Is this possible?

[sim085]

Thanks for the reply

So if it is impossible to put a 68KIDE board and an accelerator card then I think it is also impossible to but a clock board (If I remember well this was to have USB support) and an accelerator card right? or?

Regards,
Sim085

[sim085]

alexh wrote:
To be honest the most cost effective upgrade for an A500+ is an A1200 ;-)

I know ... but I want to modify my A500+ out of affection and nostalgia

[Lockon_15]

Very true.
Exploring A500/A500+ HW upgrade limits provide ultimate stress test for both nerves and bank account balance. If one could justify such action, that could mean you have to have  "the thing" for A500 or got lost in wrong platform.

Just a thought from experienced A500-er  :-D
With the thing, of course. :crazy:

[alexh]

More people who enjoy modding more than using :roll:

I would be surprised if you can use an internal accelerator + IDE68k. Has anyone tried? If it did I'd be surprised if the A500+ case lid fits.

Native USB on Amiga is expensive and IMO sucks. It is not the fault of the USB software or hardware. (E3B we love you!) You have to ask yourself why you want it? Then listen to some frank comments about Amiga USB's capability and then make a judgement call.

If you get IDE68k then a CF->IDE adapter would be much cheaper.

I would say an IDE68k + CF->IDE adapter + CF card with a 2Mbyte RAM upgrade for the A570 would be the best buys for your A500+

An A500 clock port adapter would make the 68000 "tower" even higher. Probably introduce signal integrity issues. You can only try it :-)

[sim085]

Ok ... back on the internal hard disk problem.

I had another thought (maybe I am entering in fantasy world now) ... Is there an IDE board which connects to the A500+ side slot?

If so; couldn't I solder some extra wiring with the side slot which would create a second side slot which I could place on top of the metal shield over the motherboard.

In other words I would have two devices (hard drive and cd drive) connected to the same side slot?

Regards,
Sim085

[Lockon_15]

Yes, there are perhaps 10 different designs using sidecar IDE on A500...
For instance, I have AlphaPower 500. Had IDE-CF adapter and 128Mb CF working like charm...I've seen decent looking units (as metioned) on eBay...usually no more than 50€...
 

[alexh]

I think you'd be mad to try and wire in two side car expansions :-)

[zipper]

Lockon_15 wrote:
Yes, there are perhaps 10 different designs using sidecar IDE on A500...

I had a Rochard 800C controller (Mem+IDE/SCSI), Action Replay III on a T-piece splitter (Datel) and Supraturbo28 - made a longish extension to the side...

[sim085]

zipper wrote:

Lockon_15 wrote:
Yes, there are perhaps 10 different designs using sidecar IDE on A500...

I had a Rochard 800C controller (Mem+IDE/SCSI), Action Replay III on a T-piece splitter (Datel) and Supraturbo28 - made a longish extension to the side...

By T-piece splitter you mean something which is connected to your A500+ side expansion slot and provides two side expansion slots? If so from where did you get it?

alexh wrote:
I think you'd be mad to try and wire in two side car expansions :-)

Why potential conflicts? I checked a website which talking about an IDE60K board and in it the person had to solder two wires from the board to the side expansion board.

Therefore I thought; why not solder wires on the side expansion slot (on each teeth - I think that is what they are called). And then connect an IDE Board to these wires (obviously with some connectors). This would allow me to have a hard drive inside my A500+ without the problems that come with using an IDE60K board!!

Also the (main) side expansion slot would still be empty allowing me to fit some other device!

Regards,
Sim085

 

[alexh]

sim085 wrote:
I checked a website which talking about an IDE68K board and in it the person had to solder two wires from the board to the side expansion board.

You do not solder directly to side expansion just to the header pins behind. You do not have to do this, you can get clips which clip to CIA and Gary chips.

I wonder if you can buy v188 yet? (The version with CF card slot built in)

sim085 wrote:
This would allow me to have a hard drive inside my A500+ without the problems that come with using an IDE68K board!!

What problems?

sim085 wrote:
Also the (main) side expansion slot would still be empty allowing me to fit some other device!

It is much more work than the two solders for IDE68k (which you can use Pin-Clip's if you do not like to solder.)

[LoadWB]

I'm not so quick to dismiss the people who want to mod their older Amigas.  At the very least, they'll gain more insight into how the system works overall.  Nothing wrong with that.

Have said that, I don't think that wiring the A530 into the CPU socket is a reasonable project in practice.  In theory, it will be an opportunity to play, but I don't use a practical use for this.

Good luck, in any case.  Some good thinking in this thread.

[sim085]

> you can get clips which clip to CIA and Gary chips

From where can I get such clips?

> What problems?

From what I understand (the problem is that) you cannot have a IDE68K board and an accelerator card on top of it since that would make it impossible to close the case.

> It is much more work than the two solders for IDE68k

Yes I am sure of that but mine was just a thought to see if it would work. I assume with the clips you mentioned things should be easier right?

At this moment all I want is to see if the concept is ok or not. If things work as I think they should, then I should be able to put the hard drive (only the board) inside the A500+ (maybe on top of the metal case). At the same time I would still have the side slot empty and I can connect another device there (hypothetically an A570).

Regards,
Sim085

[zipper]

By T-piece splitter you mean something which is connected to your A500+ side expansion slot and provides two side expansion slots? If so from where did you get it?  

Yes, from an Amiga reseller - probably just made for Action Replay users, as the PCB has Datel printed onto it; they did AR, too.

[Ferry]

IIRC, in the early times of the A500, many people with some skills on electronics made self-made harddisk enclosures+controllers for the side CPU connector, and many of those had a pass-though, so you could connect another thing, like a CD-ROM drive, for example. Could it be that even GVP had some of those with pass-through connector?

Saluditos,

Ferrán.

[alexh]

sim085 wrote:
From where can I get such clips?

Most good electronics stores. Radio Shack, Maplin, RS etc.

One brand I think is called "Minigrabber"

You should be able to get two with the correct connectors on one end to plug onto an IDE68k for about $1 each

[sim085]

Hi again,

So this weekend when at home I opened my A500+ and my GVP Hard drive and saw if this (the internal parts) could fit inside the A500+ over the metal case! It seems the answer is no.

I believe that if I find some IDE board and maybe some CF adapter then maybe I can fit the CF in there without a lot of problems. However that would put me out of the 8MB RAM that come with the GVP already!!

I also have some other questions;

Are these IDE board easy to find?
Why should I add clips to the Garry chip rather then directly to the side connector? What does the Garry chip actually do?

Thanks and Regards,
Sim085