AmiKit PCMCIA Hardware Reset Fix for A1200

[eva]

Hi! If anyone hesitates to buy the AmiKit AMIGA 1200 PCMCIA CC_RESET FIX:

• http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...roducts_id=637

I have to say you should think again because it requires your shield AND the hard-drive caddy to be removed. Call me blonde, but I really do not feel like removing bits from the Amiga. Perhaps the shield could go - I have read on various forums that it is redundant but I really do not like the idea of removing the hard-drive caddy. The problem is that the "fix" fits over the top of the Gayle chip and does not let the hard-drive caddy go all the way down. Also, the shield would press against the contacts on top of the "fix" and would most likely short pins.

Looking at their product, it could perhaps be changed to fit by removing the circuitry and lowering the height. Then again, I have heard that the software fixes:

• http://aminet.net/package/util/boot/CardPatch CardPatch
• http://aminet.net/package/util/boot/CardReset CardFix

cover the hardware fix - there is also CardPatch which I guess that the AmiKit CC_RESET_FIX does not do.

I am fairly disappointed that AmiKit does not mention these details on their site when you buy their product. I've almost bought an ACA-1233 and I was glad to read the forums in time to find out about timing fixes that must be made or the ACA-1233 will not work. Both Amikit and Vesalia (http://www.vesalia.de) do not mention these "little" details.

I am sorry if this sounds like a flame, but it is more of a "buyers beware" announcement (most likely it's old news).

[Nobby_UK]

I have the EyeTech (2000) version... (No Reset header)
But removed it when I heard about the Patches.

[eva]

Yeah. Sounds sloppy IMO... I have a solder gun I fixed some of my jewellery with but I really do not feel like "reworking their work". How did they make this though? Two guys in a room soldering together components... They finish and fit it over the chip. Then, one of them looks at the other and says: "Well, Johnny, it doesn't quite fit..." and then the other one goes like: "Yeah, well, screw that, we'll sell it anyway..."

I definitely do not feel like ripping components out of my A1200 unless I decide to build a tower out of it. Perhaps the shield was meant to prevent EM interference, then again it's part of the structure so perhaps it could prevent stuff falling / leaking into the Amiga - it does have holes, but still...

[cpiac64]

http://www.faime.demon.co.uk/retro/i...00.schem.2.png

reset fix self made

[Jope]

The shield is useless, the hd caddy is also useless, unless you have a 2.5" HD in the machine.

If you want a machine that can be upgraded "cleanly", then you'd buy an A3000 or A4000. Most A1200 upgrades are hacks (connect on top of chips) and require you to get rid of the shield.

[eva]

Originally Posted by Jope

The shield is useless, the hd caddy is also useless, unless you have a 2.5" HD in the machine.

If you want a machine that can be upgraded "cleanly", then you'd buy an A3000 or A4000. Most A1200 upgrades are hacks (connect on top of chips) and require you to get rid of the shield.

I do not see any justification why any of them are "useless". In fact, they have well-defined purposes. Aside from the 2.5" HDD as you said, I do not see where you could place a CF card adaptor without reworking the case in some way. I have seen pictures where people glued / taped the CF card adaptor on top of the chips - that is sloppy too. Do you mean that they are "useless" because the Amiga does not depend on them? That applies to any case of any computer. . .

I also do not see why the mod from AmigaKit could not have been made in such a way that it does not protrude and press against the shield. The circuit board could have been placed to the side of chip instead of on top of it and the socket connector would not press against the shield.

[FOL]

Originally Posted by eva

I also do not see why the mod from AmigaKit could not have been made in such a way that it does not protrude and press against the shield. The circuit board could have been placed to the side of chip instead of on top of it and the socket connector would not press against the shield.

That would be a mess and it would increase the price.
The socket pins are higher than the board already and putting plastic on it to stop it shorting, wouldnt help as any preasure on the shield could cause it to pierce the plastic and short anyway.

I originally didn't want to loose my shield either, but after I added CDROM drive I had to cut alot of it away.

So I take it your not going to buy a fastata or indivision either then?

[crazyc]

It is quite difficult to expand desktop a1200 with anything more than an accelerator card and PCMCIA card and still keep the shield in place.
I did try and cut out the necessary bits at first but gave up as there was almost no shield left.....
It just wasn't built with the expansions in mind.

[Jope]

Originally Posted by eva

I do not see any justification why any of them are "useless". In fact, they have well-defined purposes.

Indeed. The RF shield's purpose in life is (actually was, in the final tests back in 1992) to get the A1200 through the FCC emissions tests. It has no other meaning.

Aside from the 2.5" HDD as you said, I do not see where you could place a CF card adaptor without reworking the case in some way. I have seen pictures where people glued / taped the CF card adaptor on top of the chips - that is sloppy too.

Yeh, just lay it on top of something, make sure it doesn't short out. If you buy a CF adapter with an angled female 44pin connector, it actually sits neatly on top of the IDE connector without touching anything else. Yeah, it's sloppy, it's an A1200 - hacky expansions galore.

Do you mean that they are "useless" because the Amiga does not depend on them? That applies to any case of any computer. . .

You'll notice that the rf shield is not the A1200's case.

[FOL]

Originally Posted by Jope

Indeed. The RF shield's purpose in life is (actually was, in the final tests back in 1992) to get the A1200 through the FCC emissions tests. It has no other meaning.



