FUSION

Software only Macintosh emulation

FUSION supports Apple's virtual memory when using an Amiga that has an MMU present (68030/68040/68060). The Macintosh MMU usage is so complex that rather than patching the existing resources, Microcode Solutions wrote all new routines, which also allows the 68060 to support virtual memory (which is not possible on any real Macintosh).

The virtual memory is system friendly, allowing the Amiga more CPU time (which makes programmed I/O devices transfer data quicker).

FUSION supports AHI! Microcode Solutions has been working to help test and debug AHI, so that 16 bit audio could be used with a Macintosh emulation. We have succeeded! Using AHI, it is possible that standard Amigas have simulated 16 bit audio (14 bit actual with 16 bit simulation routines). The results are incredible. For those of you who thought that 16 bit audio was only twice as good as 8 bit audio, you're in for a surprise. The only down side of using AHI is that the amount of overhead required by AHI takes about 20% of the speed away from the emulation. We expect this to change with future releases of AHI.

Microcode Solutions is also working on supporting AHI's audio input routines, as well as standard parallel port digitizers for Macintosh audio input.

The most technical feature of FUSION is its ICP (Inner-Communications Port). There is a a virtual link between the Amiga and the Macintosh while the emulation is running. This link allows any programmer to access any function normally available to Macintosh programmers.

Fusion Logo

One of the built-in uses of the ICP is the availability of ALL Macintosh volumes on the Amiga side. This includes multi-volume partitions. The devices become AmigaDOS compatible, and no additional handler or filesystem is required. So, it will be possible to use your favorite file copying tool (DirectoryOpus is our particular favorite) to copy, delete, rename, etc. files on any Macintosh partition, and all from the Amiga side.

Microcode Solutions will be providing to the public, a complete programmer's package (assembly code only) that will detail the use of the ICP. It will be possible to do some neat things using the ICP, such as playing QuickTime movies on your Amiga's Workbench, using the Macintosh to convert or play the data. Likewise, it would be possible to have an Adobe PhotoShop(TM) plug-in available to an Amiga image processing program.

The ICP is bi-directional, so programmers could write Macinotosh based programs that used Amiga library functions too. The possibilities of the ICP are endless!


Technical Information List:
  • Works on all Amigas with 68020 or better processor
  • Supports EMPLANT hardware if present (faster and more compatible emulation) but does NOT require it
  • Supports all modern Macintosh operating systems (7.1.0 through 8.1)
  • Virtual Memory support (System 7.5.0 or later and MMU required)
  • 68060 compatible (optimal code is used when 68060 is detected)
  • Support for Picasso96 and CyberGraphix, allowing virtually any video board to be used
  • Workbench video driver with autoscrolling and support for up to 256 colours (millions with video board!)
  • Support for OCS, ECS, and AA video hardware
  • Support for Graffiti hardware
  • Custom QuickDraw replacement yields up to 6x video performance!
  • Mulitple video display support (up to 6 screens at the same time)
  • On the fly resolution switching (System 7.5.0 or later)
  • Custom chunky to planar conversion for fastest possible Amiga hardware graphics (2x the speed of EMPLANT's MACPRO video drivers!)
  • Stereo audio via Amiga audio hardware
  • Stereo audio via AHI compliant devices
  • EtherTalk (requires Amiga Ethernet board)
  • AppleTalk (requires EMPLANT hardware or AMAX II+/IV hardware)
  • Support for up to 14 virtual MAC devices, including partitions, hardfiles, and virtual floppy drives
  • Support for the CatWeasel disk drive enhancement
  • Built-in CD-ROM support
  • Direct SCSI access through EMPLANT hardware
  • Direct serial access though EMPLANT or AMAX II+/IV hardware
  • Serial and parallel support through any Amiga or compatible port
  • Built-in file transfer/translation with filtering
  • Clipboard sharing (TEXT only)
  • Custom FPU routines for high performance floating point operations
  • 100% hand optimized 68K assembly language for best possible performance
  • Support for 256K, 512K, and 1 meg Macintosh ROMs
  • Written by the leaders in Macintosh emulation technology, resposible for the world's first colour Macintosh emulation!
  • Upgradable to PowerMac emulation when Amiga PowerPC boards become available (will require PowerMac ROMs)

    • Fusion Cover

    Direct infomation from Microcode Solutions:

    Technical Query? . . . Click here to send email to Microcode Solutions

    V3.1 is now shipping - Upgrades can be ordered on-line

    Microcode Solutions Homepage
    Fusion Product Information
    Fusion Developer Information
    Fusion Software Download
    Fusion Bug Report



Requirements
  • Amiga computer with 68020 or better processor (FPU recommended)
  • 4 megs of memory
  • 20 megs of hard drive space
  • System 7.1.0 or later
  • High density floppy drive
  • 256K Macintosh ROMs

Recommended Minimum Configuration:

  • Amiga with 68030 or better processor w/FPU and MMU
  • 8 megs of memory
  • 50 megs of hard drive space
  • AGA Amiga or video board
  • System 7.5.0 or later
  • 2x CD-ROM drive
  • High density floppy drive
  • 512K Macintosh ROMs

