Aminet 15/Aminet 15 - Nov 1996.iso/Aminet/docs/misc/300pr.lha/0272-phase5.txt

Text File | 1996-10-01 | 17.9 KB | 309 lines

PowerUp - The Next Generation

phase 5 digital products announces an Amiga-OS-compatible computer for 1997



        Amazing hardware project from phase 5 digital products
        PowerUP project continues to make progress
        Motorola appreciates the concept of phase 5
        Technology demonstrations
        phase 5 digital products on the situation of Amiga Technologies
        About phase 5 digital products


Oberursel, May 1996: Oberursel, May 1996: According to the plans of phase 5
digital products, Oberursel near Frankfurt, Germany, the coming year, 1997,
will be a year of joy for all Amiga enthusiasts. As an expansion of the
PowerUp project, which involves developing PowerPC processor cards for
existing Amiga models, the company has announced that an independent Amiga
OS-compatible computer system will be available in the first six months of
1997, representing a revolution on the computer market.

"We will continue to give our full support to the Amiga idea because as we
were among the first Amiga users we continue to believe in the advantages
and superior concepts of the Amiga", says Wolf Dietrich, Managing Director
of phase 5 digital products. "However, it is high time for a radical leap
forwards in technology that needs to be borne by a vision of a computer for
the next millennium. We have seen too many half-hearted efforts in the last
few years."

In the view of Gerald Carda, Technical Director at phase 5, it is necessary
to take a step towards complete innovation in order to realise such a
vision. "Concepts that build up on the standard components of the PC world
never offer the scope that give a computer system the lead that the Amiga
1000 had over other systems 12 years ago."

In line with this philosophy, the new computer will be based on a highly
integrated Custom Chip design which, as a central functional unit, will
enable the system to achieve a hitherto unknown performance. "We will
demonstrate the possibilities that are inherent in the resolute and
single-minded pursuit of a new development that does not become submerged in
the mainstream of adaptation to the Wintel world and the general tendency
towards economy in the PC mass market which more or less throttles
innovation for the sake of saving one single dollar", continues Gerald
Carda. Despite this, the system now being announced is not intended to
become a dream machine in the high price category. In the words of Wolf
Dietrich: "On the basis of our current price calculation we will be able to
offer unusually good value for money for which our products for the Amiga
market are already renowned."

It is actually true that the extremely high degree of integration and the
realisation of novel concepts will make it possible to achieve a performance
that explodes existing bounds. Based on the PowerPC as the main processor,
the new computer, in addition to the high performance of the processor,
offers hardware support for multimedia (MPEG) and 3D functions, while even
the basic system offers a resolution of 1600x1200 pixels at 24-bit color
depth and a refresh rate of 72 Hz. At the same time special functions for
image and video effects have been implemented in the hardware. In addition
there are audio inputs and outputs in stereo CD quality, a video-compatible
and Genlock-capable 24-bit video output and an FBAS/S-VHS video input. Along
with the usual interfaces, the system is rounded off by a Fast SCSI-II
controller, a network interface and an ISDN interface. With these features a
complete system with a 120 MHz 603e PowerPC, 16 MByte memory, a SCSI hard
disk of 1 GB and a quad-speed CD ROM will be available for a purchase price
of around 3,000 DM (1,400  or 2,000 US$, respectively) on the basis of the
present market prices for the components. "We hope that in just about
one year from now we will even be able to offer a 150 to 166 MHz
603e-processor at this price", anticipates Wolf Dietrich. "In terms of
performance the processor has no problems in keeping up with a Pentium
processor with an equally fast clock. However, there is no sign of any
comparable graphic performance anywhere the PC field and the features of our
systems will be difficult to match." There will be a similar system
available with a PowerPC 604-e processor and 150 MHz for about 4,000 DM
(1,800  or 2,700 US$, respectively).

Although phase 5 digital products state that the total concept for the
system has already been under development for quite some time and has
practically been concluded, it is not possible to publish a more
exact description of the system features at the present point in time. "At
the moment we are intensively concerned with looking into whether it would
be worth applying for a patent for any of the concepts we have developed
and, if so, for which. So unfortunately we are not able to publish more
precise details of the concept until after this process has been concluded
and we have possibly applied for protection by patent", says Gerald Carda.
For this reason we cannot reckon with any publication of the full system
specifications until the end of June.

