rtb@ihlpm.UUCP (Todd) (09/18/85)
Let's look at few facts on the ST-AMIGA comparison. Software: There is software available for the ST right now. 1. Developers kit with C, assembler, linker, CP/M 68K, 2000 pages of documentation. $300 (how much do you think Lattice C for the AMIGA will cost?) 2. PC Intercom. A complete terminal program with VT100 emulation, 20 programmable function keys, download and upload capabilities. 3. Express. A complete word processor with a download- upload bare-bones terminal emulator included. Price $50 4. Ram disk program from Michtron $35 5. Wishbringer from Infocom 6. FORTH-83 7. HEX a real-time graphics game 8. MUDPIES another real time graphics game. Hardware: Why is everyone calling the ST a closed machine and the Amiga an open machine? Both are coming out with expansion boxes that have slots for expansion boards. If the AMIGAS expansion box was already available (or the AMIGA and the expansion box where available) THEN you can say that the AMIGA is more expandable IT will cost more to upgrade the AMIGAS ram because the AMIGA uses expensive 64k by 4 chips instead of cheaper and more available 256k by 1 chips. There is already a way to expand the ST to 1 meg for just the cost of 16 256k by 1 chips. Many reports haver stated that the 600 by 200 text mode looks better on the ST than the AMIGA. If you don't like the text on the AMIGA you are out of luck, you can't put a monochrome monitor on the AMIGA that is as sharp as the ST monochrome system. You can get a monochrome monitor for the ST (the ST has a 600 by 400 mode) that has better resolution than the MACINTOSH Monitor. The CD ROM for the ST is an exiting product. If you think that they are only going to use it for an encyclopedia you are mistaken. Who cares that the AMIGA has Sprites and the ST doesn't. Programming Sprites is a pain in the neck, and bit-blit graphics (which both the ST and AMIGA have) is a better way to go. You will note that in all these comparisons I tried to keep the issue of price to a minimum. I am sick of hearing that the AMIGA is better but the ST is cheaper. I guess that the only thing that both AMIGA and ST fans will agree on is that the next year will be an exiting one. R.T. Bradstrum
eve@ssc-bee.UUCP (Michael Eve) (09/20/85)
> > Let's look at few facts on the ST-AMIGA comparison. > > IT will cost more to upgrade the AMIGAS ram because the AMIGA > uses expensive 64k by 4 chips instead of cheaper and more available > 256k by 1 chips. There is already a way to expand the ST to 1 meg > for just the cost of 16 256k by 1 chips. > > R.T. Bradstrum I really don't believe this is a fact. Although the Amiga appears to use 64Kx4 on the main board, it does this for the convenience of the video controller chip. Since the video controller chip is supposedly limited to 512k bytes addressing range, there is no reason memory hung on the side beyond the first 512k bytes need be 64kx4; 256kx1 will probably do quite nicely. If you don't know the facts, R.T., don't claim you do. Thats why we have the word probably! -- Mike Eve Boeing Aerospace, Seattle ...uw-beaver!ssc-vax!ssc-bee!eve
GUBBINS@RADC-TOPS20.ARPA (09/28/85)
From: Gern <GUBBINS@RADC-TOPS20.ARPA> I believe that the Amiga uses 64Kx4 chips so that the 68000 can perform a 16-bit data path memory access while the machine only has 256K of memory (in 8 chips). If the Amiga had eight 256Kx1 chips, it could not do a 16-bit memory access without extra circuits/extra cycles to do a 8-bit twice multiplexedfetch. Hence, using 64Kx4 256K-bit chips, it can hit four of these 8 chips at once to perform 16-bit and still have 256Kbytes of memory (taking up only 8 chips). The Atari 520ST, I believe, has to trash the 130?ST because they were using the 256Kx1 and the extra circuitry was too much. Hence, only a 512Kbyte machine is available with 16 256Kx1 chips (hitting all 16 chips for a 16-bit operation. Cheers, Gern -------
jec@iuvax.UUCP (10/01/85)
I believe the reason behind the 64Kx4 RAMs is most likely because
it was originally designed for ROM in that region and they just got some
ROM compatible RAM chips instead of retooling for 8 256Kbit chips. This
would also make a good case for the future ROM upgrade of "old" Amigas.
Hopefully ATARI took this approach too.
Keep in mind that this is entirely speculation on my part. I
have no sources to confirm or deny this. Maybe someone could look at
an Amiga schematic for this.
James E. Conley Usenet: {ihnp4,pur-ee,purdue}!iuvax!jec
I.U. Dept. of Linguistics Phone: (812) 335-6458
401 Lindley Hall (812) 332-3514
Bloomington, IN. 47405jimomura@lsuc.UUCP (Jim Omura) (10/02/85)
Actually, the most likely reason why there isn't an ST-130 is that nobody would buy it. It's fairly well known now that in a bitmapped high res graphics/icon system there isn't mucc memory left in a 128K system. This is why the small Mac is dead. -- James Omura, Barrister & Solicitor, Toronto ihnp4!utzoo!lsuc!jimomura Byte Information eXchange: jimomura Compuserve: 72205,541 MTS at WU: GKL6