Developer Program FAQs Null Series
Software Downloads
Distributor Support
The topic that troubles you is not listed here? Then don't hesitate to ask your question directly: support@pios.de.
There is also another FAQ list, put together by independent people on the net, which we have copied here, courtesy to Leon Woestenberg. The original URL is: http://www.stack.nl/~leon/PiosOne/faq.html
BeOS
Q: Which of the software designed for the BeBox or a PowerMac with BeOS installed will run on a PIOS machine?A: All of it (if compatible with DR9 and newer versions of the OS), except those applications that require GeekPort functionality.
Q:
Will the multiprocessor upgrade CPU modules from PIOS make use of the
SMP capabilities of the BeOS?
A:
Definitely so. Our architecture was built to support SMP from day one.
pOS
Q: Which of the software originally written for the Amiga will run under pOS?A: If it is native 68K code, it won't run. If it grabs hold of the Amiga's custom chips, it won't run. If it is stored on Amiga formatted floppy disks, you can't load it. pOS does not supply any emulation layers for the Amiga hardware environment. Instead, software makers can recompile their existing AmigaOS applications to produce native PowerPC/pOS code. For this process, the software must fully be based on the AmigaOS API and conformant with the AmigaOS programming style guide. By recompiling the software to native PPC code, all pOS programs automatically draw tremendous gain from the superior computing speed of the PowerPC, and no processing power is wasted for emulation.
Q:
Which of the Amiga software packages I know and value will be adapted
for pOS?
A:
Almost all major software vendors for AmigaOS have announced their support
for pOS and will deliver recompiled versions of their applications.
Older stuff which is no longer supported will be less probable to get
ported.
Q:
How do I use software that does not exist in a PPC-native version?
A:
You can use UAE, the "Universal Amiga Emulator", available for Linux,
BeOS and MacOS. UAE emulates the complete Amiga hardware (ECS) and
runs the original Amiga Kickstart binaries (V1.3, 2.04 or 3.1).
This gives you maximum compatibility with old Amiga games, demos
and apps - but of course, the emulation is not as performant as native
software.
If you still have your Amiga, you can use it to run such old software
natively, but connect it to the new machine by means of the Siamese
System.
Q:
Can I use data stored on Amiga-formatted harddrives and floppy disks?
A:
Yes, support for AmigaOS OFS and FFS partitions is included in pOS
(read-only-support is also included in Linux, btw). If these drives
have SCSI or IDE interfaces, you can simply connect them to your PIOS
system without alternations. Yet this does not cover the built-in
floppy drive.
In cooperation with Eagle GmbH, we offer the Siamese System as flexible solution for easily migrating from the Amiga to PIOS.
LinuxPPC
Q: Which of the software that is available for UNIX workstations or UNIX PC will run on my PIOS computer?A: Since virtually all Linux software is freeware and available in sourcecode, almost every popular application has been compiled to run on LinuxPPC. Commercial software vendors have also started porting their apps, and will do so even more when they sense that there is an expanding market for PowerPC-based UNIX software. So, if you want to use your favorite commercial UNIX tool on your PIOS machine, start bugging its producers to recompile it!
MacOS
Q: Which software for the Macintosh will run on my PIOS machine with MacOS installed?A: All of it, except that which requires special Apple hardware, e.g. an AV-Mac or Pippin. Please note that some software uses "dongles" for copy protection - these dongles require ADB (Apple Desktop Bus) connectors which are included only in our Maxxtrem and Keenya systems.
Q:
Will the MacOS also run on my transAM machine?
A:
Yes, it is runnable on the transAM, with the exception that you don't
have an ADB connector in this configuration (see also the previous
question). But it's rather easy to add this feature to the hardware.
Hardware
Q: Which expansion hardware (PCI and ISA cards, printers, modems, etc.) will work in my PIOS machine?A: All of it, as long as it complies 100 % to industry standards and is supported by the OS you're using. You'll need a driver for the specific product you want to use, which should be supplied by the company which produces the operating system or the peripheral product in question (e.g., if you need a graphics card driver to use it under MacOS, ask Apple or the card maker!). External peripherals like printers and modems can usually be accessed via generic drivers. Note that some hardware from the Intel PC market which is not certified for cross-platform use might cause trouble due to improper implementation of some bus-relevant standards.
Q:
What is the Sound Slot good for?
A:
This slot gives you access to some of the more sophisticated features
of the sound chip. They are not used by the motherboard electronics,
but someone can design a plug-in card to exploit them.
Q:
How does the boot procedure work?
A:
The PIOS firmware will scan all attached drives for bootable OSs, and
prompt you to select one. If you don't and the timeout has expired, it
boots the OS you were working with last time you ran the machine.
Q:
Does the firmware allow me to partition the harddisk and install
different OSs on each partition, or do I need an extra harddisk for
each OS?
A:
The PIOS ONE machines confirm to the PPCP standard, which also defines
firmware residing in the boot ROM, which allows various OSs to co-exist
on the same harddrive. At present, only MacOS and BeOS allow sharing of
a single drive, Linux and pOS will require a separate drive on their own.
We will make firmware upgrades available as soon as possible. Owners of
a PIOS system will be able to download the new boot code from this website
and easily install it to their system's Flash-ROM - no hardware
alterations needed.
Q:
Will you support AGP (Intel's "Accelerated Graphics Port") in future
revisions of the mainboard?
A:
We're currently evaluating this technology, whether it is at all usable
in PowerPC systems. Intel is likely to charge license fees for the
implementation of this bus, so it might only be attractive for real
high-end boards. On the other hand, it allows close integration of CPU
and graphics subsystem - this could allow us to do some Amiga-style magic.
No definite decisions on this issue have been made yet.
Q:
What possibilities for upgrading my CPU subsystem will PIOS offer?
A:
We will have single, dual and quadruple CPU boards available.
We are developing a new multiprocessor architecture, which will
be delivered as a series of relatively low-cost multiprocessor
modules, with efficient L2 caching and other advanced features.
The days of the $10,000 4-way BeOS/MacOS computer are numbered ;)
Q:
Is the PIOS CPU Module compatible with the CPU cards used by Apple,
Daystar and Power Computing?
A:
No. We have designed our own architecture for CPU modules which is more
performant, more reliable, cheaper to implement and better prepared
for future expansions.
Last change: 16-Oct-1997 - - - - - Site Map
©1997 PIOS, info@pios.de