Amiga.org

Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: theTAO on October 19, 2003, 06:50:39 AM

Title: Short PCMCIA question
Post by: theTAO on October 19, 2003, 06:50:39 AM

I'm shopping for a PCMCIA ethernet card for my Amiga 1200, and while researching the terminology, found a question I couldn't answer. Which voltages does the 1200's PCMCIA slot support?  It's "common knowledge" that not all 16-bit, type-2 PCMCIA cards are compatible with the 1200, completely excluding the issue of drivers.  I wonder if this might be one of the differences between the 1200's port and the standardized specs?  PCMCIA is supposed to support both 3.3 volt and 5.0 volt cards.  Does the 1200?  If so, then what are the differenes between Commodore's implementation and everybody else's?

Todd

Title: Re: Short PCMCIA question
Post by: Oldsmobile_Mike on October 19, 2003, 08:56:23 AM

@ theTAO -

Hi,

I recommend you download cnet.device from Aminet, as it includes a list of compatible devices.

FYI, most any NE2000-compatible device will work, personally I use a Linksys EC2T card, but many others use 3Com cards with no problems.  Usually there is somebody selling one on Ebay that works, and includes software, you should also check here (http://wuarchive.wustl.edu/~aminet/aminet.cgi?string=PCMCIA) for some additional files you might want.

My Startup-Sequence includes (among other things) the following two lines after setpatch:

C:CardPatch
C:CardReset AUDIO ON

..................

Hope that helps,

Good Luck,
Mike

Title: Re: Short PCMCIA question
Post by: theTAO on October 19, 2003, 10:49:25 AM

@Oldsmobile_Mike

> Hope that helps

It does, sort of. ;-)  Thanks for the reply.

But I'm still curious which voltages the 1200's PCMCIA port accepts, if for no other reason that I can't seem to find it published anywhere.  Even the A1200 schematics at http://www.amiga-hardware.com don't quite say.  Does anybody know? :-)

Todd

Title: Re: Short PCMCIA question
Post by: patrik on October 19, 2003, 02:32:06 PM

$theTAO:

The A1200 supplies +5V to the PCMCIA-card power supply line. I do to recall that the PCMCIA-specification includes support for both +5V and +3.3V cards, but I think most manufactors of PCMCIA-cards makes them compatible with both voltages - to make to cards work in all possible configurations. All modern PCMCIA-cards I have tried has atleast worked in the PCMCIA-slot of the A1200.


/Patrik

Title: Re: Short PCMCIA question
Post by: theTAO on October 19, 2003, 11:46:13 PM

@patrik

Cool.  I didn't think the 1200 had any tricky voltage-switching system, and also knew the stock power inputs are just +5, +12, and -12.  Thanks for the explanation. :-)

Todd