scott@applix.UUCP (Scott Evernden) (02/06/89)
In article <45600053@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu> jacobson@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu writes: > >In the new issue of Amazing Computing I read with interest of the Mac >emulator hardware for the Amiga from Readysoft that was shown at the >Commodore show in Phil. My question ... I haven't seen AMAX yet, but I've heard some stuff and will attempt to answer your questions. (I already have my Mac ROMS!) I have no affiliation with Readysoft but am eagerly awaiting the release of this product. >... does it really work??? Second are the roms 64K or 128K roms that >they were using for the $200 price. Also do they sell you the roms or does >one have to buy them??? And most importantly if they use the 128K does >hypercard run on the product. AMAX can use either the 64K or 128K ROMS. As you know, less and less Mac s/w is written for the 64K ROMS, and 6801/20 will run only w/ the 128K ones. You have to track down your own ROMS. Computer Shopper has ads in the back section. 64K ROMS are about $40; the 128Ks about $140. Readysoft claims "most progs...Word 3.0, Excel, HyperCard, PageMaker, MacPaint, MacWrite and all system versions <and finders> run OK." > >Other questions that come to mind. Does this allow you to read Mac disks >on the Amiga drives, or does one have to buy an external Mac drive to attach >to the hardware???? AMAX connects via the floppy port and supplies a pass-thru as well as a connector for a Mac-compatible drive. The AMAX software will read/write to Amiga drives using a special format for emulating the Mac filesystem. They supposedly have code that can read the first 34% of native Mac disks on an Amiga drive. For max compatibility, you need to get a Mac drive, and plug it into the supplied port. > >Also has anyone heard any more about the Spectre 128 (which is out for the >ST and supposedly is comming for the Amiga)??? I would like to compare them >if the Amiga version is anywhere near ready. Latest reports I've seen suggest that David/Sandy Small are not supporting Amiga with Spectre128 (is this still true?). I would suspect that given the Small's 6 revs of Magic Sac, that they have it pretty well figured out, and I would be surprised if AMAX runs as well. On the other hand, I understand that the 128K ROMS make this sort of hack somewhat easier. Other stuff I've heard about AMAX: Multitasking won't be in the first release- it takes over the Amiga including the WCS on A1000s. Maximum compatiblity is with the new 1 meg CHIP chipset, since they get all those contiguous bytes which Mac software apparently wants. They say, however, that fast memory is used if available with some slight loss of compatibility. Hard drives are not supported in the first release. It probably won't do MIDI right, since most Mac code goes right to the ports. Word is that AMAX runs "a little faster" than a Mac Plus. Several screen modes will be supported including 640x400 and exact 512x342. A2024 is also supported. More info. from Readysoft 416 731 4175 -scott