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Hardware

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

By Bill Detwiler March 7, 2011, 5:27 AM PST Bill Detwiler on Twitter billdetwiler

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Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Case Logo

Amiga 2000: Case Logo

ntThe Amiga 2000 was designed to be the high-end version of the Amiga 500 and successor to the popular Amiga 1000.

n

ntWe purchased this Commodore Amiga 2000 (B2000-CR) for about $200 from an online auction. It arrived without a keyboard, documentation, or software.
nt
ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Front

Amiga 2000: Front

ntAlong the front of the Amiga 2000 are the power and hard disk activity lights, two bays for 3.5″ disk drives, one bay for a 5.25″ drive, 5-pin DIN femal keyboard port, and two DE-9 RS-232 serial ports (used for a mouse or other controller).

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: External 3.5" and 5.25" drives

Amiga 2000: External 3.5" and 5.25" drives

ntThe Amiga 2000 can accomodate two 3.5″ drives and a single 5.25″ drive. This unit has two 3.5″ drive, but no 5.25″ drive–thus the rectangular plastic panel below the two 3.5″ drives.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Front keyboard and mouse/controller ports

Amiga 2000: Front keyboard and mouse/controller ports

ntThe Amiga 2000 has a 5-pin DIN female keyboard port and two DE-9 RS-232 serial ports (for a mouse, joystick, or other controller).

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Side

Amiga 2000: Side

ntOther than the two case srews, there’s nothing of note on either side of the Amiga 2000.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Back

Amiga 2000: Back

ntAlong the back of the Amiga 2000 are the power switch, C14 power inlet, power supply cooling fan vent, and external ports.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Power switch, C14 power inlet, and PSU cooling fan vent

Amiga 2000: Power switch, C14 power inlet, and PSU cooling fan vent

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Rear external ports

Amiga 2000: Rear external ports

ntThe following ports are located on the back of the Amiga 2000:

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    nt

  • nttVideo: DB-23 male (Analog RGB)
  • nt

  • nttParallel Port: DB-25 female (Centronics)
  • nt

  • nttDisk Drive: DB-23 female (external floppy drive)
  • nt

  • nttMono Video: Composite (black and white)
  • nt

  • nttStereo audio RCA jacks
  • nt

  • nttSerial Port: DB-25 male RS-232
  • n

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Rear expansion slot plates

Amiga 2000: Rear expansion slot plates

ntThe Amiga 2000 has nine expansion slots, broken down as follows:

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    nt

  • nttFive Zorro II (proprietary) slots
  • nt

  • nttTwo 8-bit ISA slots
  • nt

  • nttTwo 16-bit ISA in line with Zorro II slots
  • n

n

ntNone of the slots are being used on this machine.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Very dusty PSU fan

Amiga 2000: Very dusty PSU fan

ntThere is a lot of dust on the inside of this Amiga 2000’s PSU cooling fan. This doesn’t bode well for the cleanlines of the other internal components.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Removing the external case screws

Amiga 2000: Removing the external case screws

ntThe first step in cracking open this Amiga 2000 is to remove the two screws on each side of the metal case.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: External case screws removed

Amiga 2000: External case screws removed

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Rear external case screw

Amiga 2000: Rear external case screw

ntA single case screw is located on the back of the Amiga 2000. Unfortunately, someone installed this machine’s case without first removing the screw.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Lifting off the case

Amiga 2000: Lifting off the case

ntAfter removing all the external case screws, you can lift the top of the metal case away from the Amiga 2000.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: First look inside

Amiga 2000: First look inside

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Front with top cover removed

Amiga 2000: Front with top cover removed

ntWith the top half of the case and attached front cover removed, we can see this machines two 3.5″ disk drives and the plastic housing for the Power and Hard Drive activity lights.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Dusty case

Amiga 2000: Dusty case

ntThere is a lot of dust inside this Amiga 2000’s case.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Power and Hard Disk activity lights

Amiga 2000: Power and Hard Disk activity lights

ntThe Amiga 2000’s Power and Hard Disk activity lights are mounted on a plastic stand that sticks out from the internal metal case. Despite the presence of a Hard Disk activity light, this machine did not come with an internal hard drive.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Internal side view

Amiga 2000: Internal side view

ntLooking at the Amiga 2000 from the side, we can see part of the motherboard. Some of the board is covered with a large metal frame, which holds the power supply unit, two 3.5″ drives, and 5.25″ drive (if one was present).

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Dusty motherboard

Amiga 2000: Dusty motherboard

ntMore dust has accumulated on the motherboard.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: 3.5" disk drive cables

Amiga 2000: 3.5" disk drive cables

ntThis Amiga 2000 definitely wouldn’t have worked in this condition. It seems that a previous owner disconnected most of the 3.5″ disk drive cables before shipping the machine.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Detaching the 3.5" drive cables

Amiga 2000: Detaching the 3.5" drive cables

ntBefore removing the 3.5″ disk drives, we’ll need to disconnect that power and data cables. As I noted on the previous photo, someone had already detached most of the drive cables. I’ll remove the lone power cable that remained attached.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: 3.5" disk drive ribbon cable and small circuit board

Amiga 2000: 3.5" disk drive ribbon cable and small circuit board

ntA small circuit board is attached to the end of the ribbon cable. Neither of this cable’s connectors were attached to the 3.5″ drives.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: 34-pin connector on ribbon cable circuit board

Amiga 2000: 34-pin connector on ribbon cable circuit board

ntThe both the ribbon cable and the small circuit board have 34-pin female connectors–matching the 34-pin male connectors on the two 3.5″ drives. I’m not 100 percent sure of the the circuit board’s function, but it could simply facilitate the connection of drives when mounted next to each other–instead of on top of each other.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Removing the 3.5" drive mounting plate screws

Amiga 2000: Removing the 3.5" drive mounting plate screws

ntWith all the cables disconnected, we can remove the metal plate holding the Amiga 2000’s two 3.5″ drives. Four screws (two on each side) hold the disk drive mounting plate to the internal metal frame.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Lifting the 3.5" drive mounting plate away from the internal metal frame

Amiga 2000: Lifting the 3.5" drive mounting plate away from the internal metal frame

ntWith all four screws removed, we can lift the mounting plate, and attached drives, away from the Amiga 2000’s internal metal frame.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: 3.5" drive still attached to mounting plate (top)

Amiga 2000: 3.5" drive still attached to mounting plate (top)

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: 3.5" drive still attached to mounting plate (bottom)

Amiga 2000: 3.5" drive still attached to mounting plate (bottom)

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Removing the 3.5" drive screws

Amiga 2000: Removing the 3.5" drive screws

ntFour screws hold each of the Amiage 2000’s 3.5″ drives to the mounting plate.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: 3.5" drives removed from mounting plate

Amiga 2000: 3.5" drives removed from mounting plate

ntWith the screws removed, the Amiga 2000’s 3.5″ drives can be separated from the mounting plate. Small plastic spacers were used on the thinner drive (right).

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: 3.5" drive mounting plate

Amiga 2000: 3.5" drive mounting plate

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Very dusty 3.5" drive mounting plate

Amiga 2000: Very dusty 3.5" drive mounting plate

ntLike the other internal surfaces on this Amiga 2000, the 3.5″ drive mounting plate is covered with dust.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Fujitsu M2532K-19A 3.5" disk drive - Top

Amiga 2000: Fujitsu M2532K-19A 3.5" disk drive - Top

ntOne of the 3.5″ disk drives in this Amiga 2000 was a Fujitsu M2532K-19A.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Fujitsu M2532K-19A 3.5" disk drive - Top

Amiga 2000: Fujitsu M2532K-19A 3.5" disk drive - Top

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Fujitsu M2532K-19A 3.5" disk drive - Label

Amiga 2000: Fujitsu M2532K-19A 3.5" disk drive - Label

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Fujitsu M2532K-19A 3.5" disk drive burned wire

Amiga 2000: Fujitsu M2532K-19A 3.5" disk drive burned wire

ntEven if I had connected all the cables and powered on this Amiga 2000, I doubt its Fujitsu M2532K-19A drive would have worked. A thin wire soldered to the underside of the drive appears to have melted and torn. Note the charred shielding and broken wire.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Chinon FB-35A 3.5" disk drive - Top

Amiga 2000: Chinon FB-35A 3.5" disk drive - Top

ntThe second 3.5″ disk drive in this Amiga 2000 was a Chinon FB-35A. Although the company dabbled in computer compents and peripherals, Chinon was best known in Japan as a camera manufacturer.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Chinon FB-35A 3.5" disk drive - Bottom

Amiga 2000: Chinon FB-35A 3.5" disk drive - Bottom

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Chinon FB-35A 3.5" disk drive - Label

Amiga 2000: Chinon FB-35A 3.5" disk drive - Label

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Internal metal frame without 3.5" drives or mounting plate

Amiga 2000: Internal metal frame without 3.5" drives or mounting plate

ntWith the 3.5″ drives and mounting plate removed, we’ll turn our attention to the large, internal metal frame, which also holds the power supply.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Removing the front screws on the internal metal frame

Amiga 2000: Removing the front screws on the internal metal frame

ntThree screws hold the front of the metal frame to the lower half of the Amiga 2000’s metal case.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Removing the rear screws on the internal metal frame

Amiga 2000: Removing the rear screws on the internal metal frame

ntFour screws hold the back of internal metal frame to the lower half of the Amiga 2000’s metal case.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Internal metal frame lifted away from the case

Amiga 2000: Internal metal frame lifted away from the case

ntWith the seven screws removed, you can lift the internal metal frame away from the Amiga 2000’s case. Before we can completely separated the frame of the case, we’ll need to disconnect the motherboard’s power cable.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Motherboard power supply connector

Amiga 2000: Motherboard power supply connector

ntYou’ll need to disconnect the motherboard’s power cable before completely removing the Amiga 2000’s internal metal frame and attached power supply.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Internal metal frame and power supply

Amiga 2000: Internal metal frame and power supply

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Power supply held to internal frame with two screws

Amiga 2000: Power supply held to internal frame with two screws

ntTwo screws should hold the Amiga 2000’s power supply securely to the internal metal frame, but one of the screws in missing and the other is connected only to the frame and not the power supply.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Lifting the power supply away from the internal frame

Amiga 2000: Lifting the power supply away from the internal frame

ntAs no screws are holding the Amiga 2000’s power supply to the internal frame, we can lift the supply away from the frame.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Power supply and internal metal frame -- Separated

Amiga 2000: Power supply and internal metal frame -- Separated

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Elec & Eltek 420504-SD power supply

Amiga 2000: Elec & Eltek 420504-SD power supply

ntThis Amiga 2000 has an Elec & Eltek 420504-SD power supply.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

ntWhile I normally recommend you don’t crack open PC power supplies, I’m going to carefully remove this supply’s cover

n

ntWarning: Computer power supply units (PSUs) contain components that can deliver dangerous electric shocks. The capcitors inside most PSUs can retain an electrical charge for a long time after being removed from a power source. You should never open or work on a PSU without proper training.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Power supply unit warning label

Amiga 2000: Power supply unit warning label

ntNote the warning label of the other side of the Amiga 2000’s power supply unit.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Power supply unit and cover

Amiga 2000: Power supply unit and cover

ntWith the cover removed, we get our first look inside the Amiga 2000’s power supply unit. Remember, look but don’t touch!

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Dust and grime inside the power supply unit

Amiga 2000: Dust and grime inside the power supply unit

ntWow. There’s a lot of dust and grime inside this Amiga 2000’s power supply unit. I will not be cleaning, or even touching these components.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Internal metal frame removed

Amiga 2000: Internal metal frame removed

ntWith the internal metal frame and attached components removed, we can finally see the entire Amiga 2000’s motherboard.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Disconnecting the 3.5" disk drive ribbon cable from the motherboard

Amiga 2000: Disconnecting the 3.5" disk drive ribbon cable from the motherboard

ntBefore removing the motherboard from the lower half of the Amiga 2000’s case, we’ll need to disconnect the ribbon cable for the two 3.5″ disk drives.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Disconnecting the Power light cable

Amiga 2000: Disconnecting the Power light cable

ntWe’ll also need to disconnect the cable for the Amiga 2000’s Power light. Although this Amiga 2000 has a Hard Disk activity light, it did not come with a hard drive. A SCSI hard drive was available on A2000HD systems.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Removing the Power and Hard Disk activity lights

Amiga 2000: Removing the Power and Hard Disk activity lights

ntWith the Power and Hard Disk activity light cable disconnected, you can pop the plastic stand off the lower half of the Amiga 2000’s metal case.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Power and Hard Disk activity lights and cables

Amiga 2000: Power and Hard Disk activity lights and cables

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Internal metal frame, power supply, drives, and cables removed

Amiga 2000: Internal metal frame, power supply, drives, and cables removed

ntWith the internal metal frame, drives, power supply, and cables removed, we can begin removing the Amiga 200’s motherboard from the lower half of the case.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Removing the motherboard screws

Amiga 2000: Removing the motherboard screws

ntSeveral screws hold the Amiga 2000’s motherboard and attached plate to the lower half of the case.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Removing the lower expansion slot screws

Amiga 2000: Removing the lower expansion slot screws

ntOnce you’ve removed all the screws holding the the motherboard to the case, you’ll also need to remove the bottom screws from the expansion slot covers above the rear ports. These metal covers slightly overlap the metal shield that surrounds the rear ports. You don’t actually need to remove the three covers, just remove the lower screw and then swing the covers up enough to slide out the motherboard and attached metal plate.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000:

Amiga 2000:

ntOnce you’ve removed motherboard screws and pushed aside the expansion slot covers, you can lift the motherboard away from the Amiga 2000’s case.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Lower half of the case

Amiga 2000: Lower half of the case

ntWith the motherboard removed, there’s nothing left inside the lower half of the Amiga 2000’s case.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Motherboard (prior to cleaning)

Amiga 2000: Motherboard (prior to cleaning)

ntThis Amiga 2000 (B2000-CR) has five Zorro II (Amiga proprietary) slots, two 16-bit ISA slots, two 8-bit ISA slots, one video slot connector, and one 32-pin disk drive connector. The four ISA slots will only provide power to attached cards. The Amiga doesn’t have the ability to navtively communicate with these type of cards. However, using a Commodore bridgeboard the slot could be activated and used.

n

ntAs with all the surfaces within this machine, the motherboard is covered with dust. Before taking any close-up shots of the chips, I’m going to spen a little time and effort cleaning off the dust.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Motherboard (after cleaning)

Amiga 2000: Motherboard (after cleaning)

ntAfter 20 minutes of blowing and wiping away the dust, this Amiga 2000 motherboard looks much better.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Motherboard - Bottom

Amiga 2000: Motherboard - Bottom

ntI’m going to leave the metal plate attached to the bottom of the motherboard. There’s really nothing put solder points under it.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Motherboard

Amiga 2000: Motherboard

ntNow that we have cleaner motherboard, let’s take a look at the chips on this classic Amiga 2000.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: 7.16 MHz Motorola 68000 Processor (manufactured by Signetics)

Amiga 2000: 7.16 MHz Motorola 68000 Processor (manufactured by Signetics)

ntThe Amiga 2000 used a 7.16 MHz Motorola 68000 processor. In addition to Motorola, several companies also manufactured the chip. From this chip’s markings, I believe it is a 68000 microprocessor manufactured by Signetics. This chip has the markings:

n

ntS
ntSCN68000C8N64
ntQFJ1385
nt8729KD

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: MOS 8372 "Agnus" chipset

Amiga 2000: MOS 8372 "Agnus" chipset

ntThis square chip is part of the MOS Technology “Angus” 8372 chipset. I’m not 100 percent certain, but I believe it is the address generator chip. It has the following markings:

n

ntM05
nt8372
nt3688 23 B

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: NEC 315093-02 256K ROM

Amiga 2000: NEC 315093-02 256K ROM

ntI believe this chip is the NEC 315093-02 256K ROM that contains the Amiga 2000’s Kickstart code. It has the markings:

n

ntNEC
ntJapan 8939ED
nt315093-02 297
nt1988 CBM

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: CBM 5719 Gary Gate Array

Amiga 2000: CBM 5719 Gary Gate Array

ntThis chip is the CBM (Commodore Business Machines) 5719 Gary Gate Array. It has the following markings:

n

ntCBM 5719
ntTC17G008AP-0025
ntJAPAN 8734EAI

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: MOS Technology 8362 and 8364

Amiga 2000: MOS Technology 8362 and 8364

ntThese two chips are the MOS Technology 8362 (Denise Display Encoder) and MOS Technology 8364 (Paula Port Audio UART and Logic chip).

n

ntThe have the markings:

n

ntMOS
nt8364R7
nt3087 27

n

ntMOS
nt8362R8
nt3087 28

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: MOS 8520A-1 complex interface adapter (CIA) chip

Amiga 2000: MOS 8520A-1 complex interface adapter (CIA) chip

ntThis chip is the MOS 8520A-1 complex interface adapter. It has the following markings:

n

ntMOS
nt8520A-1
nt2887 24

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: CSG 8520A-1 complex interface adapter (CIA) chip

Amiga 2000: CSG 8520A-1 complex interface adapter (CIA) chip

ntThis chip is the CSG 8520A-1 complex interface adapter. It has the following markings:

n

ntCSG
nt8520A-1
nt3491 24

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Bus Terminator "Buster" 5721 Rev. A 318075-02

Amiga 2000: Bus Terminator "Buster" 5721 Rev. A 318075-02

ntThis chip is the bus controller “Buster” 5721 Rev. A 318075-02. It has the following markings:

n

ntL1A3420
ntCOMMODORE
nt318075-02
ntCAA8742

n

ntEdited 1/8/2011: I orginally noted that this Buster chip was the “bus terminator”. Luckily, Dave Haynie jumped into this gallery’s discussion thread and set me straight. The Buster was the “bus controller” not the bus terminator.

