Development
The first Amiga computer was the "Lorraine" developed using the Sage IV system. It consisted of a stack of breadboarded circuit boards.
Production timeline
| Amiga Production Timeline | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | |||
| Brand Owner | Commodore International | Escom | QuikPak | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chipsets | OCS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ECS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AGA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Desktop | A1000 | A1500/A2000/A2500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A3000/A3000T/A3000UX | A4000/A4000T | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Low End | A500 | A500+ | A1200 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A600 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Game Console | CDTV | CD32 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Commodore Amiga models
Original Chipset (OCS)
| Model | Timescale | CPU type | RAM (base) | Bundled OS version | OS version supported | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amiga 1000 | 1985–1987 | 68000 | 256 KB | 1.0 – 1.1 | 3.1 / 3.9[note 1] / 3.2[note 2] | Later A1000s shipped with 512 KB base memory |
| Amiga 2000 A-model | 1987 | 68000 | 1 MB | 1.2 | 3.9 / 3.2 | First desktop Amiga with internal expansion slots (Zorro II) used the Amiga 1000 chipset 512 KB Chip RAM, 512 KB Fast RAM on CPU slot card |
| Amiga 500 | 1987–1991 | 68000 | 512 KB | 1.2 – 1.3 | 3.1 / 3.2 | First "low-end" Amiga; later A500s shipped with 1 MB memory |
| Amiga 2000 | 1987–1992 | 68000 | 1 MB | 1.2 – 2.04 | 3.9 / 3.2 | revised expandable model with Amiga 500 chipset Hard-drive equipped versions were labeled "A2000HD" |
| Amiga 2500 | 1989–1990 | 68020, 68030 | 1 MB | 1.3 | 3.9 / 3.2 | A2000+68020/68030 card (not a distinct model) Hard-drive equipped versions were labeled "A2500HD" |
| Amiga 1500 | 1990–1991 | 68000 | 1 MB | 1.3 | 3.9 / 3.2 | UK only, variant of A2000 with two floppy drives and no HDD. This version originated with CBM UK Marketing who found it necessary to distinguish the floppy-only version from the A2000 with the general public. |
| Amiga CDTV | 1991–1992 | 68000 | 1 MB | 1.3 | 3.1[1] / 3.2 | CD-ROM-based multimedia machine |
Enhanced Chipset (ECS)
| Model | Timescale | CPU type | RAM (base) | Bundled OS version | OS version supported | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amiga 3000 | 1990–1992 | 68030 | 1 MB Chip 1-4 MB Fast |
1.3 – 2.04 | 3.9 / 4.1 FE[note 3] / 3.2 | First Zorro III system. Initial machines had a 1.4 beta ROM that looked for a "super" Kickstart disk similar to the 1000. It could load Kickstart versions 1.3, 2.0, and 2.04 this way or from specially named partitions on the hard disk. Developers could also "kick" in higher versions of the OS, up to 3.1 |
| Amiga 3000T | 1991–1992 | 68030, 68040 | 1-2 MB Chip 1-4 MB Fast |
2.04 | 3.9 / 4.1 FE[note 3] / 3.2 | First "towerized" Amiga |
| Amiga 3000UX | 1990–199? | 68030 | 2 MB Chip 4 MB Fast |
1.3 – 2.04 | 3.9 / 4.1 FE[note 3] / 3.2 | UNIX-based Amiga 3000 |
| Amiga 500+ | 1991–1992 | 68000 | 1 MB | 2.04 | 3.1 / 3.2 | ECS-based A500 with 1 MB RAM base memory |
| Amiga 600 | 1992 | 68000 | 1 MB | 2.05 | 3.9 / 3.2 | First Amiga using SMT, built-in IDE and PCMCIA support. There was also an A600HD version that had a built-in hard disk. |
Advanced Graphics Architecture (AGA)
| Model | Timescale | CPU type | RAM (base) | Bundled OS version | OS version supported | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amiga 4000 | 1992–1994 | 68EC030, 68040 | 2 MB Chip 2–4 MB Fast |
3.0 | 3.9 / 4.1 FE[note 3] / 3.2 | First AGA machine |
| Amiga 1200 | 1992–1996 | 68EC020 | 2 MB | 3.0 – 3.1 | 3.9 / 4.1 FE[note 3] / 3.2 | Entry-level AGA machine. Standard IDE controller and space for a 2.5" hard drive. A1200HD shipped with 20–209MB hard drives |
| Amiga CD32 | 1993–1994 | 68EC020 | 2 MB | 3.1 | 3.9[note 1] / 3.2 | 32-bit CD-ROM-based console |
| Amiga 4000T | 1994–1996 | 68040, 68060 | 2 MB Chip 4 MB Fast |
3.1 | 3.9 / 4.1 FE[note 3] / 3.2 | Towerized version of the A4000 |
- 1 2 Due to the requirements of 3.9 it is difficult to do so.
