Plipbox + Case (Ethernet Network Adapter)

[salocinx]

Many thanks to lalaffa for the great development work!

NEW: There is now also a special Amiga 1000 version with female Sub-D 25 connector available.

Length = 73.5 mm, Width = 59.2 mm, Height = 21.5 mm (front) / 26.0 mm (rear)

Offers:

• Plipbox without housing (Classic edition): 39 €
• Plipbox without housing (New edition, 2x LED, Relay): 45 €
  
  
• Plipbox with housing (Classic edition): 59 €
• Plipbox with housing (New edition, 2x LED, Relay): 65 €
• Plipbox with housing (New edition, 2x LED, Relay, Coloured Imprint): 69 €

Colours: white, beige, light grey, black

Floppy disk with device drivers (download): 2 €
Power supply DC 9V / 1A (European standard): 6 €

Alternatively you may use a standard USB charger (e.g. from a cell-phone or an mp3-player) with Mini-USB cable to power the Plipbox Deluxe.

Paypal fees are paid by me (4.5%).

The new edition of the Plipbox Deluxe has two additional LEDs. The first LED is a power indicator and the second LED is an indicator of network activity (flashes during data flow). Furthermore I have installed a PhotoMOS relay, which switches the Plipbox on/off automatically, as soon as the Amiga is switched on/off (the PhotoMOS relay is only controlled via the DC 9V socket, not with power supply via the USB port).

Shipping Options Europe:

Economy (4-8 working days): 7.90 €
Priority (2-3 working days): 11.90 €
Priority + shipment tracking (2-3 working days): 16.90 €

Shipping Options Worldwide:

Economy (7-15 working days): 9.90 €
Priority (4-6 working days): 15.90 €
Priority + shipment tracking (2-3 working days): 20.90 €

Shipping Options Switzerland:

Economy + shipment tracking (3-4 working days): 6.90 €
Priority + shipment tracking (1-2 working days): 8.90 €

If you are interested, simply report via PM or here in the thread...

Please include the following information when ordering:

1. What colour of case (white, beige, light grey, black) ?
2. Which logo imprint (A565, Vampire, AMIGA, own suggestion) ?
3. Which model do you want (new/classic) ?
4. On which Amiga do you want to use the Plipbox (A1000 or all other Amiga models) ?
5. Which LED colors for 1) power supply, 2) network activity (white, yellow, orange, red, green, blue) ?
6. Which shipping option (Economy, Priority, Priority+Tracking) ?
7. Please send me your complete mailing address.

PS.: Special requests for the logo imprint are welcome...

Some more pictures:

Plipbox Deluxe Image
Plipbox Deluxe Image
Plipbox Deluxe Image
Plipbox Deluxe Image
Plipbox Deluxe Image
Plipbox Deluxe Image
Plipbox Deluxe Image
Plipbox Deluxe Image
Plipbox Deluxe Image
Plipbox Deluxe Image
Plipbox Deluxe Image
Plipbox Deluxe Image
Plipbox Deluxe Image

[idrougge]

Since it's ethernet, it should be A565. A560 is arcnet.
http://amiga.resource.cx/expde/a560

[salocinx]

Nice idea A565 kind of little brother of the A2065.

You can tell me whatever you want to have printed as label.

I already made the following special boxes:

Plipbox CD-32 Style

Plipbox GBA-1000 Style

[Predseda]

Where can find any information about plipbox usage? Speed comparison to PCMCIA ethernet adapter etc? This looks really nice, but I want to know the possibilities that this provides to me.

[salocinx]

Originally Posted by Predseda

Where can find any information about plipbox usage? Speed comparison to PCMCIA ethernet adapter etc? This looks really nice, but I want to know the possibilities that this provides to me.

Here you go: https://github.com/cnvogelg/plipbox/tree/master/doc/src

Benchmarks, installation manual, firmware versions, hardware info.

[Predseda]

If I understand correctly, it needs also a power supply? A standard universal 9V DC?

[salocinx]

Yes, either a standard 9V DC power supply with 5mm round jack (center positive polarity), or a USB power supply from a cell phone or similar (>=500mA). I ship also a floppy disk containing the plipbox.devive driver.

[ReadOnlyCat]

Originally Posted by salocinx

Here you go: https://github.com/cnvogelg/plipbox/tree/master/doc/src

Benchmarks, installation manual, firmware versions, hardware info.

I hope this does not sound too harsh especially given the work you put into making this but without pre-packaged and easy to install drivers these are almost useless.

Software is really the important part of the plipbox, if one cannot install everything with a simple double click then you will leave most of the market for that product untapped.

You have certainly invested quite a bit of effort into the hardware part (to the exception of the initial design which was done by lalaffa) and it would be a shame if you left 4/5 the of your customers unserved just because the installation requires a manual procedure.

Software is always more important than hardware.

[idrougge]

That's the same kind of support offered by commercial vendors, Cat.

[emufan]

Originally Posted by ReadOnlyCat

I hope this does not sound too harsh especially given the work you put into making this but without pre-packaged and easy to install drivers these are almost useless.

I cannot see a problem for the average amiga user. the device driver is provided on disk and it isnt too difficult to copy it in your sys:devs folder.
the given instruction to config Miami/Genesis/Roadshow will help here too.

good product

[salocinx]

Originally Posted by ReadOnlyCat

I hope this does not sound too harsh especially given the work you put into making this but without pre-packaged and easy to install drivers these are almost useless.

No problem, I am open for discussion and I see that here's space for clarification. The answer is already given by emufan (thank you):

Originally Posted by emufan

I cannot see a problem for the average amiga user. the device driver is provided on disk and it isnt too difficult to copy it in your sys:devs folder.
the given instruction to config Miami/Genesis/Roadshow will help here too.

Originally Posted by ReadOnlyCat

You have certainly invested quite a bit of effort into the hardware part and it would be a shame if you left 4/5 the of your customers unserved just because the installation requires a manual procedure.

Thanks for bringing up this point, you're completely correct about this issue... I will take this opportunity to summarize up the work behind the production of a single Plipbox as it's offered here :

This is a hobbyist project and I just want to serve the Amiga community with a compact version of the Plipbox, since I love the product designed by lallafa. The manufacturing of a case takes me about 1.5 hours (without 3D printing time but preparing the print, sanding the case, refining with Acetone, drilling holes). Acquiring all parts, soldering, printing/glueing label on the backside, corresponding with possible customers, packaging and shipment another 1.5 hour, which sums up to a total of about 3 hours! Material costs (incl. customized PCB, Floppy Disk, Arduino, Ethernet-Shield) sums up to about 28 USD.

So all together, this is really a non-profit project. I would not be in a position to serve 5/5 of the possible customers To to this professionally, I would have to ask for at least USD 90 for each box. It's really just all about Amiga love

[emufan]

fair price for your effort, for sure. when i saw the image of lallafa's plipbox "hardware monster", i had my doubt,
but your version is much better in this regard
btw. you could add the Driver Docu and Benchmark link into the first post, since ppl are lazy and wont scroll down

[salocinx]

Originally Posted by emufan

you could add the Driver Docu and Benchmark link into the first post, since ppl are lazy and wont scroll down

Good point, I updated my first post. Thanks for your feedback

[emufan]

np, looks good now

[Predseda]

I am interested, I will send you a PM.

[salocinx]

Originally Posted by Predseda

I am interested, I will send you a PM.

Great - I have a new label "A565", like the little brother of the A2065 But you may also make your own design proposal if that matters to you.

[salocinx]

Here are some pictures in case someone is interested in such an instance (color is selectable):

[salocinx]

Here's another, more generic version:

[Codetsu]

wohoo
i get my A565 today
it lovely and work like charm

[salocinx]

Originally Posted by Codetsu

wohoo
i get my A565 today
it lovely and work like charm

thanks for your feedback. happy you love it :-)

by the way, if you are using more than one plipbox in the same network, you will need to overwrite the MAC address of one of the plipboxes, since factory-default, every plipbox has a identical mac-address.

with miamidx for example, this is easily done by going to "hardware -> edit your device -> sana-II parameters.. -> change one digit of hardware address".

let me know if you encounter problems. thanks.