If you’re into retro gaming, then I have some really exciting news for you. Eivind Bohler has put together a modern ITX board using a Vortex X86 System on Module processor package that has been designed to check off every box you could possibly need to play old school games.
- Adjustable processor speed for everything from Wing Commander to Quake 3.
- Cache can be disabled.
- Speed can be set between 100 to 500 MHz
- Uses the Vortex86EX System on Module
- The SOM provides performance equivalence up to a Pentium 233MHz MMX
- 128MB of RAM on the Vortex module.
- AGP Slot perfect for a 3DFX Voodoo3
- SD to IDE card adapter on the board for fast storage complete with hard drive click simulator that can be disabled.
- Crystal sound chip with both a small sized WAV header or 40-pin Rasberry PI based MIDI playback.
- The crystal chip provides SB Pro 2, Adlib and WSS features
- Optional true Yamaha OPL3 module.
- Full Ethernet support.
- Hayes compatible modem emulator that works over Wi-Fi
- Both modern and period accurate rear ports.
- DOS and Windows 98 Compatible.
Bohler goes through all of the features in this video:
Additionally, he has a dedicated thread on Vogons forum. CLICK HERE for that thread.
A group buy interest form is up on the Llama Board Discord. https://discord.gg/YN3XkycAXG
This board is pretty much the holy grail of those who have endeavored to build an ITX sized retro PC; myself included. Up until now, you would need to look for industrial boards that were never intended for games. If you could find one that would work, it was still missing enough slots that full audio support was questionable, and none had AGP support. However, the Llama ITX fixes all of these issues.
…now if I can find an AGP riser cable compatible with modern sandwich cases I can have my dream retro PC.
I’m already planning on ordering one or two of these boards. As with all small batch orders there is always a risk of price creep and delays. SFFN regulars should be familiar with this.
My planned build for this is:
- Densium 4 Case
- OPL3 Module
- DreamBlaster X2GS WAV module
- Voodoo3 3500 AGP
I already have several vintage CRT monitors I can use for display. If you don’t though, a RetroTink 4K could be the answer for scaling these.
The best part is that early pricing indicates that the ITX-Llama board will only be about $300. The Vortex SOM will be about $70, and the OPL3 board will be about $30.
I traded Discord messages with DesertPanther, who is currently building an official store page. He provided a short Q and A for potential buyers.
1. Are planning to hand solder the CS4237B and D1 ESP8266?
– Yes, the plan is to buy these separately, ship them to JLCPCB and let them solder them through their “consignment” process.
2. Is there an FAQ page folks can visit to learn more about the group buy?
– Not yet, I am going to set up a Shopify website tonight and will include that.
3. How much are you intending to charge per board?
– I am trying to get the price down to around $300.
4. When are you planning to close the group buy and/or order the boards?
– The interest gathering form will be closed at some time tomorrow, and I will announce the next phase which is placing the deposits. People will still be able to buy until we place the order in either early or mid-November.
5. When do you anticipate shipping the boards to group buy participants?
– I intend to get the boards shipped to buyers in early December so they can enjoy playing with the board during the Christmas season!
6. What about deposits?
– A bit about the deposits: these will be non-refundable to bind the participants into actually buying the boards, it will also cover a “testing” phase where we will buy a few boards as samples or prototypes to ensure that everything is okay.
7. How much will the OPL3 module cost?
– The OPL3 module will be around $30
8. How much will the Vortex SOM cost?
– The SOM will be around $70
You can check out two videos by James Mackenzie who built up an ITX-Llama build with the links below.
and…
