Internal ACA500plus

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Don't Panic. Please wash hands.
  • Hi, I recently bought the ACA500plus and I am very happy with it. After evaluating many accelerators for my A500 I feel the ACA500plus was the best choice.


    There is one issue though, and that is the fact that it is external. I do not like this from a visual standpoint and it is also a bit unpractical when moving and storing the A500.


    For my use case externally accessible CF card slots is not important, but I do see that is important for many.


    If there was a way to mount it inside the A500 case, perhaps by removing the floppy drive and placing it there, with some kid of extension cable. Or if there was an internal version somehow, I would buy that.


    Sorry if this has been brought up many times before.

  • The Amiga 500 was really designed in this way, to be extended by plugging in boards on the left side.

    The processor and therefore all the required signals are in that left-front corner on the PCB. Those don't really lend themselves for extension cables as the signals are high-speed (ish) and there are many of them. The only way this maybe work as a product is putting the logic in in the 68000 socket and move the card slots to the floppy, which still require many signals, so a very wide cable, again with possible signal integrity issues.


    Ignoring for a moment that it would turn into a completely different kind product to be developed, there probably would not be enough space around the CPU for an important feature: The ACA500plus has a connector for Amiga1200 accelerators and I really doubt you can fit the resulting construct inside without conflicting with "something" people have installed in their machine. Keep in mind the keyboard sits close above the main PCB so there isn't much height to work with in that area of the machine. And I'm not sure how many will be fine with loosing their internal drive to have CF card slots put there...

  • How about using a ribbon cable for internal expansion? There's plenty of space within the A500 even if just not right next to the expansion port. Have a PCB adapter that has the female end for the Zorro, and a length of ribbon cable, and a zorro male slot PCB at the other end. Possibly even with some clever mounting point holes and shape included?

  • How about using a ribbon cable for internal expansion?

    That's just asking for trouble - it's not a good idea to route the 68000 bus over a ribbon cable.


    There's plenty of space within the A500 even if just not right next to the expansion port.

    ...and "location" is the actual usability problem: How do you access the CF card slots? How do you see the DisMo? How do you press the DisMo button?


    The whole concept of the ACA500plus is "external". An internal thing would just be a different product with a much more limited market.

  • The last reply was more than 365 days ago, this thread is most likely obsolete. It is recommended to create a new thread instead.