Accelerator hardware theory

[alexh]

Olecranon wrote:
On the subject of the Schoenfeld A600 accelerator.  My question is why bother?  Why not do an A500 accelerator instead?

The size of the A600 is it's best feature. It is small, easily tidied away, wife "acceptable".

Couple that with it's built-in IDE interface (for WHDLoad), PCMCIA interface (for networking) and video modulator for direct hookup to the TV makes the A600 better than an A500 hands down.

you dont have to build something that is going to pop off the top of the chip everytime the system is moved.

The Schoenfeld A600 accelerator screws in place, no "popping off" when moved.

I would think a nice 020/030 accelerator with simm module socket and simple IDE controller would sell pretty well I would think.

If you made one, you'd never make your money back.

A500's are cheap to buy.

A600's are cheap to buy.

[mongo]

billt wrote:
For ideas of what needs done, read up on teh Frances project.

ftp.funet.fi  /pub/amiga/hardware/accelerators  

Lucas (Little Ugly Cheap Accelerator System) was the Accelerator. Frances (Fast Ram At Nominal Cost for Expanded Storage) was the ram expansion for it.

[Gulliver]

Will use an A600 because i have one! I dont have an A500, but then its the same bloody micro with a different layout, so in theory it would be dead easy to use one or the other.
On the other hand it is a hobby project, not a commercial venture. The reason is simple, i love electronics and Amigas, so i was in the hope i could learn something by building the accelerator. Of course i would like to add an IDE interface FASTRAM, a local bus expansion for other add-ons, but then trying to accomplish so much from the start will probably end up in a pipe dream, and will make me fail in achieving my main goal: building an accelerator.

[Olecranon]

A600's are cheap to buy.

Maybe in the UK.  Here in the US they are pretty rare and tend to run 2x-5x the cost of an A500.  Of course if Jens doesn't really care about selling accelerators in the US, you got me on the argument.

The size of the A600 is it's best feature. It is small, easily tidied away, wife "acceptable".

Couple that with it's built-in IDE interface (for WHDLoad), PCMCIA interface (for networking) and video modulator for direct hookup to the TV makes the A600 better than an A500 hands down.

Shrug.. Toss a simple IDE interface and a clockport on the accelerator and your good to go.  The idea of connecting a computer via composite to a TV makes my eyes bleed just thinking about it.  Besides, it seems like they put SCART connectors on everything in Europe.  You probably have SCART connectors on your toaster ovens over there  :lol:  My point is, I dont consider composite video output a big winning argument for the A600 over A500 debate.  When your about to plunk down 100's of dollars for a CPU upgrade, you probably have the cash to connect your A600/A500 to a display with a better method than composite.

If you made one, you'd never make your money back.

So your saying an A600 accelerator would be profitable but an A500 (with it's vastly superior unit count) accelerator would not be profitable?  The only way I can see that is if the A600 version was significantly cheaper.  

[whiteb]

I remember Lucas/Frances.

Back in 1993/1994, when it appeared, I was green and a N00b, I sent some $$'s to order the boards...., Guess what, They *NEVER* arrived.

Anyone know of a program that can actually read the data files that are in the archives ?

I know they are just text files, but will Pcad2006 read these older files ?

[Fixer]

Gulliver wrote:
Of course i would like to add an IDE interface FASTRAM, a local bus expansion for other add-ons, but then trying to accomplish so much from the start will probably end up in a pipe dream, and will make me fail in achieving my main goal: building an accelerator.

You are aware that adding fastram to an Amiga is part of what is involved with accelerating them?

The CPU being able to access dedicated memory speeds things up. Hence accelerating the Amiga.

[Unit01]

Hi Gulliver and everyone,

One this page is some details of a fairly recent DIYish 68030 accelerator design for the a1000 / Phoenix Board by a German guy I think it was off a1k.org. Maybe there is some info for you?


http://www.gb97816.homepage.t-online.de/projekte.htm

I wouldn't mind building the deinterlacer myself.

Good Luck!

John

[Gulliver]

@Unit01
Thanks, I will look into it!

I am just sorting some things out, and polishing my knowledge on the design.
I will get back on you with my findings!

[A1260]

remove the 68000 from the mobo and replace it with the much better 68030

[alexh]

Olecranon wrote:

Alexh wrote:
If you made one, you'd never make your money back.

So your saying an A600 accelerator would be profitable but an A500 (with it's vastly superior unit count) accelerator would not be profitable?

Nope. What I am saying is that neither would make their money back ;-)

Jens did an A600 accelerator, because he wanted to do an A600 accelerator. It interested him, he probably liked the quirkyness of the smallest Amiga and was inspired by Christian Krenner http://www.amiga600.de

Jens did not do it because it was going to make any money because (when you factor in his time) there is no way he would a profit.

[kolla]

I'd hope for something else than SIMM RAM, actually. Mostly because SIMMS are getting hard and expencive to get hold of. Ideally a m68k acc-card would ship with RAM soldered on board, maxed out... 128MB for 030, isnt it?

I keep dreaming of "modern" amiga acc-cards (A500,A600, A1200, CD32), with buildt in RAM, ethernet and USB - ready to be fitted with our old 030+882, 040 and 060 chips. :-)

[alexh]

kolla wrote:
SIMMS are getting hard and expencive to get hold of

Have you tried? You can get them all over the place for almost nothing.

I keep dreaming of "modern" amiga acc-cards

Keep dreaming.

[pyrre]

@alexh

Have you tried? You can get them all over the place for almost nothing.

Really?

Do you have en example website?
I am looking for simm modules

[billt]

Lucas (Little Ugly Cheap Accelerator System) was the Accelerator. Frances (Fast Ram At Nominal Cost for Expanded Storage) was the ram expansion for it.

Oops, sorry. I knew thre wqas a seperate memory board but couldn't remember much abotu it all, must have got them backwards. Thanks for the correction. Hopefully it at least led the OP down a useful road.

[Terse]

whiteb wrote:
I remember Lucas/Frances.

Back in 1993/1994, when it appeared, I was green and a N00b, I sent some $$'s to order the boards...., Guess what, They *NEVER* arrived.

LUCAS came out in 1986.

[rkauer]

pyrre wrote:
@alexh

Have you tried? You can get them all over the place for almost nothing.

Really?

Do you have en example website?
I am looking for simm modules

 I have a BOX full of 4 & 8 Mb SIMMs in here. If you want to pay the postage from Brazil, simply PM me saying the quantity (I DO NOT SELL THEM, I'LL GIVE IT 2 U!).

 I'm pretty sure you guys on europe & USA don't have those flea markets around... :roll: