Indivision MK3 - Amiga A1200 Rev 2B - no image - except for rescue disk or warm boot

avongil · Jan 6th 2023

Hi, I have the exact same issue to the T that mister HAM has in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfPXX081w9g&t=78s

It will only start up when I boot from the recovery disk, then I quickly CRL-C to stop the flash, then I warm boot and all is good.

When cold starting and opening up the software, no card is detected (using composite out)

monitor resolution saved to card is NTSC high res interlaced - VGA is 800x600

Any thoughts? I can work around the issue like Mr HAM did, but would like a better solution. Perhaps it is a timing issue, this computer does get held up when playing the Nexus7 demo in the middle.

MagicBox Alphagen:

Amiga A1200 Rev 2B

Apollo 1230 MK3 with 32mb ram. REMOVED FPU - fails to boot with it.

Jens · Jan 10th 2023

Workaround:

Individision AVA MK3 4000D/CD32 no signal at all

I assume that this "Alphagen" thing has it's own power supply, which might not be suitable for an Amiga. Please post pictures and technical data of the setup. The MagicBox inc. website is offline, and BBoAH does not have any details on it. I'd be interested what it actually is, as it may help me finally reproduce the issue and tackle the source of it (if at all possible on the flicker fixer side).

avongil · Jan 11th 2023

I put a 200w flex atx power supply in it. I also finished up all the timing fixes and the machine I can say now has no issues other than not being able to play the Nexus7 demo. I can try to see if the indivison works when I pull the apollo. The timing fixes did fix a no boot issue with the PCMCIA card.

Here is my mutant MagicBox AlphaGen in its current state that includes the Indivison.

https://nextcloud.independence18040.com/index.php/s/SzsJHpqzQBwBNso

This album is a bit of a mess, but there are original pics in here. I have 3 of them, I could fire them up and see if it works on the others or not. Give me a few days.

https://nextcloud.independence18040.com/index.php/s/D3gTWc8zSt2Qejt

What I did was put flashtool in s: then in startup-sequence towards the top I ran the info command in it:

s:flashtool info

Now it boots up great, and it turns on the monitor right away.

So its good, the product is good, Id just like to help you solve this issue.

Jens · Jan 12th 2023

Quote from avongil

I put a 200w flex atx power supply in it.

...in direct violation of the recommendations I've been preaching for over a decade.

Quote from avongil

What I did was put flashtool in s: then in startup-sequence towards the top I ran the info command in it:

s:flashtool info

Now it boots up great, and it turns on the monitor right away.

That's a good solution, as it won't write to the flash all the time. Similar to the "MK3reset" tool that I've linked to in the posting above. You might want to add ">NIL:" to the command line, just in case the initial shell is delaying a screenmode switch during WB launch.

Quote from avongil

Id just like to help you solve this issue.

Thanks - I have a pile of other work on my desk, but I do have an idea to get some additional info through the early CPLD interface that I can print out. I mentioned this in a second thread as well: At this point, we don't even know if the FPGA is running at that time or not, but the interface can give us that bit of info.

avongil · Jan 12th 2023

Ok thanks for the advice. The two extra units will be sold in the upcoming months, I will use your recommended power supply in them. The flex-atx was a PITA to install.

avongil · Jan 12th 2023

Will the CA-PSU be for sale again?

AG

Jens · Jan 12th 2023

Yes - looking good in terms of "end of chip-a-geddon". Not sure if it's going to be this quarter, but definitely Q2/2023.

avongil · Jan 12th 2023

ok, will grab two of those when they come out. I don't think it will solve this problem, but I will test when the time comes.

avongil · Jan 14th 2023

Removed Apollo 1230 card and restarted. No image.

So it seems that is not the problem.

just a reminder - my motherboard is a Rev2B

Jens · Jan 16th 2023

I am still looking for someone who is willing to send his board for investigation - like I wrote in a different thread, this should ideally be someone in Europe, really within the EU (Brexit causing too much headache). Where are you from?

avongil · Feb 2nd 2023

Hey, I am in Easton PA, USA.

I have two more A1200s, I could send you this one that is known to fail.

I tried another power supply and same issue. No go. Back to square one, I have zero idea what the problem is.

AG

kevbrice · Mar 11th 2023

I just happened to stumble upon HAM's video and was curious, as I've never had these startup issues with my A1200. But I have a PAL unit (my only PAL Amiga), and I'm noticing everybody reporting issues seems to have an NTSC Amiga. Does that perhaps have something to do with it? Is anyone with a PAL Amiga having these issues with the Mk3 failing to start on its own?

Lamaman1971 · Mar 11th 2023

Ive had, or had, two MK3's in PAL Amiga's and neither gave me any kind of startup issue whatsoever.

Jens · Mar 13th 2023

I do have two A1200 boards with NTSC assembly, but they do not show this behaviour. I yet have to get such a board on my desk to reproduce the issue. As the engineer says: If you can't measure it, you can't improve it.

Jens