Diverse Neuigkeiten

1. Access Innovation entwickelt Nachfolger des AGA-Chipsatz

Access Innovation Ltd (ehemals Index Information) ist mit der Entwicklung eines Nachfolgers des bekanntlich in die Jahre gekommenen AGA-Chipsatzes beschäftigt. Der 32Bit-Chipsatz AA+ soll verglichen mit AGA enorme Leistungssteigerungen in allen Bereichen bieten.

Hier die offizielle Bekanntmachung:

»25 June 1998

Access Innovation Ltd are working on a next generation AGA chip set, called AA+, which offers higher levels of performance, features and integration.

The chip set is based around a totally new full 32-bit functional core, this then has a 16-bit AGA hardware register emulation wrapped around it. The 32-bit core, using modern memory access techniques can achieve 20-times the bandwidth of the original AGA chip memory. The effect of improved memory access and buffering is that DMA access for the video display takes significantly less of the available bandwidth and is less time critical, this allows a Unified Memory Architecture (UMA) to be used without causing significant conflicts with processor operation. When accessing the original Blitter the 16-bit registers are translated to 32-bit operations, using burst memory access at up to 20-times the speed of the original Blitter.

FEATURES

Processor interface (68020, 68030, 68040, ColdFire 5102 or PowerPC options).

Address decoding for ROM, RTC, RAM, etc.

DRAM controller for SIMM's/DIMM's.

PCI bus controller.

AGA compatible.

Supports additional chunky mode displays while retaining backward compatibility with WB3.1 (chunky display works using CyberGraphics/Piccasso96).

Resolutions up to 1024x768x16-bit.

16-bit sound.

UMA for lowest memory sub-system costs.

Blitter up to 20-times faster.

High-density floppy drive support.

CIA's (optionally using external buffers to reduce ASIC pin count).

DMA engine.

Interface to a SuperIO chip to allow low cost serial, parallel, UDMA IDE and USB to be implemented off chip.

It is intended that features such as Firewire, modems and networks be implemented using a plug-in PCI card or integrated PCI chip solution.«

(Quelle: Access Innovation)