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A propos d'Obligement
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David Brunet
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Interview with Martina Hrebcová
(Interview conducted by David Brunet - September 2025)
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You've probably already read one of Martina Hrebcová's articles, which are often comprehensive and detailed, on
the subject of Amiga hardware. Her texts are available at amigaportal.cz/,
Intuition Base and even in French on Obligement. She is an Amiga NG user,
she owns a lot of them and it's a pleasure to ask her questions about them.
 Hi Martina, can you introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi David, my name is Martina Hrebcová, I'm 57 and live in small town near Prague, Czech Republic. I graduated
from the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at Charles University. I started out in the family business.
When I got tired of it, I took a break for a few years in the army. Now, I have been working for many years
in a company where I build workstations and private clouds.
Besides tinkering with hardware, I enjoy hiking in the mountains, books, strategy games, boats, and of
course Czech cuisine and beer.
When and how
did you discover the Amiga?
I first saw the Amiga at a friend's house. I liked it so much that I brought an Amiga 500 from Austria in
1991. It cost me and my brothers all our savings. But it was worth it. My first game was North & South.
Where does your
pseudonym "Sailor" come from?
I have been competing in sailing races since I was a child. I haven't raced for a long time now, but I still
enjoy going to sea. This is probably nothing unusual for you, but our country has no sea, so some people
found it interesting.
It seems that
you own a number of Amiga computers. How has your configuration evolved over the years and what do you currently own?
As I mentioned, my first computer in 1991 was an Amiga 500. I wrote my thesis on it, did school projects in C,
surfed BBS, and of course played games. It was an amazing time. We first expanded the configuration with 20 MB hard drive
and then even 80 MB, imagine! Final upgrade was a GVP A530. Later, I bought an A1200 + BlizzardPPC in an Infinitiv
Tower. That was already the age of the internet, but the main reason I bought it was for the AGA game Lord Of The Realms.
The last of the classic machines I got was a retired A4000T with CyberStormPPC from work.
When the classic Amigas were no longer enough, I bought a Pegasos II with MorphOS in 2003. In my opinion,
the Pegasos II was historically the best NG Amiga, with its performance and price at the level of the time.
For many years, it was my main home computer. I still have it today, nicely improved and overclocked to 1.33 GHz,
and it is still my favorite MorphOS computer. Sometime around the time when most email providers switched to
IMAP and Jacek "Jacadcaps" Piszczek had not yet created his excellent Iris, I replaced the Pegasos with a PC
as my main home computer.
In 2013, I treated myself to an AmigaOne X1000. So, after a ten-year break, I got back to AmigaOS. By the way,
the AmigaOne X1000 is also a great machine, my main one for AmigaOS.
And about five years ago, when I was bored, I thought of getting some old NG Amigas and trying them out.
So I gradually got an Efika 5200B, Pegasos 1, AmigaOne XE, Micro-A1, both Sam440s, and from the Mac family,
the latest versions of PowerBook G4, iMac G5, PowerMac G4 MDD, and PowerMac G5 Quad.
I gradually put them together (some were originally non-functional) and improved them a little where I could.
The latest additions from 2023 were the new Sam460LE and A1222Plus. And finally, as a treat, I got myself a
refurbished A1200 and A4000. Incidentally, it was again because of a game - Aquabyss. I was very interested
in it, and since it wouldn't run on PowerPC in E-UAE, I decided it deserved to be run natively.
What are your
favourite activities on Amiga? Have you ever used your Amiga for professional purposes?
Today, I probably enjoy upgrading old PowerPC Amigas the most. This is also evident in my articles. Amiga
is no longer my daily driver, but I still play games from time to time, mostly on Pegasos II adventure games
with ScummVM. Every now and then, I do something more serious. But it's not much. I did beta testing for
the latest firmware for Sam440 and Sam460, compiled the latest version of the Stream benchmark for AmigaOS
and modified it for Efika 5200B, and help debug SPE applications for some colleagues. I used to test kernels
for AmigaOne X1000, but I don't have time for that anymore. I apologize to Christian "xeno74" Zigotsky for that.
Fastest Pegasos II ever: 3428 MHz! Nice, isn't it?
