Single Board Computers (PC) inside big box Amigas

  • Thread starter Thread starter YouKnowWho
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies Replies 60
  • Views Views 7185
Forgive please. I'm a little bit new here. Didn't know about price comment rule. Noted.

100% - it's all about the drivers. But this Golden Gate 2+ you've highlighted is clearly an excellent starting point.

Totally understand you not wanting to risk it by plugging it in to see what would happen under the SBC.

Perhaps the relatively safe thing to do would be to plug it into one of these ISA only slots for now see what the PC or Windows does with it. Maybe it autoloads a driver for it of some sort.

This non-DMA limitation is a...well, limitation. However, someone with knowledge could maybe address this.

Just seems like a really fun and logical project for the Amiga to allow a more modern PC bridged setup. And that idea of a Zorro card for a MISTer is not a bad one either. For now I think the most feasible way to have a MISTer running on Amiga is to be inside some picture-in-picture preview window on Workbench. Latency would probably be brutal.

I have to be honest with you Timtheloon, your troubles soothe me! I too have a bunch of hardware, which I haven't gotten around to getting it to work. So much to do still, so little time. And if I had this GG2+, I know it would eat up a few days playing with it, so I'd just have it in the vault like you. But you know what...less typing, more doing. I'm going to go get some of these projects off the ground ASAP. SBCs are on the way. But first I need to recap and clean up this 4000, get a new ATX power supply in there, replace those caps on the A3640 too.
 
Last edited:
Hi, how did you get on with this project? Did you end up cutting off the PCI connector? Did it still work? Did you find a bridge solution that works for Amiga 4000?

Thanks
 
@ mvickers03 So...this thing fell off the rails in all all kinds of ways, unfortunately. I have 4 SBCs here, and none of them seeing action sadly. Why?

First, the 4000. I feel like I have to replace the original power supply to push this setup, and I didn't want to do that to this system.
Second, room. I put the IV24 doing lovely flickerfixing duty plus all types of video I/O, including S-Video out, Emplant Deluxe, and I have the GBAPII++ in there too. Plus a A2091 for the CD-ROM. I was thinking that I would put the SBC in there in place of the A2091, and then have a half depth ISA VGA card plus keep the GBAPII++ in the same slot in the Zorro slot - hope that would work. That was the plan, but I never got around to actual execution. Regarding cutting off the PCI pins, it was going to work, no issues cutting off the extension of those traces. However IV24 gave me a solution to consider - just covering the connector, like IV24 does in an A2000 because it needs to be used with the video slot add-on card. I have that plastic insulator cover for the IV24, and was going to try using it to cover the PCI pins before installing the card. I think that's an an option that I should have thought of in the first place, as it doesn't require irreversible changes totes SBC, even if I'm never going to use it in a PCI slot.
Third, I started to think about the practicality of it all. I'm starting to actually just consider a low end bridge board, like even A2088, just so I can run that LEGO LOGO ISA board and LEGO automated system off it. FYI Here: https://www.amibay.com/threads/lego-programmable-1986-robotek.2442972/. It is really my only real use case for this thing in terms of function I want/need from it.
Fourth - MISTer is a real emulation thorn for me today. We're quite lucky to have it. I sometimes wonder about the logic of emulation on the Amiga at this point with this thing in existence vs. trouble needed to make emulation happen on an actual Amiga. MISTer does so much, so well, including the Amiga of course, I've asked myself - why fight it? What do I have the 4000 for anyway? Is it to emulate other hardware today or to have the best purest fancy Amiga experience, with period correct hardware? After sleeping on it for many nights, I think it is that. I happen to have it with a 1942 CRT, some video hardware like IV24, RTG, DCTV, Digi-View, a DSS8+, a hand scanner, a Wacom tablet, AmTrac trackball, etc. Sort of a 1995 type setup I used to dream about back in the day.

So that is why I've put the whole SBC thing in a 4000 on a back burner. I still think it would be awesome for someone to design a processor-less bridging Zorro-to-ISA card of some sort between Amiga hardware and PC hardware, along with the Amiga and windows drivers that would allow choice of SBC use and installation of Amiga hardware as driver under the PC the way bridgboards worked. I say someone, because I don't have the skill to do this. Seems like this would be a lovely product and project, although with the room constraints of the 4000 and 3000, it seems like this SBC solution with this simple bridging card would be a Amiga 2000 only use case due to space requirements, original tower systems as well of course. However, there are many many 2000s out there, and the 2000 really doesn't get the love and attention it deserves. Having a full blown Pentium XP system capability in a 2000, complete with ISA graphic and sound cards, but working as a bridgeboard would be a nice unique feature for the 2000s. Maybe someone will do it one day, give me a reason to get a 2000. :)
 
Last edited:
YouKnowWho said:
Single CD-ROM SCSI idea looks a go. 68pin to 25pin cable from Pentium III SBC to switch, 50 internal to 25 pin cable from A2091 to switch, and 50 internal to 25 pin for CD-ROM to switch and the A/B DB25 manual switcher does the trick, right?