Yeh, just lay it on top of something, make sure it doesn't short out. If you buy a CF adapter with an angled female 44pin connector, it actually sits neatly on top of the IDE connector without touching anything else. Yeah, it's sloppy, it's an A1200 - hacky expansions galore.



You'll notice that the rf shield is not the A1200's case.

Could also argue, how come A600's were sold with out rf shields.

[Retrofan]

Originally Posted by crazyc

It is quite difficult to expand desktop a1200 with anything more than an accelerator card and PCMCIA card and still keep the shield in place.
I did try and cut out the necessary bits at first but gave up as there was almost no shield left.....
It just wasn't built with the expansions in mind.

Yep, I know what you are talking about...https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-e...0/ABCD0008.JPG

[Jope]

Originally Posted by FOL

Could also argue, how come A600's were sold with out rf shields.

Because the FCC's authority doesn't extend to Europe and no local legislator had similar emissions limits. They left the shields out to save money.

I love flogging the RF shield horse. :-)

[eva]

Originally Posted by Retrofan

Yep, I know what you are talking about...

Wouldn't this be better then?

• http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...roducts_id=307

The internal flicker-fixer is an idea but I do not want to upgrade the A1200 too much. There are some external ones that can be used instead. I've seen that you can get PPC expansion boards - then again, I do not really want that. If I wanted a PPC, I could just buy a cheapo Mac Mini. They go for 60 quid. I actually want that retro look. I have seen some screenshots of heavily modded Amigas and quite frankly, it's starting to look like Windows 95. Not that Windows 95 is not great, it was better than Vista and definitely better than the latest Metro interface but it's definitely drifting away from the Amiga retro feel.

The retro aspect of the Amiga, as it looked-like two decades ago is also the reason why I have not bought a tower case - but if you do want to get rid of the shield, caddy, etc... Then by all means, go full-mod and get a tower case and you're free to mod the A1200 a bunch.

[ptyerman]

People are "free" to mod their 1200 anyway, without a tower case or your permission if so desired. I really don't see what the fuss is about, if you want a original A1200 then keep it original, if you want to mod it, then do so. It's not rocket science!

[eva]

Originally Posted by ptyerman

People are "free" to mod their 1200 anyway, without a tower case or your permission if so desired.

"free" in the context of the original case allowing the modification as it was discussed previously in the thread.

Originally Posted by ptyerman

I really don't see what the fuss is about

It's a discussion. It started off from "why doesn't AmigaKit state that these mods require removing original parts from the Amiga" and now it veered into "the Amiga 1200 is not great for upgrades without removing the shield / caddy".

[ptyerman]

The hardware support section of the forum is not really a suitable place for a discussion, but I digress.
Any modifications of an A1200 desktop case will usually entail getting rid of the shielding or cutting it out in areas, it's not needed for anything anyway so taking it out is best.
Even if someone does go the route of putting their 1200 internals into a tower case, the shield is still useless and has to be taken out. It was only fitted to pass some emission tests in America after all.

[eva]

Originally Posted by ptyerman

The hardware support section of the forum is not really a suitable place for a discussion, but I digress.

Please move the thread to a suitable section in case you are a moderator. Note that the original post was about the PCMCIA mod sold from AmigaKit and the thread is placed in the Hardware Mods section. I am sorry if that breaks the rules.

[ptyerman]

I'm not a moderator so it's no problem with me. Amigakit sells some nice Amiga hardware mods, but for most of them you will need to get rid of or cut out the shielding. As well as being in the way of a lot of hardware mods, it also keeps heat in which in turn will cause eventual failure of components. Back when Commodore and Amiga parts production were still alive it wasn't really a problem, but now, some of those chips and components are getting hard to get so it pays to look after the working ones.
Depending what mods are fitted and how much heat is generated it's also worth fitting a fan under the grill of the top case cover, but again that requires removing the shielding.

[crazyc]

Originally Posted by eva

Wouldn't this be better then?

• http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...roducts_id=307

The internal flicker-fixer is an idea but I do not want to upgrade the A1200 too much. There are some external ones that can be used instead. I've seen that you can get PPC expansion boards - then again, I do not really want that. If I wanted a PPC, I could just buy a cheapo Mac Mini. They go for 60 quid. I actually want that retro look. I have seen some screenshots of heavily modded Amigas and quite frankly, it's starting to look like Windows 95. Not that Windows 95 is not great, it was better than Vista and definitely better than the latest Metro interface but it's definitely drifting away from the Amiga retro feel.

The retro aspect of the Amiga, as it looked-like two decades ago is also the reason why I have not bought a tower case - but if you do want to get rid of the shield, caddy, etc... Then by all means, go full-mod and get a tower case and you're free to mod the A1200 a bunch.

I agree in that I wanted to keep the wedge look of the A1200 - I dont think its too far out from an external point of view?
http://www.amibay.com/entry.php?42-Almost-there
Although there are a number of internal mods, and the dual CF card does protrude from the back, and yes, it has had to grow small legs.

[eva]

Originally Posted by crazyc

I agree in that I wanted to keep the wedge look of the A1200 - I dont think its too far out from an external point of view?
http://www.amibay.com/entry.php?42-Almost-there
Although there are a number of internal mods, and the dual CF card does protrude from the back, and yes, it has had to grow small legs.

I like it! I have a GoTek drive that I haven't used because I still want to hold on to the diskettes. Found some in their original box. I would have used the GoTek if it would have blended nicely with the rest of the case. The LED display is a nice addition but the case would partially cover it. So, I kept the original disk drive (I have two of them, just in case).