

|1-Product News about the BLIZZARD 603e Power


|1-Board Accelerator for Amiga 1200



                               by Phase 5


                      Note:  New specifications!!!


  Oberursel,  February  25,  1997:  phase 5 digital products is proud to
announce  the  upcoming  BLIZZARD  603e  Power  Board,  a  PowerPC-based
accelerators  for  Amiga  1200 and A1200-based Tower Systems.  With this
innovative  and  powerful new accelerator a new dimension of performance
is  brought  to  the  Amiga 1200, with performance increases of multiple
times  beyond  the  performance  of  the  fastest 68k based accelerators
available  today,  for  a  sensationally  low  price  that  is perfectly
targeted at the A1200 upgrade market.

  Primarily  being  designed  as  an  upgrade  board  for existing Amiga
systems, the BLIZZARD 603e Power Board incorporates phase 5's innovative
dual-processor  technologie,  where  a  fast  PowerPC  RISC processor is
combined  with a 68k processor, in case of the BLIZZARD 603e Power Board
a  68030 CPU.  Both CPUs dynamically share the memory and system busses,
what  is  necessary  for  a  true  multiprocessor  behaviour.  While the
original  AmigaOS 3.x continues to run on the 68030 CPU - as well as all
existing applications do, what provides 100% compatibility - the PowerPC
603e  CPU is supported by a comprehensive PPC Library developed by phase
5,  which  provides  all functionality to integrate the PowerPC into the
Amiga  multitasking environment.  Software developers can easily optimze
their  programs  step  by  step by porting single tasks to PowerPC code,
which  then  can  run  parallel  with  68k  tasks.  Many important Amiga
software  vendors  are  preparing  ported or optimized versions of their
software  packages  already,  so it is expected that a large quantity of
software products supporting the PowerPC will be available soon.

  The  BLIZZARD  603e  Power  Board  will  be  availabe  with  the  fast
PowerPC603e  processor at a clock speed of 175 MHz; a socket is provided
for  the 68030 companion processor in a PGA housing.  It provides a fast
memory expansion option which uses standard PS/2 type SIMMs.  The memory
is dynamically shared by the two CPUs on the BLIZZARD 603e Power Board .
As  an  option,  as  very  inexpensive  Fast  SCSI-II controller will be
available  for  the  BLIZZARD  603e Power Board, which combines transfer
rates  of  up  to  10 MB/s with the flexibility and expandability of the
SCSI standard.

  With  it's  175  MHz  603e  processor  the  BLIZZARD  603e Power Board
provides - only on the PPC side - a raw performance of approximately 170
MIPS  or approximately 3.5 SPECint95 and 2.8 SPECfp95 (estimations based
on  Motorola/IBM manufacturer specifications) - a blistering performance
that  can  compete  with most of the fastest PC systems available today.
with  this  performance  the  BLIZZARD 603e Power Board is ready for the
most  demanding  applications  such  as  3D  rendering and high-speed 3D
gameplaying, image manipulation, animation, video applications, and many
other demanding applications that depend on fast CPU performance.

  The  BLIZZARD  603e Power Board will be delivered with a comprehensive
software  package,  which  includes the PPC library as well as tools for
creative  users,  among  them a Public Domain GNU C compiler for PowerPC
(including  sourcecode)  and  many  demo  programs  and  utilities  with
sourcecode;  in  addition  to  this  software  free developer support is
available  via the phase 5 FTP site.  Last not least a PowerPC-optimized
version  of  CyberGraphX  V3  with  RISC-optimized  CyberGL/3D  and MPEG
functions  and  libraries  is  included  (with  a  special GGX driver to
support the AGA chipset) - of course with comprehensive documentation.

  The  BLIZZARD 603e Power Board will be selling for a price that can be
called sensational, offering a superior price/performance relation.  The
suggested retail prices are as follows:

          BLIZZARD 603e Power Board w/ 175 MHz 603e processor

     DM  795,-  / GBP 299.00 incl.  VAT / USD 429.00 excl.  VAT / 

                           KAN$ 599 excl.VAT

Note:   All  prices  are  recommended retail prices.  English and german
price include local VAT, the recommended US price does not include local
taxes.   The  prices  are  without  the  68030 CPU which is necessary to
operate  the  BLIZZARD 603e Power Board.  68030 processors from existing
processor boards can be used on the BLIZZARD 603e Power Board by pluging
these  into  the provided socket.  If you don't own a 68030 CPU already,
ask you local dealer for an attractive bundle offer.

  Registered  owners of a Blizzard 68030 board will - within the PowerUp
upgrade  program  -  receive  special, attractive upgrade offers by mail
during  March 97.  The handling of these upgrades will be done via local
appointed representatives.

  The  delivery  of  the BLIZZARD 603e Power Board is scheduled for late
May 1997.  Availability for the A1200 desktop system is depending on the
finalization of the CE approvals until that date.


end
