stack@unm-la.UUCP (AIDE Robert Stack) (06/10/87)
I will soon purchase an Amiga from a local dealer. They are selling the A1000 and the A500 for the same price ($1100 including monitor). I like the setup (detached keyboard, monitor on top of the CPU) of the A1000 but also like the ROM-Kickstart and improved keyboard layout of the A500. So now I am trying to decide between the A1000 and the A500 (available July 1st). I know that the machines are completely software compatible, but there are hardware expansion differences (different expansion bus locations). I will be using the machine for programming, flying (subLOGIC Flight Simulator II), and as a terminal. Which Amiga will better for expanding (inexpensive hard drive, more RAM, and the like) in the future? Any enlightening comments? -- / Robert Stack / Univ. of New Mexico at Los Alamos / stack@unm-la.lanl.gov /
cmcmanis%pepper@Sun.COM (Chuck McManis) (06/10/87)
In article <652@unm-la.UUCP> stack@unm-la.UUCP (AIDE Robert Stack) writes: > I will soon purchase an Amiga from a local dealer. They are selling the > A1000 and the A500 for the same price ($1100 including monitor). I like > the setup (detached keyboard, monitor on top of the CPU) of the A1000 > but also like the ROM-Kickstart and improved keyboard layout of the > A500. So now I am trying to decide between the A1000 and the A500 > (available July 1st). I know that the machines are completely software > compatible, but there are hardware expansion differences (different > expansion bus locations). I will be using the machine for programming, > flying (subLOGIC Flight Simulator II), and as a terminal. Which Amiga > will better for expanding (inexpensive hard drive, more RAM, and the > like) in the future? Any enlightening comments? >/ Robert Stack / Univ. of New Mexico at Los Alamos / stack@unm-la.lanl.gov / First were they really the same price ? Some stores in Los Angeles have been advertising them but the A500 included the extra .5M of RAM and the clock. For program development I personally prefer a 1 megabyte Amiga with a battery backed up clock, and a 20Meg (minimum) hard disk. If you are using the A1000 you can get something like the MicroBotics StarBoard II and the Supra Hard drive (which includes a clock in the Supra interface). These are available today. The A500 can use the MicroBotics MAS-Drive with a gender changer, but currently no one offers anything that plugs into the side of the A500. As for Kick in ROM the CMI eliminator kit has been getting favorable reviews here and elsewhere, plus that adds an addition 256K of RAM to the A1000. All in all I would say the A1000 is a better deal. I also don't see that situation changing much unless Commodore either raises the price of the 1000 or cuts the price of the 500. (Oh, and get StarGlider for the Amiga, it is easily as much fun as flying around in FS II. _ --Chuck McManis uucp: {anywhere}!sun!cmcmanis BIX: cmcmanis ARPAnet: cmcmanis@sun.com These opinions are my own and no one elses, but you knew that did51/serhro