Upgrading Apollo 1240 to 1260 a definitive How To Guide

[Dimlow]

Today, i purchase two Apollo 1240 40Mhz cards for the Amiga 1200. One of them is busted and i will have a go at repairing it. But i got looking on the forums about converting these cards to 1260's, and could not find a complete and full description of how its done. Just lots of information spread all over the net. Not all if it useful and some of it misleading.

I'm pretty good with electronics and i spend a lot of time making my own PCBs, making things with pic chips and programming eproms, etc. I enjoy hacking hardware. My soldering skills are quite good, i have not managed to bugger anything up yet! I'm guessing that there are other people here that are also interested in this mod.

So , yes, i know that there are people that can do it for me (PG amiga.org) etc, but this task can't really be that difficult. A little scary maybe, but not difficult. So what I'm looking for is a "how to", complete with pictures and full descriptions, hex files for the eproms, even a PCB layout / circuit diagram for the voltage regulator board. How to de-solder and fit the CPU socket and so on

We could make this thread into the "how to". So what I'm not looking for is a list of links to other posts ( unless of course i have already missed the thread with the complete info. An please no do a search posts, i have done that already.

I do have an incentive in mind, for the person that commits the most to this thread, but at the moment, I'm not sure that i should go ahead with it.

Anyway lets get started......


EDIT

i have made a photo album with almost all the detail you need to upgrade the 1240 to a 1260 @80 MHz, it has comments detailing each step.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Dimlow/A...adeTo126080Mhz

[Zetr0]

@Dimlow

I am riveted by this project indeed, its very easy to modify an A1240@40mhz to an A1260@50mhz

Ingredients Needed

• MC68xx060@50
• 5Volt to 3.3 Volt Regulator
• 50mHz Oscillator
• Updated Firmware
• Socket (PC socket 3, or other 180 pin socket *in 18x18 PGA*) possibly required.

Just to confirm, my Apollo 040 card's CPU is infact socketed, As opposed to soldered to the board. from this very careful levering will free the CPU.

For the Oscillator, Regulator module and Firmware ROM, you can get these from time to time on ebay, New Old Stock (NOS)

I believe I have a spare regulator and maybe an Oscillator.

The Oscillator
This is a 14 pin DIL type on the 040 the clock is halved internally on the CPU were as the 060 does not.

The Firmware ROM
All the ROM contains, from an earlier thread, is simple setup code, its stored (atleast on my Apollo040) an EEPROM 27C010 (-170DC), this can be read quite easily by any EPROM programmer / reader

The Regulator
This is quite a simple affair really, based around a B0242, 3 diodes, 2 capacitors, 1 TL431, 2N222 (not sure on this component) I will take some HIGH resolution pictures for this thread, and if you wish attempt to build the circuit in eagle

Overview
as we all know the legendary work by Per Gunnar, indeed a hardware hero of mine! he most certainly would have all the knowledge that you seek, infact i could sware he posted a HOW TO with lovely images, so i will continue to scour the net to find them!

Upgrading a stock Apollo 040 to an 060 with the nessecary kit I believe is a very simple job, and well within most peoples skills. the trick is if you want to over-clock the card.

I have the freescale / motorola spec/data sheets, and can confirm the higher the clock rate you want to push the 060 the more CORE voltage you will need, from this I dont think the basic regular is going to provide all of it... although there are those that have not needed to modify this I believe. for instance, according to spec, at 80mhz the 060 requires a core voltage of 4 to 4.5 volts. I have heard some people being able to push an 060 at 100mhz!!!!!

of course, with the CPU ramped up you will need faster memory, I would recommend atleast 60ns, although 50ns would probably support one better.


I really do look forward to this project of yours DimLow, what ever happens I will be watching it with much interest

[rkauer]

Originally Posted by Zetr0

@Dimlow
--zip--
Updated Firmware
--zip--

I catch this bug, too!

Anyone with a real Apollo1260 can dump the contents of the Mach131 and EEPROM?

[Zetr0]

@Rkauer

heys my friend

the Mach131 chips doesn't need copying its just the startup ROM I believe.

[TheCorfiot]

Hey Zetro , rkauer,

Read on a previous thread (damn can't find it ), that you need to have a MACH 131 chip, the MACH 130 apparently will not support the 060 although no reason was given, don't know if there is any truth in this...

My 1240 has the CPU soldered to the board & the Mach 130 chip
There is a big finned Heatsink glued to the CPU & due to the 3.5" HD installed inside I can't fit a fan anywhere, the 040 runs at 33MHz and gets very hot, the system stays stable though.

Tell me guys I do need a fan though don't I ?????
But where do I put it ?? (nice replies only pls)

[Dimlow]

Well, quite a response, I wont be getting my cards for a while , they are coming from Australia. But i purchased this little tool for de-soldering the CPU. looks like these things do a nice job of solder sucking. This video on you tube impressed me. looks like it will do it quite nicely.

As for the MACH chip i was also under the impression that you have to have version 131, from close inspection of the photo of my boards i think they both have them. But, i not sure that these chips can be reprogrammed, more like they have to be replaced and it was the EPROM that has to be reprogrammed, I think i have a programmer that can do it.

right now im looking for a cheep sources of the 68060 and socket.

I guess it will be a while before i get started, but it would be real nice to get all the info i need up front So i will keep hunting and post here what i find. Better still, as Zetro has made such a great start in his first post, It would be great if he could update that post as information comes our way. What do ya think ?

[alexh]

These MACH chips are programmable logic devices... unless you have the firmware to program into them... you're stuffed.

[Dimlow]

So the hunt begins, someone must have the code. Also i thought that these chips are program once only.

[alexh]

Originally Posted by Dimlow

So the hunt begins, someone must have the code.

The code for all Apollo accelerators is owned by Jens Schoenfeld. He wont release it but he will sell you programmed MACH chips at an unbelievably high price. He has spoken openly about his strong dislike of the Apollo design and how he finds it extremely difficult to bring himself to help out Apollo owners without significant financial incentive.

http://www.amiga.org/modules/newbb/v...orumpost499356

Originally Posted by Dimlow

Also i thought that these chips are program once only.

And?

[Smiley]

You can buy the new firmware chips off of Ebay or buy them from PG off A.org iirc.

Well thats how I got mine.

[Dimlow]

That would probably be the only solution right now, but us electronics hobbyists like to program our own chips.
But the better news its that both the Mach130 and Mach131 are both High-performance electrically-erasable CMOS PLD's and with a little work may be they can be reverse engineered. These boards are so old now, whats the point of holding onto the firmware for these things ? Im sure people cant be making much from that, and even if the code was released to the PD. People will still go to the likes of PG to get there boards upgraded. I dont see much lost in profits for them.

Alexh , about the quote.i thought that even if you have a 131 it may need new code but not so sure now.learning all the time....

[Zetr0]

Hmmm never noticed any of those problems with my 060 at all... its fussy about memory being FPM 60ns

I wonder why Jens is so scathed by it? after all he designed it, did he not get renumerated enough for it? that would explain some of the animosity with the card.

Under a legal standpoint i have no idea where getting some one to modify it for you would sit.... alas i fear tenuous at best.... hmmmm.....

25 Euro's isn't that much really

on a more optimistic point, there must be a way in so far as the MACH chips, as PER GUNNER knows it as well as confirmed reports of Apollo 060 Cards running flawlessly at 80mHz and 100mhz

And I have to admit i am curious as to how that de-soldering device handles, when you get it, please let me know how it handles.

Pics to follow soon

[Dimlow]

Yes, well I'm hoping i wont need them chips anyway. Yes I'm also very curious about that device. I have always had good success with the old plunger suckers, but it does get a bit tedious. Did you see the vid ? makes it look so easy doesn't it.

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by Zetr0

...I wonder why Jens is so scathed by it?...

Hi Zetr0:
I wonder if it`s an "Art" thing. One can either look @ your old work & say "Yes, I did some real shi* in those days." Or you can be embarrassed by it.
Maybe its just a design that makes him shudder.

[alexh]

I dont think he designed the Apollo series? I think he bought the rights to the designs later on.

I dont think that they sell pre-programmed Apollo 1260 MACH chips on ebay do they? Yes for EPROM, yes for voltage regulator, yes for oscillator.

I doubt they can be reverse engineered. The chips almost certainly cannot have their current program read from them.

€25 each may not sound like much, but there are 3 of them on the A4060

[Dimlow]

I finaly got some better pictures from the Ebay seller of these cards. Both have the mach131 chips. But both also have damage from a leaking battery so i will have some work to do. The non working card also has some damage to a capacitor. but i have seen worse, lets just hope that the chips on board are all ok.

Images..

Not Working

Working

[TheCorfiot]

Your right,

That cap does not look too healthy, hopefully the battery leakage has not corroded any devices or tracks... I'm sure it's repairable though
but as you say both are sporting Mach 131's so that's 1 less part you need to worry about.

Speaking off batteries, does anyone know if the Apollo 1240's req a rechargeable batterry type or can it be replaced with a std PCB mount CR2032 button type without modifying the board.

[laser]

Originally Posted by TheCorfiot

Your right,

That cap does not look too healthy, hopefully the battery leakage has not corroded any devices or tracks... I'm sure it's repairable though
but as you say both are sporting Mach 131's so that's 1 less part you need to worry about.

Speaking off batteries, does anyone know if the Apollo 1240's req a rechargeable batterry type or can it be replaced with a std PCB mount CR2032 button type without modifying the board.

it's a common 3.3v battery...you can replace that with any battery...I remember I replaced it with a common battery found on ancient pc mainboard
also you can solder the battery on the other side....(upper side instead down side of the board) .if the battery is so big
but if you have the apollo scsi module you must solder in the original site..because the scsi module will not fit

btw, I do not recommend any change cpu change on that board......the 060 it's a bit faster than the 040/40mhz...you will not notice any speed difference on workbench or applications or games....but you will notice very quick lot of incompatibility issues....games and applications

[alexh]

Being a mach 131 chip will probably have little bearing on what is actually inside the bugger.

[TheCorfiot]

@Lazer

Thanks for the advice, Will fit a PCB mounting type then.

Regarding the 060 upgrade, for me, my 040/33 is fast enough, & besides my CPU is soldered to the Board & I really don't want to try and Fix something that is not broken.
My 040 runs very hot even with a huge finned heatsink stuck to it, My immediate problem is trying to fit a Fan in the A1200 somehow. There's just no room. any suggestions anyone??
I know the 060 runs cooler but then compatibility becomes an issue for me too.

@Alex
Too true, It did not cross my mind that MACH 131's may have been used but still programmed with the older code, How can we identify this?

Thanks