Amitek HAWK Operation manual

1200
RAM BOARD
ACCELERATOR
WITH BATTERY BACKED CLOCK & OPTIONAL FPU
INSTALLATION &
USERS’GUIDE
INCLUDES
STEP-BY-STEP
INSTALLATION
INSTRUCTIONS
FOR RAM & FPU


3
How to fit your new
Memory + FPU + Clock Expansion
to your
PLEASE NOTE
Due to continuous design improvements, the memory expansion board contained in this
box may appear different to the one pictured on the box sleeve. The memory expansion
does, however, have all the facilities as mentioned on the sleeve and in these instructions.
Amiga is a trade mark of Commodore-Amiga Inc.
INDEX
Introduction
................................................................................................................
4
Installing theAMITEK Hawk
....................................................................................
5-6
Adding RAM to the Board
.........................................................................................
7
Installing SIMMS
....................................................................................................
8
Removing SIMMS
..................................................................................................
8
Adding an FPU to the Board
....................................................................................
9
Installing an FPU
....................................................................................................
10
Removing/Upgrading an FPU
.................................................................................
10
Real Time Battery Backed-up Clock
........................................................................
11
Installing a New Battery
..........................................................................................
11
Setting the Real-time Clock
......................................................................................
12
Setting the Date
.....................................................................................................
12
Setting the Time
.....................................................................................................
12
Trouble Shooting
.......................................................................................................
12-13
RAM/FPUDiagnosticSoftware
................................................................................
13
Running the RAM/FPU Test Programs
...................................................................
14
AMITEK
HAWK
1200

4
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on buying this advanced specification AMITEK Hawk, Amiga 1200
expansion board. While the Amiga 1200 is one of the most popular and technically
impressive microcomputers on the market, it can be expanded via its wide range of
peripheral, card and board connections. Once installed in the A1200’s trapdoor, the
AMITEK 1200 board provides:
RAM EXPANSION
The AMITEK Hawk supports 1Mb, 2Mb, 4Mb or 8Mb of 32-bit FAST RAM which not only
enables you to run larger and more complicated software packages, but also
dramatically speeds up read and write operations to your machine’s memory. The Hawk
also runs with Zero Wait States enabling your A1200 to perform at its maximum speed.
OPTIONAL FLOATING
POINT UNIT (FPU)
In addition, the Hawk board allows the
installation of a Floating Point Unit
(FPU), also known as a maths co-
processor, to dramatically increase the
speed of mathematical calculations.
This will be noticeable in most
applications such as rendering of 24-
bit, animated and vector graphics, plus
number crunching in professional
applications.Ifyourboardwasnot supplied
with an FPU, don’t worry, the AMITEK
Hawk includes a plug-in PLCC connector for easy installation. Most good dealers
should hold FPU’s in stock. Full fitting instructions are available on pages 9 and 10.
BATTERY BACKED-UP CLOCK
The battery backed-up clock ensures that the date and time you have set up on your
Amiga 1200 is constantly updated even when the main power supply is turned off.
Such a facility is important, for example, when endeavouring to discover the most
current version of a date stamped file.
Once installed, the AMITEK Hawk expansion board will ensure that your Amiga has a
long and technologically advanced life and, the ability to run the latest, most complex
software titles at a speed way in advance of the standard A1200. It’s operation is also
almost invisible. All you need to know is that you now own one of the most advanced
combo expansion boards on the market.
Figure 1.1 - Floppy Drive

