Update:

> "There is a new batch in production that will be ready for mid-May."
> http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost.php?p=760835

News from 1.5 weeks ago (better late than never):

https://twitter.com/acubesystems/status/487577878226567168

Quote:

Thanks for validating my earlier observation that they were out of production and out of stock.

It would seem MorphOS on Sam460 may have been delayed partially due to hardware not being available.

> Thanks for validating my earlier observation that they were out of production and out of stock.

That it was out of production and out of stock at *ACube* had been confirmed many months ago, even before your "observation". Your "observation" I was responding to back then was about general availability. I presented 3 dealers who still listed it as in stock. At least one of them still does, btw.

And regarding your misleading comment on MooBunny:

http://moobunny.dreamhosters.com/cgi/mbmessage.pl/amiga/251056.shtml
http://moobunny.dreamhosters.com/cgi/mbmessage.pl/amiga/251057.shtml

1. not recently, but late 2013
2. not one dealer, but three
3. not Czech, but Swiss, Spanish and Slovak
4. not one in stock, but an unspecified quantity

Edit: responded to misleading comment made on MooBunny

[ Edited by Andreas_Wolf 29.08.2014 - 22:38 ]

>> In case the single onboard-SATA port suffices, you can put a Radeon 9000
>> or 92x0 into the PCI slot and have overlay as well as 2D and 3D hardware
>> acceleration when running OS4.

> for most folks I don't think a single onboard-SATA port does suffice.

Using PCI Radeon 9250 in PCIe slot with adapter reported as working:

http://amigaworld.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=39391&forum=33#741409

Quote:

You are now just being silly. Directron is still selling NOS Efika. Heck, as recent as 2012 you could still source NOS Amiga 1200. i don't think anyone with half a brain would try to argue that the A1200 or Efika was still "still available new". You are the one being misleading. Why is a head scratcher.

It is now October 2014 and no new Sam460 yet, despite several announcements of production runs. It must be a bit concerning that nothing is for sale yet. Are they having QA issues?

> You are now just being silly.

I don't think I am.

> i don't think anyone with half a brain would try to argue that the A1200 or Efika
> was still "still available new".

Regarding the A1200:
True, the A1200 was not "still available new" but available new again, the difference being that it wasn't available new for many years in between.

Regarding the Efika 5200B:
Production ceased somewhen in 2008. Yet you could read statements like the following in 2009 and 2010 from persons other than me:

"you can still buy brand new Efika mainboards and Efika-based systems from various retailers (Directron in the USA / North America, AusPPC in Australia, Vesalia in Germany/Europe). [...] Right now, you can *still* buy brand new hardware with legal warranty in order to run MorphOS 2.x."
https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?topic_id=6409&forum=3&start=6

"[you] can still buy brand new EFIKA 5200 mainboards and / or EFIKA-based kits from resellers such as Directron (USA) or Vesalia (Germany). This entry-level platform has been consistently available to MorphOS enthusiasts for years now."
https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?topic_id=7001&forum=3&start=126

"If you prefer brand new hardware, Directron, Vesalia and possibly others are still selling Efika 5200B mainboards as well as complete systems based on this particular mainboard."
https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?topic_id=7267&forum=11&start=2

I don't think it makes any difference regarding the status of the product whether it's been out of production for 2 years or for 6 years. If the remainders could be called "still available new" 2 years after production stop, they can be called the same 4 years later. And it definitely means the remainders of the latest Sam460 production run can be called "still available new" much less than 2 years after production.

> You are the one being misleading.

I don't think I am. I'm stating facts and I can can back up each and every one of them.

> Why is a head scratcher.

Because I like facts being told, even when this concept may sound alien to some.

> no new Sam460 yet, despite several announcements of production runs.

Indeed.

> Are they having QA issues?

It may have to do with something called "Sam460cr". *

* Details on this given by a Slovak retailer, comparing Sam460cr with Sam460ex shows these differences:

- no SM502 embedded MoC (audio/video)
- no Audio 5.1 Realtek ALC655 codec
- no SATA2 port
- about 13.5% cheaper
- "this board will replace the Sam460ex board."

Update:

>> no new Sam460 yet, despite several announcements of production runs.

> Indeed.

Sam460ex available again:

https://acube-systemsbiz.serversicuro.it/shop/en/5-sam-motherboards

>> Are they having QA issues?

