FastATA along with Indivision MK2cr and Mediator

[torsti76]

Originally Posted by Kin Hell

Jolly Decent of Yulquen74 to surrender his design.



Why don't we try & put the ball back in Elbox's Court?



Their Fast ATA solution has always been Dogged by Elastic Band or Cable Tie indignity's in an effort to make contact, never mind trying to utilise an Indivision.



Off the back of this, they could offer an Exchange/Refurb/Upgrade Service for all Fast ATA owners.



Also....



It would need a bit of a re-shuffle @ PCB Level, but the Three GAL Chips would not need as much PCB if they were Surface mounted. - By keeping the PCB Shorter & employing Surface Mount, it should take away the interference with the CPU Card/Mediator adapter entirely.

I don't know if we can count on Elbox in this regard, but it would be nice to put Yulquen74's to a much wider user base.

A while ago a friend of mine and I tried to design a Kickstart relocator for 1200 tower builds to make the Kickstarts physically accessible with a Mediator installed. The idea also was to move the FastATA out of harm's way with the Indivision but the first attempt failed miserably because of the sensitivity of the FastATA to trace length and interference. We then went on to incorporate Yulquens74 design in our effort but got stuck halfway through. Anyway, board size can be significantly reduced by relying heavily on SMD parts, for chips as well as for connectors.

In essence, the design of course doesn't need to relocate the Kickstart. But it could be made more multipurpose by incorpoating e.g. a flash ROM and connectors for various extensions, e.g. a clockport expander which is a nice addition to any tower build.

So, if Elbox doesn't want to jump pn the train this could be made into a nice multipurpose hobby project again...

[Timtheloon]

Yeah I feel we sadly won’t get far with Elbox I’ve sent them a couple of emails now and the only reply I ever had was in regards to buying one of their products, any support question was subsequently ignored. Maybe they just don’t like me

It’s a shame really... I do like their hardware but they need to up there customers support

Well we have a starting point with these Gerber files, so may be a redesigned of these could work.... don’t know how easy that would be

I like the idea of adding a clockport expander into the mix put oh the headache of incorporating it into it too

[wiz12]

The problem with the FastATA board is the amount of heat generated from the three GALs. They get really hot after a short while, so much so that they can burn your finger just touching them so in a confined desktop case this isn't really suitable.

I've been using Yulquen74's board together with a ACA1233n-55 and get around 11mb/s PIO5 which is great but again the amount of heat generated has me concerned, you can even feel the heat come up through the keyboard, so as a result I only use it for short periods.

If a new board could be designed that replaces these GALs with some modern alternative that would be ideal I think.

[Kin Hell]

Originally Posted by torsti76

I don't know if we can count on Elbox in this regard, but it would be nice to put Yulquen74's to a much wider user base.

A while ago a friend of mine and I tried to design a Kickstart relocator for 1200 tower builds to make the Kickstarts physically accessible with a Mediator installed. The idea also was to move the FastATA out of harm's way with the Indivision but the first attempt failed miserably because of the sensitivity of the FastATA to trace length and interference. We then went on to incorporate Yulquens74 design in our effort but got stuck halfway through. Anyway, board size can be significantly reduced by relying heavily on SMD parts, for chips as well as for connectors.

In essence, the design of course doesn't need to relocate the Kickstart. But it could be made more multipurpose by incorpoating e.g. a flash ROM and connectors for various extensions, e.g. a clockport expander which is a nice addition to any tower build.

So, if Elbox doesn't want to jump pn the train this could be made into a nice multipurpose hobby project again...

Originally Posted by Timtheloon

Yeah I feel we sadly won’t get far with Elbox I’ve sent them a couple of emails now and the only reply I ever had was in regards to buying one of their products, any support question was subsequently ignored. Maybe they just don’t like me

It’s a shame really... I do like their hardware but they need to up there customers support

Well we have a starting point with these Gerber files, so may be a redesigned of these could work.... don’t know how easy that would be

I like the idea of adding a clockport expander into the mix put oh the headache of incorporating it into it too

Originally Posted by wiz12

The problem with the FastATA board is the amount of heat generated from the three GALs. They get really hot after a short while, so much so that they can burn your finger just touching them so in a confined desktop case this isn't really suitable.

I've been using Yulquen74's board together with a ACA1233n-55 and get around 11mb/s PIO5 which is great but again the amount of heat generated has me concerned, you can even feel the heat come up through the keyboard, so as a result I only use it for short periods.

If a new board could be designed that replaces these GALs with some modern alternative that would be ideal I think.

I had a go with one once from Zetr0 many moons ago....

Never got to feel the heat cos I wasn't up for whacking a Cable Tie around the damned Elbox PCB & Mobo ROM sockets to get a good contact & the Rubber band option was properly pathetic. - Really Elbox...??

....Putting all that pressure on the Mobo & ROM Sockets @ those acute Angles??? - Engineered my Ass!

....Kin walk's off with mutterings of Elbox in mind....

[johnnybarker]

This was my solution to the desktop problem.

Basically got grumpy and bent the bugger. Also installed a custom cut lego brick underneath to to increase airflow and reduce sparks

[Kin Hell]

Originally Posted by johnnybarker

This was my solution to the desktop problem.

Basically got grumpy and bent the bugger. Also installed a custom cut lego brick underneath to to increase airflow and reduce sparks

So "Brutal"....

Any chance of a shot of the Chopped Lego Brick?

[Timtheloon]

Originally Posted by johnnybarker

This was my solution to the desktop problem.



