A4000 Pre-production
Model
Developer: Commodore
Year of Demonstration: 1992 |
If you were lucky enough to visit any Commodore show during 1992
you would have got the chance to view an pre-production version of
the A4000. The machine is seen as the missing link between the
canceled A3200/3400 development
and the final release model of the Amiga
4000. This was an extremely cheap version of the standard
system most likely filling the mid-range market, retailing for 500
- 700UKP.
The unit pictured above was a test unit that belonged to
Commodore Switzerland. The case design is particularly interesting,
as far as I am aware this was the only Amiga computer to be fitted
inside a black desktop unit. The design also differs from previous
models, more reminiscent of Compaq desktop computers. The familiar
Amiga logo is engraved into the plastic and there are three LEDs
that indicate Power, HD and Floppy access to the left of the
machine. The drive bays allow the addition of 3.5-inch drives, but
do not offer the facility to connect a CD-ROM or 5 1/4 inch disk
drive. This was changed in the later A4000 revision.
Click on the images to enlarge.
Internal Workings
The general description of the machine suggests it was an early
prototype model. Many of the boards are covered by hand written
revision labels. The A4000 motherboard claims to be revision 1, and
the A2400/A3400 daughter board is marked Rev. 0.0. The
processor fitted on the daughter board varied between the 680EC030
and 68020 according to the show attended. Both CPU's could be
fitted on the same card (obviously not at the same time), allowing
the machine to be upgraded.
The final model differed from the prototype, increasing memory from
one to two Megabytes. An upgraded version of the A4000 '030
specification was released in March 1993 - five months after the
A4000/040.
ROM
The rom revision appears to be the only component finished. A
handwritten label indicates it uses the first revision A4000
Kickstart ROM to be released- Kickstart 39.105.
Faults
The prototype machine displays three main faults:
The fan is fitted in the wrong direction (blowing air into the
computer)
The internal IDE-controller is faulty.
The mouse port has a contact problem that results in the mouse
working infrequently.
View A4000 Front (53K)
View A4000 Logo (13K)
View A4000 Motherboard Revision 1
(80.2k)
Local Links
A3000+ Prototypes
Commodore Amiga 4000
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Last Update: 14/6/2002
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