Borderline insane desktop A1200 with lots of parts and an idiot (me), assembling help would be great :)

Mendel

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AmiBayer
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This is something I´m planning to put together. At least I´d like to use most of these parts.

Amiga 1200 desktop
+
Blizzard PPC, 060@60MHz/ PPC @5x50MHz from dangermouse
+
BVision from fitzsteve
+
Amigakit PSU (from fitzsteve, and he is telling me that psu can handle a mediator rig with voodoo 3 and half the parts of the world so it should do)
edit: will be replaced with picopsu!
+
FastATA mkIV from amigakit
OR
Idefix express if I can get one somehow. (Looks like no availability and several wanted threads, no sellers)
edit: idefix expressis the final solution!
+
Bvision kit for fastata mkIV from: http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=339
edit: Won´t be needed because decided to go with idefix express
+
Indivision 1200 AGA from amigahitoro
or
Indivision Aga mk2 as those become available.
edit: Will now investigate into if mk2 can be fitted with fallback option for mk1
+
BMON monitor switch from Rakeim132
edit: UMON from amigakit instead as the one I got before was incomplete with some cables missing
+
32 GB CF hard drive. I will modify this and case in some fashion to fit this in a desktop case and to allow detaching and re attaching hard drive without opening case: http://www.vesalia.de/e_amigacfhdd[7319].htm
(say what you will about not having to do this but I could swear I´ve opened my case 10 times just to get the hard drive out to do something with winuae)
edit: Not so sure about the need for having it removable anymore, direct internet access through pcmcia network card minimizes the need for fiddling with winuae.

Now. Right now I have the PPC but I need to replace fan for it.
edit: I´ve replaced it

After that I reckon I would test them adding hardware one by one and work my way in small steps. So I need tips.

1) What can I fit and what can I not?
2) Will some parts or the desktop case require modification (other than the cf thingamazig) to make the parts fit and case close?
3) Which parts to install in which order?
4) Will there be issue with amigakit psu or do I need picopsu or something else? (I´ll update thread when I get exact specs of psu)
5) There will be a fan on the ppc and a fan on the bvision. Should I add more fans?


I´ll report back as I progress with this.

edit: I suppose the FastAta will still bring lots of trouble but I am putting high priority on having it in the rig, i´d rather make do without indivision if I have to cut something out. The ide performance really needs a boost.

edit2: Oh and I have a fallback plan of putting the PPC in tower case with Voodoo 3 and a GREX that I will hopefully soon receive. And a grand plan of getting a faster (>300MHz) PPC for this desktop, with scsi, and moving this PPC to the tower anyways, eventually. But I need such a dream BPPC to become for sale and I need to work and get more funds again. (damn those pesky banks wanting their mortgage payment too) And at that point with 2 PPC amigas finally my pc will be way cheaper than this Amiga ****. :D

edit3: grex didn´t work out, mediator somewhat works in a tower but it´s really only impressive to me if I can have rtg in a desktop case... so the project moves on...
 
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Borderline insane ? YOOOOOO CAAAAAANNNNN DOOOOOO ITTTTTTTTT !!!
 
Okay, totally insane. But there are even beefier rigs in the photo booth section :) Only from legends with skills.

---------- Post added at 22:35 ---------- Previous post was at 22:22 ----------

Is there a thread with instruction on how to safely remove either parallel or serial port connector without breaking motherboard? Those connector holes would be great for CF card port. I have a spare third motherboard now that I can practice with.
 
@ Mendel

Only you will know if there is a legend inside you or not.... legends are born, not made.....

"Do or do not; there is no try....."
 
I am in the process of building the same kind of machine as my secondary A1200 (the first being the one in my signature which is the more stable computer ever and is 100% satisfactory).
I have been sad to learn that the Indivision AGA (and probably the MK2 as well) can not fit with the BVision.
Too bad.
 
I have been sad to learn that the Indivision AGA (and probably the MK2 as well) can not fit with the BVision.
Too bad.

Ofc it does with a bit of modification on the connector (just best if you remove the plastic connector leaving the Pins only) :)

Here's my former A1200 beast.

dsc03188n.jpg


Indivision is under the Idefix Express lol
 
Any tips on how to remove the plastic connector? Like does it come off with brute force pulling it or should I heat it up with soldering iron or something?
 