5
INSTALLING THE AMITEK HAWK IN YOUR AMIGA 1200
The following easy to understand installation procedure will have your Amiga 1200
and Hawk board up and running within minutes:
1. Disconnect your Amiga from the power source and monitor/TV. Also,
unplug any peripherals inc. joysticks, floppy drives, printers or modems.
2. Carefully turn your Amiga upside down, resting it gently on a firm surface
so as not to damage the keyboard.
3. Remove the panel which covers the trapdoor expansion slot. It can be
simply removed by inserting the edge of a flat bladed screwdriver, coin, or
blunted knife into the indentation, and prying off the cover (see fig. 1.1).
Beneath it you will find the open access to your Amiga’s main circuit board
and, most importantly, the expansion connector which can be fitted with a
wide variety of external devices including your Hawk Expansion Board.
4. WARNING: Chips on the AMITEK board are very fragile and could fall prey
to the small currents of static electricity generated by your body. Before you
begin to install the board we suggest that you:
(a) AVOID standing on a carpeted area, rubber soled shoes can be used
as an added precaution.
(b) ALWAYS touch a grounded metal surface before handling the board
i.e. radiator panelling. This will ensure that any static charge is dis-
charged when you start work.
(c) If available, WEAR a grounded wrist strap.
Figure 1.1 - Removing the trapdoor cover
Floppy Drive

6
5. Remove the board from its protective anti-static packaging and, with SIMM
socket (see fig. 2.1 on page 7) facing toward the back panel of the computer,
gently ease it onto the gold edge connector in the expansion slot (see fig.
1.2). Take great care that the memory expansion board is flush with the
connector and not at an angle. Press the board in firmly so as to create a
good connection (see fig. 1.3) and replace the plastic trapdoor panel.
6. Turn your computer over and replace all cable connections and peripherals.
7. Connect yourAmiga to the power source.
8. Insert the Workbench disk into the floppy disk drive.
9. Power up. If the power light does not come on, or the A1200 does not start
up correctly, turn the power off immediately and re-check your connections.
To check your memory, load Workbench. You should notice on the top line of the
display that you now have some “OTHER MEMORY”. This amount should show
approximately as follows:
RAM on Board “OTHER MEMORY” (approx)
1Mb Fitted 1,050,000
2Mb Fitted 3,100,000
4Mb Fitted 4,200,000
8Mb Fitted 8,400,000
IMPORTANT:
Do not power-up the Amiga 1200 without replacing the
trapdoor as it holds your expansion board in position.
Figure1.2 - Placementof theAMITEKHawk
Figure 1.3 - Inserting the AMITEK Hawk
Edge Connector

7
ADDING RAM TO THE BOARD
SIMM memory chips are designed to be easily installed and allow the flexible
configuration of an Amiga 1200’s RAM capacity. Each chip has a fixed capacity
measured in Megabytes (Mbs). The higher the number of Megabytes, the greater the
amount of storage available to your Amiga.
The AMITEK expansion board has one SIMM socket (see fig. 2.1), that can be
populated with 1Mb, 2Mb, 4Mb or 8Mb SIMMs. The FAST RAM used is of the 72-pin
SIMM type and is the same as the RAM available in the high specification Amiga
4000. The AMITEK board will accept RAM that is 80ns (nanoseconds) in speed, or
quicker (the lower the nanosecond rating, the faster the RAM performs). This SIMM is
either supplied as part of the product that you have purchased or can be bought from
your local Amiga dealer.
Fitting SIMM boards is an easy operation which should take only a few seconds. It
can either be done before the board is installed in your Amiga or when you decide to
upgrade your machine’s memory and the board is already in place. In the latter case,
you will need to remove the AMITEK board from the Amiga’s trapdoor slot making
sure power is switched off before removing.
If you are in any doubt about fitting the SIMM boards, contact your dealer who should
be able to help.
NOTE 1 - The 72-pin SIMM was designed to allow the user to fit it into a SIMM socket
only ONE way. It is not possible to install a SIMM the wrong way round.
NOTE 2 - The AMITEK Expansion will not allow the use of slower PCMCIA memory
cards. If you have previously used a PCMCIA RAM card, you will notice a significant
speed increase in your Amiga when you use this AMITEK product.
Figure 2.1 - How a SIMM Socket operates
32-bit SIMM Board
32-bit SIMM Socket
Keying
Notch
Tension Spring
Retaining Tab