> It may have to do with something called "Sam460cr". *
>
> * Details on this given by a Slovak retailer, comparing Sam460cr with Sam460ex shows
> these differences:
>
> - no SM502 embedded MoC (audio/video)
> - no Audio 5.1 Realtek ALC655 codec
> - no SATA2 port
> - about 13.5% cheaper
> - "this board will replace the Sam460ex board."

Official announcement of the Sam460cr:

"We then decided to produce Sam460 motherboards with the following components removed: SM502 audio/video chip, video connector and onboard SATA. This new Sam460 will have the same number of expansion slots (PCI, PCIe) as the well known Sam460. This allows us to reduce the cost of the motherboard for our customers. That's why this new board is called Sam460cr, "cr" stands for "cost reduced"."
http://www.acube-systems.biz/index.php?page=news&id=129

Quote:

Their webshop however gives the message: "Warning: Last items in stock!" on this...

Maybe they aren't making a new production run of those but focus on "cr" instead, and have found some left-over "ex" somewhere? This also corresponds to your quote above:

Quote:


Then about the "cr":

Quote:

So I guess we'll have to keep an eye open for updates there...

In a post about the on-going µAlchimie gathering, it's reported that the "cr" motherboard has been shown. The picture of the motherboard (Sam460cr.jpg) does indeed have a lot of empty spaces for chips, connectors and other components. Funnily enough, it still has the text "Sam460ex" printed on it...

Will be interesting to see the price of the thing...

> Will be interesting to see the price of the thing...

I reported the price as given by a dealer 3 weeks ago in this very thread (relative to the Sam460ex price, for absolute pricing simply click the link).

Quote:

Seems currently both boards will be availiable. Will it in future replace SAM460ex, is possible, since I can confirm onboard SATA, Video and audio are very limited and near useless (SATA: only one device, video limited resolution and memory, slow as old Virge, sound was troublesome and every PCI card is better)

Benefit for MorphOS team could be to focus just on AMCC460 SOC chip e.g. first just CR support can be developed, instead wasting time on EX support at least in early stage (as this was mention as obstacle).

Price of CR board is 623e, compared to 719e for SAM460cr
http://www.comsytec.eu/us/online-store/detail/30-mainboards-for-amiga-os/flypage|vmblend/153-sam460cr-110ghz--amiga-os--linux?sef=hcfp&vmcchk=1

Sadly, Acube hadrware page seems not to be updated yet.

> onboard [...] audio are very limited and near useless ([...] sound was troublesome [...])

Isn't it bearable with the latest driver?

> SATA: only one device

...and no DMA.

> Benefit for MorphOS team could be to focus just on AMCC460 SOC chip

They can do this already on the Sam460ex. There's no obligation for an OS running on it to support the SM502 chip and the onboard SATA controller built into the PPC460EX chip. MorphOS could support the Sam460ex equipped with graphics card, sound card and SATA card. This way, there'd be no difference to running MorphOS on the Sam460cr.

> first just CR support can be developed

MorphOS on Sam460ex with no support for the components missing on the Sam460cr would equal full Sam460cr support, wouldn't it?

> instead wasting time on EX support at least in early stage

I guess the MorphOS Team has not wasted any time on supporting the SM502 or the onboard SATA controller anyway.

> as this was mention as obstacle

What exactly and where?

> 719e for SAM460cr

No, Sam460ex.

> SATA: only one device

>...and no DMA.

Well, I am not sure about this, I believe it has DMA, its just not supported for OS4, Linux install can do some test and should score higher performance.


> Benefit for MorphOS team could be to focus just on AMCC460 SOC chip

AW>They can do this already on the Sam460ex. There's no obligation for an OS AW>running >on it to support the SM502 chip and the onboard SATA controller built AW>into the PPC460EX chip. MorphOS could support the Sam460ex equipped with AW>graphics card, sound card and SATA card. This way, there'd be no difference to AW>running MorphOS on the Sam460cr.

AW>MorphOS on Sam460ex with no support for the components missing on the Sam460cr AW>would equal full Sam460cr support, wouldn't it?

Exactly my thoughts, well versed.

AW>I guess the MorphOS Team has not wasted any time on supporting the SM502 or the AW>onboard SATA controller anyway.

