Kickstart switcher help for A600

fc.studio · 26 October 2007, 11:54

I've one of the following since '92:

http://cgi.ebay.it/ROM-SISTEMA-OPERA...QQcmdZViewItem

I bought it to have Kickstart 2.04 on my A500 1.3.

Instructions reports to be for A500/A2000 only.
Does anyone know if it is possible to configure it to work in an A600?

I enclose instructions pics:

-

DrF · 26 October 2007, 12:11

I guess it MAY be possible if the actual kickstart chips are the same type/socket etc.?

http://www.vesalia.de/e_kickstart.htm

According to that the A500/600/2000 all use the same chip, as the chip they are selling says it fits 500/600/2000 so i think you COULD get it working

Also says :

Quote:

Please note that every model needs its own version of the Kickstart ROM(s). Only the types summed up in one line are interchangeable.

and then it lists the models we want in 1 line

alexh · 26 October 2007, 12:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by fc.studio

Does anyone know if it is possible to configure it to work in an A600?

It will be, but it may require one solder for the flying cable due to the surface mount nature of the A600's chips.

This switcher connects to pin 8 on the ODD CIA chip.

The ODD CIA is not DIP chip on the A600 but a PLCC chip. Look for U7 on the motherboard SILK SCREEN. Here is a picture, ODD CIA is the big chip on the left hand side of the picture.

http://www.amiga-hardware.com/downlo...mb_rev15_4.jpg

I'll leave it upto you to find out which is pin 8

P.S. Looking at the size of the kickstart Switcher board, it may not physically fit in the A600 case, you will have to try it and see.

DrF · 26 October 2007, 12:19

Yeah, that wire needs to go to somewhere and looking at those diagrams it says it wants a wire to a chip part number 8520 which I think is a CIA, and I would presume would be surface mounted in A600.

Jope · 26 October 2007, 13:47

You could get a 42 pin PLCC socket (through hole kind) and put that upside down on the CIA, then connect the test clip to the correct pin on the socket.

That'd save you some soldering if you don't know how. :-)

alexh · 26 October 2007, 14:49

The pin probe clip that comes with the switcher (plastic thing with the push down button) may fit around the plcc leg, you never know.

Chain · 26 October 2007, 15:34

it will short it probably,
using plcc socket through-hole is a best solution imho

fc.studio · 26 October 2007, 15:36

First of all thanks to everyone for your suggestions.

@alexh
Obviously I'm not able to find the pin 8 of the 8520 CIA Chip on the A600. But do you know what the wire for? Do you believe I risk to damage something if I do not connect it?

alexh · 26 October 2007, 16:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by fc.studio

Obviously I'm not able to find the pin 8 of the 8520 CIA Chip on the A600.

Why obviously? Are you are a lazy git who cannot be bothered to research anything!

You're not an Atari user are you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by fc.studio

But do you know what the wire for?

Sure. It is the wire that signals the PCB to change from one kickstart to another!

Quote:

Originally Posted by fc.studio

Do you believe I risk to damage something if I do not connect it?

No, but without it connected... you will not be able to switch kickstart? Which is the whole point.... is it not?

Instead of connecting to the CIA, you may be able to connect a manual switch to 5v rail (through a resistor?).

If I were you, I would solder (or have someone solder) the wire to pin 8 of the ODD CIA as indicated in the switcher instructions. Maybe tape it in place if you cannot do that

fc.studio · 26 October 2007, 17:20

@alexh

No, I'm not lazy and I'm not an Atari user (at the moment, but who knows the future?

...), but surely I would be very very dangerous for everyone

and for everything

with soldering, volt, resistors .... but to ask to someone to solder for me is without doubt a good idea!

However I asked about the wire because some kickswithcers seem to work without one and I thought that not connecting it could mean a different option/way to activate resident kickstarts.

Chain · 26 October 2007, 19:24

those wires are essential for switching woth mouse i think (have similar switch in a500) so without it you will be probably able to use only one (first) KS

alexh · 26 October 2007, 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by fc.studio

However I asked about the wire because some kickswithcers seem to work without

No kickstart switcher works without a wire or a switch.

Zetr0 · 26 October 2007, 19:39

@fc.Strudio

why not just make your self one, as alexh states you can isolate using the 5v line?

the biggest problem is going to fit in INSIDE the a600 chassis, as that keyboard back plate is damn close....

fc.studio · 26 October 2007, 23:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

No kickstart switcher works without a wire or a switch.

Therefore all switchers allowing to select kickstart by using keyboard or mouse have always an internal wire, while switchers with external switch don't have internal wire. Do I understand right? Could you confirm this?

@zetr0. I'm not able, surely I would burn all I can find.

Chain · 27 October 2007, 00:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by fc.studio

Therefore all switchers allowing to select kickstart by using keyboard or mouse have always an internal wire, while switchers with external switch don't have internal wire. Do I understand right? Could you confirm this?

thats correct imo

alexh · 27 October 2007, 00:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by fc.studio

Therefore all switchers allowing to select kickstart by using keyboard or mouse have always an internal wire, while switchers with external switch don't have internal wire. Do I understand right? Could you confirm this?

Confirmed.

OddbOd · 27 October 2007, 13:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

No kickstart switcher works without a wire or a switch.

