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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: fiat1100d on November 24, 2006, 05:31:47 PM

Title: Homemade Zorro II plus CPU slot for Amiga 500
Post by: fiat1100d on November 24, 2006, 05:31:47 PM
Hi!

A couple of years ago, following the A2000 schematics, I built a board for connecting a CPU slot accelerator and Zorro II expansion boards to the A500. As a Zorro II riser, I used the A4000 one. It gives me some problems when I enable the CPU caches, however what an improvement over stock A500 speed :-)
The idea is of building everything into a custom tower case, but university doesn't leave me much free time... Sooner or later I will complete the project, with the idea of enabling the video slot too (should only be a matter of taking the signals from the A500 board).

You can find some photos at http://www.gratteri.tk (follow the "Computers!" link at the left, then go to "Amiga 500 Professional"). There also is a text in English which gives a brief description of how I did it.

Ciao!
Daniele
Title: Re: Homemade Zorro II plus CPU slot for Amiga 500
Post by: Ral-Clan on November 24, 2006, 05:36:50 PM
Great!  Not sure why a simple device like this is not on the market commercially.  It would bring all those A500s out of the closet by esentially converting them to A2000s.

(I know about Bodega Bay, etc. - but I mean some sort inexpensive daughter board).
Title: Re: Homemade Zorro II plus CPU slot for Amiga 500
Post by: fiat1100d on November 24, 2006, 05:58:39 PM
Well, my board does actually use the original Buster chip as found on the A2000, but I suppose it could be substituted with some PLD.

ral-clan: is your avatar the Vic-man that was on the VIC-20 manual? :-)
Title: Re: Homemade Zorro II plus CPU slot for Amiga 500
Post by: stopthegop on November 24, 2006, 05:58:48 PM
Wish more of it was English..  :(
Title: Re: Homemade Zorro II plus CPU slot for Amiga 500
Post by: fiat1100d on November 24, 2006, 06:05:05 PM
I am sorry but I really don't have the time for making an English version of the web site :-(
Maybe by using some online translator as Babelfish you could translate the whole pages and browse them in your language?
Title: Re: Homemade Zorro II plus CPU slot for Amiga 500
Post by: fiat1100d on November 25, 2006, 08:27:40 AM
I saw from the website counter that LOTS of people accessed the home page! So since it seems there is big interest I did a translation of the page of this busboard design, although not much was said. The alternative text of the images has been translated too.