GigaDrive
09-08-2007, 05:03 AM
never really knew about this until I was doing some research on uncompleted Amiga chipsets
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hombre_chipset
In 1993, Commodore International canceled the development of the AAA chipset and began to design a new 64 bit multimedia system with 3D graphics chipset including fully RISC architecture that would once again bring the Amiga back into the limelight. It was to be known as 'Hombre' multimedia system and would be developed in conjunction with Hewlett-Packard over an estimated 18 month period
Hombre (pronounced ombré which means man in Spanish) was based around two chips the first was a (system controller) chip similar in principle to the Chip Bus Controller found in Agnus, Alice, and Andrea of classic Amiga Chipset. This chip featured an advanced DMA engine and blitter with 3D texture mapping plus gouraud shading and a 16 bit sound processor as well as the PA-RISC processor (PA-7150) with up to 125 MHz clock speed. The other was a (Display Controller) chip like Denise, Lisa, and Monica found on "Classic Amigas". The chipset also supported future official or third party upgrades through extension for an external PA-RISC processor. These chips and some other circuitry would be part of a PCI card (through ReTargetable graphics system) also Hombre was to form the basis of Amiga CD32 type game console that was to be launched in 1995 competing with Sony's Playstation and Sega Saturn.
The chipset designed by Dr. Ed Hepler can use 64 bit DRAM and by using it with minimal peripherals and ASICs and RAM a 64 bit low end multimedia computer (like the successful A1200) or CD-ROM based game system (CD64?) could be built, it could also be used for Set-Top-Box systems.
http://www.amigahistory.co.uk/homcon.html
CD64: Hombre CD32-style console
Developer: Commodore
Planned Release Date: 1994/95?
As a reaction to the console boom of the early 1990s, Commodore planned to develop a CD32-style unit for the low-end market. The concept machine, mentioned briefly in Dave Haynie's PDF Hombre documentation, would portray little resemblance to previous Amigas - there were no plans to provide a AmigaOS port or offer compatibility with previous models.
As the console was in an early conceptual stage, details are limited on its capabilities. Existing specifications indicate it would offer graphical performance simi;ar to the Sega Saturn by using the Hombre chipset, and feature a member of the Motorola 68k family (most likely the 68020). Software libraries, such as OpenGL support, would be provided on game CD, avoiding the additional cost of a Kickstart ROM.
Dave Haynie has suggested the machine may have been launched as the CD64.
http://www.magrundke.de/hypertxt/welcome.html?amigacd32.html
There have been rumours of a CD32 successor, apparently after ATARI had announced its 'Jaguar64' (which was launched in Fall 1993 as Jaguar). Its design was partly 64 bit (i.e. memory interface, coprocessors), and most likely the rumours were spread to threaten the Jaguar. Today we know that there were indeed plans for such a machine, codename 'CD64', which would have been based on the Hombre-Chipset. It was conceived after Commodore had cancelled AAA-development, and built around a HP PA-RISC CPU and improved custom chips. However, Hombre was never completed because of Commodore's bankruptcy (although AMIGA developers like Dave Haynie say the project was going well until then)
http://monroeworld.com/forum/archive/index.php?t-1429.html
At this time of writing, Commodore U.K. plans to move the Amiga to a 64-Bit
RISC chipset technology. According to David Pleasance, the AAA chip set is
a no-go simply because, although it is completed, there is no operating
system for it thus at least another year to get it out, even with a large
group of Amiga techies working on it. Pleasance also promises a CD64, the
new generation incarnation of the CD32, U.K.s most popular game machine.
The CD64 (might want to change the name to avoid confusion with C64) will
"run circles" around the new yet unreleased Sega Saturn and Nintendo's
Project Reality. We hope so, David!
if anyone knows anything beyond this I'd love to hear it. the original Amiga chipset created in 1984, launched in the first Amiga in 1985 was quite revolutionary. the AGA chipset used in the CD32 was an improvement but not so revolutionary for the time. the AAA chipset would've been revolutionary had it been released on schedual in 1990. the Hombre chipset was the very last effort by Commodore, would've loved to see if it could've stood up to the PlayStation and Nintendo64. at the very least it sounds like it would've been stronger than the 3DO, Jaguar, Saturn and PC-FX.
