New Mediator model: Mediator PCI 3000Di

[DJS]

Elbox Computer is pleased to announce expanding the MEDIATOR busboard product line with the new Mediator model for the desktop Amiga 3000 computers: Mediator PCI 3000Di.

Mediator PCI 3000Di replaces original Commodore A3000 Daughter Board. The new Mediator model is equipped with a 3.3V power rail, which allows to use wider range of PCI card models.

Mediator 3000Di boards will be produced in limited edition based on pre-orders. Pre-orders will be accepted from now until 3rd November 2013.

Features:
• 3 PCI slots (PCI 2.2 compatible)
• 3 Zorro III/II slots
• 33MHz PCI clock (transfer rate up to 132MB/s)
• 32-bit PCI datapath
• 4GB PCI memory space
• Busmastering/DMA in all PCI slots
• SDRAM/SGRAM of PCI gfx card as a fast DMA buffer
• DMA to A3000 motherboard space
• Address and data parity control support
• Interrupt controller (4 lines to each PCI card)
• Compatibility with all A3000 processor card models
• Simultaneous operation of up to three PCI and up to three Zorro III/II cards

Software:
• 2D graphic drivers for:
• Radeon 9250, Radeon 9200, Radeon 9000,
• Voodoo5, Voodoo4, Voodoo3, Voodoo Banshee,
• S3 Virge and S3 Virge DX PCI graphic cards
• Warp 3D drivers working with Voodoo5, Voodoo4 and Voodoo3 graphic cards
• TV tuner drivers for over 100 models of the PCI TV tuner cards
• AHI sound drivers for: Sound Blaster 4.1 Digital, Sound Blaster 128 and
• ForteMedia FM801-based sound cards (e.g. Terratec 512i Digital)
• Network Sana-2 drivers for: Fast Ethernet 100Mbps PCI cards
• Network Sana-2 drivers for: Ethernet 10Mbps PCI cards
• USB drivers for the Poseidon stack for: Spider II USB 2.0 cards

For the complete list of currently supported PCI cards see Mediator Driver Guide.

Package contents:
• Mediator PCI Core Logic card
• Elbox A3000D 4xZIII / 3xPCI daughter board
• Mediator Multimedia CD
• User's Manual

Pricing and availability:
Mediator PCI 3000Di suggested retail price is 299.95 EUR (VAT included) or $336.95 (VAT excluded).

Mediator 3000Di boards will be produced in limited edition based on pre-orders. Pre-orders will be accepted from now until 3rd November 2013. The preordered boards will be sent out on 22 November 2013.

Pre-orders can be placed in the Elbox Online Store at
Mediator 3000Di page for customers from the European Union,
Mediator 3000Di page for customers from other countries.

[Iggy]

Elbox Computer is pleased to announce expanding the MEDIATOR busboard product line with the new Mediator model for the desktop Amiga 3000 computers: Mediator PCI 3000Di.

Mediator PCI 3000Di replaces original Commodore A3000 Daughter Board. The new Mediator model is equipped with a 3.3V power rail, which allows to use wider range of PCI card models.

Mediator 3000Di boards will be produced in limited edition based on pre-orders. Pre-orders will be accepted from now until 3rd November 2013.

Features:
• 3 PCI slots (PCI 2.2 compatible)
• 3 Zorro III/II slots
• 33MHz PCI clock (transfer rate up to 132MB/s)
• 32-bit PCI datapath
• 4GB PCI memory space
• Busmastering/DMA in all PCI slots
• SDRAM/SGRAM of PCI gfx card as a fast DMA buffer
• DMA to A3000 motherboard space
• Address and data parity control support
• Interrupt controller (4 lines to each PCI card)
• Compatibility with all A3000 processor card models
• Simultaneous operation of up to three PCI and up to three Zorro III/II cards

Software:
• 2D graphic drivers for:
• Radeon 9250, Radeon 9200, Radeon 9000,
• Voodoo5, Voodoo4, Voodoo3, Voodoo Banshee,
• S3 Virge and S3 Virge DX PCI graphic cards
• Warp 3D drivers working with Voodoo5, Voodoo4 and Voodoo3 graphic cards
• TV tuner drivers for over 100 models of the PCI TV tuner cards
• AHI sound drivers for: Sound Blaster 4.1 Digital, Sound Blaster 128 and
• ForteMedia FM801-based sound cards (e.g. Terratec 512i Digital)
• Network Sana-2 drivers for: Fast Ethernet 100Mbps PCI cards
• Network Sana-2 drivers for: Ethernet 10Mbps PCI cards
• USB drivers for the Poseidon stack for: Spider II USB 2.0 cards

For the complete list of currently supported PCI cards see Mediator Driver Guide.

Package contents:
• Mediator PCI Core Logic card
• Elbox A3000D 4xZIII / 3xPCI daughter board
• Mediator Multimedia CD
• User's Manual

Pricing and availability:
Mediator PCI 3000Di suggested retail price is 299.95 EUR (VAT included) or $336.95 (VAT excluded).

Mediator 3000Di boards will be produced in limited edition based on pre-orders. Pre-orders will be accepted from now until 3rd November 2013. The preordered boards will be sent out on 22 November 2013.

Pre-orders can be placed in the Elbox Online Store at
Mediator 3000Di page for customers from the European Union,
Mediator 3000Di page for customers from other countries.

Neat!
A  long overdue idea.
No more case swapping.

[Iggy]

What next?
A Dragon 1200 that actually works or G3/G4 accelerator boards?

[x56h34]

What next?
A Dragon 1200 that actually works or G3/G4 accelerator boards?

More likely they will be pleased to announce free shipping, for a limited time only, for fast ata and mediator boards...

[Bamiga2002]

It would be nice if they could also fix the big endian/little endian graphic issue with Voodoo4 cards (don't know if it also affects Voodoo5). Voodoo3 seems to be unaffected. But great they still make these boards.

[nicholas]

Still no sign of the Sonnet^H^H^H^H^H SharkPPC.

Jokers.

[Iggy]

Still no sign of the Sonnet^H^H^H^H^H SharkPPC.

Jokers.

No?
Seriously, I heard it was coming out in about two weeks...

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Nice!  Wish I could get one for an A2000, heh.

[mechy]

Nice!  Wish I could get one for an A2000, heh.

you need to add a zorro3 machine to your collection Mike.. A4000

[mboehmer_e3b]

No?
Seriously, I heard it was coming out in about two weeks...

It came out. I bought all four cards, they lay here in my shelf

wow. A linear 3.3V regulator... on the already loaded +5V line I guess... a really hot idea

Michael

[mechy]

It came out. I bought all four cards, they lay here in my shelf

wow. A linear 3.3V regulator... on the already loaded +5V line I guess... a really hot idea

Michael

I was wondering how they were going to manage 3.3v support on the
stock 3000 psu.
The only way i could see it was a linear. Hot idea there indeed.. can you report here when you have tested it?

[mboehmer_e3b]

I was wondering how they were going to manage 3.3v support on the
stock 3000 psu.
The only way i could see it was a linear. Hot idea there indeed.. can you report here when you have tested it?

I wont test it. I just know how much current is drawn by modern 3.3V PCI cards (like the Sonnet... erm SharkPPC I mean , which I have tested in Prometheus).

Assume 2A power drawn, and using 5V line for linear regulation (which is nasty, as 5v is usually already well loaded in Amiga systems). You end up with (5-3.3)x2 W = 3.4 W of pure heat being dissipated.

Better would be to use a +12V -> 3.3V stepdown regulator, which achieve 90% and more efficiency... but these cost more than a few cent (as a cheap LDO does).
Using the +12V rail would also give some load balancing in favour of +5V rail.

Michael

[mechy]

I wont test it. I just know how much current is drawn by modern 3.3V PCI cards (like the Sonnet... erm SharkPPC I mean , which I have tested in Prometheus).

Assume 2A power drawn, and using 5V line for linear regulation (which is nasty, as 5v is usually already well loaded in Amiga systems). You end up with (5-3.3)x2 W = 3.4 W of pure heat being dissipated.

Possibly more considering not 100% efficient.

Better would be to use a +12V -> 3.3V stepdown regulator, which achieve 90% and more efficiency... but these cost more than a few cent (as a cheap LDO does).
Using the +12V rail would also give some load balancing in favour of +5V rail.

Michael

buck converter is not cheap,like you said-especially to do 2+ amps but it is a better solution though. the +12v might be ok for a 3.3 supply with a LDO regulator,as you say its not used much. Driving a single 3.3v card might do ok,but definately not multiples. Having atx style supply in the amiga def. helps in this situation for the 3.3v problem although many cheaper psu's share the 3.3/5v rail.