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48 lines
3.2 KiB
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48 lines
3.2 KiB
Plaintext
---
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title: "Running AmigaOS in 2026: MiSTer FPGA vs Amiberry on Pi"
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section: "retro"
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tags: "retro"
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description: "Two very different ways to get a fully working AmigaOS 3.2.3 desktop running today."
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layout: base.njk
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parent: "/retro/"
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---
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<h1>Running AmigaOS in 2026: MiSTer FPGA vs Amiberry on Pi</h1>
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<div class="detail-content">
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<p>AmigaOS 3.2.3 runs beautifully both on FPGA and on modern ARM boards, the question is which trade-offs you're willing to accept. Both approaches have their place, and the choice often comes down to what you're trying to do: run demos at perfect timing, or tinker with software at higher resolutions.</p>
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<h2>Two Roads to the Same Workbench</h2>
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<ul>
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<li><strong>MiSTer with the Minimig-AGA core</strong>, the most hardware-authentic option. Native resolution tops out around 800×600, with RTG (Picasso96) support pushing that up to 1080p. Timing accuracy and near-zero input latency make it the pick for demos and cycle-sensitive software.</li>
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<li><strong>Amiberry on a Raspberry Pi</strong>, the flexible option. Running headless (no X11 desktop, straight from the console/KMS framebuffer) is the single biggest performance lever, the difference between a laggy desktop and a snappy 60fps Workbench.</li>
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<li><strong>The HDF minefield</strong>, hard disk image files either carry an RDB partition table or they don't, and getting the geometry parameters (surfaces/sectors/reserved blocks) wrong produces the classic "Not a DOS disk in device DH0" error. Reformatting through HDToolBox from a fresh install is often faster than debugging geometry math.</li>
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<li><strong>Picking a monitor</strong>, a 4:3 panel at native 1280×1024 (like an older NEC MultiSync) gives the most period-accurate Workbench experience; anything widescreen needs scaling compromises.</li>
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</ul>
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<h2>When to choose MiSTer</h2>
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<p>The MiSTer shines when timing accuracy matters. Demos that rely on
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cycle-exact raster effects, games that use custom hardware tricks, and
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software that depends on precise interrupt timing all benefit from the
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FPGA's hardware-level reproduction. The Minimig-AGA core also provides
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a more authentic floppy drive experience, including the characteristic
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drive sounds and seek times that software sometimes depends on for
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loading screens and copy protection.</p>
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<h2>When to choose Amiberry on Pi</h2>
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<p>The Pi is better for productivity and development work. Higher RTG
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resolutions make Workbench usable on modern monitors. The ability to
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easily swap between AmigaOS versions and hard disk images makes it
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ideal for testing software. And the lower cost means you can dedicate
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a Pi to Amiga development without tying up expensive FPGA hardware.</p>
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<h2>The compatibility question</h2>
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<p>Most Amiga software works on both platforms, but there are edge cases.
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Some demos use raster tricks that only work on real AGA hardware or the
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MiSTer's FPGA core. Some productivity software depends on specific
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accelerator card features that neither platform emulates perfectly.
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And the perennial question of Kickstart ROM versions, 3.1 for
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compatibility, 3.2 for features, applies equally to both setups.</p>
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<p class="redacted-note">Both setups now run side by side without any real winner, MiSTer for authenticity and demos, the Pi for tinkering and RTG resolutions.</p>
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</div>
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