PHENIX

Motorola MC68040-66 or MC68060-120 CPU

33 Mhz, 32 bits (data and address) PCI bus

Interlaced 64 bits RAM (ext. up to 128 Mb, with 32 bits SIMM) 
64 Kb Flash EPROM, integrating the new OS (Dolmen) kernel, 
allowing fast software updates

Backward compatibility with the TOS's AES

Motorola 56302 (code compatible with 56001), 66 Mhz (-> 66 MIPS) 
with 6 DMA 32 bits channels

26 pins DSP interface (Falcon compatible) for Audio-numeric 
interfaces 
Internal slot for a second 56302 DSP

IOP 683xx, controlling 4 serial ports, 1 parallel port, and 
integrating 2 independent DMA 32 bits channels (max transfer rate 
: 44 Mb/s)

Fast SCSI 2 Wide (16 bits) controller, 32 bits DMA (max transfer 
rate : 20 Mb/s)

Hi-fi speech synthetizer

3 32 bits PCI slots

PCI Video board. 2 types, fit with 2 Mb Video RAM :
 Matrox Mystique (1280 x 1024, 16M colours) -> large public Matrox 
Millennium (1600 x 1200, 16M colours) -> professionals 
2 slots for Audio/MIDI boards. 2 types :
 16 bits, 2 in / 4 out with Surround CODEC (Falcon compatible) -> 
large public
 24 bits, 8 in / 8 out + S/PDIF -> professionals

2 040/060 Direct Processor slots, for future extensions (PC 
emulation board, RAM board, diagnostic board...)

Standard PC 105 keys keyboard

Standard 3 buttons PC mouse (9600 bps)

Tower / Desktop case

 Nice, isn't it ? This machine is like a Falcon, but without all 
the
bottlenecks which were slowing down everything in it. Even the 
faster chip of the Falcon (DSP) is literally a snail, compared 
with the Phenix's one...

Falcon 030 Phenix Notes

16 bits bus 32 bits bus 2 times wider.

16 Mhz bus 33 Mhz bus 2 times faster.

16 Mhz 030 66 Mhz 040 At least 4 times faster 
32 Mhz 56001 66 Mhz 56302 At least 4 times faster 2 cycle > 1 
inst. 1 cycle > 1 inst.

Non-DMA DSP DMA DSP The CPU is not forced anymore to feed up the 
DSP through the Host port, as it can access the RAM alone, to load 
its data and code...

Video access DMA video access The RAM is more available for made 
on the made by the gfx useful tasks...
ST-RAM board.

No 3D-dedicated Matrox Mystique Mapping, gouraud shading, hardware 
Matrox Millennium z-buffering3D in 640 x 480 x 65K colours at 30 
fps rate... 
 Shortly : the faster CPU won't have t worry about feeding the 
faster 56001 compatible DSP, which will use its brand new DMA 
capabilities to transfer data and code from/toward the faster 
RAM... The DMA channels of the 56302 are making it really usable 
for 'serious applications', like raytracing, as the 56001 RAM was 
too slow to contain this kind of application's large routines. The 
683xx controller can also be used as a super 32 bits DMA 
Blitter... 
 Now, the Operating System : Dolmen !

 Currently under development, it is a new multitasking OS, which 
will be stored on the computer's hard-disk. The great advantage of 
this : it can (and will !) be updated easily and on a regular 
basis. You won't have to load hundreds of patches at the boot to 
fix bugs of the in-ROM OS... The reason why Centek's developers 
wanted to develop another OS from scratch is that they wanted it 
to be perfectly designed for the machine, not simply adapted, like 
the modified TOS on the Hades, or MagiC!, which is really 
unstable...

