UD138985@NDSUVM1.BITNET (01/13/88)
Hello there.....
I am considering the purchase of an Amiga 500 in the near future and
have some questions about it. There are no dealers that I know of in 250
miles of here so I don't know who else to ask. My two main questions are:
1. How much memory can be added to the A500 and what extra items does it
take to add that much? I know about the internal board that brings the
total amount up to 1 megabyte, but I would like to have a system with
4 to 6 megabytes eventually.
2. Also, I would like to add a hard disk to the system. What disks are
available and how do they attach to the system.
Less important, but nice to know, how do monitors hook up to the system
cable-wise and do the cables come with the system or are they separate? Can
any monitor be connected, or does it have to be a Commodore monitor. I
bought a copy of Amigaworld and got some good info from that, but I would
appreciate any info someone could send me.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
Bob
BITNET: UD138985 at NDSUVM1chanst@atrium.UUCP (Steve T Chan) (01/17/88)
In article <510UD138985@NDSUVM1>, UD138985@NDSUVM1.BITNET writes: > 1. How much memory can be added to the A500 and what extra items does it > take to add that much? I know about the internal board that brings the > total amount up to 1 megabyte, but I would like to have a system with > 4 to 6 megabytes eventually. > > 2. Also, I would like to add a hard disk to the system. What disks are > available and how do they attach to the system. > > Less important, but nice to know, how do monitors hook up to the system > cable-wise and do the cables come with the system or are they separate? Can > any monitor be connected, or does it have to be a Commodore monitor. I > bought a copy of Amigaworld and got some good info from that, but I would > appreciate any info someone could send me. > How much memory could be added to an A500?? First you can start by adding the extra 512K + clock in the underside, thats brings it to 1 Meg total, then you have eight megabytes more of external memory to go, but for now, the only item available for expansion is the byte box from Byte by Byte, thats a 2Meg board. As for hard disk, I think Supra makes a 20 meg and 40 Meg hard drive for the A500, the interface attaches to the expansion bus on the left side, it has a pass-thru bus, so you can add more memory boards. OK... for monitor cables, monitor cables goes to the 23-pin DIN RGB connector at the back, the computer does not come with monitor cables, but if you get the 2002/1080 or the new 1084 monitor, they come with cables. Steve Chan UUCP: gatech!petro!atrium!chanst
cs178abu@sdcc8.ucsd.EDU (John Schultz) (01/21/88)
I played with 68010/68881 9.5 megabyte Amiga 500 at AmiExpo. The whole board fits nicely inside the A500, and the rf-shield will still fit. I think it was from Progressive peripherils & software. John
papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (01/21/88)
In article <774@sdcc8.ucsd.EDU> cs178abu@sdcc8.ucsd.edu.UUCP (John Schultz) writes: > > I played with 68010/68881 9.5 megabyte Amiga 500 at AmiExpo. The >whole board fits nicely inside the A500, and the rf-shield will >still fit. > I think it was from Progressive peripherils & software. Where was it getting the power to drive all that stuff? As I understand it that kind of arrangement is what C-A greatly discouraged. Any comments from WestChester (Dave) ? -- Marco
haitex@pnet01.cts.com (Wade Bickel) (01/21/88)
I saw a one meg internal expansion, as well as a very large internal
expansion, while at the AmiExpo in L.A.. While I don't have permission to say
anything about these, they will be discussed in upcomming magazine articles.
These were very well done and fit entirely within the A500 case, RF shield
included. I was quite impressed.
Good Luck,
Wade.
UUCP: {cbosgd, hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, nosc}!crash!pnet01!haitex
ARPA: crash!pnet01!haitex@nosc.mil
INET: haitex@pnet01.CTS.COMeric@hector.UUCP (Eric Lavitsky) (01/22/88)
In article <142@atrium.UUCP> chanst@atrium.UUCP writes: >In article <510UD138985@NDSUVM1>, UD138985@NDSUVM1.BITNET writes: >> 1. How much memory can be added to the A500 and what extra items does it >> take to add that much? I know about the internal board that brings the >> total amount up to 1 megabyte, but I would like to have a system with >> 4 to 6 megabytes eventually. >> >How much memory could be added to an A500?? First you can start by adding >the extra 512K + clock in the underside, thats brings it to 1 Meg total, >then you have eight megabytes more of external memory to go, but for now, >the only item available for expansion is the byte box from Byte by Byte, >thats a 2Meg board. Well, not the only one - but one of the few that don't play games with your money and your machine. Micron is selling Zorro II 2 Meg boards along with a one or two slot adapter and power supply for the A500. >As for hard disk, I think Supra makes a 20 meg and 40 Meg hard drive for >the A500, the interface attaches to the expansion bus on the left side, it >has a pass-thru bus, so you can add more memory boards. But there is no guarantee that anything on the other side of the pass through will work. Make every effort possible to test out your final configuration before purchasing. >Steve Chan >UUCP: gatech!petro!atrium!chanst Eric Lavitsky ARPA: eric@topaz.rutgers.edu "Lithium is no longer available UUCP: ...{wherever!}ulysses!eric on credit..." ...{wherever!}rutgers!topaz!eric - from Buckaroo Banzai SNAIL: 34 Maplehurst Ln, Piscataway, NJ 08854
