The VA2000 is a FPGA based graphics card for Amiga 2000/3000/4000 computers featuring high resolutions and color depth over DVI-D/HDMI. It has a hacker-friendly expansion header for upgrades and custom mods and features a slot for MicroSD cards that can be mounted in AmigaOS.
The YouTube video provides additional insight into the open source graphics card. Interestingly enough, I’ve been looking into getting my hands on a classic Amiga, but the one I would want – an A3000 or A4000 – are quite hard to come by here in The Netherlands.
Please note that this is just a framebuffer device. It outputs a limited number of VGA and HDTV modes over HDMI. It doesn’t mix the existing video out, and uses Picasso96 for the RTG. It has no accelerated drawing, but the designers do have some basic 2D acceleration in mind for later. If you can handle these limitations, then you might consider getting one.
Indeed, the card has limits, but this is definitely a major step in the right direction. (I’m actually surprised something like this hasn’t been done sooner – assuming it hasn’t, of course.)
Nice, I have a mediator with a Radeon in it.
But there are a few things I would like to see, that may make me use this instead.
1) HDMI vs DVI that I have now.
2) He mentions in the comments of the linked video that he’s working on an video passthrough for the normal modes, so that would be a hugely useful thing.
3) Since it’s open source, maybe eventually accelerated graphics and Warp3D support?
Since it’s FPGA, I don’t know why these things couldn’t be added.
Now if only someone would start making FPGA video cards for the Atari Mega STe and TT030…
Get a DVI to HDMI converter -> you’ll have a HDMI output.
I’m pretty keen to try one. I’ve got a Mediator + Radeon9250 in my 3000UX
Good on him for trying!
“Experimental 1920×1080 Full HD screen resolution if your monitor supports 30Hz.”
That’s kind of odd… Wouldn’t think any HDMI monitor would support 30hz, I’ve always seen them as 60hz+
Many support 24Hz or 30Hz as input … even if that has nothimg to do with the internal refresh frequency
He means 1920×1080 30Hz progressive. When TVs support 30Hz, it’s almost always interlace. Progressive is normally 60Hz.
I’m not sure about the Netherlands, but the Amiga was always very popular in Germany… That may be your best bet for acquiring one, but yes the 3000/4000 (and especially the tower variants thereof) are very rare and expensive these days!