OS4 any time soon. There's a plethora of hardware OS4 expects to see that won't be emulated (gfx/sound chipsets, uboot etc.).
AmigaOS4.0 classic and AmigaOS4.1 classic boots from AmigaOS3.x, not uboot.
I guess gfx/sound chipsets is AGA/Paula etc, don't know, I think picasso96 emulation in uae is emulated zorro card.
I don't think AmigaOS4.1 should think no different about this emulated hardware components, then what AmigaOS3.9 do.
Maybe I'm wrong.
(NutsAboutAmiga)
Basilisk II for AmigaOS4 AmigaInputAnywhere Excalibur and other tools and apps.
intrasting. imagine emulate an cd32 running os 4.1 on ppc, wonder what advanced the akkio chip will bring the cd32 over the a1200 when running os amiga os 4.1 via ppc emu
intrasting. imagine emulate an cd32 running os 4.1 on ppc, wonder what advanced the akkio chip will bring the cd32 over the a1200 when running os amiga os 4.1 via ppc emu
Akiko is just C2P in hardware and completely irrelavent since you have access to access to native chunky graphics via P96 under OS4/UAE.
Why should it end with 4.1? They could start advertising it for $30. If its cheap, many people think why not. More sales, better for hyperion. Anz i don't think many of those winuae people are willinc to spend much on new hw to run os4.
They could start advertising it for $30. If its cheap, many people think why not. More sales, better for hyperion.
Historically Hyperion have (seemingly) been against AmigaOS4 running on x86 PCs, I think mainly due to worries about piracy (as well as people not bothering to buy 'real' PPC Amigas). I won't bother arguing whether or not they were correct (nor whether that is still valid).
I also wonder how Hyperion would be able to justify the expense of supporting another platform if the OS sold for just $30. Not only would they likely have to write special drivers for much of the (emulated) hardware, especially for stuff like 3D, but what about all the AmiUpdates for the OS that $30 buyers would be getting for free?
My x64 PPC would run at the speed of nintendo wii (without 3D), so I doubt in real use it could beat my 666Mhz PPC+M9 when running AOS4. And SAM440 is (IMO) too slow for nice AOS4 experience.
So I think PPC emulated AOS4 system is sane only after every potential user has faster HW than my 3.8Ghz FX4300 and compositing + 3D ahould be run HW accelerated (not easy?).
And in the end ... would I rather boot up (1minute) my 90W x86 when my 5...25W real PPC is as fast or faster ...
- Kimmo --------------------------PowerPC-Advantage------------------------ "PowerPC Operating Systems can use a microkernel architecture with all it�s advantages yet without the cost of slow context switches." - N. Blachford