How can I fabricate edge connectors for Amigas?

Merlin · 04 February 2008, 12:20

I am interested in getting involved in some of the cool hardware projects on here, however, I would like to know how the modding community on here get hold of (or fabricate) edge connectors for the A500/A600/A1200 expansion ports.

I seem to recall that people are cutting down PCI slots and other PC related connectors, I searched but didn't find any articles on here?

What do I need and how do I modify them to fit the Amiga?

Thanks

Merlin

Zetr0 · 04 February 2008, 12:26

I believe you can use a cut down ISA for Zorro 1/2, i think 3 as well...

A500 edge connectors I have seen people use two (one cut down) 50pin edge connectors...

I am still awaiting for some info back about the cd32 182 pin MCA connector(s)... we shall see...

Merlin · 04 February 2008, 12:29

Thanks Zetr0,

Any ideas about the A600 trapdoor port?

Merlin

Zetr0 · 04 February 2008, 12:33

<--- just had a lookie at the a600 memory expander....

its quite small connecting unit... alas i am at a loss at the moment.... i will have a lookie on farnell later...

looking at Zorro ports, you would need two ISA type 1 and cut one of them down, a little tricky but i am sure worth it.

Merlin · 04 February 2008, 13:12

I think Lord Vader cut down a PCI slot for his 8Mb A600 project, I'll look through it again...

M

alexh · 04 February 2008, 13:19

You should buy them from Jens Schoenfeld of Individual Computing.

http://www.ami.ga

He has already paid for the tooling to make A600 and A1200 edge connectors. Getting them from him should save you a lot of money has he's already covered the NRE costs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merlin

I think Lord Vader cut down a PCI slot for his 8Mb A600 project

AFAIK it doesn't use an edge connector. It clips over the CPU using a PLCC socket.

Merlin · 04 February 2008, 13:29

@ Alexh

I was wrong, it was rkauer who cut a PCI slot down for his Tabajara A600 SIMM hack, I knew I'd seen it somewhere.

M

Stedy · 04 February 2008, 22:56

Zetro,

MCA connectors for the CD32 are available from Digikey but minimum order is 50 units. Search for P/N 302-182-520-201-ND, $9.70 each!

Merlin · 05 February 2008, 09:29

@ alexh

"Cannot find server", is the link you posted to Jens' site a live one?

Merlin

Zetr0 · 05 February 2008, 09:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stedy

Zetro,

MCA connectors for the CD32 are available from Digikey but minimum order is 50 units. Search for P/N 302-182-520-201-ND, $9.70 each!

Thanks Stedy...

looks like i best be saving me pocket money

.... well the money the wifie lets me have atleast....

alexh · 05 February 2008, 09:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merlin

"Cannot find server"

I think his domain has expired. Or he has been affected by the current internet outage in that region (North Africa).

http://www.google.com/search?&q=individual+computers

Jope · 05 February 2008, 11:37

www.jschoenfeld.de

alexh · 05 February 2008, 14:25

@Jope

My post was trying to teach Merlin to "look for himself"

Jope · 05 February 2008, 14:33

Give a man a fishing rod, eh..

I admire your idealism! ;-)

Oli_HD · 05 February 2008, 17:26

For the A600 you could use 0.05" DIP headders and sockets (same goes for the A1200) but it would mean you couldnt use the connector for normal cards after that.
(JPR Electronics sell them quite cheap)

As for the Zorro slot, you can still get them online from Jameco (who also do nice right angled 72 pin simm slots) here

Zetr0 · 05 February 2008, 17:43

Heys Oli

thanks for that linkie..

Hows the Nv4 Accelerator project going ?

Oli_HD · 07 February 2008, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zetr0

Heys Oli
Hows the Nv4 Accelerator project going ?

Ive been having a load of trouble just interfacing the V4 to the 030 fastslot bus, in part by me making some very very basic errors on each prototype. (The last one had two I knew about when I was designing it but for simplicity I did anyway which would have only effected DMA'ing into the onboard SD-Ram.. which I figured if I got that far I wouldnt care about, and one big one which was the lack of dynamic bus sizing.. which was a mistake by me.)
Anyway Im doing one last prototype which should be printed in two months (Its 95% done but I order a slab as its cheaper so Im doing some silly designs to fill the space) which will take an 060 (cause the logic for thats already available), a V2 or V4 Coldfire. (The V2 has a simpler bus which I think should work better, but at 33Mhz its not viable as a final product)

Anyhow gotta go, Im at work and have some nutter HAM guys in.

Zetr0 · 08 February 2008, 10:56

@Oli

thanks for the unofficial update, good luck with this project, i really am keen keeping an eye on it!

