#New Chip Set for 2000
30 messages in this thread
Does anyone know when the upgrade chip set will be available for the 2000 ?
Of particular interest to me is the new "Super Denise" chip which will
allow higher resolution in character generation. Also – is there ant idea
of price ?
Regards to all, HILARY
Spring 91 if I read the message on the CBM service forum correctly.
Ron
Hilary,
All I can do is suppose, but here is my opinion: The SuperDenise cannot
help you until you have 2.0 installed, therefore there is no need to
release the chip until 2.0 is released. I know that the chip has been
finished for quite some time, and that many of the developers are using
them to betatest 2.0 software and to test their own software running on 2.0
and using the new Denise. I think it is not released because it wouldn't
do you any good without 2.0, and 2.0 is not yet ready for release.
Betty
Betty, if I remember right CBM originally suggested that 2.0 would be
released for the 2000 around 9/90, including the chip set, and now they're
saying sometime in spring 1991?
Ron
Ron, you know how it is when they are getting new software ready. It just
didn't get finished as soon as they had hoped -and it will be out when it's
out. The latest beta version is FAR more stable than the one prior to it,
so let's be glad they are still working things out instead of sending us
buggy ROMs.
Betty
Betty, obviously it was a tarnish to Commodore's image when they set a
date for release and then missed it. That is fine. It happens to everyone.
But Commodore won't even admit it! They won't give a new date, they won't
say why it happened, they won't even say ANYTHING. That is what bothers me
the most. They're the ones who said September in the first place. If they
didn't want critics pushing them they shouldn't have announced a date they
couldn't keep.
— Ethan
Ethan,
I don't believe CBM has ever "officially" given a release date for 2.0. At
least, working at dealership, I have never seen one. Remember, rumor or
what a CBM rep tells you on the side does not constitute an "official"
release date.
I believe what CBM considers an "official" release is just that, i.e. a
press release both in print and on the BBS's, probably by Dave Minnich, and
dealers being told the product is now available.
Greg,
CBM did announce 2.0 for the A2000 in a press released dated 24
April 90. It was the same announcement as the A3000 announcement.
I quote from the press release:
"Commodore further announced an AmigaDOS 2.0 enhancer kit for A2000
series machines to be available in September. Availability of a 2.0
enhancer kit for the A500 series machines will be announced at a future
date."
The press release was from Fleishman-Hillarad, Inc (CBM's ad
agency) on Commodore letterhead.
I stand corrected. April was so long ago the release had faded into the
mists of my mind. As a matter of fact, it is getting pretty misty in here.
I guess this is why I usually ignore these things until we get word that we
can now place our orders with CBM. Sorry.
Greg
Greg White / MicroSearch 72230,1617
We listen to our customers..carefully
Commodore OFFICIALLY stated a September release in their flurry of Press
Releases back in April. They said May for AmigaVision, June for A3000, July
for the start of networking products, and September for 2.0. That date
passed and there was a lot of anger on usenet. To date Commodore has said
nothing.
— Ethan
I stand corrected. April was so long ago the release had faded into the
mists of my mind. As a matter of fact, it is getting pretty misty in here.
I guess this is why I usually ignore these things until we get word that we
can now place our orders with CBM. Sorry.
Well then I guess those letters we recieved, stating that it would be
available by Oct. and gave upgrade pricing, are an illusion (this isn't a
slight against you but against C= wonderful way of distributing literature,
there are a number of announcements that they didn't send us either).
BEN Leigh's Computer's
I agree that I want 2 to be stable, but Spring 1991?
Ron
It will take 60 days for CBM to package and distribute 2.0 once it is
ready. That's what 1.3 took. So if they finish it by year's end, it will be
1 March before it is ready. If they finish sooner, then it might happen
before. -Greg
A developer told me today that he had received a 2.0 marked 'final'. So
should we expect it January 12?
Ron
One of the early versions of 2.0 was called 'ROM-candidate' and there have
been several updates since. Since the September delivery date was broken,
they won't receive any more wrath than they are now by waiting. Besides, is
anything ever final? 🙂
I guess I'm just getting frustrated still again; they announce a date and
don't meet it, even when that date was a long way off. We get to see the
new release, we just can't have it. It reminds me of the Janus 2 fiasco;
it came out for the 286, and I think it took around a year to be really
available for the 88; and at a much higher price (at first) then expected.
And now, we know that a new Janus is being worked on, no doubt to support
new hardware, and they won't even tell us if existing Janus 2 bugs will
ever be fixed or what year that might happen. Since I may need the missing
functionality for work, I'm getting even more frustrated.
Ah, Ron – – if Commodore tells you what they think will happen, and it is
late, you get terribly frustrated. And if they DON't tell you what they
are doing, or when they expect to finish, you get terribly frustrated. Gee,
it seems to me, you spend quite a lot of time being terribly frustrated, no
matter WHAT Commodore does!! 🙂
Just relax, Ron. It will get here when it's ready, and not before, and
there is nothing we can do about it – no need to get upset.
Betty
Betty, they did announce a date, didn't meet it, and now won't even
apologise or explain. And in some areas, like Janus, we don't even know if
they're planning to deal with problems.
In one way I'm not in a hurry for 2.0; I don't know if my Kronos will run
under it.
Ron
Humm…seems to me that Commodore gave permission within a month of
Janus 2.0's release for dealers to copy it for persons who could prove they
had the Janus 1.0 software. Which was an easy task, you brought in your
old Janus disk.
The package came a year later…but you paid for the package, the
dealer "deal" was a freebie.
The dealer deal was only available from dealers who 1. knew of it, 2. cared
to let you. I bought my bb after 2 came out, and had to practically beg
the dealer afterwards to let me get the copy of 2. With no docs to work
with, either; not even a look at the manual.
Betty,
Amax utilities the Super Denise, apparently on it's own, without 2.0. That
is the only case I know of, though.
Broadcast Titler 2 offers optional Super hi-res upgrade for people with the
super denise as well
BEN Leigh's Computer's
Wow. Already a titler on the market that uses super-hires.
I was not aware that AMAX used it! Thanks.
Betty
Yes, more often than not a 400 line screen is needed to display a full Mac
screen (without having to scroll around), and that means interlace if you
don't have Super Denise. Using ESC hires mode is a big eye-saving feature
of A-Max.
Thanks Betty. What you say makes sence. We are interested in the Denise for
higher resolution in Title Software. Have you any idea when the Ver 2.0
will be available ??
All the best…… Hilary
Hilary,
No date has been set for the new set. Considering the time of year it is
now, I would imagine that it would not be out until after the first of the
year – but this is purely guessing. Commodore has not made an announcement
about it, and the rest of us don't know.
Betty
Thanks for your guess Batty. Incidently, see that RAM chips are now down
to the $5.0/Each level. Think I will fill up to the full 8 Megs, just in
case things get lively in Middle East. Remember things getting V E R Y
short in the UK after WW.II broke out.
Best regards, HILARY
8 megs would be VERY nice. I'm still muddling along with 3. Maybe you are
right – maybe it is a good time.
Betty