My A3000 - work done so far (pics only)

[HigashiJun]

Hello all,

Here are all the pictures taken during the repair of my Archie.

For those interested in the full story, head to the following forum:

https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/view ... =18&t=6438

For others, consider this as a photo-story...

[HigashiJun]

Next pictures:

[HigashiJun]

Next:

[HigashiJun]

and next...

[HigashiJun]

Some more pics (patience, it's soon over ):

[HigashiJun]

And finally the last one:

Next plans are:

- make the HD floppy upgrade work
- fit an AKA12 along with the HDD podule
- fit an ARM3 upgrade
- try to add more ram (8 MB ? 16 MB?)

and maybe more ?

[flaxcottage]

Excellent work.

That fine-wire soldering is amazing.

[HigashiJun]

Thanks.

Time consuming but really worth the effort.

[NickLuvsRetro]

Love seeing all this ,thanks for sharing!

[HigashiJun]

You're welcome !

[IanJeffray]

<photo>

download/file.php?id=95996&mode=view

Err, that looks awfully like my design for the 1772 HD floppy thing. Which doesn't work for me (locks up the machine). Is that what it is? Does it work?

[IanJeffray]

- make the HD floppy upgrade work

Ah! Sorry about that. The github page does say it's not been tested yet though. Quite possibly I goofed up entering the design - I didn't have a prior working reference to run from, just the notes from Qube server.

[HigashiJun]

- make the HD floppy upgrade work

Ah! Sorry about that. The github page does say it's not been tested yet though. Quite possibly I goofed up entering the design - I didn't have a prior working reference to run from, just the notes from Qube server.

Hello IanJeffray,

You guessed right, it's your design and I was about to contact you concerning that matter.

As strange as it is, I managed to make your board work with the original VL1772 chip, the original drive and also a modded Sony MPF-920E drive.

Everything works smoothly with DD disks.

But when I fit a known working AJAX chip (from my ATARI STE), then it's a no go.

The weirdest part is that my TEAC FD-235HF I had in my Falcon partially works at the beginning, and then the Archie starts to display an annoying "Drive Empty" message.

I agree that the Qube server article and provided files are really not clear on certain points, and I don't blame you for your design, as your GitHub page clearly states that it has not been tested yet.

I plan to test a modified flat cable with the partially working Teac drive and see what happens.

[IanJeffray]

I plan to test a modified flat cable with the partially working Teac drive and see what happens.

Please let me know if you have success. I'll try and look at this again myself (co-incidentally I had the machine with this mod in on show at the ScotABUG just last night!). Some more info on the original thread : viewtopic.php?t=26806

I have not tried my board with the original 1772 - I only tried the 'ST' chip. I'll try the original!

I feel I must have got something badly wrong to cause the machine to actually hang, even in "DD" mode. I assume you're aware that you need to load an appropriately modified ADFS module to use this in "HD" mode?

[HigashiJun]

Please let me know if you have success. I'll try and look at this again myself (co-incidentally I had the machine with this mod in on show at the ScotABUG just last night!). Some more info on the original thread : viewtopic.php?t=26806

I have not tried my board with the original 1772 - I only tried the 'ST' chip. I'll try the original!

I feel I must have got something badly wrong to cause the machine to actually hang, even in "DD" mode. I assume you're aware that you need to load an appropriately modified ADFS module to use this in "HD" mode?

I will let you know for sure.

Yes, I know a special ADFS module is needed for HD mode and I have it.

Steve3000 seems to have a mod of his own in his monster A3000, and it looks like there's an extra wire to select 8 Mhz or 16 Mhz. The drive fitted in his machine is also a Sont MPF-920...

[IanJeffray]

Steve3000 seems to have a mod of his own in his monster A3000, and it looks like there's an extra wire to select 8 Mhz or 16 Mhz. The drive fitted in his machine is also a Sont MPF-920...

