A500 Zorro Slot Adaptor

Daedalus · 09 July 2017, 16:04

Anyone interested in a Zorro slot adaptor for the A500? I was thinking of putting one together for testing / tinkering / prototyping purposes, and could put a few together if more people were interested. It would be a very simple, one-slot design and at a rough guess would cost around £20.

Jope · 09 July 2017, 16:26

I might be down for one. Occasionally a Zorro2 machine would come in handy, but I don't want to store an A2k for only that very occasional need.

Daedalus · 09 July 2017, 17:30

Indeed, that's my thinking. I want a Zorro slot to prototype some ideas but don't have the space or permission for another big machine, so the 500 will hopefully do the job.

obitus1990 · 10 July 2017, 04:09

I'd be down for one.

Acill · 19 July 2017, 21:30

I'd want for sure.

Daedalus · 20 July 2017, 14:32

Cheers guys! Initial PCB routing is done, and it includes a passthrough for using sidecar devices and Autoconfig support with and without a Zorro card inserted. It also provides proper -5V power - not that I know of anything that uses it, but some older adaptors simply connected -12V to that pin, which might not go down well with some cards. I'll order up a batch of boards soon and then figure out a way of testing them

Amiga4000 · 23 July 2017, 01:29

Yes, please!

André · 24 July 2017, 07:27

I would definitely be interested in one.

Toni Wilen · 24 July 2017, 15:30

I am interested if it can work with ACA500plus in passthrough connector (=ACA500plus boot code can see the device normally in autoconfig space, configure it and then reset it back to unconfigured state with m68k RESET instruction that pulses reset line)

Daedalus · 24 July 2017, 16:50

I don't have an ACA to test with, but I can't see that being a problem - the lines aren't buffered so they can be driven from either end/either CPU. The Zorro slot is the first device on the Autoconfig chain, with the passthrough being the second (first if no Zorro card inserted). I don't know how the ACA will handle that, but I routed it that way since some sidecar expansions don't pass the Autoconfig back.

I'll try to find someone local with an ACA so I can try it out anyway. If the ACA doesn't like that setup, it should be possible to add some jumpers for fiddling things to suit.

croupier · 24 July 2017, 20:25

I'm in for one....

fordav1 · 05 August 2017, 17:01

I'd be interested in something simple with 1 slot that could be used for an ACA500+ on an A1000? I don't like the idea of the ACA500+ sticking out sideways and a nice 90 degree zorro adapter would be a great idea so the ACA500+ sits vertical and close to the case of the A1000. The board could be made to plug into the male zorro connector and have a female connector for use with normal zorro cards, and a small finger-board fitted to adapt it back to male for use with things like an ACA500+. I'm sure many other people would also be interested in something like this

E-Penguin · 06 August 2017, 23:33

I'm after something that will let me use an RTG graphics card on the A500 / ACA500plus +ACA1221 machine I've got.

There's a thread on it being done on A1K where it seems to work and Jens confirmed the Zorro space wasn't used by his accelerator.

Daedalus · 07 August 2017, 00:11

Yeah, I came across that thread not so long ago - think someone else pointed me to it too. It should work fine. It also sounds like Matze's adaptor is a similar thing to mine, though I've never seen one available in the English-speaking community (and can't register for an account on A1K.org for the moment), so I can't tell for sure how similar the two are.

Marchie · 07 August 2017, 01:59

This is a gem of an idea. I'd be interested, if it's not too late.

Daedalus · 07 August 2017, 17:20

To be fair, it's not really my idea - Zorro adaptors for the A500 have been around almost as long as the A500 itself. But they're less common now and I felt an urge to tinker

Prototype will be tested this week, though I've no sidecar modules to plug into it to see how it works with them...

Toni Wilen · 07 August 2017, 19:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by E-Penguin

I'm after something that will let me use an RTG graphics card on the A500 / ACA500plus +ACA1221 machine I've got.

There's a thread on it being done on A1K where it seems to work and Jens confirmed the Zorro space wasn't used by his accelerator.

First 2M of Z2 space is available with ACA500plus. Bigger cards can't work.

E-Penguin · 07 August 2017, 23:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

First 2M of Z2 space is available with ACA500plus. Bigger cards can't work.

Matze's graphics card is 2MB though, right? It seemed to work on the A1K post, anyway. The other question is on the ACA1221 - does that occupy Zorro space at all?

E-Penguin · 08 August 2017, 00:04

Ah, RTFM...
http://wiki.icomp.de/wiki/ACA500plus...ers#memory_map

Can't find anything similar for the ACA1221 though.

Marchie · 08 August 2017, 01:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daedalus

To be fair, it's not really my idea - Zorro adaptors for the A500 have been around almost as long as the A500 itself. But they're less common now and I felt an urge to tinker

Prototype will be tested this week, though I've no sidecar modules to plug into it to see how it works with them...

Sweet! Can't wait to hear how it goes!

09 July 2017, 16:04	#1
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,334	A500 Zorro Slot Adaptor Anyone interested in a Zorro slot adaptor for the A500? I was thinking of putting one together for testing / tinkering / prototyping purposes, and could put a few together if more people were interested. It would be a very simple, one-slot design and at a rough guess would cost around £20.

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09 July 2017, 16:26	#2
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	I might be down for one. Occasionally a Zorro2 machine would come in handy, but I don't want to store an A2k for only that very occasional need.

09 July 2017, 17:30	#3
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,334	Indeed, that's my thinking. I want a Zorro slot to prototype some ideas but don't have the space or permission for another big machine, so the 500 will hopefully do the job.

10 July 2017, 04:09	#4
obitus1990 Registered User Join Date: May 2016 Location: Mandeville USA Posts: 203	I'd be down for one.

19 July 2017, 21:30	#5
Acill Tech Guru Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Oxnard, CA Posts: 189	I'd want for sure.

20 July 2017, 14:32	#6
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,334	Cheers guys! Initial PCB routing is done, and it includes a passthrough for using sidecar devices and Autoconfig support with and without a Zorro card inserted. It also provides proper -5V power - not that I know of anything that uses it, but some older adaptors simply connected -12V to that pin, which might not go down well with some cards. I'll order up a batch of boards soon and then figure out a way of testing them

23 July 2017, 01:29	#7
Amiga4000 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: The Ford Galaxy Posts: 214	Yes, please!

24 July 2017, 07:27	#8
André Registered User Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 10	I would definitely be interested in one.

24 July 2017, 15:30	#9
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,505	I am interested if it can work with ACA500plus in passthrough connector (=ACA500plus boot code can see the device normally in autoconfig space, configure it and then reset it back to unconfigured state with m68k RESET instruction that pulses reset line)

24 July 2017, 16:50	#10
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,334	I don't have an ACA to test with, but I can't see that being a problem - the lines aren't buffered so they can be driven from either end/either CPU. The Zorro slot is the first device on the Autoconfig chain, with the passthrough being the second (first if no Zorro card inserted). I don't know how the ACA will handle that, but I routed it that way since some sidecar expansions don't pass the Autoconfig back. I'll try to find someone local with an ACA so I can try it out anyway. If the ACA doesn't like that setup, it should be possible to add some jumpers for fiddling things to suit.

24 July 2017, 20:25	#11
croupier Registered User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Koper, Slovenia Posts: 94	I'm in for one....

05 August 2017, 17:01	#12
fordav1 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Australia Posts: 84	I'd be interested in something simple with 1 slot that could be used for an ACA500+ on an A1000? I don't like the idea of the ACA500+ sticking out sideways and a nice 90 degree zorro adapter would be a great idea so the ACA500+ sits vertical and close to the case of the A1000. The board could be made to plug into the male zorro connector and have a female connector for use with normal zorro cards, and a small finger-board fitted to adapt it back to male for use with things like an ACA500+. I'm sure many other people would also be interested in something like this

06 August 2017, 23:33	#13
E-Penguin Banana Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Darmstadt Posts: 1,213	I'm after something that will let me use an RTG graphics card on the A500 / ACA500plus +ACA1221 machine I've got. There's a thread on it being done on A1K where it seems to work and Jens confirmed the Zorro space wasn't used by his accelerator.

07 August 2017, 00:11	#14
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,334	Yeah, I came across that thread not so long ago - think someone else pointed me to it too. It should work fine. It also sounds like Matze's adaptor is a similar thing to mine, though I've never seen one available in the English-speaking community (and can't register for an account on A1K.org for the moment), so I can't tell for sure how similar the two are.

07 August 2017, 01:59	#15
Marchie Registered User Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Sydney / London Posts: 589	This is a gem of an idea. I'd be interested, if it's not too late.

07 August 2017, 17:20	#16
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,334	To be fair, it's not really my idea - Zorro adaptors for the A500 have been around almost as long as the A500 itself. But they're less common now and I felt an urge to tinker Prototype will be tested this week, though I've no sidecar modules to plug into it to see how it works with them...

08 August 2017, 00:04	#19
E-Penguin Banana Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Darmstadt Posts: 1,213	Ah, RTFM... http://wiki.icomp.de/wiki/ACA500plus...ers#memory_map Can't find anything similar for the ACA1221 though.

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