How to install a Prometheus in a desktop Amiga 4000

Have you ever wanted an inexpensive way to add PCI slots to your Amiga 4000 while retaining the desktop case? Now this is possible with very little effort and for very little cost. The purpose of this guide is to instruct how to use a Prometheus with 2 PCI slots while retaining 2 unobstructed Zorro slots. The video slot also remains unobstructed!

The cards
First we will start of with a Voodoo 3 3000, and a RTL8029AS ethernet card.

As you see in the picture above the end of the backing plate has been cut short. I reccomend simply using a pair of pliars and bending back and forth to snap the metal. You will see why this is necessary when you go to install it in the computer.

The adapter
For this conversion we are using a PCIFLEX32-02 adapter by Adex Electronics.

Insert the cards into the adapter. Use a zip tie as shown to insure they won't back out.

Installation
Before you actually install the adapter, use a couple of non conductive rubber buttons, for paranoia sake, on the metal rail to insure the adapter doesn't have the potential of grounding on it. See below.

When properly mounted everything will be a tight squeeze so please don't ignore this step. Install the Prometheus in the second Zorro slot down from the top.

Carefully fold the zibbon cable to lay flat, while giving just enough length to plug into the PCI slots.

(PCI cards removed for illistrative purposes). Set the adapter back near the top zorro slot and start a couple of zip ties as shown, don't tighten yet.

Next carefully install the adapter.

TAKE YOUR TIME! The back of the adapter will rest against the top Zorro slot and the rubber buttons. The bottom shuld snug in slightly between the top PCI slot and the top zorro slot to give a little mechanical stability. Once you have a good fit and everything is in place, pull the zip ties tight(not too tight!).

Added measure
The top PCI card will be close to the top of the case. For more paranoia sake use a couple of nonconductive rubber buttons on the top installed PCI card.

Shown here is the Voodoo 3 with the buttoms placed near the tall solder joints.

Close her up, were done!
After you've finished everything else you may want to do while the case is open (like plug in the power cable to the Prommy!), it's time to close her up!

It's going to be a tight squeeze so take your time. Cables aren't shown in this picture, make sure they are in place before closing.

And you are done! Now you may experience the speed of the Voodoo 3, and broadband on your Amiga!

For larger version of the pictures shown above, look HERE

As always, the Prometheus is avaialable from Anachronism Industries. Conversion kits for the A4000D and A3000D are available starting at $20(single slot and $40 (2 slot) with the purchase of a Prometheus.

Please feel free to distribute this document freely as long as Amiga.org is listed as the source.

Thank you:-)

Look great! Would I've known it would fit I probably wouldn't have gone ridd of my Prom for cheap.

Suggestions:

Is it absolutley nessesary to cut the backplanes on the cards? Would it not be better to just simply remove them (or at the very least just bend them at 90 degrees)?

If you removed the backplanes from the cards you could perhaps use them at the back of the machine? With a soldering iron that backplane of the ehternetcard could reach to the back of the machine and a short monitor cable found with Voodoo2 cards could be used to extend the monitorcable to the back aswell.

Second, isn't there a more lowprofile ethernetcard that works with the prom so that the Voodoo3 heatsink get better airflow? Going with what I just said with removing the backplanes from the cards it would probably help a bit with the airflow also.

Well done!