CF card extender for A600 and A1200

[kipper2k]

Hi All,

Just to let you know i have started a new little project while i am waiting for parts for my other projects to come in.

I have designed a CF card extender board to allow the plug in and removal of CF cards from an A600 or an A1200 without the need to open the case. I will be making quite a few of these so if anyone wants to reserve one let me know. This will not interfere with the ACa accel boards in the A600.

update: Below shows the final version (V2.0) that i have available (next batch due 15Aug 2011)




I will use this thread for order reservation.

[mfilos]

Awesome idea! Always wanted someone to build one like these
I'm up for at least one for sure. I'd grab 2 but want to leave room for others as well \o/

Cheers mate

[prowler]

Great idea, kipper!

I'd order one too, but my A1200s seem to have their tops permanently removed these days.

[cpiac64]

good idea, but is possible insert a second connector for hd or cd or implement 4ide?

[fitzsteve]

Hi kipper2k,

Great project! I would be interested in one unit :-)

Steve.

[kipper2k]

thanks for the interest guys.

I am also looking at putting a HDD disable jumper on the board too so that if there is no CF Card on the board the 3.1 ks will not wait 15 seconds looking for a HDD before timing out. Probably a manual jumper to set but i will try to find a way to sense it.

ps, board is shrinking in size as i optimize it so it will have a smaller footprint.

[ws1968]

I will buy one for sure. But if you have enough i want two!

[alexh]

Depending on the price, I'd probably want a couple.

[delshay]

time would be better spent on a redesign motherboard changed the layout a bit using old commdore parts.

change the PCMCIA slot so the card can completly fit in the desktop case.

add support for full 68020.

and many more small changes thats not to hard to add-in like i have here.

s-video added to motherboard underside (modifcation completly out of veiw when veiw from above)

floppy read/write LED (blue/white) most out of veiw. im also thinking of adding a track counter too.

im sure some of you also have great ideas.

[mfilos]

Not everyone has the knowledge or appetite to do so. Apparently you don't have either since as you said, you have done these for you.

Every new hardware from most simple to most complex is always welcome and shouldn't be criticized about whether the time to make it would better spent to something else.

Go ahead and build something nice for the community if you can manage your time right

[delshay]

A1200 is not that complex (4 layer i think) if you are adding old componets the PDF docs are out there also to help.

you can even add-in PC mouse support like i have here into the motherboard (again out of veiw built on the underside of the motherboard. you could even throw in the Akiko chip from the CD32 which someone claims is useless but was planned for the A1200 by commodore.

i know it can be done,look what happened to the A1000.


i like to point out you can buy a *rare* eject system that clips on to the A1200/A600 PCMCIA slot (best for tower users only).

[mfilos]

You still can't get it...
How what you have done to your personal Amigas helps anyone here?
Kipper2k designed a new IDE2CF adapter to offer to the community and you (for once more) only praise your own things and what can someone do.

If you want new hardware as you said... and designing is so easy --> Go ahead and make some for the community (instead of asking and pointing out comments)!!!

Anyway too much OT here... /signing off

[delshay]

how hard can it be,just do the PCB with improved layout and users who are very good with soldering just add the old componets from there old PCB.

perhaps i mite be little OTT but it saves on all the add-on boards and improves reliability.

END.

[seuden]

Originally Posted by delshay

how hard can it be,just do the PCB with improved layout and users who are very good with soldering just add the old componets from there old PCB.

perhaps i mite be little OTT but it saves on all the add-on boards and improves reliability.

END.

I can't see how removing old components from one board and soldering them on another one improves reliability?

This is a nice idea kipper2k, I'm definitely interested.

[delshay]

Originally Posted by seuden

I can't see how removing old components from one board and soldering them on another one improves reliability?

This is a nice idea kipper2k, I'm definitely interested.

reduced pin connection points.

interface soldered direct to main PCB.

with so many add-on boards out there i was just pointing this out to reduce the numbers if was built in. look what some users had with the indivision.

another thing that could be built-in is 4 way clockport,but because it seems it's a little OTT it ENDS here.

[Arnie]

Originally Posted by delshay

time would be better spent on a redesign motherboard changed the layout a bit using old commdore parts.

change the PCMCIA slot so the card can completly fit in the desktop case.

add support for full 68020.

and many more small changes thats not to hard to add-in like i have here.

s-video added to motherboard underside (modifcation completly out of veiw when veiw from above)

floppy read/write LED (blue/white) most out of veiw. im also thinking of adding a track counter too.

im sure some of you also have great ideas.

When you say "Like I have here", what are we supposed to be looking at?

[cosmicfrog]

ideas are great we all have even if the are crap, far fetch or even great but putting them into reality is the hard bit !!

at moment I don`t have a machine that this would fit kipper or I`d have one. Seems all my amigas apart from the A500s, 1 nice A1200 and 2 x A600s are iether desktop A2000`s or towerd A1200`s

me twidllest thumbs and waits for even more hardware to apper ....

[delshay]

Originally Posted by Arnie

When you say "Like I have here", what are we supposed to be looking at?

when veiw from above allmost *nothing* has changed but its' all in there the only thing you wiil see is two 15mm extra wire to get around the lack of tracks for floppy read/write LED.

most of my modifation is based on *reduce visable wires* when the top of the A1200 cover is removed. this give me better airflow in the A1200 desktop and makes most add-ons plug-in & play without messing around with cables.

floppy drive cable will also dissappear almost completed.

what can be added to the A1200 motherboard is directly solder or glued to my motherboard and it does have advantages.

what can't be added to the motherboard directly has a socket like the drawing in this thread,but mines is for the motorize floppy drive (cableless). NOTE: A1200 must be powered-up in order to eject the floppy disk. (motorize eject system)



the following is also cableless.

Bvision (short PCB link into old LED socket) LEDS move to another location

Indivision glued to motherboard (very short PCB link to motherboard)

Elbox box MKIII (this card has has extra pins mount underneath plugs directly into left-side of clockport remaining signals) when card is inserted into kickstart socket.

[kipper2k]

The estimated cost for these (and i may increase to 50 boards) would be $15 to $20 Cdn each. The most expensive part is the CF card slot itself which digikey have for way too much ($6). I will look at buying some new chinese CF card adapter and nicking the slot from those if it can be done without damaging them. I did use my heatgun on one of my old ones last night and was able to remove it perfectly with no solder bridges, warping etc.

I'll probably order the boards on Friday as i want to make sure there are no problems with the schematics and i will add a LED riser for those people that may want to hook in an external HDD activity light.

I think this is a nice simple solution rather than mucking around with the motherboard as most people would shy away from that.

Time for this project to complete is probably Middle of March (I hate giving estimates but i know we all want to know when something is ready)

[cpiac64]

insert a led activity