Adding ISA slots to A2000 for SBC

amiman99 · 27 April 2013, 00:04

Hi,
Few months ago I got myself a SBC 486 50MHZ to play some old DOS game in my A2000. It worked pretty well until I tried to play Quake and other more complex games than Doom (Doom run fairly well on 486 50MHZ, but it wasn't a speed demon).
So, I purchased another SBC and it was better one, a Pentium MMX 266MHz with 64MB RAM.
When I got it I noticed that the is overhang at the end of the board that was hitting the Zorro slot, so it did not fit.
Then I noticed that I have the 8bit ISa slots with space for the 16bit connectors.
I ordered the parts from China, when I got them, I installed them and here it is...
Works fine BTW.

Jope · 27 April 2013, 08:58

Good job. This was regularly done back in the day for bridgeboard users who wanted more 16bit slots, they just left them out for cost saving reasons, since the majority of Amiga owners did not own a bridgeboard. :-)

amiman99 · 28 April 2013, 01:32

I realized that at this time there is no real benefit by using a real PC Bridgeboard. They are just too slow for anything useful.
So I opt in for SBC. It runs Doom, Quake full speed under Win 95. It comes with built in LAN, which makes it easy to transfer files.

Cymru · 28 April 2013, 15:22

Why not just use a passive backplane instead of the A2000?

amiman99 · 28 April 2013, 15:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cymru

Why not just use a passive backplane instead of the A2000?

I need to buy passive backplane, then power supply, then case etc.
Then I have another box that sits on my desk.
That's why.

source · 28 April 2013, 15:37

Do theses boards just pull power from the 16 bit ISA slot? Some have what appear to be a pci connector as well as the 16 bit ISA. Do you need to connect it or just the ISA?

amiman99 · 28 April 2013, 20:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by source

Do theses boards just pull power from the 16 bit ISA slot? Some have what appear to be a pci connector as well as the 16 bit ISA. Do you need to connect it or just the ISA?

Yes, the power comes from ISA slot, at about 4-5A @5V.
The ones that come with PCI may work but you wont be able to use PCI cards with it, also they are more powerful and draw more power and I'm not sure how much power ISA slot can take.
I chosen the Intel Tillamook Pentium MMX 266MHz because is the most powerfull SBC with ISA slots only, and more then enough to play Doom and Quake under Win 95.

source · 29 April 2013, 04:18

I wonder if you could make a ISA board adaptor that draws its power and grounds from the PSU directly instead of through the motherboard. I saw a Pentium 4 for only a couple hundred dollars, but it had both the isa and pci edge connectors.

amiman99 · 29 April 2013, 05:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by source

I wonder if you could make a ISA board adaptor that draws its power and grounds from the PSU directly instead of through the motherboard. I saw a Pentium 4 for only a couple hundred dollars, but it had both the isa and pci edge connectors.

Most SBCs come with external power connector, so you can use that instead the ISA slot. Mine comes with standard AT power connector. There could be problem powering the board from both sources (PS and ISA) I'm not sure if that could pose a problem, it can.
BTW, I re-read my SBC manual and my board uses only 2.8A.

zarch · 09 January 2020, 12:57

@amiman - just stumbled across this old thread :-D I am currently back to play with my old bridgeboards, and have been tinkering with the idea of a STB for a while - and your post shows that it actually is possible and that it works :-)

How does it work though? Is your bridgeboard still the intermedia to activate the STB? How do you actually switch between the two systems and share keyboard/mouse? Using a KVM and networking between the two computers over TCP/IP?

.. and what is the exact model of the STB you have? Something like this: http://aonecorp.co.kr/products/single/SBC-558.htm# ? :-)

amiman99 · 09 January 2020, 15:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by zarch

@amiman - just stumbled across this old thread :-D I am currently back to play with my old bridgeboards, and have been tinkering with the idea of a STB for a while - and your post shows that it actually is possible and that it works :-)

How does it work though? Is your bridgeboard still the intermedia to activate the STB? How do you actually switch between the two systems and share keyboard/mouse? Using a KVM and networking between the two computers over TCP/IP?

.. and what is the exact model of the STB you have? Something like this: http://aonecorp.co.kr/products/single/SBC-558.htm# ? :-)

(I think you mean SBC Single Board Computer)
They work independent of each other, there is no need for a bridgeboard. The A2000 is used as a backplane for the SBC. It would be nice to link them together somehow.

