CompuServe Messages

A lot of people have talked about why the HAM-E was discontinued, the one that makes the most sense was one I read on USENET recently, from a guy that talked to Black Belt, AFTER the release of the A4000. Ok, here how it goes… Black Belt knew about the new AGA chip set, and decided NOT to compete with it, but they were under a non-disclosure agreement with CBM. They couldn't say "because CBM has a new chip set". So, instead they said they couldn't tell way due to a non-disclosure agreement. I heard that the AGA chips were finished 18 months ago, but the Amiga system for them took longer. If Black Belt had know it would take so long for CBM to get the AGA out, they would have continued selling the HAM-E a little longer. During this time, a problem arose with the FCC. The FCC said that the HAM-E wasn't approved. (Black Belt had stopped selling the HAM-E months earlier.) Later, it was discovered that it was a paperwork snafu, between Black Belt & the FCC. The HAM-E was the first product that BLack Belt had tried to get approved by themselves (without going through a third party). The FCC approval is a two part process. The first part is passing the FCC's tests. The HAM-E passed. The second part is registering with the FCC that the product passed. The paper work for this part, didn't get finished. Black Belt THOUGHT the Ham-E was approved, and the FCC did pass it. BUT the "registering" part of the process was left imcomplete. Black Belt, wasn't fined, and no charges were levied. And the case is now closed. Since, the HAM-E isn't/wasn't being produced, I don't believe Black Belt chose to continue with the FFC approval. At least that's what I inferred from the message on USENET. Ron.