A new, low-cost CD32 Expansion?

[Rebel-CD32]

I've had this idea for ages, and I thought I might put it out there and see what other people think. I'm no hardware developer, so it would be great to find out from the tech guys what's actually possible and what's not. The idea is a minimum-cost CD32 expansion. If it's possible for someone to design this and release it, it would be good to know how many people would buy one. So any ideas and suggestions towards a possible real life design for this would be really appreciated. My girlfriend and I have bounced ideas off a few people bout it over the last couple of years/months, so I've tried to deal with a few frequently asked questions or topics people bring up when discussing the idea.

CD32 Expansion
---- ---------

A low-cost, internal expansion for the CD32 that adds 8MB Fast RAM, IDE
(with Compact Flash adapter connected by default) and a battery backed
clock. To ensure the unit will fit inside the CD32, it should be designed
with the edge connector on the end of a ribbon cable. The unit slides
inside the CD32 and the ribbon curves down and joins onto the edge
connector. Hopefully this design will allow the plastic backing plate to
be replaced over the CD32's expansion port once the unit is installed.

FAQ

Q. Why would anyone want to expand their CD32?
A. The CD32 is a fine games machine, but it had quite a limited range of
games available compared to other consoles or Amiga models at the time.
In recent years, with the help of WHDLoad, people have began playing
games on their CD32s that were never officially released. Unfortunately
not all games run with the CD32's 2MB standard RAM. With additional RAM,
hundreds more games will run on the CD32. This includes games that
weren't available before such as Super Street Fighter II, Aladdin, DOOM,
XTreme Racing, Worms: The Director's Cut, and many others. The addition
of a Compact Flash card (sizes from 256MB up to 16GB are available)
allows you to install Workbench and any other programs and games on your
CD32, practically turning it into an expanded A1200 (without the
additional, obsolete ports). This can be filled with games, all
selectable from a menu at boot, or from Workbench. A battery backed
clock will help your Amiga remember the time and date when switched off.

Q. Why not add a SIMM socket to allow additional RAM to be added?
A. The maximum amount of RAM allowed by the CD32's 68EC020 CPU is 8MB.
Additional RAM can't be added, and any less than 8MB is pointless.

Q. Why does it not have extra ports for Serial, Keyboard, Floppy Drive or
Parallel?
A. Adding extra ports pushes up the cost for very little gain. The CD32
already has a combination Serial/Keyboard port, which when combined with
an adapter will allow you to use any serial device as well as an A4000
or A2000 keyboard (or a PC PS/2 keyboard if you use the Lyra adapter).
Use of an external Floppy drive on a CD32 isn't advised without using a
more powerful PSU, and adding the port would add to the cost. Also,
WHDLoad has replaced the need for a Floppy drive for most games now,
and a CF card is easy enough to eject/insert if files need to be
exported (a serial link can be used for file sharing too). A Parallel
port would only be useful for ParNet, or for old printers/accessories.

Q. Why does the expansion come with a Compact Flash card by default instead
of a hard drive (which can be much larger)?
A. The CD32's standard Power Supply Unit is only 25w, and is really only
designed to power the CD32 and the internal CD-ROM drive. Adding
additional mechanical drives, such as Hard Drives and Floppy Drives,
which have their own motors inside, strains the PSU, and at times can
cause system failures. Compact Flash cards are solid-state, and use
barely any power at all, making them ideal for low-power applications.
They also have the advantage of being silent and being faster than a
hard drive to load from. If the user requires a hard drive, it can be
added, but it's recommended they use a replacement PSU.

Q. Is marketing such a product a very practical idea in this day and age?
A. I believe so. The CD32, unlike other Amigas, is still available in mass
quantities brand new in the box from several sellers (mainly in China) at
very reasonable prices. Also, there are many people out there who have
CD32s packed away, or sitting unused, just waiting to be given a new
lease on life. Amiga 1200s are becoming quite rare as people hunt down
machines to fill with their WHDLoad games. An expanded CD32 is going to
be the perfect machine for retro gaming, as well as the platform of
choice for current Amiga games developers (AGA + Extra RAM).

