A1200: Ratte's Auto AGA/RTG Switch arrived

No updates for long due to excessive work and wedding plans ahead...

But today... I received Ratte's Automatic AGA/RTG switch to replace my Amiga's UMON adapter.

The package contained all the necessary stuff for different setups:



After disconnecting the installed cabling into UMON, and after installing Ratte's Switch and Software on User-Startup everything worked like a charm!!!

You can give a quick sneak peak in the following YouTube video that I uploaded some mins ago.

Awesome work Ratte!

...More to come soon...

A600: USB plug + HxC's LCD sceen mounting + more

Today I stole some time and managed to finish 2 of my mods in my A600.

First mod was hacking and mounting a nice USB extension that I found in my cables in A600's case and specifically where the floppy eject button took place in the past! I couldn't believe how nice it fitted!




Feeling good doesn't it? (I haven't screwed the case, that's why it doesn't look so tight.)

Second mod was AT LAST being able to cut very carefully the upper part of the case for the LCD screen of HxC SD Floppy emulator could be mounted. Man that was a tough job with lotsa dremeling but more sandpapering...
At least the result paid off and really looks nice.







There is a gap between the LCD panel and the case due to PCB not being able to attach 100% with the backside of upper part of case. That was covered with 3 layers of dual thick (foamy) sticking tape and result except from perfect... is that it's mounted solid and it doesn't move at all!!!





As you can see also, I changed the oscillator with 2xOscillators in a custom PCB that can be changed via jumpers (or via switch in the future) from 40MHz to 50MHz and vice versa


You can also check a small video on YouTube with the A600 powering on.

A600: Apollo 630 fix

OK my board arrived 2 days ago from Sweden, where it have been modded by PG to have a CPU socket instead of CPU soldered to PCB.
Since I had some instabilities with the replaced 030@40MHz with a 030@50MHz... I thought about removing the crystal and putting the former 40MHz one to test...

That was something I didn't expect since desoldering the crystal also removed the pin socket (eye-let) from the PCB along with some track
Ok that was something not for the faint hearted to realize...





I made some tracking through the PCB to find the signals from other places getting them with wire but haven't managed to make it work...
I can assure you that I had a really bad sleep that night
Next morning, I thought of asking Zetr0 "teh fluxmasta" about these signals since he has experience with the board!
Keith was very happy to help and provided a nice picture with the signals clearly:

CystalOscillator: 4pin (14 Dill package)
Pin # Desc
--------------------------------------
1 --> NC (not connected) *sharpe edge*
7 --> GND
8 --> Output
14 --> +5VDC

After trying it... OMG IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM!!! I was so happy about it that made a clean hack for it in order to be able to change whenever I wanted the oscillator.




In case you ask WHY I putted an external mini-PCB with a socket and not mounting it at the designated spot wiring the signals there... it's because YOU CAN'T put an oscillator socket along with the Indivision ECS since the height forbids it!

Well it's not bad after all aye?




One last picture from the 50MHz version working now semi-stable is this:



Thanks tons Zetr0 my friend! You're the ambassador of Kwan!