EAB's Build your own Amiga Hardware Project

[Zetr0]

EAB's : Build / Design your own Amiga Hardware Project

History:
Have you always wanted to make your own Amiga upgrades but lacked the sources to begin. well after some work with some simple microcontrollers I had a though about changing the form factor of my a600 cpu so it could use A500 upgrades (as A600 upgrades are few and very far between).

Aims:
It is my hope that this project would exist to create OPEN SOURCE adapters and upgrades for the Amiga, It is the aim of this project to also act as a repository of information that is either difficult to find, or just better explained.

Above all its main aim is to design and develop as a comunity simple hardware based on existing OPEN SOURCE projects where every member can act as council suggesting improvements and design ideas.

Outcomes:
It is the hope of this project that eventually professinally printed circuit boards can be produced in various areas of either the country or world really. From single testing boards right upto the possibility of mass production.

Requirements:
Just you and your ideas, although electronics knowlege is good, it wont make any difference in design ideas or concepts. so just bring your ideas along.

Tools
Here are some links to freeware tools to help you in your designs.

• Eagle Lite
• Pad2Pad
• Soldering Guide
• Soldering Basics
• making PCB's
• schematic reading
• Pinouts for most things

for a full list of tools and links

Components & Sourcing

Here is a list of places to get components

• Futurlec
• Lichfield Electronics
• Analog devices
• PCS Electronics
• East London Electronics
• Transtronics
• elfa

[Zetr0]

Heres a simple one to begin with.

This would suit a Desktop / Wedge Amiga with an internal SFF CD/DVD RW/ROM

The idea is simple as it combines the audio signals from the amiga with two other inputs without damaging them.

Click to Enlarge


single layer eagle pcb download

you will need to modify your Amiga's Audio out or create your own to output the combined audio signals

[Zetr0]

The idea of this is simple I wanted to have a simple upgrade path for the A600 as there are a lot of A500 cpu chip-upgrade adaptors i figure it would be nice to tap into that. so here we go..

this is a two layer PCB design with NO drilling, so its a case of flip / print / etch and then solder. This would fit in an A600 but would most likely suit a towered or re-housed a600 mobo.

Click to englarge


dual layer eagle board pcb


NOTES:

• Edited and Revised Mark 5 CPC
  
• J1 has been removed and a new IC has been added
• Addition of a 74LS00 "Quad input 2 NAND gates"
  This element provides the handling over of the CPU's from the A600 onboard 68kNF CPU to the MC68000 DIP packaged CPU
• The 68pin moto-socket is solderd to the underside (blue) of the board.

[boing_1000]

Zetro why are you so cool?

I wish I could just whip up schematics and ideas for Amiga upgrades just like that haha.

[Zetr0]

@Boing

its all about being in the right environment... and here at the EAB, IS the RIGHT environment.

but the main reason i am cool is the fact I have a 2 foot fan i front of me on force factor 5 ... i dont do well in the heat LOL.

[boing_1000]

Originally Posted by Zetr0

but the main reason i am cool is the fact I have a 2 foot fan i front of me on force factor 5 ... i dont do well in the heat LOL.

LOL well said sir

[Huezo]

How about schemas for making pcmcia connected CD-drive (ide or scsi?)
or even USB? ( card reader / USB HD / USB CD/DVD )

I could loan a biig fan to make it happen?? =)

[turrican3]

look really great zetro but i understand nothing about that
Sorry but i can't help

[Zetr0]

@Huezo

It may be possible to get USB 1.1 on PCMCIA. infact i may be able to implement the stack on a micro-controller with a little bit of ram..i have some sources I will looking into after i look into a fast ram module for an A600

@Turrican3

Ideas are good, simple things like making your own PSX to amiga controller etc PS2 mouse... that sorta thing... or crazy but cool ideas like internal bluetooth etc. etc....