In real, it has only 1667 MHz and Smart Firmware show this strange value
As for professional use, as a student I collaborated with the Mathematical Institute of the Czech Academy of
Sciences on writing modules for Cabri software (tool for Graph Theory). The Cabri system was for Mac, but
I wrote the modules at home on an A500 in C and transferred the source codes. And then, at the turn of the
millennium, we had an A4000T in our company as a Samba server and internet gateway for other PCs. In addition,
we used this Amiga to create catalogs for our products in PageStream. My brother mainly used PageStream, I
only helped out occasionally.
You are well
known in the Amiga community for your detailed articles on the Amiga NG. Can you tell us, according to you,
the strong and weak points of each Amiga NG that you know?
This question could fill several pages, so I will try to keep it brief.
- AmigaOne SE and Pegasos 1 are essentially prototypes and are now only suitable for collectors.
- Efika 5200B has minimal dimensions and power consumption, but its resources are too limited for
anything except listening to internet radio. Again, suitable as a collector's item.
- AmigaOne XE is relatively powerful and still usable today. It can be easily overclocked without
hardware intervention, so anyone who reads the manual can do it. The main disadvantage is the inability
to use modern PCIe cards and therefore Warp3DNova and UVD.
- Micro A1-C is sufficient in terms of performance, on par with the AmigaOne XE. The PowerPC G3
processor is slightly faster than the PowerPC G4 at the same frequency thanks to its larger cache. Again,
it can be easily overclocked. But the big disadvantage is the built-in graphics card with only 32 MB of VRAM,
which is not enough for today's common resolutions, and PCIe graphics cards cannot be used either. It is
also necessary to install ECC REG memory, without which Micro-A1 is unstable.
- Pegasos II is significantly more powerful than AmigaOne XE or Micro-A1 and can run both AmigaOS
and MorphOS. Pegasos II is the best first-generation NG Amiga. The disadvantage is again the inability to
use PCIe cards.
- Another group consists of PowerMacs (which, by the way, was a great idea from MorphOS devs).
PowerBook, there's nothing to discuss here - it's the only laptop we have available. So if you need a
portable computer for MorphOS, this is it. Plus, with frequencies up to 1.67 GHz, it's fast. The disadvantage,
as with all laptops, is the inability to add expansion cards.
- Mac Mini G4 is beautiful, small, and outperforms the non-overclocked Pegasos II.
The disadvantage is that it is not expandable and most models only have 32 MB of VRAM.
- PowerMacs G4 above 1.25 GHz and PowerMacs G5 are very powerful. PowerMac G5 currently
holds our performance record. The disadvantage is that, except for the PowerMac G5 Dual/Quad core, they
cannot use modern PCIe cards, and also that Open Firmware usually requires only Mac-compatible cards. So
you usually have to flash the common ones. These computers are also not quiet, and PowerMacs G5 have high
power consump tion.
- Computers Sam440ep, Sam440ep-flex, and Sam460ex/cr/LE from ACube Systems
are quite similar in terms of their features. They are very well tuned, and you won't have any problems
with the components. In addition, the Sam460ex was the first NG Amiga with a PCIe slot and can run both
of our systems - AmigaOS and MorphOS. But their biggest advantage is their manufacturer: ACube Systems
is still developing firmware, so even on the Sam440ep from 2007, you can happily boot directly from NVME
or SATA2 or plug the most powerful PCIe graphics card. With Sam440ep-flex, you can even play modern games
like Tower57 or Spencer. Other older Amiga NGs can only dream of that. And the advantage of the Sam460LE
is that it is new. The disadvantage is a weaker CPU. It runs at lower frequencies than the others, the
440ep CPU version does not have L2 cache, and the 460ex does not always have L2 hardware coherent.
- AmigaOne X1000 outperforms everything except the AmigaOne X5000 and PowerMac G5. It is highly
expandable. Its main disadvantage is that no one maintains the firmware, so in order to use (our) state-of-the-art
Polaris cards, a small hack is necessary, which unfortunately prevents video output from the firmware during bootup.
