AA3000+ Amiga 3000 AGA motherboard

Great work! What a nice design!



As an owner of an "original" AA3000 I can give you some hints:
Platine-totale-k.jpg

The blank-signal for the videoconnector is unconnected on the original AA3000-MoBo. Check the A4000 schematic to do the same "conversion" of the Blank-Signal to Lisa with the Videoport.

It seems that you integrated an upgraded version of the Multivision Flickerfixer. This Flickerfixer suffers from three issues: It can handle only PAL modes, it uses a discrete DAC to get RGB and the original schematic uses this ugly NE564-PLL loop, which needs tuning. I used the same flickerfixer as a starting point for my one . I fixed the PAL/NTSC-Mode issue by using a "modern" CPLD. The DAC issue was handled by using the same ADV7120 (or BT101) allready populated on the Mobo. Nice side effect: It makes the 74xxx574-buffers unneccessary (U478/479). I replaced the NE564 by a ICS570-frequency multiplier, which gives exelent clock signals.

Think about an internal SCSI-termination-option. An external one is ugly ;)

Have you done the Adress fix on the Prometheus-PCI? On the Prometheus PCI-schematics X302-A26 is connected to P-AD19 but should be connected to P-AD18. Same with X303-A26: P-AD20 should be P-AD19 !
I see that you used the Altera-Design. I would recomend the Xilinx-Design. The CPLDs are much better available.
A Point of load (POL) module for 3.3v conversion is better than this simple 3.3V regulator. If you connect the 3.3v rail to the PCI-Slots you will need a LOT of power!

I see you missed out the "slot" for this s-shaped fixation of the Daughterboard to the case. This is quite importaint to avoid damage due to inserting and removing cards.

Are you on signal ir irc for some dev-chat?

Best regards Matthias
 
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There will not be any A3000 board harvested, because there are not A3000 chips used in the AA3000+. The board is based on AGA chipset, you can buy them NOS, and some common (but old) chips: SCSI controller, RAM, 68030. Also SuperBuster is easy to get, because Commodore produced and sold a lot as an upgrade for A4000.

Awesome! Now I definitely want one :)
 
salaxi54 said:
1. Will it support AMIX?
2. Can the new daughterboard be used on a regular A3000 mobo?

1. If AMIX doesn't rely on the ECS chipset then yes it should work.
2. Only partially. The PCI part on the daughterboard relies on the fifth Zorro slot signals that are missing on the original A3000 motherboard.

mattsoft said:
Curious about what case it fits in (3000?)

Yes, this is a drop-in replacement motherboard for the A3000.

Fook42 said:
- the original-mountings can not be used? i mean the small little plastic holders
- why was the power-connector placed on the right corner? .. the cables from the original powersupply are not that long

The two outermost mountings can be used. The middle one can't be used, it had to go.
You can use extension power cord to power the daughterboard. I can relocate the power connector elsewhere on a later revision.

fabbie54 said:
Any chance for a ATX power connector?

If I replaced the A3000 power connector with an ATX one, you couldn't use the original A3000 PSU anymore.

Marmes said:
This looks amazing! Instead of A3000D native scsi, could you use the A4000T scsi chip? It's better and faster.
Also I would use bridgette.

Yes, I thought about the A4000T SCSI chip but decided to go with the native chip for this revision. I might replace it with the A4000T version later.
Regarding the Bridgette, I pondered whether to use it or use the 74 series bridge chips. I decided not to use the Bridgette to keep the motherboard closer to the original A3000 look, there is one Amiga custom chip (Bridgette) less to source and also the 74 series chips are easier to get.

Scrat said:
I guess it is based on the schematics I released on A1K a while ago?

Yes.

marchigianluca said:
well, I don't know if i'm asking too much, but... what about removing the 68030 and integrate the 3660 directly on the motberboard?

Integrating A3660 would require quite a bit of space on the board, the A3660 should be redesigned completely. The numerous GAL and bridge chips on the A3660 should be combined/replaced with much more compact ones, and still you wouldn't have onboard Fast RAM dedicated to the A3660 card which slows down the 68060 CPU. Sure, it would be better than the 68030 but still..

kirk_m said:
Just curious, does the CPU card clear the two simm sockets? I am assuming they are the flat, flushmount types, but, can't tell from the pictures.

Does it work without the DSP chip? I had read on A1K they were pretty much unobtanium.

The SIMM sockets are right-angled ones. I have tested the clearance with the CSPPC and the WarpEngine (the bulkiest accelerator there is, having ICs on the bottom side also) and they both fit fine. There was still room between the accelerator and the SIMM sockets.

Yes, the motherboard works without the DSP chip. That is an optional feature.

protek said:
About the Firebird, does it work with the A4000?

The Zorro slots work but the PCI part requires the fifth Zorro slot signals that aren't routed to the daughterboard on the A4000.

gseb said:
How many layer has this beauty PCB ?

This has 4 layers. I recall the original Commodore AA3000 had 8 layers?!

MatthiasH said:
It seems that you integrated an upgraded version of the Multivision Flickerfixer. I used the same flickerfixer as a starting point for my one.

Yes, I'm aware of your flickerfixer. The AA3000+ schematics were finished on November 2018 after which I began routing the board. Your flickerfixer was published later, on May 2019? I may use your design on a later revision.

MatthiasH said:
I see that you used the Altera-Design. I would recomend the Xilinx-Design.

I'm aware of the Xilinx version but I'm waiting for someone to assemble such board and confirm that it works. And is the new Prometheus library available somewhere, because the new Xilinx version does not work with the original Prometheus library?

MatthiasH said:
Have you done the Adress fix on the Prometheus-PCI? On the Prometheus PCI-schematics X302-A26 is connected to P-AD19 but should be connected to P-AD18. Same with X303-A26: P-AD20 should be P-AD19 !

No fix needed. That address problem is with the new Prometheus design, the original one which this bases on, had no such problem.

MatthiasH said:
I see you missed out the "slot" for this s-shaped fixation of the Daughterboard to the case. This is quite importaint to avoid damage due to inserting and removing cards.

I haven't missed it, that was a mandatory sacrifice. I wouldn't been able to fit the Altera chips on the board otherwise. When the Xilinx version has been confirmed working, I'll respin the daughterboard with the Xilinx chips and then there is room for the middle fixation block also.
 
Hese, do you plan to sell these motherboards when you have completed the design? If so, would it be just the bare pcb for people to buy and source their own parts? Or would you consider offering a service where existing 3000 owners could supply their old motherboard to act as a donor of parts?
 
Great work, hese!! I definitely want one!

As someone else did here earlier, I'd opt for on-board IDE and - possibly - an ATX power connector. However, the latter one can easily be achieved by using an adapter.
 
What a nice design!

Now to get a A3k case to host your precious... I’m afraid that I won’t be the only one that is after a nice A3K case.

keep up the good work you do!!!!
 
Hello Hese,

This card is avaible this end-2019 or 2020 ?
Regards,
Marco
 
Hello realy nice job
But actually scsi are expend to buy and old scsi2sd are bad and aztekmonster are exoensire and hard to find
Kann you add a ide port ?

Envoyé de mon SM-N950F en utilisant Tapatalk
 
Absolutely outstanding stuff :)

i really wish someone could build and sell these populated - we don’t all have the skills sadly!
 
I suppose one could get an adapter to an ATX power connector Could be something that goes in my old empty A3000 case, other than the badly battery damages motherboard
 
Very tempted but if I did this myself I would get 90% through building one then do something stupid and kill it.
However if anyone was selling them I would have to buy one.
 
This is really a great project !


If this daughterboard will be modified to fit an Amiga 4000 - that would be terrific - with the videoslot in place :))
 
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The DSP on this board allows for 16bit playback for audio, right?
 
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