Akiko 32 - Amiga in miniITX format

This is how Commodore should have made there Amiga CD32, if they made the Amiga CD32
like you did but in the case as the Amiga CD32, but then with a 68030 50 Mhz CPU, then it
would have been a fantastic Amiga CD32 console, and maybe a good deal with id Software,
so we would have Doom in 1993 on our Commodore Amiga CD32 console, but no Commodore
were doing dumb stuff, and they died in 1994, but i still had a great time with my Amiga computers
when i was a kid, and older.

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Same here, never ever have used Facebook or Twitter or the rest, REALLY do not like Social Media.
 
@ElrondMcbong

I’d love to have a chance to build one. Even for review. Not that you’re want for people keen to try it out of promote. I have two boards who need new life and this formfactor with the accelerator is perfect for my uses. Which is multimedia and art using a mix of retro and new tech.

I await any updates with baited breath.
 
Just a small update on the project.

I needed some vacation from Verilog code. So I did some work on the case.
The Chieftec case, that we are using, looks very decent, but it looks like a PC. That's a bit of shame for an Amiga based computer...

So my target was: It should look more like an Amiga. A mixture of A1000+ and A3400 bezel, a little bit more polished. And of course RGB Leds! I'm sure, that RGB leds will rise up Dhyrstones in SysInfo!

So I started up Fusion 360 and made a first version:

BlendeA.jpg

Okay, that was not yet what I wanted it to look like. So I experimented with the profile and finally found a better looking version:

BlendeB.jpg

I printed a complete bezel with my 3D printer, but the quality wasn't good enough for mouting it on my case. So I ordered the bezel and the power button at a 3D printing service. I was really impress by the quality of the product.

Of course a simple bezel with 2 leds and a button is pretty boring. I wanted to spice it up a bit. The result is this:

Blende3.jpgBlende1.jpg

Two Leds for Power and HDD, a small Oled that can display the Akiko32 name and will also update on Power/HDD change. A power button and a small band for RGB lights.
All I had to do was now printing some transparent parts for the Leds. And write "a litte bit of" software :D

Blende5.jpg

Pretty much stuff inside the bezel:

Blende4.jpg

Of course, it fits nicely onto the case:

Blende6.jpg

To the left is the controller (An Arduino Mega as the Leonardo has unfortunately not enough space). There will be two control buttons for the RGB band: One for the color, the other for the mode: There are 8 animated modes, all that fancy stuff like breathing, color cycling, a rainbow effect and of course the Larson scanner effect of K.I.T.T. :cool:. BTW, the RGB band has 24 WS2812 leds.

In direct comparison with the original case, I'd suggest that the new bezel is more Amiga like:

Blende7.jpg

So, I have now designed a small controller pcb that can be mounted inside the case that will control everything here.

I'll keep you updated :D
 
While still having some issues, the new revision is near finish.

I've not yet a working RGB pcb, so I want to get that done first. I'd kick myself if I find out that the new board is missing one or more traces to get that extension work.

Also, the network expansion card is still work in progress (I've to write code for the CPLD) and if I find out, that I need some other signals on the header, it's better to wait with the release of a new board.
 
This whole project is very interesting! Bravo to you for your efforts. I was wondering about the case. I suspect it is the Chieftec IX-01B-OP, which is not available here locally.
Thus, will your fascia design match other mini-ITX cases? Thanks.
 
It is indeed the Chieftec IX-01B-OP. Is the IX-03B-OP available in Greece? It looks pretty much the same except for the bezel.
 
Nice little case there. I'd love to see this inside a Checkmate 1500 or Checkmate 1500 Plus!
 
Hmm how it the Gotek aspect handled with Akiko ?? Native USB?
 
Just a small update to the bezel. As a prototype, I used an Arduino Mega sitting near the case:

Blende6.jpg

I called the controller chip KARL, because Karl kontrolliert auch RGB Leisten (sorry, German joke) :D

I had some problems with the Atmel IC first, but after a real odyssey I finally found a working programmer for the board and now the board is working.

Karl1.jpg

Now all necessary connections for on/off, power led, IDE led, the led bar and the Oled are summarized here. With the 2 buttons you can set the program of the led bar and the color. (Of course, there is not only the rainbow effect, but also a Knight Rider effect and others :cool:)

The board is screwed into the case and connected to the Akiko board with a ribbon cable:

karl2.jpg

And finally you can close the case again although untypical for an Amiga :)

case2.jpg

case1.jpg

It only needs a shield for the IDE led as the led bar shines through when the IDE led is not lit.
 
This is almost what the Amiga CD32 should have been, but then with a 68030 50MHz CPU.

A pity you only use a 68030 14MHz CPU, never knew there was a 14MHz version, or is this a emulated 68030 CPU?
 
Could you show us a photo with a GBA 68060 Turbokarte plugged in..?
 
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