Until a couple of days ago I would've agreed unreservedly but then this turned up

fc.studio · 27 October 2007, 15:42

I remember I got my kickstart switch because I could change ROM by keeping pressed, at boot, the left mouse key. I didn't and don't like to have an external switch out of the case to operate. I remember there were, on the market, kickstart switchers using a long Amiga+Amiga+Ctrl procedure to activate secondary ROM. It seems this doesn't need an internal wire and therefore probably it's full A600 compatible (without CIA connection).

alexh · 27 October 2007, 16:06

Interesting... Other switchers that work with CTRL+AMIGA+AMIGA have a wire which goes to the reset pin on the 68000.

All they have at the ROM socket are the address lines, so maybe while you hold CRTL+AMIGA+AMIGA the CPU reads the same ROM address over and over again and they put a timer on the board or something, if the address doesnt change they swap ROMS.

Sounds dangerous, I bet rogue software which read the same address over and over from ROM could make it switch

26 October 2007, 11:54	#1
fc.studio Cat lover Join Date: May 2004 Location: Italy Age: 54 Posts: 804	Kickstart switcher help for A600 I've one of the following since '92: http://cgi.ebay.it/ROM-SISTEMA-OPERA...QQcmdZViewItem I bought it to have Kickstart 2.04 on my A500 1.3. Instructions reports to be for A500/A2000 only. Does anyone know if it is possible to configure it to work in an A600? I enclose instructions pics: - Attached Thumbnails Last edited by fc.studio; 26 October 2007 at 11:59.

27 October 2007, 15:42	#18
fc.studio Cat lover Join Date: May 2004 Location: Italy Age: 54 Posts: 804	I remember I got my kickstart switch because I could change ROM by keeping pressed, at boot, the left mouse key. I didn't and don't like to have an external switch out of the case to operate. I remember there were, on the market, kickstart switchers using a long Amiga+Amiga+Ctrl procedure to activate secondary ROM. It seems this doesn't need an internal wire and therefore probably it's full A600 compatible (without CIA connection). Last edited by fc.studio; 27 October 2007 at 15:51.

27 October 2007, 16:06	#19
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,354	Interesting... Other switchers that work with CTRL+AMIGA+AMIGA have a wire which goes to the reset pin on the 68000. All they have at the ROM socket are the address lines, so maybe while you hold CRTL+AMIGA+AMIGA the CPU reads the same ROM address over and over again and they put a timer on the board or something, if the address doesnt change they swap ROMS. Sounds dangerous, I bet rogue software which read the same address over and over from ROM could make it switch Last edited by alexh; 27 October 2007 at 16:15.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Troubleshooting a kickstart switcher	jman	support.Hardware	10	25 September 2013 18:52
Wanted: Kickstart ROM switcher for A600	Smiley	MarketPlace	12	04 June 2007 22:06
Trying to get a REALLY OLD Kickstart switcher to work	Computolio	support.Hardware	1	12 May 2007 06:47
Free: A kickstart switcher....!	keropi	MarketPlace	5	07 February 2005 18:29
Kickstart Switcher	Uukrul	support.Hardware	7	08 March 2002 05:48

26 October 2007, 12:19	#4
DrF Blessed A1200 Of TeH Rat Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Bham, UK Age: 42 Posts: 496	Yeah, that wire needs to go to somewhere and looking at those diagrams it says it wants a wire to a chip part number 8520 which I think is a CIA, and I would presume would be surface mounted in A600.

26 October 2007, 13:47	#5
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,863	You could get a 42 pin PLCC socket (through hole kind) and put that upside down on the CIA, then connect the test clip to the correct pin on the socket. That'd save you some soldering if you don't know how. :-)

26 October 2007, 14:49	#6
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,354	The pin probe clip that comes with the switcher (plastic thing with the push down button) may fit around the plcc leg, you never know.

26 October 2007, 15:34	#7
Chain A-Collector, repairments Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Czech Rep. Age: 50 Posts: 1,536	it will short it probably, using plcc socket through-hole is a best solution imho

26 October 2007, 15:36	#8
fc.studio Cat lover Join Date: May 2004 Location: Italy Age: 54 Posts: 804	First of all thanks to everyone for your suggestions. @alexh Obviously I'm not able to find the pin 8 of the 8520 CIA Chip on the A600. But do you know what the wire for? Do you believe I risk to damage something if I do not connect it?

26 October 2007, 17:20	#10
fc.studio Cat lover Join Date: May 2004 Location: Italy Age: 54 Posts: 804	@alexh No, I'm not lazy and I'm not an Atari user (at the moment, but who knows the future? ...), but surely I would be very very dangerous for everyone and for everything with soldering, volt, resistors .... but to ask to someone to solder for me is without doubt a good idea! However I asked about the wire because some kickswithcers seem to work without one and I thought that not connecting it could mean a different option/way to activate resident kickstarts.

26 October 2007, 19:24	#11
Chain A-Collector, repairments Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Czech Rep. Age: 50 Posts: 1,536	those wires are essential for switching woth mouse i think (have similar switch in a500) so without it you will be probably able to use only one (first) KS

26 October 2007, 19:39	#13
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	@fc.Strudio why not just make your self one, as alexh states you can isolate using the 5v line? the biggest problem is going to fit in INSIDE the a600 chassis, as that keyboard back plate is damn close....

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)