Amiga PowerPC & AmigaNG-Konkurrenzsysteme
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Amiga PowerPC & AmigaNG-Konkurrenzsysteme
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»Update on the Next Generation G3 Product for the AMIGA from phase 5 digital products
July 6, 1999: The recently announced G3/G4 project is now already in it's finalization stage. During the past six weeks, we have reviewed the overwhelming response of the Amiga community, and the large number of requests from many users in regards to design features. At the same time, we have been checking the latest developments in the industry, which have opened up some new opportunities. Based on these new possibilitites, we have made some conceptual changes to the design of the CYBERSTORM G3/G4 and the BLIZZARD G3/G4 boards which we will outline hereafter.
A major change of the design of both boards is that we have decided not to integrate SCSI and IEEE-1394 on the products as standard, and therefore reduce the base prices of the products (we will make add-ons available, and have also added other features, as you can read below). We have decided to do this, as we found out that many customers have very different demands. For example, many have been asking for implementation of the U2W SCSI interface - even for the BLIZZARD G3/G4 board - which is more expensive and would later also cause significant additional cost to the user in respect to cabling and adaptors. On the other hand, other customers may only want to connect some older legacy SCSI devices and would be happy with a cheap 8-Bit SCSI port. Some other may not need SCSI at all, but want to pay the lowest possible price for the step into the G3/G4 generation. Consequently, we have decided to offer base boards without specialized I/O functionality, but with the option for customized configurations.
The good news is, that the CYBERSTORM G3/G4 as well as the BLIZZARD G3/G4 will both have PCI slots already on board, which will allow to connect PCI add-ons directly. In order to make the boards fit into the same Amiga systems as the earlier CYBERSTORM PPC and BLIZZARD 603 boards, we will be using Mini-PCI connectors, on which PCI modules in the new Mini-PCI standard can be installed. This design allows the users to connect Mini-PCI add-on cards directly to the CYBERSTORM G3/G4 as well as the BLIZZARD G3/G4, without the need to spend money for a PCI bus expansion or to worry about mechanical integration of such a board. Developers, as well, can easily use either common Mini-PCI cards and write drivers for those, or quickly design new Mini-PCI cards with standard PCI chips.
Another change is the usage of standard SO-DIMMs (SDRAM) as they can be found on modern notebooks, which also allow to design the boards in very compact form factors, thus making the CYBERSTORM G3/G4 fit into all A3000 and A4000 desktop and tower models (with fully installed memory and Mini-PCI cards), and make the BLIZZARD G3/G4 fit into most A1200 tower cases on the market and in use. As an integrated standard I/O port, the CYBERSTORM G3/G4 as well as the BLIZZARD G3/G4 will also have two USB ports to connect a fast growing number of inexpensive devices.
phase 5 digital products will also be offering some cost-effective MiniPCI add-on modules. We have a number of options which add-on boards for I/O purposes may be developed by us, and which will be quickly realized depending on the actual demand. It may be noted that these options include those functions which were originally considered to be on-board, and are now simply moved to an optional MiniPCI card. The currently planned, optionally available modules include:
For any of these modules, a minimum order quantity of 250 units must be reached, in order to justify the software and hardware realization. If for any of these modules this quantity can not be reached, we will inform all customers who have ordered this option. Customers can now - in the updated ordering form - order these boards to be shipped with their BLIZZARD G3/G4 or CYBERSTORM G3/G4 board. These boards
phase 5 digital products will also offer a next-generation gfx board for the new accelerators. This new board, the CyberVisionNG, is currently planned to
and will be priced at EURO 180 or US$ 190 with 32 MB of local memory (net retail price based on the memory prices of July 1999).
With the large amount of local memory for display and textures, it will provide highest performance and impressive 3D capabilities which have not been available on the Amiga ever before, at a most attractive price point very close to that of common PC products.
| A word on G4 versions: |
It seems today that with the initial release of the BLIZZARD and CYBERSTORM G3/G4 boards, the G4 processors may not be shipping in quantities. But it is even more important that support of the improved features of the G4 processor by Amiga software applications, developers and tools will take time, and it is very unlikely that wider support of these features - which the Amiga users would benefit from - will be realized before early next year. Because of this reason (and yet undetermined pricing and available frequencies), we have decided to remove the G4 offer from the product list right now. We believe that the time for the G4 will come in the year 2000, after Amiga developers have implemented G4 support into software applications, and availability and pricing of the G4 processors makes them an even more attractive choice than in the very near future. Remember, both the BLIZZARD and the CYBERSTORM G3/G4 have a socketed processor module, which will allow for easy upgrading - and phase 5 digital products will offer attractively priced G4 modules as soon as the G4 processors are shipping in quantities.
To summarize the features of the BLIZZARD and CYBERSTORM G3/G4, here are the updated technical specifications and prices:
BLIZZARD G3/G4 for A1200 Tower systems
Suggested net retail prices (excl. any local taxes or VAT): With 300MHz G3 processor w/ 1MB backside cache: EURO 640.00 (Europe) or US$ 670.00 (outside Europe)
With 400MHz G3 processor w/ 1MB backside cache: EURO 890.00 (Europe) or US$ 920.00 (outside Europe)
Discounted preorder net price (excl. any local taxes or VAT): (includes free worldwide postal delivery) *Available to all customers who place an order for a G3 products before August 10, 1999, under the conditions of the preorder program
With 300MHz G3 processor w/ 1MB backside cache: EURO 560.00 (Europe) or US$ 580.00 (outside Europe)
With 400MHz G3 processor w/ 1MB backside cache: EURO 770.00 (Europe) or US$ 790.00 (outside Europe)
CYBERSTORM G3/G4 for A3000(T) and A4000(T)
Suggested net retail prices: With 400MHz G3 processor w/ 1MB backside cache: EURO 890.00 (Europe) or US$ 920.00 (outside Europe)
Discounted preorder net price: (includes free worldwide postal delivery) *Available to all customers who place an order for a G3 products before August 10, 1999, under the conditions of the preorder program
With 400MHz G3 processor w/ 1MB backside cache: EURO 770.00 (Europe) or US$ 790.00 (outside Europe)
The release is getting closer any day!
The development is currently right on track, and we plan to start shipping the preordered BLIZZARD and CYBERSTORM G3/G4 boards in early September. If you have not yet placed an order for one of these stunning new products, please keep in mind that the preorder discount will only be granted to all orders which we receive until August 10, 1999. If you had placed an order already, please renew your order with the updated order form and the new options, and mail or fax it to us (all customers who have placed an initial order by email will also receive a notification to do so; please note that - due to the many changes in the products and prices - all orders which were placed by email prior to July 8, 1999, are void).
Go to the Order page right here!
All rights reserved. Specifications and prices are subject to change without prior notice. All prices are net retail prices without any local VAT ot other sales taxes which may apply.«
(Quelle: Phase 5 digital products)
