A500 Zorro Slot Adaptor - Page 10

DrMistry · 13 November 2018, 10:29

If you need some kind of prepayment encouragement, please do let me know

I'm going to fire up some CAD software and 3D print a little chassis, and if it's a success I'll post a link to the design files.

As a side question, is there some kind of bus mediator on the 2000 which facilitates multiple slots, or is it purely a parallel arrangement?

Cheers,
Mike

Daedalus · 13 November 2018, 10:51

Haha, I need a babysitter and someone to do my day job, not prepayment

But thanks! A 3D printed case would be cool, I'm sure others have asked about it too.

As for the multi-slot question, the answer is "sort of". Multiple slots can be implemented with very simple logic. Most of the signals are parallel, it's mainly the Autoconfig that needs to be arbitrated between cards and then the cards themselves do all their own address decoding and bus management. However, the A2000 does have some extra hardware involved: Buster (a much simpler device than on the 3000 & 4000) which is used to buffer and manage come control signals and provide DMA capability, and some simple logic buffers on the main bus. Without these things, DMA isn't possible from more than a single card, and the bus signals might be prone to errors with many cards weighing them down.

But otherwise it is possible on an A500. The Z-500 is effectively 2 slots as the passthrough connector is essentially a second Autoconfig device, and there have been devices in the past that have provided multiple Zorro slots for the 500.

DrMistry · 13 November 2018, 19:52

Yea, I just had a browse of the A2000-R6 (cost reduced version) schematics - Not followed everything yet but it kind of looks doable...but I'd worry about power with more than 2 cards. Guess I'll just have to save very hard and wait for an original 2000 to pop up somewhere! I'll stick to recapping and arduinos

xboxown · 14 November 2018, 16:05

DrMistry I always wanted a 3D case for my z-500 and it have one single 5.25 hole and a shelf for one item! I would buy that case from you in a heart beat!!

DrMistry · 14 November 2018, 19:15

I'm going to have to wait until I have the unit before designing the case - and also find a matching plastic colour (or is at least complimentary). I don't think it's going to to be too hard, but I will have to think about shielding and handling static gracefully...I'll keep everyone up to date, and open up a new thread when I make some progress.

xboxown · 14 November 2018, 20:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrMistry

I'm going to have to wait until I have the unit before designing the case - and also find a matching plastic colour (or is at least complimentary). I don't think it's going to to be too hard, but I will have to think about shielding and handling static gracefully...I'll keep everyone up to date, and open up a new thread when I make some progress.

I AM OFFICIALLY YOUR FIRST CUSTOMER!!

I just want to have an option to put a mechanical 3.5" hard drive inside the case or...at the back of the case a port that allows me to install an x-surf or the front of the case ...I can remove the platter to hook a cd-rom or a compact flash reader.

That is it!!

I swear I will be your first customer and save money for whatever price you want to give it..even if it can go up to and including 350 euro...I will save money to pay for that!!

I just want the case!!

Oh can you make a tiny hole for LED for the mechanical hard drive activity?! Oh also it need to have a hole for the passthrough!

E-Penguin · 15 November 2018, 18:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by hlide

Hi,

I have a hard job to understand the goal of such a card. Not that I'm questioning it, but I would like to have more examples of uses. I may be interested in depending the examples I could get.

Is there any picture of the board?

Regards.

EDIT: I can see some pictures.

I used it to add a graphics card to the A500. In the end it worked out very nicely. See here for pictures galore! (there's also a part 2 where the ghosting is fixed - faulty memory on the graphics card).
https://amigadventures.tumblr.com/po...-the-amiga-500

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrMistry

I'm going to have to wait until I have the unit before designing the case - and also find a matching plastic colour (or is at least complimentary). I don't think it's going to to be too hard, but I will have to think about shielding and handling static gracefully...I'll keep everyone up to date, and open up a new thread when I make some progress.

If your case has a pass-through for the ACA500+ and can somehow take a graphics card, I'm all over that.

DrMistry · 15 November 2018, 20:35

I am very very unlikely to be "productizing" this - I will share the design on something like TinkerCad or Thingiverse, but mass printing is just not something I'm geared up for. It'll cover the board, allow a standard Zorro 2 card to be supported and protected, and allow connections to the through edge connector, and that's most likely as far as I will take it.

xboxown · 15 November 2018, 20:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrMistry

I am very very unlikely to be "productizing" this - I will share the design on something like TinkerCad or Thingiverse, but mass printing is just not something I'm geared up for. It'll cover the board, allow a standard Zorro 2 card to be supported and protected, and allow connections to the through edge connector, and that's most likely as far as I will take it.

hlide · 17 November 2018, 21:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by E-Penguin

I used it to add a graphics card to the A500. In the end it worked out very nicely. See here for pictures galore! (there's also a part 2 where the ghosting is fixed - faulty memory on the graphics card).
https://amigadventures.tumblr.com/po...-the-amiga-500

I saw you mentioned MNT VA2000. I already found out it in a GitHub project. As I have a miniSpartan6+, I was almost interested to build the prototype one with this FPGA board but the README description seems to imply VA 2000 is still experimental and have bugs. In fact, I'm wondering whether that GitHub project is representing the final state of the VA 2000 or the author went to a private one and making the public one useless.

