To both the above comments, we are different.
I expect the future to contain a fork of MorphOS for all the practical reasons that have been thoroughly hashed out.
But alternatives have always been explored by the development team.

Which would explain the G5 iMac and the PowerMac 11,2 PCIe G5 screenshots we've seen.

The developers have full access to the development version of MorphOS we never get to see, and if they feel like it, they can alter that to run on unsupported hardware.

So this isn't necessarily a discussion of a likely hardware candidate, as mush as just an exploration of possibilities.

If there was a lower cost single cpu version of the Power9 based TalosII I'd have brought that up in a similar thread.

Quote:

Which should come later this year what RaptorCS wrote on their page... so maybe, maybe not... but yes, different topic.

> If there was a lower cost single cpu version of the Power9 based TalosII
> I'd have brought that up in a similar thread.

Assuming you mean single-socket (as Talos II actually is available in a lower-cost single-CPU configuration):

https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?forum=11&topic_id=11815&start=91 :-)

> Roberto is assembling a team for the campaign for board layouts.
> [...] a board layout for a laptop seems likely.

Won't this phase #2 be carried out by ACube as well (after collection of further 11950 EUR)?

> After that, whatever happens, I'd have to consider this project a success.

There're still phases #3 to #5 requiring further 35700 EUR :-)

> Roberto is assembling a team for the campaign for board layouts.
> [...] a board layout for a laptop seems likely.

>>Won't this phase #2 be carried out by ACube as well (after collection of further 11950 EUR)?

As far as I know that is the plan.

> After that, whatever happens, I'd have to consider this project a success.

>>There're still phases #3 to #5 requiring further 35700 EUR

Yes, but after Phase #2, anyone can order a prototype run of these.

After getting repeated negatives on this entire concept...to me that is success in itself.

Phase #3 to #5 are necessary to debug everything.

People frequently discount the amount of work needed to get to a production run.
I don't, even though I don't know how much Trevor spends on this stage, I've got a rough idea.
Thomas is actually getting this done fairly cheaply.

>>> I wonder if those schematics could be used by ACube
>>> to do a non retarded Tabor

>> But the gpu connections are set for an MXM video card

> I see nothing wrong with this: [...]

If one is to develop a board layout for "a non retarded Tabor" from the schematics, depending on the targetted form factor it could make sense to simply replace the MXM connector with a PCIe slot.

>>> Roberto is assembling a team for the campaign for board layouts.
>>> [...] a board layout for a laptop seems likely.

>> Won't this phase #2 be carried out by ACube as well
>> (after collection of further 11950 EUR)?

> As far as I know that is the plan.

What is Roberto's team supposed to do then?

> to me that is success in itself.

...or will be after completion of phase #2 :-)

> Phase #3 to #5 are necessary to debug everything.

Which means that after completion of phase #2, there could still be bugs in the schematics and/or board layout, right?

> Thomas is actually getting this done fairly cheaply.

Thomas? Is he ACube's design engineer?

Yes, I'd go further and say Phase2 is likely to have bugs.

And no, did I say Thomas? That might have been Android's warped spelling correction
I meant Innocenti.

> Funding for the schematics is almost complete

Has been completed a week ago:

https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/2018/06/phase-one-donation-campaign-goal-reached/

Quote:

Thanks for the notice, Andreas.
I missed the last scheduled online chat because of some family related issues, so I hadn't noticed that.

Its good news during a bad period for me.

Update:

> https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/2017/11/powerpc-notebook-block-diagram-done/
> https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Portatile_schema2a_pub.png
> https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Portatile_schema2a_pub.pdf

Updated and more detailed block diagram:

https://www.bglug.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/LD2018_MarioLocati_PowerPC_Notebook.pdf (page 9)

Specific components mentioned (selection):
- AMD Radeon E9172 MXM (GCN4 Lexa)
- Marvell 88SE9235 4-port SATA3
- Renesas/NEC uPD720200A 2-port USB3
- TI TLV320AIC3104 I²S audio codec (via SPI of TI MSP430)
- Diodes PI7C9X2G404SLQ PCIe bridge/switch

How much is this laptop expected to cost?

Quote:

It's a bit early to ask, as no one has committed to a production run of these.

Update:

> Updated and more detailed block diagram:
> https://www.bglug.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/LD2018_MarioLocati_PowerPC_Notebook.pdf (page 9)
> Specific components mentioned (selection):
> - AMD Radeon E9172 MXM (GCN4 Lexa)
> - Marvell 88SE9235 4-port SATA3
> - Renesas/NEC uPD720200A 2-port USB3
> - TI TLV320AIC3104 I²S audio codec (via SPI of TI MSP430)
> - Diodes PI7C9X2G404SLQ PCIe bridge/switch

Block diagram slightly revised:

https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/2018/12/bookmark-the-date-for-pcb-donation-campaign-start/
https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/PPC_OpenSource_PPC_laptop_block_diagram_12_2018.pdf
https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/PPC_OpenSource_PPC_laptop_block_diagram_12_2018_s.png

- Renesas/NEC uPD720201 4-port USB3
- Diodes PI7C9X2G404SL PCIe bridge/switch

Update:

> Block diagram slightly revised: [...]
> - Renesas/NEC uPD720201 4-port USB3
> - Diodes PI7C9X2G404SL PCIe bridge/switch

From a week ago:

Electrical schematics (alpha version) as of December 2018 have been published.