Since SCSI isn't hot swappable, the switch would have to be done before power-up, but it would it would mean that a single CD-Rom could be seen where needed.

VGA switching easy.
SCSI CD-Rom switching doable.
Now I need a way to use an Amiga keyboard and mouse on a PC under PC/2 or USB. Looking for adapter/switch right now.
Click to expand...
Keep us posted on this. Had the same idea after watching Chris Edwards video.
make a,list of what SBC and gear you used.
Cheers!
 
YouKnowWho said:
I've seen a video of someone put one of these nice SBC PC boards into an Amiga 2000. Anyone try one in an Amiga 3000/4000?

I'm thinking of getting this (image) Pentium III setup, trimming off the PCI connector so it doesn't get in the way, and plugging it into the Amiga slot. Pentium III, WideSCSI, VGA, 128MB, should run all kinds of stuff. Windows XP, Amithlon, etc.

Why? Because it is possible, because it would be fun and because it is WAY cheaper, more capable and easier to find than a BridgeBoard. Plus, would be awesome to have XP running inside an Amiga 4000.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Anyone try it already?
Click to expand...
Which board is this?
 
Maybe Chris Edwards can give you a hint? It was his video. Timtheloon has a similar lovely setup from what he shared here. There are plenty of SBCs and many choices. It's a matter of not going too high-performance, because then it's a matter of power too. But there is serious potential here for a killer setup. I think the Amiga 2000 lends itself perfectly to doing this as well vs. tower models for example, as you may end up eating your Zorro slots more quickly with those, especially if you're using the video slot. Timtheloon provided some valuable info about using a KVM switch. I'm going to try to use a PS/2 keyboard with the 2000 instead and KVM(...well, not Mouse, so just KV) switch between the SBC and Amiga. Probably a good idea to flickerfix the 2000, and it's really easy to do so today without using the video slot up either, just to get better options on the monitor side, with a nice tasty 17" CRT perhaps? :-)

What I would like to see is some type of "dumb" ISA-to-Zorry bridge card to allow the Commodore bridging capability. That has to be doable, but the effort required and limited market would probably prevent someone from doing it. Although, considering how much 386 or 486 bridge cards sell for, and the world of PC bridge cards this accessory would open...I think every big box Amiga user would buy such a card. In my simple mind I'm thinking it's a simple accessory card with drivers on the PC side utilizing Janus on the Amiga side.

...after writing all this I can't help but think of my MISTer DE-10 Nano...boots into Amiga, then into 486, Mac, C64, MSX...you name it. So...perhaps that's the easiest and cheapest way to have an Amiga with a 486DX40 Bridgecard. :-)
 
I would try using a mobile CPU. There are also a few frugal versions of the Core2 processors. My short SBC has a Geode CPU with 800MHz and can be scaled down to a 486. It can also offer a few older sound cards that run under DOS. Graphics, floppy, IDE, everything on board. I have a few SBCs but this one is just perfect. I can find it and take pictures of it if you want.

The A314 is another really cool solution. It allows the Amiga to access the PC (Raspberry PI) via the RAM and vice versa. So you can watch DVDs, surf the internet, rip films, use virtual machines, ... and all at the same time. Shouldn't a version be released for the A4000?
 
@NoeBay - I'm thinking most of us would choose a Pentium II/III CPUs, which with a quick google look to be 10-30 watt processors. I think even the mobile Core2s under load appear to be pulling 60 watts. It does matter what you point out - with the 200 watt power supply in the 2000, one has to keep power in mind. But it appears people are running Pentium Is and IIs out there with ease.

Are we talking about PiStorm?

EDIT - forget Pentium I, go Pentium II/III. I just checked power on Pentium III, and lower speed ones are really efficient.
 
