A1200 zorro 2?

[JuvUK]

Hi All,
I have been talking to Zetro about having the ability to put a zorro card inside a standard wedgie style a1200, here what he said
"
well heres what I have been thinking a lot about

(image from amiga.resource.cx)

The above is picture of the OnBoard 1200, it provides a single Zorro2 port, now this board isn't all that complicated in truth, I have some schematics for both the Zorro2 output as well as the A1200 cpu interface.

see, whats needed is a clip-on graphics card, its certainly possible the cv64-3d uses a very common s3 virgie chipset and drivers (picasso96), argubly one could build the hardware around the driver that already exists

although... it would take a smidgeon of time ...sigh...."

so would anyone else be interested in this and can anyone here help with design manufacture etc?

cheers JuvUK

P.S this is also posted on Amibay so sorry to all of you that have already seen this

[Zetr0]

LOL!!!

see how you are

[tonyyeb]

@Zetr0

You know you want to do it!

Go on!!!

[YouKnowWho]

Originally Posted by JuvUK

Hi All,
I have been talking to Zetro about having the ability to put a zorro card inside a standard wedgie style a1200, here what he said
"
well heres what I have been thinking a lot about

(image from amiga.resource.cx)

The above is picture of the OnBoard 1200, it provides a single Zorro2 port, now this board isn't all that complicated in truth, I have some schematics for both the Zorro2 output as well as the A1200 cpu interface.

see, whats needed is a clip-on graphics card, its certainly possible the cv64-3d uses a very common s3 virgie chipset and drivers (picasso96), argubly one could build the hardware around the driver that already exists

although... it would take a smidgeon of time ...sigh...."

so would anyone else be interested in this and can anyone here help with design manufacture etc?

cheers JuvUK

P.S this is also posted on Amibay so sorry to all of you that have already seen this

Years have passed. Decades.

Anyone come up with a single Zorro slot solution?

[kriz]

Maybe better get a vampire to get included graphics card... Or the upcoming warp acc cards...

[Jpor]

Or if you’ve got the money and can find them Blizzard 603e and Blizzard vision (Permedia 2).

[YouKnowWho]

Originally Posted by Jpor

Or if you’ve got the money and can find them Blizzard 603e and Blizzard vision (Permedia 2).

That's more appealing than the Vampire, but still...it seems like an accessory just waiting to be made.

First, tons of 1200 out there.

Second, many 1200 users would want RTG 24bit in their 1200 without needing to tower the darn thing. There appears to be plenty of room for a graphics card in there. Picasso II+ for example in the re-released version would do the trick. It would also increase the market for this expansion card and make another fun feasible for someone to do as well. I think it could fit inside the 1200 even with the floppy, but with so many people putting a floppy emulator, now there is even more room for a Zorro II video card in there to make the A1200 a desktop productivity machine that rivals full desktop Amigas.

It just makes sense to me. In my view, it is the main missing piece for the 1200 - an original 1200 case Zorro II solution.

[Jpor]

Originally Posted by YouKnowWho

That's more appealing than the Vampire, but still...it seems like an accessory just waiting to be made.

First, tons of 1200 out there.

Second, many 1200 users would want RTG 24bit in their 1200 without needing to tower the darn thing. There appears to be plenty of room for a graphics card in there. Picasso II+ for example in the re-released version would do the trick. It would also increase the market for this expansion card and make another fun feasible for someone to do as well. I think it could fit inside the 1200 even with the floppy, but with so many people putting a floppy emulator, now there is even more room for a Zorro II video card in there to make the A1200 a desktop productivity machine that rivals full desktop Amigas.

It just makes sense to me. In my view, it is the main missing piece for the 1200 - an original 1200 case Zorro II solution.

True. Have fitted a 603e with Bvision in a desktop case with added heat sinks and a Fan for the Permedia 2 chip as that thing gets hottttt.
If you are planning to fit a RTG card inside a desktop, how are you going to tackle the heat issue of the Graphics card? Or the extra power requirement?

[YouKnowWho]

Originally Posted by Jpor

True. Have fitted a 603e with Bvision in a desktop case with added heat sinks and a Fan for the Permedia 2 chip as that thing gets hottttt.
If you are planning to fit a RTG card inside a desktop, how are you going to tackle the heat issue of the Graphics card? Or the extra power requirement?

I was going to get to that if it came up. Figured a beefier external power supply would do the trick, and the half length Zorro II card like Picasso II+ could do the trick with perhaps a passive heatsync.

[grelbfarlk]

Originally Posted by Jpor

True. Have fitted a 603e with Bvision in a desktop case with added heat sinks and a Fan for the Permedia 2 chip as that thing gets hottttt.
If you are planning to fit a RTG card inside a desktop, how are you going to tackle the heat issue of the Graphics card? Or the extra power requirement?

A4000s don't have an issue with an RTG card inside of a Desktop including an overclocked 060, 800MHz PPC PCI card and a Voodoo 3. Unless you mean a wedge?


If you want a wedge or a small form factor machine just get a little emulation machine.

[Daedalus]

Indeed, fitting a graphics card in the original case requires a custom solution, not a single Zorro-II slot. But this has been discussed at length with our friend here before, and he ended up insisting that it was a Zorro-II slot he wanted because he wanted to put the A1200 in a case large enough for a Zorro card but not a tower. One might think that these requirements only appeared for the sake of trying to validate his claim that there were no options available for RTG on the A1200 when the various options were pointed out.

There are many hardware designers on the scene who would be happy to work on a design as a paid contract if you insist that this is the only possible solution for your use case. Contract engineering work like that will not be cheap, but it will get you results that moaning in a public forum will not.

