TF1260 + (original) Mediator?

[Rontti]

I currently have a working towerized A1200 with a TF1260 turbo and a Micronik Z2 (rev 4.15) busboard. Everything is working okay and so far I've succesfully tested a few Zorro2 cards namely GBAPII++ and ZZ9000 RTG cards and the Hydra Ethernet.

Now I have a chance to upgrade to an original 4 PCI slot Mediator for a fair price, but all the Youtube videos, blogs and forum posts indicate that the TF1260 works with the new Mediator TX (black PCB). Has anyone tried the TF1260 with an older Mediator, do they work together? I'd hate to spend a few hundred euros on new retro stuff that wouldn't work together.
Any tips appreciated!

 

[Timtheloon]

I have an a1200 TF1260 and an old mediator 1200 somewhere in storage if I have time I can create a test bed for you

 

[Rontti]

Thanks for the offer to test this, but I think I need to make the decision to purchase or not in a few days. Or else someone else might snatch it right in front of me!
I'd so love to get a chance to test a PCI setup in an Amiga...it's been a dream of mine for years.

 

[Timtheloon]

If I can I will try and do it tonight if you don't get an answer

 

[Rontti]

Oh wow, thanks!

 

[Timtheloon]

So sadly intial testing is not going well, the mediator boots to the boot menu without the TF1260 plugged in but as soon as I start it with the TF the Amiga remains on a black screen

Just want to check the manual just incase there are some settings I can try before completely giving up I'll also test with an original accelerator just to confirm it's not the hardware

 

[Rontti]

Oh noes, that sounds unfortunate. I'll see if I can find the correct mediator jumper settings online, I know they're out there somewhere!

 

[Timtheloon]

Ok so I have got somewhere and it may have been my PSU

This is me using my Goliath PSU via the normal Amiga 1200 Connecter

 

[Rontti]

Yes, so it does boot after all! TF1260 + Mediator probably just needs a beefier PSU to work. No worries about power when in a tower though.

 

[Timtheloon]

So you can see the two configs for the mediator and the one for the TF1260

 

[Timtheloon]

So initial testing I was using an ATX PSU with an ATX to AT adapter so I don't know why that wasn't working I just tried the Goliath to see what happens lol

With regards to the config jumper it needs to be closed like in the picture if it is left open the Amiga will boot but there was a wierd config number for only one card in the Amiga boot menu

 

[Timtheloon]

I'll see if I can get a basic setup running now with a voodoo and sound card

 

[Rontti]

That's some thorough testing, thank you very much Tim!

 

[Timtheloon]

Well that took me alot longer than I wanted but I finally did it

 

[Rontti]

Oh my goodness the trouble you went through to test this. And it works too which is great. Massive thank you Tim!
I've decided to accept the offer on the mediator (+some PCI cards) and can't wait to get a chance to build one setup myself.

 

[Timtheloon]

Some top tips

Get ghostmix and use it instead of the mixer software that comes with the mediator CD

If you can get a voodoo for warp3D however if you want to add more memory to it an ATI Radeon 9200 or 9250 is a great card to and there is the software version of warp3D which I believe is WarpZD

You may have to move the cards around to get things working correctly

If you can get little heatsinks for all the Mach chips on the mediator and have a little fan to blower air over them these do get hot on a mediator

Update: You may have notice I went back to the ATX to AT atapter and found another PSU the Goliath even though it got it up and running could not activate the PCI cards

 

[Timtheloon]

Warp3D works too with the 68K

 

[Rontti]

Aaaah, now you're just showing off! Just wait a few weeks and hopefully by then I'll have a similar setup to show you.
And thanks for the tip about ghostmix, downloading it now.

 

[Timtheloon]

Think that enough for me, bed time now me thinks and good luck with your setup @Rontti

I'll put all this away tomorrow

 

[Rontti]

Thanks again and good night!