haitex@pnet01.cts.com (Wade Bickel) (01/24/88)
papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: >In article <774@sdcc8.ucsd.EDU> cs178abu@sdcc8.ucsd.edu.UUCP (John Schultz) writes: >> >> I played with 68010/68881 9.5 megabyte Amiga 500 at AmiExpo. The >>whole board fits nicely inside the A500, and the rf-shield will >>still fit. >> I think it was from Progressive peripherils & software. > >Where was it getting the power to drive all that stuff? As I understand it >that kind of arrangement is what C-A greatly discouraged. Any comments from >WestChester (Dave) ? > >-- Marco It did require a different power supply. But then, what did you expect? If the bare board price of this product is within reason it seems like a good idea to me. Start with an extra MEG or two and build from there up to a total of 9.4MB of fast RAM. After all, 8 megs of ram probably costs almost $2000 right now, no? Wade. UUCP: {cbosgd, hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, nosc}!crash!pnet01!haitex ARPA: crash!pnet01!haitex@nosc.mil INET: haitex@pnet01.CTS.COM
daveh@cbmvax.UUCP (Dave Haynie) (01/26/88)
in article <6366@oberon.USC.EDU>, papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) says: > In article <774@sdcc8.ucsd.EDU> cs178abu@sdcc8.ucsd.edu.UUCP (John Schultz) writes: >> I played with 68010/68881 9.5 megabyte Amiga 500 at AmiExpo. The >>whole board fits nicely inside the A500, and the rf-shield will >>still fit. >> I think it was from Progressive peripherils & software. > Where was it getting the power to drive all that stuff? As I understand it > that kind of arrangement is what C-A greatly discouraged. Any comments from > WestChester (Dave) ? > -- Marco I've never been that crazy about plug-in-the-box items at all, excepting maybe a very simple 68020-tower to replace you 68000. But I don't personally like the idea of any extra RAM boards in any Amiga 'secpt the A2000. I have heard about the PP&S add-in, or at least what it was back at Comdex. This board had a better power supply included with it; I don't know for sure if it would be sufficient for an extra 8 megabytes or not. Also, adding boards like that in an A500 may cause air-flow problems resulting in overheating of the A500. In any case, if anyone's considering such a board... If it comes with a power supply of it's own, it may work, but it worries me. If ANY memory board for the A500 DOESN'T have it's own supply (other than the A501 or clone plug in the bottom card), whether internal or external, DON'T BUY IT or you may hurt your supply. -- Dave Haynie "The B2000 Guy" Commodore-Amiga "The Crew That Never Rests" {ihnp4|uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh PLINK: D-DAVE H BIX: hazy "I can't relax, 'cause I'm a Boinger!"
jojo@astroatc.UUCP (Jon Wesener) (01/26/88)
In article <2406@crash.cts.com> haitex@pnet01.cts.com (Wade Bickel) writes: >papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: >>In article <774@sdcc8.ucsd.EDU> cs178abu@sdcc8.ucsd.edu.UUCP (John Schultz) writes: >>> >>> I played with 68010/68881 9.5 megabyte Amiga 500 at AmiExpo. The >>>whole board fits nicely inside the A500, and the rf-shield will >>>still fit. >>>... >> >>Where was it getting the power to drive all that stuff? As I understand it >>that kind of arrangement is what C-A greatly discouraged. Any comments from >>... > It did require a different power supply. But then, what did you >expect? I can see it needing a new power supply, but the next question is, doesn't a setup like that generate a lot of heat? There's no fan in the A500 and I'd think that would be a problem. comments? --j < < < < < < < < < < < -- jon wesener ... {seismo | harvard | ihnp4} ! {uwvax | cs.wisc.edu} ! astroatc!jojo "more jealous than a pair of professional beauties"
hrlaser@pnet02.cts.com (Harv Laser) (01/28/88)
jojo@astroatc.UUCP (Jon Wesener) writes: >In article <2406@crash.cts.com> haitex@pnet01.cts.com (Wade Bickel) writes: >>papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: >>>In article <774@sdcc8.ucsd.EDU> cs178abu@sdcc8.ucsd.edu.UUCP (John Schultz) writes: >>>> >>>> I played with 68010/68881 9.5 megabyte Amiga 500 at AmiExpo. The >>>>whole board fits nicely inside the A500, and the rf-shield will >>>>still fit. >>>>... >>> >>>Where was it getting the power to drive all that stuff? As I understand it >>>that kind of arrangement is what C-A greatly discouraged. Any comments from >>>... >> It did require a different power supply. But then, what did you >>expect? > > I can see it needing a new power supply, but the next question is, >doesn't a setup like that generate a lot of heat? There's no fan in the >A500 and I'd think that would be a problem. > >comments? >--j >jon wesener >... {seismo | harvard | ihnp4} ! {uwvax | cs.wisc.edu} ! astroatc!jojo > >"more jealous than a pair of professional beauties" I ogled and diddled with the same A500 Wade did. Over 9 megs of RAM displayed on Workbench's menu bar. Put my hand down flat on top of 500's vent slots on top of the case - it was cold to the touch. The large power supply (which looked like a prototype) was down on the floor with a muffin fan on top of it muffining. Harv Laser, Sysop, the People/Link AmigaZone. Plink ID: CBM*HARV UUCP: {ihnp4!scgvaxd!cadovax, rutgers!marque}!gryphon!pnet02!hrlaser INET: hrlaser@pnet02.cts.com