This article describes three boards for the Amiga CD³² console. One of them—the Kipper 2K Riser—can be used independently of the other cards. This board plugs into the expansion port located on the back of the CD³². The riser is (or was) available in various configurations; my version features both a PS/2 port and an RGB port. Otherwise, the only keyboard that can be connected directly to the CD³² is the Amiga 2000 keyboard. The 23-pin RGB port can be used in conjunction with a suitable Amiga SCART cable to connect the console to a television. Other risers—such as the Hefesto—offer alternative features, such as a VGA output that provides a 15 kHz signal. The other key function is that it provides an additional expansion bus connector—one that "faces" inward, toward the interior of the CD³². This corresponds to a vacant space inside the console that was originally intended for a video module.
Arguably the most important expansion that can be connected to the riser is the TerribleFire 328/330. These cards offer the following features:
TF328
– 8MB FastRAM
– IDE Port
TF330
– 68030 CPU overclocked to 50 MHz
– 64 MB FastRAM
– IDE port
My card came bundled with a CF adapter and a pre-installed CF card. If the CD32 is booted without a CD inserted, Workbench loads directly from the CF card. This also opens up the possibility of using WHDLoad—the CD32 already possesses the necessary 2MB of Chip RAM, and with the TF328/330, an additional 8/64MB of Fast RAM becomes available. If a PS/2 keyboard and an Amiga mouse are connected, you have a fully functional WHDLoad system at your disposal. However, if a disc is inserted into the CD32, the system will boot from the disc first rather than from the expansion card.
Many of the CD games are compatible with the TF328/330, but there are also exceptions. Unfortunately, the jumper located on the board—which is supposed to disable the expansion—does not work. This appears to be a bug in the firmware that has not yet been resolved. In such cases, the only remaining option is to use the WHDLoad version.
Unfortunately, the PS/2 port is not as reliable as hoped. Only a small selection—specifically of older keyboards—is compatible. A CD32-AUX-to-PS/2 adapter or an adapter for USB keyboards (SUM A234/CD32) can provide a solution. However, my experience showed that I encountered absolutely no problems with the very first USB keyboard I connected via a PS/2 adapter.
The alternative to the TF328 is the Wicher CD32—a development from Poland that utilizes an old SIMM72 module for memory.
The downside is that, to the best of my knowledge, the TerribleFire 328 is currently unavailable for purchase, and the Kipper-2K adapter is also extremely difficult to find. The TF330 can currently (as of April 2020) be obtained via the Amibay forum—fortunately, it is also available as a bundle including the riser, CF adapter, and CF card.
In many games that utilize FastRAM, a noticeable improvement in speed is already evident with the TF328. In practice, this translates to a performance increase of 2.5 times compared to a standard Amiga 1200. The reason for this boost is likely the high-speed memory interface on the TF328. With the TF330, this effect becomes even more pronounced. Thanks to the overclocked 68030 CPU and 64 MB of FastRAM, a CD32 equipped with this card achieves nearly half the performance of an Amiga 4000.
Unfortunately, there were several games for the CD32 that were barely playable without an expansion. A few examples are Doom, Guardian, Alien Breed 3D, and Gunship 2000.
I obtained the TF328 as a complete package—including the riser, CF adapter, and CF card—on eBay. I purchased the TF330, also as a complete package, on the Amibay forum.