Not only the hardware concept of phase 5, but also the software approach
comes as a surprise. The new computer system will be supplied with a
completely new operating system written in Native PowerPC code, but with
binary compatibility with Amiga-OS 3.x. Here Gerald Carda has the following
comments: "As we are already developing an Amiga-compatible PowerPC-Exec
with an expansion library and a PowerPC CyberGraphX version in the context
of the PowerUp developments, it is the logical consequence that the next
step will be the innovative development of the other components. An
operating system that is compatible with Amiga-OS 3.x makes it possible for
the user to continue to use the existing software that can run under
CyberGraphX, while developers who already give massive support to
CyberGraphX will be able to continue to maintain and develop their products
at the present level. In this way we will be enabling Amiga users to switch
to the new system without any problems." "In addition", continues Gerald
Carda, "we will be opening up ways of making considerable
improvements in the internal structure and extensive additions to the scope
of functions". Besides the 24-bit support which has already become a
standard due to CyberGraphX, Gerald Carda names the coming CyberGraphX 3D
and multimedia interface as an example. There will also be an optimisation
of the system's performance and a revision and adaptation of the user
interface in line with the functional and optical state of the art. "For
years Amiga-OS has represented the conceptual realisation of ideas
that today are propagated by many to be special innovations. This means that
reprogramming will make it possible to achieve a really highly powered and
modern OS. Of course our system will also be open for other operating
systems or emulations, such as MacOS or an X-Windows link-up. The
discussion concerning so-called new operating systems, however, was intended
more as marketing hype than as a realistic alternative."

The commitment with which phase 5 digital products will force forward this
project is reflected not least in the considerable volume of investment that
has been made in the development. "By the middle of 1997 we will have
invested seven-digit figures in this project", says Wolf Dietrich. "We have
the know-how, the development team, the technical equipment, the support
from third parties (especially Motorola) and the financial basis for this
project. The only thing that we still need is massive and positive support
from the Amiga user basis. With this early disclosure of our objectives we
expect to receive the anticipated response from the users, for, after all,
such a project only makes sense if there is still a large number of
convinced Amiga fans. We therefore appeal to all Amiga fans to write to us,
to send us faxes or to contact us via E-mail (under the address specially
set up for this purpose: [e-mail] ). Every positive reaction will
strengthen this forward-looking project."


PowerUP project continues to make progress

The PowerUp project also continues to make progress. "The delivery of the
developer PowerPC boards will now start in summer", says Gerald Carda.
"Unfortunately, we are a few months behind in our schedule due to extensive
discussions between Motorola, Amiga Technologies and phase 5. These
companies were to agree on a close cooperation and clarify a number of
matters, especially with regard to new standards specific to the new
PowerPC. After the discussion concerning a takeover by VIScorp started and
the wave or redundancies that directly followed at Amiga Technologies, which
led to most of the contact persons who had been involved in the projects
leaving the company, AT abandoned the present cooperation. For this reason
we will waste no further time and will continue with our project on our own,
which was the way in which we started it. Nor can we wait any longer to
see what VIScorp might possibly intend or not intend."

The support for external developers in the PowerUp program is now complete.
More than 250 developers - including practically all noted commercial
software suppliers in the Amiga field - are registered and their numbers are
growing every day. This alone is evidence of the strong support for
the future Amiga-compatible PowerPC platform. As from the second half of
May, the registered users will now be able to order the PowerPC Beta
developer boards from phase 5 which mean the green light for the hot phase
of the world-wide software development.


Motorola appreciates the concept of phase 5

In the realisation of their new, innovative computer system phase 5 will be
fully supported by Motorola. "We appreciate the powerful and innovative
concept that phase 5 represents and we fully support the efforts of this
company as a partner in our global PowerPC strategy." says John Letham,
European Technical Marketing Manager, Motorola RISC Microprocessors. "We
have had a number of joint meetings now and we are impressed by the know-how
and vision that is the basis of phase 5-'s driving force."


Technology demonstrations

In close cooperation with Motorola phase 5 is preparing technology
demonstrations, to be shown in due course, which will demonstrate the
impressive capabilities of the next generation of PowerPC 603e
CPUs at significantly increased clock rates. This programme is already
underway and Summer of 1996 will see phase 5 present prototypes of PowerPC
boards for Amiga 3000/4000 as well as for the Apple Macintosh 7500/8500/9500
series. "With the presentation of these new processors, Motorola as a
leading semiconductor manufacturer clearly illustrates their capabilities
demonstrating exactly why the next generation of PowerPC CPUs will hold the
pole position in the microprocessor performance race". says Wolf Dietrich of
phase 5. "Our computer system, when shipping next year, will also offer
these extremely fast processors, delivering true high-end workstation
performance. The higher speed of the CPUs will also deliver a performance
increase to the upgrade boards for existing Amiga systems." With the
presentation of this PowerPC technology demo on Apple MacIntosh system phase
5 digital products announces their entry into the MacIntosh accelerator
market. This new branch of their operation will make additional use of the
PowerPC know-how that is been build up in the Amiga development, while for
both the Amiga and the MacIntosh PowerPC products an even more attractive
pricing can be realized due to the higher quantity demands of PowerPC
processors


