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Amiga News and Community Announcements => Amiga News and Community Announcements => Amiga Hardware News => Topic started by: TheDaddy on March 27, 2011, 02:43:49 PM
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Hi everyone,
http://www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
Click on X500 PLUS.
A brief description:
The X500 PLUS is my latest design. A custom computer case with inbuilt keyboard very much inspired by the classic Commodore Amiga 500, in size and dimensions.
Designed for the latest NG motherboards for Amiga OS; SAM440EP, 440Flex and 460EX by ACube, it should also be suitable for other mini-ITX and Flex ATX motherboards (Intel, Asus, Gigabyte, Zotac, Natami, fpga-arcade etc...).
I'll try and test as many motherboards as possible and a list of suitable boards will be available. At the moment the case has been tested with the SAM440EP, SAM440 Flex ATX, SAM460EX (Flex-ATX) running AmigaOS 4.1and an EPIA-M mini-ITX running Linux and Windows.
The X500 PLUS has been designed with expansion in mind allowing the user to install up to three 2.5" hard or solid state drives, DVD-RW/Blu-ray drive, but more importantly space for the user to modify/play with.
The X500 PLUS presents two expansion slots. It's ideal for mini-ITX boards. For Flex-ATX boards a bit of ingenuity to use two cards might be required but it can be done.
Graphics cards tested (card length and thickness limit applies)
ATI Radeon 9200, 9250 PCI
ATI Radeon 4650 PCI-Express
NVidia based Asus 7500LE PCI-Express
Network Card:
3COM 10/100 PCI
Tenda Gigabit PCI
SATA controller:
Digitus 2 Sata controller RAID 0/1 PCI
Sound Card:
Sound Blaster Live! PCI
Thanks!
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Hi Loriano,
Fantastic idea! You know how I fitted my Minimig into a PC Keyboard to give it that old "wedge" Amiga feel and I want to do the same with my FPGA Arcade. This could certainly be the perfect solution.
Please keep us informed on how it progresses and when you expect to have the first cases available for sale.
Also, watch out for a certain unsavoury company who will probably try and steal your design and idea...
Edit: Are you planning a choice of colours like you did with the Minimig case?
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Hi Darrin,
>>Hi Loriano,
Fantastic idea!
Thanks :-)
I have been working on this for years, on and off...
>>You know how I fitted my Minimig into a PC Keyboard to give it that old "wedge" Amiga feel and I want to do the same with my FPGA Arcade. This could certainly be the perfect solution.
Yes, the A500 shape is one of my favourite, I hope you like it...
>>Please keep us informed on how it progresses and when you expect to have the first cases available for sale.
I have got a few things to sort out...hopefully towards the end of next week.
>>Are you planning a choice of colours like you did with the Minimig case?
I am thinking silver to start with, there might be a chance of black or white but later on.
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Great. I'm a fan of black myself, but I could live with silver. :D
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Fantastic idea and, judging by your past work, the implementation should be very professional too - congratulations.
I would dearly love to see a picture though, even if its just a sketch (if there is a picture, it isn't in an obvious place). The video with the shiny outline of the edges only added to the frustration of not being able to have that now! I take it a prototype must exist since you are already testing different cards? Take a photo of it please!
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Sorry, if there is one person who would really like to show some photos is me! :)
I want it to be right or there about before I show something.
It's taken me 4-5 years to reach this point and I don't even remember how much I have spent anymore! LOL!
There have been several prototypes but I think I can finally say that, more or less, all the motherboards I have got fit (SAM440ep, 440Flex, 460EX, x86 mini-ITX) and possibly the fpga-arcade and Natami. I am trying to make everyone happy ;)
Please don't expect too much, I am just one guy and a cold garage ;)
Thank you for the support!
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One suggestion: make sure the case can be easily opened to access the mobo. For something like the FPGA Arcade, it is essential to be able to get at the SD card. If. It is A500 like in design, how about making the rear top area hinged so that it can flip open to reveal the mobo?
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This and NatAmi could be a real winner.
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One suggestion: make sure the case can be easily opened to access the mobo. For something like the FPGA Arcade, it is essential to be able to get at the SD card. If. It is A500 like in design, how about making the rear top area hinged so that it can flip open to reveal the mobo?
why not use something like this (http://cgi.ebay.com/SD-CARD-CABLE-EXTENDER-EXTENSION-SDHC-32GB-50-CM-20-/390291403266?pt=Digital_Camera_Memory_Cards&hash=item5adf2e3202#ht_2496wt_970) to extend the slot to the side of the case?
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why not use something like this (http://cgi.ebay.com/SD-CARD-CABLE-EXTENDER-EXTENSION-SDHC-32GB-50-CM-20-/390291403266?pt=Digital_Camera_Memory_Cards&hash=item5adf2e3202#ht_2496wt_970) to extend the slot to the side of the case?
Oh, that's handy!
Still, depending on how the FPGA Aracde is going to fit (and also other mobos), easy access is very nice to have. When I look at my A1200T, A2000, A3000 and A4000T I can't remember when I had the covers last screwed into place.
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Yeah, the 1200s towered were the best. Once you got them out of that ridiculous case and into a proper tower you could expand it without problems.
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There have been several prototypes but I think I can finally say that, more or less, all the motherboards I have got fit (SAM440ep, 440Flex, 460EX, x86 mini-ITX) and possibly the fpga-arcade and Natami. I am trying to make everyone happy ;)
Terrific.
Really look forward to seeing the pictures and booking one of them :cool:
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That case looks amazing. Your on to a winner with that. I also love the minimig designs.