External HxC Case/Enclosure Project!

[fitzsteve]

Hi!

I've decided against cutting up my *mint* A600 so I've bought one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

And I've bought some 3mm clear Perspex from an ebay seller who has cut it to the right sizes for me, £3.50 inc P&P.

That just leaves me to drill holes for the buttons/cables, file a slot for the SD Card, mount the screen and glue it all together.

Hopefully the FDD gubbins' arrive today as they were posted Monday, so want to make a start with the plans on this.

Anyone know what sort of buttons I need? I can leave a gap on the ftont as a temp stop gap to use the built in buttons but would like to mount the screen and buttons on the front idealy. I understand external buttons can be soldered to the PCB.

I've attached a basic plan of my idea...

[seuden]

Good luck with this project Steve.

Couldn't you retr0bright an A600 yellowed case and have it integral? Integral would look much more awesome. Still, this is an awesome project anyway.

[fitzsteve]

Originally Posted by seuden

Good luck with this project Steve.

Couldn't you retr0bright an A600 yellowed case and have it integral? Integral would look much more awesome. Still, this is an awesome project anyway.

Well this was my vision lol, but if this goes wrong (knowing me it might) I'll probably give your suggestion a try

Oh and I'm not allowed to play with Chemicals

[seuden]

Originally Posted by fitzsteve

Oh and I'm not allowed to play with Chemicals

Haha, I'm sure someone could help you out.

[fitzsteve]

Well the bits arrived, I hooked them up to my A600. it works and disks start to load as far as the crack into then they won't load any further, I'm guessing this is to do with booting from DF1.

So I guess I'll need to trick miggy into thinking DF1 os DF0

Something to mess about with over the weekend...

[Retro1234]

Hardly any games will run from DF1:
saxabar put in a switch so he could keep his internal drive and conect the HxC externaly, something to do with pin 15 and 16 -If you do this could you maybe give some info or take a photo.
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=50583

[fitzsteve]

Originally Posted by Boo Boo

Hardly any games will run from DF1:
saxabar put in a switch so he could keep his internal drive and conect the HxC externaly, something to do with pin 15 and 16 -If you do this could you maybe give some info or take a photo.
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=50583

Sounds like what I need - thanks for the link

[fitzsteve]

Just an update really, the system works fine as I managed to get some games (Like IK+) to work

So I'll look at the switch mod, but first I'm going to start to make my enclosure.

Pics to follow over the weekend...

Oh... I actually have another question for the Guru's

There is an earthing point on the power/connector cable that I guess is supposed to connect to part of the external drive casing. However using a perspex case I wont have an earthing point. Seems to work without being earthed but is there going to be any problems?

Cheers!

[fitzsteve]

Hey Guys!

Here's some pics of the prototype

Its just put together with a few blobs of hot glue for now, I need to work on the front/back and buttons/screen.

[kriz]

Thats really cool man, the transparent box really make it stand out !!!

[prowler]

This is a very interesting project, Steve!

You're making great progress already.

Make sure you give us all the boring details to go with the pics so we can follow your lead...

Originally Posted by fitzsteve

There is an earthing point on the power/connector cable that I guess is supposed to connect to part of the external drive casing. However using a perspex case I wont have an earthing point. Seems to work without being earthed but is there going to be any problems?

I wouldn't worry too much about the missing earthing point if it's working without it. The worst problem you are likely to get is a lack of EMC compliance, so if your TV and radio reception is not affected, then you're good to go!

[fitzsteve]

Thanks Prowler, well there really isn't much to tell

I connected it all up and it just works! I need to look into the DF0&DF1 swap so I'll defo post more on that

I only used small blobs of hot glue for now so to hold it all together, I was pleased with the cuts on the Perspex and its all the correct sizes.

No issues with the earthing...

I've made a little demo Video for my Youtube page:

[ Show youtube player ]

Enjoy!

[source]

Where can you get one of those toys. I wouldn't mind icking up one or three or so.

[fitzsteve]

Originally Posted by source

Where can you get one of those toys. I wouldn't mind icking up one or three or so.

Hi!

Here is the info you need

http://www.torlus.com/floppy/

Have a good read of the forums and such.

Enjoy!

[Jeff_HxC2001]

Very nice box !
I will keep some pictures for the project page :-)

To inform every HxCFE+Amiga users :

22/08/2010: Firmware SD HxCFloppyEmulator v1.3.0.0
- Amiga Write support added :

Note to the Revision B PCB owners :

To activate this new features you need to add a Microchip 23K256 SPI SRAM chip and 4 resistors.
The connection to do is :

23K256 pin 1 -> 220ohms resistor -> PIC18F4620 pin 22
23K256 pin 5 -> 220ohms resistor -> PIC18F4620 pin 27
23K256 pin 6 -> 220ohms resistor -> PIC18F4620 pin 28
23K256 pin 2 -> 220ohms resistor -> PIC18F4620 pin 29
23K256 pin 8 & 7 -> VCC3.3V (this voltage can be found at the capacitor under the sdcard connector or at the output of the regulator)
23K256 pin 4 -> GND
23K256 pin 3 -> Not connected.

(a 100nF capacitor is also recommended at the pin 8 of the 23K256)

After this modification you should see the message "SRAM OK" at power up.

And the file selector software are actually in devellopment for Amiga :-)
(Amstrad CPC version : [ Show youtube player ])

[fitzsteve]

Thanks Jeff, you're welcome to use the pics, very interesting with the Write support

Cheers,
Steve.

[cosmicfrog]

me giggles, steve with soldering iron, Zetro plz take Pics

[phipscube]

Fab project Steve It looks really cool with all the bits on show. You've given me the idea to get myself a HxC thingy at some point and I think it will be in a similar External fashion. I like the idea of being able to use it on multiple Amiga's if need be. I've got an old floppy drive that has gone bad head wise, but the interface and wires etc are all still good so I could probably butcher that

[Jimbo]

Wow only just seen this. Awesome job Steve. I want one of these now

[Retrofan]

Hi:
With Fitzsteve permission I want to show mine here.
On saturday I received my HxC and I've made my own style clear enclosure. It's made to size and I changed the buttons it had and the ribbon cable connector and I put an angled one to avoid having to put more cables inside. For the buttons I've made 3 longs rods, and for the Sd, an slot. So it has all the sides on and it's finished.
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/5026/abcd0020uk.jpg

Fitzsteve you say "The irony is that now the ACA630 is comming out with a simple jumper switch to make external FDD (or the HxC) DF0 it would have done what I wanted and maybe I wouldn't have sold it ". Do you know if the ACA1230 will have the same option?