lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca (Larry Phillips) (09/10/90)
In <30001@nigel.ee.udel.edu>, BYRNE@muppet.dnet.ge.com writes: > What type of controller does the A590 have? If it is the 2090a (or >equivalent) won't it have the same problems during overscan as explained by >Dave Haynie (ST-506 being the main dumb interface)? If so, is there a new >version planned? Any opinions on other SCSI controllers for the A500? Well, the A590 has the A590 controller. It's functionally equivalent to the 2091. There is no problem with overscan. It does have an interface that the 2091 does not have, but it is not ST506; it is IDE (or whatever the IBMers call their kludge). -larry -- It is not possible to both understand and appreciate Intel CPUs. -D.Wolfskill +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | // Larry Phillips | | \X/ lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca -or- uunet!van-bc!lpami!lphillips | | COMPUSERVE: 76703,4322 -or- 76703.4322@compuserve.com | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
BYRNE@muppet.dnet.ge.com (09/10/90)
What type of controller does the A590 have? If it is the 2090a (or
equivalent) won't it have the same problems during overscan as explained by
Dave Haynie (ST-506 being the main dumb interface)? If so, is there a new
version planned? Any opinions on other SCSI controllers for the A500?
- Thanks,
FBpeter@cbmvax.commodore.com (Peter Cherna) (09/11/90)
In article <30001@nigel.ee.udel.edu> BYRNE@muppet.dnet.ge.com writes: > > What type of controller does the A590 have? If it is the 2090a (or >equivalent) won't it have the same problems during overscan as explained by >Dave Haynie (ST-506 being the main dumb interface)? If so, is there a new >version planned? Any opinions on other SCSI controllers for the A500? The A590 is the sister product of the 2091, not the 2090a. > - Thanks, > > FB Peter -- Peter Cherna, Software Engineer, Commodore-Amiga, Inc. {uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!peter peter@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com My opinions do not necessarily represent the opinions of my employer. "Very strange... the window is broken on both sides."
joseph@valnet.UUCP (Joseph P. Hillenburg) (09/11/90)
BYRNE@muppet.dnet.ge.com writes: > > What type of controller does the A590 have? If it is the 2090a (or > equivalent) won't it have the same problems during overscan as explained by > Dave Haynie (ST-506 being the main dumb interface)? If so, is there a new > version planned? Any opinions on other SCSI controllers for the A500? > - Thanks, > > FB The A590 is basically the same hardware as an A2091. Ferinstance: 1) They both support 2 megs add-on RAM 2) They both use the same ROMs. 3) The ROMs on both have to be replaced if you want many programs to run. There are other similarities. Dave "The Godsend" Haynie, can you clarify please? -Joseph Hillenburg INET: joseph@valnet.UUCP ARPA: valnet!joseph@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu UUCP: ...iuvax!valnet!joseph na.edu UUCP: ...iuvax!valnet!joseph
lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca (Larry Phillips) (09/11/90)
In <1990Sep11.202511.17745@uncecs.edu>, utoddl@uncecs.edu (Todd M. Lewis) writes: >In article <1952@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca> lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca (Larry Phillips) writes: >>Well, the A590 has the A590 controller. It's functionally equivalent to the >>2091. There is no problem with overscan. It does have an interface that the >>2091 does not have, but it is not ST506; it is IDE (or whatever the IBMers call >>their kludge). > >Wonderful. So in theory it should be possible to make an A590 work with >an A2000. It would take some mechanical work, certainly, but shouldn't >it be possible? You could make an A590 work with a 2000, but it would require a fair bit of work. The connector is the wrong gender, and has the wrong number of pins, and there are some signals you would have to derive. The best solution by far is to get the proper stuff to begin with, and barring that, to sell off the A500 stuff and buy the A2000 equivalents. >I suspect there are lots of people out there who have A590s on either >A1000s or A500 who would like to get an Amiga with slots but don't want >to leave their A590s behind. This, to me, is the biggest chink in the >Amiga line--if you start small (with