- Ordering New Firebee? -

[oehansen]

Can't help with FPGA development, when graphics is concerned. Can help elsewhere, but graphics is not my cup of tea. So to speak.

So, we are talking v5e ... what I can read, it's only in 2 core version. Each core, 1.3 - 1.4 x speed of v4e. So, we're talking pretty decent. In reality v4e is pretty decent, around 400 Dhrystone 2.1 MIPS, is not bad. Considering that modern 64bit cpu's are at twice that, per core. If I recall.

Backplane? I've been thinking about putting mine in a PCI backplane, but heard some advices against it, because of some problems? What do I need to concern myself with, when the backplane is concerned? So, I can get myself a Radeon card

[vido]

Well ... if you want to help just do it
Anything you will do it will help. In software or hardware development or organization, ... just choose what you would like to do or help. Sure there are more important things as computers but if you have some time to waste ...

Regarding Radeon solution just wait. Dont try by yourselfif you dont know what are you doing. The problem is solved now we need just acceptable solution regarding the price.

I dont know how many V5e versions exist. Most known are used by HP in their printers. The fastest I know runs at 540 MHz. But it doesnt mean it is usable for the FireBee without the documentation. And the speed gain by 1.3 or 1.4 is at the same frequency as V4e. Anyway ... there is still a lot of chances to improve FireBee performance without any hardware change.

[oehansen]

Haven't had much time to do anything these past times, but I am probably getting into an era where I will have some spare time. My current project is finished, the other I'm at is in it's final phases ... nothing on the horizon ... yet. So, I'm likely to have some spare time ahead. I'll see if I can't get my head in order and do something useful.

[warp12]

Can someone elaborate on the cost of a proper solution for the PCI backplane?

I am just wondering how cost-prohibitive producing such a board would be. Thanks.

[Mathias]

Can someone elaborate on the cost of a proper solution for the PCI backplane?

I am just wondering how cost-prohibitive producing such a board would be. Thanks.

I do not exactly understand what you mean by "producing such a board"? At the moment we are doing tests inside the team with a 3x backplane for about 25 Euros which needs just 3 solderpoints, plus a proper power solution for about 50 Euros. But the only existing PCI driver is the one for the Radeon at the moment.

[warp12]

I was just going by this post:

Regarding Radeon solution just wait. Dont try by yourselfif you dont know what are you doing. The problem is solved now we need just acceptable solution regarding the price.

So, with the board you are testing, a Radeon 9200 or 9250 pci is the solution? The performance of such a setup will exceed, by far, native graphics of the Firebee?

[Mathias]

So, with the board you are testing, a Radeon 9200 or 9250 pci is the solution?

Yes, every Radeon from the 7000 to the 9250 should work.

The performance of such a setup will exceed, by far, native graphics of the Firebee?

It is a lot faster than the FPGA graphics. For more informations refer to the CT6x with CTPCI and Radeon. it is the same driver done by Didier.

[wongck]

At the moment we are doing tests inside the team with a 3x backplane for about 25 Euros which needs just 3 solderpoints, plus a proper power solution for about 50 Euros. But the only existing PCI driver is the one for the Radeon at the moment.

great news. finally a fast video.

[warp12]

I may have missed an announcement...

It looks like all of the pre-order goals have been met. Any idea when the actual boards will go out to customers?

I am not rushing, just curious. I did pick up a new Radeon 9250 256mb.

[Mathias]

No, you didn´t miss anything.
The production will start soon, and take about 12 weeks. I hope we can tell you more end of next week. As nearly all people asked for mini-cases as well, the assembling and shipping will also take some time and will be done one by one in the order how the preorders came (come) in.

[warp12]

Sounds great! Thanks for the reply!

[warp12]

Status of the new run?

[fmh]

Status update is here : http://firebee.org/fb-bin/news?action=f ... 298&lng=EN

Scheduled Delivery Date of the 2nd Series
2016-03-05:
End of last week Medusa Computer Systems got the final delivery date ultimately confirmed by the assembling company. The FireBee PCBs of the 2nd series will be supplied to MCS at the 30th of May 2016.

Subsequently the computers will recive a final inspection and testing in Switzerland and will be mounted into the mini-cases and in the order of the preorders piecemeal delivered to you. We will personally come foreward to all preordering persons in about 4 to 8 weeks and ask for the final orders (inkluding a CF-Card, if necessary PSUs, etc.) and will request the payment of the computers.
As a matter of course FireBees can furthermore be preordered by you, as we – like as at the first series – sent far more boards into production than there got preordered.

[oehansen]

At the moment we are doing tests inside the team with a 3x backplane for about 25 Euros which needs just 3 solderpoints, plus a proper power solution for about 50 Euros. But the only existing PCI driver is the one for the Radeon at the moment.

great news. finally a fast video.

Is there any news on this? PCI backplane, and radeon?

[Mathias]

There are no news about the ATI and the backplane. I will of course inform all of you as soon as we got reasonable solutions. oehansen are you referring to the discussion at atari-home.de? If so, it is just a theoretical one without any news. If not, it is just by chance that you are asking at the same time.

[wongck]

There are no news about the ATI and the backplane.