@anyone

I did some tests today, and interestingly enough thanks to rkauer, two PCI ports end to end will fit nice and snugly the CD32 expansion port (with a little right over hang...) but its snug

whoot...

alexh · 08 February 2008, 11:19

Or you could buy an old PC (1994 era) and desolder the VESA local bus connector (MCA 182-pin).

Zetr0 · 08 February 2008, 13:54

oh bugger.... i have a few of those!!!!!!!

Great shot Alexh.... it didnt even occur to me!!!!

04 February 2008, 12:20	#1
Merlin AmiBay MegaMod Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Manchester, UK Age: 51 Posts: 1,122	How can I fabricate edge connectors for Amigas? I am interested in getting involved in some of the cool hardware projects on here, however, I would like to know how the modding community on here get hold of (or fabricate) edge connectors for the A500/A600/A1200 expansion ports. I seem to recall that people are cutting down PCI slots and other PC related connectors, I searched but didn't find any articles on here? What do I need and how do I modify them to fit the Amiga? Thanks Merlin

04 February 2008, 13:29	#7
Merlin AmiBay MegaMod Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Manchester, UK Age: 51 Posts: 1,122	@ Alexh I was wrong, it was rkauer who cut a PCI slot down for his Tabajara A600 SIMM hack, I knew I'd seen it somewhere. M Last edited by Merlin; 04 February 2008 at 13:56.

05 February 2008, 14:25	#13
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 10,506	@Jope My post was trying to teach Merlin to "look for himself" __________________ Thalion Webshrine

08 February 2008, 11:19	#19
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 10,506	Or you could buy an old PC (1994 era) and desolder the VESA local bus connector (MCA 182-pin). __________________ Thalion Webshrine

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04 February 2008, 12:26	#2
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 38 Posts: 9,185	I believe you can use a cut down ISA for Zorro 1/2, i think 3 as well... A500 edge connectors I have seen people use two (one cut down) 50pin edge connectors... I am still awaiting for some info back about the cd32 182 pin MCA connector(s)... we shall see...

04 February 2008, 12:29	#3
Merlin AmiBay MegaMod Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Manchester, UK Age: 51 Posts: 1,122	Thanks Zetr0, Any ideas about the A600 trapdoor port? Merlin

04 February 2008, 12:33	#4
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 38 Posts: 9,185	<--- just had a lookie at the a600 memory expander.... its quite small connecting unit... alas i am at a loss at the moment.... i will have a lookie on farnell later... looking at Zorro ports, you would need two ISA type 1 and cut one of them down, a little tricky but i am sure worth it.

04 February 2008, 13:12	#5
Merlin AmiBay MegaMod Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Manchester, UK Age: 51 Posts: 1,122	I think Lord Vader cut down a PCI slot for his 8Mb A600 project, I'll look through it again... M

04 February 2008, 22:56	#8
Stedy Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: United Kingdom Age: 35 Posts: 367	Zetro, MCA connectors for the CD32 are available from Digikey but minimum order is 50 units. Search for P/N 302-182-520-201-ND, $9.70 each!

05 February 2008, 09:29	#9
Merlin AmiBay MegaMod Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Manchester, UK Age: 51 Posts: 1,122	@ alexh "Cannot find server", is the link you posted to Jens' site a live one? Merlin

05 February 2008, 11:37	#12
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 32 Posts: 4,061	www.jschoenfeld.de

05 February 2008, 14:33	#14
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 32 Posts: 4,061	Give a man a fishing rod, eh.. I admire your idealism! ;-)

05 February 2008, 17:26	#15
Oli_HD ( . )( . ) Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Cannock, Staffordshire. Age: 31 Posts: 126	For the A600 you could use 0.05" DIP headders and sockets (same goes for the A1200) but it would mean you couldnt use the connector for normal cards after that. (JPR Electronics sell them quite cheap) As for the Zorro slot, you can still get them online from Jameco (who also do nice right angled 72 pin simm slots) here

05 February 2008, 17:43	#16
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 38 Posts: 9,185	Heys Oli thanks for that linkie.. Hows the Nv4 Accelerator project going ?

08 February 2008, 10:56	#18
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 38 Posts: 9,185	@Oli thanks for the unofficial update, good luck with this project, i really am keen keeping an eye on it! @anyone I did some tests today, and interestingly enough thanks to rkauer, two PCI ports end to end will fit nice and snugly the CD32 expansion port (with a little right over hang...) but its snug whoot...

08 February 2008, 13:54	#20
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 38 Posts: 9,185	oh bugger.... i have a few of those!!!!!!! Great shot Alexh.... it didnt even occur to me!!!!

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