I do realize though that the "CD64" is in reality, pure vaporware.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hombre_chipset
In 1993, Commodore International canceled the development of the AAA chipset and began to design a new 64 bit multimedia system with 3D graphics chipset including fully RISC architecture that would once again bring the Amiga back into the limelight. It was to be known as 'Hombre' multimedia system and would be developed in conjunction with Hewlett-Packard over an estimated 18 month period
Hombre (pronounced ombré which means man in Spanish) was based around two chips the first was a (system controller) chip similar in principle to the Chip Bus Controller found in Agnus, Alice, and Andrea of classic Amiga Chipset. This chip featured an advanced DMA engine and blitter with 3D texture mapping plus gouraud shading and a 16 bit sound processor as well as the PA-RISC processor (PA-7150) with up to 125 MHz clock speed. The other was a (Display Controller) chip like Denise, Lisa, and Monica found on "Classic Amigas". The chipset also supported future official or third party upgrades through extension for an external PA-RISC processor. These chips and some other circuitry would be part of a PCI card (through ReTargetable graphics system) also Hombre was to form the basis of Amiga CD32 type game console that was to be launched in 1995 competing with Sony's Playstation and Sega Saturn.
The chipset designed by Dr. Ed Hepler can use 64 bit DRAM and by using it with minimal peripherals and ASICs and RAM a 64 bit low end multimedia computer (like the successful A1200) or CD-ROM based game system (CD64?) could be built, it could also be used for Set-Top-Box systems.
http://www.amigahistory.co.uk/homcon.html
CD64: Hombre CD32-style console
Developer: Commodore
Planned Release Date: 1994/95?
As a reaction to the console boom of the early 1990s, Commodore planned to develop a CD32-style unit for the low-end market. The concept machine, mentioned briefly in Dave Haynie's PDF Hombre documentation, would portray little resemblance to previous Amigas - there were no plans to provide a AmigaOS port or offer compatibility with previous models.
As the console was in an early conceptual stage, details are limited on its capabilities. Existing specifications indicate it would offer graphical performance simi;ar to the Sega Saturn by using the Hombre chipset, and feature a member of the Motorola 68k family (most likely the 68020). Software libraries, such as OpenGL support, would be provided on game CD, avoiding the additional cost of a Kickstart ROM.
Dave Haynie has suggested the machine may have been launched as the CD64.
http://www.magrundke.de/hypertxt/welcome.html?amigacd32.html
There have been rumours of a CD32 successor, apparently after ATARI had announced its 'Jaguar64' (which was launched in Fall 1993 as Jaguar). Its design was partly 64 bit (i.e. memory interface, coprocessors), and most likely the rumours were spread to threaten the Jaguar. Today we know that there were indeed plans for such a machine, codename 'CD64', which would have been based on the Hombre-Chipset. It was conceived after Commodore had cancelled AAA-development, and built around a HP PA-RISC CPU and improved custom chips. However, Hombre was never completed because of Commodore's bankruptcy (although AMIGA developers like Dave Haynie say the project was going well until then)
http://monroeworld.com/forum/archive/index.php?t-1429.html
At this time of writing, Commodore U.K. plans to move the Amiga to a 64-Bit
RISC chipset technology. According to David Pleasance, the AAA chip set is
a no-go simply because, although it is completed, there is no operating
system for it thus at least another year to get it out, even with a large
group of Amiga techies working on it. Pleasance also promises a CD64, the
new generation incarnation of the CD32, U.K.s most popular game machine.
The CD64 (might want to change the name to avoid confusion with C64) will
"run circles" around the new yet unreleased Sega Saturn and Nintendo's
Project Reality. We hope so, David!
if anyone knows anything beyond this I'd love to hear it. the original Amiga chipset created in 1984, launched in the first Amiga in 1985 was quite revolutionary. the AGA chipset used in the CD32 was an improvement but not so revolutionary for the time. the AAA chipset would've been revolutionary had it been released on schedual in 1990. the Hombre chipset was the very last effort by Commodore, would've loved to see if it could've stood up to the PlayStation and Nintendo64. at the very least it sounds like it would've been stronger than the 3DO, Jaguar, Saturn and PC-FX.
I do realize though that the "CD64" is in reality, pure vaporware.