Amstrad Mega PC / Amstrad Mega PC Plus

Hi mate

Thanks for replying. I dont think I will risk the md board as I dont have any spare and after seeing what happened with retrojunkies experiment Im not going to take the risk!

If I get hold of a spare md isa board then I will definately try.

Will be installing the software you gave me this weekend!!!

 

Hi Retro

Just had a look at your site. I like the new layout. The videos/photos are great quality unlike my efforts!

What were the reasons for the upgrade failing? Should you have gone for a 25mhz cpu?

Or was it mistakes in the soldering process?

 

A 25MHz CPU? It already had one of those sluggishly slow things in it!
I should have went for a 33MHz though... Clearly the jump was just too big for the supporting components to handle.
When I was soldering on the replacement CPU, that giant chip adjacent has a 25 written on it... Rated for 25MHz perhaps?
The soldering was fun though! A few battle scars but overall enjoyable! :smile-new:
The soldering process thankfully seemed to be sound... when I jammed the 25MHz chip back on it threw out some blue sparks.
Oh well, it was fun but now I am back to regular old 33MHz power.
I agree the 50/60Hz mod isn't really a good idea to be done on the original Mega Drive card.
A backup / spare card however would be a great candidate for it.

What's all this software talk that's going on anyway? Anything cool?

Oh and don't be put off by my failures, it was unlikely to succeed from the beginning, so many things could have went wrong...
And they did, but it is all a part of the learning process! :congratulatory:

 

Hi retro

I would have gone for one of the 25mhz chips as they are 486 with 1k cache so a good upgrade from the 386 and lower risk?. But I understand your need for speed!!!:topsy_turvy: At least your were a pioneer and people will learn from it. Ive been looking for a cheap 386 sx so I coud experiment but vintage stuff is so expensive! (if only someone gave me some for free!!!)...

Software is a couple of cd's full of compressed dos games! (a few hundred! from recollection). So very cool.

Tried to complete everything today but cant get my 80gb hard drive to work with the cd-rom. I can use my 560mb hdd with the cd-rom but not the 80gb ( I dont know if its because of more power being used? to run it). I took of one of the plates from the back of the mega pc and ran a molex power connector and ide cable through the gap so I can connect a cd-drive.

I tried my dual cf card adapter but it was faulty. The other cf card adapter which I tried a while ago plugs directly into the ide connector on the motherboard but im looking to install at least 2 hard drives (Cf card with windows to boot up fast and 80gb hdd to store all my games).

I am also waiting for a couple of 387 maths co-processors to arrive from the US and then Im done! (apart from a everdrive).

One finished I will put up some pictures:smile-new:

 

Ohhhhhhh! I didn't even think of that path! Ughhhhh, anyone got another Mega PC board I can butcher? Ha ha! Just kidding! :loyal:

That's a lot of DOS, if only I had more time to play with my Mega PC and TeraDrives. I'd take them out for walks in the meadows. We'd drink lemonade and sit under the trees watching the world pass us by.

That's gotta suck, nothing like dud hardware. Was it the same type of adapter as the other one you had?
I wouldn't mind one of those Mega EverDrives from Stone Age Gamer in racing red.
I've got a regular EverDrive and it is kick ass but it just isn't... well... Mega?

Looking forward to the pictures of the end result - How's your photo taking skills going? :victorious:

Edit: @Keropi, Just noticed I was reading up on some CT1350 work you were doing on Vintage Computer! What are the chances! Small world I suppose. I just happened upon one of those cards myself (Rev 0) for a TeraDrive. Trying to pick out a CT1770 as well. So many to choose from!

 

@RetroJunkie:

yeah, sadly the rev0 1350 CMS compatibility PAL clone chip is not yet perfect... IMHO you can get the same results with a 1320 , just add 2xSAA chips and you are set (if CMS is something that you like that is...)

 

What about someone makeing sega cd support socket or plug?

 

the MegaPC has the expansion port where the segaCD plugs, I think all you need is a cable to connect both and it will work - but it will be ugly LOL

 

I got the DOS games off keropi!

I mainly get to play with my consoles with my son, he's my professional games tester at the age of 3 and a half!

The CF adapter I had wgen i tested it was one that goes directly into the motherboard , the one thats dud allows me to connect a cable (hence two hard drives or hard drive and cd-rom). (does anyone know why the 80gb hdd wont work with my cd rom btw? - works fine with the 560mb hdd).

I think I will go for a mega everdrive to save precious few seconds of my life!

Ive borrowed a decent camera of my brother so should have good pics when ive finished!

 

oh, I can highly recommend the MEGA-ED , it's awesome

 

Im waiting for a group buy on Amibay as Ive become poor buying consoles and computers!!

I have got a cyrix fasmath that looks like this (but a 33mhz version); http://www.recycledgoods.com/products/Cyrix-CX-83D87-40-GP-FasMath-Processor.html

And also ordered one of these;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110485028794?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

I think the first one is for a 386 dx and the second one will fit the 386 sx - can someone confirm please>

 

I thought 386DX has built in math coprocessor and the 387 is meant for 386SX? been too long since I dabbled in x86 hardware.

 

Nope, 386DX had a 387DX fpu as an extra chip , same with 386sx + 387sx fpu... only from 486DX and upwards the fpu is integrated.
Interestingly the 487sx fpu for the 486sx is basically a full 486DX that once installed it disables the 486sx cpu...

 

Ahh, it doesn't matter. I was after it for pure nostalgic value anyway. I've got a replacement capacitor to fix up the dented capacitor on order now.

Yep, I am going to eventually make one of those ugly, ugly cables for my Mega PC / TeraDrives. Haven't really looked into it too much so far. Did order some ribbon cable the other day though.

Those Everdrives are kickin' though! I'd love one of those red ones from StoneAge Gamer. My ordinary Everdrive is in a pretty ordinary looking cart at the moment - the label fell off too... Bah!

Can't wait! :encouragement:

 

Before my monitor broke down the ever drive cart worked nicely.

 

Hi, it would be possible to mod the Megadrive ISA Card and make it regionfree @ 60hz?
Something like THIS
Thanks

 

I haven't looked into it too much to be honest (TeraDrives keep me busy enough :wink-new. Any of the wizards out there care to advise if it is possible?

Front
Back
More Front
Even More Front

 

CobaltBlue had this setup going in a thread in the Sega section. He used a model 1. I can create the cord needed if someone needs it. It WILL be ugly but functional. The Mega CD port and Nintendo Famicom shared the same edge connector port so getting parts should be fairly painless. I use IDE ribbon cable for shit like this.

ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY IDE CABLE!!!
OK...
Shutting up now...
Drunk ATM...

 

No worries! I've already got some nice fancy ribbon cable and edge connectors for both ends.
I was just going to dremel an edge off a Mega Drive 2 (a scrap unit) and pinch the other end from a 32X terminator connector thing.

I picked up a decent looking multi-coloured ribbon cable. Should be interesting to see how it all pans out.
Testing it on the TeraDrive should be fun as well.
It's on the to do list, but way down the end at the moment. I'm just glad it worked for CobaltBlue which means it is a worthy project when I have time

 

Wow, is this thread really two years old?
Well after a very long time (much longer than I had realised), I finally won a megapc on ebay.
Just thought I'd post here as this post is what inspired me to get one!