exxos's Atari, Amiga & retro forum

- H5A Phoenix Platform Edition - A platform for the future

Please find a few pictures of the H5A board. The renders are an example of the board with all the SMT components installed as if it was just back from the PCB fab. The board takes all the features and fixes of the H4G and also has the new 3.3V bus which will bring in new add-ons and more flexible options.

We still have a way to go with this board before we are completely satisfied with routing, cleanup etc. We will update this thread with the progress as we continue to work on this board and the platform that will surround it.

Sweet!

The the ROM decode built in this time? if not could we add it?

terriblefire wrote: ↑Wed Jun 10, 2020 12:35 am The the ROM decode built in this time? if not could we add it?

We want to get the FPGA glue working which will have 206 decoding and various bug fixes So there's no point in adding plds to the board when they are going to be obsolete soon anyway.

exxos wrote: ↑Wed Jun 10, 2020 12:43 am

terriblefire wrote: ↑Wed Jun 10, 2020 12:35 am The the ROM decode built in this time? if not could we add it?

We want to get the FPGA glue working which will have 206 decoding and various bug fixes So there's no point in adding plds to the board when they are going to be obsolete soon anyway.

Fair enough. I had looked for a space for an FPGA near GLUE but not seen one hence the question.

Final thing i noticed. The 68000 socket expansion slots are (IMHO) too close together on the H4 to allow them all to be used. If you look at the decoder board and TF536, or a ROM board to allow us to to use reflashable ROMS they all have at least 1-2cm overhang at pin 1. this means you cant plug anything in the adjacent socket.

terriblefire wrote: ↑Wed Jun 10, 2020 7:48 am

exxos wrote: ↑Wed Jun 10, 2020 12:43 am

We want to get the FPGA glue working which will have 206 decoding and various bug fixes So there's no point in adding plds to the board when they are going to be obsolete soon anyway.

Fair enough. I had looked for a space for an FPGA near GLUE but not seen one hence the question.

Yep its pretty tight around that area.

terriblefire wrote: ↑Wed Jun 10, 2020 7:48 am Final thing i noticed. The 68000 socket expansion slots are (IMHO) too close together on the H4 to allow them all to be used. If you look at the decoder board and TF536, or a ROM board to allow us to to use reflashable ROMS they all have at least 1-2cm overhang at pin 1. this means you cant plug anything in the adjacent socket.

The top row of expansion slots are limited by the PSU and Floppy pillars and the lower left is limited by the Power connectors. The only socket that could move is the bottom right. That said other options are possible with the 3V3 bus it could be used for ROM such as Flashy Clock board or have a decoder board design for it. Will be posting details on the 3V3 bus shortly.

Very nice!

terriblefire wrote: ↑Wed Jun 10, 2020 7:48 am Final thing i noticed. The 68000 socket expansion slots are (IMHO) too close together on the H4 to allow them all to be used. If you look at the decoder board and TF536, or a ROM board to allow us to to use reflashable ROMS they all have at least 1-2cm overhang at pin 1. this means you cant plug anything in the adjacent socket.

It's not the best solution, but you can sometimes get boards to play together if you lift one up by stacking a 64-pin DIL socket (or two) in between it and the socket on the H4 board.

derkom wrote: ↑Wed Jun 10, 2020 1:14 pm It's not the best solution, but you can sometimes get boards to play together if you lift one up by stacking a 64-pin DIL socket (or two) in between it and the socket on the H4 board.

that didnt work for me. There were only 2-3 pain points i had with the H4. Otherwise i think its perfecto.

1. The lack of rom decode.
- I know there is a push for a new glue but how many people will have this or ever have it?
2. PLCC ROMs.
- I dont like these because they arent re-flashable. I prefer the 27C200/400 type chips. Ideally put these on the mobo.
3. 68000 expansion socket spacing.

Literally everything else is perfect IMHO. So if i dont voice them before the board is submitted i've missed my chance.

@terriblefire there are reflashable plcc ROMs as well.. Don't need dips to reprogram. Even so, like iI keep saying to people, the ROM is obsolete anyway as flashy clock does all the ROM and alt-ram stuff.