daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) (12/12/90)
In article <1990Dec10.191004.10968@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu> slfields@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu (Scott L Fields) writes: >To be truthfull, rather than buy a 3000, I would rather have an upgrade path >available for my 2000. Well, you can upgrade an A2000, via plug-ins, about as much as it is possible to upgrade the A2000 architecture. The machine was designed to handle the 1Meg version of the ECS chipset. A plug in frame converter like the C= board or Microway flickerFixer works just as well in the 2000 as a the built-in device on the 3000. There are a considerable number of 68030 boards available, and I expect someone will do an '040 board. >Some things I would like are just wining on my part but this is as follows: >The new chipset. >A software selectable cpu (68030 or 68000) on the board for compatibility. You're never going to see a new Amiga with both 68030 and 68000 on the board. There's no reason, other than to support buggy software, to have a 68000 around if you have a 68030. The A2630 supports a software switch to let the 68000 take over the system, but only because it was free and useful to developers (letting them test for backward compatibility without having to yank boards or own two Amigas). >Simm sockets instead of ZIPPs The problem with SIMMs is that they're not quite as dense as ZIPs, they force larger memory bank sizes (2 or 8 megs, minimum, rather than 1 or 4 megs minimum, on a 32 bit bus). >Zorro-III slots ( but more of them plus the 4 IBM slots){-1 for the bridge} You can't have the Zorro III bus easily connected to any machine with a 68000 in it. Zorro III bus cycles are 32 bits wide, period, and the bus address space is as well 32 bits wide (the A3000 starts Zorro III boards at $10000000 in memory). -- Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Amiga 3000) "The Crew That Never Rests" {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh PLINK: hazy BIX: hazy "I can't drive 55" -Sammy Hagar