Last edited:
YouKnowWho said:
Are we talking about PiStorm?
Click to expand...
No. On the A314 a Pi is fitted. But it is not the PiStorm. In A500 You can fit it into the trapdor Ram-Port and from this time on You can share all over the Ram. So You can talk from A500 to Pi and in the other way. The Pi makes the work and the Amiga can display the stuff. You can start firefox with the Amiga on the Pi and show the output on Amiga side. A solution for the A2000 is also available.
 
NoeBay said:
No. On the A314 a Pi is fitted. But it is not the PiStorm. In A500 You can fit it into the trapdor Ram-Port and from this time on You can share all over the Ram. So You can talk from A500 to Pi and in the other way. The Pi makes the work and the Amiga can display the stuff. You can start firefox with the Amiga on the Pi and show the output on Amiga side. A solution for the A2000 is also available.
Click to expand...
I'm not aware of an A2000 solution?

I'd love an a314-z(orro) version, could even write an RTG driver for it and have HDMI output...
 
Nifty, was not aware of that variant.

I have the a314-fp for a1000 which is great but only 256KB of shared mem
 
I have no idea if this variant works and what requirements it has for the Agnus. If anyone wants to give it a try, I'd be happy to get involved.
 
YouKnowWho said:
What in the world is this?! Could this board help Amiga talk to SBC/ISA hardware?

Software Results Enterprises Golden Gate 2+ - Amiga Hardware Database

Amiga Hardware Database - Software Results Enterprises Golden Gate 2+
amiga.resource.cx

Golden Gate 2+ - Software Results

Big Book of Amiga Hardware - Probably the largest Amiga hardware reference on the net!
bigbookofamigahardware.com
Click to expand...
wasn't aware of that thing but yeah, if you were dying to use an ISA board on your Amiga, that might help... yuck?
for me, the only value in the ISA slots, is if you actually have a bridge-board...

and once you go down the SBC path, i doubt most folks end up using the ISA slots at all (the modern SBCs are pretty self-contained)
 
I still have a GG Bus+ 2 board. I was working on testing IDE drivers when his development machine crashed and he lost all of his work. His name is Ethan Dicks. I can post a picture of mine if there is any interest.
 
Last edited:
CodePoet said:
wasn't aware of that thing but yeah, if you were dying to use an ISA board on your Amiga, that might help... yuck?
for me, the only value in the ISA slots, is if you actually have a bridge-board...

and once you go down the SBC path, i doubt most folks end up using the ISA slots at all (the modern SBCs are pretty self-contained)
Click to expand...
Let me use a 2000 in my example. Normally a bridgeboard divides the Amiga 2000 slots. Say you put it in the 4th slot from the end, take up the Zorro and ISA, you have 3 slots behind it to use for PC purposes including one more Zorro-ISA inline. Since SBCs obviously don't have any Zorro capability, my thinking is...could a bridge like this GG 2+, used behind a SBC in the remaining Zorro-ISA slot on the PC side to allow for return of that bridgeboard functionality, specifically sharing a keyboard, mouse, ports, network, etc. Certainly video signal sharing is likely not possible, but it wasn't possible on the bridgeboards either once you put in a VGA card in, for example.

But back to the point, GG 2+ type Zorro+ISA bridge would be the thing that perhaps allows the return to bridging between SBCs that were never intended or designed for use as a bridgeboard in an Amiga, but in essence turning them into one. Of course as @Magic notes....DRIVERS! :). Drivers/software would be needed on the PC side to recognize Amiga side hardware and on Amiga side to allow hardware function on the PC side. Perhaps a tweak to Janus suite? But with this GG2+ potentially the board hardware design already exists and it doesn't look fancy or expensive to produce either. Since the GG2+ doesn't have a slot cover and has plenty of space, a video signal switch through hotkey combo could perhaps be added for the complete functionality.

...dream sequence over.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

aaronkatrini
Sold Intel S370 SBC Single Board Computer
Replies
5
Views
154
Timtheloon
Timtheloon
Half-Saint
Sold Nexcom PEAK555VL-AK Rev. D ISA Industrial Motherboard SBC Single Board Computer
Replies
7
Views
328
DeluxePiantXX
DeluxePiantXX
A
  • Locked
Closed Single Board Computer Pentium 233MMX for A1200 Fast Ram
Replies
6
Views
553
wmsteele
wmsteele
aaronkatrini
Sold Advantech PCA-6145B/45L Single Board Computer Intel DX4-100 SBC ISA
Replies
2
Views
285
kalgon
kalgon
M
  • Locked
Sold Advantech Pentium4 Single Board Computer.
Replies
4
Views
577
MicKnvL
M
Back
Top Bottom