PiStorm

Nagging hardware related question? Post here!
User avatar
XorA
Site Admin
Posts: 1358
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 11:31 am
Location: Shotts, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK

Re: PiStorm

Post by XorA »

Silvester wrote:
Derek_Stewart wrote:Too late all out of stock, I have a spare Pi3b, just need to remove the USB connectors...
No, they are still available, point your browser at : https://thepihut.com/products/raspberry ... del-a-plus

I've been looking out for one for a PiStorm I bought a month ago, so I was happy I got a 3A+ last night. I was considering removing USB connector or using GPIO riser on an old 3B+ but wasn't too happy about the extra 40% power it uses from Amiga. I also considered using a Zero2 but it is only 1GHz vs 1.4GHz
Yes, still in stock today too! Just ordered one (hopefully not the last one)!


Derek_Stewart
Font of All Knowledge
Posts: 3929
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:40 am
Location: Sunny Runcorn, Cheshire, UK

Re: PiStorm

Post by Derek_Stewart »

Thanks for the info will have a look.

Just got get the Miggy PSU working...


Regards,

Derek
Silvester
Gold Card
Posts: 436
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:14 am
Location: UK

Re: PiStorm

Post by Silvester »

Just watched Noel's Retro Lab recent video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouakRDHisew). Good content, gets straight to the point. Amiga boots in 4 to 5 seconds and minimum CPU is 68020. Interesting epilogue on merits of emulation in a machine.

Looks like the Pi3A+ becomes obsolete in January 2023 (same as 3B+). Might be the best form factor for possible QL use, so I just ordered another (also, since I never got one, an original non-wireless Zero - obsoleted in Jan 2022).


David
User avatar
bwinkel67
QL Wafer Drive
Posts: 1187
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2019 2:09 am

Re: PiStorm

Post by bwinkel67 »

Silvester wrote:Just watched Noel's Retro Lab recent video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouakRDHisew). Good content, gets straight to the point. Amiga boots in 4 to 5 seconds and minimum CPU is 68020. Interesting epilogue on merits of emulation in a machine.

Looks like the Pi3A+ becomes obsolete in January 2023 (same as 3B+). Might be the best form factor for possible QL use, so I just ordered another (also, since I never got one, an original non-wireless Zero - obsoleted in Jan 2022).
Over the summer I might play around with my spare QL motherboard to see if I can build an adapter for the PiStorm. Initially all I'd want to do is just have the PiStorm run un-accelerated to replace the 68008, just to see if that would be the easiest way to get it going. My hope is that would solve a lot of the hardware interface issues with the QL.

What sucks is that I have an Amiga 600 which uses a PLCC 68K. If I had an Amiga 500 it would be a no-brainer as I'd just get that board to put on the Amiga 500 and also see if I could create an intermediate bridge-connector to put onto the smaller 68008 socket. So either I get two boards or get the Amiga 600 one and figure out a way to create a bridge for that...the one 600 board I saw seems much bigger as it tries to place itself somewhere reasonable within the Amiga 600. I suppose I could try and design my own but not something I've done before and then I'd have to do surface mount soldering. Interested in doing all that but seems like I keep layering one unknown on top of another. Well, I suppose that's what summers are for.


Derek_Stewart
Font of All Knowledge
Posts: 3929
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:40 am
Location: Sunny Runcorn, Cheshire, UK

Re: PiStorm

Post by Derek_Stewart »

Hi

I changed my mind about the PiStorm as I do not like the Amiga Operating system, when I had an A500, I used to type in all the commands from the CLI. I did not like the Workbench system they produced.

So I have sold the PiStorm and surprisingly the Amiga A500 computers.


Regards,

Derek
User avatar
bwinkel67
QL Wafer Drive
Posts: 1187
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2019 2:09 am

Re: PiStorm

Post by bwinkel67 »

Derek_Stewart wrote: I changed my mind about the PiStorm as I do not like the Amiga Operating system, when I had an A500, I used to type in all the commands from the CLI. I did not like the Workbench system they produced.
The cli definitely has its quirks and it's not the best integration with the GUI. Still, I'm excited to explore the Amiga OS more and IMHO it's better than the GEM system that Atari has, and compared to the BBQL's JS/JSU ROM, definitely better than that with regard to interface (not with regard to the actual kernel, which I've documented on my channel). So there are things to like about it and things to not like about it :-/
So I have sold the PiStorm and surprisingly the Amiga A500 computers.
So on eBay there is one seller from Poland that seems to have a really good price for them for about $24 (which includes shipping). This includes all the SMD components and just needs some connectors and doesn't include the Pi but from what I've read, that seems like a really good price. He's got almost 200 available...


Silvester
Gold Card
Posts: 436
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:14 am
Location: UK

Re: PiStorm

Post by Silvester »

Derek_Stewart wrote:Hi

I changed my mind about the PiStorm as I do not like the Amiga Operating system, when I had an A500, I used to type in all the commands from the CLI. I did not like the Workbench system they produced.

So I have sold the PiStorm and surprisingly the Amiga A500 computers.
I also wasn't too keen on the Amiga OS when I got my A500 back in 1988. It was too slow, clunky and ridiculously floppy disk intensive. I favoured the QL so didn't shell out for Hard drive etc to make it practical to use. I liked the hardware enough though to keep it, the PiStorm will now completely transform it. From Noel's video it looks like a tinkerers delight (you can even open a shell on Amiga to directly control the Rpi). Interesting platform to see what might be possible on QL :)


David
Silvester
Gold Card
Posts: 436
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:14 am
Location: UK

Re: PiStorm

Post by Silvester »

bwinkel67 wrote:So on eBay there is one seller from Poland that seems to have a really good price for them for about $24 (which includes shipping). This includes all the SMD components and just needs some connectors and doesn't include the Pi but from what I've read, that seems like a really good price. He's got almost 200 available...
Can't find it, link ? I picked up one in UK for £32 complete ready to fit, CPLD programmed.


David
User avatar
bwinkel67
QL Wafer Drive
Posts: 1187
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2019 2:09 am

Re: PiStorm

Post by bwinkel67 »

Silvester wrote:Can't find it, link ? I picked up one in UK for £32 complete ready to fit, CPLD programmed.
It lacks connectors and on the PiStorm Discord some don't recommend him...but it's only £18 which includes shipping ($24 in US) so hard to pass by:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/403509520036?h ... SwVXpiHmfI


I'm finally going to get it since I can also get this to put on my Amiga 600 but still have it to play with my spare QL. This board will let me hook it to my Amiga 600 and someone actually used a PiZeroW to get it working:

https://github.com/LemaruX/Amiga-A600-68k-PLCC2DIP


One question, what is the minimum chipset I need on the QL to get it booted? I'm assuming 68008, ZX8301, ROM, MC1377P, what else?
Last edited by bwinkel67 on Fri Mar 04, 2022 10:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.


Silvester
Gold Card
Posts: 436
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:14 am
Location: UK

Re: PiStorm

Post by Silvester »

Thanks. Ebay can be a bit odd sometimes not always showing what is available, regardless of category or search term.

Edit: Just noticed Poland listing states in red ink 'Shipping: Does not ship to United Kingdom'
Last edited by Silvester on Fri Mar 04, 2022 10:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.


David
Post Reply