Minimig PCB run - interest thread

[trip6]

I would buy at least two fully assembled\populated... Put my name on the list if your taking advance orders or just getting a head count...

trip6

[freqmax]

Check with Olimex: http://www.olimex.com/pcb/index.html
Less startup costs at least.

[amigadave]

Xenepp wrote:
Just to clear a couple of things up:

Would there be any way of making the VGA port output composite sync? If so, that enables the usage of a RGB SCART cable for TV hookup.

Composite or S-video would need a separate video encoder. There's no room on-board for this. You can probably modify an old Amiga RF modulator for RF output though, they ran through RGB, which afterall, is all VGA is. You can probably use an RGB SCART lead with most European TVs too as the Minimig outputs 50hz. All you need to do is tie the horizontal and vertical syncs together to get composite sync for normal RGB (doesn't mean you can use composite video this way).

Also ready-assembled is much better. I don't see the point of a bare PCB (for the majority of potential customers...)

I beg to differ. Most guys who'd want to have a go at this project don't have the means to fabricate the PCB. It's really the hardest part to get past, the rest is trial and error.

IIRC, Dennis had jumpers on the Minimig to switch from 15kHz to 30~31kHz for the RGB output to be able to use old Amiga monitors, or modern VGA monitors.  In fact I had written him about it and have the reply somewhere on another computer at my home (on the laptop today).

One question: There should also be a jumper to switch from 50hz to 60hz for the North American and Japanese markets interested in this project.  Please don't make it 50hz only.

And lastly, GO JOEL!!!  This is absolutely the most exciting Amiga news in years and I think it is great that it is Open Source and was developed by one single person that was not a greedy company out to screw the Amiga community (again).

What is the current count of people interested in boards?  Many of us want more than one board, what is the total count of boards wanted?

[Mikkel]

The olimex boards wouldn't be good for this, as it wouldn't be possible to get more than 4 minimigs on the biggest board (2 if the 12x12cm form factor is chosen, as the width of the olimex board is 20cm), and it costs 132$.

This is 33$ (or 66$) per board, as opposed to as low as 6$ per board from 4pcb. The NRE of 150$ is negligible when several hundred boards are ordered.

It's a very good offer for prototypes and single projects, but for something like this, when hundreds of boards are needed, the bigger board houses have the best prices to offer.


Anders M.

[TheMagicM]

it'll be funny if this outsells A1, Pegasos and Efika boards.. lol

[skurk]

Xenepp wrote:
I'll get started now then and let you guys know when I'm done.

Keep us posted all the way until they're shipped.

Oh my word.  This is so cool I almost wet myself.

[silentnoise]

I´m in on two assembled boards, for up to 150 pounds - it´s just a fantastic project!

[alexh]

amigadave wrote:
One question: There should also be a jumper to switch from 50hz to 60hz for the North American and Japanese markets interested in this project.  Please don't make it 50hz only.

AFAIK the design of the MiniMig internals and the V1.0 PCB means that you are stuck with a 50Hz PAL Amiga (for the time being at least).

Because of the way MiniMig's clocking currently works, I dont think you can even change to 60Hz in software like you can a real PAL Amiga. This was discussed on the main MiniMig thread at least once.

You may be able to change the main Crystal from a 4.433619MHz PAL one to a 3.579545MHz NTSC one but you will almost certainly have to play with the DCM to generate the (2x) 7.15909MHz etc.

Although how a 4.433619MHz clock was used to generate a (1.6x) 7.09379 MHz one, I dont quite know.

That alone might not be enough, you *may* need to change some constants (horbeam and verbeam comparisons) in agnus.v for NTSC timing.

I may well be wrong, but you'd have to ask Dennis to be sure.

BTW: Dennis We do appreciate your work of art mate ;-)

[Everblue]

So, will we know a price and estimated shipping date any soon?

[koaftder]

Does Dennis get any money for this?

[alexh]

If Dennis wanted to make any money from this he would have. He could have made and sold boards... THEN at a later date release the JUST the binary FPGA file.

There was an opportunity for him to make money from this and he chose not to AND provide the source.

He is a great man for doing that. A better man than myself I fear.

I for one would like to contribute to him, if I bought a MiniMig capable PCB.

[recidivist]

 I'd like ONE assembled board ,in a standard size,and would prefer if work with either American standard Amiga monitors or standard vga monitors.Am assuming delivery/availability of 8 weeks or more(but in time for Christmas?) from now AND no huge tax on boards sent to the U.S.

 It is surely possible for anyone who wants to thanks Dennis to even now send him cards and letters with or without money.Presumably it isn't yet against the law to give cash presents.

[amigean]

I for one would like to contribute to him, if I bought a MiniMig capable PCB.

Agreed. I too would be willing to pay something extra, to say "thank you" to Dennis. Whoever makes this, please allow for an optional donation! I think the community should reward someone for delivering...

Oh and count me in for a couple...

[Motormouth]

I would like two assembled boards

I agree dennis should get at least some money
even if it is only $5 or $10 a board

[TheMagicM]

i'll pay an extra $20 USD if thats acceptable for my board if it goes directly to Dennis.   He delivered when even a "company" like Amiga Inc. couldnt.  He even beat out that Clone-A machine.

[wildstar1063]

I'd be interested in a populated board, or at least a board with all the SMT stuff populated.

I would also like to see all of the Major IC's socketed

wildstar1063