[A600] A300 Rev 1 vs. newer motherboards

8bitbubsy · 10 November 2009, 15:48

My lovely A600 has got the super early "A300 Rev 1" motherboard, and that makes me wonder; is it more to it? Are there some bugs on this mobo that I should get rid of by soldering, etc? Are the newer ones better in any way?

The A600 works fine, but still... I'm curious. Does this one support the A603 and A608 RAM expansions? I have kick 3.1 in it.

alexh · 10 November 2009, 15:56

I'm 99% sure no-one will be able to answer a "What is the difference between the various A600 motherboard revisions?" or "Which is the best revision A600 motherboard?" question.

All A600 motherboards support A603 & A608.

Empirically I've discovered that some A600 boards have a problem where PCMCIA activity interferes with RF & composite. I am unsure if this is an actual PCB layout problem or a faulty capacitor problem or what. Neither do I know off hand the versions of my faulty boards.

8bitbubsy · 10 November 2009, 15:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

Some boards have a problem where PCMCIA activity interferes with RF composite.

Unsure if this is a PCB layout problem or a faulty capacitor problem or what.

I never use composite nor RF on Amigas

Using the RGB port (1084S and SCART on TV).

Photon · 10 November 2009, 15:59

I'd be surprised if they'd fail, considering where they connect. Sounds like you got something rare (maybe? dunno) so if you want you can remove it and get a newer mobo and solder on that instead

Just my opinion, Jope will know if it's rare or not.

8bitbubsy · 10 November 2009, 16:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photon

I'd be surprised if they'd fail, considering where they connect. Sounds like you got something rare (maybe? dunno) so if you want you can remove it and get a newer mobo and solder on that instead

Just my opinion, Jope will know if it's rare or not.

Bwahah, the mobo is already raped. New capacitors, new big phat nonpolarized caps taped to the side soldered with kynar wires, one leg-broken resistor fix (kynar wires ftw)... Else it's good.. No HW problems, all those went gone when I operated her.
EDIT: But I had to! Her capacitors leaked (eeew!), acid cleaned up, caps exchanged.

jbenam · 10 November 2009, 20:44

I've also got one of those, to replace the dead (

) one in my trusty old Miggy 600 (the very first Amiga from my childhood!

) and even if I haven't used it a lot, it seems to work fine.
I've also done some comparison by eye, and it just looks like the most evident difference is that the PCB soldering points on the motherboard are all tinned

EDIT: Lookin' at some hi-res pics on AHD, it also looks like the audio capacitors have different voltages, and there are two more caps near the PSU plug.

Damion · 10 November 2009, 20:47

Shouldn't be a problem... no issue here with an '030 and A603 on a Rev 1.

Torti-the-Smurf · 19 December 2021, 12:32

I did have Version 1.5 , 2D and now owning a 1.3 for the longest time.

1.5 was fine. That version has a Resitor or something over his VideoDec. (U12)
This works then for ALL TVs; if you remove this, the picture gets wrong colours n stuff. (on some TV´s)
Rev. 1.3 and below;i guess; dosent have that. Colors on some CRT TV´s via Scart RGB can be messy.
(that solves that thing over at the VideoDecoder (U12) - that came with 1.5 rev. boards)

(i did not test rev. 2D with that "Special TV" because the sound broke on rev. 2D - I never ever had any sound problems on any other amiga - only 2D)
Maybe just bad luck, who knows.

I use rev.1.3 now for the longest time and i can not make out any difference besides the different PCMCIA Compatibility.

Not every PCMCIA Card that worked flawless on 1.5&2D did work on 1.3.
(the 1.3 board has a patch cable beneath the motherboard- looks factory made)
That was the only difference i noticed.

Besides, look at the pictures below.

The boards are all over the place.

I found a 1.5 board with the "OG"Gayle Plus that Chip at XU1 .. and a 1.1 Board with gayle version 2

WTF. I think they mixed and matched what they had at hand

So, i guess there is not really a "This is the best A600 board" ...

When it works.. it works, and thats the important thing

Jpor · 19 December 2021, 15:21

Have owned 1.3 to 2D boards. One thing to note there are issues using an Indivision 604N with a 2D. The 604N didn’t work in a 2D rev. I usually stick to 1.3 and 1.5 revs.
I think the 2D has the revise Gary chip as standard?

