rhhageme@eos.ncsu.edu (RICHARD HERM HAGEMEYER) (02/14/91)
In a review of a European Amiga show found in a recent issue of .INFO magazine, the writer mentioned the A1500 (a Commodore product I think) as a way to turn one's Amiga 500 into a computer with a detachable keyboard. The writer also said that in the case was room for two drives, space for expansion cards, and even a video port. What I want to know is if anyone knows anything about this, i.e. price, availability (the convention was in Europe, and those of us here in the states don't often benefit), ease of installation, etc. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanx. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Richard Hagemeyer INTERNET: rhhageme@eos.ncsu.edu North Carolina State University All thoughts here and above are considered my own. Heck, no one else wants them! ------------------------------------------------------------------------
es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita) (02/15/91)
In article <1991Feb14.151755.15456@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu> rhhageme@eos.ncsu.edu (RICHARD HERM HAGEMEYER) writes: >In a review of a European Amiga show found in a recent issue of .INFO >magazine, the writer mentioned the A1500 (a Commodore product I think) >as a way to turn one's Amiga 500 into a computer with a detachable >keyboard. The writer also said that in the case was room for two >drives, space for expansion cards, and even a video port. What I want >to know is if anyone knows anything about this, i.e. price, availability >(the convention was in Europe, and those of us here in the states don't >often benefit), ease of installation, etc. Any information would be >greatly appreciated. Thanx. > This will be forever confusing. There are 2 A1500s. Commodore Britain makes an A1500 which is just an A2000 with a second drive and bundled software. There is also an A1500 from another company which is like Bodega Bay: It adds on to an A500 and gives you lotsa slots and stuff. > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Richard Hagemeyer INTERNET: rhhageme@eos.ncsu.edu >North Carolina State University > >All thoughts here and above are considered my own. Heck, no one else >wants them! >------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Ethan Q: What's the definition of a Quayle? A: Two right wings and no backbone.
jimac@ferris.cray.com (Jim Macura) (02/15/91)
In article <1991Feb14.151755.15456@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu> rhhageme@eos.ncsu.edu (RICHARD HERM HAGEMEYER) writes: >In a review of a European Amiga show found in a recent issue of .INFO >magazine, the writer mentioned the A1500 (a Commodore product I think) >as a way to turn one's Amiga 500 into a computer with a detachable >keyboard. The writer also said that in the case was room for two >drives, space for expansion cards, and even a video port. What I want >to know is if anyone knows anything about this, i.e. price, availability >(the convention was in Europe, and those of us here in the states don't >often benefit), ease of installation, etc. Any information would be >greatly appreciated. Thanx. > This has been available in the UK for about 9 months now. I can't remember prices etc. of the top of my head but the kit is produced by a company called Checkmate Digital here in the UK. It is as you describe; it comes as a kit into which you fit the guts of your A500 so that you essentially have a 2000. There are also expansion cages available into which you can fit further cards etc. A "mini-kit" is also available which just gives you a seperate keyboard on your A500 (including a blanking plate for the big hole left behind!). BTW, Checkmate Digital were calling this the A1500 well before Commodore brought out their A1500. Jim Macura
rhhageme@eos.ncsu.edu (RICHARD HERM HAGEMEYER) (02/16/91)
I found the article in the .Info magazine I talked about in my prior message about the A1500 expansion unit for the A500 and thought someone might be interested, as well as able to provide information. From .INFO magazine (Feb. 1991) "There was considerable confusion over two hardware products, one called the Amiga 1500 and the other A1500... The A1500 is a third-party expansion system/replacement chassis for the A500. Unlike Califorinia Dreams' Bodega Bay system, the A1500 requires taking the A500 apart and fitting its innards into the new box, which gives it capacity for two floppy drives or one floppy and one 3.5" hard drive. It will also accept A2000-style cards and even has a video slot. The best part, though, is that the A1500 provides a separate case for the A500's keyboard, detaching it from the CPU. TYhere's also a rack-mount version of the system available." Again, any info would be greatly appreciated. -Richard ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------- Richard Hagemeyer INTERNET: rhhageme@eos.ncsu.edu North Carolina State University All thoughts here and above are to be considered my own; Heck, no one else wants them! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -----------
rang@cz2.ics.uci.edu (Roger Penaranda Jr. Ang) (02/16/91)
About the 1500 case, I had asked about cases before and I think someone mentioned the domestic version of this. It's suppose to give your 500 room for two 3.5" drives and a detachable keyboard. Some store on the East Coast had it. I ruled out both the European version and this one as possible options since both cost about $300 (for a case!!! :-P). but it's home and all I ever had Roger P. Ang (rang@ICS.UCI.EDU) and maybe why for me the Earth is flat Grad student at the ... and in time you'll come to understand Dept. of Info. & Comp. Sci. this flat old earth is in your gentle hands Univ. of California, Irvine.
jimac@ferris.cray.com (Jim Macura) (02/18/91)
I've had a couple of requests for the address of the company that produces the A1500 kit in the UK so I thought I'd post it here. Checkmate Digital Limited 80 Mildmay Park London N1 4PR ENGLAND The price for the full kit is 230 pounds and for the keyboard-only kit it is 59.59 pounds. These prices include UK "sales tax" (VAT) which is currently 15%. The kit appears to be more than "just a box" as it provides the A2000 expansion slots. It is solidly constructed of metal and can be expanded further with the use of the expansion cage. I do not have one of these units so I cannot comment from a personal viewpoint but the reviews I have read in UK magazines are all favourable. Jim Macura
jc@cel.co.uk (jerry cullingford) (02/22/91)
In article <1991Feb15.171316.15065@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu> rhhageme@eos.ncsu.edu (RICHARD HERM HAGEMEYER) writes: >"There was considerable confusion over two hardware products, one called >the Amiga 1500 and the other A1500... The A1500 is a third-party >expansion system/replacement chassis for the A500. It will also >accept A2000-style cards and even has a video slot. To the best of my knowledge, the 2000 style card slots are still vapourware; the idea was to have an expansion box that sat on top of the base unit, with the expansion slots in it. According to a friend of mine, the expansion box has quietly disappeared from the adverts. Current rumours say that it won't appear until after a tower version of the box. IMHO, without the expansion slots the A1500 is just a extremely overpriced way of getting a seperate keyboard, although you _can_ get the video slot. I wouldn't reccomend it to anyone, unless they drop the price drastically (say by a factor of three or four). -- +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ | | Jerry Cullingford jc@crosfield.co.uk (was: jc@cel.co.uk) | ,-|-- | #include <std.disclaimer> Amiga! 2,000,000+ and counting.... | \_|__ +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ \___/