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ELBOX COMPUTER
www.elbox.com
Krakow, 30 October 2000

Elbox comments on AmigaONE 1200/4000

A few days ago, Amiga Inc. proposed the direction, in which the
Amiga Classic computer line should evolve.

This direction assumes the necessity of equipping Amiga Classic
computers with PCI-standard slots, the G3 or G4 processor
with fast SDRAM memory and a slot for a the Next Generation
MATROX graphic card.

In order to fully use the new AmigaDE system, Amiga Classic
must be fitted with several basic pieces of equipment.

The AmigaONE 1200 idea assumes connection of this hardware
directly to the CPU expansion slot in Amiga 1200.

We are really glad to inform all the owners of Amiga Classic
computers that this is exactly the way, for which Elbox was
the pathfinder in their designing and marketing of the MEDIATOR
PCI 1200 busboard.

The most important thing is the proper decision of following
our path and connecting the new busboard to the CPU slot
in Amiga 1200 -- not to local connectors in turbo cards.
The latter would result in some limitations (see our previous
announcement of 21 Sep 2000).


MEDIATOR PCI vs. AmigaONE 1200/4000

The basic differences between AmigaONE 1200 and MEDIATOR PCI
1200 are as follows:


 AmigaONE 1200                   MEDIATOR PCI 1200

 connection to A1200 edge        connection to A1200 edge
 connector                       connector

 six PCI slots                   four PCI slots

       No                        logic for supporting A1200
                                 68k & 68k/PPC turbo card

 logic to connect A1200          logic to connect A1200
 motherboard                     motherboard

       No                        five ZORRO II slots, one Video
                                 slot (with MEDIATOR ZIV
                                 & ZIV busboard)

 PowerPC G3/G4 processor         PowerPC G3/G4 processor
 (on Macintosh-type card)        (on SharkPPC/SharkPPC+)

 two SDRAM sockets for           two SDRAM sockets for up to 1 GB
 up to 512 MB memory             memory (on SharkPPC/SharkPPC+)

 one AGP slot                    one AGP slot (on SharkPPC+)

 USB 1.0 & FastEthernet          USB 2.0 & FastEthernet
 & UDMA/EIDE/ATAPI               & UDMA/EIDE/ATAPI
 (on custom PCI card)            (on SharkPPC+)


The basic shortcoming of the AmigaONE 1200 project is that its
designers will not implement logic for AmigaONE 1200 working
with 68k and 68k/PPC turbo cards. Such implementation would require
expanding AmigaONE 1200 logic and, most of all, its designers
having knowledge of the technical intricacies of the design of all
the currently available turbo cards.

This means that AmigaONE 1200 in the Amiga Classic mode will provide
calculation capacity of the 68020 14 MHz processor at the most.

MEDIATOR PCI 1200 has no such limitation.

All types of Amiga turbo cards (in the Amiga Classic mode) can
work at full speed in connection with cards installed in
MEDIATOR PCI 1200 slots.

All the currently available Amiga software may be executed in the
68k (or PPC) processor of any Amiga turbo card.

In new applications to be developed, both accelerators in MEDIATOR PCI
(68k/PPC and SharkPPC) may enhance performance of each other just the
same way as it is done in advanced multi-processor systems. This is
due to the fact that processors in both accelerators work fully
simultaneously.

In both solutions (MEDIATOR PCI 1200 and AmigaONE 1200), irrespective
of the Classic mode, running Amiga Classic programmes will also be
possible in the emulation mode in PowerPC G3 and G4 processors.

The hardware compatibility from the side of G3/G4 processors in
both solutions guarantees that the entire range of software written
for the new AmigaDE operational system will work on MEDIATOR PCI.

MEDIATOR technology, unlike other technologies-to-be, is NOW
available for you to have and enjoy.

Now something special for A4000 users:

As many of you already know, we are now in the final stage
of work on the MEDIATOR PCI 4000 card. Here is the comparison
of capacities offered by MEDIATOR PCI 4000 and AmigaONE 4000.


 AmigaONE 4000                   MEDIATOR PCI 4000

 connection to A4000D CPU        connection to A4000D Expansion
 connector                       Bus Connector

 six PCI slots                   five PCI slots

     No                          logic for supporting
                                 A4000 68k & 68k/PPC turbo card

 logic to connect A4000          logic to connect A4000
 motherboard                     motherboard

     No                          seven ZORRO III/II slots
                                 & one Video slot

 PowerPC G3/G4 processor         PowerPC G3/G4 processor
 (on Macintosh-type card)        (on SharkPPC/SharkPPC+)

 two SDRAM sockets for           two SDRAM sockets for up to 1 GB
 up to 512 MB memory             memory (on SharkPPC/SharkPPC+)

 one AGP slot                    one AGP slot (on SharkPPC+)

 USB 1.0 & FastEthernet          USB 2.0 & FastEthernet
 & UDMA/EIDE/ATAPI               & UDMA/EIDE/ATAPI
 (on custom PCI card)            (on SharkPPC+)


Please expect our further releases:
- Development progress of Voodoo3, Sound and TV PCI card drivers
  for MEDIATOR PCI 1200.
- The MEDIATOR development line (A4000 and A3000).
- Full specification of the SharkPPC+ card: the ultimate performance
  card in the SharkPPC family.

ELBOX: YOUR GUIDE TO THE FUTURE

Mariusz Wloczysiak
ELBOX COMPUTER, Press Department