#Amiga Info
16 messages in this thread
I am looking to buy another Amiga (after being an original A1000 owner the
day they hit the shelves) and I've been out of the Amiga maketplace for
some time. I dont need a 3000, I will probably be using games and midi
mostly, with some casual WP.
The new graphics chip, fat agnus? what does it accomplish over my old
1000, and what models have it? I heard that 640×480 will be capable without
interlace on a Sync Monitor, is it possible with the 68000 machines?
What computers will be able to run the latest version of WB? Should I look
for a certain version of KS in rom?
Basically, what should I look for. I am considering used equip and dont
want to think I'm getting a deal until I realize its out of date.
THANKS, I appreciate the help.
-Dave Elliott
Dave,
Any of the Amigas will be able to run 2.0, but not all of them will be able
to take full advantage of it. If you want a newer machine, but not a 3000,
then you will only be looking at the 2×00 range of machines. All of them
have a 68000 chip; some have accelerator boards with either the 68020 or
68030, and these are much faster. The 1M Agnus chip has been out for a
very long while, and many owners have installed those. The new Denise
(which will allow for the new modes like the one you mentioned) has not
been released, but will probably be released when 2.0 is released. It
wouldn't help you much without the 2.0 software to take advantage of it.
When 2.0 is really released for the 2000 range of machines, you will need
the new 2.0 KS ROM and the software to go with it. You might want the new
Denise for the extra modes, and you might not. You probably WILL want the
Agnus that lets you have more chip ram. To use the new modes with the new
software, you will have to have a multisync monitor. So – you will
probably want to look for something that already has the 1M Agnus, but plan
to spend a bit more to put in the 2.0 ROM when it is ready – almost any day
now.
Betty
Betty,
A stock A1000 will not run v2.0 simply because it only has 256K of
WCS RAM and 2.0 is a 512K OS. An A1000 modified with the Rejuvenator, or
one of the other 3rd party options that allows a ROM'ed OS (and has
provisions for a 512K sized OS) will be able to use it.
Don
Are there still people who run a stock A1000? I didn't even think of such
a thing! 🙂
Betty
Betty,
yup. Mom has one, but not for long, if I can help it <grin>
Brian J. Bartlett
Actually, Brian, according to what I read, an A1000 can run 2.0 if it has
an autoconfig memory board into which the Kickstart can be kicked. Some of
the developers have been testing 2.0 stuff on 1000 machines – but they are
not just stock 512K machines!
Betty
Betty,
Yup…lots of folks still running A1000's without a ROM board or
the Rejuvenator. However, I think their numbers will lower significantly
within a year as v2.0 "takes hold".
Don
Betty,
Taarna (my trusty A1000), who is kind enough to help me compose this
reply is a stock A1000. Well, she has two (2) (yes, I know, I'm lucky
they're both working) things plugged onto the expansion. A 2 meg expansion
memory and a Wedge (currently handling 2 53meg (formatted) ST-506 drives).
She also has 512K of chip memory. That _is_ a pretty vanilla machine,
isn't it?
Victor A. Wagner, Jr.
But, Vic, according to my understanding, the developer beta-test version of
2.0 can be run on a 1000 that has an Autoconfig memory board. Don's
statement (if I understood him correctly) was that it could not. Maybe I
misread the instructions, since I haven't tried it – but if it can be done
this way for beta testing, it would be possible for it to be done that way
later on by users, too. THAT was my point. There is no requirement for an
MMU, a new Agnus, a new Denise, etc. – but there HAS to be a memory board
at a particular location and that location is where the first autoconfig
memory board would be. Did I remember that right?
Betty
Betty,
No…I don't think I said that. I believe I said a "stock" A1000
couldn't run 2.0. In other words, you can't make a 2.0 KS disk that will
kickstart an unexpanded A1000 into 2.0 since 2.0 takes 512K of memory and
the unexpanded A1000 has only 256K of WCS (which is where the code on a KS
disk gets stored).
If you want to go thru a triple startup, and have a memory board
that shows up as the first autoconfig device (not sure what the 256K front
mounted board shows up as) then you could:
1. Boot with 1.2 KS
2. Load a 1.2WB disk that contained the 2.0 code and kickit
3. Have kickit load the new OS
4. On re-boot, insert a 2.0 WB disk.
The other option would be to have an A1000 that's has one of the
modifications to allow it to accept a ROM'ed OS (and 512k ROMs) and simply
install the ROM's.
Don
We seem to agree, Don. I was thinking that it is possible to kick 2.0 into
expanded memory on the A1000 – so the machine CAN use 2.0 without having
the rejuvenator or any of those other boards – it only has to have the fast
memory at the right place. Guess we just weren't communicating well.
Betty
Thanks Betty,
Also, are there any Models that imply whether or not the fat agnus is
installed (such as by commodore?). I may get a 500, (because I've got no
real intense applications to do) and I heard of two different types, but I
cant remember what it was. Was it a 500s or 500e or something? Does this
say what version of KS rom it has and if its got the fat agnus?
Will the 512K KS Rom work on a 500? Will the new denise work also?
Hmm…Might have to scrape for a 2000.
THANKS for all the help.
Dave Elliott
Dave,
If you even _think_ that you might try to expand it someday, get the A2000.
Commodore has repeatedly stated that they do not support the activation of
a 1 meg AGNUS chip in the A500 at this time. The two A500 packages that
you're thinking of are the A500C and A500P. The A500P is the better one of
the two to get (IMHO) because it includes 1 meg of ram and comes with
AmigaVision.
David
Thanks David. Hmmm….
Now to find out if my local dealer will get me the educational rates…
-Dave Elliott
Dave,
When you turn on the machine, the opening information on the screen will
tell you which version of the software is running. Just read the info on
the screen. Then, get a CLI and type:
AVAIL. This will tell you how much memory is available in the machine. If
you have the 1M Agnus, the amount of chip memory will be more than 512K –
closer to 900K (because some of it is already used up to display the info
on the screen, run the disk drives, etc.) If you plan to do any expansion,
such as adding hard disks and the like, you will probably prefer the 2000.
The 500C and 500P are the same except for the software bundled with them, I
believe. You will find that most 500's will have the 512K Agnus chip,
though some have been upgraded to the 1M one.
Commodore has not given a date for the new chipset, etc. to be ready for
the A500. They have said that it will be ready for the 2000 very soon now
(supposed to have been Sept., but they are a tad late), but have only said
that it WILL come for the 500, but have not given a time.
Betty