Basically got grumpy and bent the bugger. Also installed a custom cut lego brick underneath to to increase airflow and reduce sparks

Think this is why my MKV doesn’t work properly due to bending it only a little, don’t know how you got away with bending it that much

[johnnybarker]

I think the phenomenal heat from the Mach chips must have softened the board!

[rjd324]

I am stil waiting for the delivery of my Mk5 FATA. Like with anything, until you try to put these things together for yourself you think... Surely I can come up with something that will mean I can fit it with the mediator and indi mk3... In the meantime, can anyone create a video or some screen shots of what clashes? Why it does not fit.

I will see for myself in time, but it would be nice to see what I am going to get myself into ahead of time.

[johnnybarker]

Originally Posted by Timtheloon

Think this is why my MKV doesn’t work properly due to bending it only a little, don’t know how you got away with bending it that much

Oh, I have a Mk III I think with broken Mach chips- I think the board works though and the MK V chips are compatible. I did contact elbox to enquire about replacement chips and they quoted about 60 odd euros + P&P. At that point you could buy a new one for £96 in UK so I didn't bother getting it fixed. It came in a bundle with the MKI (which worked perfectly) so I just lobbed it in a box and its been there ever since. Yours if you want it?

[Timtheloon]

Originally Posted by johnnybarker

Oh, I have a Mk III I think with broken Mach chips- I think the board works though and the MK V chips are compatible. I did contact elbox to enquire about replacement chips and they quoted about 60 odd euros + P&P. At that point you could buy a new one for £96 in UK so I didn't bother getting it fixed. It came in a bundle with the MKI (which worked perfectly) so I just lobbed it in a box and its been there ever since. Yours if you want it?

Yes please I’ll give it ago it better than my faulty board at the mo

[rjd324]

I will be seeing for myself why this combination wont fit together fairly soon. That is, an A1200, indi mk3 and fast ata. I am going to assume that they all fit perfectly, then, at least I will know - first-hand - why this is not the case.

If we have the open-source designs for these, then I will probably question whether a few of us can get together and order a bunch if anyone would be interested.

I am not going to read the previous posts, but I think I recall someone saying that the open source design was available.

[torsti76]

It's doable with the help of reliable intermediate sockets for the Kickstarts.
But it's not a pretty solution. And since Amiga for me is a lot about aesthetics, I didn't like it.

[rjd324]

My A1200 tower project remains in parts and has done for some time. I once again turn to this thread. For me, the FAST ATA is the issue here since it would sit underneath the mediator board. Even if you could somehow and.. only just.. fit the FAST ATA in here, if you want to swap out ROMs or unplug IDE cables, it would be a nightmare.

I really want a ROM relocator for the A1200, but I am useless as designing PCBs. Since my A1200 will be in quite a spacious tower I am wondering if someone can help me design a "PCB" if it can be called that... It is nothing more than a board that plugs into the existing ROM sockets, and allows you to plug the ROMS somewhere else.

Can someone design a simple PCB that basically relocates the ROM sockets further down below and rotated right?


https://ibb.co/h9JGLdG
This would work for me but I am an idiot, so let me know if you see any problems!

Thank you.

===
When I say design I mean create a PCB file so I can get some from PCBWAY.

[rjd324]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

Remember that the reason for the relocation is not to just relocate the roms - it is to relocate the entire FAST ATA board. The FAST ATA board needs to be moved down and rotated right for me to make use of it. I need the FAST ATA since it is the controller allowing for greater speeds.

If I am missing something, please let me know - perhaps you are on to a solution.

[rjd324]

Hi Boing-Ball, thanks for your input so far.

Can you please take a picture of it all because I do not understand a few things:

1 - How can you raise the mediator any more? It needs to be at a certain position otherwise the PCI cards will not align properly with the back of tower/case's PCI slots

2 - Even with this kit you show me, how does you MK 3 not clash with your FAST ATA? I have the MK3 and the FATA mk5, and they clash.

Thanks for your help so far.

[rjd324]

@Boing-Ball

what you have wrote makes sense. I can see that it could work and obviously it works for you.

I would still be interested in a simlple passive PCB that relocates the ROM sockets. Maybe I will look into creating such a PCB and test it out.

I wish that there was a way to not have to use the FATA, and use some PCI controller instead that would be installed into the mediator board.

[wiz12]

Originally Posted by rjd324

@Boing-Ball

what you have wrote makes sense. I can see that it could work and obviously it works for you.

I would still be interested in a simlple passive PCB that relocates the ROM sockets. Maybe I will look into creating such a PCB and test it out.

I wish that there was a way to not have to use the FATA, and use some PCI controller instead that would be installed into the mediator board.

If you have either a TF1230 or TF1260 you could just use it's ide header as a faster boot drive so no need for a FastATA however you would need to modify your startup sequence to load in the TF's eide.device or better yet use modified ROMs with the eide.device built-in.

[indigolemon]

Originally Posted by rjd324

I would still be interested in a simlple passive PCB that relocates the ROM sockets. Maybe I will look into creating such a PCB and test it out.

If you read my posts from the start of the thread you'll see that myself and Daedalus already tried this, it doesn't work. The FastATA must be so marginal as it is, that adding the extra board and links just stopped it working completely.

TBH, my FastATA is back in a drawer, and I'm using the solution AmigaKit developed instead. Not quite as quick, but a boatload more stable in my experience.

[Daedalus]

Yup, and you'll probably find that it works fine for some people and not for others. then again, even when plugged directly into the motherboard ROM sockets the FastATA is notoriously flaky.