Tower options?

Peter · 22 May 2007, 00:11

Not really a hardware problem... more of a hardware decision...

I fancy building an A1200 Tower system.

To start with, what would you go for - an old Power Tower from Power Computing or the newer D-Box 1200 MKII?

alexh · 22 May 2007, 01:09

Unless you have an A1260 or BPPC then neither. Flog your A1200 and get an A4000.

If you have one of the two aforementioned accelerators then, it all depends on what you can afford.

Is there such a thing as a D-Box MKII?

Zetr0 · 22 May 2007, 02:26

bah 1200 mods are cooler

heres some stuff to read over peter

http://web.telia.com/~u11116395/tower/tower.html

or take the modderz approach and pass by your right of the modders-hood

http://pix.blakespot.com/view/computers/a1200_tower/

theres some reads on pre-fabbed cases (although incredibly expensive IMO)

have a look on amr.abime.net

CU_AMIGA sept 97 i belive has a read up...

theres also one arround the same year on amiga format but i dont think AMR has it yet...

anyways thats a read for you

alexh · 22 May 2007, 10:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zetr0

bah 1200 mods are cooler

Forget cool. Cool is so 1980's!

It's about price, and user experience. A Zorro III enabled Amiga is much better (and usually cheaper) than a tower kit / PCI combo.

Plus 99% of all A1200 towers looked aweful. Cheap PC tat.

With a bare A4000/030 2+16 selling for about £150 these days, it is much cheaper than a DBOX + Mediator.

Charlie · 22 May 2007, 12:03

You could keep your A1200...

...rip it's guts out...

...replace them with a mini-itx or small IGP+ATX board...

...Install (Win)UAE...

( Or better still: a copy of Amithlon... if you can find one... and if you can find a small mobo that it will run on...

)

Hmmm...

? - Thinking now...
.
.
.
Maybe this is A(hole).inc's new 'super-computer'?

Maybe I'll beat them to it...

Zetr0 · 22 May 2007, 12:03

@alexh

indeed my friend you most certainly have a point (and i can hear that inner geek in you scream at you for what you said lol).

I will say that realistically you could easly get a 1200 with a PC solution for under £150 but it wont be much cop as you will need an accelerator minimum 030@40 +32mb ram.... but £200 - £250 should get you a PCI equipped A1200 / 040

Personally i wouldn`t use and pre-fabbed case unless there is a specific reason as these puppies cost woefully to much as alexh points out. I have a micronik tower here (the one with 2 extra 5.25 drive bays) for a specific project. cost me £80 from fleabay and it had a 1200 mobo in it. saying this because its engineering in plastic. its so terribly cheaply made and creaky and you worry when you pick it up in case it falls to bits lol.

I built my own desktop and tower mods, but cost me arrouns £20 each at the time. admittedly an a400 with a pci solution would cost arrounf £300 though... but as a zorro based implementation it would only cost you that of the machine.

Zetr0 · 22 May 2007, 12:06

@Charlie

Nice.... just thinking of a linux version.... very nice indeed!!!

Amithalon would indeed be an awsome idea on it... even AROS....

damn it now you have me thinking too!!!!

SWEET!!!!!

Charlie · 22 May 2007, 12:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zetr0

@Charlie

Nice.... just thinking of a linux version.... very nice indeed!!!

Amithalon would indeed be an awsome idea on it... even AROS....

damn it now you have me thinking too!!!!

SWEET!!!!!

Both of us finding 'other things' to do @ work?

Peter · 22 May 2007, 13:25

I have considered the A4000 route... I wouldn't pass up the right one if it came along TBH.

I just think that the idea of buliding the A1200 Tower would be a bit more of a challenge.

Niether option would be cheap - Zorro graphics cards are not easy to come by either and Picaasso cards are going for quite a bit on Ebay...

Just wondered if any one had seen the D-Box. There is a worry that it could look a bit tacky...

The Power Tower is huge as I remember.

Retro1234 · 22 May 2007, 13:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zetr0

@Charlie

Nice.... just thinking of a linux version.... very nice indeed!!!

Amithalon would indeed be an awsome idea on it... even AROS....

damn it now you have me thinking too!!!!

SWEET!!!!!

If you pull that off you'll be a legend

alexh · 22 May 2007, 14:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter

I just think that the idea of buliding the A1200 Tower would be a bit more of a challenge.

Certainly on the wallet. Extras:

Right Angle PCMCIA adapter = £50
Keyboard Adapter = £50
Power Supply Adapter = £8
A1200 Floppy Drive Tower fascia = £5

etc. etc.

