A1200 into a Checkmate 1500 plus case

[CrazyC]

Hi All

As I have preordered one of the next batch of the checkmate cases, I wondered if anyone had advice about what else I need to go with it.

I know I need a Keyrahv2 and Sum USB for the keyboard (but what are people doing about the LEDs on the keyboard? The only review I saw said the a1200 ones didnt fit and just seemed to leave empty spaces?)

I need a PSU - was looking at the BeQuiet 300w SFF one.
I will need a longer floppy data cable (and possibly power cable)

I need to route the DVI port from my indy Mk2 out the back somewhere, along with the SUM USB,

I also use a PCMCI network card, but wondered if there was a way to make it internal or neater rather than stick out the side so much.
I have seen an adapter that turns it to run backwards but am not sure that physically fits with a checkmate case?

I need to make the CF card accessible, either via the back or via the little slot at the front but would need a cutout etc for that?

Anything else I need to plan?

Cheers
C

 

[fitzsteve]

Following with interest, I was looking at these cases as an option for my new BPPC/BVision as will be more compact than a tower but more space than a wedge.

Good luck with your project!

 

[CrazyC]

Cheers, I am going to try and update the blog on amibay as I go. I think it will be a few months at least before the case is sent out anyway, so not much will happen quickly. Dunno why I even went for it as am looking around for a new job as this one is killing me. I figured if times get hard then I will have to sell it on but I really hope not. I expect this to be my 'project' for the next year or so. The risk is I will start to look at the aca1221 that is in there and then want to upgrade that, and then.... well you know how the story goes. The case plus the extras will set me back a bit as it is.
I want to tweak a couple of things in the tower setup (so I can see the activity light for the CF card and maybe a quieter PSU) and need to fix a dead key on the keyboard for that, but after that there is not much else to add to it without looking at PPC (which I dont want to do).
So then it brings me to this one........

 

[lilwashu]

I love the look of the case but the A1200 seems to be a real afterthought - the faff with adapters for the keyboard is probably unavoidable (I would probably go with a Lyra and PS/2 keyboard) but the PCMCIA and accelerator card hassle really puts me off, as do the holes in the keyboard if you use a real one and the fact you have to unplug everything, turn it round and hang it over a desk if you want to take the lid off.

I hope they do a new revision that sorts these quirks out.

 

[KBQ]

I've got one of thse with a 1200 in it. I don't know what PCMCIA or Accelerator card hassles you could be talking about, it's fine.

If you want PCMCIA internally you can connect two right angle connectors before you put the motherboard in, otherwise you can put whatever you want in the slot on the side of the case.

I don't think there's an A1200 accelerator yet made which doesn't fit the checkmate. You just have to actually read the instruction manual for the case.

 

[lilwashu]

Re: PCMCIA, sticking out the side or doubling back internally is not a nice solution - an extender to run it to the back of the case would have been a nice thing to include (if of course the standard allows for that, if not I guess we are stuck with it).

Re: accelerator - you don’t seem to be able to remove or install longer accelerator cards without removing the motherboard and everything else on top of it.

 

[hyperfan]

Hi I am looking at a checkmate case as well. I can't decide if to go a500 or 1200. It seems to me the case was built more to suit the 500 with the keyboard cable and keyboard lights ect.

I don't know what I would need to spend to get the a500 to run everything as I have only used my 1200 of late.

Would something like a vampire, make a 500 run every game like a 1200? Are there any other solutions for the a500?

Also if I went a500 is it best to use an a500 + ?

Perhaps sticking a 1200 in is the cheapest option?

 

[fitzsteve]

Hi I am looking at a checkmate case as well. I can't decide if to go a500 or 1200. It seems to me the case was built more to suit the 500 with the keyboard cable and keyboard lights ect.

I don't know what I would need to spend to get the a500 to run everything as I have only used my 1200 of late.

Would something like a vampire, make a 500 run every game like a 1200? Are there any other solutions for the a500?

Also if I went a500 is it best to use an a500 + ?

Perhaps sticking a 1200 in is the cheapest option?

Vampire 500 would be ideal as you'd get the HDMI output as well. The AGA support isn't ready yet but you can run a lot of stuff in 256col with the RTG instead, things like Quake and Doom or AmigaCD games.

16bit Workbench in high resolution is lovely. Oh and yeah a plus is better as you can easily upgrade to 2mb Chip Ram.

 

[hyperfan]

Hi I am looking at a checkmate case as well. I can't decide if to go a500 or 1200. It seems to me the case was built more to suit the 500 with the keyboard cable and keyboard lights ect.