8
INSTALLING SIMMS
We suggest that you gain a firm understanding of the following instructions before
you proceed with installation.
1. Lay the expansion board on anti-static material, such as its original board
packaging, with the SIMM socket exposed.
2. Position the SIMM with the keying notch to the left (see fig. 2.1 on page 7).
Hold the SIMM at both ends and insert its metal contacts into the metal
jaws of the SIMM socket. The 72-pin SIMM was designed to allow the user
to fit it into a SIMM socket only ONE way.
3. When all the pins are flush and securely in the jaws of the socket, apply
enough pressure on the top of the chip to push the SIMM into the socket.
Maintain this pressure until the tension springs at the side of the socket lock
the SIMM into place (see fig. 2.1). Equal pressure should be maintained to
both side of the chip, as damage could be caused to the SIMM or SIMM
socket.
4. You now need to change the jumper settings on the component side of the
board to match that of the RAM now installed (see fig. 2.2). Failure to do so
will result in board malfunction. Possible jumper combinations are shown in
the table below (see fig. 2.3). The three jumpers are clearly labelled LK1,
LK2 and LK3 on the board. If you have 1Mb on board follow the settings in
the first row, 2Mb on board follow the second row, etc.
REMOVING SIMMS
Push both tension springs (see fig. 2.1 on page 7) outwards at the same time and the
SIMM should come forward ready to be lifted out.
Figure 2.2 - Jumper Positions
Figure 2.3- RAM Jumper Configurations
POSSIBLE JUMPER SETTINGS
RAM
INSTALLED
1Mb
2Mb
4Mb
8Mb
Shorting
Block
LK1 LK2 LK3
Jumper
Pins
LINK REFERENCE
LK1 LK2 LK3

9
ADDING AN FPU TO THE BOARD
The AMITEK A1200 Expansion board can also accommodate an FPU (Floating Point
Unit) to increase performance of maths calculations. This type of co-processor works
in parallel with the main central processing unit, taking over much of its arithmetic
work with real (i.e. floating point) numbers. It can be particularly important if you
intend to do a great deal of number crunching work with spreadsheets, complex
equations or calculus. As your Amiga handles all low level operations in terms of
mathematics, an FPU can even speed up tasks such as simple animation and
complex 3D image generation where the activity of the maths co-processor makes a
critical difference in the calculation of graphics formulae.
Your new AMITEK RAM expansion board has a PLCC 68881/2 (rather than PGA)
type of FPU socket.
The large range of FPU’s run at different rates which are measured in MHZ: the higher
the number, the faster the speed. An FPU may also come with a crystal oscillator that
can regulate the operation of the FPU. If, however, you do not have a crystal, you
must run the FPU at the same time speed as the machine (14.3MHZ).
There are various types of processor which you can install on the AMITEK board, all
of which are distinguished by their individual processing speeds. The available chips
run at 16MHZ, 20MHZ, 25MHZ, 33MHZand 40MHZ- the latter of which is the top of the
range for most RAM combo boards. You may find one is supplied as part of the
product that you have purchased, or you can buy one from your local Amiga dealer.
Figure 3.1 - Positions of FPU and Crystal
Positioning Mark
Positioning Arrow
Floting
Point
Unit
Positioning
Mark Crystal Oscillator