Zetr0 · 22 May 2007, 14:47

@alexh

have you been smoking again?? what have we told you about that..... "its not nice if you dont share!!!"

Rightangle PCMCIA adapter £50..... wha??? try £20 brand new from amigakit

Keyboard adapter £50.... meh? are you sure sire... you can get new ones under £10

PSU adapter £8...... or £1.99 for a switch and solder and a smidge of wire

Floppy drive facia £5 .... you can buy a new drive for about £3

Zetr0 · 22 May 2007, 14:55

@Charlie
@Boo Boo

now imma hunting for plastics

and a decent itx board.... hmmmm

i am thinking one could even lump in a catweasle to use a propper amiga fdd

Peter · 22 May 2007, 14:57

I did start doing some sums earlier on and you are right Alex - it will add up pretty quickly... that doesnt even include a decent accelerator...

Oh well maybe the project to undertake next should be an A4000.

I will keep my A1200 Desktop though regardless of which route I go - too attached to it now especially as it has taken a while to set it up as I want it with the USB an all...

keropi · 22 May 2007, 15:03

good towers are the Elbox powertower (but the keyboard adaptor is CRAP) and ofcourse the elite RBM ones...
rbm's are great, full metal, nice psu/keyboard converters...
see the tower section of BBOAH called "Tower Kits"
http://amigahardware.mariomisic.de/index_e.html

alexh · 22 May 2007, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zetr0

Rightangle PCMCIA adapter £50..... wha??? try £20 brand new from amigakit

They used to be €50 and only available from Elbox.

http://eu-shop.elbox.com/cgibin/shop...M&sid=221e8c1f

At £23 from Amiga Kit they still feel expensive.

Quote:

Keyboard adapter £50.... meh? are you sure sire... you can get new ones under £10

Never seen one for that price. Cheapest "tower" one I've seen with a good blanking plate is about €50.

You can get some cheaper ones for about £17 which are just a chip and two wires.

Amiga->Amiga ones can be as low as £10 but you have to buy an A4000 keyboard too.

Quote:

PSU adapter £8...... or £1.99 for a switch and solder and a smidge of wire

Where can you get an ATX to A1200 power adapter for £1.99?

Quote:

Floppy drive facia £5 .... you can buy a new drive for about £3

What you gonna connect it to? It has to be an Amiga drive (unless you have a CatWeasel) and the regular PC fascias dont tend to fit.

Charlie · 22 May 2007, 15:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zetr0

@Charlie
@Boo Boo

now imma hunting for plastics

and a decent itx board.... hmmmm

i am thinking one could even lump in a catweasle to use a propper amiga fdd

The keyboard?
That was the biggest difficulty with the 'A3000' I did...
Either this will be harder:- Rewire / programable pic?
or easier:- Am I correct in thinking A1200 keyboard -> PS2 adapters exist?

http://www.mini-itx.com/
or
http://www.linitx.com/
May help for non-Amiga parts / ideas...

Don't forget to do some careful measurements: MUCH less space in an A1200 than the A3000 I did...

-Sorry for going a touch off-topic-

alexh · 22 May 2007, 15:20

If you want to do something REALLY special.... a CD32 based Mini Tower?

The CD32 has the smallest motherboard of any Amiga.

I've been saying I am going to do a CD32-laptop for years :-)

keropi · 22 May 2007, 15:21

amigakit.com has some suitable lyra adapters...

I want to tower my PS2 !!!!! really....

Zetr0 · 22 May 2007, 15:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

They used to be €50 and only available from Elbox.

http://eu-shop.elbox.com/cgibin/shop...M&sid=221e8c1f

At £23 from Amiga Kit they still feel expensive.

yep the do still feel expensive my friend.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

Never seen one for that price. Cheapest "tower" one I've seen with a good blanking plate is about €50.

i miss read you... sorry about that i was thinking of modding a PC tower.. there cheaper than chips

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

You can get some cheaper ones for about £17 which are just a chip and two wires.

Amiga->Amiga ones can be as low as £10 but you have to buy an A4000 keyboard too.

true you do have to buy a keyboard, but you can get a PS2 based llyria keyboard thingy quite cheap. I have various a few here that cost me under a £10 from friends and ebay. with this you can use any £1.99 ps2 keyboard... but really you would want an amiga keyboard to finnish it off..

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

Where can you get an ATX to A1200 power adapter for £1.99?

from my workshop

i make it myself

there is no need to pay more than that... its a 10 minute job either converting an ATX or building a bridge to a micronik power coupling.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

What you gonna connect it to? It has to be an Amiga drive (unless you have a CatWeasel) and the regular PC facias dont tend to fit.

sorry again m8y, i miss read you. yeah what i ment by a little modding that is to use a regular Amiga Internal FDD and just glue or screw the facia inplace. I actualy found an exact facia for my floppy with the screw holes and everything... i will dig it up later and tell you which PC drive i rifled it from...

22 May 2007, 00:11	#1
Peter Still an Amiga user Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kent Age: 55 Posts: 2,715	Tower options? Not really a hardware problem... more of a hardware decision... I fancy building an A1200 Tower system. To start with, what would you go for - an old Power Tower from Power Computing or the newer D-Box 1200 MKII?

22 May 2007, 14:47	#12
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	@alexh have you been smoking again?? what have we told you about that..... "its not nice if you dont share!!!" Rightangle PCMCIA adapter £50..... wha??? try £20 brand new from amigakit Keyboard adapter £50.... meh? are you sure sire... you can get new ones under £10 PSU adapter £8...... or £1.99 for a switch and solder and a smidge of wire Floppy drive facia £5 .... you can buy a new drive for about £3 Last edited by Zetr0; 22 May 2007 at 14:53.

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22 May 2007, 01:09	#2
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,335	Unless you have an A1260 or BPPC then neither. Flog your A1200 and get an A4000. If you have one of the two aforementioned accelerators then, it all depends on what you can afford. Is there such a thing as a D-Box MKII?

22 May 2007, 02:26	#3
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	bah 1200 mods are cooler heres some stuff to read over peter http://web.telia.com/~u11116395/tower/tower.html or take the modderz approach and pass by your right of the modders-hood http://pix.blakespot.com/view/computers/a1200_tower/ theres some reads on pre-fabbed cases (although incredibly expensive IMO) have a look on amr.abime.net CU_AMIGA sept 97 i belive has a read up... theres also one arround the same year on amiga format but i dont think AMR has it yet... anyways thats a read for you

22 May 2007, 12:03	#5
Charlie . . Mouse . . Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Nowhere Age: 55 Posts: 1,792	You could keep your A1200... ...rip it's guts out... ...replace them with a mini-itx or small IGP+ATX board... ...Install (Win)UAE... ( Or better still: a copy of Amithlon... if you can find one... and if you can find a small mobo that it will run on... ) Hmmm... ? - Thinking now... . . . Maybe this is A(hole).inc's new 'super-computer'? Maybe I'll beat them to it...

22 May 2007, 12:06	#7
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	@Charlie Nice.... just thinking of a linux version.... very nice indeed!!! Amithalon would indeed be an awsome idea on it... even AROS.... damn it now you have me thinking too!!!! SWEET!!!!!

22 May 2007, 13:25	#9
Peter Still an Amiga user Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kent Age: 55 Posts: 2,715	I have considered the A4000 route... I wouldn't pass up the right one if it came along TBH. I just think that the idea of buliding the A1200 Tower would be a bit more of a challenge. Niether option would be cheap - Zorro graphics cards are not easy to come by either and Picaasso cards are going for quite a bit on Ebay... Just wondered if any one had seen the D-Box. There is a worry that it could look a bit tacky... The Power Tower is huge as I remember.

22 May 2007, 14:55	#13
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	@Charlie @Boo Boo now imma hunting for plastics and a decent itx board.... hmmmm i am thinking one could even lump in a catweasle to use a propper amiga fdd

22 May 2007, 14:57	#14
Peter Still an Amiga user Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kent Age: 55 Posts: 2,715	I did start doing some sums earlier on and you are right Alex - it will add up pretty quickly... that doesnt even include a decent accelerator... Oh well maybe the project to undertake next should be an A4000. I will keep my A1200 Desktop though regardless of which route I go - too attached to it now especially as it has taken a while to set it up as I want it with the USB an all...

22 May 2007, 15:03	#15
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	good towers are the Elbox powertower (but the keyboard adaptor is CRAP) and ofcourse the elite RBM ones... rbm's are great, full metal, nice psu/keyboard converters... see the tower section of BBOAH called "Tower Kits" http://amigahardware.mariomisic.de/index_e.html

22 May 2007, 15:20	#18
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,335	If you want to do something REALLY special.... a CD32 based Mini Tower? The CD32 has the smallest motherboard of any Amiga. I've been saying I am going to do a CD32-laptop for years :-)

22 May 2007, 15:21	#19
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	amigakit.com has some suitable lyra adapters... I want to tower my PS2 !!!!! really....

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