A1000 Phoenix System w/ expansions

[McTrinsic]

Hi all,

after receiving many encouraging notes about my system including prompts to tell more people about it, I finally gave in and would like to tell you about my Amiga.

Sorry if its the wrong forum.

It is an A1000/Phoenixboard system, with the following setup:

System:
- A1k /w Phoenixboard, 2MB CHipRAM + SCSI, SCSI-Hack
- KS 1.3, 2.1, 3.1, 3.5 (3.1-Exec-Patch by Piru included )
- Derringer 030 @ 50 Mhz & 32MB RAM
- Video-Konverter (Electronic Design Germany)
. for S-Video and colour FBAS-Out
- Delfina Clockport Vers.
- Highway USB-Interface
- Norway Ethernet-Interface
- Hypercom 3+ Interface-Card
- IBM 1GB HDD
- HD-Floppy
- ICD Flicker-Free Video 2
- 1084S Monitor
- External DD-Floppy

A few pics can be found here:

http://www.a1k.org/forum/index.php?mode=viewthread&forum_id=15&thread=28&z=1

The assembled case does not show anything noteworthy(except on the back of course), so I decided to skip pictures of that.

As I mentioned, I am not really sure if people outside of a1k.org are interested, but hey, its a nice system, so why not.

Yours,
McTrinsic

[McTrinsic]

Hi all,

thank you for your kind replies.

The phoenix board is, in short, a replacement motherboard for the A1000. See http://amiga.resource.cx for details. Recently a new production run was made and sold, almost completely to the a1k.org folks. New boards are still available, though. Inspired by the board, new hardware was developed for it, among them a Buddha IDE-Controller, a Turbo(Accelerater)card, a RAM expansion and a ficker fixer - see also link above (look for "Phoenix"). The Budha is a commercial development, the other expansions are hobby projects (see http://www.gb97816.homepage.t-online.de/ ).

The phoenix makes a machine somewhere between the A500 and the A2000 out of the A1000. The special thing about it was that it was totally pre-funded: 540 people bought it before development began. In the end, a total of about 1000 units are estimated to have been sold originally. Be aware that new boards are still available. It also features a nice poem and special inscriptions on the pcb.

http://homepages.picknowl.com.au/sirius/phoenix.htm

Oh, by the way, there are one or two freak projects going on on a1k.org, any help is appreciated. If anyone want to help, we an speak english!

Yours,
McTrinsic

[McTrinsic]

@framiga
I have read about that Frankenthousand (I really dont like that name, btw) in Paul's sig... do you have a link? Never seen something about the system itself.

@techie
You can actually mount the system in any AT-Formfactor case, the screws will fit. It got an according connector for power. Admittedly, you will need a naw backplate, but those are easy to make. And the board is not that expensive. What about putting it in a nice IBM-Workstation case from back then?

The A1000 case is the best PC case ever for me - that's why it was so utterly important for me that you don't see anything on the outside. The modern deisgners of new PC cases all fail to solve one problem: where do I store the keyboard? That quastion is, for example, important for home theater systems. one example is the Shuttple XPC series: wonderful  design ... but where the heck am I supposed to put the keyboard?

@spihunter
Uhm... was that "pimp my Amiga" something good or bad? I know MTV's "Pimp my ride"... which used to totally screw the cars on the outside. I wanted an Amiga 1000 - just with slightly ( ) better options. Thats why you don't see anything on the outside.

@all
I just wanted to make sure that I don't an applause belonging to someone else. I only organized that project and gave some money. I did not actually build it!

Anyways - thanks a lot for your kind replies, folks!

McTrinsic

[McTrinsic]

@gdanko:

Not? WHat system was it designed for?
And what was the A1000 originally meant to look like?

Got some sources? Links?

I'm highly interested!


Have fun,
McTrinsic

[McTrinsic]

@techie
No, it was not necessesarily THE last batch.