- AmigaOne X5000 can run both AmigaOS and MorphOS and is currently (along with the PowerMac G5) the
fastest NG Amiga. I can't tell you much about its disadvantages because I have no experience with it. Perhaps
the only thing I can say, looking at the block diagram, is that it's a shame that not all of the processor's
PCIe lines are connected.
- A1222 Plus is new (which is a real advantage over twenty-year-old computers) and surprisingly powerful.
The processor is faster than the PowerPC G3 and G4 at the same frequency and includes a vector unit, albeit
weaker than AltiVec. The disadvantage is obvious - the floating-point unit is incompatible with the standard
PowerPC, and if the program is not compiled directly for SPE, a software emulator is used, so you can't play
most demanding 3D FPS games yet.
Finally, all multi-core/multi-processor computers have one big advantage - the chance for a significant
increase in performance in the future through the use of multiprocessing.
A nice Amiga workspace
Can you also
share with us some anecdotes, tips or interesting finds that you've discovered while writing your articles about
Amiga NG?
When I applied for my current job, I listed my knowledge of AmigaOS and MorphOS on my resume, more or
less as a joke. When I was hired, I found out that this was one of the reasons. They were impressed
that someone was interested in niche operating systems. So AmigaOS and MorphOS are even more important
than they seem at first glance; they can help you in your career.
What is your
opinion of the future Mirari?
Mirari looks amazing at first glance! It's a very promising project. Thank you David "Skateman" Caleman,
Harald "Geennaam" Kanning, and Trevor Dickinson for your efforts for the Amiga world.
Great choice of CPU, I'd say they picked the best available today. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed
for them and I'll definitely be one of the customers. If they're available, I'll get both processor versions.
What would be
the configuration of your dream Amiga?
Oh, my dream Amiga is once again my main home computer. In addition to email and the internet, it can also
run LibreOffice and play modern codecs. It can run a Samba server, advanced networking, and SSHD. And of
course, it's powerful enough for me to run VMs and modern strategy games with Wine. When I look at the
entire AmigaNG range, my dream computer should be designed with the same care as ACube Systems
machines and supported in the same way. Its performance should be at least four times that of the PowerMac G5,
and it should have enough PCIe lanes for future expansion - like PowerMac G5 or AmigaOne X1000 has. I'm not
being modest, am I? But I like to dream.
What advice
(particularly in terms of hardware) would you give to a user who wanted to start using MorphOS or AmigaOS 4?
That depends on the user's priorities. If they want AmigaOS, I would definitely recommend machines compatible
with Warp3DNova and UVD. AmigaOne X5000 is ideal today - it's new and very powerful, but quite expensive.
A1222+ is new, reasonably powerful, and cheaper. However, I would recommend it more to people who already have
some experience with AmigaOS. There are a few things that need to be fine-tuned and configured, and some
games will not work unless they are native SPE versions. I'm afraid this might discourage new users a little.
Sam460LE is also new, but I think it's already sold out. However, if you can get your hands on one, it's a
nice, stable machine, but it's not powerful enough for demanding games like Dhewm3, and the web browsing speed
isn't ideal.
The situation is much better with MorphOS, given the large number of second-hand PowerMacs available. For
new users who want to try MorphOS without a large investment, I would recommend a Mac Mini G4, PowerBook G4,
or iMac G5. They are inexpensive, sufficiently powerful, and you don't have to worry about hardware compatibility.
For those aiming for maximum performance, the PowerMac G5 DC/QC is the best choice, but you will need to find a
compatible graphics card, which is not always easy. If you don't want a machine that is over twenty years old,
definitely choose the AmigaOne X5000 or Sam460LE.
Personally, I hope that the availability of Mirari motherboards will simplify the choice in the near future.
What are your
expectations and suggestions for the next versions of MorphOS and AmigaOS 4? Are you a supporter of the change
of processor architecture?
From my point of view, it would be most beneficial to take full advantage of the capabilities of current
hardware - especially multiprocessing. And also to take full advantage of memory above 2 GB.
It will be great when Mark "Bigfoot" Olsen finishes the TinyGL 3D drivers for TeraScale 2 for MorphOS.
And even better would be support for cards with an H.265 decoder, at least Polaris. But I know this is not easy;
even PowerPC Linux with much greater user base does not have drivers for Polaris. Here we must thank
Hans de Ruiter for creating them for AmigaOS.