n

ntMr. Haynie was also kinda enough to supply a lot more great information about the Amiga 2000 and his work on the project. I can’t thank him enough for taking the time to do this.

n

ntI encourage everyone to read through the discussion thread.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Signetics and Motorola chips

Amiga 2000: Signetics and Motorola chips

ntThis photo shows a Signetics 74LS138N Decoder/Demultiplexer, Signetics 74LS32N Quad 2-Input OR Gate, Motorola SN74LS148N 10-line-to-4-line and 8-line-to-3-line priority encoder, and Motorola SN74LS08N Quad 2-Input AND Gate.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Signetics MC1488N and Signetics MC1489N

Amiga 2000: Signetics MC1488N and Signetics MC1489N

ntThis photo shows a Signetics MC1488N quad line driver (upper left), Signetics MC1489N quad line receiver (lower left), and a Fairchild UA339PC voltage comparator (upper right). (At least, I think that’s what the UA339PC chip is.)

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Fairchild 74F08 IC Gate and Quad 2 Input 14-Dip

Amiga 2000: Fairchild 74F08 IC Gate and Quad 2 Input 14-Dip

ntThe upper chip is a Fairchild 74F08 IC Gate and Quad 2 Input 14-Dip. I’m not sure what the lower chip is, but it has the following marking:

n

ntM8724
ntLF347N

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Phillips / NXP PC74HCT244P

Amiga 2000: Phillips / NXP PC74HCT244P

ntI believe these chips are Phillips / NXP PC74HCT244P non-inverting-function buffer gates, but I can be sure.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Motorola SN74LS245N octal bus transceivers

Amiga 2000: Motorola SN74LS245N octal bus transceivers

ntLooking at their markings, I believe these chips are Motorola SN74LS245N octal bus transceivers.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Texas Instruments SN74ALS245AN octal bus tranceivers

Amiga 2000: Texas Instruments SN74ALS245AN octal bus tranceivers

ntThe chips in this photo are Texas Instruments SN74ALS245AN octal bus tranceivers.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Fairchild 74F244PC octal buffer and line drivers

Amiga 2000: Fairchild 74F244PC octal buffer and line drivers

ntThese two chips are Fairchild 74F244PC octal buffer and line drivers.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Sanyo LM33256G-15 256kbit memory chips

Amiga 2000: Sanyo LM33256G-15 256kbit memory chips

ntThe 32 Sanyo LM33256G-15 256kbit memory chips, shown in this photo, provide the Amiga 2000’s 1MB of RAM.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Motherboard Markings AMIGA B2000-CR HAYNIE/FISHER

Amiga 2000: Motherboard Markings AMIGA B2000-CR HAYNIE/FISHER

ntThis Amiga 2000 has the following markings on the motherboard:

n

ntAMIGA B2000-CR
ntHAYNIE/FISHER
ntA/W 312723 REV 4.1

n

ntThe original Amiga 2000 (A2000) was designed and manufactured in Germany. It was based on a German Amiga 1000 motherboard. But not long after launch of the A2000, Commodore engineers redesinged the machine, using technology from both the original German design and the Amiga 500.

n

ntThe first set of markings denote this machine as a redesigned Amiga B2000-CR (Cost Reduction). But more interstingly, the markings “HAYNIE/FISHER” refer to Commodore engineers who worked on the B2000-CR. Dave Haynie was primary engineer on the Amiga B2000-CR (Cost Reduction), and Terry Fisher designed the motherboard.

n

ntThis is the first time I have seen the names of a computer’s designers printed on the machine’s motherboard.

n

ntFor more information on the history of the Amiga 2000, including several quotes and posts from Dave Haynie, check out the following links:

n

    nt

  • nttAmiga 2000 – Wikipedia
  • nt

  • nttA history of the Amiga, part 6: stopping the bleeding  – ars technica (great posts by Dave Haynie)
  • nt

  • nttCommodore Amiga 2000  – Amiga History Guide
  • nt

  • nttCommodore Amiga 2000 – Old-Computers.com
  • nt

  • nttDave Haynie – Wikipedia
  • n

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Commodore Amiga 2000 Teardown

Amiga 2000: Completely disassembled

Amiga 2000: Completely disassembled

ntLike many desktop computers of its time, the Amiga 2000 is built like a tank. It is covered with a heavy metal case, has an internal metal frame that holds the power supply and disk drives, and uses large Phillips screws. Disassembling the Amiga is a dream compared to cracking open todays tablets and smartphones.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

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