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Hardware: Microbotics MBX1230XA accelerator information

The Microbotics MBX1230XA, or Paravision M1230XA, is an 68030-powered accelerator board for the Amiga 1200 computer that connects to the Amiga 1200's internal "trapdoor" expansion port.

M1230XA with single oscillator, no FPU (caps not original)

It has one SIMM slot for up to 128MB of RAM (72pin SIMM, FPM, non-ECC, 40-100ns).

EDO RAM is not officially supported, it's not mentioned it the manual, but user reports indicate that some EDO SIMMs work, and some don't.

It has a socket for an optional 68882 FPU (PGA, up to 60Mhz) with a socket for an optional FPU oscillator (otherwise uses CPU clock speed, via jumper setting), and a battery backed up realtime clock.

The software supplied with the M1230XA contains an excellent setup utility that allows some tweaking, and an equally excellent RAM test tool with proper documentation.

Some SysInfo speed test results:

~7400 dhrystones @ 50Mhz / 60ns RAM / 4 cycles (recomm.)
~8300 dhrystones @ 50Mhz / 60ns RAM / 3 cycles (experim.)
~8400 dhrystones @ 50Mhz / 50ns RAM / 3 cycles (recomm.)


These accelerator boards are very well-made, but seem to be very rare nowadays, making it difficult to find information and support in case of problems. Below is a list of sources that should help answering your questions about the M1230XA and keeping it running.

Paravision M1230XA packaging (picture by Tibor Zsiros, thank you!)


Hardware information pages


Amiga Hardware Database

Info, manual and installation disk download
http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/mbx1230

Manual: http://amiga.resource.cx/manual/M1230XA.pdf
Install disk: http://amiga.resource.cx/install/M1230XA-101.dms

BigBookOfAmigaHardware

Microbotics version:
http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.com/bboah/product.aspx?id=139

Paravision version (identical content):
http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.com/bboah/product.aspx?id=146



Facebook group


"Microbotics MBX1230XA / M1230XA Amiga 1200 accelerator board"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/835269463294904/?ref=group_header



Articles

How to max out a Microbotics MX-1230XA
English Amiga Board forum thread about maximising the accelerator's performance by overclocking and RAM speed
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=47245

RAM repair job
Someone (successfully) tried to repair his M1230XA
https://amigaalive.blogspot.de/2017/05/help-microbotics-paravision-m1230xa.html

"Underclocking" acceleration
An interesting article about speeding up your M1230XA by slowing it down
https://elciudadanocableado.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/speeding-up-a-microbotics-1230xa-accelerator-for-the-amiga/



Reviews


"Microbotics 1230XA -- 68030 Accelerator for the Amiga 1200"
Amiga Report magazine review by Tom Mulcahy (Amiga Report issue 1.15 of 1993-07-02)
http://www.amigareport.com/ar115/p1-11.html

"Usenet Review: Microbotics 1230XA Accelerator for Amiga 1200"
Another detailed review of the board, by Brian King (Amiga Report issue  1.23 of 1993-09-03)
http://www.amigareport.com/ar123/p1-9.html

"Matériel : M1230 XA"
A review in "Obligement" magazine, by Nelson Barata (of 1995-02)
http://obligement.free.fr/articles/m1230xa.php



Hints and bits: Random occurrences of the M1230XA on the net


A post from Mr. Jerry M. Robinson from 1997-03-24, claiming to be the designer and coder of the the M(BX)1230XA:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!to...re/ARRc3D74GC0

Timothy De Groote (Hyperion Entertainment) seems to have, or have had, an M1230XA ("Microbotix 1230")
http://www.generationamiga.com/2017/05/06/interview-timothy-de-groote-director-of-hyperion-entertainment-cvba/ 


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Do you have a M1230XA, and have more information? Please leave a comment below, and/or join our facebook group!

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History:
2021-01-15: added Articles -> How to max out a Microbotics MX-1230XA, added picture of M1230XA box (by Tibor Zsiros, thank you!)
2019-01-11: added links to BigBookOfAmigaHardware, corrected RAM speed information (50-100ns -> 40-100ns), added RAM type information (EDO), removed "due to FastRAM speed... fastest 68030 accelerator..." claim, added "~8400 dhrystones @ 50Mhz / 50ns RAM / 3 cycles (recomm.)" SysInfo result, and new picture

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