The take-off into a new performance dimension begins
Oberursel, 10/30/1996: After some delay in the first six months of 1996 due to
the unclear situation at Amiga Technologies and the break-off of negotiations on
a possible joint venture, the PowerUp project of phase 5 digital products is now
really getting up steam. The start of deliveries of the PowerUp-Alpha Developer
Boards to leading software developers who actively support the Amiga has given
the green light for the birth of a new generation of high-performance processor
cards. What this means is that Amiga will now be doing more than merely keeping
step with the rising standards of performance in the field of personal
computing. Due to the implementation of a novel dual processing technique which
involves the parallel operation of 68k and PowerPC processors in an integrated,
multi-tasking Amiga environment, this enormous boost in performance will go
hand-in hand with full compatibility. The existing software runs as usual on the
68k side while new, optimised program versions supported by the strength of the
PowerPC processor offer vast potential for an outstanding performance.
Power to the People!
The commercial PowerPC acceleration cards from phase 5
digital products, which will be ready for delivery by the end of the first
quarter of 1997, are powerful, dynamic dual-processor systems in 64-bit
technology. Here the two processors installed, either a 68040 or a 68060
together with a PowerPC processor, share the memory and the system bus as
required. At the same time a complex interrupt system ensures dynamic
distribution of the bus cycles, depending on the activity of the processors. The
obligatory option of expanding the memory to 128 M-bytes is integrated as a
64-bit memory while full burst mode implementation for the 68k and PowerPC
processors ensures a high data transfer rate so that both processors have rapid
parallel access to the RAM. Due to this active parallel operation the power of
both processors can be used simultaneously. The tasks running on the different
processors are able to exchange data and signals via a message system. Of course
both processors can access the entire available address space so that the
PowerPC processor can write directly into the chip memory or into graphic cards.
This integration allows software manufacturers or active programmers to easily
optimise existing programs step by step on the PowerPC.
Beginning of October 96, in the labs of phase 5: Worlds first dual processing Amiga system with a 68060
and a PowerPC processor, here connected to Tektronic TLS520 and Phillips PM3585 logic
analysers, runs the first Amiga-PowerPC program!
Along with the powerful hardware, the PowerPC acceleration cards will also go
hand-in-hand with a versatile range of software. The users of commercial
programs will certainly be most interested in the CyberGraphX V3 Native, in
which multi-media functions for the display of MPEG video and the new 3D
implementation, CyberGL, are realised. The exceptional power of the PowerPC
processor and the optimised design of the mighty PowerUp accelerator give reason
to expect outstanding performance in this field, elevating the product into the
creme de la creme of the modern world of personal computing.
Extensive support from software developers
Many well-known software
manufacturers for the Amiga greet the concept of phase 5 digital products as an
avantgarde step which ensures the success of the Amiga system in the future and
have announced their support. This means that Amiga users who decide in favour
of the PowerUp board can already reckon with a wide range of programs optimised
for the PowerPC as soon as the turbo cards become available. Some of the most
important software manufacturers who will be giving their support to the PowerUp
Project are (in alphabetical order):
Cloanto Software
Cloanto is planning an adaption of the well known Personal
Paint for the next release version 7, which also will be featuring a lot of new
functions. The program is due to its modularity well prepared for a fast and
easy migraTION TO THE PowerPC. In addition Cloanto is planning to port other
programs of the actual product palette to the PPC.
Contact Cloanto under http://www.cloanto.com
Digita International
Digita International is working with phase 5 to find the
best method of porting Wordworth and other Digita applications. Digita's
Managing Director, Jeremy Rihll, commented: "phase 5 has developed some really
stunning technology that would work really well with Wordworth. After the launch
of Wordworth 6 in November, we will be turning our full attention to looking at
working with phase 5 and its products."
Contact Digita International under http://www.digita.com
GP Software
The producer of such famous applictions as Directory Opus and GPFax
supports the PowerUp program and is planning the adaption of all applications to
the high perfomance PowerPC processors.
Contact GP Software under http://www.livewire.com.au/gpsoft
Haage und Partner
With the introduction of the phase 5 PowerUp accelerators, StormC, an integrated software development solution,
will become available, which is the first integrated package to support the PowerPC software development.
This powerful development tool will offer state-of-the-art options and comfort for programmers.
A demonstration of the first version is planned for the Computer 96 show in Cologne.
Contact Haage &Partner under:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Haage_Partner
Irseesoft
"We are very interested in the PowerUp project. There is a strong
demand on bringing back the Amiga to the latest hardware development state
available. Most important is the increase of computing speed. The step to the
PowerPC is the only solution we can imagine for that purpose. By knowing about
these facts, we are going to port our products, such as Turboprint Professional
and Picturemanager Professional, to the PowerPC."
Holger Kruse
Holger Kruse The author of Amiwin and Miami is going to port his products to the
PowerPC to keep up to the current level of computing.
Contact Holger Kruse under http://www.nordicglobal.com
Maxon Computer
Maxon Computer is planning the migration to the PowerPC version
of the famous raytracer and animator MaxonCinema4D with the PowerUp project.
Adaptions to the PowerUp accelerator for other current and future applications
is also planned.
Contact Maxon Computer under http://www.maxon-computer.com
Nova Design
The adaption and optimization for the PowerPC is planned for the
high perfomance applications ImageFX and Alladin 4D to achieve the highest
possible computing perfomance from the PowerUp accelerator boards. Users of
these programs can expect powerful upgrades in early 1997.
Contact Nova Design under http://www.novadesign.com
Oberland Computer
Oberland Computer states the PowerUp project as the only possible future of the Amiga.
By knowing this, the software engineers are already working to fly their famous REFLECTIONS
raytracer on the PowerPC. First results are expected for the Computer 96 in Cologne. First
test calculations show up a new era for Amiga raytracing to come with the PowerUp accelerator boards.