Yes, you do need to add the wire to allow the HD activation - that's what the "To IOC" pin is for on my board On the A3000, you solder to the top end of R30, as shown below:

[HigashiJun]

Yes, here's what I did:

(I'm not a direct solder guy... )

I was not talking about the IOC line in Steve3000's mod, but about a second one, probably going to the FDD density select point, located near the eject button in a MPF-920 drive. His mod seems to be something more or less like HD Density board for ATARIs:

https://exxosforum.co.uk/atari/last/flo ... ex.htm#HD7

[sP1d3r]

Hi HigashiJun

Nice repair/refurb/upgrade but one thing I noticed is that you can relocate the yellow triangle on the psu cover up or down and open the hole to improve the psu cooling.
Can I ask how the fan is fixed to the VIDC?

[HigashiJun]

Hi HigashiJun

Nice repair/refurb/upgrade but one thing I noticed is that you can relocate the yellow triangle on the psu cover up or down and open the hole to improve the psu cooling.
Can I ask how the fan is fixed to the VIDC?

Yes, I noticed that hot air was coming through that hole while open.

I'm still hesitating whether to leave it open, thus relocating the sticker, or as it is...

The fan is fixed with double sided tape, and the fan used for cooling the VIDC is something like the following one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/235017187512?c ... 1&mkcid=28

A perfect fit under the FDD.

[sP1d3r]

The fan is fixed with double sided tape, and the fan used for cooling the VIDC is something like the following one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/235017187512?c ... 1&mkcid=28

A perfect fit under the FDD.

Ah, I see, the fan is on a heatsink and the heatsink is taped onto the VIDC, a nice solution.

Thanks, much appreciated.

[James_Woodcock]

Wow looked a huge amount of work, so pleased it’s working for you after all this effort

[HigashiJun]

Ah, I see, the fan is on a heatsink and the heatsink is taped onto the VIDC, a nice solution.

Thanks, much appreciated.

You're welcome !

[HigashiJun]

Wow looked a huge amount of work, so pleased it’s working for you after all this effort

Thanks.

Not so much work, but it took a while though, especially with some traces.

[!FOZ!]

Some more pics (patience, it's soon over ):

Proud to see the joystick adapter in use!

[HigashiJun]

Proud to see the joystick adapter in use!

Yup, thank you for this nice design !

[HigashiJun]

I plan to test a modified flat cable with the partially working Teac drive and see what happens.

Please let me know if you have success.

Tried the TEAC drive with a modified cable and it did not work.

[HigashiJun]

Ok, finally received my AKA12 podule and found some time to perform the following mod:

As you can see, a pin socket is fitted onto the AKA12, so I can connect a second podule on top of it.

The second podule will be a modified ZIDEFS IDE from CJE, but I haven't ordered it yet. The current one will remain as it is, ie. non modded.

So if understand it correctly, in order to make the two podules work, I have to connect the PS signal from pin 9 on IC33 to the third pin from the right on SK3 ? Is that right ?

I also wanted to insulate the loud speaker on the right side, since the ULTRA VIDC enhancer is just close to it:

This red rubber cap looks really good, and I also decided to insulate the left speaker even if it's not necessary...

[IanJeffray]

So if understand it correctly, in order to make the two podules work, I have to connect the PS signal from pin 9 on IC33 to the third pin from the right on SK3 ? Is that right ?

Yes, you'll want to use podule select 2 or 3, which would be pins 10 and 9 on IC33.
You can skip the corresponding MS<x> (pin 6/7 of IC33) as ZIDEFS is a PIO podule only and doesn't use this.

[HigashiJun]

Yes, you'll want to use podule select 2 or 3, which would be pins 10 and 9 on IC33.
You can skip the corresponding MS<x> (pin 6/7 of IC33) as ZIDEFS is a PIO podule only and doesn't use this.

Cool !

Thank you, your help is much appreciated.

[HigashiJun]

Just a little update.

The ZIDEFS IDE is now modded and ready to fit on the MIDI podule:

I will now have to solder the PS signal and test if both podules work simultaneously.

The postman was generous today and delivered something I was waiting for more than one week now: