Accelerator Cards

[rkauer]

 Let me explain the problem on the real side of life: I'm developing an A600 020 accelerator.

 A major PITA, if you ask me. The RAM controller is small and fits on a little portion of a (nowadays small) PLD.

 The other parts of it are implement/interface signal buses not present on the 68000 side and required for the 68020 to work. And the leftover is dedicated to new IDE controller (for A500/2000 in a future version).

 Guess what? I had to stop development for lack of... funds! No, I am not asking for nobody's money. I will not accept pre-orders nor any other type of "donations".

 Prototyping a board is time-consuming and expensive. Just for your information, a single small prototype board will cost around 500 USD, without any component placed on it.

 Now imagine a powerful 060 or even modern CPU: the prototype board will cost securely more than 1000 USD for a single board.

 Get the picture? :horse:

[rkauer]

Piru wrote:
@recidivist

Even if you somehow would avoid the legal problems, you'd still be unable to produce the clones: The components are no longer available.

 @Piru: a lot of ancients components are available at small quantities on those Ebay companies and on-line stores.

 But even if someone collect enough "material" to copy a card, where someone grab the code of PAL/GAL/PIC used at that time? Those chips have read-protection, so you can write to it, but not read the contents.

 And another not-so-minor problem: ROHS! This acronym means no new electronic product sold on Europe can have lead (solder and chips). So goodbye for the old chips, anyway... :headwall:

[rkauer]

 I've found a Chinese supplier for the board: 100x100mm, 4 layers, ROHS-compliant, less than 400 holes, SMD solder on both sides, silver plated (ROHS demmand), 0.1mm spacement high-density traces. ~280 USD, without shipping and custom fees!

 Brazilian industries take advantage of the custom fees (~107% !!!) to sell prototype boards for the price they want (a bit less than imported ones).

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 For people whiling to learn about how to make your own accelerator, and starting with a good electronics acknowledge, read:

 Lucas/Francis project;
 then Freescale's 68000, 68881/2, 680EC020, 68020 and 030 datasheets. Also DRAM memory principles and controllers, CPLD, GAL/PAL & PIC datasheets and programs. That's for start...

 Oh, and also you need to learn a PLD language, like verilog.