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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Oldsmobile_Mike on October 13, 2017, 09:48:33 PM

Title: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Oldsmobile_Mike on October 13, 2017, 09:48:33 PM
I love all the "I don't do Facebook" Facebook haters on this forum, I really do.  But look at this -- wtf is this?  An mATX form factor A500 motherboard?  Of course something we'd never hear about if we relied on this forum being our only source of news.  :(
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Iggy on October 13, 2017, 10:04:04 PM
Neat, who designed that?
It looks like it has some Zorro slots, so its somewhere between an A500 and an A2000.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: giZmo350 on October 13, 2017, 10:10:29 PM
Amiga babe with a whip? Hmmm, just my type. :lol:

Yea, I wonder how you get one of these? Yup, 2 Zorro slots. It IS too bad that we never hear of these new products here. :( Thanks for the heads up Mike! :)
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: LoadWB on October 13, 2017, 10:29:27 PM
Personally, I love all the Facebook-is-the-Internet people who would have been AOL users in the 90s who never come to this forum.

So there.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: goldfish on October 13, 2017, 11:05:26 PM
Look forward to seeing it populated with chips and ports/sockets
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: kirk_m on October 14, 2017, 05:37:29 PM
Quote from: goldfish;831720
Look forward to seeing it populated with chips and ports/sockets


Only 22 boards are being made and were sold...and it's all closed source.  More "elite ware" that the community can't purchase.  If you thought the A1K red A500+ limitations (only having to be a member of A1K) were bad (which they weren't: how hard is it to join, using Chrome with automatic translation), this brings the closed-endedness of the Amiga scene to all new heights.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Iggy on October 14, 2017, 06:45:11 PM
Quote from: kirk_m;831744
Only 22 boards are being made and were sold...and it's all closed source.  More "elite ware" that the community can't purchase.  If you thought the A1K red A500+ limitations (only having to be a member of A1K) were bad (which they weren't: how hard is it to join, using Chrome with automatic translation), this brings the closed-endedness of the Amiga scene to all new heights.


Ah, outside of general applications for OS3.X and 4.X, we are all tight little groups that function like little clubs.

22 boards is a bit ridiculous though.

Still, if I'm investing in new legacy derived hardware, its going to be a Vampire 4. An MATX board to mount it on would be nice, but I'll probably eventually gravitate to a stand alone system, and for now my trusty A2000 will once again serve.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Acill on October 14, 2017, 07:56:29 PM
It was paid for and done by a group of Amiga club members in Sweden. They are all being quite closed about it. I am not sure why, but they have the right to do so even if we don't like it. Maybe one day we will get to see it released open. i don't understand why you would want to keep it closed personally.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: IanP on October 15, 2017, 08:44:30 AM
Maybe they kept it closed and limited run for the first batch so it would be easier to source parts to populate them. I don't know if it needs a specific revision of Agnus or Denise but it does need the QFN style CIAs, and does it need a Buster chip? The A1k 500 Reds will have probably reduced available parts as converter boards where made to make QFN CIAs in DIP modules (Paula and Denise too IIRC). Also it's always a good idea to keep a first production batch small in case there are unexpected problems.

There was a URL for a website that will be dedicated to the project posted on FB but it's wasn't up yet.

Designing an new A500 motherboard isn't that hard, the schematics have always been available. This one has some nice mods included like Zorro connectors and PS2 mouse and keyboard connectors all fairly straight forward. The RGB connector has been changed to a 15 pin which is a sensible decision.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Chucky on October 15, 2017, 08:46:31 AM
I am the owner of that mATX motherboard.

yes. only 25ish was made..  as it was like what I understand more like a ReleaseCandidate..

I am not involved in the makings of this. but talked to one doing it and they will clean documentation etc up before opening their web-page telling more.