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No need for soldering iron. Just use some cutting pliers and gently cut it out :)
 
Did you ever post a picture of the bottom metal plate of your keyboard? can you post one with some ruler or such next to it please so it would be more clear about where you have cut it with dremel or whatever :)
 
No I never actually measured it. Tbh you don't need to cut the metal backplate. It was only needed for when I had FastATA with BVision.
 
I am planning to fit fastata mk4 and bvision. So thats how deeply in **** I "only" am ;)

No I never actually measured it. Tbh you don't need to cut the metal backplate. It was only needed for when I had FastATA with BVision.

I would love to buy or swap for your readily cut keyboard :D

Also if I understood correctly, you used some special higher quality and thinner rom sockets. Any help about where to obtain such items would be great. I have ordered a BVision kit from amigakit which includes some sockets that help connect fastata together with bvision but I am not sure if this is sufficient for connecting indivision aga too nor do I know if there is any way to then fit this in desktop case.
 
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Seems like I will have idefix express after all due to Amigafanboi selling me one. Did not expect this! Anyways, then it will be all to trial and error.

Will I be satisfied with this or get the sudden irresistible feel to install some clockport device like sound card as well? Maybe I still need USB?

Will idefix express be fast enough to run Full Throttle scummvm without glitches? That will decide if I keep idefix express or if I go through extra trouble to fit the fastata mk4 in.

Will it all run too hot and melt? That will decide if I get a great piece of close to perfect Amiga or if I will go absolutely bonkers crazy.

I have a 1260, a 1230, scsi kit for them, I have a fragging GREX underway and I have an Infinitiv tower and I am again absolutely 100% spiked with my credit card. I think I must sell some of my excess hardware sooner or later to be able to afford... drumroll... another blizzard PPC accelerator so that I will have one on both the desktop and the tower. Indeed will this insanity ever end... I also need to get an arcade stick for a coin op project :D
 
Nice project, good luck! :)

I see that you are planning to use a CF card.
Be aware that the IDEfix drivers crash with many CF-cards (all 'removable' type cards).
So if your CF card is removable, you need to patch IDEfix. [more info]
 
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I think there should be no problem fitting everything in physically anymore as Im getting just bppc+bvision+indivision+idefix express... but I made a separate thread about setting up Bvision since that seems to be the trickiest part.
 
Now things are starting to move forwards again with this project. It´s incredible how nice this community is. bad_ad84 has offered to help me with installing picopsu power supply for my miggy which is going to be absolutely perfect solution for this. There will also be indivision and bvision in the same case along with internal monitor switch from amigakit if everything goes to plan.

So, not managing to finish the project on my own, I´ve sent the whole thing to uk with all the parts. I reeeeeally hope the package reaches destination instead of going to north pole or somewhere silly :)

So just to recap with what is really going in there:

Indivision aga mk2 or fallback option to mk1, whichever can be fitted.
BPPC @250MHz with 060 @60MHz
Bvision RTG graphics card
UMON monitor switch
Idefix express
32GB CF card
Picopsu 120W

One more question for all of you guys. I need ideas for cooling solution. There should probably be some sort of case cooling fan arrangement. I need it to be low on the noise but still has to keep the system stable enough as in not overheating to cause crashes. Halp?? :coffee:

Oh by the way: before you ask how an indivision mk2 could possibly be fitted in a desktop case together with Bvision, this is the craziest part. Expansion port extension!
 
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nice \o/

one idea, have 2 fans,
one sucks and the other blows
one pulls cold air in and other pushes warm air out

idea two
metal foil, aluminum or copper
fold n shape so one end is over heat source and other much bigger
end radiates the heat away
 
I think you'll need to put back the 50MHz crystal in the 060, mate. BVision doesn't like 60MHz clock, IIRC.
 
Really? :wooha: What kind of problems should I expect with a 60MHz clock on the 060?

I don´t even have a 50MHz crystal for it at the moment. Only 60 and 66MHz ones.

Last time I tested, I did get a picture out of it in the early startup menu. Haven´t really tested it beyond that because of the power supply requirements. It´s just not practical without picopsu.

Also note: there´s another project with 60MHz 060 and bvision here: https://www.amibay.com/showthread.php?t=5014
 
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