Contact Oberland Computer under http://www.oberland.com
ProDAD
ProDAD is supporting the PowerUp project as Alpha Developer from the very
first days on. Andreas Huber, general manager of ProDAD: "ProDAD appreciates the
realisation of the PowerUp project and will surround this project with own ideas
and innovations. CockTel, the picture phone system, for example will be one of
the first PowerPC compatible applications with especially the compression and
decompression routines taking advantage of the PowerPC resulting in higher
transmission quality. The products Monument V3 Professional and Adorage will
also take advantage on the increased perfomance capabilities of the PowerUp
project by providing new features and functions at higher speeds. Updates with
PowerUp support of the mentioned products will follow soon. The first PowerPC
native operating system onthe market will be "p-OS", which was designed to
support the PowerPC CPU from the first days of development on. With this in
mind, the PowerUp project has first priority on the development of p-OS. The CPU
perfomance of the PowerPC together with the lean and fast modern operating
system will surprise not only the Amiga community. Innovation, not emulation is
the wayto maximum perfomance and the PowerUp project as well as the p-OS
development are following this guideline. So they will support each other to be
innovative and to serve the users!"
Contact ProDAD under http://www.prodad.de
RBM Computertechnik
RBM Computertechnik RBM is planning to port their scanner software ScanQUIX to
the PowerUp accelerator boards. Also future developments are announced to be
PowerUp aware.
Info for all software developers: If your name does not show up on this page,but
you are going to officially support the PowerUp project, please feel free to
contact us.
Several of the above mentioned vendors plan to show first demos of software
supporting the PowerUp accelerators already on the Computer 96 show in Cologne.
In addition to these well-known names about 500 software developers have
registered for the phase 5 PowerUp Developer Support Programme and it can be
expected that they will develop numerous applications for the future especially
in the shareware and PD field. In addition to this, phase 5 digital products
will give particular support to special projects such as Linux porting and
similar, with the result that such projects will probably have already produced
results by the time that the PowerUp accelerator becomes available.
Show your Support!
All active Amiga users who are interested in PowerPc upgrades
for their preferred system are invited to contact the vendors of their preffered
software products and inquire for updated versions of these software
applications which are optimized for the PowerUp accelerator boards. Send your
requests or wishes by post, fax, or email to the vendors of the software you'd
like to see reaching a new performance level - even to those vendors which are
not (yet) listed here. Your strong feedback will help the software vendors to
quickly realise the products that you are waiting for! Go ahead and show your
support for a Power(PC)ful Amiga future!
Deliveries to software developers commence
When deliveries of the Beta Developer
Boards start the worldwide support from active Amiga software developers will
grow. All developers registered in the phase 5 Developer Support Programme now
immediately have access to information on the PowerUp Beta Developer Boards and
are able to order them. Delivery will commence by middle of November, according
to developer status and in the sequence that the orders come in. The Beta
Developer Boards are designed as plug-in boards for the Cyberstorm MkiI
accelerators and allow professional software development in the accustomed
software environment.
PowerUp Your Amiga!
The amazingly fast, 64-bit PowerPC accelerators which will
be available soon mean that existing Amiga systems can be upgraded to a level of
performance which is on a par with that of today's fastest personal computers at
prices which will make the hearts of convinced Amiga enthusiasts beat faster.
Switching to a PowerUp Board will become a worthwhile investment for practically
any Amiga user and one which offers outstanding value for money.
In order to give you an impression of the prices for the coming 64-bit
high-performance accelerators there follows a list of the prices currently
anticipated for some typical PowerUp configurations, calculated on the basis of
current market prices for components.
The table above gives you an informative overview of the coming PPC604e-based
accelerators. The prices for the extremely low-cost PowerPC603e-based
accelerators, which are also in the planning, have not yet been decided. But
they will also offer attractive upgrade possibilities, particularly for Amiga
1200 users and the owners of blizzard boards for the Amiga 1200. As the PowerUp
boards for the Amiga 1200 will make it absolutely essential to upgrade the A1200
with a tower housing (if only for EMC reasons), phase 5 digital products will be
working closely with the manufacturers of the relevant systems. Look out for
more - you will be receiving further information on a regular basis.
A pioneering step into the future
With the PowerUp project we will be taking an
initial, pioneering step into the future, a step so long awaited by the Amiga
community. We at phase 5 digital products and our partner firms mentioned here
are aware of our commitment to continue to promote and support the outstanding
concept of the Amiga. Providing accelerator cards in a performance class which
puts the Amiga on a par with today's high-end PC's is a major step forward. An
equally important step will be the active support from software manufacturers.
More steps will follow. A 100 % Amiga-OS 3.1-compatible operating system core
has already been realised in the development laboratories of phase 5 digital
products and is currently undergoing intensive testing. We also anticipate
further important innovations in this area - also in co-operation with major
software developers and partners who are eager to enhance the system and pursue
the Amiga vision. The final goal is to produce a full PowerPC-based operating
system.
But in addition to this, here an ambitious project is assuming concrete form.
This is a project that represents major step in innovative design and which is
being consistently implemented using all the necessary resources: We are proud
to present the
(Click here to warp into the next dimension of computing)
Kontakt:
phase 5 digital products
In der Au 27
61440 Oberursel, Germany
Telefon: 06171/583787
Intl. Phone: +49 6171 583787
Fax: 06171/583789
Intl.Fax: +49 6171 583789
Email: mail@phase5.de
oder: aproject@phase5.de
Specifications are subject to change without notice. AMIGA is a registered trademark of the respective owners.
PowerUp is a registered trademark of phase 5 digital products. PowerPC is a registred trademark of the IBM Corporation.