I hope it would be opensource..  but there I have no clue.

my A3640 project is open anyway..  the amiga needs more open stuff.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Rob on October 15, 2017, 02:03:43 PM
If they produce more and the price is right I'd be in for one.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Iggy on October 15, 2017, 02:54:32 PM
A cpu slot would be a nice addition, but then the A500 and A2000 only have a few cpu boards available.
The 3640 boards mentioned that would work with the A3000 and A4000 aren't an option, but its nice to see them being made.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: polyp2000 on October 15, 2017, 03:45:34 PM
It'd be interesting to know if a vamp could be attached to the 68k on this board without getting in the way of anything. Could make for some good options as far as case options go.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Chucky on October 15, 2017, 07:24:09 PM
The vamp should fit fine on this machine yes..  might try mine (if I bother to dig it up someday..  doesn't use it as I doesn't like it)
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: smf on October 16, 2017, 07:01:26 AM
More information about this board here: http://www.amy-itx.com/

I'm one of the 25 early bird customers and i know that the vampire board has been tested with the amy.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: kolla on October 16, 2017, 12:37:00 PM
Quote from: Chucky;831772
The vamp should fit fine on this machine yes..  might try mine (if I bother to dig it up someday..  doesn't use it as I doesn't like it)


We should come up with an alternative core for V2, my suggestion for a name would be "Diana core" :)
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Iggy on October 16, 2017, 03:49:01 PM
Quote from: kolla;831797
We should come up with an alternative core for V2, my suggestion for a name would be "Diana core" :)

If you want a female name, I suggest the 'Akasha' core.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: kolla on October 16, 2017, 03:53:22 PM
Quote from: Iggy;831808
If you want a female name, I suggest the 'Akasha' core.


No, that was not the point here :)
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: David Wright on October 16, 2017, 04:00:02 PM
Quote from: Chucky;831772
The vamp should fit fine on this machine yes..  might try mine (if I bother to dig it up someday..  doesn't use it as I doesn't like it)

Interested as to why your view on Vampire.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Iggy on October 16, 2017, 04:42:53 PM
Quote from: kolla;831809
No, that was not the point here :)


So what was the point?
If not a different name, a different core?
I'm not sure I get the point.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: kreciu on October 16, 2017, 05:01:25 PM
Producing (or announcing only) small batches of any Amiga hardware it is quite normal. What is worst is constant announcement of many projects and later they never see a day light.

Why to announce something at super early dev. stages? Publicity? If someone have resources to produce something and is convinced there is (or will be!) demand for it, why simply not to make it and deliver to distributors and sell it?

But at the same time it is happening in Amiga environment for like 20 years and I'm still Amiga user :D. Maybe I need medical help.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Chucky on October 16, 2017, 05:04:30 PM
Quote from: David Wright;831812
Interested as to why your view on Vampire.


I think it is a incompatible device.  Hardware is awesome, implementation I do NOT approve with..

but lets not go there now.. will post a blogpost someday with deep explanation why etc.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Oldsmobile_Mike on October 16, 2017, 05:18:06 PM
Quote from: kreciu;831819
Producing (or announcing only) small batches of any Amiga hardware it is quite normal. What is worst is constant announcement of many projects and later they never see a day light.

The irony would be if some of these products were in fact produced, but that the batch was so small - or the users so exclusive (as was mentioned in a separate thread, about all the collectors who don't have a presence in online forums) - wouldn't it be funny if there is a secret group of users of the Shark PPC, for example?  :laughing:
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Acill on October 16, 2017, 05:51:44 PM
For those wanting to see what an assembled one looks like. This is one with a TF530 on it.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: kreciu on October 16, 2017, 07:21:17 PM
Quote from: Oldsmobile_Mike;831822
... if there is a secret group of users of the Shark PPC, for example?  :laughing:


I think we are in "next stage" of being Amiga users... the Chosen One.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Methuselas on October 16, 2017, 09:03:55 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_YozYt8l-g
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: pyrre on October 17, 2017, 03:42:27 AM
Quote from: Oldsmobile_Mike;831714
I love all the "I don't do Facebook" Facebook haters on this forum, I really do.  But look at this -- wtf is this?  An mATX form factor A500 motherboard?  Of course something we'd never hear about if we relied on this forum being our only source of news.  :(
If that became available, id buy one in a heatbeat...
Even a bare board.... (with schematics, of course)
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: giZmo350 on October 17, 2017, 04:12:13 AM
Quote from: Oldsmobile_Mike;831714
I love all the "I don't do Facebook" Facebook haters on this forum, I really do.

:lol: Hahaha, where'd that come from? :lol:

Quote from: pyrre;831839
If that became available, id buy one in a heatbeat...
Even a bare board.... (with schematics, of course)

Yeah, I like those Zorro slots!

BTW, You list an Amiga 500+ with a Buddha in a sidecar in your sig. How the 3ell is that done? You have a Zorro expander? What kind of sidecar? Door number 3 Monty!
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Methuselas on October 17, 2017, 01:59:29 PM
Quote from: gizmo350;831840

BTW, You list an Amiga 500+ with a Buddha in a sidecar in your sig. How the 3ell is that done? You have a Zorro expander? What kind of sidecar? Door number 3 Monty!


Could be the IVS Trumpcard. It turned the 500 expansion into a ZorroII slot. I had one on my old 500, with a DataFryer SCSI controller card in it. It was a great piece of kit.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: pyrre on October 17, 2017, 08:41:24 PM
Quote from: gizmo350;831840
:lol: Hahaha, where'd that come from? :lol:



Yeah, I like those Zorro slots!

BTW, You list an Amiga 500+ with a Buddha in a sidecar in your sig. How the 3ell is that done? You have a Zorro expander? What kind of sidecar? Door number 3 Monty!
The Trumpcard provides the A500 with two zorro slots. none dma...
Works very vell
The original trumpcard SCSi controller is just a zorro card made originally for the A2000 machines. but adopted for the A500 as well.
My Trumpcard side car is equiped with no less than two zorro slots.

Linky linky (http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.com/bboah/product.aspx?id=1214)
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: B00tDisk on October 17, 2017, 09:18:48 PM
On the one hand, this thing is so cool I can't even.  I have lost my ability to even.  This is exactly what I'd want if I was getting back into Amiga hardware, not just for the baseline model but for the expandability and the ability to put it into a proper mini tower or even desktop case.

On the other, I mean... <25 made?  Ha, yeah, that's depressing as hell.

Well it's neat to look at pictures of, I guess.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Chucky on October 17, 2017, 10:09:34 PM
Well  you cannot produce hundreds in the beginning either..

when I did my A3640 rework.. I also did only 20 as it would be too expensive to do more if they did not work..

when I had soldered some working boards knowing quality was ok.. then I released all data.. not before..


so I guess it is aprox the same here..  when enough boards is booting (hopefully I will get my components to solder one next week..  MAYBE can bring to Amiga32!)   they will do more..

you know.  make sure it works, tidy up documentation and THEN release.. (open or not)
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: B00tDisk on October 17, 2017, 10:21:08 PM
Quote from: Chucky;831863
Well  you cannot produce hundreds in the beginning either..

when I did my A3640 rework.. I also did only 20 as it would be too expensive to do more if they did not work..

when I had soldered some working boards knowing quality was ok.. then I released all data.. not before..


so I guess it is aprox the same here..  when enough boards is booting (hopefully I will get my components to solder one next week..  MAYBE can bring to Amiga32!)   they will do more..

you know.  make sure it works, tidy up documentation and THEN release.. (open or not)


Ahh, that's comforting to know.  I could give less of a hoot about making it "open" than "a board I could buy and hobby my own Amiga together with".
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: amiadudeorwat on October 18, 2017, 12:36:03 PM
Quote from: Oldsmobile_Mike;831822
The irony would be if some of these products were in fact produced, but that the batch was so small - or the users so exclusive (as was mentioned in a separate thread, about all the collectors who don't have a presence in online forums) - wouldn't it be funny if there is a secret group of users of the Shark PPC, for example?  :laughing:

There are a group of users using the Shark PPC, over at EAB-it's no secret.
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=76633
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Iggy on October 18, 2017, 02:30:12 PM
Quote from: amiadudeorwat;831900
There are a group of users using the Shark PPC, over at EAB-it's no secret.
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=76633


Not quite, but damned close.
What we need are new cards of a similar design.
1 GHz would be easy with the G4 chips that are still available.

