[net.micro.amiga] Accelerator

kdd@well.UUCP (07/11/86)

[.......]
In article <399@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP> riz@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP (Rizal Ishak) writes:
>Hi, can anyone out here in the net update me with the Amiga 
>Transformer/Accelerator? Does it draw its power from the AMIGA
>cpu or from an external source. Am also interested to know of 
>its availability in Europe, U.K in particular. Thanks in advance.

This brings to mind questions I have been wondering about in regards to
the sidecar, specifically:

	1) does it really have PC bus slots?
	2) if it does, is someone working on software so that I can plug
           a hardcard into it and make the whole box look like an Amiga
           hard disk?  (and I don't much care about P.C. compatibility here)
           Or is this likely to be a problem that has to be solved differently
           for EACH different hardcard/hard-disk etc.  (here's the driver for
           the Mountain DriveCard, here's the one for the Plus HardCard, etc.)
	3) and if I can do that, do I really need a 5-1/4 drive?

Inquiring minds want to know,

Keith Doyle
ihnp4!ptsfa!well!kdd

slb@helm.UUCP (07/18/86)

From the information that's been passed to me through Amazing Computing
and from the place that I work here's the scoop on the Sidecar

The demo units that were shown at COMDEX boasted 3 expansion slots for 
anything (Hard Drives, etc.) except for a graphics card (which would be
useless anyhow since the Sidecar uses the Amiga for video out.)
Supposedly this means that you can hook up a hard drive to the Sidecar
partition it for use with both the Amiga and Sidecar and run from there.
I know this can be done if you replace the 5 1/4 drive with a hard drive..
I don't know if this is possible from the expansion slots.

The Sidecar runs in Monochrome in a standard amiga window on your workbench..
in color the sidecar runs in a window on a seperate screen.  If you click on
the inside of the window the borders dissappear to give you a full 80 by 24
line screen.

RJ Michael did the software that links the SideCar to the Amiga and from
what I hear it sets up a means of communication between the two processors
so that the Amiga can access things like co-processors from the sidecar
and vice-versa.  Overall the link between the two "heads" of the system
has been well thought out.

..... And yes, the Sidecar even runs Flight Simulator!!!!

Now, my question, Commodore are you listening?  When are we going to see
the product released?
 
San
 
NOTE...I don't have a .signature yet.. so, I disclaim that anything I've said
Could probably be wrong or incorrect.  There...