More Details

Ant64 treats advanced graphics, audio, and I/O as first-class hardware citizens — not software libraries.

Ant64 is a modern, hardware-first computer inspired by the design philosophy of classic systems — the Commodore Amiga, Atari 8-bit line, Jaguar, and Sega Saturn — reimagined with today's FPGA capacity, memory bandwidth, and integration techniques.

The system is designed to excel at games, creative tools, and system-level experimentation. The main custom chipset, implemented in FPGA, is called FireStorm.

Major Chips and Roles

Chip	Role
FireStorm	FPGA graphics & audio SoC
SG2000	Primary CPU SoC — OS, apps, networking
Pulse	RP2350 — real-time I/O and MIDI
DeMon	RP2350 — supervisor and recovery
Sticky	AVR — 5V I/O and joypad ports

FireStorm — FPGA Graphics & Audio SoC

FireStorm is treated as a memory-mapped device by all CPUs. It contains:

Layered 2D/2.5D graphics pipeline
Sprite, tilemap, vector, voxel, raycasting, and command-list rendering
Hardware Copper and command processors
Audio synthesis and mixing
Multiple video outputs

DDR3 RAM (FireStorm side)

Model	Capacity	Width	Peak bandwidth
Ant64	1GB	256M × 32	3.2 GB/s
Ant64C	2GB	512M × 32	3.2 GB/s

Used for: large tilemaps, isometric maps, voxels, raycasting grids, command lists, streaming assets, cartridge/SD data.

SRAM (FireStorm side)

Two independent memory buses, each with 4.5MB of fast SRAM (1M × 36 bits) — true random access with deterministic latency.

Used for: active layer data, sprite lists, Z-buffer, Copper lists, scanline compositing, text layers.

Graphics Layer System

Up to 16 independent layers, each independently typed. Per-layer controls:

Scanline start · Enable/disable
Z-buffer participation · Blend mode · Palette mode

Layer Types

Layer Type	Key Features
Tilemap	Orthogonal, isometric, or side-view · depth extrusion · hardware scrolling · Z-buffer participation
Sprite	4-bit+ colour · scaling · rotation · Z-aware (inside the world, not just on top)
Text	3-bit glyph indices · per-layer colour registers · optimised for UI and system text
Bitmap	12-bit 4-4-4 true colour · 12-bit indexed (64 palettes × 64 colours)
Command List	GPU-style command stream · ImGui compatible · Copper can inject commands
Vector	Lines, curves, polygons · optional instancing as sprites
Raycasting / Voxel	Hardware ray queries · collision distance · voxel column rendering

Layer Merging and Z-Buffering

Per-pixel Z-buffer stored in SRAM, layers merged per scanline. Each layer can obey or ignore the Z-buffer:

Sprites embedded in depth tilemaps
2.5D effects for side-scrollers (Mario-style depth)
Isometric worlds with verticality

Copper and Update Units

Copper list (tied to scanline position)
    |
    ├── Modify layer registers
    ├── Modify palettes
    └── Inject into command lists

Update Units
    |
    ├── Burst updates
    ├── Dirty-flagging
    └── Cached descriptors

Audio and Copper update units share the same optimisations.

Audio System

Multi-channel sample playback with hardware mixing
DMA from SRAM or DDR3
MIDI-driven synthesis via Pulse Sequencer

Video Outputs

Output	Resolution	Notes
Analog RGB	240p–480p	RGB 6-6-6 with H/V sync — SCART, VGA, etc.
HDMI	1080p/60	Standard HDMI TV or monitor
DisplayPort	4K/60	Ant64C only — active cable to HDMI if needed

All outputs support:

Independent layer selection per output
Line buffering and pixel repetition
DP capable of 4K-class output with reduced layer set

SG2000 — Primary CPU SoC

Runs the main OS (AntOS) and applications
Accesses FireStorm via QSPI as memory-mapped hardware
Handles filesystem, networking, and higher-level logic
512MB 16-bit wide DDR3 RAM
FreeRTOS with Luau scripting and ImGui interface

Programming Languages

Assembly · BASIC (with built-in macro assembler) · ReAction! · Forth · Python · Luau

Pulse — RP2350 Real-Time I/O and MIDI

Traditional MIDI — DIN / DOUT / DTHRU — and USB MIDI
USB mouse support
6 analog potentiometer dials
Round auxiliary TFT display
SPI slave to SG2000 and DeMon
Aggregates joypad, mouse, and control data

Sticky — AVR 5V I/O & Joypads

4 joypad ports — Atari/C64 compatible · Sega compatible · Paddle support
Electrically isolated from the FPGA
Cheap, replaceable, and robust
Talks only to Pulse Sequencer

DeMon — RP2350 Supervisor & Recovery

System supervisor and recovery controller
Keyboard interface · 4" portrait touchscreen
Internet access via ESP32-C5
NFC reader · Real-time clock · Cartridge interface

What DeMon Can Reprogram

FireStorm FPGA (QSPI + JTAG)
Pulse Sequencer
Sticky
SG2000 (bootstrap)
ESP32-C5

Cartridge & Personality System

Cartridges may contain FPGA images, OS ROMs, game images, or CPU configuration data.

Ant64 can temporarily become a different classic system — often massively enhanced.

This is the personality cartridge system: slot in a cartridge and the hardware reconfigures itself around it.