AmiKit for Real Amiga Released

[Retrofan]

AmiKit, the high-end distribution of the best classic Amiga software, has been optimized for real Amigas AGA computers too! This conversion is unofficial and beta, maintained by Retrofan. Your feedback is much appreciated. Enjoy!

Free download available at: http://real.amiga.sk/

I've been for a while working to make a conversion of the great AmiKit for Pc to run on a Real Amiga just using 16 colors and saving a lot of ram using also some patches.

In this time I've had some help, so I want to thank PeterK for his great icon.library, Bloodwych for his advices, Thomas (always there), Rebel_CD32 for his great palette, skins and others, Cammy, and also some beta testers (mates). And finally Emmanuel Dausse for letting me use his Workbench 2000 with my mods, Thomas Wenzel (Play16) and of course Jan of AmiKit for his great help and support to launch and make this possible.

Thanks,
Retrofan







And here you've got some photos:

[Retrofan]

Thanks.  Yes, the web (my link above) has the installation instructions, requirements and so.
I use it with my A1200 ACA1230/56/Fast ATA/Indi MKII and also with another with just an ACA1231/42.

[Retrofan]

I can't promise a date, but I'll try and get it running on my A4000 rig:

68040, Fast ATA 4000, Mediator with 256MB Radeon, Deneb, Spider, SB128, etc

It is running a ClassicWB 3.9 based install at the moment, so it will be interesting to compare them.

Yes Darrin, I'm wishing to watch this running on your system.

About using more colors, EDITED it should always be possible to use a screenmode with more than 16 colors, too.

As long as the first 16 colors are locked with FullPalette or other similar tools, it should work perfectly with 64, 128 or whatever number of colors. All icons would simply look a little better than before.

But remember that also the libraries are using NoFPU ones, so if you need any other better you should change them to work better for another hardware.

[Retrofan]

There are a lot of hardware configurations, even to use rtg. I can't make a version for each one. Try this, I'm sure you'll like it. Also there are people asking to run it with less ram, etc.

But you can use 256 colors if you like.

Of course, it should always be possible to use a screenmode with more than 16 colors, too. As long as the first 16 colors are locked with FullPalette or other similar tools, it should work perfectly with 64, 128 or whatever number of colors. All icons would simply look a little better than before.

Edit: I've tried with 256 and it's looking nice, in fact they are "better than originals", but I better stay with around 64.

[Retrofan]

It will take a lot longer than just unpacking the zip file of the installer over your OS39BB2 on the pc, and also there will be files in use that surely you can't overwrite. If you have them in another partition you can unpack them there (but it will take more time). Also, better don't install it over an already working OS39 on your HD, as almost sure you've got more things installed there.

This is a fast video (but can use 720p of quality) I've made using an ACA1230/56 and an Indi:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FheCRXbek0Q&feature=youtu.be

[Retrofan]

I coudn't make BB3 and BB4 to work but under emulation. BB4 didn't work for real. The Support Thread will be for users to improve it, not only to ask. That's the idea.

[Retrofan]

Also, this is the first Beta. Beta means that it's awaiting for people to try and report, also about possible improvements. In fact there are a couple of small details that I will fix in the next release.

[Retrofan]

I'm talking about things I haven't tried. I guess it should work, but as I said, you seem to have a working OS39 that perhaps has more things installed that it should, to have a "clean" installation. Anyway, are you using a CF as hardrive? It would be easy under emulation to copy the files over it adding your HD to another working system.

[Retrofan]

Edit: I have to try to fix a problem to unpack the files in an Amiga when you don't use Emulation. Read my post after this, sorry.

[Retrofan]

Hi:
1) Fitzsteve already made that:

Tested on my A1200T with Blizzard PPC 060 66mhz, Runs super fast

Of course I needed to add the 060 Libs, that's all :cool

Well done mate on a great conversion :great

2) It uses around 450 Mb. I've got 700 Mb in my bootable partition.