Legacy hardware with PPCs about as powerful (or more so if you count the standard fpu) as Tabor anyone?
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: kreciu on October 18, 2017, 05:11:51 PM
Quote from: Iggy;831902
Not quite, but damned close.
What we need are new cards of a similar design.
1 GHz would be easy with the G4 chips that are still available.

Legacy hardware with PPCs about as powerful (or more so if you count the standard fpu) as Tabor anyone?

Exactly, but we got sound card from A-EON. When I think about it for a like 2 sec. question becomes like: WHY? WHY?

People are making amazing stuff, sure, so there is talent to do things. At the same time, why nobody can develop PPC board (like a Sonnet 7200) for hundreds of Mediator/Grex Amiga users... that would actually play mp3 files quite well.

It is funny Phase 5 resurfaced(?) and I hear about Blizzard PPC II. This people were making G3 card for old Macs? I can't imagine how well my old Amiga would run with G3/500Mhz... or G4!

https://everymac.com/upgrade_cards/phase5/
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Iggy on October 18, 2017, 05:31:34 PM
Quote from: kreciu;831905
Exactly, but we got sound card from A-EON. When I think about it for a like 2 sec. question becomes like: WHY? WHY?

People are making amazing stuff, sure, so there is talent to do things. At the same time, why nobody can develop PPC board (like a Sonnet 7200) for hundreds of Mediator/Grex Amiga users... that would actually play mp3 files quite well.

It is funny Phase 5 resurfaced(?) and I hear about Blizzard PPC II. This people were making G3 card for old Macs? I can't imagine how well my old Amiga would run with G3/500Mhz... or G4!

https://everymac.com/upgrade_cards/phase5/


Uh...yeah, I wouldn't put too much faith in those Phase 5 announcements, they look a bit...pathological.
But cloning the Sonnet 7200 doesn't look impossible.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Oldsmobile_Mike on October 18, 2017, 05:48:28 PM
This guy's comment for the win. :laughing:
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Iggy on October 18, 2017, 06:30:40 PM
Quote from: Oldsmobile_Mike;831907
This guy's comment for the win. :laughing:


Sounds about right, at least in this community.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: B00tDisk on October 18, 2017, 09:35:58 PM
Quote from: Iggy;831908
Sounds about right, at least in this community.


Yup.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: khayoz on October 19, 2017, 11:43:23 PM
Quote from: Oldsmobile_Mike;831714
I love all the "I don't do Facebook" Facebook haters on this forum, I really do.  But look at this -- wtf is this?  An mATX form factor A500 motherboard?  Of course something we'd never hear about if we relied on this forum being our only source of news.  :(

It´s very real and reported in the latest issue of Amiga News, Trevor put some money into it too.

A couple of years ago I was one of the lucky ones(1/5) to buy the previous bigger prototype Amy/416D79 board, today I'm running it with a Vampire 500V2+.
Edit: Pic of Amy/416D79 Prototype http://djkhayos.com/amiga/Amy_Aorg.jpeg
Edit2: Pic with out Vampire http://djkhayos.com/amiga/Amy_Aorg2.jpeg

Looking forward to the new Amy/416D79-ITX board.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: SpaceMonkey on December 29, 2017, 02:37:34 PM
So any news on a bigger production run
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: khayoz on December 29, 2017, 09:19:15 PM
Quote from: SpaceMonkey;834471
So any news on a bigger production run


Heard about an planned update to the http://www.amy-itx.com site in the near days,
let's wait and see.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: trekiej on December 29, 2017, 11:09:53 PM
I guess these have the micro ATX hole mounting.
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: Acill on December 30, 2017, 06:17:44 AM
I've got one and am building it currently. I've posted about it here even. Currently about 25 only existing
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: digiflip on May 28, 2019, 07:39:50 PM
https://amy.ikod.se/ (https://amy.ikod.se/)
Title: Re: mATX form factor A500
Post by: LoadWB on May 28, 2019, 08:04:45 PM
And to where can I shovel my money for this??