CompuServe Thread

#Enhanced Chip Set

5 messages in this thread
#12461From: Dean BrownSep 20, 1988 10:22 PM
Ariel, I kinda thought that comment would get a remark from you. 8) BTW, are you having any trouble with that setup? -Dean
#12478From: Ariel ButlerSep 20, 1988 11:01 PM
Dean: I haven't experienced any difficulties that could be directly traceable to the extra CHIP availability. I'd be interested to know EXACTLY what the Exec problem with this was. I do cringe at the thought of people putting fatter Agnus chips into their own Amiga 2000's, though. I hope CBM makes this a "take it back to your dealer" thing, cause I can just see the number of motherboards destroyed during the installation. The highlight, of course, is where you have to reach in and cut the trace between two pads without cutting any adjacent traces (ouch!). This would have been tons easier had they put the posts and jumper block in. One of the nice things about having the new Agnus is not having "semi-fast" or "intermediate" memory that's as slow as CHIP but useless for graphics. No more wondering whether some DMA device is going to use the $C00000 area to setup its I/O buffers! Getting rid of "FastMemFirst" in the startup is pretty nice too. Of course, there's the obvious advantages to the extra CHIP, but I'll leave that for Mr. Foust to comment upon. 🙂 Ariel
#12542From: John GagerSep 21, 1988 2:41 AM
You mean the Fat Agnus chip is not socketed in the 2000 like it is in my 500? So I don't see too much problem with the average user destroying the motherboard unless its soldered in. Of course, I've had people bring their Computers over after they have installed an upgrade Rom and had to explain to them that it won't work very well with those pins hanging out the side :). For most people, it would be wise to let the dealer install the chips. Do you have any info when the enhanced chip set will be available? John Gager
#12561From: Ariel ButlerSep 21, 1988 9:31 AM
John: I have NO idea when the new chips will be available. I got mine in a lottery (no, really!) about 5-6 months ago. I guess the best answer is still "real soon now". Yes, the fatter Agnus chip is socketed in the 2000. My concern was in the average Amiga user's ability to pull a pin-grid IC out (would they even have the proper tool?) without damaging it, put the new one in without damaging it, and (the worst part) cutting the trace on the motherboard between two pads WITHOUT accidentally slicing through the surrounding traces. If you find this trivial, fine, but I'll bet it's because you have had practice, something most Amiga users haven't had. This is probably all moot, since CBM is most assuredly going to make this a dealer-installed upgrade. Ariel
#12607From: Doug WingerSep 21, 1988 2:22 PM
Ari Nertz to that 'take it in' stuff. Lemme at it! Doug (with tools laid out in anticipation) p.s. I've seen the local Tech. He was last seen _prying_ a memory board out of a machine with a screwdriver the size of a crowbar. I wouldn't trust him my to _type_ on my machine, let alone get his clumsy paws inside it.