A1200 Tower advice =)

[fitzsteve]

Hey Peeps,

I'm going to make a start building my Tower at the weekend as the Z4 Tower from Amigakit is comming tomorrow - woooooooo!

I've got the following to go in the EZ Z4 Tower:

A1200 Mobo sadly only 3.0 roms but i'll upgrade later...
PC Key Keyboard adapter
ATX-Amiga power adapter
40GB HDD with CWB ADV SP installed
SCSI CD Rom
FDD
Micronik Busboard & Video Adapter
Cybervision 64/3D (This hasn't arrived yet)
Typhoon MK2 030 @ 40mhz & 64mb + SCSI
SCSI & IDE Cables

I'm going to start by setting up the basic Tower with the HDD on the native IDE although I plan to go down the route of SCSI-IDE-CF

I'll use the SCSI on the Typhoon for the CDROM for now since that already setup. I'm guessing I'll be better off using the SCSI on the Busboard once thats in, I probably wont attempt to fit that yet as until the CV64/3D arrives as I don't have any Zorro cards yet lol

The main question I am going to have is how to setup the video card, should I go with the driver disk that comes with the card or are there better drivers on Aminet? I also understand the CV supports Piccasso 96 drivers so Maybe I should just go ahead and install CWB P96?

I'm really hoping this will run on my LCD TV without a flicker fixer as it has a VGA in and is a regular non HD TV and not a Monitor, i'm looking to run at 1024x768 and guessing I'll have to switch to scart to play WHDLoad games or will they run off the CV64? Sorry a bit new to this Tower business...

Its a distant to dream to get a Cyberstorm MK2 060 but will certainly not have funds for that for a long while...

Also if anyone has any tips to help my Tower building experiance please let me know....

Thanks,

Steve.

[amigakit.com]

tomorrow? We paid for delivery for today.

[fitzsteve]

Originally Posted by amigakit.com

tomorrow? We paid for delivery for today.

Yeah sorry I was out when he came, the driver left a mobile number and we've made arrangments for tomorrow.

Thanks again for avoiding my Holiday last week

steve.

[seuden]

Good luck with this build fitzsteve

[cosmicfrog]

nice project fitzsteve can`t help with info though but looking forward to info and pics as the tower gets built

[fitzsteve]

Originally Posted by seuden

Good luck with this build fitzsteve

Originally Posted by cosmicfrog

nice project fitzsteve can`t help with info though but looking forward to info and pics as the tower gets built

Thanks Guys.

I'll take lots of pics as always, don't worry! Heres one to get you started

[fitzsteve]

@Amigakit,

Do you have any of these in stock?

http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...roducts_id=459

I totally forgot about powering the busboard!

Oh and I could order those LED adapter I forgot at the same time

Steve.

So this was the impulse buy...

[fitzsteve]

Originally Posted by mancalledSun

So this was the impulse buy...

Lol yeah kind of, I had to offload some stuff to justify it to the Missus'

I sold a PS2, some A600 bits as you know, a little while back my A1200 8mb upgrade which was spare after upgrading and some little bits on ebay.

Steve.

[watertonian]

Originally Posted by fitzsteve

Hey Peeps,

I'm going to make a start building my Tower at the weekend as the Z4 Tower from Amigakit is comming tomorrow - woooooooo!

Nice! went tower last year on mine, been lots of fun!

I've got the following to go in the EZ Z4 Tower:

A1200 Mobo sadly only 3.0 roms but i'll upgrade later...
PC Key Keyboard adapter
ATX-Amiga power adapter
40GB HDD with CWB ADV SP installed
SCSI CD Rom
FDD
Micronik Busboard & Video Adapter
Cybervision 64/3D (This hasn't arrived yet)
Typhoon MK2 030 @ 40mhz & 64mb + SCSI
SCSI & IDE Cables

Nice spread there, would definately recommend a 3.1 update, but I suppose it's not terribly necessary. Not sure if the vid card has a tv card/ntsc/pal pass-thru, if not, you might need a VGA switch for AGA stuff. (I've not found a much more attractive method for this, though 2 monitors would work as well, unless you have an LCD or something with VGA/RF inputs)

The main question I am going to have is how to setup the video card, should I go with the driver disk that comes with the card or are there better drivers on Aminet? I also understand the CV supports Piccasso 96 drivers so Maybe I should just go ahead and install CWB P96?

I'm really hoping this will run on my LCD TV without a flicker fixer as it has a VGA in and is a regular non HD TV and not a Monitor, i'm looking to run at 1024x768 and guessing I'll have to switch to scart to play WHDLoad games or will they run off the CV64? Sorry a bit new to this Tower business...

Should have waited on last comment, sorry. :-D Anyway, if your TV supports NTSC/PAL and VGA, you can use that to switch between the 2 nicely. Also, the drivers might be out of date on the CD (Unless they burned an updated batch), but registering the CD will get you the updated drivers. The ones on there will get you started, though. I'd reccomend picasso96, seems to be a bit glitchy on mine, but I'm using odd equipment, too. Never got CGFX to work, anyway. Unless there's a pass-thru on the card itself, but I've almost never heard of such a thing. (I use an LCD panel with an external scandoubler and VGA switch) The AGA output will still flicker in interlaced modes, assuming the LCD TV can handle them. Also, some LCD monitors don't handle interlaced VGA signals either, picasso96mode seems to like using them. Granted, I'm using a cheap LCD and a VGA card I gutted out of a win98 machine, your card looks alot nicer than that. (Some newer cards will de-interlace stuff for sending to LCD monitors, while mine doesn't). WHDload games still run off of AGA, though. However, less overhead on chip ram (especially if you use FBLIT, you won't need that anymore) by diverting to RTG will be very helpful. Non-whdload stuff has about a 50/50 of promoting to an RTG screen. Megaball AGA seem to work fine. :-D

Also, already mentioned before me, you should get the led adapter. Especially if running from a CF card. (I rely on hearing my HDD spin up and wind down, which is difficult as the case is pretty sound proof, and my 40GB runs rather quietly)

The adapter I got with my tower came with an AT keyboard adapter, all my spare keyboards are ps/2, though this is nothing a simple ($US2 tops) barrell adapter can't fix.