phase 5 digital products on the situation of Amiga Technologies

In addition to this project announcement, phase 5 also made some side
remarks on the current state of affairs with regard to Amiga Technologies.
"To our regret we found that Amiga Technologies offers us no sort of outlook
or basis for developing into the future", says Wolf Dietrich. "The first
year of Amiga Technologies was marked by a continued chain of wrong
decisions which have been responsible for the bad situation in which the
company now finds itself. The results must be adequate to the objectives
set in the spring of 1995 and in this respect they are more than
disappointing. There is no getting away from this. In fact the same mistakes
were made that were previously made at Commodore and partly by the same
people. For example, attempts continue to keep technically outdated products
on the market at unrealistic prices, which is particularly true in the case
of the A4000T. Another point is that the marketing concepts are completely
outdated, there is an absence of any kind of futuristic vision and
a lack of any independent development, which is so pronounced that today AT
neither has any 68060 technology to show for itself nor even a sign of any
PowerPC technology. The brief spark of any independent development was
extinguished again by the latest wave of redundancies. In this respect
the only thing that we can just about expect from AT is that they sell off
their large quantities of existing stock. These do give us some cause to
hope that the existing products will be on the market for a while and that,
in due course, they will be offered at more realistic prices. Finally, the
only thing that can be said about the activities of AT is: They should have
asked someone who knows his stuff."

In the opinion of phase 5 a takeover of Amiga Technologies by VIScorp does
not awaken hope of any major innovations or any strengthening of the Amiga
system. "So far we have heard nothing from VIScorp that would cause us to
assume that anything different is being planned than the exploitation of
the Amiga technology in a settop box. Nor do we see why this company, which
must certainly concentrate all its efforts on realising its settop projects,
should be interested in further pursuing the primary aim of continuing with
the Amiga system. If this had been the case, it would already have been
quite feasible for VIScorp to initiate such a project as a licensee of the
Amiga technology." phase 5 sees this critical opinion confirmed by current
events. "The actions of VIScorp do not convince us that they are serious in
continuing with the Amiga. So far, for example, VIScorp has not directly
spoken to the developers who were the last to support the Amiga. Nor was
there any reaction when we tried to make contact. The VIScorp meeting in
Toulouse that has now been announced lacks any kind of organisation and was
called without there being any recognisable concept behind it. For this
reason it is more than doubtful whether even a sign of any constructive
result can be expected to come out of it, so that in our view it would be a
pure waste of time to attend, as we have repeatedly found in the recent
year at ESCOM meetings. We don't need a repeat of that." Let it be mentioned
in passing that the hope often expressed in the general discussion, i.e.
that in VIScorp Amiga will find itself taken over by a company that will
finance the development of a new generation of Amiga products more or less
from the petty cash, is something that Wolf Dietrich considers to be very
optimistic. "For a start we had exactly the same expectations a year ago
when everyone thought that the giant ESCOM would get things moving at Amiga
from a standing position and quickly produce a new generation of Amiga
computers for a more competitive price. Secondly we should first wait and
see whether the figures that have been bandied about in the discussion
concerning VIScorp's takeover of AT have any sort of real fundament."


About phase 5 digital products

phase 5 digital products, based in Oberursel near Frankfurt, are
internationally operating manufacturers of hardware and software products.
The company is entirely owned by its founders, Gerald Carda and
Wolf Dietrich. Since the market launch of its first product line in 1992
this company, which consists of an experienced team of the first Amiga users
and developers, quickly established itself as one of the leading
manufacturers in the Amiga market. Since 1992 its products have been
distinguished many times, including 20 awards for Product of the Year in
Amiga journals. In 1995 phase 5 supplied accessories to the value of some DM
12 million (5.5 million  or 8 million US$) in the Amiga market alone. Since
the Christmas season of 1995 almost 30,000 hardware products have
been delivered. The product portfolio for Amiga includes accelerator cards,
SCSI controllers and graphics cards. In these fields phase 5 digital
products has repeatedly proved itself to be manufacturer that is a
forerunner and an innovative leader, for instance in bringing out the first
Zorro III-DMA-SCSI controller world-wide, the Fastlane Z3, in producing the
first 68030 card world-wide with a DMA-SCSI controller for the Amiga 1200,
in offering the first 68060 card world-wide for Amiga systems (the
Cyberstorm 060/50 for A4000), in manufacturing the first 64-bit graphics
card world-wide with full system-integrated 24-bit support (the
CyberVision64 for A3000/A4000) or in bringing out the first 68060 card for
the A1200 world-wide, the Blizzard 1260. Along with intensive development
activities as a Beta developer for Motorola in the 68060 and PowerPC field,
hardware developments at phase 5 include pure research work in the field of
multimedia high-performance DSPs and in the latest development department
ASE (advanced silicon engineering) VLSI chip design. An expanding team of
some 20 staff is currently working on these projects at the company's
headquarters in Oberursel on premises covering an area of 960 square metres.
In the adjoining service area, which covers an area of almost 600 square
metres, the company, as from August 96, will be producing hardware products
- including the new PowerPC products - in its own, highly modern
manufacturing plant using the most recent manufacturing techniques.


    Contact:
    phase 5 digital products
    In der Au 27
    61440 Oberursel, Germany

    Intl. Phone: [phone]
    Intl.Fax: [phone]

    Email: [e-mail]
    oder: [e-mail]



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