The Amiga Mini?

[youxia]

On 8/10/2021 at 6:25 PM, Flojomojo said:

Would an FPGA Amiga be really expensive?

I think at the moment the cheapest Amiga FPGA solution is SiDi, coming at ~80 Euro...when available. Bu this has no  HDMI (it's VGA only). As for MiSTer, the cheapest build starts at ~250USD. Any of the all-in-one projects will be most likely much more expensive, adding 128SD RAM, I/O board, the works, which aren't really needed for 98% of stuff, certainly not for Amiga.

 

For somebody who's only "curious", it's probably an ok device, but then...why not just stick with PC/RPi/anything-with-Retroarch emulation? All you're getting here is some extra plastic, admittedly Amiga-shaped, but if it really matters is the question for individual buyers.

[Keatah]

On 8/13/2021 at 4:01 PM, Leeroy ST said:

To be fair this isn't their fault. Iirc a Chinese company recently has the brand now, so hard to get the branding without throwing some extra dough.

Wait? A china-based co owns the "Amiga" name now?

[Keatah]

3 hours ago, youxia said:

I think at the moment the cheapest Amiga FPGA solution is SiDi, coming at ~80 Euro...when available. Bu this has no  HDMI (it's VGA only). As for MiSTer, the cheapest build starts at ~250USD. Any of the all-in-one projects will be most likely much more expensive, adding 128SD RAM, I/O board, the works, which aren't really needed for 98% of stuff, certainly not for Amiga.

Thing with MiSTer is you get so much much more. Tons of other systems. And an established community. Why suck yourself through a straw when you can open the floodgates?

 

3 hours ago, youxia said:

For somebody who's only "curious", it's probably an ok device, but then...why not just stick with PC/RPi/anything-with-Retroarch emulation? All you're getting here is some extra plastic, admittedly Amiga-shaped, but if it really matters is the question for individual buyers.

I tend to avoid recommending basic-beginner hardware because it only offers a basic-beginner experience. It can and does deter further exploration of whatever platform. Prefer a deluxe setup that wows-you-up!

 

Even software emulation on an i7 system will give you a wider and more in-depth experience. One you will want to return to over and over again.

 

[youxia]

22 minutes ago, Keatah said:

Thing with MiSTer is you get so much much more. Tons of other systems. And an established community. Why suck yourself through a straw when you can open the floodgates?

Of course, but these minis really do aim at a different kind of punter. People who might have some nostalgia for Amiga but don't want to spend a lot and don't care about other platforms and super-accuracy, collectors, impulse/gift buyers, etc...

[number6]

5 hours ago, Keatah said:

Wait? A china-based co owns the "Amiga" name now?

No.

The more recent activity concerning the brand with associated legal links

 

#6

[sn8k]

I got a c64 mini......I liked it. Never got around to the full size.... but this A500 is intriguing. I would definitely get the mini and the full size A500. 

[number6]

@thread

 

gamepad & tank mouse both to be available separately

 

#6

[+OLD CS1]

12 hours ago, number6 said:

@thread

 

gamepad & tank mouse both to be available separately

 

#6

That is pretty cool.  Have to see if I can get hold of a couple.

[Pokeypy]

On 8/16/2021 at 8:46 PM, youxia said:

People who might have some nostalgia for Amiga but don't want to spend a lot and don't care about other platforms and super-accuracy, collectors, impulse/gift buyers, etc...

In particular, they don't want to do the setup for an emulator (configuring the ROMs, the graphics resolution, the RAM, the storage devices and so on). They just want to have a dedicated computer, they can put in front of their television, switch on and play.

Which is probably, what they did back then, too.

 

I may be more of a MISTer-guy though. But I'd also like a fitting case (with a (not so loud, tested) fan, if needed - better without a fan, if not needed), not just a circuit board. A fully functioning, complete device, not just parts of it, that is available to be bought. But I'd be willing to configure some software myself. In that sense, the "MiSTer Multisystem" looks promising. Just needs a bit more development (time).

Edited September 7, 2021 by Pokeypy

[+OLD CS1]

57 minutes ago, Pokeypy said:

In particular, they don't want to do the setup for an emulator (configuring the ROMs, the graphics resolution, the RAM, the storage devices and so on). They just want to have a dedicated computer, they can put in front of their television, switch on and play.

Which is probably, what they did back then, too.

I found emulation to be such a PITA that I stuck to original hardware... until my 4000D started crapping out on me and now I have been non-Amiga for almost a year.  It has been very sad for me.

[Pokeypy]

1 hour ago, OLD CS1 said:

I found emulation to be such a PITA that I stuck to original hardware... until my 4000D started crapping out on me and now I have been non-Amiga for almost a year.  It has been very sad for me.

Maybe try FS-UAE, if you don't know it already.

This fork has made many things much more convenient than it used to be. And it supports saving of memory snapshots, and even emulates the Amiga floppy noises.

To be honest, it's so good, I don't really need another solution. It would just be luxury. Nothing wrong with luxury though.

Edited September 7, 2021 by Pokeypy

[+OLD CS1]

58 minutes ago, Pokeypy said:

emulates the Amiga floppy noises.

Oh, never mind   I might have a look.  I own Amiga Forever, too, and just never did anything with it.  Hard to break away from the ol' gal on real iron.

