User avatar
grshaw

Posted Sun Oct 20, 2019 11:37 am

Hey there.

So - I am still in the components gathering phase for my A2000 Replica build. I already showed you guys the A2000 case and my attempts to clean it. I now have received the blank PCB from Acill.
a2000PCB.jpg
Damn! I think those boards look beautiful in blue. :D

I ordered all of the Electronic components from Mouser and they arrived on Monday. Resistors, capacitors etc. Additionally, my donor machine arrived on Friday and I got round to unpacking it today. The outer case is in pretty bad shape. Yellowed, dirty and missing a keycap.
a500external.jpg
However, I opened her up an the internals look pretty much in mint condition.
a500board.jpg
Also, most importantly, I can see plenty of components on that board that I can scavenge. Paula, Denise, Agnus ( 8372A ), Gary, RAM, 68K + DB23 connector. A2000 really does share many of the same components as an A500. At £80 from eBay - it really is cheaper to buy a donor A500 than to buy the chips separately. Only 512 K of RAM though - so I may need to buy some more of that. :D

The next step in the project will be for me to create a spreadsheet which has all of the locations on it - e.g. R1, R2, R3 etc. and to fill in the details of the exact component that needs to go in there e.g. 1Kohm resistor etc. Currently I am struggling to find a source for this information. Acill suggested that I use the service manual for this. I thought I had found this. However, it turns out I found the technical reference manual - which doesn't have the location by location detail that I need.

Anyone know where I can download the A2000 service manual from? Or - if anyone else has already created a sheet with this information on it - that would obviously be a massive help to me...

Also - I have been trying to find some _very_ high res photos of the Rev 6.2 A2000 motherboard. Normally when you attempt a project like this, you would have a broken A2000 board, which you are looking to replace. I don't have that, so some hi res scans of the board would be a good substitute. I have tried looking on the Big Book of Amiga Hardware.

They don't really have any really high res images of the Rev 6.2 board. This one is too blurry.

Anyone else know where I can get such images from? I have obviously tried Google, but nothing else of appropriate detail is showing up.

User avatar
obitus1990
USA

Posted Sun Oct 20, 2019 2:00 pm

Are the photos on Amiga.resource.cx of higher resolution?

User avatar
grshaw

Posted Mon Oct 21, 2019 12:30 am

I found the A2000 Service manual in the end. It's here in case anyone else needs it.


Section 5.13: Spare-Parts appears to be exactly what I need - i.e. a list of all the parts and where they fit on the motherboard.
Are the photos on Amiga.resource.cx of higher resolution?
Yes! This is exactly what I needed.

Thank you so much obitus1990! :D

I think I have everything I need now in order to start creating the sheet mentioned above. Once that is complete, then time to start the soldering. :D

User avatar
icbrkr
Particles! BBS

Posted Sat Oct 26, 2019 10:22 am

Gotta let us know how the build goes.

I've reached out to Paul for a board as well, and haven't heard anything yet. I fired up the 2000 the other day and it was... broken. It's been patched, repatched, recapped, parts replaced and well, I think it's about time we just build a new one.

Since everything is through hole, it should be pretty easy with a good iron.

User avatar
grshaw

Posted Sat Oct 26, 2019 10:34 am

Hey there.

Yes - I will definitely do that. I am also hoping that the through hole soldering will make things easier. However, it will still be the most complex hardware related project I have attempted. So success is far from guaranteed.

I spent some hours on the project today. I have been doing a dry run of the soldering work with a picture of the bare motherboard and a paint package. Experience has taught me to do as much of the preparation work as you can before you start soldering.

Additionally, I found this project with an awesome Interactive Bill Of Materials tool. It shows you exactly where each component goes on the motherboard. It has been a massive help.
https://dev.sigpipe.me/dashie/A2000

Please let me know if you decide to go ahead and re-build your motherboard. We could compare notes. Hopefully that would be useful for both of us.

User avatar
grshaw

Posted Sat Dec 07, 2019 12:56 pm

Spent the whole day soldering resistors. Had great fun. :D Pretty much all Capacitors and Resistors are done.
IMG_0222.jpg
Still a long way to go, especially when you only get half a day free to work on it each week. Still to do: Transistors, Sockets, Connectors and slots. Also need to do some work on the PSU I bought off eBay. The fan needs to be replaced on this.

User avatar
obitus1990
USA

Posted Sat Dec 14, 2019 1:26 pm

How’s your build coming along?

User avatar
grshaw

Posted Sun Dec 15, 2019 1:55 pm

Hi there. I’m making slow but steady progress. Thanks for asking. I did the Resistor Packs yesterday and approximately half the EMI Filters today. I have been using the picture that you posted of your build as a guide. It has been very helpful for things I am not sure about.

User avatar
Olem
Norway

Posted Mon Dec 16, 2019 4:18 am

Keep us posted, this is interesting stuff. I'm working on an A500++, I'm done with all of the passives and soldering the sockets right now. Hoping to get it done before the year is over and then I need a new project. An A2000 might be just what I'm looking for :D

User avatar
grshaw

Posted Mon Dec 23, 2019 12:01 pm

Thanks. I'd be interested to see the progess on your project too Olem. Maybe you could post some pictures?

I have spent a few days soldering. I have some time off work for Christmas. I have placed all sockets and connectors, including five Zorro II slots. Man those were really hard work.
IMG_0225.jpg
Beginning to look a bit more like the A1500 motherboard that I remember from back in the day. :D





Return to “Hardware”