My new Amiga 4000T - work in progress

[Amiga_CDTV]

Long time follower now joining discussion.

After long fiddling with some "basic" Amigas (currently own A1000, A500 and A1200) I finally bought myself a majestetic Amiga 4000T (by Amiga Technologies) from eBay.de.

Due to language/comms. problems I received very little information about the system before getting it. The ad on eBay basically said "working" but from the pictures I already saw some parts were missing. Anyway I decided to bid on it - expecting nothing less than a project! After several weeks of waiting, I have now received the thing!

I have just opened the parcel and noted the following:

- case is basically fine, but the front is very yellowed. Door is Ok. Stinks like previous owner have been a heavy smoker...
- the disk drive module was loose inside the case (!!) but looks fine
- the AV-module is missing
- no keyboard or mouse was included
- SCSI and IDE cables were included, but detached
- installed devices: 2x SCSI hard disks (capacities yet unknown), 2x floppy disk drive and a CD-ROM drive
- has Kickstart V3.1 (V40.70) ROMs installed
- motherboard is a Rev 4

I have plugged the power plugs in and powered the system up, but can't really say anything about it! Disk drives spin, cd-tray opens and closes, power light comes up etc. My first issues will be A) getting a video output and B) getting a suitable keyboard.

I will be doing some googling myself after work, but at the moment I am wondering about the following:

1) as far as I have read, an adapter can be made for using a CDTV keyboard with the 4000T - correct?
2) for the display I have two options; to buy a new AV module (anyone?) or buy some flicker-fixer expansion card and use it's vga output? (Thus still missing audio, but at least getting forward).
3) how do I remove the HDD's? Do I need to remove the front panel and the whole thing where the disk are? I can see that the top-most drive is a Quantum Fireball.

All ideas, suggestions and tips are warmly welcomed!

[Amiga_CDTV]

Yeah, I guess it's mostly the sun yellowing, as the floppy- and cd- drives are only yellowed under the window. But it stinks, too! I have always wanted to try Retr0bright, but haven't got anything this yellowed. Might try that, one day!

I do have the SCSI module (called it disk drive module on the opening post), that was the one loose, now installed back. I should have all the SCSI cables, too.

I have ordered an Indivision AGA Mk II (for my A1200) which I could also use on the 4kT, if I ever receive it (now ETA March 2012). But I still think I will get the AV module.

mdivancic: I will try eBay and some other places first, then PM you. The AV module wouldn't be too much pain to post to FIN, but will try to find a nearer one first. Thanks, anyway.

dougal: Only now I realised I don't have a CPU card! :furious: I see one A3640 on eBay.de, might try on that one. Or should I prefer searching something higher specsed?

[Amiga_CDTV]

Thanks, everybody

My current vision is to build an adapter so I can use my black CDTV keyboard with the A4kT. Should be easy, but some things about the 4000T are hard to verify due to very limited internet resources about the topic. I agree on the special feel of the genuine Commodore keyboards!

Firstly I will need the CPU, I'll try to get the basic A3640. I just want to get the machine up and running, then wonder about which Amiga OS to use, and then how much CPU and RAM I'll be needing. I have a feeling this will take years! :laughing:

I have already been looking at some parts from Vesalia (and sent a query about the AV module).

[Amiga_CDTV]

Thanks, mechy, for your comprehensive list!

I have now bought a A3640 card from eBay. I shall start with it, check if other parts of the system work, and then start thinking about expansions and accelerators. Will check the caps on the CPU card first thing when I get it.

[Amiga_CDTV]

My A4000T is looking so yellow that any improvement (even slight) would look great. When I get to the Retrobrightning, I will try some other yellowed plastic first, don't want to mess up with the A4000T!

Cleaning the outside of the case improved the smelling issue greatly, the machine is now bearable to have in a work room. The power supply looks like being filled with dust (and smell) so opening and cleaning it will be in my to-do list next.

The CPU-card and a temporary keyboard (A2000/3000 -one) are on their way. I am still missing the AV module. I have sent a PM to mdivancic but haven't received any reply yet.

[Amiga_CDTV]

Update: I have now a suitable keyboard, and a A3640 CPU-card (which I still don't know if it works or not, see here).

I still don't have that AV-module, should the machine boot without it? I just tried, but it won't start booting from a floppy drive. The caps lock key on keyboard lights up and down so there is at least some life.

EDIT: according to this it should boot without the AV-mod. Perhaps it's something with the SCSI? I don't have the HDDs in at the moment, so the termination might be set incorrectly? Still, I am afraid it's still the missing caps from the CPU-module... hmm. :nervous:

[Amiga_CDTV]

Quick side note, you mentioned that you ordered a Indivision AGA for your A1200 and were thinking of putting it in your A4000T.  DON'T TRY IT!!!!!  It wasn't made to fit in the A4000T and you could damage either by trying.

