My Custom A1200 Project

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Cozzer79

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Hi all,

Thought I'd share the progress of my A1200 alterations. I was somewhat inspired by a black A1200 sold on here a while back, and decided that I really wanted one myself. Thus far, she looks like this:

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It has CDTV keycaps (except for W and D, which were made by myself from the original keycaps) from a duff keyboard, and the motherboard (1D4) has been recapped and stripped of its modulator by Bebek. The floppy drive has been swapped with an FZ357A, so can read/write DD or HD disks, and the HDD replaced with a 4GB CF Card - I've an 8GB one on the way to play with too. The black PSU I think is an Amiga Technologies part; I've a VLT60-3000 on the way at the moment to upgrade it with, as it's a standard 25W supply as is. I've also been lucky enough to source both a black and white Amiga Technologies mouse - perfect for two player Lemmings, and finally not pictured, I've obtained a pair of Honey Bee SG2's (Master System control pads) which function as proper two button controllers (for games that support them).

I had to make two of those keys myself, which I documented here: https://www.amibay.com/showthread.php?79802-Need-to-make-a-replacement-CDTV-keycap

I've a couple of other mods planned at the moment; one of which being an internal DVDROM (waiting to hear back from another chap on here for the mounts), and a new black case from the recent Kickstarter project.

Eventually, I'd like an Indivision AGA Mk1/2 to fit (not 2CR), an IDE-Fix Express and a Blizzard IV 1230. With patience, I'll have them all :)

Colin

Edit: lol - turns out that a 2cr was just what I was after :)
 
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Thought I'd share the pictures of my 1D4 pre and post Bebek - work done to a very high standard, and it leaves a nice space for an HDMI (MK2 Indivision) or VGA (MK1 Indivision) - If there's a way of having VGA from a MK2/MK2CR I'd like to know!

Pre:
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Post:
image.jpg


:)

- - - Updated - - -

I've also been inspired by an optical drive installation by vibros - I'm currently reverse engineering the mounts that he made; one of the helpful chaps in our design department at work is drawing them up from a sketch I made based on vibros's work, and measurements I've taken myself. Once that's done, I can ask one of the other helpful chaps at work to make some out of thin sheet metal :)

Once the mounts are in place, it'll hold the drive in place like so:
IMG_6334.jpg

Which fits nicely behind the keyboard like so:
IMG_6335.jpg

And once I've gotten the drive solidly attached, I'll need to measure up to make a hole in the rear of the case for it to present like so:
IMG_6336.jpg

I'll update as we go along :) Got some bits coming back from the States once my colleage from work returns next week, so it's all coming along nicely!
 
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The 2nd 1200 motherboard picture has several capacitors missing in comparison to the 1st ... that ok? :)
 
Those Caps are part of the RF out circuit and as he has removed the module he left them out , they are not needed :)
 
All looks good!
Just be wary that once you have added all the bits you are describing, it will be a bit cramped in there and with the Indy might get a bit warm. You may well need to consider enhanced airflow.
 
All looks good!
Just be wary that once you have added all the bits you are describing, it will be a bit cramped in there and with the Indy might get a bit warm. You may well need to consider enhanced airflow.
I was thinking as much - If I have to, there's an almost obvious good point I could mount a fan internally; blowing air up and out of the case - and if I'm careful, I shouldn't need to spoil the look of the case :)
 
My JAE adapter has turned up :)

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And I've managed to order a few other bits - a Blizzard 1230IV, 128MB memory and a 50MHz 68882 for it too

Still waiting on the drawings of the CDROM mounts, but should have them by Wednesday with any luck!
 
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lol - I think it might take me that long to get an Indy Mk1/2; missed out on a Mk2 by around 6 minutes the other night, although I think a Mk1 would better suit me :) My black case should be manufactured sometime in the next couple of weeks, then it'll really start looking something! I should have the drawings back for the CDROM mounts tomorrow, so I can then hand that over to have them made. Always something on the go... My Blizzard IV is waiting for me at home at the moment, so my Amiga is going home for the night!
Wow very nice, this is shaping up to be very similar to my custom a1200 build (dragging on for a few years now!).
 
