Quote:

bhabbott wrote: If that is true then the presentation of this 'X68000' machine is even more puzzling. If they don't care about 'hardware guts' then why the fake case? Just buy a standard mini PC and run an emulator on it.

They are investing a lot into a cool looking case inspired by the original machine:


That's exactly what's happening in the Amiga retro market, those recreations that are looking like an Amiga wedge case are selling a lot, even if you can use an emulator on PC instead.

Just remember how the audience is drooling about pictures of "Fantasy Amiga Keyboard Cases"

Maybe someone should sell the Minimig / Vampire V4 Standalone with a cool looking Amiga inspired keyboard case but they might have a hard time competing with cheaper ARM systems. In a small production number it would mean 300-450$ for the case and 100$ or less for the built in ARM HW.

Last edited by OneTimer1 on 21-May-2025 at 10:43 AM.
Last edited by OneTimer1 on 21-May-2025 at 09:17 AM.

@Thread

Just because this thread started with a recreated Computer Case and because this community is so much in love with cases, have you ever heard about this:


The CX600 universal housing is ready

The multi-purpose case for your own computer projects is finally finished. It's compatible with many computer boards:

Mini-ITX motherboards,
barebone motherboards,
Amiga 600 boards (this option may have to wait a bit longer),
Raspberry PIs
and many more…
The case is designed for an 82-key keyboard (310 mm x 120 mm)



Source (via google translate)
https://www-norths-de.translate.goog/das-cx600-universalgehaeuse-ist-fertig/?_x_tr_sch=http&_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

@OneTimer1

Quote:

OneTimer1 wrote: ...because this community is so much in love with cases, have you ever heard about this: The CX600 universal housing is ready Source (via google translate) https://www-norths-de.translate.goog/das-cx600-universalgehaeuse-ist-fertig/?_x_tr_sch=http&_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Yes please.

I would replace the keys for a two-tone set.
Barebones AMD APU board, with multiple emulators.
Sweet.

Last edited by agami on 22-May-2025 at 01:28 AM.

_________________
All the way, with 68k

@bhabbott

Quote:

If that is true then the presentation of this 'X68000' machine is even more puzzling. If they don't care about 'hardware guts' then why the fake case? Just buy a standard mini PC and run an emulator on it.

Many Mini something retro has the "idiot proof" solution for click-n-play Xbox / PlayStation audience i.e. they are too lazy or don't give damn about downloading 3rd party software emulators and setting them up. Beware of the skill and knowledge gap with downloading emulation software and setting them up i.e. don't be self-centered.

Google's Android is an "appliance" capable OS device.

SteamOS 3.x success is the game console "appliance" experience with the handheld form factor instead of clumsy Windows 11 touch. Microsoft heading towards losing another handheld platform and this affects gaming PC desktops i.e. Microsoft's grassroots user base that targeted Doom for Windows initiative.

Quote:

BTW I feel the same about the TheA500 Mini (which seems to be out of production now). I was going to buy one so I could be part of the next generation of new 'Amiga' owners when it became wildly popular. The Warehouse was supposed to be stocking it, but when I went there they had none and weren't getting any. Another trinket I avoided wasting my money on.

TheA500 Mini is still at BiGW (part of Woolworths Group Limited) https://www.bigw.com.au/product/the-a500-mini-console/p/9900016685


Quote:

Now I have to decide if I really want those Amiga-branded ball-point pans that cost NZ$30 each landed, perhaps along with an Amiga-themed mouse pad. Should go well with my Amiga cap and tie pin, and very rare NZ Amiga magazine from the 90's! If this hardware fetish makes me an extremist then so be it. But if I just wanted to play games and didn't care about hardware I would just use my existing PC. Minimum cost, built-in fully configured 'fallback' and it plays the latest PC games too! (well OK, maybe not the latest games, on a 10 year old PC running 32-bit Linux).

For the current https://www.zuiki.co.jp/x68000z/x68000z2/

X68000z2 case's ARM mainboard can be replaced with ITX x86-64 PC mainboard i.e. X68000z2 case has a fall-back use case. X68000z2 can be treated as a retro-themed ITX case.

Checkmate A1500 Plus is a retro-themed A3000 case with support for Mini-ITX/Micro-ATX fall back. https://www.checkmate1500plus.com/IntroductionPC.aspx

Similar situation for A1200.net's https://www.a1200.net/shop/asahi-amiga-series/ which supports Raspberry Pi fall back.

https://www.amigakit.com/a1200ng-motherboard-p-91333.html
Amikit's A1200NG can be used with A1200.net's Asahi A1200 case.

https://www.minimig.ca/index.php/product/minimig-v1-98itx-6mb-purple-enig-cpu-mc68sec000/
Minimig-v1-98itx (Amiga ECS FPGA clone) can use retro Checkmate A1500 Plus or X68000z2 cases.

