My finished project: A1200 Digital Edition

[StevenJGore]

I haven't owned any real Amiga hardware for 15 years, since I very regretably sold my A1200 modded with DVD drive. Since then, the world has mostly moved on from physical media; my new gaming PC has no mechanical drives and is entirely solid state, as are my two PS5 Digital Editions, both with expanded SSD storage. So inspired by this, I decided that my new A1200 project for 2023 was to create an A1200 Digital Edition.

My 6 goals were:

• Keep it looking like an original A1200 from the outside.
• Update the original hardware as much as possible.
• Solid state storage only, no mechanical drives of any kind.
• AmigaOS 3.2.2, running on RTG and updated to look as modern as possible
• Internal PSU
• Online (using Roadshow)

On the second attached photo:
1. ATX cable soldered to power supply pins on underside of A1200 motherboard, keeping original power socket intact and working (as a backup).
2. External power socket for PicoPSU (takes a 2.5/5.5mm connector from a standard 12v laptop charger). Deliberately placed above legacy power socket to avoid accidentally using both!
3. Power switch (rocker switch) for PicoPSU
4. 16GB compact flash card (non-WHDLoad games)
5. Gayle adapter for 4 way clockport expander
6. 4 way clockport expander
7. A1200 real-time clock
8. Kickstart 3.2.1 ROMs (redundant, system uses 3.2.2 ROM flashed to Vampire V2 V1200 core)
9. 32GB compact flash card (AmigaOS 3.2.2, programs, WHDLoad games, music, videos, demos)
10. Indivision AGA Mk3 mainboard
11. Indivision AGA Mk3 keyboard adapter
12. New longer keyboard ribbon cable going to new hard keyboard membrane
13. HDMI connector bolted to case through shielding, for Indivision AGA Mk3 output
14. PicoPSU-90 internal power supply (90W max)
15. HDMI cable
16. Subway 2021 USB card
17. Vampire V2 V1200 (85Mhz 68080 accelerator with 128MB Fast RAM and RTG) flashed with 2.16 Gold x12 core
18. Vampire ethernet module
19. SD card slot extension cable
20. Flat HDMI extender
21. Floppy drive terminator
22. USB 2.0 Pin Header cable
23. OmniPort Vampire 2 multiport (2x USB, Ethernet, and HDMI output for Vampire V2 V1200)
24. SD card slot (in space of floppy eject button)
25. Indivision AGA Mk3 HDMI/VGA connector

The "problem" of two HDMI outputs (RTG and AGA) is easily solved with a HDMI switch. For a joypad, I use a PS4 controller with mouSTer adapter. And last but definitely not least, the motherboard has had a full polymer recap.

I realise it's not to everybody's tastes, but hope you like it or it inspires you to do your own project.

[mfilos]

Very very nice Steven mate \o/

[Magic]

Very Nice! Great attention to detail

[Pyromania]

Very cool, thanx for sharing.

[spannernick]

All I can say is... WOW...

[Asmodean]

Originally Posted by StevenJGore

The "problem" of two HDMI outputs (RTG and AGA) is easily solved with a HDMI switch.

Impressive builld!

Is the HDMI switching done automatically with this switch? If yes, how fast is it?

[Signman]

This one has been assimilated by the Borg.

[Calabazam]

I have the same hardware setup in a black case with black keyboard, except i don't use a picoPSU but the CA-PSU from IComp, and i have the Gayle adapter for a second clockport without the clockport expander. I don't call it my A1200 Digital Edition, but my Blackmiga 1200

[Calabazam]

Originally Posted by Asmodean

Impressive builld!

Is the HDMI switching done automatically with this switch? If yes, how fast is it?

Just like mine, it is done as fast as you can press a button.

[Dunny]

Originally Posted by Calabazam

Just like mine, it is done as fast as you can press a button.

There's a neat little solution that involves attaching a wire to either your CIA (iirc) or pin 13 of your parallel port from the HDMI switch internally. Then a small software stub sends a signal to the switch to automatically switch from RTG to RGB and back.

I have one in my 1200, it's wonderful.

[klx300r]

Sweet 1200

[klx300r]

Originally Posted by Dunny

There's a neat little solution that involves attaching a wire to either your CIA (iirc) or pin 13 of your parallel port from the HDMI switch internally. Then a small software stub sends a signal to the switch to automatically switch from RTG to RGB and back.

I have one in my 1200, it's wonderful.

Hmm so I would need a VGA to HDMI adapter and where to find this "small software stub"???

[StevenJGore]

Originally Posted by Asmodean

Is the HDMI switching done automatically with this switch? If yes, how fast is it?

No, just a single button to toggle between the two HDMI inputs.

The mod to make the automatic switch sounds cool, though, but probably beyond my technical and soldering abilities.

[StevenJGore]

I updated my build a couple of weeks ago. Some people may have already seen it on one of the main Amiga Facebook groups. I had the opportunity to get a black A1200.net case and key caps and couldn't resist, and I've also added and changed a few other things such as a PiStorm32 Lite with Pi 4b, a PicoPSU adapter, and replacement LEDs:

I now call it my A1200 Midnight Edition:

• A1200.net black case
• A1200.net black replacement key caps
• Internal 90W PicoPSU
• Case-mounted PicoPSU adapter
• Rear case-mounted power jack and black power rocker switch
• Bifrost A1200 Heimdall Edition LED Replacement with Caps Lock module running in Extended Mode
• Magnetic LED flexible light strips (on underside of keyboard)
• OmniPort EX multiport adapter with 2nd HDMI module (giving two HDMI ports; AGA and RTG) and 2x USB ports
• Rev 1D4 motherboard recapped
• 3.2.2 Kickstart ROMs
• 4 way clockport expander
• Subway 2021 USB card
• PiStorm32 Lite with Pi 4b 2GB with 128GB Sandisk Extreme
• Indivision AGA MK3
• IDE adapter and SD2IDE adapter with HDD LED fix and 64GB Sandisk Extreme (with SD extender to rear of case)
• 3Com EtherLink III 3C589 PCMCIA Network Card
• Hard replacement keyboard membrane
• Floppy drive port terminator
• RTC module
• Competition Pro CD32 gamepad
• Steelseries Rival 3 USB mouse
• Asus ROG Swift PG32UQ 32" gaming monitor
• AmigaOS 3.2.2
• 1920x1080 32-bit RTG Workbench screen

[Dunny]

Originally Posted by klx300r

Hmm so I would need a VGA to HDMI adapter and where to find this "small software stub"???

You need a particular type of HDMI switch - one of these for example:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09LVDP7FL

Then you open it up and solder a wire from pin 13 of your parallel port - I used a plug rather than solder directly to the Amiga - to a pin on the switch of the HDMI switcher:



and another user who has also made one:



Then grab the software from here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16ok...ew?usp=sharing

and use the external version, in your startup-sequence. (if you're on a PiStorm you don't need the software, the P96 card driver will do it for you). Boot with the switch set to RGB mode and when the RTG workbench activates it switches immediately to the correct input.

You can find more info - in German - here: https://www.a1k.org/forum/index.php?threads/86691/