Zorro slots for an A500

[source]

I was wondering if there is an easy way to create a Zorro II slot that will plug into the expansion port for the A500. I am currently Awaiting a A500 that I picked up on Ebay. I am going to be installing a VXL30 with 8 meg board, but I am wanting to install a Budda controller that will allow use of the clockport adaptors. Possibly having 2 zorro slots alligned so that the Zorro cards would be parallel with the A500 Motherboard. I was also wondering about installing a standard 4 prong power connector like the ones on found on hard drive so that the cards are self powered instead of drawing power throught the A500 motherboard.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I have the file on Aminet adding a zorro slot.
Has anyone built this? Can a second zorro slot be added to the design?

Thanks.

[alexh]

If all you want is a clock port then why not just get a clock port adapter?

http://www.amiga-hardware.com/showhardware.cgi?HARDID=1514

Not sure if it will physically fit in the A500 case with the VXL board fitted.

[source]

That I don't think will fit. I am assuming that the clockport adaptor will sit on the motherboard then the VXL would be expected to sit on top of it. There will need to be more room to accomodate the cables to plug into the clock port.
The hope is to have a full zorro slot that will allow a HD controller. I would use a Buddah which will allow for clock ports as well.

[alexh]

You can use a row of spacers. The problem is putting the lid back on afterwards.

Certainly less of a problem than a bare Zorro slot & card.

100% compatible with VXL card is the IDE68k (http://www.students.tut.fi/~leinone3/ide/ide68k.html) v293 which adds an IDE, CF card and clock port all internally.

Again it sits below the VXL

[Jope]

The VXL is needlessly tall, it could be modified to have a shorter connection to the CPU socket when used in a sandwich arrangement like this.

[rkauer]

I'm toying with the idea of using a Z-II RAM board on mine A500/SCSI. A Meta4 board is waiting and I think I'll do this until the end of the year.

[Zetr0]

I was wondering if there is an easy way to create a Zorro II slot that will plug into the expansion port for the A500. I am currently Awaiting a A500 that I picked up on Ebay. I am going to be installing a VXL30 with 8 meg board, but I am wanting to install a Budda controller that will allow use of the clockport adaptors. Possibly having 2 zorro slots alligned so that the Zorro cards would be parallel with the A500 Motherboard. I was also wondering about installing a standard 4 prong power connector like the ones on found on hard drive so that the cards are self powered instead of drawing power throught the A500 motherboard.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I have the file on Aminet adding a zorro slot.
Has anyone built this? Can a second zorro slot be added to the design?

Thanks.


All the signals you need are at the edge connectory,

you could either make a card that connects to that edge and use the nessasary 68k signals to drive the Clockport adapter, OR you could litteraly make your own by follwoing Stedy's (ian steadmans) schematics, I shall have a look later for a linkie for you.

[rkauer]

Aminet can be your friend in this quest. ;)

[salax54]

As promised a few months ago on a similar topic, the article from AF January '98 on "how to add a Zorro slot to your A1000/A500" (hosted at the Greek Amigans forum from yours trully)
http://www.amigahellas.gr/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?cid=9&lid=55
Plus, from the same issue, an analysis of the Zorro busses
http://www.amigahellas.gr/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?cid=9&lid=54
Hope y'all find them interesting, and take advantage of the contents..

[source]

Thanks for the sites. I have downloaded the images, and begun sourcing the parts. One of the questions I have (which would likely be first of many) Is I am wanting to have the card self powered. Do I need to put diodes on all the 5 volt lines to prevent current going back to the 500 mobo and do I need to run the 5 volt current to all the 5 volt lines?

[rkauer]

Don't need diodes! Just solder all +5V lines directly to the external supply and not to A500's board. GND lines must be shared with both the external supply and A500s one.

[source]

I have sourced the chips and sockets. Now I just need to find a source for the edge connectors. I think I have found one in the US. Once I get those, I will begin building the board. The plan is to have this card be self powered. I don't know if I should pull all the power from the 500. I see that amigakit has 250 W PSU for A500. Should I have all the power pulled through the A500 with one of these PSU's or should I self power the expansion card? If I do use a separate power supply for the expansion board, do I need to run capacitors off of the 5+volt supply, and if so how big of a cap would be needed?
Thanks for input.:bowdown

[Lockon]

I think you should make it self-powered, even if that means that at the end it would drain power from same source as A500 does (if 250W PSU is used, at another rail). IIRC, on A500 there's a EMI17xx component which limits +5V current available to sid expansion bus. It could by bypassed, but not without some interferenece issues. For caps issues, you might wait for Ian to see this post...

BTW, does this slot has a passthrough ?

[Photon]

"Mmm... sandwich arrangements..." (c) Homer

[source]

Does the Amiga 500 need the shielding inside the case, or can it be perminantly removed to allow for a little more space inside the computer case?

[Loedown]

Does the Amiga 500 need the shielding inside the case, or can it be perminantly removed to allow for a little more space inside the computer case?

I ran mine for years without any RF shielding, I don't recall any thermonuclear explosions.

[rkauer]

I think I don't even see ONE Amiga with the top shield in my home for years... :D

[lost_loven]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Amiga-500-1000-Toolbox-Expansion-Phoenix-500-1000_W0QQitemZ330385262295QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4cec7f06d7

:)

[chiark]

I've got an adaptor for my 500, and the GVP HC8+ works. I was really hoping that it would work with the Piccolo SD64 graphics card, but having that inserted hangs the system. I've jumpered the card for z2 mode rather than the autosense it uses, but it still hangs the system.

It'd be great to know what does and does not work :)

[bebek]

Long time ago I connected A2000 card to Amiga 500 without any special expansion, only bunch of cables. It is SCSI controller with 8MB fast memory. Looks average but works fine :). I managed to fit everything in the case and close it. Do not like to turn on this Amiga now as the hard drive is so noisy that can not stand it for more than 5 minutes... . Is there any quiet SCSI hard drive?

[rkauer]

<SNIP> Is there any quiet SCSI hard drive?

Yes! Buy an ACARD SCSI-to-IDE bridge, then an IDE-to-Compact Flash adapter and finally the compact flash itself.

Silent, fast & very low power consumption.

[Dreamcast270mhz]

You can also get a micronik a500 busboard and case, then you can use a2000 accelerators!

[bebek]

You can also get a micronik a500 busboard and case, then you can use a2000 accelerators!

I know that :) but I do not like the idea of doubling A500 price :laughing .

[Zetr0]

@bebek

thats indeed some awesome stuff!! =)

how long did it take to solder all that together?

[bebek]

@bebek

thats indeed some awesome stuff!! =)

how long did it take to solder all that together?

Thanks. I do not remember but it could not be long as I am getting bored very quick ;) . All I remember it started from first power on :evilgrin . more time took taking out ISA sockets from PC board. Just after I did it I wanted to do the simple 14MHz hack but it did not work so I gave up but I will do it ... Looks like 14 MHz works but without the card. With the card it does not boot :(