Torti-the-Smurf · 19 December 2021, 19:01

Yup , Rev 2B & 2D should have Gayle Rev 2, but who really knows.

I had never seen a 1.5 board with the OG Gyle AND the Chip in XU1 on an 1.5 Board.

Anything goes

I guess its fair to say that " Commodore was like a box of Chocoltaes .......... "

MMMhhh Yummy

10 November 2009, 15:48	#1
8bitbubsy Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Norway Posts: 1,710	[A600] A300 Rev 1 vs. newer motherboards My lovely A600 has got the super early "A300 Rev 1" motherboard, and that makes me wonder; is it more to it? Are there some bugs on this mobo that I should get rid of by soldering, etc? Are the newer ones better in any way? The A600 works fine, but still... I'm curious. Does this one support the A603 and A608 RAM expansions? I have kick 3.1 in it.

19 December 2021, 12:32	#8
Torti-the-Smurf Registered User Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Earth Posts: 1,058	I did have Version 1.5 , 2D and now owning a 1.3 for the longest time. 1.5 was fine. That version has a Resitor or something over his VideoDec. (U12) This works then for ALL TVs; if you remove this, the picture gets wrong colours n stuff. (on some TV´s) Rev. 1.3 and below;i guess; dosent have that. Colors on some CRT TV´s via Scart RGB can be messy. (that solves that thing over at the VideoDecoder (U12) - that came with 1.5 rev. boards) (i did not test rev. 2D with that "Special TV" because the sound broke on rev. 2D - I never ever had any sound problems on any other amiga - only 2D) Maybe just bad luck, who knows. I use rev.1.3 now for the longest time and i can not make out any difference besides the different PCMCIA Compatibility. Not every PCMCIA Card that worked flawless on 1.5&2D did work on 1.3. (the 1.3 board has a patch cable beneath the motherboard- looks factory made) That was the only difference i noticed. Besides, look at the pictures below. The boards are all over the place. I found a 1.5 board with the "OG"Gayle Plus that Chip at XU1 .. and a 1.1 Board with gayle version 2 WTF. I think they mixed and matched what they had at hand So, i guess there is not really a "This is the best A600 board" ... When it works.. it works, and thats the important thing Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Torti-the-Smurf; 19 December 2021 at 19:08. Reason: typos n stuff

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10 November 2009, 15:56	#2
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,337	I'm 99% sure no-one will be able to answer a "What is the difference between the various A600 motherboard revisions?" or "Which is the best revision A600 motherboard?" question. All A600 motherboards support A603 & A608. Empirically I've discovered that some A600 boards have a problem where PCMCIA activity interferes with RF & composite. I am unsure if this is an actual PCB layout problem or a faulty capacitor problem or what. Neither do I know off hand the versions of my faulty boards.

10 November 2009, 15:59	#4
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,602	I'd be surprised if they'd fail, considering where they connect. Sounds like you got something rare (maybe? dunno) so if you want you can remove it and get a newer mobo and solder on that instead Just my opinion, Jope will know if it's rare or not.

10 November 2009, 20:44	#6
jbenam Italian Amiga Zealot Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Italy Age: 36 Posts: 1,910	I've also got one of those, to replace the dead ( ) one in my trusty old Miggy 600 (the very first Amiga from my childhood! ) and even if I haven't used it a lot, it seems to work fine. I've also done some comparison by eye, and it just looks like the most evident difference is that the PCB soldering points on the motherboard are all tinned EDIT: Lookin' at some hi-res pics on AHD, it also looks like the audio capacitors have different voltages, and there are two more caps near the PSU plug.

10 November 2009, 20:47	#7
Damion Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: US Posts: 315	Shouldn't be a problem... no issue here with an '030 and A603 on a Rev 1.

19 December 2021, 15:21	#9
Jpor Banned Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 404	Have owned 1.3 to 2D boards. One thing to note there are issues using an Indivision 604N with a 2D. The 604N didn’t work in a 2D rev. I usually stick to 1.3 and 1.5 revs. I think the 2D has the revise Gary chip as standard?

19 December 2021, 19:01	#10
Torti-the-Smurf Registered User Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Earth Posts: 1,058	Yup , Rev 2B & 2D should have Gayle Rev 2, but who really knows. I had never seen a 1.5 board with the OG Gyle AND the Chip in XU1 on an 1.5 Board. Anything goes I guess its fair to say that " Commodore was like a box of Chocoltaes .......... " MMMhhh Yummy

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