I don't know what I would need to spend to get the a500 to run everything as I have only used my 1200 of late.

Would something like a vampire, make a 500 run every game like a 1200? Are there any other solutions for the a500?

Also if I went a500 is it best to use an a500 + ?

Perhaps sticking a 1200 in is the cheapest option?

Vampire 500 would be ideal as you'd get the HDMI output as well. The AGA support isn't ready yet but you can run a lot of stuff in 256col with the RTG instead, things like Quake and Doom or AmigaCD games.

16bit Workbench in high resolution is lovely. Oh and yeah a plus is better as you can easily upgrade to 2mb Chip Ram.

OK thanks, so a a500 + and vampire would mean I'm not missing anything from the 1200?

Are you saying the vampire will run AGP stuff, just using something else?

And AGP support is coming?

 

[fitzsteve]

Hi I am looking at a checkmate case as well. I can't decide if to go a500 or 1200. It seems to me the case was built more to suit the 500 with the keyboard cable and keyboard lights ect.

I don't know what I would need to spend to get the a500 to run everything as I have only used my 1200 of late.

Would something like a vampire, make a 500 run every game like a 1200? Are there any other solutions for the a500?

Also if I went a500 is it best to use an a500 + ?

Perhaps sticking a 1200 in is the cheapest option?

Vampire 500 would be ideal as you'd get the HDMI output as well. The AGA support isn't ready yet but you can run a lot of stuff in 256col with the RTG instead, things like Quake and Doom or AmigaCD games.

16bit Workbench in high resolution is lovely. Oh and yeah a plus is better as you can easily upgrade to 2mb Chip Ram.

OK thanks, so a a500 + and vampire would mean I'm not missing anything from the 1200?

Are you saying the vampire will run AGP stuff, just using something else?

And AGP support is coming?

There was a beta core that ran AGA but you lost the FPU which stops a lot of advanced software running, personally I prefer FPU and RTG over AGA but they might be able to provide all in a future core, I've not kept up with progress but I do know the FPGA was lacking space to fit all.

So those AGA only games would not run, there's not a huge library though so depends if any of these titles are must have for you.

 

[KBQ]

The AGA core for vampire 500 was really only an experamental step towards the V4SA, they needed something to test their chipset clone in and the V500 was already there so they went for it.

As such it apparently disables the motherboard chipset to such a degree that floppy drives and serial/parallel stop working. And the vampire team aren't really interested in turning it into something for everyday use, V4 is for that.

 

[CrazyC]

Well the end of q3 is approaching and therefore so should the shipping date of my case. Getting all excited now. I have a few more goodies coming in the post to go with it and have already got a psu.
Still need to get some back panel parts 3d printed to hold the dvi, ethernet and usb.

 

[wazza]

Well the end of q3 is approaching and therefore so should the shipping date of my case. Getting all excited now. I have a few more goodies coming in the post to go with it and have already got a psu.
Still need to get some back panel parts 3d printed to hold the dvi, ethernet and usb.

I saw Stephen mention on the Facebook group a few days ago that the metalwork is expected to be delivered to him on 6th October so the cases should be shipped sometime after that. Looking forward to getting mine too - I've been buying bits here and there for the past few months to put into it!

 

[CrazyC]

Me too - I saw that announcement as well. I should have a PCI backplate for DVI and USB arriving next week.

 

[CrazyC]

And its Arrived !!!!!!
Oh how I want to drop work for a few days but I am so busy. I will need to wait for the weekend to do much more than open the box.

 

[hyperfan]

Nice, what are you doing about a keyboard, did you buy the keyboard shell? or are you going pc keyboard?

 

[fitzsteve]

Good luck with the build, look forward to seeing the pics

 

[CrazyC]

Nice, what are you doing about a keyboard, did you buy the keyboard shell? or are you going pc keyboard?

Bought the keyboard shell. Such a shame I need to get some other stuff done before I can play.
I gave in and ordered the cd drive today as well as I had ordered the case fixings for it just in case....
Need to get some small standoffs as I need to relocate the power board.

 

[CrazyC]

Do I remove the lower shield from the motherboard?
Edit: ah well I did, as I saw lgr do it in his setup.

 

[CrazyC]

I saw Stephen mention on the Facebook group a few days ago that the metalwork is expected to be delivered to him on 6th October so the cases should be shipped sometime after that. Looking forward to getting mine too - I've been buying bits here and there for the past few months to put into it!

Have you got yours yet? How did you get on?