an A500) and want to upgrade later, >you have to ditch the extra hardware you have accumulated along the way. I suppose it would be nice, but the realities are that the product line is sharply differentiated between the A500 and the rest of the line, with the A500 being sold as an entry level system with limited expandability. In order to allow this sort of differentiation, and because of it, a sharply differentiated price, certain design decisions were made. >Seems like there should be a cheap way to do this. If anybody comes up >with one, I'd like to hear about it. Various third party manufacturers have already tried to provide cheap ways to upgrade, mostly for the A1000. TANSTAAFL. -larry -- It is not possible to both understand and appreciate Intel CPUs. -D.Wolfskill +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | // Larry Phillips | | \X/ lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca -or- uunet!van-bc!lpami!lphillips | | COMPUSERVE: 76703,4322 -or- 76703.4322@compuserve.com | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
utoddl@uncecs.edu (Todd M. Lewis) (09/12/90)
In article <1952@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca> lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca (Larry Phillips) writes: >Well, the A590 has the A590 controller. It's functionally equivalent to the >2091. There is no problem with overscan. It does have an interface that the >2091 does not have, but it is not ST506; it is IDE (or whatever the IBMers call >their kludge). Wonderful. So in theory it should be possible to make an A590 work with an A2000. It would take some mechanical work, certainly, but shouldn't it be possible? I suspect there are lots of people out there who have A590s on either A1000s or A500 who would like to get an Amiga with slots but don't want to leave their A590s behind. This, to me, is the biggest chink in the Amiga line--if you start small (with an A500) and want to upgrade later, you have to ditch the extra hardware you have accumulated along the way. Seems like there should be a cheap way to do this. If anybody comes up with one, I'd like to hear about it. _____ | Todd M. Lewis Disclaimer: If you want my employer's ||\/| utoddl@ecsvax.uncecs.edu ideas, you'll have to || || utoddl@ecsvax.bitnet, @unc.bitnet _buy_ them. | || utoddl@next1.mscre.unc.edu |___ ("Prgrms wtht cmmnts r lk sntncs wtht vwls." --TML)
ken@cbmvax.commodore.com (Ken Farinsky - CATS) (09/12/90)
In article <1990Sep11.202511.17745@uncecs.edu> utoddl@uncecs.edu writes: > >Wonderful. So in theory it should be possible to make an A590 work with >an A2000... >I suspect there are lots of people out there who have A590s on either >A1000s or A500 who would like to get an Amiga with slots but don't want >to leave their A590s behind... >Seems like there should be a cheap way to do this. I suspect that one of the cheapest solutions would be to purchase a 2091 and move the hard disk from the 590 to the 2091. No need to reformat the hard disk, just plug it in and you're in business. -- -- Ken Farinsky - CATS - (215) 431-9421 - Commodore Business Machines uucp: ...{uunet,rutgers}!cbmvax!ken bix: kfarinsky
ken@cbmvax.commodore.com (Ken Farinsky - CATS) (09/13/90)
In article <14378@cbmvax.commodore.com> ken@cbmvax.commodore.com writes: >>I suspect there are lots of people out there who have A590s on either >>A1000s or A500 who would like to get an Amiga with slots but don't want >>to leave their A590s behind... > >I suspect that one of the cheapest solutions would be to purchase a >2091 and move the hard disk from the 590 to the 2091. No need to >reformat the hard disk, just plug it in and you're in business. I have been informed by product assurance that the 590 has an XT interface as well as the SCSI, where the 2091 only has SCSI, so this would not work. Please ignore my previous message. Oh well. Guess I should stick to answering questions on software. -- -- Ken Farinsky - CATS - (215) 431-9421 - Commodore Business Machines uucp: ...{uunet,rutgers}!cbmvax!ken bix: kfarinsky
sparks@corpane.UUCP (John Sparks) (09/14/90)
