*** DISCLAIMER: The information on these pages is not an official instruction or documentation. No responsibility will be taken. Use at your own risk. ***

Docs: TerribleFire accelerators

Information about Stephen Leary's TerribleFire line of accelerators for the Amiga computer. Due to some people blatantly copying and disregarding Mr. Leary's work, he shut down all his Amiga-related projects in September 2020 for some time, but since has found new motivation and is giving occasional updates here and there.
*** This page is work-in-progress - please add your experience, know-how, corrections, contributions, etc. by leaving a comment, so we can make this a comprehensive documentation. Thanks! ***

Amiga 500 / 2000 models

TF520 

Firmware: 
https://github.com/terriblefire/terriblefire-binaries/tree/master/tf520

TF530

Rev. 2

Features:
68030 (24 to 50 MHz), FPU 68881 or 68882 (optional, currently unused), 2MB SRAM, IDE (40pin, scsi.device* compatible), SPI, JTAG.

Connects to MC68000 CPU slot on the Amiga's mainboard.

Reported to work with clock rates (oscillator) from 24 to 50MHz, but might require different versions of firmware for different clock rates.

Requires two extra pins connected (soldered) to mainboard:
- For autobooting on the T530 you need to connect the _INT2 header. This is found near the top of the A500 side expansion. In the A2000 this can be found on the CPU accelerator slot next to the MC68000, pin 10 of the internal serial is a good spot, too.

Needs CPU relocator to fit into closed A500 case.
Needs CPU relocator and/or added height of the motherboard-CPU-socket to fit A2000 mainboard:
- You may stack it with two cpu sockets if you dont want to use relocator.
- The CPU relocator isn't enough with a REV 6 motherboard. One set of socket extenders doesn't get the IDE connector to clear a capacitor. A second set puts the card right into the bottom of the floppy/PSU tray. A CPU slot relocator is highly recommended.

Configuration / Options:

JP1/CLOCKSEL:
- select clock source: clock generator on TF530 (jumper towards edge of board), or 7MHz from Amiga CPU slot (jumper towards IC2/FPU).
NOTE: The TF530 won't work with jumper set to 7 MHz, it was a test mode only and required a special firmware.

JP3:
- "MMU DIS" - disable MMU (left/top pair of pins)

JP5:
- disable co-processor (right/bottom pair of pins)

JP7:
- +5V power supply input (GND pin towards IC2/FPU)
- use to power when not installed into Amiga, e.g. for programming CPLDs.

BYPASS:
- TDINT/TDO - removes RAM CPLD out of programming chain

A500 "OVR/INT2":
- connect to Amiga 500 mainboard OVR and INT2 lines

- OVR is pin 17, INT2 is pin 19 of A500 expansion port

AUXPINS: (???)

SPIPORT: currently unused.

JTAG: JTAG programming input header (developers only)

Firmware:
https://github.com/terriblefire/terriblefire-binaries/tree/master/tf530 

(outdated: https://www.dropbox.com/s/83htcmzcr99fhr0/2017_9_24_tf530_rev2.zip ) 

CPLD chain diagram:
TDI ---- [ BUS ] ---- [ RAM ] ---- TDO

Known issues:
- You should avoid 68881, and ONLY use 68882 if you want FPU. (??? why?)
- The AutoConfig design may not be friendly to the next downstream AutoConfig card expansion on the A2000, and could also impact external sidecar units. Avoid DMA I/O (SCSI) cards, too. 

Compatibility:
- Conflicts with Amiga 2000 SCSI cards. (A2091 RAM reported to work.)
- Conflicts with Amiga 2000 ADSG 2MB RAM card. 

Rev. 3 

Firmware:
https://github.com/terriblefire/terriblefire-binaries/tree/master/tf530

TF534

PWR1: Connector for external 5V power supply. Should be used to avoid pulling too much current via USB when programming the CPLDs.

TF534S "Sata"

Firmware:
https://github.com/terriblefire/terriblefire-binaries/tree/master/tf534

TF536

64MB RAM

TF540

Features:
68040 CPU

Status unknown, probably some prototypes.

