Multiface – SATA / M.2 / IDE / LAN / Clockport

Description

The card combines several functions and is compatible with all Amiga models that have Zorro II or Zorro III slots. The IDE interface runs in Zorro II mode on all Amigas. On the A3000(T) and A4000(T), the Ethernet interface switches to Zorro III mode and, depending on CPU performance, delivers very high data transfer rates.

Key Features

• 2-channel IDE interface (primary and secondary IDE) for up to four IDE/ATAPI devices at the same time
• Either a SATA SSD or an M.2 B-key storage device can be used (not both at the same time)
• Clock port for A1200-compatible clock port expansions (USB interface, 16-bit sound card)
• Ethernet/LAN interface (Zorro III mode in the A3000(T) and A4000(T))

Storage Media and Drives

• IDE-40: the conventional dual-row 40-pin connector at the top of the card. You can connect hard drives and optical drives (CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-RW, etc.) here. If you set the Compact-Flash interface to the secondary IDE channel with jumper JP5, you can also connect two devices to one cable here.
• IDE-44: the slightly newer 44-pin IDE connector in the middle of the card. The four extra pins carry power, especially for 2.5-inch laptop hard drives and Compact-Flash adapters, so no separate power cable is needed.
• Compact-Flash: the Compact-Flash slot is on the right edge of the card and can be reached from outside when the card is installed. Please note that the Compact-Flash card must not be removed while the Amiga is running (no hot swapping). Always switch off the Amiga before you remove or insert the card.
• SATA/M.2 B-key: the socket for an M.2 SSD is on the left of the front side. A conventional SATA socket sits at the top of the back of the card. The JM20330 chip on the back translates between parallel and serial ATA.

Ethernet Interface

Processing network data in the TCP/IP stack is very CPU-intensive, so the Ethernet transfer speed varies considerably with the processor. An Amiga 2000 with a 68020 processor, for example, can expect up to 100 kB/s; an Amiga 4000 with a 68060 processor easily reaches over 600 kB/s. When you take measurements, make sure that the server you download from provides enough bandwidth.

Documentation

For more detailed information, download the user manual in English (PDF) or German (PDF).

Legal

I sell this version of the Multiface v8 card under an official licence from Sven and pay a royalty for each unit sold.