I ment in their usability limits. 2D performance scares me of an idea to use it,
and sometimes its needed during Linux install.

See 2D performance http://hdrlab.org.nz/benchmark/gfxbench2d/OS/AmigaOS?start=1300 and chip itself doesn`t have any 3D.

Vox> as this was mention as obstacle

AW>What exactly and where?

As complexity to support, and you are right, not by developers.

Vox> 719e for SAM460c

AW>No, Sam460ex.

Thanks for corrections, I ll try to double-check what I post before I post

Hope its around the corner, as well as some PCI-E cards support, which would be even greater advancement for all. But having one more board (or two if we count CR and EX as two models) is also a nice improvement.

>>> SATA: only one device

>>...and no DMA.

> I am not sure about this, I believe it has DMA, its just not supported for OS4

Yes, that's what I meant.

Quote:

Official prices avail

https://acube-systemsbiz.serversicuro.it/shop/en/5-sam-motherboards

Sam460cr
NewSam460cr 1.10 Ghz

AmigaOS 4.1 included + RadeonHD 1.0 driver for FREE. It will work with several RadeonHD cards from all series (4xxx, 5xxx...).
539,00 €


Sam460cr Lite 1 Ghz
NewSam460cr 1 Ghz
AmigaOS 4.1 included + RadeonHD 1.0 driver for FREE. It will work with several RadeonHD cards from all series (4xxx, 5xxx...).
469,00 €

Already out of stock O__O

I looked at the website. Everything out of stock?

>>> I am not sure about this, I believe it has DMA, its just not supported for OS4

>> Yes, that's what I meant.

> Official prices avail

Nice, but why quote me?

> Their webshop however gives the message: "Warning: Last items in stock!" on this...

They're all listed as being "Out of stock" now. Reason according to ACube:

"we need to wait for the AOS4.1 FE CD from Hyperion."
http://amigaworld.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=39502&forum=33&start=40#744080

Code letters are great, aren't they? AOS4.1 F*ck Everyone cd?

Quote:

Reason is more pragmatical then hardware related:

a) Current AmigaOS 4 costs 105 eur and once shipped with 30 eur OS 4.1 final, it will overall be percieved as greater discount then pure difference in CR and EX boards.
Note: In past you could contact Acube by e-mail for so called industrial version of boards - for purchase with no OS4.

b) Current AmigaOS 4 cannot boot with many RadeonHD cards due to missing drivers. Mercy given that at least basic driver will be included, now when v2 on sale, means users actually could install it. There is a workaround to make a bootable CD with OS and driver, but that wouldn`t be out of box solution.

A full installed computer would be a solution, where box is just a shelf display gem. Same situation is actually with X1000 users that got newer RadeonHD cards (6000,7000 series) - original X1000 OS4 CD cannot boot it, and one is advised to immediately backup installed system to CD. Even AmigaKit didn`t provide the CD, users had to burn it, however they did install the working and bootable OS with the driver.

That is what one gots with "3rd party driver development" - not that I don`t support the Hans work - its just such sales policy presents some problems.

So actually Acube waits for Hyperion, similar to X1000 being delayed because OS4 was beta for it. When I remember they initially promised OS 4.2 and X1000 on Summer or Autumn 2010 ...

Its said that Relec is first to offer it
http://www.relec.ch/frch/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=21&category_id=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2&lang=en

> they initially promised OS 4.2 and X1000 on Summer or Autumn 2010 ... :-)

http://www.google.com/search?q=x1000+%22you+won't+have+to+wait+until+summer%22 :-)

> http://www.relec.ch/frch/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=21&category_id=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2&lang=en

This page lists the technical data of the Sam460ex, which should be corrected ASAP.

Quote:

French Amiga shop lists correctly the board
http://amiga.amedia-computer.com/index.php/catalogue/infos/2/6/ACU_SAM460CR#

I still want to know if the MorphOS port is for the SAM 460, SAM 460cr or both.

The CR is just a normal 460 with some minor parts left out.

So no onboard SATA sound and GFX, none of them should be essential for MorphOS.

@Kronos

It depends. If they port to the SAM 460 it would be enough to make working drivers for the onboard SATA and GFX (but that would propbably be a little weak). If they port to the SAM 460cr they only need to port any non-supported add-ons. They could ignore the on board chips on the SAM 460 of course and treat it like a SAM 460cr.