That said and done, there is an ongoing thread talking about your specific Accel. here

The one I ordered is actually Indivision AGA MkII and it specially mentions A4000T, would that be Ok?

The thread about the accel. is mine, didn't want to put it all into this thread.

I will start replacing the caps on the CPU card. Not a problem as such, I just don't like working with SMD parts due their miniature size... especially now as the soldering pads are damaged and I need to rewire them!

hese7: Thanks. Will check the jumpers, too.

[Amiga_CDTV]

Not much progress....

I replaced the missing caps to the A3640 card, but the 4kT is still not booting. Now I even came across a A3630 card (guaranteed working) but that doesn't work, either. With the latter in, it still won't start booting from floppy. Caps lock can be toggled on and off couple of times but then it goes off. Keyboard reset doesn't seem to work.

I am still missing that AV-module, have tried PM'ing mdivancic several times but don't seem to get any reply.

[Amiga_CDTV]

I have now got the AV-module (thanks, mdivancic).

Unfortunately, the system still won't boot. I have a basic scan-doubler connected to the RGB-output and an LCD-monitor connected thrue VGA. When I power up the A4000, the screen goes on (there is signal coming) but the screen stays blank. No color changes, no flashes, nothing. On PAL mode (jumper on the motherboard) there is a small coloured line on the bottom of the screen (this is a very cheap scan-doubler, and should be normal).

What I think it's weird, is that the screen stays blank whether I have or don't have a CPU card installed. So it seems there is no boot system test going on?

I have tried re-seating the Kickstarts (haven't removed them, don't have an IC-puller at hand). All other jumpers look correctly set (I don't have any RAM at the sockets at the moment, does it matter how the SIMM size jumper is set then?).

I am kind of running out of ideas :confused:

[Amiga_CDTV]

I was thinkin of pulling the Kickstarts with a flat-headed screwdriver, but I don't have one small enough for the job, at the moment. I will get one with me tomorrow. Also I think I'll grab my voltmeter and check the PSU voltages.

I don't have any spare oscillators.

There is one component (Y180) that has slightly hand-made looking soldering, see pic attached. Also there is a slight mark of heat on the trimmer next to it. What is the function of the trimmer (VC180)?

Btw: I was looking at the Y154 oscillator (28.375... Mhz). Is it supposed to be soldered in? Mine can be pulled off without difficulty. The Y104 doesn't come off.

[Amiga_CDTV]

I just removed the motherboard from the case. There was some strange marks on the board (about just under the other dodgy looking parts). Again I don't have too much tools to clean the board now (at work) but will try tomorrow with tools and cleaning stuff.

Hanzu: I had a look on your website. Do you have any interest to have a look on my 4kT motherboard? I am running out of ideas what to try next.

[Amiga_CDTV]

I have measured the following from the PSU (with nothing connected to it):

+12v: 11.7v
+5v : 5.2v
-12v : -10.8v
-5v : -4.4v

The keyboards caps lock works couple of times but then it stops responding.

[Amiga_CDTV]

I am proud to announce that the machine is working again

A local Amiga-techy took the motherboard for inspection and fixed it (faulty U106, details to follow).

I have just set the machine up and as I write this, it's humming on the background. The original SCSI hard drives were still properly set (SCSI Ids and terminations) and both work; there is even a complete Workbench 3.1 installation and a lot of software! Some of them in german, though.

I also installed an Indivision AGA Mk.II and the machine is now connected to a 22" LCD monitor (thrue DVI-cable).

I will post more photos and longer story here later.

This is truly an awesome machine! Thanks for all your ideas.

[Amiga_CDTV]

@gertsy:

@Firedawg: I am interested in trying retrobrite. I have pretty nice enviroment to try it at work (a school) but I need to try it on something less valuable than the A4000T front, at first!

Some photos available here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/em0hrhtpazpkk0k/tPoKIZvLTo

I replaced the original AT- power supply with an ATX PSU (with an adapter from eBay). I also installed an Indivision Aga Mk.II (with dvi- output).

I found a working key for the lock on the front panel, and did some styling for it, see photos.

One of the two hard drives (old SCSI drives) is on it's way out (bad sectors, sometimes drops out completely), I'll try to backup it's files into the working one, if possible. I would like to keep some oldish SCSI- drive as the main HDD (but preferably just one, these two are quite noisy). If the current WB installation doesn't reveal any problems, I am happy to keep using it (rather than doing a re-install).