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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: bitman on January 17, 2016, 04:18:31 PM

Title: Scala card - info needed
Post by: bitman on January 17, 2016, 04:18:31 PM

The attached Scala card was submitted to me at BigBookOfAmigaHardware.com.

But I have no info on the card. Was it a stand-alone card or was the card pre-installed in some of their workstations?

Currently BBoAH has 4 Scala entries - but I don't think the card fits any of these entries:

http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.com/bboah/categorylist.aspx?mid=16

There is an entry Scala VCR (http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.com/bboah/categorylist.aspx?mid=16) - is it the card in question?

Any info would be appreciated.

Title: Re: Scala card - info needed
Post by: Matt_H on January 17, 2016, 05:14:01 PM

Are there any more photos? Close ups of the chips and the ports might help. I tried looking up the FCC id number, but I think some of the necessary characters for the search aren't printed.

Also, on a related topic for the BBOAH, there's a seller on eBay called computer_preservation who seems to have a whole bunch of unreleased/prototype/engineering boards for sale - you might want to take a look to get those added to the database.

Title: Re: Scala card - info needed
Post by: bitman on January 17, 2016, 08:29:52 PM

I found a company with same name as on the card - same company also works with Scala. I've dropped them a mail.

http://designcomputer.com/ic5.php

Title: Re: Scala card - info needed
Post by: AndyFC on January 17, 2016, 09:26:44 PM

Scala still existed as a company at least 4 years ago, we had their software for corporate tv screens. The guy who helped install the system knew of the Amiga heritage. Perhaps contact them to see if anyone can help?

Title: Re: Scala card - info needed
Post by: bitman on January 17, 2016, 09:30:20 PM

I got an answer from Design Computer - the owner Dana designed the card for Scala - I hope to get more info.

Title: Re: Scala card - info needed
Post by: Gulliver on January 17, 2016, 10:23:19 PM

My best guess:

Probably a Zorro II card to interface input switch type sensors made to trigger Scala events from within the program.

So if a certain event occured (eg.: close a door), that could be communicated (using the card shown and some simple wiring) to an Amiga running Scala so that it could trigger a Scala script event (eg.: display a welcome message to a client).

Title: Re: Scala card - info needed
Post by: Matt_H on January 17, 2016, 10:41:21 PM

Very cool that they're still around! Sounds like the mystery will be solved soon :)

Title: Re: Scala card - info needed
Post by: bitman on January 17, 2016, 10:48:59 PM

Here's the Writeup, of the info I could get from Dana:

http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.com/bboah/product.aspx?id=512

I aslo got some photo's of the Scala Echo - will post it later.
 (http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.com)

Title: Re: Scala card - info needed
Post by: bitman on January 17, 2016, 11:11:53 PM

Here's the pictures I got from Dana for the Scala Echo EE100: Box, Schematics and layer masks. If anybody have a picture of the hardware - let me know:

http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.com/bboah/product.aspx?id=2013

Title: Re: Scala card - info needed
Post by: prowler on January 18, 2016, 04:09:29 AM

Quote from: AndyFC;802362

Scala still existed as a company at least 4 years ago, we had their software for corporate tv screens. The guy who helped install the system knew of the Amiga heritage. Perhaps contact them to see if anyone can help?

Scala still exists as a company now. We use it for a large number of info boards scattered around the campus.

Some of the people here in Australia who work with it come from an Amiga pedigree, which is how they got into it in the first place.