Amiga 600
29 messages in this thread
I don't own an Amiga but am thinking about making the purchase. I
started out with an Apple IIc about eight years ago or shortly after
they first came out with it. I bought an Apple IIGS (great
machine)…then upgraded to the Mac IIcx (couldn't afford it though)
and for the past three years I've beem using an Epson 386/20 at
home. I have a new CD ROM drive..4 meg of ram…40 meg HD compressed
… SuperVGA graphics (1meg card etc.)..
But…I still like the graphics, sound etc. of the Amiga and noticed
that the Price Club is selling the 600 model. Please tell me about
this machine. Weaknesses, strengths. It would be great to have
something that is compatible with what I am currently using. I don't
want to lost a bunch of money if I were to switch over.
Bob,
My first recommendation to you would be to check out the new Amiga 1200.
It comes with a faster, more powerful CPU than the A600 (14mHz 680EC20 vs.
7mHz 68000) and a much more capable graphics chipset. The A600, like all
previous Amigas, can only display 4096 colors at once (out of a palette
the same size) while the A1200 can display over 256,000 colors at once out
of a 16 million + palette. SVGA resolutions like 640×480 and 800×600 are
supported, as are video-friendly resolutions like 1280×400. The A1200 is
also much more capable than its predecessors when it comes to animation.
One important thing: for the A1200 you'll want a multiscanning monitor
capable of syncing down to 15.75kHz (most go no lower than 31kHz these
days) as some Amiga resolutions require such a rate.
I bought an A1200 last week. So far I'm very impressed by it,
particularly its graphics capabilites. It's my fourth Amiga, three of
which I still own. 🙂 It came with 2 megs of RAM (expandable via
expansion buss to 10 megs), an internal 40 meg IDE hard drive, and cost me
around $850. You could probably do better cost-wise by getting the 1200
minus HD and then getting the HD from a third party supplier, but I opted
for convenience. With the 1200 being so reasonably priced, I think the
600's days in North America are numbered unless it catches on as a low-end
games console (which I doubt). The 1200, being the first widely
affordable second-generation Amiga, is likely to be around for some time.
BTW, if I were you I'd hang on to that Epson PC clone and get the Amiga as
an addition to your arsenal rather than a replacement. Amigas are not
MSDOS/Windows compatible right out of the box, although various
PC-on-a-card solutions can be had for extra $$. The 1200, though, is a
brand-new machine with a new expansion architecture…there are no
hardware PC emulators available for it yet.
-Dave (via AutoPilot)
David –
I really appreciate your reply and agree with you about the new A1200. I
say that now only because after I left the post today, I went out and
bought copies of Amazing Amiga and Amiga World and the A1200 is spotlighted
in both.
I think you're also correct about keeping my 386/20 clone…at least for
now until I see what develops with compatible add-ons for the Amiga.
Hopefully more of us computer users from other platforms will discover the
Amiga and all it has to offer. It sure was some interesting reading in
both magazines today!
Incidentally, I take it that my SVGA Monitor will hook up directly to the
Amiga A1200 – correct?? As I just purchased my new Texel CD-ROM unit this
week for the DOS machine … and I would lose too much by selling it …
what plans does Commodore have for CD-ROM incorporation in the future??
Thanks again for the response.
==Bob==
Bob,
You'd need a 23-to-15 pin adaptor to use your SVGA monitor with the A1200.
Commodore makes such an adaptor specifically for this purpose…it
contains some onboard electronics that would make your monitor happy with
the Amiga's RGB output. If you're lucky your computer dealer (or
mail-order outfit) will stock the adaptor; otherwise it can be ordered.
The part number is 390682-01, in case you're interested. BTW, what
monitor do you have?
As for CD-ROM, I know CD-ROM drives can be hooked up to Amigas
(Commodore's CDTV is basically an Amiga/CD-ROM combo) but I have no
experience with this myself. Perhaps someone else can chime in here….
-Dave (via AutoPilot)
It's a Magnavox SuperVGA from what they call their Professional Color
Series.
==Bob==
Thanks again for the tips!
Bob,
I have a Supra SCSI controller, Chinon 435 CD ROM drive & ASIM CD
driver. I also have an A3070 connected to the SCSI controller. So far the
only Amiga software I've tried that works is the Fred Fish disk that comes
with the ASIM driver. The FF disk works quite well, including the access
software. I tried "Sherlock Holmes: Conulting Detective" whcih didn't
work. The disk was readable, but the sofware expects to boot on a real
CDTV. It does say CDTV on it, but all of the titles I've seen do, but some
may work either way. My problem is, how does one know which ones. I expect
that most of them don't use the (CDTV only) custom chips. I've got
Grollier's Illustrated Encyclopedia on order, which I believe will work.