TF560

Features:
68060 CPU

Status unknown, probably some prototypes.

Amiga 1200 models


TF1230

68030 CPU

TF1260

68060 / 68LC060 / 68EC060 CPU, 64 OR 128MB RAM, IDE port (ehide.device)

Clock speed software-selectable from 50 - 100 MHz.

Available from selected builders/dealers. 

PCBs released under Creative Commons license: https://www.exxoshost.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4742

(Some prototype / early build pictures were shown before the entire TerribleFire line of accelerators temporarily went closed-source, and was temporarily discontinued.)

CD32 models

TF328 

Rev. 1

Features:
8MB RAM, IDE controller with 44-pin connector (no CPU). 
Connects to CD32 expansion port via (required) relocator.

Firmware:
https://github.com/terriblefire/terriblefire-binaries/tree/master/tf328

(outdated: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fr6hwq2qdy340jd/2017_10_7_tf328_rev1_beta.zip )

TF330

Features:
68030, SRAM, IDE controller

Firmware:
https://github.com/terriblefire/terriblefire-binaries/tree/master/tf330

TF360

68060 / 68LC060 / 68EC060 CPU

Amiga 3000 / 4000 models


TF4060

Features:
68060 / 68LC060 / 68EC060 CPU, 256MB RAM (Zorro-III, DMA capable), IDE controller

Still in development as of Jan. 2024

Videos

"Amiga CD32 Terrible Fire TF328 & TF330 Comparison and Benchmark"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3jH56g-6OY

TF of Tomorrow Series: TF4060
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUe7Mc4DfMk

Links

Mr. Leary's "TerribleFire" channel on Exxos Forum:
https://www.exxoshost.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=65

Mr. Leary announces "End of all TF (Amiga) projects":
https://www.exxoshost.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=3359

TF1260 Open file release:
https://www.exxoshost.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4742

- - -

Notes:
*) scsi.device included in Kickstart ROM 2.05 (v37.300) or higher

- - -

Thanks to the contributors to this page:
Robert Miranda, Brian White, Unknown, Tommie Eng, Alen H. Marks, Chris Scott, Roman Eberle

Special huge thanks to the man himself, Mr. Stephen Leary. 🔥

- - -

Additional sources:
https://www.amigafrance.com/terrible-fire-540-68040-amiga-500/

- - -

History:
2024-02-02: added TF4060, added "Additional sources", updated/added TF540/560, updated introtext, reformatted page, new theme
2021-12-09: updated TF1260 info (cards are currently in production), added TF1230, added TF360
2020-12-17: added TF534 (no SATA), TF536, and TF1260, links section, and end-of-all-Amiga-projects information

2019-08-08: added TF530 rev. 2 CPLD chain diagram
2019-03-17: added "Amiga CD32 Terrible Fire TF328 & TF330 Comparison and Benchmark" video
2019-02-15: added TF330 (stub), and new firmware links to https://github.com/terriblefire/terriblefire-binaries/... including TF520
2017-12-04: Edu Arana: rev. 2 A500 OVR/INT2 info
2017-11-02: Alen H. Marks: "The TF530 won't work with jumper set to 7 MHz,..."; Roman Eberle: added firmware links, "Reported to work with clock rates..."
2017-10-29: Brian White: JP3, JP5, JP7 info, 68881/68882 issues, BYPASS, CLOCKSEL info; Roman Eberle: TF328 features; Robert Miranda: "The AutoConfig design may not be friendly..."
2017-10-xx: Unknown, Tommie Eng, Alen H. Marks, Chris Scott, Roman Eberle

3 comments:

  1. Just a quick note to say thanks for featuring my video showing the tf328 and tf330.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for these useful pages. I tried following the links to get the TF530/534 firmware files and could not get the links on Github to download the files. Has Stephen Leary disabled is Github account or the links?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi, years ago I board a PCB TF534 ... and all the nessesary parts to build a working TF534. But in the last years I didn't have the time to build it. Now I cant find the plan which electronic parts have to be on which place on the PCB. Can anybody tell me where to find the PCB-Plan?
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete

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