AA3000+ Amiga 3000 AGA motherboard
 

Here is a project I've been working on for the past six months.

AA3000+ Motherboard

AA3000+ is an Amiga 3000 AGA motherboard based on the Commodore AA3000 schematics with some improvements and extra features that were missing from the original AA3000 motherboard, such as the scandoubler / flicker fixer.

The specifications of the AA3000+ motherboard are:
- Amiga 3000 motherboard with AGA chipset
- on-board 68030 PGA CPU and 68881/68882 PLCC FPU running at 25MHz
- DSP processor (AT&T DSP3210)
- CPU slot for A3000/A4000 accelerators
- 16MB Fast RAM using two SIMM modules (no expensive ZIP RAM chips needed)
- 2MB Chip RAM (no expensive ZIP RAM chips needed)
- extended Fast RAM support (up to 64MB?, work in progress)
- extended Kickstart ROM support up to 4MB
- on-board full 24bit AGA scandoubler / flicker fixer
- support for two external video inputs (for example a graphics card and another scandoubler such as Indivision AGA)
- monitor switch between the video inputs, similar to Ratte monitor switch (controllable by software or external switch)
- 23-pin DSUB port for native Amiga RGB video output
- 15-pin VGA port for graphics card or scandoubled / native Amiga RGB video output
- 2x stereo audio RCA jack
- SCSI-II controller (50-pin internal port, 50-pin DSUB external port)
- 880kB / 1.76MB Amiga floppy drive port (34-pin internal port, 23-pin DSUB external port)
- 2x 9-pin DSUB Amiga mouse/joystick ports
- 5-pin DIN Amiga keyboard port
- 25-pin DSUB serial port
- 25-pin DSUB parallel port
- battery backed up clock
- 2x power connectors for fans (1x +5V fan, 1x +12V fan)

Pictures of the motherboard PCB:
https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/8b/60/V8aRMUjt_t.jpg https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/4d/11/FV0eTuLT_t.jpg https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/2f/b3/O37cWbtm_t.jpg

https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/2d/e2/AHyPeR99_t.jpg https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/9d/76/06o4KS7p_t.jpg https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/36/a3/Br3r3yXF_t.jpg

Assembled AA3000+ motherboard:
https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/32/3c/viLwKnmD_t.jpg https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/01/c3/8FPB5VKR_t.jpg https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/f8/7c/IoIQQX6t_t.jpg
https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/3c/50/CEfhxkOk_t.jpg https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/4e/67/6rUFZne6_t.jpg https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/39/88/gZpUumO3_t.jpg

AA3000+ Firebird Daughterboard

I have also designed a daughterboard for the AA3000+, called the Firebird.
The Firebird has support for 3.3V and 5V PCI cards, the PCI support is based on the Prometheus PCI bridge by Matay.

The specifications of the Firebird daughterdboard are:
- 3x PCI slots (3.3V and 5V cards)
- 4x Zorro III slots
- 1x AGA video slot

Picture of the Firebird PCB:
https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/80/dd/zsgnmyob_t.jpg

Assembled Firebird daughterboard:
https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/8c/48/nylZOZbk_t.jpg https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/bf/ad/8AmQrVej_t.jpg https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/4d/63/DiUNdqmX_t.jpg https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/1c/5a/nb5f49rc_t.jpg

AA3000+ ready to use
https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/98/30/7Jw78fYf_t.jpg

The picture gallery.

The motherboard is working otherwise but the extended Fast RAM support is still work in progress and requires me to do another revision of the motherboard.

If you have some features that you would like to be included to the next motherboard revision, please let me know.

This is seriously cool :D

The choice of the original AT&T DSP feels a bit strange, i dont think any Amiga software using it ever existed and with a cursory look i cannot even find a assembler for it, so i fear nobody will ever write software it.

Then again, i historical reasons are cool if thats your thing :D

Cool stuff, Hese. Your designs don't ever disappoint. :great



Do I see it correctly that you've added active Zorro bus termination on the Daughterboard? If so, a derivate of that one for the A4000 would be a welcome addition to your portfolio (assuming I didn't miss an already existing layout).

In one word: FANTASTIC! :shocked:bowdown:crazy:great:D.

Seriously, you have done one hell of a job. Is this going to be open source? I really hope so as I for one would really like to build this.

I have a ton of questions/suggestions :):
- More RAM is definately desired, 64MB is a good step!
- PLEASE replace the SMT electrolytics with thru hole elco's. They have proven to withstand the test of time which cannot be said for SMT elco's (and those solid thingies don't have a lot of track record yet)
- How is the scandoubler implemented? I have not spotted an amber chip?
- Is the video DAC an R2R array? Seems like it, smart move :great
- Apart from the Amiga custom chips, the SCSI controller and the 23pin connectors, are the rest modern components? No antique delay lines and/ppr clock buffers and such?
- Does it work with an A3660?
- Does it fit in an A3000 desktop?

Very nice job, congrats!

Very nice! great work.

Now we need Amiga 3000/4000 new cases!

connectors for fans in 2019?? for what? for a 30 w computer ?
or for a 030 cpu which don't even need a heatsink

:nuts

A3640 with 68040 runs really hot doesn't it?

And my 15000 RPM SCSI drive and the Voodoo3 to name a few.

Great stuff, Hese!

Which firmware is the Prometheus based PCI bridge using? The original one? Can it be used connected to an original A3000 MB?

Where does it get its 3.3V from? From some converter (i see something to the left between PCI slot 2 and 3)? How much can it handle? I think the mediators which use 10A are a little under-powered IMO.

awesome! **hands over money**

Daaaamn that's impressive!

Since you're taking requests, maybe take a page from the Ultimate64 and get some LED light strip support. :D And an SD Micro slot built into the board somewhere.

I mean, you asked. :P

Amazing work, hese. Wow! If ever there was a need for an A3000 clear case... Too bad the 3000 motherboards won't fit in the new Checkmate cases (iirc).

Pretty cool! :-)

This is Awesome :D

Super work again Hese :).

Like this?

https://www.checkmate1500plus.com/

Yeah! But then for A3000 and A4000 which this isn't as far as I can see.

Oh man! I want one... where do I sign up?

@hedeon: can your PPC lib work with this PCI bridge?

Wasn't the DSP meant to have some input/output connectors? At least sound?
And perhaps a connector for sound mixing with a CD-ROM.

(Ahem... and make it an ATX form factor? Shut up and take my money! (But I'm not greedy, it'll fit fine in my A3000D!))

At least an ATX power socket would help avoid having adapters for the PSU and give 3.3v direct to the MB...

Sold! Amazing work :)

WOW it looks so good! I want one!