Indivision MK3 CD32

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Don't Panic. Please wash hands.

    Hi Jens.


    I have a few questions if you don't mind.


    I saw in one of the indi mk3 threads your working on the CD32 MK3. Just wondering how the live mode edit is going to work without a keyboard on the CD32. Will it be supported if a keyboard is found say either through the aux port or an add on like SX1 or Kipper2k riser.


    Will there be a bootable iso which will allow it to be configured and recovered. Similar to the recovery adf ?


    Will there be a way to feed the C= FMV cartridge A/V output into the Indivision. Maybe via a solder modification and a switch to swap between Lisa and FMV ?

    Quote from Jurassicc

    Just wondering how the live mode edit is going to work without a keyboard on the CD32.

    Not "out of the box". The CIA adapter has nowhere to go on the CD32, but we'll have the pinout of the small connector open, so anyone with an SX32-like expansion can do a mod. It's just four wire links: Left mouse button, power LED state and the two keyboard signals.

    Quote from Jurassicc

    Will there be a way to feed the C= FMV cartridge A/V output into the Indivision. Maybe via a solder modification and a switch to swap between Lisa and FMV ?

    No chance for FMV - we've had this question before with the older versions, and it's plain impossible.

    Quote from Jens

    The CIA adapter has nowhere to go on the CD32, but we'll have the pinout of the small connector open, so anyone with an SX32-like expansion can do a mod. It's just four wire links: Left mouse button, power LED state and the two keyboard signals.

    Thanks, can you put the solder points for the wire links on the wiki ? Will it be the same for rev3 and rev4 motherboards ? I had a play with isotool from the dev cd 2.1 and its easy enough to make an iso file from the adf.

    Quote from Jurassicc

    Will it be the same for rev3 and rev4 motherboards ?

    I'd have to look up if Akiko really delivers all these pins to the outside world. This may only work with SX-1 or SX-32-like expansions where real CIA chips are employed.

    If the akiko links are not available how feasible would it be to add a 2 pin header for a momentary switch. Long push enter live mode.. second long push leave live mode. Short push cycles through modes in live mode ? Just thinking out loud.:)

    I'll look into available signals on Akiko. After all, we only need lines that need to be physically available to other parts, such as the audio filters and left mouse button. It's likely that we'll find them on the main board of the CD32, but I'll ahve to check that in detail - when the boards are assembled and have passed QC.

    Quote from Jurassicc

    Any ETA on availability of the CD32 MK3 ?

    SMD assembly is complete, and THT assembly is in progress. I have gotten a single panel for confirmation that all parts are on the correct side and orientation (this design has not only SMD, but also THT components on both sides, so I preferred to have that extra confirmation step in there).

    Quote from Jurassicc

    might as well ask about the ACA1240 / ACA1260 too while I'm at it.

    No ETA, as I want all features to be verified before we announce anything. It's nice to have a fast prototype, but production is a whole different story. As media likes to quote Elon Musk: Production is hell. And this year, we have added levels of difficulty, with chip-shortage (lead times of 54 weeks and distributors not being allowed to take new orders), over-crowded waiting queues at the service companies and workers not seeing a need to return to work, because they are used to that from the past 15 months of free money for no work. I am *SO* happy that I decided not to take part in those "take money from the government"-programs ("Kurzarbeit"), even if it meant much less money for my personal account.


    Most of these (post-) Covid-effects are really external effects on iComp. We're not on a budget, and we have the full work force. It's just that supply chains have been interrupted, and you'll see a few things in the next months from us that are reactions to these external effects.

    Just got a confirmation for THT assembly of the A4000D/CD32 version - still, a delivery date is not precisely known, as the metal back plate isn't finished yet (sample due some time early next week, mass-production confirmed for the first week of july), and the longer cables between the CIA adapter and the flicker fixer are also confirmed for "late June". These cables are manufactured in China, so we have the uncertainty of DHL express: What DHL calls express is maybe 1 day in transit and then 14 days stuck in customs. I won't start pre-orders unless these have passed through customs.


