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Author Topic: I want an Amiga gaming system!  (Read 9993 times)

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Offline mugenakumaTopic starter

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #44 on: February 06, 2004, 06:07:34 PM »
It is truly amazing how many different opinions you all have! Everyone seems to have completely different ideas about what system I should get.

Every time I read a new post I think I have decided what to go with, that is until I read another post.

I guess I will go look around for A600s?!
 

Offline HopperJF

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #45 on: February 06, 2004, 07:20:15 PM »
If you want a classic gaming amiga then yes definitely, as long as you dont mind the factors i stated in the above post.
if not, then go for the A3000 the other person suggested.
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Offline redrumloa

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #46 on: February 06, 2004, 07:25:26 PM »
Quote

mugenakuma wrote:
Every time I read a new post I think I have decided what to go with, that is until I read another post.

I guess I will go look around for A600s?!


You have a big group of die hard Amiga users in here. Any time the subject comes up, a big arguement ensues. Luckily there really is no wrong answer. I'll try to sum it up as fairly as possible.

A500:
Strengths:
My personal suggestion (Please note I do sell these so I am biased)
With 1.3 roms it is compatible with 95%+++ of all games ever written for the amiga, no tricks or hacks needed.
Weakness:
Expansion possibilities are costly and limited.
Doesn't play AGA only games (only a few made).
Doesn't work with VGA unless a costly adapter is bought.

A1200
Strengths:
Built in HD, AGA, 020.
Weakness:
More expensive than A500
Expansions are ackward, hackish and weird
Playing many older games requires  degraders or simply don't work.
Doesn't work with VGA unless a costly adapter is bought.

A3000:
Strengths:
Built in SCSI (fine controller), 030, ONLY AMIGA THAT WORKS WITH VGA STOCK.
Likely the best Amiga ever made overall.
Expansions are plentiful and inexpensive(relative to Amiga market)
Has ECS so is fairly better compatible with older games than AGA.
Weaknesses:
Doesn't play AGA only games (only a few made).

Also you have the options of:
A600(miniturised A500 with HD)
A2000(A500 in a big box with plenty of cheap expansion possibilities)
A4000(Not recomended for games, most expensive second hand)
CDTV, CD32(neat pre-settop boxes)

You really can't go wrong with A500, A2000, A3000, A600 or even A1200. All have their strengths. Whatever you get there will be plenty of people here to assist you:-)
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Offline mepmepmep

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #47 on: February 06, 2004, 08:07:52 PM »
If the A3000 can play most A500 games then perhaps he should go with that. It seems like a really nice system. However, does'nt the 030 processor cripple the 'old-game' compatibility severely? Or can you degrade the A3000 to work as a 500 for games?
 

Offline mugenakumaTopic starter

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #48 on: February 06, 2004, 08:36:14 PM »
O.K. redrumloa, I think your recent response helped me get a handle on things. Now some more questions.

1. So if I got an A500 what kind of modificaitons or add ons would I want? Can I play all those 2d games, thalion games like lionheart, without any mods to the A500?

2. Since the A500 won't work with VGA does that mean I need a special Amiga/Commodore brand monitor?

3. If I get an A3000 will it work with my NTSC 19" PC monitor?

4. Lastly,  where can I get an A3000 and how much should I pay? I only saw one on ebay?

thanks

Glenn
 

Offline Viking

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #49 on: February 06, 2004, 08:45:38 PM »
Quote

HopperJF wrote:
But seriously.. for classc games I would recommend an A600.


A600 is the only model I would not recommend. It lacks the num-keys. If you need the HD, go for the bigger desktop models, or the A1200.

But the best (most powerful) unexpanded Amiga is the 4000-040. It's an AGA machine like the 1200, but way more powerful. The compability to older games is same as for the 1200.
With my 4000 I could* play most of the old games. In the Early Startup menu you can disable cpu cache and the AGA chipset, making it more similar older models like the 500.
But it's also the most expensive Amiga.

*It broke down almost two years ago, used IBM-PC since then...


Warning:
Whichever of them you choose, check the battery if it got one. A leaky battery will damage or utterly destroy your Amiga. And if it doesn't leak - replace it anyway, if you don't know its age.
There is much useful info about this here at amiga.org, if those threads still exists. Maybe someone got a link?

......
 