Q. Why not add a more powerful CPU, like a 030 or 060, which would turn the
CD32 into a super-console?
A. This expansion is intended as a low-cost option for people wanting to
expand their CD32s enough to play more games or run Workbench
applications, which the 68EC020 is enough to do. Adding a new CPU would
add to the production time and costs, and compatible CPUs are also hard
to come by in mass quantities brand new these days. That said, a 030 or
060 CD32 would totally kick butt, but may be only a dream for now.

[illy5603]

That would be awesome! Adding a PS/2 compatible keyboard connection would be even awesomer.

[rkauer]

Originally Posted by illy5603

That would be awesome! Adding a PS/2 compatible keyboard connection would be even awesome.

For? The CD32 already have an Amiga keyboard connector. It's a simple matter of:

- Take the pinouts from allpinouts.org ;
- Make the PS/2 keyboard adaptor (1 PIC16F48, 1 4MHz crystal and 3 resistors).

Difficult?

[illy5603]

Originally Posted by rkauer

For? The CD32 already have an Amiga keyboard connector. It's a simple matter of:

- Take the pinouts from allpinouts.org ;
- Make the PS/2 keyboard adaptor (1 PIC16F48, 1 4MHz crystal and 3 resistors).

Difficult?

Certainly more difficult than plugging it into a device that already had a PS/2 Port on it.

Not all of us have soldering irons and stuff. Anyway, I am just piling stuff onto the wish list.

[Paul_s]

I think it's a great idea. The 1200 gets far too many toys! Us CD32'ers need some hardware prawn of our own

The SX1 et al are just way too expensive and having some kind of expansion inside of the CD32 instead of sticking outside would be a lot lot better.

As well as more ram/ide capability I think some form of RGB connector on the back with scan doubling/flicker fixer would be nice also!

[alexh]

Like the idea, unfortunately it is not viable due to the cost of the edge connectors

They cost $5 each, you need two per console and they have an MOQ of over 1000. That means you need $5000 investment before you even start building the first prototype.

BTW: The only company selling this connector is Adam-Tech (182-pin MCA connector)

I looked into it a few years ago and you could not come in at a retail price below a second hand SX32 or SX1. (£55-85)

What would be easiest would be to communicate with the UK company Analogic. See how many CD32 Floppy disk drive units they have left. Ask how many they sold and maybe create an add in for that unit? That would just be a PCB.

P.S. No-one wants a battery backed clock! Add RGB out instead.

[Heavy Stylus]

I would pay between £50-£100 for this if someone was willing to manufacture them. It sounds like a great idea!

Off topic, but regarding PS2 Keyboard Adapters... I've got a email-buddy who makes PS2 Keyboard adapters, Playstation->CD32 pad adapters and PS2 mouse adapters if people are interested. He sells them for about £20 per unit.

[alexh]

Originally Posted by Heavy Stylus

I would pay between £50-£100 for this if someone was willing to manufacture them. It sounds like a great idea!

You can get a second hand SX32 MK1 or SX1/Paravision for less than £100. Admittedly perhaps not when YOU wanted it.

[Heavy Stylus]

Yeah - but I'd prefer a unit that actually fits inside the console - my desk space is very limited

[Rebel-CD32]

PS/2 - Amiga adapters are available from AmigaKit. They're called Lyra Keyboard Adapters. Here's the link to buy them - http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...roducts_id=228

As for the design, if we used a ribbon cable shouldn't it eliminate the need for two edge connectors, just using one instead? I realise that this was the most expensive/impractical part of the design, but assuming we can get a supply of them or some funding to buy a bulk lot, how viable is the design for the rest of the board? I assume adding extra ports and things would just add too much to the cost, hopefully some day we'll have a CD32 version of the IndivisionAGA Flicker Fixer anyway, so people can just use VGA monitors with their CD32 for Workbench.

[alexh]

Originally Posted by Rebel-CD32

As for the design, if we used a ribbon cable shouldn't it eliminate the need for two edge connectors, just using one instead?

Possibly. I question the viability and robustness of such a solution.

Originally Posted by Rebel-CD32

I realise that this was the most expensive/impractical part of the design, but assuming we can get a supply of them or some funding to buy a bulk lot, how viable is the design for the rest of the board?

Define viable. Of course it could be created. But within the £55-£85 mark? I do not think you'd make any profit.