New Version 3.1

  • Fixed MonitorID gadget setting. The value was set and saved in the config file correctly, but not displayed after loading a new config or starting the emulation setup.
  • Added Store Buffer option to the CPU cache control window. This is an 060 only cache option.
  • Fixed a major problem with the emulated SCSI support. If you did not have an EMPLANT board installed (and selected for use by FUSION), you could not boot from any non-EMPLANT SCSI device. If you had an EMPLANT board installed (and selected as the hardware type), then you could boot from ANY SCSI device even if you did not have a drive connected to EMPLANT's SCSI port.
  • Fixed a problem with the Direct video drivers when an invalid monitor ID was given.
  • Added support for the floppy eject/insert icons for thousands and millions display modes. Also corrected placement problems when the screen's mod was not the same as its width.
  • Added new gadget 'Start Delay' to ADVANCED setup and renamed the gadget 'Iconify on startup' to 'Auto-Iconify'. The Start Delay checkbox defaults to ON (checked). Having this gadget checked will insert a 3 second delay before the startup sound. This gives you extra time to press (and HOLD) either SHIFT key to disable extensions. Having this gadget unchecked boots the MAC as normal, with no additional delay.
  • Fixed AmiDirectXL startup in 640x480 mode. The autoscroll flag was not being set correctly, so ECS machines would lose the bottom part of the display until you re-opened the mode in the Monitors control panel
  • Changed serial port code to open/close an AmigaDOS device only when the MAC actually opens/closes its serial port driver. This leaves the serial and parallel ports available for use by the Amiga when the MAC is not trying to access them.
  • Corrected ICP error message window size/position when shutting down (and a mounted MAC volume has an Amiga lock).
  • New 'mscd.device' driver that should recognize all CD-ROM discs.
  • Corrected sense_length problem that caused gvpscsi.device and omniscsi.device to not respond to direct SCSI calls.
  • Fixed serial/parallel device usage. Units other than 0 were being ignored.
  • Added anti-mouse trail code to Retina video driver. This was the only driver that did not have this code.
  • Added SuperScalar, Branch Cache, and Store/Load Bypass controls to the CPU Cache Control window (68060 only). Please note that we are no longer automatically shutting off the SuperScalar with any 060 system when OS8.x is detected. By default, the SuperScalar, Branch Cache, and Store/Load Bypass are shut off. We recommend that you leave these alone! There are MANY applications that will NOT work with any of these turned on, and loss of data may occur if you turn these on. PLEASE BE CAREFUL!
  • Fixed problems with OS8.1 working with the 68060.
  • Added File Type and Creator database. You can now add/edit, remove, sort, load, and save definitions for any file type and creator. This makes file transfers much easier since the correct file type and creator will be attached to the file as it is transferred (allowing the proper icon to appear on the Mac's desktop).
  • Added ability to delete the PRAMxxx.config file from inside the emulation setup (Configuration menu) before starting the emulation.
  • File transfers now use direct reads and writes when not in VIRTUAL mode. This dramatically increases the performance of file transfers.
  • Corrected possible problems with file transfer lock ups when using Intelligent or MacBinary transfer modes.
  • Added new features to DEVICES and VIDEO DRIVER selections:
    • You can now SHIFT-Click (hold the SHIFT key and click the mouse button) an entry in the LEFT window to view detailed information about the item.
    • You can now SHIFT-Click an entry in the RIGHT window to remove it from the list (in the DEVICES setup, the device name will be moved back to the LEFT window).
    • Removed the CLEAR SELECTED option from the DEVICES and VIDEO DRIVER setups. To remove entries, see above.
  • In the DEVICES setup, clicking on an entry in the RIGHT window now displays the device name, size, and the current hard drive format (Amiga, Macintosh, PC, etc.) This should help prevent 'accidents'. The device options are also immediately available instead of having to go one menu level deeper to access them, as in previous versions.
  • Added error message specifically for the built-in CD-ROM support. If there was a problem opening the controlling device driver, a standard "can't open AmigaDOS device" message was displayed, which is also displayed if there was a problem setting up any hard drive partition.
  • Added ability to select multiple monitor IDs so that two video boards using the same setup (Cybergraphics or Picasso96) can use both video boards at the same time.
  • Corrected a bug in the all video drivers that have video board blitter support. When a screen switch occured, the blitter was still active on the front most screen, which may not be the MAC's emulation screen if you have multiple screens on the video board.
  • New 'mshf.device' driver. This is the device driver that controls the hardfile access. This driver should NEVER be selected anywhere in the emulation configuration (it is used internally by FUSION). This new version no longer calculates the length of the file using the SEEK() method, so starting up the emulation is substantially quicker when using a hardfile as one of your devices.
  • Corrected problems with mshf.device when using hardfiles that are larger than 2gig in size. Please don't use hardfiles this big!
  • Corrected problems with formatting MAC partitions that are in or cross into the >2gig boundry.

Product Pricing

Special until the end of September *ONLY*
Fusion 3.1 + PCx 1.1 Special �19.95
From October 1st, the following prices apply
Fusion 3.1 �29.95
Fusion 3.1 Upgrade �7.95
Fusion + PCx Bundle �49.95