A nice-to-have for users of older machines would be to add "little things" in support for old hardware:
In AmigaOS, for example, missing 3D drivers for R300 chips and support for built-in 1GB NIC on AmigaOne X1000
and Pegasos II. In MorphOS, full support for DVD via USB and support for two IDE devices on Efika 5200B.
Architecture change will probably be necessary sooner or later, as there will likely not be many new and more
powerful processors with Power ISA 2.x in the future. Personally, I am not in favor of switching to x86_64/AMD_64
architecture. The reason is simple: I don't think AmigaOS or MorphOS will bring anything new to today's
AMD_64 users. Our systems lack many features that users expect today, such as advanced networking, CUDA computing,
virtualization, and modern games. Personally, I am not tempted to get MorphOS on Threadripper. For myself,
I would see it as best to focus on architectures such as ARM, RISC-V, or Power ISA 3.x (if a cheaper CPU option
becomes available). There is still room for AmigaOS or MorphOS here, as they are lightweight and user-friendly.
In addition, there are a significant number of enthusiasts around these architectures.
Of course, it would be ideal if NXP continued to develop its P and T processors, increased the performance per
core, and added PCI-e lanes. I would also be happy if there was a widely available Power ISA 3.x processor
at a reasonable price. But none of that is up to us.
What is the
Amiga situation in your country, the Czech Republic?
You're testing me. I'm a reminiscer by age, but I tend not to remember notable personalities. You've put
me in a precarious situation, because I'm sure I'll get a kick out of everyone I should have mentioned.
I know that there was a very strong demo scene in the Czech Republic in the 1990s. But I was never very
interested in demos, so I only remember Horizontal Lamerz and Pici groups. Today, as far as I
know, the ArtWay group is active. Today, most things related to Amiga take place on the amigaportal.cz portal.
There is a great group of people there who are always willing to advise newcomers. Most of them are fans
of the classic Amiga, and we with NG are in the minority, but that doesn't matter at all.
Among today's developers, I would especially mention Daniel Jedlicka. You probably know him by his nickname,
"Trixie". He is an expert in working with sound, and in his youth he also created demos on Amiga, so he is
the right person to ask about the scene in the nineties. And today he has created the excellent audio editor
Rave for us.
What is your
opinion about the relaunch of AmigaOS 68k development with versions 3.2 and later?
From my point of view, it was a great idea. I remember when I needed to reinstall Amiga at the end of the
1990s, it meant tedious manual work installing everything that was missing from the basic system. Today,
version 3.2 includes everything and has many other modern features. I have AmigaOS 3.2 on both of my
original Amigas.
In your opinion,
will the recent takeover of Commodore have an influence on the Amiga?
I don't dare to judge this. But considering that the Amiga is apparently doomed from the beginning to
repeated disputes and collapses and then rebirth, I don't think much will change. But if it doesn't get worse,
it can only get better.
Not much has
been said about AROS. What is your opinion of this operating system? Do you also use it?
I have to say that I don't know AROS at all. This is also due to what I wrote about processor architecture
change. AmigaOS on x86_64 simply has nothing to offer me personally. It may be a great system, but for
users other than me.
What do your
friends and family think when they see that you're still using Amiga computers in 2025?
My friends find it interesting, after all, some of them used to come to our house to play Amiga games
thirty years ago. The family has no problem with it. They don't use Amiga anymore, but my spouse once
had three times more points than me in Galaga and the first game my children played was Hugo. I'm just
not allowed to take up any more space in the house with computers.
What will
be the subjects of your next articles?
I am currently upgrading my second Pegasos II, replacing the processor with a faster one and overclocking it.
And I have everything ready to do the same for my PowerMac G4 MDD. So the next article will probably be
about one of them.
Apart from
writing articles, do you have any other projects for the Amiga?
I'm afraid not in the near future. I want to devote some time to the SPE vector unit on the A1222+, but I
can't even keep up with the work in the garden.
Is there a
question I haven't asked you that you'd like to answer?
I'm sure you asked a lot more questions than I expected.
Any final
message for the Amiga community?
The world is better with Amiga. That's just how it is.
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