a2232
Differences
This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.
Both sides previous revisionPrevious revisionNext revision | Previous revision | ||
a2232 [2018/08/25 16:02] – wiki_admin | a2232 [2021/09/19 18:00] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1 | ||
---|---|---|---|
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
- | ====== | + | **Commodore A2232 Serial Expansion Board** |
- | The A2232 Multiport Serial Card is a standard 100-pin Zorro II expansion card for the Amiga (A2000, A3000, A4000). It provides the Amiga with 7 additional | + | Launched in 1990, the A2232 is a standard 100-pin Zorro II expansion card for the big-box Amigas |
+ | |||
+ | For more serial channels additional A2232 boards can be plugged into the system at the same time. Up to five boards | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
===== Hardware ===== | ===== Hardware ===== | ||
- | The A2232 has its own MOS 65CE20 processor running at 3.58 Mhz and 16 kB of RAM (addressable by the Amiga' | + | {{https:// |
+ | |||
+ | The A2232 has its own MOS 65CE20 processor running at 3.58Mhz and has 16kB of RAM (addressable by the Amiga' | ||
There are at least two revisions of the board: | There are at least two revisions of the board: | ||
- | Rev 4 boards | + | * Rev 4 boards: 7x MOS Technology 6551 ACIA (Asynchronous Communications Interface Adapter) |
- | Rev 6 boards | + | |
Silkscreen next to the Zorro connector says BERLIN/ | Silkscreen next to the Zorro connector says BERLIN/ | ||
- | The board originally | + | The board came with user manual |
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
==== Enhancements and modifications ==== | ==== Enhancements and modifications ==== | ||
- | Up to 57600 on all ports using a custom device and hardware modification: | + | Up to 57600 on all ports using a custom device-file and hardware modification: |
- | Several sites also refer to mods for up to 115200 bps speeds (on all ports? Link?). Amiga.resource.cx also has a photo of a board with a title "Rev 6 board with RTS/CTS handshake mod". Another modification is to replace the 1.84 Mhz oscillator with a 3.68 Mhz one. This doubles the baud rates but the software won't know about this so the user must keep this in mind when using the board. | + | |
+ | Several sites also refer to mods for up to 115200 bps speeds (on all ports? Link? | ||
+ | |||
+ | Amiga.resource.cx also has a photo of a board with a title [[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | Another modification is to replace the 1.84Mhz oscillator with a 3.68Mhz one. This doubles the baud rates but the software won't know about this so the user must keep this in mind when using the board. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
- | === Connectors and pinouts === | + | ==== Serial port pinouts |
The connector nearest to the Zorro connector of the board (leftmost) is the first serial port. | The connector nearest to the Zorro connector of the board (leftmost) is the first serial port. | ||
- | The board uses seven mini 8-pin DIN connectors (similar to the S-Video or PS/2, but more pins) to fit all the connectors to the end plate of a single expansion board. | + | The board uses seven mini 8-pin DIN connectors (similar to the serial ports in Apple Macintosh computers) to fit all the connectors to the end plate of a single expansion board. |
{{ : | {{ : | ||
Line 64: | Line 79: | ||
If you only plan to build a single cable and use that with a modern machine thrue an USB-serial adapter (9-pin), you can build a null-modem included connection that plugs straight into the USB-adapter. | If you only plan to build a single cable and use that with a modern machine thrue an USB-serial adapter (9-pin), you can build a null-modem included connection that plugs straight into the USB-adapter. | ||
- | Alternative null-modem cable pinout (8-pin mini DIN male -> DB9 female) | + | <table label> |
+ | < | ||
+ | |8-pin mini DIN|DB9| | ||
+ | |1|3| | ||
+ | |2|2| | ||
+ | |3|4| | ||
+ | |4|7| | ||
+ | |5|8| | ||
+ | |6|6| | ||
+ | |7|1| | ||
+ | |8|5| | ||
+ | </ | ||
- | 8-pin mini DIN -> DB9 | + | // Thanks to mackbw on English Amiga Board forums for providing the pinouts of the original cables! // |
- | 1 -> 3 | + | |
- | 2 -> 2 | + | |
- | 3 -> 4 | + | |
- | 4 -> 7 | + | |
- | 5 -> 8 | + | |
- | 6 -> 6 | + | |
- | 7 -> 1 | + | |
- | 8 -> 5 | + | |
- | Editors notes: I had lot of problems finding a working pinout of the mini din connector. Commodore' | + | ---- |
- | == Usage == | + | ===== Using the serial ports ===== |
- | In Workbench the ports can be accessed using the serial.device driver (ver 33.11 from 1990 and newer, install disk available at Amiga.resource.cx) with the following unit numbers: | + | ==== Amix ==== |
- | Unit 0 -> default | + | In Amiga UNIX the first port of the A2232 is available at **/ |
- | Unit 1 -> Amiga' | + | |
- | Unit 2 -> A2232' | + | Probably the main selling point of the A2232 was the ability to connect several serial terminals to an AMIX machine running as a server. |
- | Unit 3 -> A2232' | + | |
- | Unit 4 -> A2232' | + | Use the pmadm command to start a login shell at any of the serial ports: |
- | Unit 5 -> A2232' | + | < |
- | Unit 6 -> A2232' | + | This enables a shell in the first port at the default speed of 9600 bps (the defaults are defined as the ' |
- | Unit 7 -> A2232' | + | |
- | Unit 8 -> A2232' | + | A real vintage dumb terminal (or a device like PockeTerm from Briel Computers (sadly no longer available)) or a modern PC with a serial |
+ | |||
+ | ==== Workbench ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | In Workbench the ports can be accessed using the serial.device driver (ver 33.11 from 1990 and newer, install disk available at [[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | <table label> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |Unit 0|default | | ||
+ | |Unit 1|Amiga' | ||
+ | |Unit 2|A2232' | ||
+ | |Unit 3|A2232' | ||
+ | |Unit 4|A2232' | ||
+ | |Unit 5|A2232' | ||
+ | |Unit 6|A2232' | ||
+ | |Unit 7|A2232' | ||
+ | |Unit 8|A2232' | ||
+ | </ | ||
- | If several A2232 boards are installed, the second board' | + | Unit 0, the default setting can be set in Workbench' |
- | In Amiga UNIX, the first port of the A2232 is known as / | + | If several A2232 boards are installed (up to five), the second |
- | Probably the main selling point of the A2232 was the ability to connect several serial terminals to an AMIX machine. To start a login shell at any of the serial ports, use pmadm: pmadm -e -p serial | + | ---- |
- | == Sources: == | + | ===== Sources |
- | A2232 System schematics | + | * A2232 System schematics |
- | http:// | + | |
- | http:// | + | |
- | Wikimedia Commons (mini 8-pin DIN diagram) | + | |
- | Thanks to mackbw on English Amiga Board for information on the pinouts! | + | |
a2232.1535205749.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/09/19 17:58 (external edit)