    The other two things (THT assembly and laser cutting/bending the metal back plate) are made in Germany, so I don't expect major delays there.

    Making progress! I have updated the shop page to show the product, pre-order pricing and a possible showstopper for anyone who does not like to bend parts aside on the main board:


    In the A4000D computer, J214 gets in the way. It needs to be bent aside before the flicker fixer can be installed. The pictures show how far it needs to be bent, so anyone who wants to buy can judge before buying if he's willing to do that. The jumper has been put there by Commodore in preparation for a new chip set that never saw the light of day. Anyone who is good with a soldering iron might as well remove it and make a small wire bridge, but I think that this slight bending is just fine.


    Not taking pre-orders unless I can show pictures of the back plate - maybe next week. The uncertainty "DHL fails at customs clearance" will most likely be avoided by using a different parcel service. I'll know on June 24th when the first half of my shipment leaves.

    Look great, it would also be interesting to see what it looks like in the CD32. Will this be using the same firmware as the 1200 version?

    Quote from jd64

    it would also be interesting to see what it looks like in the CD32.

    I'll take pictures of that next week. The unit in the photo was the sample unit that I've sent to the assembly company, so they had something that shows the correct orientation of all THT parts - it's still at the assembly place. Oh, and I've used it to verify if all the parts I got are genuine and working. In this chip-shortage environment, fake parts are a growing danger - especially when it comes to expensive FPGAs.


    Quote from jd64

    Will this be using the same firmware as the 1200 version?

    Yes, this is exactly the same design: Same FPGA, same CPLD code, even the same schematics, just a specialized layout. You use the same tool, and you have the exact same features as the A1200/A4000T version offers.

    Here's a quick snap of the MK3 installed in a CD32 - and an obvious place where to route the VGA or HDMI output to.


    Pics of the back plate in A4000D added to the product description, pre-orders now open.

    Is the VGA/HDMI cable/connector for the A4000D/CD32 the exact same as the A1200/A4000T MK3 version?


    I just ask because my original Indivision AGA MKII's (Non CR) for both products have two completely different connectors.

    Looks very good. Does the upper RF shield in the CD32 need to be permanently removed or can it be put back in after the installation ?

    Quote from Akiko

    Is the VGA/HDMI cable/connector for the A4000D/CD32 the exact same as the A1200/A4000T MK3 version?


    I just ask because my original Indivision AGA MKII's (Non CR) for both products have two completely different connectors.

    THe A4000D/CD32 version has the exact same connector as the A1200-MK3 version.


    Further, the MK2cr-A1200 version had exactly the same connector as the A4000D-MK2cr version. It was only the first MK2 version where the connectors were different, but the pinout was identical - and that was for size reasons.

    Quote from Jurassicc

    Does the upper RF shield in the CD32 need to be permanently removed or can it be put back in after the installation ?

    My CD32 never had the shield, but judging from the height of the edges of the lower shield, it should fit. You only need to leave some room for the flat cable, which may even be possible without cutting - if you post a close-up picture of the installed upper shield, we should be able to find out.

    It looks perfect on the CD32, does the HDMI/VGA connector line up well with the CD32 rear RF slot? also how does the connector attach on to the CD32 base?

    Quote from jd64

    does the HDMI/VGA connector line up well with the CD32 rear RF slot?

    The 22-pin cable is too short to reach to the back. There is really only one "obvious" position where the connector can be routed to the outside world.

    Probably not this week - the only thing I have done is to check if the four signals are actually available:


    - KBclock and KBdata are on CN13

    - Fire0 is on the mouse port

    - the _LED signal (power LED for disabling low pass filters) is near the audio filters


    All four signals are on Akiko, and all four signals are on the 200-pin connector. Somewhere along the way I hope to find four easy-to-reach points on my circuit board (I have a Rev.3 only). The test access points are no help here.