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) 770-2732haitex@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