Jope's A1700..

[Photon]

Suddenly I'm beginning to think Motorola made 3 CPUs in 15 years...

Anyway, would be interesting to drop a 68020 core in a gate array and see how fast you can get with today's frequencies, caches and stuff.

[AmigaFriend]

Originally Posted by Photon

Suddenly I'm beginning to think Motorola made 3 CPUs in 15 years...

68000 - 1979
68020 - 1984
68030 - 1987
68040 - 1990
68060 - 1994

More like 5 cpu in 4 generations

[TCD]

*cough*
68010 - 1982

[AmigaFriend]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

*cough*
68010 - 1982

Just some bugs fixed. Does not count.

[Photon]

That doesn't sound right. Lemme run Sysinfo on my A500-040...

[Photon]

Well, ok. I had a memory 040 was at least 5x the speed of 030 at the same clock. Well, pretty close.

My A500-040 (28MHz) is 4.28 x A3000 (25 MHz 68030). Dunno if faster chipmem on the A3000 affects the comparison.

So um we're both right ... or something

[Photon]

Just asking here in case you didn't see my post in keyboard membranes thread: Will the n-key rollover thing become better with an A500 keyboard? In case the little glitch doesn't affect a simple 5/6-pin connection...

Unless the problem is with the A1200 keyboard flatcable... I had that problem where all keys worked separately but combos like alt+amiga didn't (locked out each other)

[Jope]

Originally Posted by Photon

Just asking here in case you didn't see my post in keyboard membranes thread: Will the n-key rollover thing become better with an A500 keyboard? In case the little glitch doesn't affect a simple 5/6-pin connection...

It does, as it is not a problem with the mechanics of the A1200 keyboard, but the controller that lives on the motherboard is shit.

Unless the problem is with the A1200 keyboard flatcable... I had that problem where all keys worked separately but combos like alt+amiga didn't (locked out each other)

Nopes, the membrane and flat cable are 99% the same as in the A500. The major difference is, that it comes out from the middle of the keyboard, instead of above Del/Help. Just be sure not to use one of the less common A500 keyboards with two flat cables. The majority have just one, and this is what you want.

It's easier to just plug the A500 controller into the A1200 flat cable, then wire it up. If you use an A500 keyboard in the A1200 case, it will hit the power and drive leds in the A1200 case and not fit together.

[Photon]

Yes, well that collision can be avoided with a saw and and hammer. I mean modding

"Plug the controller into the A1200 flat cable" makes no sense to me but I guess I can go by the photo of your mod and replicate it?

Apparently I don't have to remove the chip? Won't that chip interfere with the controller on the A500 keyboard? Or did you simply nip off the +Vcc pin?

[Jope]

Originally Posted by Photon

Yes, well that collision can be avoided with a saw and and hammer. I mean modding

Please, no. The A1200 has a perfectly fitting keyboard + led board, why on earth would you want to ugly it up?

"Plug the controller into the A1200 flat cable" makes no sense to me but I guess I can go by the photo of your mod and replicate it?

Well you can look at my photos for how the wires hook up to the A1200 motherboard, but the similarities end there..

Let's go through the A500 controller board into A1200 keyboard thing again:

There's a wide plastic cable snaking out from the back of the A1200 keyboard that plugs into the A1200 motherboard. This much is agreed upon, I'm sure.

Now take the A500 keyboard into your hand and look closely between the keyboard controller and the black plastic in the top right corner. There is a very short piece of plastic cable visible between the controller board and the keyboard itself.

Unscrew the little PCB from the corner of the A500 keyboard, then unplug this short piece of cable you see between the mechanism and the PCB so that you have the little PCB free in your hand. You may also need to cut a cable tie that holds the rainbow coloured wires down before it comes loose.

The A1200 keyboard's cable plugs into the same slot on the little PCB (instead of going to the A1200 motherboard), then you just connect the rainbow coloured wires to the correct places on the A1200 motherboard.

If you do it like this, you will not have to hacksaw the case or the keyboard, nor do you have to transfer the white keys to the A500 keyboard..

Apparently I don't have to remove the chip? Won't that chip interfere with the controller on the A500 keyboard? Or did you simply nip off the +Vcc pin?

If it doesn't work with the controller left in, the best way to do this is to cut or bend up the CLK and DAT pins from the A1200 keyboard processor. Don't leave it hanging on the bus unpowered, this might still interfere with the signalling.

[Photon]

Yeah, it seemed like the leds would fit in the holes, but well, I just had a quick look so wasn't 100% sure.

And I suspected you had disconnected some pins from the mobo - right. Point taken about the bus.

Although it's pretty hard to see all of it on that pic after the previous owner's hot-air gun massacre One side of the keyboard controller looks like it's been attacked with hammer and chisel (!)

[Matt020]

Hey Jope, did you get to install the CDROM into your A1700?

[Jope]

I did, yes. I ended up creating a bracket for it that screws into the lip at the back of the computer. To make the bracket, I cut up an A500 AmigaBus grounding strip and soldered it together so that the holes lined up with the laptop drive.

Fits nicely. I originally tried to mount the CD-ROM onto the top cover with hot glue, but naturally it didn't stand transport at all.

I meant to take new pics once I get around to modifying an AmigaBus hole cover to sport a PCMCIA slot opening, but I haven't bothered with that yet, so now pictures and thread updates either. :-)

[Matt020]

any chance of pics?

[Jope]

So .. long time, no pics. I did something to the machine and decided to snag some new shots while I'm at it.

Its been in use on and off, always a conversation piece at demo parties. I upgraded the crappy TRA turbo with a B1230-IV pretty soon after I took the machine into use. I also found a used Indivision A1200 for a reasonable price some time last year and installed that too.

But that was then, today's project was the PCMCIA hole I was talking about before.

First off, here's what the insides look like at the moment:


It's a bit cluttered, since there's a lot of spare flat cable. Makes taking it apart easier.

Here's the hole. :-)


Here's the CD-ROM bracket I mentioned before, fashioned out of a cut down A500 AmigaBus grounding strip:


And it rests in place like this. I also opted to mount the Indivision's VGA port in place of the useless RF modulator.


Everything fits comfortably and it's time to put the cover back on. You can see the two screws that hold the CD-ROM bracket down at the rear of the machine if you squint, it's a little out of focus in that area. :-)


Mmm, NMB keyboards.. <3 (still looking for more of these.. A500/A2000 models both accepted. :-)

No-one knows what lurks within.


Unfortunately I mounted the CD-ROM too far towards the front at first. I'll do something about it later. Maybe.

[Zetr0]

Thats looking quite promising indeed Jope =D

[Lobotomika]

That's simply beautiful. SO MUCH better than a tower case. Tower cases make your miggy sad people!

[Jope]

Originally Posted by Zetr0

Thats looking quite promising indeed Jope =D

Cheers.. ;-)

Still considering making the bottom case seamless with some spackle/bondo and then painting the whole machine over in amiga beige or function key grey. :-)

[Charlie]

So lovely...

...and my A1200's go so little room in it. (I wonder how much dead A500's are fetching on feaBay atm..?)

[rkauer]

I'm still inspired by your A1700, mate. Only thing I want to do with a spare A1200 board (when I get one, as my 1200 died an horrible death) is mounting the CD to the back of the machine using the original grills to hide where the CD/DVD is mounted (routing the eject button to the under side of the back side is the goal, here). I'm still plenty of non-wanted A500 cases on my house (wife complains about the space)...

BTW: my house have more than 300m² of constructed area (the swimming pool is not counted!)...

I think I can help on the subject, but we live too far away...

[ChrisUnionNJ]

When I get a spare 1200 i'm going to do one of these and it's getting a name
Plate JOPE-EAB
A1700

Chris

[Konrad]

Originally Posted by Jope

Still considering making the bottom case seamless...

Please do ! I love what you did here, but those seams annoy the hell out of me, even though it's not my Amiga .

I must say I'm a little jealous...time to get the good ol' A500 from the attic...

[spanner]

What a nice looking A1700 there..
I didn't know you did it already,I have done it to mine just about a hour ago,but mine needs peroxiding cos its very yellow..

[Methanoid]

Originally Posted by spanner

What a nice looking A1700 there..
I didn't know you did it already,I have done it to mine just about a hour ago,but mine needs peroxiding cos its very yellow..

You didnt know even though you'd been told by 2 people and were given strong hint to search and still didnt...

[spanner]

Originally Posted by Jope

Mmm, NMB keyboards.. <3 (still looking for more of these.. A500/A2000 models both accepted. :-)

how did you get the A500 keyboard working on the A1200 board..?

[johnim]

maybe a 2b board there is a hack to add keyboard

[roy bates]

he probably soldered it to the mpu.

[Jope]

Originally Posted by roy bates

he probably soldered it to the mpu.

Yes, there is a picture link in post 3

http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=339019&postcount=3

[jimbob]

Hello, love the A1700. Considering doing this to an A1200 I'll be getting soon, so I have maximum room for pimpage. Here's my question, can the A500 case hold an A1200 keyboard? If not what are the mechanical problems.

[Jope]

The keyboard bottom plate is the same shape. The only things I can think of is that the A500 case has holes for only two LEDs, so you can't use the A1200 LED board without modifications, and the A1200's keyboard ribbon cable might not reach the connector, since the motherboard sits a bit further from the keyboard.

Haven't tried it though, as I prefer the older style keyboard controller.

[spanner]

Originally Posted by Jope

The keyboard bottom plate is the same shape. The only things I can think of is that the A500 case has holes for only two LEDs, so you can't use the A1200 LED board without modifications, and the A1200's keyboard ribbon cable might not reach the connector, since the motherboard sits a bit further from the keyboard.

Haven't tried it though, as I prefer the older style keyboard controller.

I have used the A1200 LEDs but you only can see 2 of the them,The power is the HD and the Disk drive is the same,I bent the power LED a bit so so the two LEDs fit in the holes and stuck them on with sticky tape.The power Led still lights up so you see light coming from them when the Amiga is on..

[Jope]

Originally Posted by spanner

I have used the A1200 LEDs but you only can see 2 of the them,The power is the HD and the Disk drive is the same,I bent the power LED a bit so so the two LEDs fit in the holes and stuck them on with sticky tape.The power Led still lights up so you see light coming from them when the Amiga is on..

Yeh, that will work. :-)

I bodged separate LEDs into my A1260 with hot glue, because I used an A500 keyboard without removing the controller board in it. There was no room for the LED board.

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=54556

[jimbob]

Great, thanks gents. I knew about the extra LED. I might try to slice a nice neat hole in a 500 case for the 3rd one. I just didn't know if the keyboard backplate bit would be held properly by the 500 case. (I don't actually have any of the bits yet you see).

[spanner]

Originally Posted by Jope

Yeh, that will work. :-)

I bodged separate LEDs into my A1260 with hot glue, because I used an A500 keyboard without removing the controller board in it. There was no room for the LED board.

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=54556

Cool,like how you did it.nice work.

Here is a pic of mine,I did it this way cos I don't what make a crapy hole in the top of the case,it only works this way cos of the hole in the keyboard metal frame..

I noticed that your bottom part of the case is yellowing like mine,well i got a new-ish one for mine from airey36 on ebay.. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISA...ht_1118wt_1037