I think you really should ask guys who sell Ratte Switches. Some of them also sell cables to connect MK2cr to Ratte switch and I'm 99% sure this cable should be modified a bit to connect just pure VGA output.
 
That's a good call - and the MK2cr is _really_ easy to come by; seen at least 3 resellers with stock! I shall approach someone shortly...
I think you really should ask guys who sell Ratte Switches. Some of them also sell cables to connect MK2cr to Ratte switch and I'm 99% sure this cable should be modified a bit to connect just pure VGA output.

- - - Updated - - -

This bad boy arrived today :)

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Not had much of a chance to play with it, but its in good order!
 
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That's a good call - and the MK2cr is _really_ easy to come by; seen at least 3 resellers with stock! I shall approach someone shortly...
I think you really should ask guys who sell Ratte Switches. Some of them also sell cables to connect MK2cr to Ratte switch and I'm 99% sure this cable could be modified a bit to connect just pure VGA output.
Stachu made an A1200 with BPPC+BVision, MK2cr and Ratte switch for me - if you'll take BPPC+BVision from the equation then the result would obviously be VGA output from MK2cr... the only problem is that this scheme is kinda sorta a bit convoluted... but will leave easy upgrade path for you, LOL.
 
I ordered a Ratte cable today as it is essentially a VGA cable - I've also ordered a 10pin IDC socket and VGA socket so that I can make an adapter to connect to the cable so that I don't have to butcher it, should I decide to obtain a PPC at some point in the future lol I'll order a Mk2cr once the new case has turned up. Got enough other things running at the moment!

My USA bits were imported in a colleages luggage this morning, so I now have new innards for the PSU, a 128MB 60ns EDO SIMM (now fitted) and a 3 headed 44pin IDE cable - I've had the move the centre connector on the latter as they left it in the middle rather than 4" from the end as I'd requested. I'll test it tomorrow to make sure its not going to fry anything before I put it in my Amiga. This is the idea with how I intend to run the cabling, with the CF card strapped to the underside of the DVDROM.

image.jpg

I mentioned a while back about the mounts for the DVDROM - here was the diagram I roughed out from vibros's design and my own modifications:

image.jpg

And a chap at work has produced these far more professional looking drawings for them:

Bracket_A.pngBracket_B.png

I've passed these to another chap at work to have a couple of each fabricated from tin plate steel - should be good once done!
 
I started on the PSU modifications this evening, old PSU out and new one setting in (thanks to repurposed posts and Sugru) - the new one is somewhat smaller, but supplies 82w peak total (60w sustained); 8A on the 5V which is the important one!

image.jpg

I'm missing an 8mm wide spade crimp connector and don't have enough heat shrink to do the cabling this evening, so will obtain those bits from work tomorrow and finish it up over the weekend :) (Edit: This PSU whined from the day I got it, eventually replaced it with another identical but new PSU which is silent like it should be)
 
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I opted for an alternative mount for the earth input; reusing part of the cabling that the PSU came with, and wholly inappropriate heat shrink colours - fortunately it's not something I should have to open again any time soon! Looks quite neat for me (I'm not the best at soldering)

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And I relabelled the underside as my old Physics teacher would otherwise come and haunt me:

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Checked it all out with a meter, and it's good to go :) no word on the DVDROM mounts yet, but I did slip and fall on the buy button on Amigakit for an Indy MK2cr; managed to enter my payment details by accident too. Really ought to have that looked at...
 
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My Indivision MK2cr has arrived, as has the Ratte cable for it; I've done a bit more research with some help from a couple of peeps, and the information below is the pin-out on the end of the Ratte cable from the MK2cr that would plug into the Ratte switch:

1 - Red
2 - Red Ground
3 - Green
4 - Green Ground
5 - Blue
6 - Blue Ground
7 - Ground (Common with 10)
8 - H Sync
9 - V Sync
10 - Ground (Common with 7)

These can be cabled to a VGA connector as follows:

1 - Red
2 - Green
3 - Blue
5 - Ground (Common with 10)
6 - Red Ground
7 - Green Ground
8 - Blue Ground
10 - Sync Ground (Common with 5)
13 - H Sync
14 - V Sync

Once I've built one, I'll report back - thanks to all that have made suggestions!
 
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