Case production can be decoupled from the mainboard and SoC production phases when designs follow certain form factor standards e.g. mATX, ITX and RPi.

Last edited by Hammer on 22-May-2025 at 05:30 AM.
Last edited by Hammer on 22-May-2025 at 05:25 AM.
Last edited by Hammer on 22-May-2025 at 05:21 AM.
Last edited by Hammer on 22-May-2025 at 05:16 AM.

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@Hammer

Quote:

Hammer wrote: Checkmate A1500 Plus is a retro-themed A3000 case with support for Mini-ITX/Micro-ATX fall back. https://www.checkmate1500plus.com/IntroductionPC.aspx

I thought about getting one of those, but it copied the bad parts of the A3000. I intend to make my own A1000 style case for my spare A1200 motherboard (already have an A2000 keyboard to use with it).

Quote:

Similar situation for A1200.net's https://www.a1200.net/shop/asahi-amiga-series/ which supports Raspberry Pi fall back.

You can put a RPi in any case, including an original A1200, A1000, A500 etc. That doesn't make it a 'fallback'.

Quote:

https://www.amigakit.com/a1200ng-motherboard-p-91333.html Amikit's A1200NG can be used with A1200.net's Asahi A1200 case.

An A1200 case that takes an A1200 motherboard - genius!

Quote:

Case production can be decoupled from the mainboard and SoC production phases when designs follow certain form factor standards e.g. mATX, ITX and RPi.

You can put anything inside anything if there's enough room. Back in the day I put an A1200 and PC motherboard inside the same mid-tower case for a friend. Had them connected together via the Siamese System - worked brilliantly! Best of all there was an actual A1200 in there, so we were able to 'fall back' to the original A1200.

Last edited by bhabbott on 22-May-2025 at 06:55 AM.

@bhabbott

Quote:

You can put a RPi in any case, including an original A1200, A1000, A500 etc. That doesn't make it a 'fallback'.

You can put any computer motherboard in a cardboard box. My first external GPU enclosure for a laptop's ExpressCard slot was in a cardboard box.

For "fit and finish", RPi has a de facto form factor standard known as "Industrial Pi".

https://www.amd.com/en/resources/case-studies/dfi.html
AMD used "Industrial Pi" form factor terminology for DFI’s “Industrial Pi� solution that leverages AMD's Ryzen Embedded CPUs.

https://www.bvm.co.uk/products/dfi-alf51-1-8-board-with-intel-atom-x5-or-celeron-cpu-industrial-pi/
BVM shop applied "Industrial Pi" form factor terminology for DFI ALF51 1.8″ Intel Atom X5 or Celeron Industrial Pi SBC.

https://www.dfi.com/product/index/1401
DFI used "Industrial Specialized Pi" form factor terminology.

“Industrial Pi� terminology communicates the idea that these non-RPI SBCs follow the "Industrial Pi" form factor. It's about reducing the risk for the customer.


Quote:

An A1200 case that takes an A1200 motherboard - genius!

The original Commodore is dead. There's an idea being relayed that this 3rd party solution is compatible with other hardware products. It's about reducing the risk for the customer.

Quote:

You can put anything inside anything if there's enough room. Back in the day I put an A1200 and PC motherboard inside the same mid-tower case for a friend. Had them connected together via the Siamese System - worked brilliantly! Best of all there was an actual A1200 in there, so we were able to 'fall back' to the original A1200.

That's a "kit bash". Proper companies like AMD, DFI, and BVM minimise "kit bash". It's about reducing the risk for the customer.

A1200 motherboard wouldn't fit inside "Thermaltake The Tower 100 Mini Tower Tempered Glass M-ITX Case". A customer has to think harder when kitbashing. It's easier when an offered case solution states the compatibility with the A1200 motherboard e.g. CheckMate 1500 Plus's marketing spill e.g. https://www.checkmate1500plus.com/IntroductionAmiga.aspx

Did you assume that ALL customers think like you?

The reason ATX form factor standards are to make it easier for consumers, instead of guessing or applying additional thinking i.e. the "near idiot proof" or "idiot proof".

For big box Amigas, Commodore didn't have a common mainboard form factor when they kept changing with A2000, A3000, and A4000.

Dell workstations don't follow ATX standards, while most HP workstations follow ATX standards. It's full eWaste with Dell workstations.

Last edited by Hammer on 22-May-2025 at 08:34 AM.
Last edited by Hammer on 22-May-2025 at 08:24 AM.
Last edited by Hammer on 22-May-2025 at 08:21 AM.

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@matthey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKvyQqI0oyE
At Computex 2025, Silverstone shows the FLP02 "retro" PC beige case, which includes a "turbo" button, an old-school clock speed LED, and fake front 5.4-inch floppy drives as 5.4-inch drive bay covers.

A mainstream PC case vendor is joining the "retro" look with modern internal design i.e. large front and bottom inlet air flow, and anti-GPU sag. The retro case is designed to cool down the 21st-century SGI i.e. NVIDIA's heavy RTX 4090 / 5090.

_________________

Quote:

Hammer wrote: ... Checkmate A1500 Plus is a retro-themed A3000 case ...

Problem with Desktop cases:
Most Amiga fans are identifying the Amiga as a home-computer with a wedge shaped keyboard case.

Therefor a successful recreation will need a custom case and custom keyboard.

The CX600 case is a small custom case (could be made with 3D print) and a standard compact keyboard making it cheaper than a custom version would be.

Yes a recreation of an Amiga desktop would be much cheaper, just get a standard desktop case and print a new face plate but the fans are looking for a wedge shaped keyboard case, no matter what's inside.

Last edited by OneTimer1 on 22-May-2025 at 02:30 PM.

Remember when Turbo Pascal was fun?

Here is a 80 retro PC case for modern motherboard:

FLP02 Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Kmo8RPrmo
FLP01 Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTkie81Gq1k

Last edited by OneTimer1 on 22-May-2025 at 11:39 PM.
Last edited by OneTimer1 on 22-May-2025 at 07:14 PM.
Last edited by OneTimer1 on 22-May-2025 at 06:34 PM.

@OneTimer1

FLP02 retro case's airflow design is mostly for fat GPUs.

Has anyone redesigned A4000T case for a modern ATX PC with a big fat RTX 4090/5090?

https://www.amibay.com/threads/a4000t-replica.2448054/page-4
C= A4000T retro case recreation.

Perhaps, an SGI retro case or an A2000 retro case for a modern gaming PC...

A2000 retro case for a modern gaming PC would also work for PPC ATX/mATX/ITX motherboards.

Airflow would be important for the large GPUs. NVIDIA's reference ADA Love Lace/Blackwell GPU cooling solution is not a blower type. Amiga PPC is with AMD's Radeon camp.

_________________

@OneTimer1

Quote:

Problem with Desktop cases: Most Amiga fans are identifying the Amiga as a home-computer with a wedge shaped keyboard case.

That's due to a cost entry issue with big box Amigas. There's a large price gap between A500/A1200 vs A2000/A4000.

AA1000Plus (EC020-16, AGA, two Zorro II slots) was supposed to land between A4000/EC030 (US$1599) and A1200 (US$499).

During 1993, A3000/030 @ 25Mhz reached US$800 with obsolete ECS. The CD32 asking price is around US$399. Amiga's multi-media chipset wasn't modular. A4000/EC030's US$1599 asking price has a large profit margin.

For the US market, Commodore's Amiga management missed the US$1000 desktop PC sweet spot. Hint: Buy a Commodore PC instead, just as Commodore management has intended!

For Xmas Q4 1993, Apple's US$1000 price range color Mac LC-III (68030-33) and LC-475/Quadra 605(68LC040-25) for the win.

Last edited by Hammer on 23-May-2025 at 04:30 AM.
Last edited by Hammer on 23-May-2025 at 04:27 AM.
Last edited by Hammer on 23-May-2025 at 04:24 AM.

_________________

@Hammer

Quote:

Hammer wrote: Quote: Problem with Desktop cases: Most Amiga fans are identifying the Amiga as a home-computer with a wedge shaped keyboard case. That's due to a cost entry issue with big box Amigas.

True, but keyboard cases might be more expensive for a retro project, than an Amiga inspired desktop case unless you can use standard components like keyboards:

https://makerworld.com/de/models/160139-amigo-retro-computer-case#profileId-175815

Last edited by OneTimer1 on 23-May-2025 at 09:30 AM.
Last edited by OneTimer1 on 23-May-2025 at 09:25 AM.

@OneTimer1
Quote:

True, but keyboard cases might be more expensive for a retro project, than an Amiga inspired desktop case unless you can use standard components like keyboards:

There are DIY MX keyboard projects for the Amiga. The MX key design is a de facto standard for PC's interchangeable modular keyboards. Major PC keyboard vendors support the MX key standard.

For example
https://www.pcbway.com/project/shareproject/Amiga_1200_Keyboard_for_MX_switches_eee0c537.html
This example offers a keyboard MX PCB base for A1200.

The MX keyboard survives the keyboard warrior's durability.

_________________

@Hammer

There’s also the MiSS-1200 (MiST clone) and MiSTress-1200 (io board for MiSTer) that both are made to fit A1200 cases.

_________________
B5D6A1D019D5D45BCC56F4782AC220D8B3E2A6CC

kolla Quote:

There’s also the MiSS-1200 (MiST clone) and MiSTress-1200 (io board for MiSTer) that both are made to fit A1200 cases.

The MiSTer with MiSTress looks good. The following video shows a completely new Amiga 1200 using FPGA (no original retro parts).

Modern Amiga 1200 Build – 100% New Parts!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtPwj9BnNG0

Parts:
https://www.8bits4ever.net/product-page/miss-1200-fpga-64mb
https://amigastore.eu/en/994-mechanical-keyboard-amiga-1200.html

The surprise to me is the quality. Better keyboard than an original A1200 keyboard and the MiSTress brackets and design look high quality. The total price is not too bad considering the quality, I/O, and functional MiSTer FPGA universal simulation for other retro systems. The downsides are mediocre CPU and drive performance, limited memory and lack of fully built systems. Someone likely could volume purchase the parts, build the systems and sell Amiga 1200 MiSTer+MiSTress systems. Still, better value should be possible with a 68k SoC that could dramatically increase performance and lower the price. Less assembly and connections should increase reliability and servicing as well. One of the comments from the video was the following.

korsandede4909 Quote:

It's unnecessary work. If an Amiga design was made that included new technologies, an up-to-date system would be much more useful.

As nice as this MiSTer based hardware is, much better value Amiga hardware is required to improve economies of scale enough for mass production of Amiga systems again. The RGL THEA1200 may come closer at half the price or less but with less quality and versatility. It should be possible to have sub $/€ 200 mass produced 68k SoC based systems and sub $/€ 100 mass produced 68k SoC based SBCs without compromising quality or "new technologies". Without reaching these price thresholds and significantly improving value, RPis, RPi clones, VisionFive 2, etc. SBCs will continue to dominate the retro market even though they are not retro. The hardware guts are important if wanting to competitively produce retro computers again as this is what is missing currently with the facade available for noncompetitive 68k retro hardware.

@matthey

That Mechanical Keyboard Amiga 1200's €185.50 has the usual Amiga tax since the Corsair K70 core (MX Red) has €99.99 via Corsair's online store.

https://de.pcpartpicker.com/product/NkRwrH/corsair-k70-core-rgb-wired-gaming-keyboard-ch-910991e-de
Corsair K70 core (MX Red switches) has €82.00 via Amazon DE.

PS; I prefer MX Red switches.

------------

https://liliputing.com/odroid-h4-is-a-mini-pc-board-with-intel-alder-lake-n-that-sells-for-99-and-up/
ODROID-H4 is a mini PC board with Intel Alder Lake-N that sells for US$99. Intel is competing against the likes of RPi 5.

Last edited by Hammer on 26-May-2025 at 02:58 AM.
Last edited by Hammer on 26-May-2025 at 02:35 AM.

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@kolla

Quote:

kolla wrote: @Hammer There’s also the MiSS-1200 (MiST clone) and MiSTress-1200 (io board for MiSTer) that both are made to fit A1200 cases.

MiSS-1200 is not a full A1200 clone due to missing C= A1200 expansion capability.

Need to combine the efforts from MiSS-1200 and ACA500's A1200 expansion port capability.

A1200 expansion port capability allows for 68060 rev6 (e.g. TF1260), AC68080 V4/SAGA, and PiStorm32-Emu68-CM4 options.

Last edited by Hammer on 26-May-2025 at 02:46 AM.

_________________

@Hammer

Quote:

Hammer wrote: You can put any computer motherboard in a cardboard box. My first external GPU enclosure for a laptop's ExpressCard slot was in a cardboard box.

My latest retro PC build was on a cardboard box. Sadly when I put the 386SX motherboard in a proper PC case it died after running for less than a minute.

Back in the day I had a 386DX system on a board - a wooden board. That was my test PC for many years.

I still think $24 million for an X68000 style case that can't even take real 5.25" floppy drives is a waste. Why don't they just release the CAD files so anyone can 3D print their own case? I guess they already took the $24 million so they have to deliver something.

Quote:

Hammer wrote: MiSS-1200 is not a full A1200 clone due to missing C= A1200 expansion capability. Need to combine the efforts from MiSS-1200 and ACA500's A1200 expansion port capability.

And the parallel port is missing too, so I can't connect my printer, scanner, sound sampler and video digitizer.


This is a typical 'take it or leave it' product, the softcore has is fast enough to compete with a 68030/33Mhz, the RAM will be enough for most the games and it has RTG.

If you want more you can look for a VampireV4 Stand Alone or you can buy a Raspberry Pi 500 https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-500/ install Amiberry and put some Boing Ball stickers on it.

@OneTimer1

Quote:

you can buy a Raspberry Pi 500 https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-500/ install Amiberry and put some Boing Ball stickers on it.

There's no retro case theme with the Raspberry Pi 500's case design. My Framework 13 laptop can handle non-retro case emulation workloads and I already purchased the "official" Amiga Forever software.

Last edited by Hammer on 26-May-2025 at 11:49 AM.
Last edited by Hammer on 26-May-2025 at 11:48 AM.

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