Zeus68k – Accelerator/IDE/RAM for the A500/2000/CDTV and others

mr.vince · 12 July 2012, 22:59

"One board to rule them all..."

68SEC000 CPU running at 7 or 50 MHz
8 MB RAM
1 x BootMenu (Config)
6 x Kickstart ROM Switcher
IDE Controller (Gayle Logic A600)
Clock Port
Realtime Clock
Freezer Button (just upload your freezer ROM, e.g. Action Replay, and you are done)

Six devices in one: Accelerator, RAM, IDE Controller, Kickstart Switcher, Realtime Clock, Freezer. Hardware & FPGA by Herzi, BootMenu by Scrat.

Project Status: Prototyping. Limited production run planned for winter 2012.

Give us some feedback... Are you interested?

Production Board Top:

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Production Board Bottom:

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CPU Speed:

IDE Speed:

RAM Speed:

No, this isn't a joke. Here's the prototype...

Top:

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Bottom:

Prototype in A500:

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strim · 12 July 2012, 23:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.vince

Are you interested?

YES!

Now... I know that since you're prototyping already, you won't make any changes to this design. I want it anyway, I'm your first client! But if you will consider making a new version sometime in the future, please include a processor with MMU and some more memory :-).

Lord Aga · 12 July 2012, 23:35

Whoa, just the thing my A500 needs

Wonder about the price though...

EDIT:
Amigans are surely the greatest engineers in the world !

mr.vince · 12 July 2012, 23:36

The "gag" ist to have a super-compatible design. Because the instructions are 1:1 identical, the failure rate is pretty low. Clocking the design to 7MHz gives you 99.99% compatibility with a standard 68000 processor. All you do is to remove your CPU and plug in this card. CDTV owners might need to relocate or replace a capacitor.

The price will be highly dependent on volume. At 50 units made it's pretty expensive. It gets cheaper when we can build 100 units and even cheaper if we make 500. We'll communicate more detail when it's time to do so. Currently we're still testing some parts. Changing a voltage regulator for another one can add or substract EUR 5.- so... we're at it!

cpiac64 · 12 July 2012, 23:43

oh yes, one for me if the price is under 80€

mr.vince · 12 July 2012, 23:46

You are aware of the price of accelerator cards? I mean... Blizzard... ACA... Do they come for 80? I still haven't a final price, but EUR 80.- will for sure not even cover production costs.

Lord Aga · 12 July 2012, 23:49

80 EUR is far too low, for sure.
Here's hoping it will be under 200

Zetr0 · 12 July 2012, 23:57

Amazing work!

good luck guys =D

dirkies · 13 July 2012, 00:06

should not be more than a minimig IMO. I may be interested for my A500.

But if using kick 1.2 or 1.3, what features do you lose?

gibs · 13 July 2012, 00:27

Yarrriiiibaa !

mr.vince · 13 July 2012, 00:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirkies

But if using kick 1.2 or 1.3, what features do you lose?

The only thing < 2.04 can't make use of is IDE.

cpiac64 · 13 July 2012, 00:47

i am without work, dont can buy 100 card for me and for low price, sorry, in winter i can insert my new interest

desiv · 13 July 2012, 01:19

Wow!!!

Now, this line:

Quote:

6 x Kickstart ROM Switcher

You mean it can hold 6 kickstarts????? Some type of FLASH or am I reading that wrong???

desiv

fitzsteve · 13 July 2012, 01:34

Wow this is really awesome, great work - I'll buy one for sure

Shocked at the IDE speed too!

DonAmiga · 13 July 2012, 01:41

great stuff

hopefully if the price is right I'd buy one for my A500 and one for my cdtv

TroelsDK · 13 July 2012, 01:47

Awesome! It's so cool that you guys keep making new hardware for our old ladies!

Me want at least 2!!!

tom256 · 13 July 2012, 04:00

Wow, maybe year or two and we will be able to buy MC68060/100Mhz SATA, USB, LAN, GFX in one turbo board :]

BTW my sugestion, instead of PATA maybe socket for CF would be better solution??

rkauer · 13 July 2012, 06:25

count me in for a piece or two, pending price!

johnim · 13 July 2012, 09:00

nice work and great to give the 500 a nice boost

Toni Wilen · 13 July 2012, 09:07

Interested if it has flash for up to 2M ROM support (I assume it does have flash, don't see any ROM packets) and Amiga can reprogram it in-circuit.

12 July 2012, 22:59	#1
mr.vince Cheesy crust Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hawk's Creek Age: 47 Posts: 1,382	Zeus68k – Accelerator/IDE/RAM for the A500/2000/CDTV and others "One board to rule them all..." 68SEC000 CPU running at 7 or 50 MHz 8 MB RAM 1 x BootMenu (Config) 6 x Kickstart ROM Switcher IDE Controller (Gayle Logic A600) Clock Port Realtime Clock Freezer Button (just upload your freezer ROM, e.g. Action Replay, and you are done) Six devices in one: Accelerator, RAM, IDE Controller, Kickstart Switcher, Realtime Clock, Freezer. Hardware & FPGA by Herzi, BootMenu by Scrat. Project Status: Prototyping. Limited production run planned for winter 2012. Give us some feedback... Are you interested? Production Board Top: Production Board Bottom: CPU Speed: IDE Speed: RAM Speed: No, this isn't a joke. Here's the prototype... Top: Bottom: Prototype in A500: Last edited by mr.vince; 09 August 2012 at 10:29. Reason: features added

12 July 2012, 23:35	#3
Lord Aga MI clan prevails Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Belgrade, Serbia Posts: 1,399	Whoa, just the thing my A500 needs Wonder about the price though... EDIT: Amigans are surely the greatest engineers in the world ! Last edited by Lord Aga; 12 July 2012 at 23:51.

12 July 2012, 23:36	#4
mr.vince Cheesy crust Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hawk's Creek Age: 47 Posts: 1,382	The "gag" ist to have a super-compatible design. Because the instructions are 1:1 identical, the failure rate is pretty low. Clocking the design to 7MHz gives you 99.99% compatibility with a standard 68000 processor. All you do is to remove your CPU and plug in this card. CDTV owners might need to relocate or replace a capacitor. The price will be highly dependent on volume. At 50 units made it's pretty expensive. It gets cheaper when we can build 100 units and even cheaper if we make 500. We'll communicate more detail when it's time to do so. Currently we're still testing some parts. Changing a voltage regulator for another one can add or substract EUR 5.- so... we're at it! Last edited by mr.vince; 12 July 2012 at 23:41. Reason: typo.

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12 July 2012, 23:43	#5
cpiac64 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Italy Posts: 1,122	oh yes, one for me if the price is under 80€

12 July 2012, 23:46	#6
mr.vince Cheesy crust Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hawk's Creek Age: 47 Posts: 1,382	You are aware of the price of accelerator cards? I mean... Blizzard... ACA... Do they come for 80? I still haven't a final price, but EUR 80.- will for sure not even cover production costs.

12 July 2012, 23:49	#7
Lord Aga MI clan prevails Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Belgrade, Serbia Posts: 1,399	80 EUR is far too low, for sure. Here's hoping it will be under 200

12 July 2012, 23:57	#8
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 48 Posts: 9,768	Amazing work! good luck guys =D

13 July 2012, 00:06	#9
dirkies Zone Friend Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Belgium Age: 50 Posts: 1,286	should not be more than a minimig IMO. I may be interested for my A500. But if using kick 1.2 or 1.3, what features do you lose?

13 July 2012, 00:27	#10
gibs Banned Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: france Posts: 932	Yarrriiiibaa !

13 July 2012, 00:47	#12
cpiac64 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Italy Posts: 1,122	i am without work, dont can buy 100 card for me and for low price, sorry, in winter i can insert my new interest

13 July 2012, 01:34	#14
fitzsteve Professional slacker! Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Kent, UK Age: 43 Posts: 6,681	Wow this is really awesome, great work - I'll buy one for sure Shocked at the IDE speed too!

13 July 2012, 01:41	#15
DonAmiga Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Scotland Posts: 523	great stuff hopefully if the price is right I'd buy one for my A500 and one for my cdtv

13 July 2012, 01:47	#16
TroelsDK Registered Amiga Maniac Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Denmark Age: 39 Posts: 385	Awesome! It's so cool that you guys keep making new hardware for our old ladies! Me want at least 2!!!

13 July 2012, 04:00	#17
tom256 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Poland Posts: 162	Wow, maybe year or two and we will be able to buy MC68060/100Mhz SATA, USB, LAN, GFX in one turbo board :] BTW my sugestion, instead of PATA maybe socket for CF would be better solution??

13 July 2012, 06:25	#18
rkauer I hate potatos and shirts Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sao Leopoldo / Brazil Age: 57 Posts: 3,482	count me in for a piece or two, pending price!

13 July 2012, 09:00	#19
johnim Amibay Mod/Staff Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: birmingham uk Age: 47 Posts: 1,024	nice work and great to give the 500 a nice boost

13 July 2012, 09:07	#20
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 48 Posts: 25,803	Interested if it has flash for up to 2M ROM support (I assume it does have flash, don't see any ROM packets) and Amiga can reprogram it in-circuit.

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