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 Bridgeboard Tips and Utilities

Here are a few programs and utilities that will make life using your Bridgeboard a bit easier.
(Text in parentheses indicate the files located on Aminet)

AmiCDex (AmiCDEx22.lha): This program will let you use a CD-Rom drive that is connected
to your Amiga on your Bridgeboard. Also now has support for the Vortex/GoldenGate Bridgeboards.

Bridgeboard CPU Upgrade (BBCpuUpgrde1.0.lha): This contains information about upgrading
A2386SX Bridgeboards with different 486 clip-on modules.

BBcpuclk (BBcpuclk1.0.lha): some of the upgrades from the Bridgeboard CPU Upgrade guide
will need this PC program to run correctly.

JanusTools (JanusTools.lha & SXServ16.lha): This package contains two different utilities. The first
one, is a replacement interface for A2386SX Bridgeboards with a VGA card.  It lets you access
all the different features of Janus from one interface, and will even run a auto-switch box
(see below). The second utility is the great one, it will let you use an Amiga hard drive
partition as a PC hard drive. It is much faster than a hard file and easy to set up as well.
This partition utility will run with any Bridgeboard, as long as you have Janus v2.1

BBSwitch (BBSwitch1.0.lha): This is the hardware device that allows you to switch between
the Amiga display and the PC display on the same monitor. It works very well with the JanusTools package.

CDJanusTools: This document explains how to set up the Amiga and Janus Tools PC
partition to be able to access the files from the Amiga side using CrossDos.

Turbo 2088 (turbo2088.lzh): Project to accelerate a 2088 Bridgeboard.

MouseServ (BBMouseServDoc.lha): Explains how the Bridgeboard mouse server works.

PS2 Fix (A2386_PS2_V1.3.lha): a document that explains how to make a PS/2 SIMM
adapter for use on the A2386SX Bridgeboard.

AmigaEMS (AmigaEMS.lha & AMEMS152.lha): allows you to use some of the Amiga's memory 
for use with the Bridgeboard (I don't believe this shareware program is still supported though - please
correct me if I'm wrong).

Bridgeboard Tools for JDisks (bbtools1_1.lha): Programs to transfer files between the
PC and Amiga on JDisk drives much faster than using AREAD/AWRITE.

PDir (PDir.lha): Another program that allows faster file transfers.

PCExecute (PCExecute.lha): A little program that allows you to execute programs on a
Bridgeboard without opening a PC window.

PCStatus (PCStatus.lha): Bridgeboard user's program that displays the status of the CAPS,
INS,and SCROLL key in a separate window on every PC screen.  Also, both the Amiga and the PC will
use the same status of the Caps Lock key.

Amiga Hardfile FAQ (hardfile_faq.lha): Contains information on hardfiles, including
hardfiles for Bridgeboards (among others).

Holmes Fix (http://www.wsnet.com/~designer/holmesfx/): one of the available utilities that solves the 
Year 2000 rollover problem.


 Installation Tips
        
A few installation tips:

- if installing a Bridgeboard (especially A2386SX) in an Amiga 4000T, exchange the plastic guide for the
  Bridgeboard's edge with one of the two guides for the non-existent Zorro slots (at the top). These are
  thinner and won't interfere with the protruding leads of the Bridgeboard as you install it.
  
- if you've added an upgrade to the Bridgeboard, try to place it so it has enough ventilation to cool down.
  Also make sure any cards installed above the Bridgeboard won't interfere with the upgrade.

- when setting up a shared floppy configuration for the A2386SX Bridgeboard, do the following:

  1 - take the 'dual' floppy cable that came with the A2386SX Bridgeboard and separate
      it, and leave the one with the male connector at one end aside.
  2 - in the system, connect the floppy cable that usually connects to the floppy to
      the CN501 connector on the Bridgeboard. (Colored edge away from the metal bracket)
  3 - take the cable from step 1, connect it to CN502 on the Bridgeboard and to the
      floppy drive. (Colored edge away from the metal bracket, and use same orientation
      as the original cable for the floppy drive)

  This will shorten the overall length of the floppy cable and might solve some floppy related problems.


 Other Tips

Adding an external floppy drive to the A2286 Bridgeboard
Using a dual floppy drive with the Bridgeboard
Using DoubleSpace on a J-Link'ed drive
Adding a third ISA slot to an Amiga 3000


 Bridgeboard and related products reviews

Reviews of the Bridgeboard and other popular products used with Bridgeboards.

 A2386SX Bridgeboard review (http://math.uh.edu/~barrett/hardware/emulation/A2386SXBridgeboard)
 Cardinal SoundVision board review (http://math.uh.edu/~barrett/hardware/emulation/SOUNDvision)
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