Hi everyone,

First I’d like to say thanks to all the people who have expressed interest, followed and supported my projects during the years.

You know who you are…

Secondly I’d like to point out a couple of things:

1) This has been created during the last 7 years (on and off, every time I saved some money I’d work on it), I made lots of different prototypes but wasn’t happy with any of them

2) It’s a one-man project (self imposed masochistic challenge), I designed the thing, I raised the money, I used my time, nobody else was harmed apart from a few patient people (sorry to have bothered you so much with all my questions and requests)

3) I bash things together in a garage, there is no fancy design studio in sunny California actually quite the opposite! All the photos were taken at home with a mobile phone (sorry about the quality) and sometimes I dragged the table outside as light is not very good at the moment (where has the sun gone?!)

4) The original all aluminium X500 PLUS became too expensive to make, the keyboard started becoming difficult to source and a minimum of 1000 pieces were needed...so I scrapped the project and with it the time and cash spent. But the aluminium core is still there.

5) The X500 PLUS has grown lots through the years, from a one off personal A500 replacement case to a full blown project with the following targets:

To support powerful x86 boards (mini-itx and flex-atx boards). Why? Because you can then build and customise your own retro but powerful and modern wedge shaped machine. You might want to run AROS, Windows, Linux, WinUAE, build your Natami machine (I think the Natami in the black version of the X500 PLUS would look excellent, the logo really suits it) etc…etc…

To support the SAM boards by ACube running OS4. Why? Because it makes sense.

There are some limitations of course; being only 58mm high you’ll need to use processors heatsinks that fit (my Intel i3 came with the right low profile heatsink for example).

There is no need to do anything with the SAMs obviously, maybe just file the I/O panel a bit.

Don’t go too mad, as you’ll be using a picoPSU (of your choice and they come in 80, 90, 120, 150 and 160W) so power is at a premium and also you need to consider heat generated.

Right now the X500 PLUS shown in the video has an Intel i3 cpu running at 2.5GHz on a gigabyte motherboard with 8GB DDR3 RAM (16GB supported), onboard Intel HD 2000/3000 graphic chip, USB3.0, HDMI ports, VGA and a x16 PCI-Express slot, here I have connected an ATI Radeon HD 6570 2GB graphics card. This is one of the most powerful low profile cards you can get and it does get hot but it runs games such as Mass Effect 3 really well. My set up also has a 150W picoPSU with external 150W brick. See video.

To offer a full size, easy to find, standard keyboard. I have bought and tested several keyboards (I have no idea what I am going to do with them all) and this felt right and ideal for this type of design.

It’s quite a good one, chiclet keyboard and it comes in white or black, hence the case will be white or black. It is an Emprex 6310U keyboard and I can only find them with the U.K. layout so if you want you can buy the case without the keyboard and get your localised version yourself.
The adhesives for the Amiga keys “A” are available from Acube, amigakit and others. They should fit nicely over the rounded Windows logos.

To offer hacking/customising/modding potential.

To offer one low profile expansion slot. Length and thickness (no dual slot) limit of the card applies, the ATI HD 6570 2GB above is 170mm long for example and it fits nicely.

To have enough space inside for a slim DVD-RW (in the video you can see a black version and a white version), a 3.5” multi card reader (in the video you can see white, grey and black ones, here you could put a floppy disk drive but it’s for the brave), two to three 2.5” Hard Disk or Solid State Drives (I recommend the SSDs as they have no moving parts, they are faster, silent and don’t generate heat).

Being able to replace the LEDs if you want to, I know it might sound silly but I always wanted to replace the colour of my LEDs on cases with dodgy colour combination (Red and Blue for example). I like Blue and Orange. I made a custom LED window to accept 3mm tailed LEDs.

The power switch is a bog standard Reset switch, available anywhere; it’s positioned underneath the right side of the keyboard and can be easily replaced if it becomes faulty for example.

Left to do: not much, I want to improve the airflow a bit, I might add more vent slots, back, rear, top and base and see if I can include a Fractal Design silent 40mm fan, like the one in the video. The Scythe silent 40mm (I have tested both) is also a good one.

Maybe reduce the size of the LEDs and also spray the aluminium base in black and in white to compare it to the “natural” aluminium one). I am thinking all black for the black version. I have no idea how to change the colour in Photoshop from white to black so if anyone wants to have a go let me know.

If there is anything you want me to adjust, now it is the time to tell me… but I can only change small things.

A minimum of 50 orders is necessary to go ahead, the case is made of lots of parts so I will be assembling them one by one…so please be patient.

You will have to use your best pc building skills to make it nice and tidy inside, routing cables the proper way and allow good airflow, I’ll see if I can provide cable ties.

If successful expect more projects coming your way...together with one collaboration with Acube. But that was supposed to be a secret…


Crank the volume right up and select HD...

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieDfpMM8faQ&feature=channel&list=UL

I'll update my page when I get a bit of rest...I am exhausted!

Usual email: amigarulez@hotmail.com

Have fun and thanks again.

PS: I have no idea on how to embed a photo of it, any kind soul?

Edit: It's slightly shorter and thinner (slimmer) than the original A500, someone was asking...

Last edited by TheDaddy on 04-May-2012 at 11:42 AM.
Last edited by TheDaddy on 03-May-2012 at 10:48 PM.

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www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

@TheDaddy

e che te l.o dico a fare...
un'opera d'arte...
non oso chiedere i lprezzo. ma sappi che sto sbavando.
translated:
really a masterpiece...

@TheDaddy

What excellent news, so sad there is no money stashed to pre-order one.
Hope it will generate interest from batch to batch and even for e.g. AmiKit and Vesalia pre ordering or distribution.

Also its nice Natami got OS (AROS 68k) and this case, 68k lovers needs some drivers and boards

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Future Acube and MOS supporter, fi di good, nothing fi di unprofessionals. Learn it harder way!

@TheDaddy

AWESOME case

congrats & thank you Loriano

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c64-2sids, A1000, A1200T-060@50(finally working!),A4000-CSMKIII
! My Master Miggies- Amiga 1000 & AmigaOne X1000 !
mancave-ramblings
X1000 I BELIEVE

@TheDaddy

Congratulations !!!!!!!!!!!!! You made it. Looks perfect !

Last edited by Tomppeli on 03-May-2012 at 11:11 PM.

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Rock lobster bit me. My Workbench has always preferences. X1000 + AmigaOS4.1 FE
"Anyone can build a fast CPU. The trick is to build a fast system." -Seymour Cray

I've just cleared this same post in the "News" section. I'd commented there first, so I'll do a quick cut & paste:

Quote:

Fantastic work! I love the way the X500Plus seems like a natural evolution from the Minimig design. Something I would like to see on your website is a set of diagrams showing how different boards are fixed insde the case and where their ports are accessed (Minimig, FPGA Arcade, standard PC designs, etc). I hope nobody tries to steal these designs off you. Make sure you have a proper copyright in place as some people have been know to take designs that are not theirs and pass them off as their own.

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AmigaOne X1000, A4000(T), A3000, A2000, A1200(T), A1200, A500, CD32, Minimig+ARM, FPGA Arcade, Chameleon64, C-One, C128, C128D, C64C, C64, VIC-20, CBM 8032, CBM4032, Efika, Ultimate64

@TheDaddy

Ho visto il video ed è davvero fantastico 'sto case, incredibile che tu l'abbia fatto in casa e da solo !

Complimenti davvero

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BACK FOR THE FUTURE

http://www.betatesting.it/backforthefuture

Sam440ep Flex 800 Mhz 1 GB Ram + AmigaOS 4.1 Update 6
AmigaOne XE G3 800 Mhz - 640 MB Ram - Radeon 9200 SE + AmigaOS 4.1 Update 6

@TheDaddy

I actually think this looks a lot nicer than your original silver metal design! Well done :)

Last edited by danwood on 04-May-2012 at 01:18 AM.
Last edited by danwood on 04-May-2012 at 01:17 AM.

nice.Bet black would look good too.what kind of price range are we looking at?
How was it made?How did you shape the plastic etc?

@TheDaddy

Wow! What a fantastic project, I hope you get lots of orders to reclaim some (or all) the expense you have made! It looks very professional in design and construction, would love to see one close up in the flesh.

I already have a SAM460 and would consider getting one of these babes, it looks a really good option for people thinking about jumping back into the Amiga NG scene and having a unique retro style case, a match made in heaven me thinks

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SAM 460 with 2GB or RAM, 1000GB HD, 4 port SATA, DVDRW drive and Radeon HD 4650 GFX card.

@rebraist

Grazie...devo fare i conti, faro' sapere il prezzo...ciao.

Need to calculate costs etc...I'll let you know about the price.

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www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

@everyone

Thanks for your feedback, appreciated...

There are a couple of things I need to sort out. I am trying to learn how to use Photoshop and render it in black...otherwise I need to make a black prototype and that costs an arm and a leg!

I'll keep you posted.

Last edited by TheDaddy on 04-May-2012 at 12:40 PM.

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www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

I am going to be working on pricing.

It would be nice to get an idea from you guys...

Damn this is going to be difficult...no idea, I have spent a few thousands during these years...I'll see what I can "write off" to help us.

We are looking at a minimum of 50 cases to be produced, more than 400 parts in shiny plastic and 50 aluminium bases.
Then I'll have to buy 50 Emprex keyboards.
50 USB adapters
450 rubber feet
300 spacers
600 screws
50 DVD-RW
50 Power and SATA cables for the DVD-RW
50-100 Fractal Design silent fans 40mm
50 3.5" internal card readers (not sure if white are available still)
100 LEDs
300 cable ties
50 switches
a load of glue gun stuff

and a massive amount of patience

Last edited by TheDaddy on 04-May-2012 at 06:09 PM.

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www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

I have quickly updated my page, sorry about the quality of the photographs, taken with a crappy mobile...

www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

I have also taken a couple of photos with the Apple aluminium keyboard as I was asked to check if it fits.

It does but it might need a bit of adjustment.

http://www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/applekeyboard.htm

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www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

@TheDaddy

Great pics Loriano, now we wait to know the extimate price

@kyle

Thanks...what does everyone think of the Apple keyboard?

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www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

@TheDaddy

On real Amiga floppy drive is always on right

Anyway, have you considered dropping DVD drive?

Apple keyboard looks fine, IMO. It is not like real Amiga keyboard buut looks cute enough.

Last edited by itix on 05-May-2012 at 05:34 PM.
Last edited by itix on 05-May-2012 at 05:31 PM.

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Amiga Developer
Amiga 500, Efika, Mac Mini and PowerBook

@TheDaddy

I like the none Apple-keyboard solution in the pictures better.

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Back home...

@itix

>>On real Amiga floppy drive is always on right


Yes that was the initial idea but the internal configuration of motherboard on the left doesn't work (you can't have a PCI or PCI-Express slot) and also using the mouse on the right (for right handed people) and opening a DVD drive to insert a disc is pain.

>>Anyway, have you considered dropping DVD drive?

I could but it won't be beneficial in the sense that it won't reduce its height as the rear standard I/O panel is always that high, maybe in the future...

>>Apple keyboard looks fine, IMO. It is not like real Amiga keyboard buut looks cute enough.

It was just to show a couple of people that an Apple keyboard fits, although some hacking is required. We'll stick with the black or white Emprex.

Still can't manage to turn it black in Photoshop, I suck at it

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www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

@Amiga_3k

>>I like the none Apple-keyboard solution in the pictures better.

Me too. And there are no black Apple keyboards.

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www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk