mjw@aluxp.UUCP (Michael Weber) (01/16/88)
After two LONG years of occasionally dropping into this newsgroup and reading about all the praise and support being given to the Amiga, I'll finally be able to purchase a 500 in March. I hope that all the drooling turns out to be worth it! Given that I do not want (read: can't afford) an Amiga 2000, I'd like to solicit opinions of the best A-500 configuration currently available. My current research (through Amazing Computing, Amiga World, and Info) has led me towards the following: (1) Amiga 500 (Commodore-Amiga) (2) 512K internal memory expansion with clock/calendar (Progressive Peripherals) (3) A-1010 3.5" External Drive (Commodore-Amiga) (4) A-1084 RGB Color Monitor (Commodore-Amiga) (5) 1.5M internal memory expansion (Spirit Technologies InBoard) I already have a USR Courier 2400 modem and an AT&T 473 printer. I expect the price of the Amiga hard disk controllers to drop when the market for them grows so I'll wait it out for this item (6-12 months). I do have a few reservations about the above configuration. First, can the A-500 power supply drive the Progressive Peripherals 512K internal memory expansion, the 1.5MB Spirit Technologies internal memory expansion, and another peripheral or two hanging off the expansion port? I suspect that it cannot and would like suggestions on the best way to resolve the problem. Are the internal memory expansion boards I'm leaning towards the best choices possible (number of wait states, fast memory, chip memory, etc.)? Are there better monitors in the same price range as the A-1084 available? My e-mail address appears below but feel free to post to this newsgroup since may people just entering the Amiga arena may also benefit from it. -- Michael Weber ...!ihnp4!aluxp!mjw AT&T Bell Laboratories Allentown, Pennsylvania (215) 770-2732
haitex@pnet01.cts.com (Wade Bickel) (01/20/88)
I saw some real nice memory expansions at the AmiExpo, so you might want to hold off on that purchase till the next issue comes out. Also, I recommend that you try to have a 68881 socket available in one of your expansions. Furthermore, if you want to save money hold off on the second drive, you can live without it, and you'll be that much closer to a Hard Drive. Untill then VD0: (a virtual disk which is pretty reliable) and FACCII (Floppy ACCellorator kit, software) and sizeable RAM are usually sufficient. Good Luck, Wade. [PS: You might be able to get by with the standard power supply with just one floppy, but I would go out and replace it. Beware that one of the units available is mis rated (lists peak rather than sustained rating), though I can't remember which] UUCP: {cbosgd, hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, nosc}!crash!pnet01!haitex ARPA: crash!pnet01!haitex@nosc.mil INET: haitex@pnet01.CTS.COM