Custom A1200: Project Phoenix

[AndyC]

OK... "Project Phoenix" is a crap name, but I want to grab some attention here!

I have a bold and imaginative plan that I'd like to share with you all (because I desperately need some help!!)

I have an Amiga with the following hardware installed:

Standard Desktop A1200, Rev 1D-4 Mobo, 3.1 ROMs , 2Mb Chip RAM, Blizzard 1260, 32Mb Fast RAM, 2.1Gb 2.5" internal Hard Disk, SurfSquirrel SCSI interface, 8x External CD-Rom.

I also have the following hardware not currently installed (or surplus to requirements):

Blizzard 1230 50MHz, 16Mb Fast RAM
Elbox A1200 FastATA EIDE Controller
Spare fully working Standard Desktop A1200, Rev 2B Mobo, 3.0 ROMs, 2Mb Chip RAM, 266 Mb 2.5" Internal Hard Disk.
Spare disassembled Standard Desktop A1200, Rev 2B Mobo, No Floppy or Roms (Formerly housed in a tower)

In the post (or on the way shortly) I have an Eyetech MAS Player. I am also considering bidding on a GVP G-Lock genlock on E-Bay.

Once I have the MAS Player, I will have an Amiga capable of real-time full quality MP3 playback, as well as standard Music CD playback.

Once I have a genlock, I will be able to overlay the Amiga video output onto the TV.

Once I have a CNet PCMCIA ethernet card, I will be able to share the internet connection with my PC.

Once I have an EZLink Infrabox (based on the CU Amiga Magazine Air Link DIY project) I will be able to control the Amiga remotely, and my TV, Hi-Fi, Video, and Playstation via the Amiga. Or, I could get an infrared Keyboard and Mouse to do the same thing.

So... to recap, with all the above hardware installed, and the required software configured correctly, I should be able to do the following remotely through my Amiga and TV:

1) Browse the Internet via shared ethernet and TCP/IP.
2) Load and play MP3s stored either on the a) PC Hard Disk, or b) Amiga CD-Rom, with audio output to the TV/ Hi-Fi
3) Play standard Music CDs from the Amiga CD-Rom, with audio output to the TV/ Hi-Fi.
4) Play a multitude of Amiga Games installed on the local hard disk, or download (legally of course) ADF games from the internet and install directly to the Amiga.
5) Use the Genlock to overlay the MP3 player interface on the TV Picture.

You might be asking "Why?", and you'd probably be right! But, wouldn't it be cool to do that on hardware that's effectively 10 years old?

You can probably imagine, however, that this will take up a large amount of space, what with separate PSUs for the Amiga and CD-Rom, as well as numerous cables: not to mention the A1200 itself.

However, this is where I need the help: I need to rehouse the A1200, the Hard Disk, CD-ROM, InfraRed unit, MAS Player and everything else in a tidy (dare I say stylish?!) desktop case. This way, it could fit in nicely with the VCR, Playstation2, and TV.

I thought about trying to mount this all in a CDTV case (somehow!) but I don't think this is possible.

If ANYONE! can help me here, and wants to help me with a potentially rewarding Custom Amiga project, please let me know!

In my opinion, this could form the basis for a cost effective, classic Amiga based consumer elctronic device that may gain a fair amount of interest.

Any thoughts, advice or otherwise would be very much appreciated!!!

Cheers and Beers,
AndyC

Edinburgh

PS. Wish me luck!!

[quenthal]

Check this out:
http://batman.jypoly.fi/~saku/lehti/online/uusi/osastot/sekalaiset/eriamiga.html

Sadly, it is in finnish, but I can translate it to you, if you are serious about your project, and those pictures convince you.

-q

[quenthal]

It basicly goes like this (nearly picture by picture):

First this dude is looking for nice case - he finds cheap second hand, old VCR "Lux".

2. Uses two 90degree PCMCIA adapters to fit his network card inside the future case

3.Modifies Amiga output for S-VHS instead of RGB, since he is using that for DVD, and old composite gives ugly output.

4.Rips of the VCR's case with dremel, and makes new faceplates and etc from plain alumiumium plates with Dremel-multitool, first taking measures from drivers, lights, buttons etc.

5. Has some troubles with modifications, changes few parts, put multiple powersources to one, etc... fits it all together.

6.Paints those faceplates to matte-black, adds nice stickers etc... voilá !  :-)

Of cource there is more indepth stuff there, and I'm happy to translate if needed!