Currently I have SBC-558 in my Amiga, I used to have an EPC-33/34 a 486 SBC (I'm not sure if it was 50MHz or 100MHz, but for sure it was too slow for my needs)

zarch · 09 January 2020, 16:03

Haha yes, SBC ofcourse - not sure why I wrote STB :-) Thanks for quick reply :-)

I was also thinking that they would work independently, so I guess in this case having a SBC with onboard IDE/Audio/LAN/VGA is the best thing, or can it actually access the other ISA cards too?

SBC-558 might be a bit too overkill for me, I would basically do it "because you can" - but I was a bit worried if the Amiga would actually act as a backplane or not.. so basically any SBC ISA should work I guess?

- and if I understand you correct, you maybe use seperate keyboard/mouse/screen as well for this setup, or do you use some a KVM to switch between them?

I never worked with a SBC before, so I am a bit on new ground, was positively surprised to find someone (you) who actually do this :-)

amiman99 · 09 January 2020, 18:27

Probably any ISA SBC will work, I would watch for power consumption and try to get the one that is most efficient.
You can access the ISA cards, I have a Sound Blaster on mine and it's detected by SBC.

I only use the SBC occasionally, so I use separate mouse, keyboard, and monitor. I do have a PC monitor that can use 15KHz signal and use switchbox to switch the screens.

zarch · 09 January 2020, 21:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by amiman99

Probably any ISA SBC will work, I would watch for power consumption and try to get the one that is most efficient.
You can access the ISA cards, I have a Sound Blaster on mine and it's detected by SBC.

I only use the SBC occasionally, so I use separate mouse, keyboard, and monitor. I do have a PC monitor that can use 15KHz signal and use switchbox to switch the screens.

Thanks a lot for the advice

I am looking at something like this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/ARBOR-EmCOR...-/352732257134

- it is probably not dead fast, but if I can just get W95/98 on it for the fun of it, that would do :-)

It might be a issue using the Amiga mouse/keyboard on a KVM though, unless I get adapters to let them be used on a PC as an intermedia.. or maybe retarget the W95/98 output by Siamese software to the Amiga screen or using VNC or something.. hmmmm... :-) Got something to think about, but thanks to you I understand the concept of SBC in an Amiga much better

amiman99 · 09 January 2020, 22:49

Looks like 486 class CPU, like I said, I had one similar like this board and it felt slow. I think I could barely play Quake on it.
Windows 95 would probably run on it, 98 probably not, 3.1 would be best.

For a keyboard, maybe you could write a program for an Arduino that could translate Amiga keys to PC keys.

Good luck with it and report back when you get it working, or if you have any other questions.

zarch · 10 January 2020, 11:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by amiman99

Looks like 486 class CPU, like I said, I had one similar like this board and it felt slow. I think I could barely play Quake on it.
Windows 95 would probably run on it, 98 probably not, 3.1 would be best.

For a keyboard, maybe you could write a program for an Arduino that could translate Amiga keys to PC keys.

Good luck with it and report back when you get it working, or if you have any other questions.

Thanks a lot Amiman :-) Yes, it looks like a 486 class, I believe for a bit of W95 it could be OK, I am not expecting any great Quake performance :-)

I will look into it, and if I happen to get my hands on a card I will get back reporting about my little adventure :-D

amiman99 · 20 January 2020, 18:36

I just remembered about the Siamese system that integrates windows PC with Amiga.
Here is the link: http://www.dynamix.plus.com/siamese/main.htm

siyllad · 23 October 2020, 18:38

@amiman99 I am thinking of doing the 8bit ISa to 16ibt isa mod. What are the actual 16bit connectors called?

amiman99 · 23 October 2020, 18:47

I would have to find it in my archive, I did have it on my Ebay watch list, but it's gone now.

siyllad · 23 October 2020, 18:53

Thanks, I did a search but had no luck and cannot find the actual name for the connectors.

27 April 2013, 00:04	#1
amiman99 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: San Antonio, TX USA Age: 50 Posts: 1,184	Adding ISA slots to A2000 for SBC Hi, Few months ago I got myself a SBC 486 50MHZ to play some old DOS game in my A2000. It worked pretty well until I tried to play Quake and other more complex games than Doom (Doom run fairly well on 486 50MHZ, but it wasn't a speed demon). So, I purchased another SBC and it was better one, a Pentium MMX 266MHz with 64MB RAM. When I got it I noticed that the is overhang at the end of the board that was hitting the Zorro slot, so it did not fit. Then I noticed that I have the 8bit ISa slots with space for the 16bit connectors. I ordered the parts from China, when I got them, I installed them and here it is... Works fine BTW. Attached Thumbnails

28 April 2013, 15:22	#4
Cymru Registered User Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Dorathea/AT Posts: 376	Adding ISA slots to A2000 for SBC Why not just use a passive backplane instead of the A2000?

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27 April 2013, 08:58	#2
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	Good job. This was regularly done back in the day for bridgeboard users who wanted more 16bit slots, they just left them out for cost saving reasons, since the majority of Amiga owners did not own a bridgeboard. :-)

28 April 2013, 01:32	#3
amiman99 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: San Antonio, TX USA Age: 50 Posts: 1,184	I realized that at this time there is no real benefit by using a real PC Bridgeboard. They are just too slow for anything useful. So I opt in for SBC. It runs Doom, Quake full speed under Win 95. It comes with built in LAN, which makes it easy to transfer files.

28 April 2013, 15:37	#6
source Zone Friend Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 734	Do theses boards just pull power from the 16 bit ISA slot? Some have what appear to be a pci connector as well as the 16 bit ISA. Do you need to connect it or just the ISA?

29 April 2013, 04:18	#8
source Zone Friend Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 734	I wonder if you could make a ISA board adaptor that draws its power and grounds from the PSU directly instead of through the motherboard. I saw a Pentium 4 for only a couple hundred dollars, but it had both the isa and pci edge connectors.

09 January 2020, 12:57	#10
zarch Registered User Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Silkeborg Age: 48 Posts: 4	@amiman - just stumbled across this old thread :-D I am currently back to play with my old bridgeboards, and have been tinkering with the idea of a STB for a while - and your post shows that it actually is possible and that it works :-) How does it work though? Is your bridgeboard still the intermedia to activate the STB? How do you actually switch between the two systems and share keyboard/mouse? Using a KVM and networking between the two computers over TCP/IP? .. and what is the exact model of the STB you have? Something like this: http://aonecorp.co.kr/products/single/SBC-558.htm# ? :-)

09 January 2020, 16:03	#12
zarch Registered User Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Silkeborg Age: 48 Posts: 4	Haha yes, SBC ofcourse - not sure why I wrote STB :-) Thanks for quick reply :-) I was also thinking that they would work independently, so I guess in this case having a SBC with onboard IDE/Audio/LAN/VGA is the best thing, or can it actually access the other ISA cards too? SBC-558 might be a bit too overkill for me, I would basically do it "because you can" - but I was a bit worried if the Amiga would actually act as a backplane or not.. so basically any SBC ISA should work I guess? - and if I understand you correct, you maybe use seperate keyboard/mouse/screen as well for this setup, or do you use some a KVM to switch between them? I never worked with a SBC before, so I am a bit on new ground, was positively surprised to find someone (you) who actually do this :-)

09 January 2020, 18:27	#13
amiman99 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: San Antonio, TX USA Age: 50 Posts: 1,184	Probably any ISA SBC will work, I would watch for power consumption and try to get the one that is most efficient. You can access the ISA cards, I have a Sound Blaster on mine and it's detected by SBC. I only use the SBC occasionally, so I use separate mouse, keyboard, and monitor. I do have a PC monitor that can use 15KHz signal and use switchbox to switch the screens.

09 January 2020, 22:49	#15
amiman99 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: San Antonio, TX USA Age: 50 Posts: 1,184	Looks like 486 class CPU, like I said, I had one similar like this board and it felt slow. I think I could barely play Quake on it. Windows 95 would probably run on it, 98 probably not, 3.1 would be best. For a keyboard, maybe you could write a program for an Arduino that could translate Amiga keys to PC keys. Good luck with it and report back when you get it working, or if you have any other questions.

20 January 2020, 18:36	#17
amiman99 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: San Antonio, TX USA Age: 50 Posts: 1,184	I just remembered about the Siamese system that integrates windows PC with Amiga. Here is the link: http://www.dynamix.plus.com/siamese/main.htm

23 October 2020, 18:38	#18
siyllad Registered User Join Date: May 2014 Location: Ireland Posts: 40	@amiman99 I am thinking of doing the 8bit ISa to 16ibt isa mod. What are the actual 16bit connectors called?

23 October 2020, 18:47	#19
amiman99 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: San Antonio, TX USA Age: 50 Posts: 1,184	I would have to find it in my archive, I did have it on my Ebay watch list, but it's gone now.

23 October 2020, 18:53	#20
siyllad Registered User Join Date: May 2014 Location: Ireland Posts: 40	Thanks, I did a search but had no luck and cannot find the actual name for the connectors.

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