E-Penguin · 18 November 2018, 14:22

I have a GBAPII+ not a VA2000. No reason the latter shouldn't work I guess
https://webstore.kryoflux.com/catalo...products_id=56

Dave · 19 November 2018, 20:57

If possible i will have one.

Daedalus · 28 November 2018, 22:49

Okay, finally getting around to working on these again, and have a batch that I'm currently assembling and testing. I'll PM those who said they were interested in this thread with payment details etc. Sorry about the wait!

amigo-mexicano · 28 November 2018, 23:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daedalus

Okay, finally getting around to working on these again, and have a batch that I'm currently assembling and testing. I'll PM those who said they were interested in this thread with payment details etc. Sorry about the wait!

Cool, great news! Still interested BTW

Dave · 30 November 2018, 12:42

Payment sent

Daedalus · 30 November 2018, 12:46

And received, thanks

xboxown · 30 November 2018, 21:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daedalus

And received, thanks

WOOOHOO! - claps hands -

Marchie · 01 December 2018, 13:13

Payment sent here too!

Dave · 05 December 2018, 15:12

Received Thanks

Daedalus · 05 December 2018, 21:19

Thanks everyone! I should be all caught up now, but if you've expressed interest in a board and are still waiting, please check your PMs. Let me know if I've missed anyone - I still have boards available

18 November 2018, 14:22	#191
E-Penguin Banana Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Darmstadt Posts: 1,213	I have a GBAPII+ not a VA2000. No reason the latter shouldn't work I guess https://webstore.kryoflux.com/catalo...products_id=56 Last edited by E-Penguin; 18 November 2018 at 14:22. Reason: Fat fingers

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13 November 2018, 10:29	#181
DrMistry Dusted with glucose Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Maidstone / UK Age: 49 Posts: 15	If you need some kind of prepayment encouragement, please do let me know I'm going to fire up some CAD software and 3D print a little chassis, and if it's a success I'll post a link to the design files. As a side question, is there some kind of bus mediator on the 2000 which facilitates multiple slots, or is it purely a parallel arrangement? Cheers, Mike

13 November 2018, 10:51	#182
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,334	Haha, I need a babysitter and someone to do my day job, not prepayment But thanks! A 3D printed case would be cool, I'm sure others have asked about it too. As for the multi-slot question, the answer is "sort of". Multiple slots can be implemented with very simple logic. Most of the signals are parallel, it's mainly the Autoconfig that needs to be arbitrated between cards and then the cards themselves do all their own address decoding and bus management. However, the A2000 does have some extra hardware involved: Buster (a much simpler device than on the 3000 & 4000) which is used to buffer and manage come control signals and provide DMA capability, and some simple logic buffers on the main bus. Without these things, DMA isn't possible from more than a single card, and the bus signals might be prone to errors with many cards weighing them down. But otherwise it is possible on an A500. The Z-500 is effectively 2 slots as the passthrough connector is essentially a second Autoconfig device, and there have been devices in the past that have provided multiple Zorro slots for the 500.

13 November 2018, 19:52	#183
DrMistry Dusted with glucose Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Maidstone / UK Age: 49 Posts: 15	Yea, I just had a browse of the A2000-R6 (cost reduced version) schematics - Not followed everything yet but it kind of looks doable...but I'd worry about power with more than 2 cards. Guess I'll just have to save very hard and wait for an original 2000 to pop up somewhere! I'll stick to recapping and arduinos

14 November 2018, 16:05	#184
xboxown Registered User Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Vancouver/Canada Posts: 676	DrMistry I always wanted a 3D case for my z-500 and it have one single 5.25 hole and a shelf for one item! I would buy that case from you in a heart beat!!

14 November 2018, 19:15	#185
DrMistry Dusted with glucose Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Maidstone / UK Age: 49 Posts: 15	I'm going to have to wait until I have the unit before designing the case - and also find a matching plastic colour (or is at least complimentary). I don't think it's going to to be too hard, but I will have to think about shielding and handling static gracefully...I'll keep everyone up to date, and open up a new thread when I make some progress.

15 November 2018, 20:35	#188
DrMistry Dusted with glucose Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Maidstone / UK Age: 49 Posts: 15	I am very very unlikely to be "productizing" this - I will share the design on something like TinkerCad or Thingiverse, but mass printing is just not something I'm geared up for. It'll cover the board, allow a standard Zorro 2 card to be supported and protected, and allow connections to the through edge connector, and that's most likely as far as I will take it.

19 November 2018, 20:57	#192
Dave Registered User Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Mablethorpe Posts: 3	If possible i will have one.

28 November 2018, 22:49	#193
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,334	Okay, finally getting around to working on these again, and have a batch that I'm currently assembling and testing. I'll PM those who said they were interested in this thread with payment details etc. Sorry about the wait!

30 November 2018, 12:42	#195
Dave Registered User Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Mablethorpe Posts: 3	Payment sent

30 November 2018, 12:46	#196
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,334	And received, thanks

01 December 2018, 13:13	#198
Marchie Registered User Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Sydney / London Posts: 589	Payment sent here too!

05 December 2018, 15:12	#199
Dave Registered User Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Mablethorpe Posts: 3	Received Thanks

05 December 2018, 21:19	#200
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,334	Thanks everyone! I should be all caught up now, but if you've expressed interest in a board and are still waiting, please check your PMs. Let me know if I've missed anyone - I still have boards available

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