The important thing is that the access software works. The files will be
readable. In fact I can read PC and MAC CDs as well. In the case of the
PC stuff, I can copy them over to the PC partition and execute them with
CrossPC. The chinon drive came with a PC disk and a PC/MAC disk. I
believe that Consultron is working on an add-on product to access an Amiga
CD drive directly from the PC side. The MessyDOS CDs can now be accessed
with normal AmigaDOS commands as it is. I wish manufacturers of the data
disks would put Amiga, PC and MAC access software on the CDs or perhaps in
our case have the access software on an external floppy. The data and
index takes a lot of space, but the access software shouldn't. Many of the
available titles have PC and MAC access software on the same CD already,
just not Amiga. I expect we should start a catalogue here of stuff CDs
that work on non-CDTV Amigas. Even the quarterly guide from Amazing
Amigas list all of the CD titles under the heading of CDTV! Aughhh!
Ron
Hi Dave!
I have a question regarding monitor output… The Amiga is supossed to be
NTSC compaitable right? TV sets for the US market are NTSC right? I would
like to take the RGB analog video signal from the A4000 and run it to a
Sony XBR2 32" monitor/reciver. The Sony has very high resolution for a
consumer grade Television. Can this be done to an acceptable level???
–Steven Walters 70524,634
Steven,
If your Sony TV has an RGB input you'll be able to run the A4000's RGB
output right into it. My computer dealer used to sell a 14" or 15" Sony
TV that had an RGB input…it made a real nice monitor, had a better
picture than the Commodore 1080s they were also selling.
-Dave (via AutoPilot)
Steven,
If the XBR only has video inputs…no. But if it has RGB inputs,
then yes.
Don
Dave,
I also have a SpeedStar S-VGA 1024×768 interlaced monitor I use with my PC
as a fallback. but I would like to get an all in one solution if possible.
–Steven Walters
Steven,
I take it then that the SpeedStar is not a multiscanning monitor. ??
It's a pity that Commodore hasn't provided with the new AGA machines a way
to coerce the Alert and Early Startup Control screens up to the 30 kHz
range. If this were possible, it wouldn't be as big a pain in the *ss to
use a monitor that can't scan down to 15 kHz.
-Dave (via AutoPilot)
Bob: From reading some of the text from the speeches given at the WOA show
in Pasadena, and the Toronto show, it sounds like CBM might include a
built-in CD-Rom drive in one of the high end Amiga's sometime in the
future. If someone comes out with a SCSI controller for the 1200 and the
Texel drive is SCSI, then you should be able to use it on the Amiga. I've
got a bunch of .GIF picture disks, clip art, C source code, and .MOD music
files on CD.
John – K7KB (Flying via AutoPilot)
Dave,
I think your statements about the Amiga 1200 are right on target.
However, I would like to point one thing that we have realized as a dealer
that many in the Amiga community have not.
There is a market for a $399 computer bundled with software. One of the
absolute hottest packages we had this year was the A600 RoboCop 3D package
that included five software programs (four of them were decent too!). At
$399 the systems rolled out the door in near record numbers. Remember
these systems were complete with RF modulator, internal disk drive, 1MB of
RAM, 2.05 in ROM and a 2MB Agnus. The machines are small enough to be
considered portable and are well made. The most often heard comment after
I demonstrated what the A600 could do — was wow, all this for $399!?
Would you guess who the major customer is? I will save you the guessing.
It was the c64 customer. Most Amigas have been priced out of the range of
those who wish to compute on the biscuit and bread budget. The Amiga 1200
at the PowerUp price of $599 is still too rich for the blood of these
types of folks. We added the "A64 Package" to the list of software that
was distributed with the system so that the C64 user could begin the
migration from yesterdays computing to todays. Of course each c64 user
had to send the shareware fee in to get the hardware interface that allows
the 1541 to be connected to the system.
Now I will grant each and everyone of you who are about to post–AGA is
the future. However the people that are buying the A600s don't care about
graphics for the most part, but simply want a machine that has a good
installed base of software _and_ can be expanded into a reasonable machine
a little cost. They like the fact that the system can have a hard drive
added for a few dollars (similiar to the days that you bought the c64 and
then saved for the 1541) and that they could use their existing 1702
monitors.
The other source of customer was Amiga 500 people who wanted a hard disk
<continued>
badly–but did not want to buy the expansion box, etc. They wanted to
have 2.0 and the larger Agnus. All of which would cost more to do than
to expand the A500. They did not want to put the bucks into the A1200 and
have what they considered a machine they would have to immediately
upgraded. Face it folks, a floppy based A1200 is useless.
It is all about economics with the A600, it is also dependant on the needs
of the individual.