[Huezo]

I have not done anything on Amiga and USB either =)
But I guess that USB is not rocket science codewise.
(well rockets fall sometimes too)

The PCMCIA as being external is handy to use for attaching devices.
There could be a PCMCIA dock and switch.
On the other hand.. anything can be used VIA USB.
I guess there are physical switches for it.
CD-ROM/card reader, or something like that.
BTW what is the speed roughly, like tested with PCMCIA CF ?

It is interesting thought of making actual protos out of ideas.
I did Tetris with C & 8051 microcontroller at school few years ago,
but am not really deep in HW designs.

[Huezo]

@Zetr0

Was thinking of putting Bad/faulty CD32 controller inside XBox controller.
- is this just combining 2 controllers parts in this case?

[Zetr0]

@Huezo,

The XBox controller is basically a USB hub and this uses a different method than direct pin asignments like a cd32 pad.

heres some more detail on the xbox controller

http://euc.jp/periphs/xbox-controller.en.html

arguably you could convert the cd32 controller into using this

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=31515

(i may redesign this design *again& and make it 2 layer non drilled)

but it would require a little experimentation with some of the code to get all the features of the cd32 joypad.

[Huezo]

@Zetr0

I really can't just rewire the xbox controllers digital buttons to cd32 pad butttons' wires ? ?
Well.. must consider this.

BTW i think I need dremel (for some purposes)

Is the lithium one a go or no, or just the wired one?

[Zetr0]

@Huezo,

indeed, you could use the controller board if you wire up the buttons directly with the cd32 pad, you are most certainly gonna need a rotary tool like a dremmel .

Is the lithium one a go or no, or just the wired one?

arguably, i would suggest stating with the wired one, i think its a simpler design, perssonally i would add a MALE db9 port to the rear of the controller and then wire that up to the contacts in the xbox controller. then its a simple case of plug-in your cd32 pad (this way you wont destroy it in the conversion process)

[Huezo]

@Zetr0

Actually that was about Dremel wireless one stylus something, is that ok? =)

This one would be useful with XBox when playing with emulators.
http://www.raphnet.net/electronique/...b/index_en.php

NOT THAT I EVER play much anything!!! =)
Just collecting stuff and never time to use it LOL!

OH, is there cheapo place for components?

=)

[Zetr0]

@Huezo

yes that is most certainly where i got the original design from for the usb to db9 joypad controller... infact I even bought te chips from there as well... the guy sells kits i believe so its very easy to make yourself.

[Paul_s]

Zetro is our very own Dave Haynie

How much would you build an A2000 with AGA chipset for good sir?

[Dizzy]

Originally Posted by Zetr0

@Turrican3

Ideas are good, simple things like making your own PSX to amiga controller etc PS2 mouse... that sorta thing... or crazy but cool ideas like internal bluetooth etc. etc....

Then I would love to use a Dreamcast controller on my Cd32

[Calgor]

Originally Posted by Huezo

BTW what is the speed roughly, like tested with PCMCIA CF ?

Using a PCMCIA-CF adapter and a 2GB 40MB/s SanDisk Extreme IV CF card, I get ~2.5MB/s using sysinfo on the Amiga 1200. Not sure the theoretical limit, if a hardware guy can answer.

[Zetr0]

@ALL

LOL guys, I am no where near the knowledge and skill of david haynie.. infact all that I put up here has been realised and designed (probly better too) else where LOL... I have a basic micro-electronics knowledge.. and a smidge about programmable IC's but when we start talking verilog or GAL's imma reaching for page one in the reference book LOL,

I do have good software engineering skills when i find something that interests me LOL...

@paul_s
hmmm a2000 with AGA, you know they brought out that Graffiti adapter (from individual computers) is basically gives you a a programmable chucky 8bit screen (from a 16bit pallet), thats compatile i think with any amiga RGB out...

personally i felt gens should of made an el-cheapo internal version.... but you could argue that it would outperform an basic A1200 with AGA. (especially with DOOM / Hexen) after all on a basic level its a 6:1 reduction in calculation..

@dizzy
hmmm dreamcast controller eh?.... interesting.....