[Pokeypy]

Oh, and if one of the developers should read here:

For the Maxi version, I'd like to see a kind of smaller case-design, similar to the Amiga 600.

Maybe with a bit more solid case than the Amiga 600, if you can, but definitely in this (smaller) form factor than the Amiga 500 (which is rather big from today's point of view). Today, for many people space is an issue.

Edited September 8, 2021 by Pokeypy

[Pokeypy]

On 9/7/2021 at 7:32 PM, OLD CS1 said:

Oh, never mind   I might have a look.  I own Amiga Forever, too, and just never did anything with it.  Hard to break away from the ol' gal on real iron.

Of course, real hardware is always the best. Amiga Forever is useful too, because you then can use the ROMs legally (as you probably know). If I was serious about Amiga emulation and used Windows 10, I'd take a look at this interesting device, which is a dedicated USB-floppy drive for the PC. You can see in the link, what it does. Pretty cool, I think. Though probably not as easy to purchase again.

Edited September 9, 2021 by Pokeypy

[+OLD CS1]

48 minutes ago, Pokeypy said:

Of course, real hardware is always the best. Amiga Forever is useful too, because you then can use the ROMs legally (as you probably know). If I was serious about Amiga emulation and used Windows 10, I'd take a look at this interesting device, which is a dedicated USB-floppy drive for the PC. You can see in the link, what it does. Pretty cool, I think. Though probably not as easy to purchase again.

Okay, I am impatient and cannot sit through this guy talking.  Does this magic device have a web page?

[Pokeypy]

1 hour ago, OLD CS1 said:

Okay, I am impatient and cannot sit through this guy talking.  Does this magic device have a web page?

Sure, the page would be here (it's also mentioned in the written video description).

Nice, that you like the device.

[+OLD CS1]

23 minutes ago, Pokeypy said:

it's also mentioned in the written video description

Told you I am impatient

24 minutes ago, Pokeypy said:

Nice, that you like the device.

The idea of running a native Amiga floppy from a modern PC is quite interesting.  I recall someone had taken the program which teases 1581 format out of certain PC floppy controllers and made it work with Amiga floppies, but those days of native controllers are long gone.

[number6]

On 9/7/2021 at 12:01 AM, OLD CS1 said:

That is pretty cool.  Have to see if I can get hold of a couple.

Retro Games Ltd. announced about an hour ago that both the tank mouse and the gamepad are available for preorder on Amazon U.K.

Details on facebook

 

#6

[wolfy62]

I just preordered this mostly because I am a mini arcade and video game compilation collector.

I never owned an Amiga 500 so most of the games are new to me.

It's not the best or worst money value compared to some other compilations out there,so I figure it's worth the price overall.

Hopefully,I absolutely love 3 or 4 games which will be a pleasant surprise. ?

[number6]

@thread

 

Production begins:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9p8t_yFmZY&ab_channel=DVDfeverGames

 

#6

[number6]

@thread

 

Updated list of the included games (currently 22 of the 25)

 

#6

[Flojomojo]

On 9/7/2021 at 12:33 PM, Pokeypy said:

Maybe try FS-UAE, if you don't know it already.

This fork has made many things much more convenient than it used to be. And it supports saving of memory snapshots, and even emulates the Amiga floppy noises.

To be honest, it's so good, I don't really need another solution. It would just be luxury. Nothing wrong with luxury though.

I second this. It’s easy to set up, and runs on potato hardware. I have it on an old toy-grade laptop and it’s great, it even simulates the grinding sound of the floppy diskette drive. It’s probably not quite as accurate as a MISTer but it’s easy and cheap. 

[RuySan]

I second this. It’s easy to set up, and runs on potato hardware. I have it on an old toy-grade laptop and it’s great, it even simulates the grinding sound of the floppy diskette drive. It’s probably not quite as accurate as a MISTer but it’s easy and cheap. 

FS-UAE ia a fork of WinUAE, and the few inaccuracies present in winUAE are also present in MISTer. This is due to some undocumented features of the hardware.

So, FS-UAE has more or less the same accuracy as MISTer.

[eightbit]

On 9/7/2021 at 10:45 AM, OLD CS1 said:

I found emulation to be such a PITA that I stuck to original hardware... until my 4000D started crapping out on me and now I have been non-Amiga for almost a year.  It has been very sad for me.

 

Agreed. I have been using WinUAE for years and I know what I need to set up for things, but what a pain in the ass it is. I was messing with a raspberry pi Amiga emulator build (can't remember what it was, AmigaPi or something) some time ago and while it did work I was constantly in and out of those emulator settings adjusting crap for proper display, sound, speed, etc. Making various profiles for different things to make it work right....again...a pain in the ass.

 

The Amiga experience was not like that. You loaded and played stuff. The big concern was PAL/NTSC compatibility on a real Amiga for me...and that was resolved with a switch.

 

If RetroGames can produce an Amiga Mini that is as easy and wonderful to use as what they did with TheC64 it will be a hit with me. And, I suspect they will. And, I have preordered it on Amazon already

[amiman99]

It would be nice to have, but...

When I got the Raspberry Pi400,  I installed bunch of classic computer emulators, Amiga, Atari ST, classic Mac etc. Since then I used it maybe 1 or 2 times.

This tells me that I probably don't need it. Nice to have, but don't need it.