Who would create the PCB layout? What tools would you use? What CPLD/FPGA are you going to use? How many layers does it need? What are the voltage requirements of CF? Where are you going to get them manufactured? Assembled? Tested? Do you need a driver (and hence a ROM) or can you emulate a Gayle and use Kickstart? Are there any Gayle drivers in the CD32 kickstart?

Originally Posted by Rebel-CD32

I assume adding extra ports and things would just add too much to the cost

It depends. I think RGB is essential. The edge connector board could have six easy solder pads for the seven wires (RGBSLRG) required for a "captured cable". It would be inexpensive. Even better if it had a mini connector.

Originally Posted by Rebel-CD32

hopefully some day we'll have a CD32 version of the IndivisionAGA Flicker Fixer anyway, so people can just use VGA monitors with their CD32 for Workbench.

World peace and end to famine are more likely

[Rebel-CD32]

Once again, alexh, you have crushed all my hopes and dreams. It's a shame we live in a world where people care about profit first, as I'm sure there's a huge market out there for an expansion like this if someone with the skills and funding were to make a project like this reality.

[chiark]

If you're crushed by alexh's postings then you need a thicker skin: you asked for comments from a hardware developer and got them! Alex is merely giving his opinion which you asked for. If you think he's wrong, push back and show how your ideas could work in the face of the challenges!

as for caring about profit, well... If there's a huge market (for a given definition of huge) and you're making a loss on each one then, erm, you're not going to attract people with skills and funding.

Good luck, and really don't take things to heart so much when you set them up and, fundamentally, ask for hardware devs to knock them down.

[alexh]

Originally Posted by Rebel-CD32

Once again, alexh, you have crushed all my hopes and dreams.

You should have answers to these questions and not fear them if you really want to get anything done. If you do not have answers you should see them as challenges to be overcome.

Originally Posted by Rebel-CD32

I'm sure there's a huge market out there for an expansion like this if someone with the skills and funding were to make a project like this reality.

They just did not sell enough CD32's (especially when you consider how many are still working today and in the hands of people who will buy an upgrade).

BUT at least you were practical. Apart from the clock it was a very good proposal. Absolutely what would be needed. Non of this over the top bollox.

I created a prototype 4 Meg Fast RAM card for CD32 (which is why I know about the edge connectors). Just adding a bit of FastRAM to a CD32 really turns in into a great machine. You can load almost any WHDload game from CD! But even something as simple as that cost too much to make and did not have enough appeal!

[Rebel-CD32]

I think you took what I said the wrong way, I certainly don't think alexh is wrong, and I appreciate his input. I was merely expressing my disappointment in the reality of the situation, that there's very little chance in hell of new Amiga hardware in the future, which Alex often points out with his realistic, if sometimes a little pessimistic posts.

Trust me, this little setback isn't enough to make me lose hope. I still have heaps more ideas to throw around and I'm sure at least one of them will work.

[alexh]

Originally Posted by Rebel-CD32

there's very little chance in hell of new Amiga hardware in the future, which Alex often points out with his realistic, if sometimes a little pessimistic posts.

As pessimistic as I am, I am not averse to all ideas. I always thought that the Indivision 1200 was viable, also the IDE68k and (for non Amiga platforms) the floppy disk emulator.

If it were not for the edge connector prices, a 4Meg RAM card would be viable for the CD32

[Heavy Stylus]

Originally Posted by alexh

I created a prototype 4 Meg Fast RAM card for CD32 (which is why I know about the edge connectors). Just adding a bit of FastRAM to a CD32 really turns in into a great machine. You can load almost any WHDload game from CD! But even something as simple as that cost too much to make and did not have enough appeal!

Let me know if you want to sell it

[alexh]

I have an SX32 MK1 now so I might do that in the future. It's not production quality.

[chiark]

Cool, I'm glad you're not disheartened . A CD32 is on my list of hardware to collect and enjoy, but I do think it needs something like you're proposing to make it more worthwhile...

What is great is that once massively expensive dev tools are now accessible to the keen hobbyist, and the tools are so, so much better than they were when stuff was put together 15 years ago... Moore's "law" in action, I guess.

[Paul_s]

Originally Posted by alexh

World peace and end to famine are more likely

What about the Sooty factor with his magic wand?