Every new Amiga user counts folks. 🙂 I do admit that these owners may
not be the best for the long haul, especially if a large base of A600s
appear, but I would rather get them into an Amiga than a used PC anyday.
I like the A600 has $399, but there would be no way to keep them in stock
at $299. 🙂
-mark=
Mark,
Glad to hear the A600 is doing so well for you. I didn't realize it was
selling much at all…my dealer hasn't sold too many (but, then again,
they deal mainly in higher-end and Toaster systems, so they may not be at
all typical). I completely agree with you…every new Amiga user counts.
Thanks for adding to my comments.
-Dave (via AutoPilot)
Had to step back in here for a moment to let you know that economics played
a small part today … and because I was anxious to try out an Amiga I
thought I would try the A600. I own one now, and am glad I do so that now
I'll be ready to upgrade to the 1200 when finances permit. I'm trying to
sort out my needs right now … and I think that the 1200 will probably fit
the bill pretty well (depending on the ability to use MS-DOS with it). I'm
interested in the AMAX card to but understand it can only be used with
upper end units.
I'll be back with more questions here later.
==Bob in Arizona ==
Bob,
There are two different versions of the AMAX hardware. You should be able
to use the version that plugs into the external floppy drive port (I think
that's where it goes) with your A600.
Congrats on getting the 600! Hope you have lots of fun with it.
BTW, AMAX is a Macintosh emulator. (I'm sure you know this, but just in
case….) 8^)
-Dave (via AutoPilot)
You'll have to forgive me since I'm a little slow in answering some of my
mail. Thanks for the info on the AMAX. Yeah I knew it was for Mac
software…and I still have some of that around here. As you probabliy
whoops…that's probably ..know I did buy an A1200…although I haven't
received it yet. Really like this A600 but thought I'd upgrade a bit.
==Bob==
Bob,
No, I didn't know you'd purchased an A1200. (I haven't read any messages
today other than yours…just logged on with AutoPilot to collect the
message headers.) That's cool! The 1200 is one powerful little computer.
I think you'll like its enhanced graphics capabilities and greater
all-around speed. Now we just have to wait for more software to take
advantage of the new graphics chips.
-Dave (via AutoPilot)
Amen…the company (dealer) told me yesterday that my A1200 would be a bit
slow in coming due to being on backorder. Oh well. Bye the way, Dave, can
you recommend a home personal finance program -shareware of commercial
which operates sort of like Quicken?? Thanks! ==Bob==
Bob,
Sorry, when it comes to financial software I'm the wrong person to ask.
8^) I don't know from spreadsheets or accounting programs. If you ever
have any questions about image-processing packages, though, I'll be happy
to pontificate. <g>
-Dave (via AutoPilot)
OK Dave, thanks! I am trying CheckBook Accountant … or will be as soon
as I get the 1200 with the harddrive. Thanks for the offer regarding images
though…I'm sure a question will come up shortly. Any other Amiga user
out there have a particular favorite home-budget software expressly for the
Amiga?? Let me know. Thanks again for all the responses, Dave! ==Bob==
Good choice! The 1200 is one awesome computer. You wont be disappointed!
Bob Comer
Bob, thanks for the message. I sure am looking forward to it! ==Bob in
Arizona==
Bob,
A-Max II will work with all Amigas. It's only the II Plus version that
requires the high-end machines. With an A600 you'll get Mac Plus
performance with A-Max II. With an A1200 you'll get better-than-Mac LC II
performance.
Excellent news!! Thanks for the info Denny! == ==Bob==
I think you are right on the money when stating why the A600 is so
popular. Price is a VERY real factor for most of us that don't have the
disposable income we used to have. I have a divorced friend who had an
A1000 and let his kids have it for school work and games. Probably his
ONLY hope of buying an Amiga for himself is the A600.
Bob, Thought I would add my two cents on some Amiga software. First, in my
opinion, JR-COMM is the best telecommunications software. A complete
program can be downloaded from almost any BBS. The registered copy does
not have the annoying delays. It was named the best telecommunications
program by either Amazing Computing or Amiga World, I forget which. I
recommend it and the price (even after registration) is unbeatable.
Also, Professional Calc from Gold Disk is an excellent program. II often
bring MS-Dos files home and use Professional Calc to generate the charts
because it can print them in structured (known usually as 'vector' in
MS-DOS) art, i.e., no jaggies. – ROB –
Thanks for the tip Rob. I am using an unregistered copy of JR Comm right
now. It seems to have the features that I'm looking for. I've been using
QModem on the MSDOS side for the past three years or so and really liked
it. This seems to be fairly similar. Thanks for the info on the numbers
manipulation program "Professional Calc". I'll search for it. Thanks
again!
==Bob in Arizona==