#A500 UpGrade
2 messages in this thread
PD <<Do I need the 2.04 or the 2.05 ROM Chip and are there different versions
for the A500?>>
With a rev6 motherboard, you should be able to use either ROM, but I believe
the 2.05 ROM would be better. If you get a ROM will a wire jumpered from pin
#1 to #31, you will need to remove the wire. The jumper was only needed for
the earlier Amigas (rev5 A500s).
—
PD <<Do I need the Super Agnus 8372B and/or the Super Denise 8373 to take
advantage of OS2.1+; and if so, how do I add the extra Chip RAM to take
advantage of of Super Agnus?>>
You don't need the ECS Agnus or ECS Denise to run OS2.1, but if you do the OS
will offer you more features. Your A500 might already have an ECS Agnus
(#8372A) in it (running in 512K mode).
If you want to add a ECS Denise, you will need an ECS Agnus. The ECS Denise
will add SuperHires & VGA modes.
The ECS Agnus (#8372a) gives several system improvements, but most aren't
noticable to the average user. Two that are noticable are NTSC/PAL mode
switching using only software, and the option to have either 512K or 1-meg of
CHIP RAM.
The 1-meg CHIP option requires some cutting & re-soldering of jumpers for
setting the Agnus to look for the extra RAM, and for re-configuring the A501 to
be the second bank of CHIP.
The #8372B and #8375 Agnus chips are not compatible with the A500, but can be
added using an adaptor board with extra RAM (like DKB's MegAchip board.)
– Ron. (People who say cats always land on their feet…
just don't know how to throw them right.)
Ron,
Thanks for the info; I'll be taking the cover off the A500 shortly and I
shall check things out and decide how to proceed.
Pete
/ / Flying the A3000 on AutoPilot 1.77
\/\/ from Durham,Ontario.