Author Topic: Phisics processor in the future for AH? (Read 915 times)

Grayarea · « **on:** March 11, 2005, 04:11:04 PM »

I just read with some interest a new board coming this year a PPU or Phisics processing unit.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=21681

Sounds like it could be really usefull in AH

Skuzzy · « **Reply #1 on:** March 11, 2005, 04:27:16 PM »

It is just a math co-processor add-on Gray. I find it sort of funny, but yes, a better floating point math co-processor would do wonders for all 3D games.

Grayarea · « **Reply #2 on:** March 11, 2005, 04:37:19 PM »

Skuzzy you party pooper!

Interesting to see what it can do in hardware though.

I read another article on it claiming quite significant improvments compaired to what is currently possible.

OK I admit it, I am a gadget geek

Skuzzy · « **Reply #3 on:** March 11, 2005, 05:23:24 PM »

Yes, I poop parties.

I just recall long ago, in a galaxy far, far, ....wait a minute.

Ok,..all better. I remember when it was a big deal to have an FPU in your computer. When I got a hold of my first Motorola FPU for the 68000 CPU I was blown away at the performance difference it made.

LePaul · « **Reply #4 on:** March 11, 2005, 05:24:34 PM »

Years ago, I think it was Falcon 3.0....required a math co-processor to render the terrains (hills, etc)

Skuzzy · « **Reply #5 on:** March 11, 2005, 05:36:20 PM »

It was the Star Wars reference,..wasn't it?

Kev367th · « **Reply #6 on:** March 13, 2005, 09:55:56 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Skuzzy
Yes, I poop parties.

I just recall long ago, in a galaxy far, far, ....wait a minute.

Ok,..all better. I remember when it was a big deal to have an FPU in your computer. When I got a hold of my first Motorola FPU for the 68000 CPU I was blown away at the performance difference it made.

Didn't have an Amiga,,,did ya?
I used to have a 4000 with a 68040 with FPU and MMU, never could afford the PPC upgrade at the time.
Wish I still had it sometimes so much more stable and true pre-emptive multitasking.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #7 on:** March 13, 2005, 10:13:51 AM »

It was a Radio Shack Model 16. I modded it so I could change the defualt 68000 8Mhz CPU to a 10Mhz 68010 and added the FPU socket at the same time.
I had to reverse engineer the Xenix OS to add support for it, but it was worth it. I was able to add support for all kinds of stuff after.

DREDIOCK · « **Reply #8 on:** March 13, 2005, 01:01:04 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Kev367th
Didn't have an Amiga,,,did ya?
I used to have a 4000 with a 68040 with FPU and MMU, never could afford the PPC upgrade at the time.
Wish I still had it sometimes so much more stable and true pre-emptive multitasking.

Ahhh Amy. I miss her.

Actually I still have my 2000
Minus the monitor

but I think I still have the adapter for Tv hookup

Just havent run her in a while

Kev367th · « **Reply #9 on:** March 13, 2005, 07:17:52 PM »

You know they have modded the Amiga OS to run under a Pentium?

Dam expensive though.

Blue Mako · « **Reply #10 on:** March 13, 2005, 11:51:09 PM »

There was a game I played on a cousin's Amiga (back around 1990 or so), you flew a Corsair that was only ever seen side on. Could take off from a carrier loaded with bombs or rockets and could drop them and strafe bases on little islands. It was called "Wings of Fury" or something like that. Anyone else remember that one? I wish I could get a copy of that game for the PC, would keep me entertained for hours.

DREDIOCK · « **Reply #11 on:** March 14, 2005, 12:38:59 AM »

Never heard of that one. Ony WWII flight sim I played on it was "Their finest hour"

Also played a WWI game called "Wings"

And "F16 combat pilot" as well as "Falcon"

Anyone remember "Feindish Freddy's Big Top O Fun"?

JimBear · « **Reply #12 on:** March 14, 2005, 08:06:56 AM »

Wings was great! Fighter Duel was my favorite but brought my 500 to its knees

dedalos · « **Reply #13 on:** March 14, 2005, 01:57:32 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Skuzzy
It was a Radio Shack Model 16. I modded it so I could change the defualt 68000 8Mhz CPU to a 10Mhz 68010 and added the FPU socket at the same time.
I had to reverse engineer the Xenix OS to add support for it, but it was worth it. I was able to add support for all kinds of stuff after.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #14 on:** March 14, 2005, 02:21:50 PM »

Ahh heck dedalos, those were fun times. I had my own internal distribution of the operating system at Tandy for a long time.
It was much faster than what was coming out of software engineering and much more stable.
I loved Motorola/Zilog assembly. The hardware was a piece of cake to mod too. My Mod16 was finally put to sleep last year. It had served me well, but the Z80 motherboard died in it. Not bad for a 20+ year old computer.
Of course, by the end, it would have taken an army of pathologists to figure out it was at one time a Model 16.