[AndyC]

That looks about right...

I studies Finland as part of an Architectural Design project last year, so the language is familiar to me, but still impossible to read!!

Itake it, however, that this is a standard VCR case which has been stripped out, and has been fitted with new front and back panels for the CD-Rom tray, Floppy drive etc.

I also take it that the ports on the A1200 mobo have been extended to the backplane???

A basic translation would be very helpful... and it just so happens that I could probably put my hands on a spare VCR case!

Cheers,
AndyC

[Ryu]

That is a cool idea, I even like the name :-) Keep us all posted on the progress wont you. If you have any problems with the AirLink if and when you get it I might be able to help out there, I use one here for controlling my amiga when im using it as an MP3 player (amigaAMP and a cool visualisation).

[quenthal]

Ok... rough, short and ugly translation for this cool A1200-mod found in http://batman.jypoly.fi/~saku/lehti/online/uusi/osastot/sekalaiset/eriamiga.html.

1. A1200 & Blizzard 1230-IV are about 41cm long combination, so normal 42cm wide case should be enough. Other minimum measures were height 9cm and depth about 35cm. After long search, old DUX-vcr was found with right measures.

2. DUX was cleaned from useless junk - inside electronics, and buttons and other adjusters from front panel were removed. Amiga was dissassembled too to measure and fit everything to new home. Lyra kb-adapter was bought, as well as two 90-degree PCMCIA adapter. Two adapter were required to fit networkcard inside the case. Lyra was needed because he wanted to play some old games that needed multiple keypresses at the same time, and Lyra allows that (My note: maybe you could buy some old used black IR-keyboard/mouse combination, and use it with Lyra and Mroocheck?).

3. He wanted to use S-Video instead of RGB and/or composite, because composite isn't very good, and only RGB-connect on his TV was used by DVD. So conversion to S-Video was required, and he created the output using some old hints for Sega Master System 2 users. He had some problems at first, but those schemes show the right way do this.

4. In the old DUX case following things were required to fit: motherboard, turbocard, harddrive, floppy-drive, additional floppy with controller, cd-rom drive, pcmcia networkcard and powersource. When he put all that stuff inside, it seemed quite tight. He had to took the casing of the powersource. Caution with those big capacitors. Plastic parts of the case were modified with Dremel. Front panel was nearly completely wasted, only borders were left. Backpanel was modified nearly as much. When the case was trimmed down to minimum, it was time to try hw everything fits inside.

He created some racks from aluminium for holding those drives - he planned those by making them first from normal cardboard. Front- and backpanel were too first created by cardboard to help making the final ones from aluminium using Dremel.

Powersource had to be modified - he had to saw heatsink to make it lower.

4. He made new smaller case for powersource from aluminium after discovering the problems it caused without it.

5. He sliced ide and floppy cables to bundle of 10 wires to save some room. Small holes for leds were made  to the front panel. Leds weren't connected directy to motherboard, 180ohm resistors were used. New front panel for cd-rom drive was also created from alumiumiun and connected with "hotglue" (as well as many those parts). Fan was connected thru potentiometer, so he can adjust it's speed thru a knob at the back panel. Final touch was made painting everything matte-black, using nice self-made stickers for connectors and logo, and finally making nice hifi-look-a-like stands for it from chrome-tube and some black rubber beneath them.

As I said, this translation is quite messy comparing to that finely writted original article by Tero Siironen.

-q

[Ryu]

oh and ive found a site that can translate from finnish, though it does a crap job but gives a funny read, http://www.tranexp.com:2000/InterTran.cgi

I send him an email asking him if he would consider translating the page to english as I think this is a very interesting project.

[Ryu]

Yeah it is, I would like to do something along the lines of what AndyC is doing, if only I had the money to do it though :-) im intreged to see what a GenLock can do too, I have one but never used it, think im gonna have to dig it out and give it a go.

Note: what the hell am i doing on Amiga.org still at 2 in the morning....

[AndyC]

Thanks for all the help folks...

Keep it coming!!!

I'll definitely be looking for some help with that remote control MP3 player mind you!

Cheers,
AndyC

[Quixote]

AndyC asked:

...Keep it coming!!!

;-) There was a fellow on another list who decided to house his A1200 in an old A1000 case.  The older case is just wide enough for the motherboard, and has more room for add-ons.
:-? Mind you, I don't know how well he got on with it...