3) Edit: Sorry but it seems no. Wait till I make something, but it seems there is a problem with extracting the zip file and keeping the atributes of the files. You only can make this if you first unpack the files on your pc (to your pcmcia for example). I will try making another installer to use without emulation with another file lzx and an script:

EDIT:Thomas has helped me making an installation without emulation with a simple script, so you won't have to be using but the partition from where you are booting with OS39 and you only will have to click on an icon. I hope this will be soon ready to download and use it if I get this working.

[Retrofan]

So you would not - on this first release - recommend this procedure??

3. Transferring the file to real Amiga (i use both 4.1 and 3.9) and extracting to and empty partition (putting the 060 libs that it needs).

I don't know if you can make it with a rar file. As long as you talk about using WinUAE you can compress the unpacked Amikit installer as LZX and later in the Amiga uncompress it over the other partition with OS39.

 I'm trying now using an LZX file and I will make another installer without emulation that will work with just a click and you only will need one partition (with OS39) to boot from. Anyway if you have room on your Pcmcia Cf you can extract in Windows the files there and on the Amiga copy them over your OS39 partition if you have dopus. You can't make this but when you have two partitions, or unprotecting the files if you just have one. My new installer will make all, and it's almost ready.

Anyway extracting the files on Windows takes 10 minutes. On the Amiga it will take much more.

[Retrofan]

You know I can't give support for graphic boards or so different configurations, you should be glad with what you've got here.

As you know and people should know now I've got another installer that you will be able to use without emulation, but still it has to be aproved and uploaded, with some small fixes to the first release. For this new installer you only will need a working OS3.9 (better BB2) and to download and unpack in Windows my "kit" to your Cf pcmcia, and then just boot your miggy and click on the "Install" icon on the pcmcia kit (thanks a lot Thomas).

[Retrofan]

v0.2 beta Released.

http://real.amiga.sk/


- Installation method changed so Windows is no more required to install AmiKit!

- New icon.library 46.4.279 by Peter Keunecke. Icons load 15%-20% faster!

- Changed WB2000 preferences (WookieChat opens right now)

- Changed WB prefs (memory in other memory instead of graphic memory)

- Changed SongPlayer prefs

- Fixed Def icon (def_disk.info) so now you can open all the devices correctly

And.... we've added a voice for MorpheuZ

Basically both the update or the new installer have an Install script icon (thanks Thomas for your help), so you just have to click on it once running your already installed AmiKit Real or for the new installer an OS3.9 (read the instructions).

[Retrofan]

Have you ever thought about updating your real Amiga online, just like your PC?

Now switch on your Amiga and just connect it to internet... :angryfire:

[Retrofan]

We are happy to announce the release of the so awaited update for Real AmiKit version. Full and update v0.3 archives are available for download for free at: http://real.amiga.sk/

New features include more applications and memory card support. Now you can use AmiDock or AmiStart for launching your applications, stream music with AmiNetRadio or use compact flash cards to transfer your data. New wallpapers were added as well. Enjoy!

In the first place you will find a nice and easy to use update installer which delivers the following:

- AmiDock re-positioned, so it will seem transparent. It will let you use more space on the screen, and if you use Workbench2000 you will see also (full instructions in the package) that you can “put away” AmiDock and as the WB2000 taskbar disappears, you will have more desktop space.
- New AmiDock icon on the Workbench2000 bar.
- AmiNetRadio installed and working without FPU.
- AmiStart installed and working without FPU or RTG. A very powerful and fast Amiga is required though, or you can use it under emulation. Try it!
- General PCMCIA support; DH0 and Fat95, so most of the cards should work.
- More wallpapers and a new 256 colors drawer.
- New bootpics to choose.
- Changed the top bar text to "http://real.amiga.sk".
- Changed position-info for Magellan icons
- FreeWheel running from the WBStartup now. Run Exchange commodity to configure it.
- HippoPlayer running with BlurScope as a new option on Workbench2000 bar. BlurScope is an external player, so before now you had to open first HiP and then search for the Scope... Now they work together, and are living on Worbench2000 bar. Click and the show begins...
- IconLib 46.4.284 by Peter Keunecke.

And... Chewaka's voice for WookieChat on AmiDock was added!

Thanks a lot to Thomas and PeterK for their continuous support.

Screenshots: