Meet AmiCube and PiStorm68K at WoRC Expo 2026

9 September 2026 / MINIMIG JOURNAL

We brought AmiCube v1.1 and PiStorm68K to the World of Retro Computing Expo 2026 in Waterloo on September 12–13. Here are photographs from the Minimig.ca workshop and around the show: FPGA Amiga hardware, real floppy disks, running systems and the people who came to explore them.

WoRC Expo 2026 · Minimig.ca Platinum sponsor

September 12–13 · Free admission

10 am–6 pm both days · All ages
IDEAs Clinic, Room 1427 · Pearl Sullivan Engineering / Engineering 7
University of Waterloo · 263 Phillip Street, Waterloo, Ontario

Official event details

Photo update · September 15, 2026

From the Minimig table at WoRC 2026.

Boards on the table, computers running and visitors taking a closer look. These photographs capture the 2026 weekend at the University of Waterloo. Click any photograph to open the enlarged view.

AmiCube and Minimig hardware with a floppy drive and Workbench display at WoRC Expo 2026 — **WoRC 2026 · At the Minimig table**Exposed boards, a real floppy drive and a Workbench display brought the hardware into view.

A group of visitors talking beside a computer demonstration at WoRC Expo 2026 — **WoRC 2026 · Hardware and conversation**Visitors gathered around the demonstration systems for a closer look.

Amiga computers and visitors along the demonstration table at WoRC Expo 2026 — **WoRC 2026 · Classic Amigas, hands on**Amiga computers and monitors lined the table, with visitors trying the machines for themselves.

Visitors gathered beside running computers and exposed Minimig hardware at WoRC Expo 2026 — **WoRC 2026 · Demos along the table**Running systems, keyboards and exposed boards shared the table with the people exploring them.

Two boards. More ways to explore the Amiga.

AmiCube v1.1

AGA graphics, an 18-bit RGB DAC and 128 MiB of physical SDRAM build on the original Minimig idea. Choose the soft 020 with RTG, or a separate HARD core for a real 68000 or supported accelerator in the CPU socket.

Redesigned ARM F12 menu, including empty 880 KiB ADF creation directly on SD.
Real floppy drives, original-media reading and transfers between ADF images and physical disks.
Spartan-6 FPGA, retained SRAM, new clock sources and visible status/activity LEDs.

Explore AmiCube at WoRC

PiStorm68K v1.8

PiStorm68K combines Raspberry Pi-powered acceleration with a selectable physical 68000 path. Compare configurations without repeatedly removing and refitting the processor hardware.

Electronic CPU power switching and regulated +5 V for the Raspberry Pi.
Protection and diagnostic LEDs on a six-layer ENIG PCB.
A place in the AmiCube hardware family, including the latest PiStorm-on-AmiCube RTG development.

Explore PiStorm68K at WoRC

From the hardware bench

Original disks and a modern Workbench.

Recent board tests include reading original floppy media and running Workbench through AmiCube’s native Picasso96 RTG output with PiStorm attached. These photographs show the actual development hardware.

AmiCube loading original Jurassic Park floppy media — Original-media loading on the September 1 P112 floppy-reader build.

AmiCube and PiStorm running Workbench in 800 by 600, 16-bit RTG mode — September 9: HARD H8 with PiStorm, showing 800 × 600 at 16-bit colour through AmiCube’s native display path.

Features and results depend on the core, firmware, CPU and adapter configuration. SOFT LQ42 is a board-tested working release; HARD/socket development and broader qualification continue. PiStorm68K alone does not add the AGA chipset. A500/A2000 compatibility remains experimental; a Raspberry Pi and physical CPU are not included in the board-only product.

Read my full AmiCube development diary, with photos →

The people. The machines. The conversations.

A little of the WoRC atmosphere.

These photographs and memories are from WoRC 2023, an earlier chapter in the story. Thanks again to Justus, known as Herk on Discord, for inviting me to take part. They are a look back at sharing hardware, answering questions and meeting fellow retro-computing enthusiasts.

**WoRC 2023 · Ready for the show**I brought the Minimig 1.97itx to my workshop as a Bronze sponsor. The board was designed for a MiniITX case and standard ITX power, with different CPU setups ready to explore. The September 16–17 weekend was about getting those machines in front of visitors, not just describing them online.

**WoRC 2023 · CPU choices and Quake**My 2023 report covered TF030, PiStorm and a Motorola 68SEC000 running at a selected 60 MHz. I described that Minimig setup as outperforming an Amiga 3000, and reported Quake on PiStorm at 60 fps in high resolution and true colour. Those are historical observations from that configuration—not new benchmarks or guarantees for AmiCube v1.1.

**WoRC 2023 · Our first visitors**The first visitors arrived, the questions started, and the show became much more than a collection of tables. Vintage computers, games and hardware brought collectors, hobbyists and curious newcomers together. This is the Kitchener atmosphere I captured in my original report.

**WoRC 2023 · Inside an Amiga 3500**Another highlight in my report was this rare Amiga 3500 prototype. Seeing the motherboard exposed makes the history tangible: connectors, expansion slots and the actual circuitry behind a machine many enthusiasts know only from photographs. This photograph shows the 2023 exhibit.

A wave to Bil Herd and Dave Haynie

At about 32:30 in the 2023 livestream, I had the pleasure of waving to Bil Herd and Dave Haynie. Unfortunately, the audio was too poor for the conversation I had hoped to have, so I couldn’t properly explain the setup. It is still a lovely part of the weekend to look back on, even if the technology didn’t quite cooperate.

Watch the 2023 livestream at 32:30

Read my complete WoRC 2023 report →

A community with a history

New hardware. Familiar faces.

How WoRC got here

2021The expo launched with a one-day gathering in Cambridge.
2022Steckle Heritage Farm in Kitchener hosted the next edition.
2023–24Two-day expos filled the former Goudies department store in downtown Kitchener.
2025The organizers took a year off from the expo.
2026The show returned at the University of Waterloo.

Explore the official past schedules, the 2025 announcement and the 2026 event page.

The people behind the show

Co-founder and organizer Justus Jurica helped establish WoRC as a way to keep computing history accessible, especially to younger generations. Exhibitors, volunteers and sponsors turn that idea into hands-on encounters with working machines. Read the 2022 CityNews profile.

For 2026, the University of Waterloo Computer Museum helped secure the venue; its curators are also listed among the exhibitors. I’m proud to support the show again as a Platinum sponsor. Meet this year’s exhibitors and activities.

From that table to AmiCube

At WoRC 2023 I brought Minimig 1.97itx and several CPU configurations. The 2024 programme then previewed AmiCube V1 and listed Minimig.ca as a Platinum sponsor. In 2026, I brought the v1.1 story forward: AGA, real floppy disks, the new ARM F12 experience and more ways to choose a CPU.

Another chapter: World of Commodore 2022

A separate event, the same love of retro computing. World of Commodore is organized by the Toronto PET Users Group. Its December 3–4, 2022 show in Mississauga included my Minimig project update. These five photographs belong to that event, not WoRC. See TPUG’s 2022 programme.

My 2022 Minimig development presentation

The World of Commodore programme included my project update at 3:15 pm on Sunday, December 4, 2022. Alongside the exhibits and vendor tables, presentations and workshops gave us room to discuss hardware, software development, games and emulation. The recording is another part of that earlier chapter—not a scheduled 2026 talk.

Watch my World of Commodore 2022 talk

**World of Commodore 2022 · Demos running**Minimig systems, benchmark screens and game demos filled my table. I was there to share the project’s development and talk through the hardware with other Commodore and Amiga enthusiasts. This featured photograph captures those earlier boards in action.

**World of Commodore 2022 · My table**The show combined computer displays, peripherals, software and hardware with a vendor area and presentations. Around my Minimig table, visitors could look closely at the boards and compare the running systems. It was part of TPUG’s separate Mississauga event, not a WoRC Expo.

**World of Commodore 2022 · Commodore MAX**A Commodore MAX Machine, joysticks and a CRT offered another view of Commodore history. My report celebrated the range of machines and collectibles on display, from familiar Commodore 64 and Amiga systems to less commonly seen hardware.

**World of Commodore 2022 · A room full of retro**Buying and selling was only part of it. The exhibits, workshops and conversations brought together enthusiasts, experienced engineers and people with long histories in personal computing. In my original write-up, I reflected on how much I enjoy that mix of technical knowledge and shared curiosity.

**World of Commodore 2022 · With David Pleasance**One particularly memorable part of the show was having a table beside David Pleasance, former managing director of Commodore UK. I was impressed by his knowledge of both vintage and contemporary technology, and grateful for the chance to learn from him again.David kindly gave me a book; in return, I donated a Minimig to his organization. It was a personal exchange that connected my own hardware work with the wider Amiga community.My original post also looked back at his role in promoting the Amiga in the UK and Europe, including marketing, software bundles and relationships with developers and retailers. That history—and the community that continued beyond Commodore’s 1994 bankruptcy—is part of why I enjoy bringing new projects to these shows.

Read my complete World of Commodore 2022 post →

Around WoRC Expo 2026

More than the Minimig workshop.

The 2026 programme listed more than 25 vendors and exhibitors each day, a retro LAN party, museum displays and talks spanning computer history, Atari graphics and a Tandy CoCo language-model project. These photographs take a look beyond the Minimig table, across the exhibits, presentations and hands-on displays. See the official 2026 programme.

Exhibitor tables and vintage computers inside the WoRC Expo 2026 hall — **WoRC 2026 · Inside the expo hall**A wide view of the show floor at the University of Waterloo, with vintage computers and exhibitors across the hall.

Visitors browsing retro-computing exhibitor tables at WoRC Expo 2026 — **WoRC 2026 · Exploring the exhibits**Visitors browsed the tables of computers, accessories and retro-computing finds.

Rows of vintage computer displays beneath the exposed ceiling of the WoRC Expo 2026 venue — **WoRC 2026 · A hall full of computing history**Rows of vintage systems filled the venue beneath its open industrial ceiling.

Vintage computers, software boxes and a presentation area at WoRC Expo 2026 — **WoRC 2026 · Computers, software and stories**Classic machines and software boxes filled the foreground, with a presentation underway beyond the tables.

Computer exhibits and visitors across the WoRC Expo 2026 show floor — **WoRC 2026 · Around the show floor**Another view across the displays, from keyboards and monitors to the visitors moving between them.

An audience watching a retro-computing presentation at WoRC Expo 2026 — **WoRC 2026 · Time for a presentation**An audience gathered around the large screen for a retro-computing talk.

Stacey Vetzal beside a Tandy Colour Computer and CRT display at WoRC Expo 2026 — **Stacey Vetzal’s CoCo-LLM**
Stacey Vetzal returned to WoRC with CoCo-LLM, an AI experiment running on a 1981 Tandy Colour Computer. Previous visitors may remember Stacey’s rare Amiga 3500.
Written in 6809 assembly language, the project performs both training (learning from examples) and inference (generating new output). It starts from random values and progresses from invented computer names to convincing names and 1980s-style marketing phrases.
Stacey’s Sunday presentation explored how the training data shapes those results, making the process behind AI easier to understand on an 8-bit machine.
The 8-bit audio tune I heard at the table was amazing. A CRT display and a smile captured another side of the weekend.
CoCo-LLM in the official programme · September 13, 11 am–noon

The 2026 venue

The expo took place at 263 Phillip Street / Engineering 7, in the IDEAs Clinic at the University of Waterloo. The event details above are retained as a record of the September 12–13 weekend.

More about WoRC

For questions about the expo and future events, contact the WoRC organizers. The original event information was checked September 9, 2026; this photo update was added September 15.

Download the presentations and event handouts.

Keep a copy from the show, or take a closer look at the boards and their features.

AmiCube v1.1

AmiCube presentation PDF AmiCube event handout

PiStorm68K

PiStorm68K presentation PDF PiStorm68K event handout

Thanks for visiting.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by the Minimig.ca workshop at WoRC Expo 2026. The presentations and handouts above are here to revisit, and you can get in touch to talk about the hardware or what you’d like to build next.

The 2026 venue Contact Minimig.ca

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