Re: Avatar PR

[ltchean@iss.nus.sg (Lim Thye Chean)]

dratzlaf@nyx.cs.du.edu (Norby) writes:
: Could someone please repost the press release given on the Avatar project?
: Or maybe mail it to me?  I had it once, and lost it.  Now a few local
: BBS's are very interested to hear about it...

This is not exactly the press release... but here goes: (Thanks to my friend
who went to Kansas. Any flame please go to me)

Main System:
o 1 Central CPU (65816) at 10MHz
o Memory map of Apple IIGS (with some differences)
o DMA: 10 Megawords a second

Video Processor:
o TMS34010 (considering 34020 and 34030, depending on cost)--considering
  25 or 50Mhz
o 1024*768 16-bit video (maximum)
o In "true" Apple II modes, it will grab the appropriate memory locations
  (for example, E12000 for SHR) and use software translation on the fly to
  display the screen

Audio Processor:
o 65265 with 512K RAM
o Tied directly to an Ensoniq chip (hopefully a 16-bit chip bit, but if
  they can't make it work, then they will return to the 5503 that is in
  the GS, but with 128K RAM)
o The 65265 can play sound without any main processor degradation
o The 65265 has a 65816 core with two serial ports:  One port will go to
  a MIDI port, the other to a mouse port (standard IBM style mouse)
o Audio is stereo
o Currently, only one application can "talk" to the sound chip (they are
  trying to work around this problem) [if you are writing software and
  the program will use the sound sparingly, don't just start up the sound
  manager at the beginning.  Instead, when you are ready to play a sound,
  check if the sound manager is busy, if its not, start it, play your
  sound, and then shut it down]

Disk Processor:
o Controls CD-ROM (not built-in to the basic system), IDE AT-class IBM
  hard drive (also optional), and floppy disks (IBM 3.5" HD drive--
  circuitry in controller can read GCR, MFM, and Amiga GCR--the machine
  can read and write to Macintosh, Apple II, MS-DOS, Atari ST, and Amiga
  disks)
o 512K of RAM
o Software will be written to make it act essentially like a RAMFast in
  the way it operates.  Emulates a SmartPort.  Loads data into its cache
  memory, or can use DMA to load into a subprocessor or program memory
o Controls two bidirctional serial ports (one modem, one printer, but
  basically just generic serial ports) and an IBM connector-type parallel
  board


Subprocessors (Optional):
o 65816 with memory (looking at 4Mb).
o All Avatar-aware software (most GS applications that use Toolbox and
  don't draw  directly to the screen) can be placed in a subprocessor
  along with a Toolbox "kernel"
o Can offload as many programs into separate 65816 (or 65265) processors as
  you have available (i.e., if you have 2 subprocessors, you can run the
  Finder in the main processor that comes with Avatar, then AppleWorks GS
  in another, and PaintWorks Gold in another, all of them running full
  speed) (The audio and disk subprocessors cannot be used for this)
o All subprocessors will be about the size of a credit card--a processor,
  its RAM and a little GLU circuit that emulates all things that can't be
  done through a kernel.
o Possible subprocessors: 80x86, 68x00
o For instance, if you had a 80x86, you could run Lotus 1-2-3 in a window
  on the screen (at full-speed)
o If a work-alike operating system can be made for the Macintosh, then Mac
  software can be run
o Current design allows 16 subprocessors (expandable to 65536)
o Made arrangements already to have these cards built
o Currently, Apple IIe software must run on main processor only

Notes:
o Investigating virual memory (but it is currently very problematic)
o Goal of prototype by February and developer's versions by next
  KansasFest (probably only with Laser 128 ROMs, but will have a
  kickstart disk that will have an image of the ROM as they update it)
o The two main subprocessors will have 4Mb of memory as will the main
  65816 (but the main 65816 can be expanded since its memory is in SIMMs)
o Each subprocessor can imitate only one type of computer at a time (from
  what he said, the 65816 processors could run either GS software or
  Commodore 64, but only one at a time)
o Investigating ways of allowing different programs to run at different
  frame speeds (like 7 frames/sec for Lotus 1-2-3 and 40 frames/sec for
  Wing Commander)
o Currently looking at Sony and NEC CD-ROMs that have proprietary ports
  that aren't SCSI, so they will be about $50 less than the average SCSI
  CD-ROM. Supports playing audio, etc.
o Projected cost - $999 will have one 3.5" floppy drive, keyboard, mouse,
  two subprocessors (the 65265s for audio and disk) (no hard drive, no
  monitor)
o Subprocessors will cost around $30 each

Slots:
o First system will have 4 slots (later models will have 8)
o IBM AT compatible (with some modifications)
o They will write drivers for SCSI, ethernet, and IDE cards
o Slots will have 64K of address space (first at E8/0000, second at
  E9/0000, third at EA/0000, etc.)

System software:
o Written by Jawaid Bazyar and others
o GS/OS-like operating system
o Designed with multi-tasking in mind
--
    %% GS Lover Loves GS %%    Author of Super Magic 3 & Mandelbrot II GS
    %%  and Avatar too.  %%   
          Lim Thye Chean: Lim is my surname. My name is Thye Chean.
     My address: LTCHEAN@ISS.NUS.SG, or 9, College Green, Singapore 1129