Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

Kin Hell

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Hi Folks. :D

I recently offered to build a complete Elbox based A1200T for a rather nice chap in Italy. His plea for an A1200T started here Linky & I said I'd give him a quote. So this thread is dedicated for several instances, the main one Being it's RaveStars new A1200T. It also clears some more Amiga Stuff from my now fast dimishing inventory & paves the way for me retiring from Amiga Systems all together. I guess I'm announcing a retirement of a fashion but things change in Life & Life does not always stay the same! :wink:

So, the configuration is as follows:
Elbox A1200T Case
Enermax 350W ATX PSU
A1200 1D4 Mobo
Blizzard PPC 603+ (SCSI II) :mrgreen:
Indivison A1200
73GB Seagate Cheeta SCA SCSIII Hard drive.
Squirrel SCSI with Plextor CD/RW
Pioneer IDE DVD ROM on 4 x IDE'97
Voodoo 5500 PCI Graphics
Realtek 8029 PCI NIC
Creative Labs PCI Sound Blaster
Subway USB

Here's a couple of early day pics of the build which exposed one or two problems. The first problem was the interference of Elbox's Tower Case Keyboard adapter with the Indivision.

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The solution was to fit the EZ-KEY adapter which picks up off the CIA Chip just to the right of the Ribbon KB Connector.

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The Bonus here is the Reset pickup point meaning we can now use the Re-Set switch on the Front panel of the Case.

The next problem raising an ugly head is the CPU Fan on the 060 Heat-Sink. Here she is basking in the Glorious Cornish Sunshine with her newly acquired Mirco SCSI Cable. I had to Hot Glue the back of the 50way IDC Header to secure the loose pins.

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and here was the complex problem. Leaning into the case & up against the side panel so much, Air flow would be poor & only ambient case temperature as best if any air flow could be mustered.

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It actually interferes so much with the top inside rail of the case, it is no longer vertical with the Motherboard. Ironically, the card can still deflect further, something that annoyed the heck out of me when I had an Apollo 060 Card fitted. For the Apollo, I fitted this which is a Protective Screw Plg as fitted to Radiators for Pee Cee water cooliing. The Screw thread area is cut off leaving a Slotted Button to which a bit of Blue Peter Sticky Back Plastic fixes firmly in place!

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Unfortunately, the edge of the PPC card is heavily populated with components over the Apollo, so it had to be moved to the other side to maintain it's retentive purpose whilst not interfering with the components on the cards edge!

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Having done this, the next concern caused is no direct Air Flow about the PPC Card. The Blizzrd PPC card has the CPU's on the opposite side of the card compared to the Apollo & after lost of head scratching along with box rummaging, I found this solution gagging to be used. Quick Drill & Tap M3 in the Alloy side rail & a simple single screwed mount holds everything in place. There is still the matter of cutting a 60mm Hole on the R/H Side panel for the Slim Jim Fan to breathe.

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Whilst the 060 will not have a problem with a Passive Heatsink, the PPC CPU will always be quite warm & the rising heat will just heat the 060 more than it need be. The Mod works an absolute treat & has it's own Control. From top to Bottom:

CPU Fan Control
Voodoo 5500 Port
SB card
8029 10Mbit Ethernet/10BaseT & Indivision Output hacked to NIC Backplane! :D
2 x Subway USB Ports (2 x Subway ports to Front Panel on R/H side)
Active SCSI Termination for Blizzard SCSI. Can be removed to hook up External SCSI Devices.
(AT Keyboard Adapter for visual only)

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This Pic shows her as of today & now ready for the PSU to be fitted & her first fire up ready for Installing.

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Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

Simply beautiful! Excellent job Kinny!

:thumbsup2:

Heather
 
Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

:bowdown: :thumbsup2: :wooha: :drool:

This is seriously sexy pr0n!
 
Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

VERY nice! (y) (y) (y)
 
Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:
:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:
:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:
:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:
:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:
 
Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

That is a great job there buddy. Its so neat and tidy it's given my OCD monkey a lovely warm feeling!

:thumbsup2:
 
Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

:yourock:

Thanks for the pics. It looks really great... (y)

Can't wait to have it here with me...

Cheers!
 
Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

Great photos and a fantastic job putting it all together. :popcorn:
 
Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

Thank's for the comments folks. I probably won't ever retire fully from Amiga's. It's my roots in computers & besides that, I don't think Zetr0 would let me. :LOL:

Anyway's, I have been away for several weeks since posting so far & lots of things have happened during this time, including watching the mobo in the above pics fry itself to bits only last Sunday. :stick:
I'm probably to blame for not getting the Elbox Fast ATA daughter board securely on the Gayle chip, but bloody annoyed the 5v wire from a 350W ATX floppy connector lit up like a Roman Candle for it. It's not like I want to try it again on purpose just to see, but wtf? The rear floppy port is scorched black on it's outer sheilding & will be sent to Zetr0 in due course for a post mortem.

The whole set up of this A1200 Tower has had to be re-engineered & promise to get back in the next week or so with an update. As things stand atm, Mr. SCSI will not be making an appearance on this Tower. :|

I would like to take this opportunity to say a special thanks to imnogeek & Zetr0 for their kind support in order for me to continue this project.