- ↑ There are various Amiga OS branches based on the OS 3.1 sources: 3.5/3.9 by Haage & Partner, 4.x by Hyperion Entertainment and 3.1.x/3.2 also by Hyperion Entertainment (and in part based on the OS 4.x branch sources.)
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Version 4.0 and higher requires a PowerPC accelerator, such as the PowerUP series of accelerator boards.
PowerPC-based AmigaOS models (post Commodore)
These models are not hardware compatible with the 68k Amigas.
| Model (motherboard) | Timescale | CPU type | RAM (base) | OS version | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AmigaOne SE (Teron CX) | 2002–2004 | PowerPC G3 | Varies | 4.0 – 4.1 FE | ATX format motherboard |
| AmigaOne XE (Teron PX) | 2003–2004 | PowerPC G3 or G4 | Varies | 4.0 – 4.1 FE | ATX format motherboard |
| MicroA1 – "C" and "I" (Teron Mini) | 2004–2005 | PowerPC G3 | 256 MB | 4.0 – 4.1 FE | Mini-ITX format motherboard |
| AmigaOne 500 | 2011–present | AMCC 460ex SoC | 2 GB | 4.1 – 4.1 FE | Complete system[2] |
| AmigaOne X1000 | 2012–2015 | PWRficient PA6T | 2 or 4+ GB | 4.1.5 – 4.1 FE | Complete system |
| AmigaOne X5000 | 2016–present | P5020 | 2 or 4+ GB | 4.1 FE | Complete system |
Video chipsets
| Chipset | Introduction year | Resolution non-interlaced |
|---|---|---|
| Original Chip Set (OCS) | 1985 | 640 × 256 @ 4-bpp (PAL) |
| Enhanced Chip Set (ECS) | 1990 | 640 × 480 @ 2-bpp |
| Advanced Graphics Architecture (AGA) | 1992 | 640 × 480 @ 8-bpp |
Unproduced chipsets
These chipsets were planned but never fabricated.
| Chipset | Planned introduction year | Resolution non-interlaced | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAA chipset | 1992 | 1280 × 1024 @ 16-bpp | three "Nyx" technology demonstrators built |
| Amiga Ranger Chipset | 1988 | 1024 × 1024 @ 7-bpp | scratched in favor of ECS |
| AA+ Chipset | 1994 | 800 × 600 @ 8-bpp | improved AGA intended as low-end alternative to AAA |
| Hombre chipset | 1995 | 1280 × 1024 @ 32-bpp | integrating PA-RISC, never completed |
Other AmigaOS compatible computers
Some computers were released by other companies which were AmigaOS compatible.
- DraCo: Released by MacroSystem in 1994. This was a high end machine which ran AmigaOS 3.1, but did not include the Amiga chipset, instead using a graphics card. A second version was known as the Draco Vision. A newer model, the Draco Casablanca, was released in 1997. The machines featured a 68040 or 68060 CPU.