10
INSTALLING AN FPU
To install an FPU on the AMITEK board, please follow the instructions below:
1. The FPU is square and should be marked with a positioning mark (usually a
dot) along one of its four edges. This edge must be aligned with the edge
that the arrow is pointing to inside the FPU socket on the board (see fig. 3.1
on page 9). Simply place the FPU squarely onto the socket and push down
evenly until the chip falls into the socket.
2. The AMITEK board also contains a socket for a crystal which regulates/
controls the overall speed of the FPU when it is installed. It is smaller than
the FPU and silver in colour. Examine the crystal and locate the notch or
dot at one end. This end needs to match the socket end, with the half circle
cut-out facing the jumper (see fig. 3.1 on page 9). Line up the markings and
push the chip firmly into place.
3. Set the jumper LK4 to either INT to use the machine’s clock of 14.3MHZ, or
to CPU to use the speed of the crystal that you have fitted.
IMPORTANT:
Before installing the expansion board into your computer, it is important to ensure that
the crystal is not faster than the FPU fitted. Any mistakes could result in the over-
clocking of the FPU and damage to the chip which will void your warranty.
REMOVING/UPGRADINGAN FPU
You may upgrade the installed PLCC - e.g. from 25MHZto 40MHZ- by taking the old
chip out of its socket and installing the new chip using the above outlined procedure.
To remove the old chip without damaging the socket or fragile legs on the FPU, it is
recommended that you use a dedicated FPU puller, similar to tweezers, which can be
obtained from your local dealer or electronics supply shop. Alternatively, good Amiga
dealers can perform this upgrade.
Possible Jumper Settings
When Using the
A1200’s Internal
14.3MH
Z
Crystal
When Using a
Crystal and FPU
Faster Than 14.3MH
Z
Figure 3.2 -
FPU JumperSettings
LK4 Shorting
Block
Jumper
Pins

11
REAL TIME BATTERY BACKED-UP CLOCK
A lithium battery back-up arrangement ensures that the Amiga’s Workbench clock
and date are accurate and available, even when the power has been turned off and
on. This ensures that when the machine date/time stamps your files, it does it with
the correct date/time.
The battery on the AMITEK board is of a lithium type, CR2032 or compatible and
should last approximately 24 months. These batteries are available from most major
computer/electrical retailers.
INSTALLING A NEW BATTERY
To install a new lithium battery:
1. Remove theAMITEK Hawk board from your Amiga’s trap door.
2. Use a screwdriver or blunt knife to carefully slide the coin-style battery
forward, out of the socket in the lower right hand corner on the circuit
mounted side of the board (see fig. 4.1).
3. Slide the old battery out of its mounting and dispose of it safely in a waste
bin. Do not expose to intense heat or a naked flame.
4. Slip the new battery in place, ensuring that the side marked with a “+” is
face up.
5. Finally, check to make sure that the metal holding strap above the battery
has sufficient tension to keep the battery in place.
6. The board can then be replaced in the Amiga where the battery should
function for a further two years.
Figure 4.1 - Position of Lithium Battery
Lithium Battery for
Real Time Clock

12
SETTING THE REAL-TIME CLOCK
The clock and time can be set up from the Time program in the Prefs drawer of the
Amiga’s Workbench. The instructions used to set up the battery backed-up clock
facility are those available from Workbench. It is a simple procedure but, if you have
difficulties, refer to Chapter 5 of Commodore’s Workbench 3.0 User’s Guide.
SETTING THE DATE
1. To set the clock and calendar, open the Prefs drawer, which will either be
found on your hard drive or the Extras floppy disk, and select the Time
program.
2. Each parameter (year, month, date, and time) is selected using the mouse
point and click operations. First, click the Month cycle gadget at the top
right hand side of the window until the correct month appears.
3. Select the Year text gadget, to the left of the Month cycle gadget, delete the
default year and enter the correct year.
4. Move the mouse pointer to the Date gadget selector in the centre of the
Time Prefs screen. Click on the correct date until it is highlighted.
SETTING THE TIME
1. Move the mouse pointer to the Hour slider bar at the bottom of the screen.
Drag the indicator bar to the left or right until the hours shown in the panel
below are correct. Release the button on the mouse.
2. Move the mouse pointer to the Minutes slider bar at the bottom of the
screen. Drag the indicator bar to the left or right until the minutes shown in
the panel below are correct. Release the button on the mouse.
3. Click on the same button to save the correct date/time to your Hawk
battery-backed clock.
TROUBLE SHOOTING
This AMITEK RAM combo expansion board should operate smoothly and is under a
2 year manufacturer’s warranty. Before returning it, there are several easy to follow
steps which may determine whether your board is faulty, what is wrong and, in some
cases, how it can be remedied. If you have a problem:
1. Make sure that the power supply is properly connected to your Amiga and
the wall socket. Ensure that the power switches at both ends are set to the
ON positions?

