Date   : Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:47:49 +0100
From   : philb@... (Phil Blundell)
Subject: Hardware Woes

On Sun, 2009-08-16 at 15:14 +0100, Rob wrote:
> On 16/08/2009, Alex Taylor <zeem.uk@...> wrote:
> > Once the mini-podule slot's filled then the ethernet would probably
> > have to go on the external podule slot. Podule cases used to be
> > available for protecting any cards hanging off the back of an A3000 -
> > in fact I think there might be one hiding at work.
> 
> I saw that connector .. I wondered how people coped with loose cards
> sticking out!

Yeah, it was a bit of a clunky arrangement although it worked well
enough.  The external case was basically a bit of bent metal which mated
with the moulding on the underside of the A3000 and then screwed into
the two threaded bosses just above the podule socket.  The "Klingon"
monitor stand was shaped so as to not block access to that slot.

Unfortunately the external slot on the A3000 still wasn't 100%
compatible with all full-size podules because a few pins were missing.
It lacked some of the power supply rails, the entire co-processor bus,
and maybe some of the other signals too.

p.