joseph@valnet.UUCP (Joseph P. Hillenburg) writes: >The A590 is basically the same hardware as an A2091. Ferinstance: >3) The ROMs on both have to be replaced if you want many programs to run. Replaced? what do you mean? BTW: Is it possible to buy the A590 controller without the Hard Drive? What's the going price? I'd like to use it on my A1000 and I already have access to a SCSI drive+power supply. -- John Sparks |D.I.S.K. Public Access Unix System| Multi-User Games, Email sparks@corpane.UUCP |PH: (502) 968-DISK 24Hrs/2400BPS | Usenet, Chatting, =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-|7 line Multi-User system. | Downloads & more. A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of----Ogden Nash
ckp@grebyn.com (Checkpoint Technologies) (09/14/90)
In article <14378@cbmvax.commodore.com> ken@cbmvax.commodore.com (Ken Farinsky - CATS) writes: >I suspect that one of the cheapest solutions would be to purchase a >2091 and move the hard disk from the 590 to the 2091. No need to >reformat the hard disk, just plug it in and you're in business. I was under the impression that the A590 used IDE-interface 20 meg hard drives. Are they using SCSI drives now? Does the A2091 have an IDE interface you've been hiding up until now? Did the original poster say he had a SCSI drive, and I've missed the bulk of the conversation and am currently making myself look foolish? -- First comes the logo: C H E C K P O I N T T E C H N O L O G I E S / / \\ / / Then, the disclaimer: All expressed opinions are, indeed, opinions. \ / o Now for the witty part: I'm pink, therefore, I'm spam! \/
FelineGrace@cup.portal.com (Dana B Bourgeois) (09/14/90)
( I may have gotten the authors mixed so excuse. I think Larry Phillips is the right guy, but....) Larry, I am interested in your used A590. How much do you want for it? Especially if you want to keep the hard drive. I have one I can use and don't really need to buy another. Email is OK. Dana Bourgeois @ cup.portal.com
bscott@nyx.UUCP (Ben Scott) (09/15/90)
In article <kLBBP4w163w@valnet> joseph@valnet.UUCP (Joseph P. Hillenburg) writes: >BYRNE@muppet.dnet.ge.com writes: >The A590 is basically the same hardware as an A2091. Ferinstance: Identical custom chips and such. It's effectively the same product. >3) The ROMs on both have to be replaced if you want many programs to run. Untrue. I had VERY MINOR problems before I applied the FFS version number fix, and none whatsoever since, and I checked and found that I have the 4.? ROMs rather than the 6.? ROMs which my local store wants to charge me $110 for... too much to pay to fix bugs I'm not experiencing, to say the least. So far as I can tell, the A-590 is the only true DMA controller for the 500, and in any case is unquestionably the best despite the dismal HD mechanism shipped with it. And with a little luck I may soon have a Syquest to hook up to it at last... . <<<<Infinite K>>>> -- .---------------------------------------------------------------------------. |Ben Scott, professional goof-off and consultant at The Raster Image, Denver| |Amiga UUCP node domain: bscott@vila.denver.co.us Else: bscott@nyx.cs.du.edu| |FIDO point address 1:104/421.2, or call the Arvada 68K BBS at (303)424-9831| |"Don't embarrass us..." "Have I ever?" - Buckaroo Banzai | *AMIGA POWER* | `---------------------------------------------------------------------------'
C506634@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU (Eric Edwards) (09/16/90)
In <1990Sep11.202511.17745@uncecs.edu>, utoddl@uncecs.edu (Todd M. Lewis) write >In article <1952@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca> lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca (Larry Phill >>Well, the A590 has the A590 controller. It's functionally equivalent to the >>2091. There is no problem with overscan. It does have an interface that the >>2091 does not have, but it is not ST506; it is IDE (or whatever the IBMers ca >>their kludge). > >Wonderful. So in theory it should be possible to make an A590 work with >an A2000. It would take some mechanical work, certainly, but shouldn't >it be possible? > It would probably take a lot of electronic work to get it to work in a Zorro slot. It may not be necessary to go that route, however. The CPU slot in the A2000 is a varient of the A500's expansion port. I have heard that many A500 expansion boxes will work from that port of they can be make to physically fit under the A2000's case. For the A590 you would need to use a cable to plug it into the A2000 but leave the drive outside. Eric Edwards: c506634 @ "The 3090. Proof that by applying state of the Inet: umcvmb.missouri.edu art technology to an obsolete architecture, Bitnet: umcvmb.bitnet one can achieve mediocre performance."