- The Access: Released by Index Information in 1998. This was an Amiga compatible similar to the A1200, but on a motherboard which could fit into a standard 5 1/4" drive bay. It featured either a 68020 or 68030 CPU, with a redesigned AGA chipset, and ran AmigaOS 3.1.
- Minimig is a hardware compatible open source re-implementation of an Amiga 500 using a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).
- Vampire V4 Standalone, released by Apollo Team in 2019, provides ECS/AGA chipset re-implementation, plus "68080" CPU and "Super AGA" graphics, also using a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).
- The Pegasos II and Sam440ep can run AmigaOS 4.
Unreleased models
Prototypes:
- A3500: Prototype of the Amiga 3000T, it was housed in a Commodore PC60-III tower case.
Due to management turmoil, some viable Amiga models under development were cancelled prior to release:
- A3000+: Prototyped in 1991, it used the AGA chipset and had an AT&T DSP3210 chip, high-fidelity audio, telephone line interface, and 2.5 Mbit/s RS-485 network port.
- A1000+: Intermediate in price and features between the A1200 and A3000+, it would have been a detached keyboard system with expansion slots (two Zorro slots, video slot, CPU slot).[3]
Unreleased models (after Commodore)
A number of new Amiga models were announced after the end of the Commodore model era. However, very few of them were ever produced beyond simple prototypes (if they even got that far). Some of these were announced by companies who later owned, or sought to own, the Amiga rights. Others were unofficial machines which would run AmigaOS, whilst others still were intended to run an operating system compatible with Amiga software. Some models that were never produced include:
- The Amiga Walker: Announced early 1996 by Amiga Technologies, this was supposed to be a new, compact Amiga computer. Its case design, quite unlike those of past Amiga models, comprised a metallic grey shell about the size of a games console, with a distinctive curved rear. Jokes were made comparing the shape to that of a vacuum cleaner. There were two more-or-less working prototypes of the Walker and it was never released into the mass market.[4]
- The A\box, pre\box and AMIRAGE K2: These were PowerPC-based machines announced by the German company Phase5. The A\box, announced in 1996, was to feature a new custom graphics chipset named Caipirinha,[5] and a new Amiga-compatible operating system. This was replaced in 1998 by the announcement of the pre\box, which was to feature four PowerPC processors, and was to run AmigaOS 3.1. Finally, in 1999 the AMIRAGE K2 was announced, based on the QNX operating system.
- The Amiga 40x0L models: QuikPak announced a range of machines while they were planning to purchase rights to the Amiga during late 1996 and early 1997. These were models with a 68030, 68040 or 68060 processor, and included portable "luggable" versions. Some models were planned to be fitted with NewTek's Video Toaster Flyer. QuikPak were a manufacturer for the Amiga 4000T.
- The A5000 and A6000: These were new models announced by Power Computing in 1997. They originally featured a 68030 or 68040 for the A5000, and a 68060 for the A6000.
- The BoXeR: Designed by Mick Tinker at Access Innovations, and announced in 1997, the BoXeR was to be a new motherboard based on a Motorola 68040 or 68060 processor. Amongst other improvements over the Commodore motherboards of the time, it incorporated the aging AGA chipset into one chip. It never got far beyond the advanced prototyping stage. Tinker was also responsible for the Access, which was basically an Amiga 1200 that was re-jigged to fit into a full length 5.25" drive bay.
- The Amiga Multimedia Convergence Computer: Announced by Gateway in 1999. This was to feature a new operating system known as Amiga OE.
See also
References
- ↑ "Amiga History Guide".
- ↑ "AmigaOne 500: Complete AmigaOne System". Amiga.org. September 19, 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-19.
- ↑ Dave Haynie (9 Jun 2004). "Re: Commodore's future if they ditched the Amiga?". Newsgroup: comp.sys.amiga.misc. Usenet: 40c78969.243987715@news.jersey.net.
- ↑ Amiga Walker: A Clarification
- ↑ Code name: A\BOX – A leap forward towards realising a vision Archived July 24, 2012, at archive.today
External links
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