13
2. Are your peripherals and expansion devices correctly connected to your
Amiga 1200?
3. Is the expansion board fitted firmly in theAmiga’s trapdoor socket?
4. Have you installed the SIMM correctly? Is it locked in place?
5. Are the jumpers set for the correct RAM size and FPU speed?
6. Devices such as PCMCIA cards or memory altering devices may cause
incompatibility problems. Remove them and again test yourAmiga’s
operations.
If problems persist, contact your dealer. Alternatively, you can call the Amiga Helpline:
081-302 8383 during normal working hours (9.00am - 6.00pm).
2 YEAR WARRANTY
Your AMITEK Expansion Board has a 2 year warranty from date of purchase. Fitting
the board in no way affects your Amiga’s warranty.
RAM/FPU DIAGNOSTIC SOFTWARE
The AMITEK Hawk package includes a floppy disk on which is stored a set of
diagnostic routines which will test the RAM set-up and FPU type once your board is
configured and installed.
The AMITEK Hawk RAM Test software is a program designed to provide three
important pieces of information:
1. Its main purpose is to check any RAM installed on the AMITEK Hawk RAM
board. It runs a series of tests on the memory to check its integrity. If it finds
any errors in the memory the test will end and a suitable error message will
be displayed. If errors are encountered you should first check that the
jumper settings on the board match the amount of RAM you have installed
(see 2, below). If this is correct then make sure that the board is properly
inserted into the socket on the AMITEK Hawk RAM/FPU board.
2. It displays the amount of RAM that the board thinks it has installed. This
value is an indication of how the jumpers on the AMITEK Hawk RAM/FPU
combo board are configured.
3. It recognises and displays any type of Floating Point Unit (FPU) that you
have installed on yourAMITEK Hawk RAM/FPU board.

14
RUNNING THE RAM/FPU DIAGNOSTIC SOFTWARE
The AMITEK Hawk RAM Test program should be run by first booting Workbench,
inserting the AMITEK disk into any drive and clicking on the AMITEK floppy disk icon.
Finally, double-click on the AMITEK_Hawk_RAM_Test program icon.
Program operation is very straightforward:
A small window will appear in the middle of the screen. This main information panel
will display the amount of RAM to which the jumpers are set. If this value varies from
the amount of RAM you have installed, then review the jumper settings on the board.
The information window will also give details of any FPU that you may have installed.
If you do not have an FPU installed then the message ‘FPU: Not Installed’ is
displayed in the status window.
A couple of radio-style buttons labelled SLOW and FAST are used to select the depth
of RAM testing. FAST will do an efficient and quick test of your RAM . The SLOW
mode adds an extra test which does a more thorough examination of the memory.
The button labelled RAM TEST starts the process which, once begun, cannot be
aborted, and the EXIT button quits the program.
Should you require more information about the Hawk diagnostic program and more
in-depth details about the theory behind the software, you will find it by double-
clicking on the text document called AMITEK_Hawk_RAM_Test.doc. If you have an
additional floppy disk drive or hard disk drive, you may prefer to run the
AMITEK_Hawk_RAM_Test.guide.doc. This has been written in Amiga Guide format
which should be set up through your directory pathway. Should you not know how to
do this, please refer to your Amiga manual.
COPYRIGHT
©AMITEK, 1993. All rights reserved. This manual and the information contained on the
floppy disk are copyright. The owner of this product is entitled to use it for his or her own
personal use. No one may transfer, give or sell any part of the manual, or the information
on the disk without the prior permission of AMITEK.


Table of contents