An extra special thought too for ravestar. - I've kept him in the loop all the time regarding an endless list of problems & thank him for his kind patience & continued support.

Back soon folks. :D

Kin
 
Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

@ Kin

I can't quite tell from the photos, but is there a spare slot on the adapter board that could maybe accomodate a PCI SCSI card?

Just a thought...
 
Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

Sure, there's a spare slot, but no support for SCSI cards afaik. :wink:

Kin
 
Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

Less than a week ago, I had to mail ravestar of continuing issues with regard to SCSI, (h)Elbox Fast ATA & Indivison. I couldn't even consider using a DCE Internal FF/SD with the Fast ATA as the cards foul each other when put on their respective Custom Chips. Ravestar was just too kind by reply, offering me 80% of our original deal or the option of keeping the PPC & Indivision cards to cover my time messsing with this project. To say the least, I was gob smacked at his offer & after several sleepless nights, tried going about the SCSI in a different manner. If PPC cards grew on trees thesedays, yeah, I could have slept with myself at night, but sheesh. :wooha:
Anyone ever dealing with ravestar must understand he is a gentleman in every manner.

Enrico, you Sir, are an absolute Diamond for your patience with this project, let alone your kind offer to conclude an unfinished project. (y)

So, after hitting the sack @ 2.30am this morning, Mr. Blizzard SCSI is now working with the Plextor CDRW. :D
So, reverting the Tower's direction yet again & for the best solution all round, I still have to get the 73GB SCA SCSI drive hooked up. Now just waiting for a suitable SCSI adapter to arrive from Zetr0. It would appear the 50 pin to 68 pin adapters I have here are SCSI I to SCSI III only & will not work with a 68 pin cable wired up to the Blizzard?
SCSI I & SCSI II connections are the same, so much head scratching has been the form lately & I am now almost bald! :laugh:

Back soon with finished assembly pics & hopefully, some OS3.9 & OS4.0 action.

Kin
 
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Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

/Subscribes to thread whilst drooling at the amazing work being done. :drool:
 
Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

What a build this has been so far, & it's still on going. :shock:

The real high point so far was finding a termination solution for the 73GB SCA Seagate Cheeta. SCSI cabling & termination of this monster finally resolved, the partitioning went swimmingly allowing for OS4 installation too. Unfortunately, OS4 hangs it's head after prompting to set up Language etc. After lots of messing, I gave up & spent last Sunday installing & setting up the tower under OS3.9.
Normally, I can do an Elbox install blindfolded, but this one had to be different. Many Emails later, Elbox are now shipping a MACH chip upgrade & the latest MM-CD software. In the close up pic, the offending MACH chips are U3 & U5. (Green & Yellow)

Just gotta wait a week for delivery & then hopefully, all should be good. I'm having some popcorn already, just in case things go pear shaped some more. :popcorn:

I include a couple more pics since she was re-cabled & re-PSU'd.

More to come.

Kin
 

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Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

Mate that is a very fine example and credit of your skills indeed..

I am filled with Envy.

Congrats
TC (y)
 
Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

@Kinnie

I love looking at your builds m8.... just pure class!!!
 
Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

:drool: What else i can say? As all been already said :)
 
Re: Building a PPC A1200T for Export to ravestar....

Here we go with the final round of Pics for now. Technically, she's now finished, though there is some more user-configuration to take place yet & that's Enrico's job when he finally recieves the Tower.

The SCSI problem was a complete nightmare, finally being resolved by a chap called Mark over @ http://www.scsishop.co.uk/
Following this, I spent another 3 days on & off wondering wtf, not being able to setup Voodoo etc & following several Emails to Elbox, we needed to change 2 of the MACH chips. Once that was done, OS4.0 was not a problem to install. However, this 1200T does appear to have a bit of a cold boot problem & not always presents itself. Sometimes, she just sits there & you have to give her either the three fingered salute or press the reset button. I can only guess this has something to do with the PCMCIA having a priority of 3 during the boot process.
During normal startup, the Early startup screen will display on the Indivision port. If the session requires OS4, select the OS4 partition to boot from & disable the System (OS3.9) partition. Whilst majorly annoying that OS4 does not support the Blizzrd SCSI, it's handy not having to go back into the boot menu for a second time after OS4 has kicked it's ROM into RAM.

I've just dumped a series of Pics at the bottom of this post which should kind of explain themselves. The last 3 pics are of the desktop as I configured her & only to get rid of the grey. NewMode in the last pic shows the requester you get so you can choose which output you want to throw the graphics at. Dead handy.

Enrico is on holiday for a week now, by which time I hope to have found a box suitable for shipping. The Tower is originaly boxed, but is not suitable for shipping. It just doesn't have enough cushioning. All the following pictures are more than halved in size & all screenies of the miggy are running a 1024 x 768 desktop.

Kin[attachment=3:3rr0yerz]DSC01230.jpg[/attachment:3rr0yerz][attachment=2:3rr0yerz]DSC01235.jpg[/attachment:3rr0yerz][attachment=1:3rr0yerz]DSC01237.jpg[/attachment:3rr0yerz]
 

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