And USB support can be alot of fun, if you were looking into Subway. WHDload doesn't like it, though. So game controllers might be a lost cause, unless you wanted one for Doomattack or something. But it works well with removable medai, like cardreaders, thumbdrives, usb cd-roms, etc.. (I use mine with a playstation2 to usb adater and a playstation2 DVD remote as a task launcher :-D ).

The only regret I have about towering my 1200 is the "charm" of the wedge case is missing. Granted, the case was kinda beat up, (had more stuff wedged in there than originally planned for) but luckily I found another A1200 that was otherwise destined for a landfill. Perhaps a keyrah in another 1200 could be fun, too. :-D

(My system is detailed Here.)

[fitzsteve]

@watertonian,

Thanks for the detailed reply and the great advice. I will be posting pics in the Hardware Pics section when I get started

The Tower and my PCMCIA ange adapter arrived today which is great so I can get started. I will be ordering the LED's along with a power converter for the busboard from Amigakit since I also forgot that lol...

They're kindly going to make the adapter up for me since they don't have any stock.

The screen I use is LCD non HD TV Set, its flicker free in AGA and interlace via scart so its great for WHDLoad, I just hope the VGA input works with the CV64, if not I can always get a flicker fixer.

Thanks again!

Steve.

[fitzsteve]

Grrr, a little stuck on a couple of things...

My ATX-Amiga PSU adapter is one that plugs into the A1200 motherboards power socket, I was just going to run it out the back of the case but theres no opening in the rear of the case for a power supply to be plugged into the motherboard. I guess they want you to use their adapter? I'll probably have to get the drill out to it and thats going to void the warrenty

I don't really want to buy another ATX-Amiga adapter unless anyone can suggest an alternative? I've got the Elbox one by the way.

And I'll be needing an AT Keyboard, for some reason I though the PC key was PS2 (I got it becuase the Lyra was out of stock thinking they were pretty much the same thing) Not a big deal I can use a proper Amiga keyboard which will be more authentic

So it looks like I wont be doing any building just yet, but here are some pics

[Zetr0]

ahhh bollox -

sorry steve! i completely forgot... its been a while...


I have a modified 300/350watt PSU here that I did for this board (its in the shed at the mo with the drastic plastic micronik tower.

Its yours for postage m8, prolly be a about £5, check in with AmigaKit they might be able to make a cable cheaper.

I have the schematics on the hdd here somewhere to build one for this board.

I also think that they are on here as well... do a search for micronik z3i


Aha!



have a lookie at this thread (wow... oct 2005 thats going back some!)


(a big thanks to lopos2000 again)

[fitzsteve]

Hi Zetro,

Thanks for the Info

I've already asked Amigakit to make me one so I'd better honour that, plus I need to order th LED's anyway.

I'm sure I'll be needing you help and advice though once I get started setting up the CV64 if thats still ok

I think I'm just going to drill the back of the case for the ATX adapter I have, that'll save me spending another £25....

Now I just need to find a nice A2000/A4000 keyboard...

Steve.

[Peter]

Putting all this together looks like it should be fun!

Check here for some cool Case badges!!!


I love this one!!

[fitzsteve]

Originally Posted by Peter

Putting all this together looks like it should be fun!

Check here for some cool Case badges!!!


I love this one!!

I was going to ask about case badges, cheers Peter

Have however hit another problem, thought I'd test the case PSU with my ATX adapter before even thinking of building it and it dosent seem to work, I'm pretty sure I've wired it up correctly and it just don't switch on (see pic)

I've tried another PSU as well so it must be the adapter.

Another thing to the list of stuff to buy lol...

Steve.

Edit:

Hmm, now its trying to work. When I hit the on switch the TV screen flashes for a second like its auto detecting a scart connection and the PSU comes on very quiet but the amiga does not power up.

[prowler]

Originally Posted by fitzsteve

Have however hit another problem, thought I'd test the case PSU with my ATX adapter before even thinking of building it and it dosent seem to work, I'm pretty sure I've wired it up correctly and it just don't switch on

I've tried another PSU as well so it must be the adapter.

Hi Steve,

Did you test the PSU/Adapter combination with a load attached?

Some ATX supplied require a minimum load before they start up properly.

[fitzsteve]

Originally Posted by prowler

Hi Steve,

Did you test the PSU/Adapter combination with a load attached?

Some ATX supplied require a minimum load before they start up properly.

Nope, no joy tried with the CDROM & floppy's also connected

I just don't think the adapter is giving the PSU the signal to power on.

Is this what I need from Amigakit? How does it connect to the A1200 Mobo?

Edit again... I don't think thats it, the link on the Amigakit EZ Z4 page for the ATX adapter is broken, anyway personally I think the case should come with a power connector to save all this agro.

[amigakit.com]

There is a special A1200 ATX power adapter for the EZ-Tower (available as option when purchasing the tower)- here is the documentation:

http://www.amigakit.co.uk/support/atx-a1200.php

[prowler]

Originally Posted by fitzsteve

Is this what I need from Amigakit? How does it connect to the A1200 Mobo?

No, that's just an adapter to let you use an ATX PSU to power an AT motherboard (the design which preceded the ATX).

The question of getting ATX PSUs to start up properly when connected to Amigas has been discussed here recently. I'll see if I can find the thread.