Offline haymiggan

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #50 on: February 06, 2004, 09:11:33 PM »
For the controller discussion:

Don't get a Sega Pad when you can get something better that is also plug & play!

Use your PSX1/2 pads! Work in all games with 2 buttons + even the analog stick and ofcourse directional pad.

Here's the picture of it!

Cost just 15USD from various placed like lik-sang or www.tototek.com. Shipping is fast, just tell them you will be using it on amiga, so he can do a CD32 version of it...what we miss at the moment!

You just need to do one minor change to the adaptor to make it work perfectly with X+0 as fire1/2 on amiga.

BPPC 210/060, 256MB, ZIV + Mediator ZIV, Spider II, Voodoo 3, Terratech 512i, MAS Player PRO, Pixelview TV Pro, X-Surf II, Kickflash OS4, VARIO, SilverSurfer, Fast ATA ZIV, Int.SD/FF, Seagate Barracuda V 60GB, 12x CD/RW, 52X CD/R, Punchillos III, PSX-A...
 

Offline redrumloa

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #51 on: February 06, 2004, 09:43:01 PM »
1)If you get an A500, you would probably want.
a) An A501 or equivelant 1/2meg expansion. This will give your A500 1Meg total, enough for most games.
b)1 external floppy drive. This helps eliminate alot of disk swapping.

2)Yup you will need to get an Amiga monitor like 1084, 1080 or a C= monitor like 2002. There are RGB->VGA adapters, but the *current* offering are insanely expensive.

3) Yup, absoluetly. Uh-huh, yup!! :-D

4) Nowadays you should be able to get a decent bare system for under $200 with keyboard and mouse. Either watch eBay for a while if you are in no hurry. Otherwise start a new thread here offering to buy an A3000, someone will come forward to offer to sell you one:-)

Good luck!
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Offline jeffimix

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #52 on: February 06, 2004, 10:13:14 PM »
You can also buy an A520 or similiar and use your 500 on a TV, the 500s built in composite out is only B&W... (I'm saying this cause I've been needing one of each A501/A520 since I bought my 500)
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Offline mugenakumaTopic starter

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #53 on: February 06, 2004, 10:30:09 PM »
Thanks again redrumload,

looks like I will probably just wait around for a 3000, since then I could use my existing 19".

I dont have the cash now for it, unless I can find one for super cheap. Next month, after the 15 I will be looking to by one for sure.

thanks again to everyone for all the overwhelming support, help, info, etc.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Offline mepmepmep

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #54 on: February 06, 2004, 10:36:13 PM »
@mugenakuma
If you get an A500, the easiest thing is just to pick up an A520 (RF-modulator) also and use your TV as screen. TV-resolution is good enough for games.
 

Offline mugenakumaTopic starter

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #55 on: February 06, 2004, 11:00:56 PM »
Interesting.

SO what resolution would the A500 run when using an RF unit on a tv? What about color display?

Also what's the largest size monitor I could get for the A500 without spending a fortune?
 

Offline HopperJF

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #56 on: February 06, 2004, 11:08:08 PM »
The A600 would be fine i think though
The A4000 isnt really compatible with the older games
Numerical keys? Big deal
HD? Old games dont even need one there

 :-)
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Offline that_punk_guy

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #57 on: February 06, 2004, 11:12:13 PM »
Quote

mugenakuma wrote:
Interesting.

SO what resolution would the A500 run when using an RF unit on a tv? What about color display?

Also what's the largest size monitor I could get for the A500 without spending a fortune?


You get 320x240 or 320x256 in the vast majority of games. If you've got a monitor waiting and you have or will have cash for an A3000, I'd say go that route because you have a more modern machine with more potential, but the games will still run at 320x2xx even though you have a monitor capable of displaying higher resolutions.

Also, this sounds weird, but sometimes playing old games on a high-definition monitor actually makes the games look worse than on a standard TV (In My Opinion (TM)). The video is sharper on the monitor, so the "blockiness" of the image shows up more.
 

Offline redrumloa

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #58 on: February 06, 2004, 11:17:05 PM »
The resolution is terrible. Games would be fine, but workbench is blurry.

Monitor size? All of C=/Amigas monitors were 14inch. The are fairly cheap but that's the biggest you will get without spending a fortune.
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Offline HopperJF

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Re: I want an Amiga gaming system!
« Reply #59 from previous page: February 06, 2004, 11:40:02 PM »
Did I mention A600?  :-)
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