[Jpor]

Originally Posted by Daedalus

Indeed, fitting a graphics card in the original case requires a custom solution, not a single Zorro-II slot. But this has been discussed at length with our friend here before, and he ended up insisting that it was a Zorro-II slot he wanted because he wanted to put the A1200 in a case large enough for a Zorro card but not a tower. One might think that these requirements only appeared for the sake of trying to validate his claim that there were no options available for RTG on the A1200 when the various options were pointed out.

There are many hardware designers on the scene who would be happy to work on a design as a paid contract if you insist that this is the only possible solution for your use case. Contract engineering work like that will not be cheap, but it will get you results that moaning in a public forum will not.

It wasn’t made clear that this wasn’t for a Standard wedge case. If it’s for something like a checkmate 1500 case then I’ve done something like this but using a 603e 040/ppc and a G-Rex with voodoo 3, network and sound cards (PCI) using pci extenders. I believe there is a Zorro extender that Steve Jones produces for this case but for the A500/500+ boards.

[Jpor]

Originally Posted by grelbfarlk

A4000s don't have an issue with an RTG card inside of a Desktop including an overclocked 060, 800MHz PPC PCI card and a Voodoo 3. Unless you mean a wedge?


If you want a wedge or a small form factor machine just get a little emulation machine.

Yep was referring to a stock A1200 case. I know the A4000 can handle this as I own one with a Mediator and a mixture of cards in it (PCI/Zorro 3)

[Daedalus]

Originally Posted by Jpor

It wasn’t made clear that this wasn’t for a Standard wedge case.

Indeed, it's from an earlier discussion where it wasn't clear to anyone. The complaint was that there were no RTG solutions for the A1200 because the Warp guys were taking too long for this guy's personal requirements. When the Mediator was pointed out, then it was revealed that tower cases aren't an option. When it was pointed out that a single Zorro-II expansion already existed but had practically no demand and wouldn't fit in the wedge case, it was revealed that the A1200 was to go in something that wasn't a tower but wasn't a wedge. The Checkmate was the obvious solution, but that presents its own issues too...

If it’s for something like a checkmate 1500 case then I’ve done something like this but using a 603e 040/ppc and a G-Rex with voodoo 3, network and sound cards (PCI) using pci extenders.

Nice, fitting that in the Checkmate must be a bit of a squeeze... And impossible entirely for anything that doesn't connect directly to the accelerator as the width of the case precludes the use of any busboard that fits between the accelerator and motherboard, like the Mediator and Zorro-II solutions.

I believe there is a Zorro extender that Steve Jones produces for this case but for the A500/500+ boards.

Indeed there is, and it lines up with the end of the case. A similar solution for the A1200 isn't as easy unfortunately, due to the accelerator fitting issue above and the requirement to move the expansion port to elsewhere so it doesn't interfere with the drive bays, PSU and other casework.

[Jpor]

Originally Posted by Daedalus

Nice, fitting that in the Checkmate must be a bit of a squeeze... And impossible entirely for anything that doesn't connect directly to the accelerator as the width of the case precludes the use of any busboard that fits between the accelerator and motherboard, like the Mediator and Zorro-II solutions.

Wasn’t too bad. The network and sound cards are in the 2 horizontal slots (after repositioning the power board further up the case) and the Voodoo I’ve managed to sit inside the middle of the case. The RATTE switcher VGA sits in the hole where the RF would have been and use VGA + Indivision to RATTE cables so have access to a single VGA connector

[YouKnowWho]

Originally Posted by Jpor

Yep was referring to a stock A1200 case. I know the A4000 can handle this as I own one with a Mediator and a mixture of cards in it (PCI/Zorro 3)

This solution of Picasso II+ solution was re-issued in this half-card format.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/255024033850

It seems to me that this card could be fitted into the standard original 1200 case in the space that exists in the case, it could attach to the cover, behind the floppy and left side of the case.

This would obviously be tight, but would fit in an A1200 without doubt. I measured it out. Issue is to feed the Zorro II from the accelerator slot, and such a piece would have to connect to an accelerator to create this Zorro II slot with a ribbon perhaps for connectivity flexibility, or in between MoBo and Accelerator like the RBM Onboard 1200 single slot Zorro II slot add-on did.

Of course as noted, this would also be lovely for CheckMate 1500 users.

[Jpor]

Originally Posted by YouKnowWho

This solution of Picasso II+ solution was re-issued in this half-card format.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/255024033850

It seems to me that this card could be fitted into the standard original 1200 case in the space that exists in the case, it could attach to the cover, behind the floppy and left side of the case.

This would obviously be tight, but would fit in an A1200 without doubt. I measured it out. Issue is to feed the Zorro II from the accelerator slot, and such a piece would have to connect to an accelerator to create this Zorro II slot with a ribbon perhaps for connectivity flexibility, or in between MoBo and Accelerator like the RBM Onboard 1200 single slot Zorro II slot add-on did.

Of course as noted, this would also be lovely for CheckMate 1500 users.

Ah right. Didn’t know about that. Looks like a lot of effort. I would just stick to the blizzard/Bvision

[YouKnowWho]

Originally Posted by Jpor

Ah right. Didn’t know about that. Looks like a lot of effort. I would just stick to the blizzard/Bvision

This Blizzard/Bvision is so dense, it can't be that complex to add a single Zorro slot to a 1200, can it?

[Daedalus]

Adding anything between the accelerator and the motherboard won't fit in either the original case or the Checkmate case (as I pointed out before) for any standard length accelerator. The edge connector for Zorro slots adds around 10mm beyond the contact area; I doubt the assembly of card + connector would fit where you expect it to, with the board itself being 100mm tall and the space under the floppy drive being 80mm wide you'll need to make extensive modifications to the case, possibly ditching the floppy drive and maybe even changing to the shorter form A1200 motherboard if yours happens to be an earlier revision.