Using Zorro II with an A500

[Cyberus]

Just a quick Q,
Am I right in thinking that A2000 cards can, in theory, be used with an A500 by way of an expansion board (like the old(!) bodega bay unit)?
Thanks

[Zadoc]

Yes, the A500's expansion bay, is relatively a Zorro 2 slot, and can be (with the help of an adapter) able to accept a Zorro 2 card.

I haven't tried this myself with any of my A500's so I don't know how functional or reliable this is, but I do know that it can be done.

[Kurt]

actually there is a way you can make a cheap single slot adapter. Got it in my notes somewhere
Damn if I can remember. You need a Zorro slot connector and a A500 conector one small generic logic chip and some wire and a soldering iron and away you go. It's not very hard to make.
Might be a sample on the aminet you can try.

Kurt

[Darth_X]

Although it sounds like a fun project :-D ..you could probably pick up an Amiga2000 for free or cheap from someone :-D

[Quixote]

Kurt knew:

...Got it in my notes somewhere
Damn if I can remember. You need a Zorro slot connector and a A500 conector one small generic logic chip and some wire and a soldering iron and away you go.

;-) If you or a friend have old copies of Amiga Format magazine, this project was covered in issue 106, January, 1998, pages 20-25.)  A minor error was spotted by a reader whose letter, along with the correction, was printed in AF issue 113, August 1998, page71.

[Effy]

I have seen an offer on the belgian Ebay some weeks ago about that Z2 busboard for the A500, with 2 slots ...

[JurassicCamper]

Amiga Format or CU Amiga covered it around 95/96
They showed you have to make one.

[Erwin-K]

For a one Z-2 card solution look for the Slingshot adapter. The SlingshotPro has a passthru.

They will not work with every single Zorro card out there, but do work with most basic expansions such as ram & HD's.

[xaccrocheur]

Although it sounds like a fun project  ..you could probably pick up an Amiga2000 for free or cheap from someone

You really think you can reason the guy ? :-P

It's the *every damn machine in this house have to WORK* syndrome. Can't do nothing about it :-D

pX

[xaccrocheur]

Amiga Format or CU Amiga covered it around 95/96
They showed you have to make one.

Where in hell can I find old Amiga press to buy ?

pX

[Agafaster]

AF did it.

Essentially, the A500 trapdoor slot is a cut down Zorro 2 slot wired slightly differently.

I think you get full compatibility, but you only get one slot (IIRC the article did show how a couple could be daisy-chained together but it wasnt easy), and you dont get DMA, and stuff like that. I believe it could take Graphics cards, but the performance was not as good as a true zorro slot.

[vortexau]

Its actually the LEFT HAND Slot on an A500 which is a Zorro 1 slot!
Many Hard Drive controllers were made that plugged in there.

GVPs versions were some of the best though pricey. At lest one of GVPs models had 2 miniature Zorro slots inside. They could take an Accellerator and an AT-PC Card.

Card Cages such as the Bodega-Bay and others had a connector that attached there.

The same interface is on the RIGHT HAND side of the A1000. An A500 device plugged into the A1000's connector goes in Rear-facing-forward (or such-like).

[Agafaster]

@vortexau,

You are right !
I sit corrected. never owned a 500, btw. explains how I could get it wrong though, eh !

[vortexau]

Bodega Bay

BusExpander

Shuttleboards

Zorro Box

A500 busboard

SlingShot

Expansion Box

Zorro II/III Pinouts




A530



Supra 28 Turbo