My 500+ Project

[djos]

I've got the 1mb trapdoor card, still waiting for my replacement rev8a board tho - hopefully it will show up this week.

[djos]

Arrrgh, still waiting for my rev8a board

I also have one of Kippers 8mb auto config boards on the way and I bought some 20pin IC sockets for my rev6a board as im going to move the extra 512k from the trapdoor card to the Mainboard (because I can).

I've also ordered a bulk lot of resistors (I was completely out of them) with the intention of modding my video lead that connects to my GBS-8220 - the intent is to try to remove or reduce the slight ghosting issues using Ian Steadman's "LCD Fix" schematic (just the 330ohm resistor on Composite-sync as Im not using the 12/5v DC outputs).





Once all that's done I prolly wont be doing much to my miggy aside from using it as I need to be a bit more cautious with how I spend my "tech allowance" due to our second Bub now on the way (due May 2013). :cool:

PS, I will still keep an eye out for the a500 accelerators that are currently in development and one of those is likey to be my last purchase for a while.

[djos]

Update time!

last week I got my resistors and added a 330 ohm resistor to pin 10 (as per previous post) but unfortunately it made no noticeable difference to the slight ghosting the GBS-8220 produces. I left the resistor in place seeing as it doesn't make things worse either.

I ordered a stack of mini-toggle switches recently too as I want to be able to turn on and off my GBS-8220 with having to pull its power cord out all the time (and I've iced the external PSU/DVD combo project for now) and I also want to be able to disable my A1010 without removing the cable from the back of my Miggy (thus reducing wear and tear).

Despite having spent the day in hospital having core samples removed from my liver (thank god for the drugs!), I fired up the soldering iron and hot glue gun tonight and did the power switch mod to the GBS-8220 and Im pretty happy with the result (hopefully it's not just the drugs). :p I also changed the PCB feet to some much nicer looking units.





Yay it works!


It's a fairly crude mod and im blaming the drugs Mmmmkay!

Btw, I never did get that Rev8a Mobo and because I was too patient and waited longer than 45days, (UK shipping can be 4-8 weeks), eBay are being douche bags and wont help.

I suspect the a$$hat never sent it as he has a pretty bad feedback rep (stupid me never checked it prior to purchase). Anyway I've now asked my Bank CC dept for my $50 back and ordered another Rev8a board - this time from a Seller with a top rating!

[djos]

I bought a KCS Power PC Board today - It should be really handy having a full XT PC with SoundBlaster & Adlib Support inside my 500+

http://www.amiga-hardware.com/showhardware.cgi?HARDID=333
http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/powerpc

I believe I got the v4.2 500 edition not the 500+ plus version so im not sure if it'll work with a Rev8a Board (there is a plus model too I discovered). If it doesnt work with the rev8a board I'll build a second a500 with my spare Rev6a board specifically for it.

[djos]

Looks like you've been busy, good luck with A500+ board purchase! ;-)

Cheers, hopefully I'll actually get this one! :p

[djos]

BTW - the PC board looks pretty cool.

Yeah I saw it on fleabay for $68 and couldn't resist as I'd read about them in various places as being quite a neat solution.

[djos]

I scored a Roland MT-32 MIDI Synth Module for $41USD today from Fleabay!

I've wanted one of these ever since Sierra started supporting them in their Quest Series of Games!

I'll have to keep a look out for Amiga MIDI Modules now (I have a USB-MIDI adapter for my PC already)!

[djos]

My wife is gonna kill me, I just scored a sealed German a500 with KS v1.2 shipped for $60 from fleabay to use as my "DOS" Amiga Box - somehow I think she will notice that I now have 2 Amiga's! :p

Im hoping it's a Rev5 Mobo in it (not a rev3) so I can pinch the US layout Keyboard for my 500+ (I really dont like the stupid UK layout).

[djos]

Hmmmmm, trying to decide whether I go CF-IDE68k or HxC for my 2nd Miggy ..... might be nice to have it really stock with 512kb chip Ram & 512kb Ranger Ram and play games and demos from ADF files on SD card. :p

EDIT: thinking about it more, I will prolly solder an extra 512kb ram to the mobo for 1mb chip ram.

[djos]

Whats the difference between the CF-IDE68k or HxC ? I'm not really upto speed on my A500 expansions.

On a different topic, are you thinking about connecting your A500+ to your home LAN? I know you weren't keen on the ACA500 but I think Jens is thinking of adding a NIC at some stage.

CF-IDE68k is just an IDE add-on + CF adapter (a600 gayle emulation) and HxC is a floppy emulator that uses images stored on an SD card:

http://torlus.com/floppy/

I havent bothered with networking, until something decent comes out I just put my CF cards into WinUAE and copy stuff that way.

[djos]

Nice work, thats a good price!

Considering it's coming from Germany I was stoked with the shipping, normally something like that would cost $70-$100aud to ship so im not complaining that it was $60 all up.

[djos]

Doh, I thought 20euros was a bit cheap for shipping, seller just asked for another 40euros!

.... and I really want this 500 so I paid it even tho its obviously his mistake.

[djos]

Yay some toys arrived today! Got my a500 extension board and 8mb fast-ram board today from Kipper and they work great!

Getting a bit crowded in here now!



So I decided to mount my CF-Reader facing out so I can remove the card when I want to transfer files:


Much Better, now I can easily remove it to copy files around! :cool:



I also got a prototype 1mb/2mb Trapdoor card from TomThul for use with a3000 2mb agnus chips (8372B and 8372AB) that have been transplanted into a500's with rev6 Mobo's - as this is a prototype it isnt working 100% atm ... yet.

[djos]

looks like spaghetti inside your case
tho nice new shiny pcb's have been stuck inside as well

nice A500 system you have now...

so, what is the next project?

Az

Cheers

My next project is my second a500 which is getting a KCS Power PC (not PPC, XT PC trapdoor card) installed and I'll prolly put a HxC into the FDD bay and just run KS1.3 only in it - although I do have a couple of space KS Switchers and spare roms of various versions lying around that I could use (might do a 1.2/1.3 setup). :p

oh, djos if you need a spare a500 keyboard USA layout let me know
I have about 6 of them lying un-used in my shed

can have for postage

Az

That would be awesome, how much is postage for one to Adelaide, 5039?

[djos]

Finally my replacement rev8a board arrived (on a Saturday too - nice one AusPost!) and while it had a small amount of battery acid damage, it had been rescued in time and works perfectly!



This cap needs to be relocated so I can install my fast-ram board:


sorted including mount points for Gayle emulation by the side-car connector:


everything now installed :cool: :


and my 500 is now a true 500+ again and has 2MB chip-ram:


The last two days have been very productive, Im so happy with the current state of my 500+ that I did up the case screws once everything was confirmed to be working! :p

PS, I also told my wife a bought a 2nd 500 which went down surprisingly well - this was prolly helped by the fact that i "forgot" to mention the cost of shipping.

[djos]

Some nice chip and fast ram numbers

Cute little cpu adapter you have there

Az

Cheers.

Yeah it is neat. I had asked kipper to make a version of the 8mb fast-ram board that moved the CPU away from the keyboard so there was room to install an IDE68k as well. he then came up with the idea of the adapter as he was already making an adapter for his ram board to fit into a1000's without blocking the floppy connector.

Needless to say it works great and made mounting my cf-card reader easier too.