Block diagram moderately revised:
- 2 RAM slots
- 2nd HD at SATA3
- USB2 hub
- HDMI/DisplayPort (only one at a time)
- Diodes PI7C9X2G608GP PCIe bridge/switch at PCIe 2.0 x4
- Conexant CX20709-21Z USB/I²S audio codec (via CPLD as SPI/I²S bridge)
- MiniPCIe x1 slot removed

Furthermore, a chassis was selected.

>> According to the block diagram, there's SATA2 connected (for whatever reason)
>> and the 4 PCIe controllers are configured with 9 lanes as x4-gen3 (MXM/GPU)
>> x2-gen2 (4×SATA3) x2-gen2 (MiniPCIe/LTE/WiFi) x1-gen2 (4×USB3).
>> I just had a closer look at the SerDes lane assignment options of the
>> T2080: [...] To me it seems the T2080 offers three better PCIe options,
>> so that only the fourth-best option would be the one chosen by ACube:
>> 14 PCIe lanes (x4 x4 x4 x2) without SATA2 (using 0xBC + 0x1F config)
>> 12 PCIe lanes (x4 x4 x2 x2) with SATA2 (using 0xBC + 0x15/0x16 config)
>> 11 PCIe lanes (x4 x4 x2 x1) without SATA2 (using 0xC8/0xD6 + 0x1F config)
>> 09 PCIe lanes (x4 x2 x2 x1) with SATA2 (using 0xC8/0xD6 + 0x15/0x16 config)

> Thanks, good analysis. I'll relay it.

According to the most recent block diagram, it seems ACube switched to the "11 PCIe lanes (x4 x4 x2 x1) without SATA2" option, configured as x4-gen3 (MXM/GPU) x4-gen2 (LTE/WiFi) x2-gen2 (4×SATA3) x1-gen2 (2×USB3).

Real pity the progress is so slow. Looking forward to buying one.

Quote:

I'd like one,too.
Even if the first OS that will be available for it will be Linux based.

Update:

>> TI TLV320AIC3104 I²S audio codec (via SPI of TI MSP430)

> Conexant CX20709-21Z USB/I²S audio codec (via CPLD as SPI/I²S bridge)

Audio changed once again:

Cmedia CM8828 PCIe audio controller (at PCIe 2.0 x4) with Cmedia CM9882A audio codec

https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/2019/08/c-media-supports-our-open-source-powerpc-design/
https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/block_diagram_ppc_notebook_082019-1.jpg

Addendum:

> Cmedia

First ACube news item in 2½ years:

http://www.acube-systems.biz/index.php?page=news&id=141

Update:

> a chassis was selected.

https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/2019/09/slimbook-to-provide-the-notebook-chassis/
https://slimbook.es/en/noticias-notas-de-prensa-y-reviews/435-slimbook-collaborates-with-the-powerpc-laptop


Edit: added link to press release by chassis manufacturer

[ Edited by Andreas_Wolf 23.10.2019 - 12:58 ]

Update:

> Electrical schematics (alpha version) as of December 2018
> have been published.

From two days ago:

Electrical schematics as of September 2019 have been published.
Furthermore, the donation campaign for PCB design has started.

Hi all

Power Progress Community reached its first campaign goal about the notebook electrical schematics and few days ago we started the second one. Now the target is to fund the PCB design.

https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/2019/10/donation-campaign-for-pcb-design-of-the-powerpc-notebook-motherboard/

In addition to that Slimbook collaboration was announced. They will provide the enclosure we need for our Open Hardware PowerPC notebook. https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/2019/09/slimbook-to-provide-the-notebook-chassis

As you can see in the article, ACube and Slimbook are collaborating since the beginning of this year.

If you like the project we will be happy if you can support it in any way you prefer (donating, spreading, collaborating with the team...)

Thanks!

Just a quick reminder: If you like the idea of running Linux on one of the last NXP PowerPC processors, please go ahead and support this project.

If you are only interested in MorphOS, please note that there is no commitment to support this piece of hardware. As the MorphOS FAQ states:


Quote:

I'd say with this thread being 5 years old and the current state of the project, I expect my next MorphOS-Laptop to be AMD.


Note this NOT a statement on how fast I think that ISA switch will happen (or at all) !