Andrew (the developer) sell them for money (hint! hint!), ist just that he can't afford to have tto much money lying around in the shape of phoenix-boards.

Have fun,
McTrinsic

[McTrinsic]

What really surprises me is that actually so few people seem to know about the phoenix...


Have fun.
McTrinsic

[McTrinsic]

RE: Frankenthousand.

Yes, now I have seen it.

Pics are here:

http://www.a1k.org/forum/index.php?mode=viewthread&forum_id=15&thread=5

An impressive machine.

Have fun,
McTrinsic

[McTrinsic]

More pics!

See original link.

Have fun,
McTrinsic

[McTrinsic]

@aolmurder &
@amigadave

Well, the board itself is sort of standard-hardware.

It is a question of money to have a new production run.

Don't ask me how much money, though.

Refer to http://homepages.picknowl.com.au/sirius/phoenix.htm as mentioned earlier, but be ready to deal with Andrew... he can be slow at times. Reminds me of a weird professor at times: a genius at work, but unablbe to use all these numbered buttons on this telephone-thingy .

The 50 new boards were made because of the estimated numbers of buyers from Germany. We made a project out of it, and as one result, a1k.org was born. Please be aware that we paid in advance. On the other hand, it was the only new Amiga-classic-motherboard since the demise of Escom. And yes, they were newly made for us.

I think it's worth it. Also be aware that only some chips are available. The custom chips still need to come from some old amiga, and afaik Andrew works on some mods to some chips to allow for example mor than one type of Agnus for 2MB Chip setup.

Did that answer some questions? Do you have more?

Have fun,
McTrinsic

[McTrinsic]

@all

Just make sure to visit

http://homepages.picknowl.com.au/sirius/phoenix.htm

and

http://homepages.picknowl.com.au/sirius/ABOUT.htm

for information and contact.

Just make sure you can bear with the long time it usually takes for Andrew to respond.


Have fun,
McTrinsic

[McTrinsic]

Small update.

The USB/Ethernet part had to be exchanged, they were not fully functional.

Complete setup now is:

- A1k w/ Phoenixboard, 2MB ChipRAM + SCSI, SCSI-Hack
- KS 1.3, 2.1, 3.1, 3.5 (3.1-Exec-Patch by Piru) selectable by switch
- Derringer 030 @ 50 Mhz w/ 32MB RAM
- Video-Converter (Electronic Design Germany) (S-Video)
- HD-Floppy Disk
- ICD Flicker-Free Video 2
- Hypercom 3+ (Hi-Speed SER & PAR)
- Delfina Lite (Sound)
- Xsurf4Phoenix (Ethernet)
- Subway (USB)
- 80GB Festplatte (2,5" IDE)
- Pioneer Slot-In DVD-Brenner

For pics, see:
A1k.org

You now can see a bit more of modification because of the slim slot for the DVD, but, hey ... Pics of that mod will follow.

Hope you like it,
McTrinsic

[McTrinsic]

@Terse

Yes, the Frankenthousand is a Rejuvenator.

Soory if I left you with the impression it might be Phoenix - 1000.

Have fun,
McT

[McTrinsic]

@amigadave

The GB-1000 will be even more impressive. It two or three generations more advanced, plus offering lots of modern manufacturing technologies.

I whished I had the time to join this project, but I will rtaher spend the time with my kids. I have the Paladin to play with, after all. Might not be worst A1000, so it isnt too bad.

This particular board is one of the "newer" boards from three years ago. It does feature the SCSI-hack and the modified driver. We still seek permission from the original author to publish it. Since I earlier bought an other Phoenixboard with this driver, I presently am one of the few legally own this driver. The GB-1000 doesn't need it anyway, though.

Have fun,
McTrinsic

[McTrinsic]

@Golan

If you get lost, try the international section. Most folks are quite helpful. Please be aware, that there are no new GB-1000 to be bought presently, if thats what you are after.

The GB-1000 is a *complete* DIY-project.

Have fun,
McTrinsic