[comp.sys.amiga.hardware] A500 Exp. Slot VS A2000 CPU slot ??

paulg@tplrd.tpl.oz.au (Paul Gittings) (06/20/91)

Looking at the pinouts of the A500 expansion edge connector and the
A2000 CPU slot, there does not seem to be very much difference between the
two (mainly an extra clock signal on the A2000).  How different are they
really?  With the appropriate connectors what are the chances of an A2000
CPU style card (say the GVP Power board) working on the A500.  I've ordered 
the A500/A2000 Technical reference manual but it will take over a week to get 
here and I'm an impatient sort of person so that is why I'm posting.

As an aside the A500/A2000 Technical Reference manual is going to cost me
AUS$127.63 (through SIBNET in Sydney) even though C= RRP is only AUS$90, and 
the last time I checked the US price was US$45.  When the RKM (1.3) manuals 
first came out some dealers (eg CompuSpot in Sydney) were selling them for 
four times the US price, the price now seems to have settled at twice the US 
price, total cost of the set around AUS$180.  Now with the release of 2.0
we get to do it all again.  I realise for developers or working people like
myself that this is not that great of a cost (besides it's tax deductible :-)
but what about the kids who write those demo programs everybody seems to be
picking apart lately.  If to learn how to write programs that follow all the 
rules you have to shell out $180 what is the average high school kid going to 
do ...

Cheers,
Paul Gittings - Telectronics Pacing Systems - Lane Cove, NSW 2066, Australia
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daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) (06/27/91)

In article <1991Jun19.231808.7291@tplrd.tpl.oz.au> paulg@tplrd.tpl.oz.au (Paul Gittings) writes:

>Looking at the pinouts of the A500 expansion edge connector and the
>A2000 CPU slot, there does not seem to be very much difference between the
>two (mainly an extra clock signal on the A2000).

And the coprocessor interface protocol.  That's essentially unnecessary if
you don't have additional DMA devices, and absolutely necessary if you do.
If you run the BGACK* line of a coprocessor card to +5V, and the BOSS* line
of the coprocessor card to BGACK* of the A500/A1000 edge, and of course make
sure the 68000 and coprocessor are the only two possible bus masters in 
the system, then all you usually have to do is worry about the 7MHz clock.

-- 
Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Amiga 3000) "The Crew That Never Rests"
   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh      PLINK: hazy     BIX: hazy
	"This is my mistake.  Let me make it good." -R.E.M.