A4000 in Micronik tower with mediator?

[voyager_1701e]

Hi all
I have been searching EAB and Google for information about fitting an A4k desktop into a Micronik tower with the Micronik busboard and a Mediator 3/4000T....other than a reference on Elbox site and other retailers copy (I'd say from Elbox) I've found nothing.

I want to rationalize my Amiga collection. I have an A4k in a desktop case with a Mediator now. I want to install more into the case than it will reasonably fit. But I also have an unpopulated Micronik case with the Pci busboard. I know the Micronik can't use the PCI slots disappointingly.

It seems like the Mediator 3/4000T will fit the Micronik busboard, but surely all the PCI card backplates would have to be modified as the Mediator would raise the cards above the case slots by the height of the actual Mediator (around 2cm)?

Also....as I understand (happy to be corrected)...the A4k desktop slots have ISA in the front and the Zorro in the back section of each slot. The Mediator 3/4000T plugs into only the front of the slot (the ISA bit?) whereas the desktop version plugs into both ISA/Zorro (ie the whole slot). Is there any difference in performance between either version?(I assume not...I am assuming the desktop Mediator only uses the rear slot section for board support?)

Anyone fitted this combo....or thoughts on my comments?

Thanks!
Ash

[voyager_1701e]

OK...I can see the Mediator 3/4000T does also plug into the whole slot....so my last question is now irrelevant.

But still curious to the first question :-)

[jack-3d]

Yes there is Micronik Tower (http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.co...t.aspx?id=1339) to rebuild your A4000 Dektop into tower. It means you put your A4000 desktop mainboard to the Micronik Tower.

Mediator for this kind of Amiga housing is not called 3/4000T but it is called 4000D (http://www.elbox.com/products/mediator_pci_4000d.html). Dont swap it by 4000Di (http://www.elbox.com/products/mediator_pci_4000di.html), this one is for daughterboard replacement inside A4000 desktop case.

[Apollon]

Originally Posted by jack-3d

Mediator for this kind of Amiga housing is not called 3/4000T but it is called 4000D (http://www.elbox.com/products/mediator_pci_4000d.html). Dont swap it by 4000Di

Is it possible that such a mediator is not the right busboard for an amiga 4000 in a Mikronik tower? Do any of you have a Mikronik Tower with Mediator board? According to the guys from A1K it doesn't fit without modification.

[grelbfarlk]

Originally Posted by voyager_1701e

OK...I can see the Mediator 3/4000T does also plug into the whole slot....so my last question is now irrelevant.

But still curious to the first question :-)

That Mediator for the 3/4000T just plugs into the Zorro slot and has the PCI slots mounted on it. This causes a couple problems.
1) The PCI slots are a little higher than they are supposed to be.
2) The Zorro slots that are not used by the Mediator need extenders if they go all the way to the backplane. If you're using a small Zorro card like a Prisma then it should be ok.
3) Which is why you probably want the Mediator PCI A4000D instead where you just remove the Micronik busboard and install that one instead.



I have an Elbox ISA/Zorro tower and wanted to swap in a Micronik busboard because the Elbox one does not work with an A4091 or a Fastlane.

However the Micronik busboard physically fits in the Elbox tower, the slots are slightly offset compared to the Elbox busboard so the ports/backplane of a Zorro card run into the spacers on the back of backplane. So I would need to remove the card cage and move it up or down slightly and rebolt it to the case.
That being said, I would assume you would have the same problem with the A3/4000T Mediator or the Mediator PCI A4000D as they would have designed it to line up with where the backplane slots are on their Tower conversion not the Micronik one, so I would assume you would have the same problem. Still fixable.

[Reynolds]

Currently I'm building my friend's A4000D ina Micronik tower with a Mediator...
As it is a completely dismantled tower, I can't tell yet if the Mediator needs any mods on the tower.
A project besides with other tower modding I'm working on at the moment. I'm focusing on preparing towers to get A4000D+Mediator combos easily.

[Jope]

If it doesn't line up, you're looking at neatly removing the card brackets (drill out rivets or cut it out) and repositioning it. Some metalwork is probably needed.

[Reynolds]

Although there are standards (or should have to be, for sure) of positioning cards, backside slots, and everything, the problem is valid. I think the best way (and a good way for me to prepare myself for this issue) if I drill holes for both daughterboards. It won't look really nice, but still better than being unable to assembly fully the elements.