Some details :
 - full assembly coded ! -> faster than light !
 - 'pre-emptive' multi-task
 - general memory protection with efficient error 'repairing'... - 
Centek Control Panel, with unlimited easy-to-create forms (size 
and number)
 - AES compatibility
 - Ultra-ergonomic desktop, with integrated features for fast file 
copy, hypertext editor (for applications in-line documentation), 
visual control of system parameters...
 - A lot of memory available for applications (Centek hope the 
system kernel to fit into a 64Kb EPROM)
 - External drivers based system (for graphic boards, and so 
on...) - a 'Resume' feature, allowing the user to save the 
context. On next boot, he will be back in this context within 
seconds... I'm not sure, but this option will perhaps be usable 
for games and demos, so that it automatically saves the context 
before loading, and it can then do everything it wants with all 
the memory free, though being able to come back to the desktop 
properly... :)
 - A lot of other features...

 Moreover, the developers are very open minded to suggestions 
about what shall be Dolmen so, if you have ideas you'd like to 
communicate, they'll be happy to take note of it, and to implement 
it, if they find it interesting. I often speak with them, and they 
really seem to be competent...

 This is for the future...
 Now about the present, Centek has already designed some products 
for
Atari computers :

 - CENTurbo I (Evolution II) :
 25 Mhz CPU and bus (faster than a 40 Mhz CPU + 20 Mhz bus) 50 Mhz 
DSP, FPU and Videl
 Hardware switch
 Simple installation (13 cables to solder)
 Resolution extension software :
CentScreen allows resolutions as 896 x 672 x 16, 66 Hz, or 1024 x 
768 x 16, 99 Hz (interlaced). It also includes a virtual screen, a 
Energy-Star compatible screen saver, and a mouse accelerator, all 
of this functioning under Cubase Audio :)
CentVidel allows the user to create his own custom resolutions 
set. Price : 890 french Francs (~90 UK pounds)
 600 french Francs (~60 UK pounds) for developers 
 - CENTurbo II (not finished) : Same as the CENTurbo I plus... 
 32 bits 75 Mhz 030 CPU
 32 bits 75 Mhz FPU
 A SIMM slot allows TT-RAM, accessed 80% faster than on a TT The 
bus slot is reported for your extension boards, and enhanced to 32 
bits (data, address and signal, documentation available for 
developers !)
Able to drive 2 ISA slots, you can now connect ISA boards (NE2000 
Ethernet and ET4000graphic boards) to your Falcon (software 
drivers included).
Flash EPROM slot for the kernel pf the new Dolmen Operating 
System. On boot, you'll be able to choose between TOS or Dolmen
 Price : 2290 Ff (~230 UK pounds)
 +4 Mb : + 200 Ff (~20 UKp)
 + 16 Mb : + 800 Ff (~80 UKp)
 ISA adaptator : + 390 Ff (~40 UKp)
 ET4000 board : + 400 Ff (~40 UKp)
 NE2000 board : + 400 Ff (~40 UKp)
 Special prices for developers !

 As you can see, Centek is a very active company !

 Knowing them, I know they really want to break with the Atari 
misbehaviour : they really want to support developers in their 
projects, sending them every documentation about the machine, and 
so on... Centek likes developers, and they want them to like 
Centek ! 
 As Centek is looking for motivated people, to distribute their 
products in foreign countries, to make current software compatible 
with the Phenix, and of course to design new software using all 
the technical capacities of the machine, we'd like you to give us 
feedback about what you think of the Phenix Project. If you're 
interested in distributing the machine in your country, tell us ! 
If you're a developer with a solid project you'd like to run on 
the Phenix, tell us ! If you have interesting addresses for the 
project, tell us ! If you have questions, ask us !!

 Centek LOSSOUARN Yann
 28, rue des Sorbiers Kernanvez
 60290 LAIGNEVILLE 29270 PLOUNEVEZEL FRANCE FRANCE 
 Tel / Fax : 03 44 71 55 04 Tel : 02 98 93 11 71 
 If you want to use email to answer, just use the following : 
 yann.lossouarn@uhb.fr

 Don't be surprised if you don't receive an answer immediatly, as 
I don't check my mail every week...

 If using email : perhaps there will be a Centek / Phenix mailing 
list, in a near future. If you're interested in being 
automatically informed when (if) creating the list, please tell 
us, as this will sure be the easiest and fastest way to get 
information about the project...


 Now, I've got to leave you, hoping you'll be interested in the 
Phenix Project... :)

