Amiga.org
Amiga News and Community Announcements => Amiga News and Community Announcements => Topic started by: amigakit on July 20, 2015, 08:42:57 PM
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We are pleased to confirm that we will stocking the new ACA 1221 (http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1251) accelerator and ram card from Individual Computers in early September.
(http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/images/aca_1221_sm.jpg) (http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1251)
This exciting new accelerator design features a full 68020 CPU, 9Mb of 32-bit Fast Memory (expandable to a maximum of 63MB) for a great price.
To find out more, please visit the AmigaKit.com product pages here to place your order:
UK direct product link (http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/GBP.php?url=product_info.php?products_id=1251)
Europe direct product link (http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/EUR.php?url=product_info.php?products_id=1251)
USA direct product link (http://www.amigakit.us/product_info.php?products_id=1251)
Canada direct product link (http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/CAD.php?url=product_info.php?products_id=1251)
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Nice! Looks like it also includes an integrated port for the RapidRoad? Very cool. :)
For the benefit of other users, could you provide any more details on the "Overclocking options: 21.28 MHz or 28.38 MHz at extra cost"? How does that work? I don't see anything listed under "Configuration Options" besides whether to include the ACATune Utilitiy on disk or not. Thanks! :)
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My understanding is that the extra "Overclocking options" are available as a paid software upgrade, perhaps in the way of a flash download.
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The pay extra to give extra hardware capabilities (memory+speed) is very interesting approach.
Looking at the Amigakit site, I see "This product can be upgraded through a digital licence code upgrade after purchase"..
Maybe the extra cost is to cover warranty? i.e. pushing the card hard introduces a higher percentage fail rate?
If so, I'm okay with that.
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That really is a good price!
I guess it will also work with the ACA500? If so, it might be worth advertising that on the product page.
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Changed description. Thanks !
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Changed description. Thanks !
Any clues as to what the extra costs might be?
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Any clues as to what the extra costs might be?
Quoting Jens here;
Correct - it's a test of a new business model. If it's a success, I'll use it on future products as well.
21MHz overclock is 5,- EUR
28MHz overclock is 15,- EUR
Maprom is 5,- EUR
9MB->17MB upgrade is 8,- EUR
9MB->33MB upgrade is 15,- EUR
9MB->63MB upgrade is 22,- EUR
Upgrading from 21MHz to 28MHz and from mid-memory to higher memory is also possible, but I haven't decided on prices yet. All depends on the level of automation that I can implement.
Sales of these codes cannot start yet, as some EU tax details aren't covered yet (new EU laws about taxing download/digital products). Also, it wouldn't make sense to sell them before the actual card is there, as the serial number of the card must be entered to find out the license code.
Kolla: If it's cracked, it will just be cracked for a single card, and for the next, you need to do all the work again. Hardly worth the trouble for just over 40,- EUR.
Jens
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Accelerators with DLC´s is that a good idea?
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Accelerators with DLC´s is that a good idea?
Jens has said that this the test of a new business model and if it's successful he'll use it for future products
These are the positive and negative points from my perspective.
Positive points:
The same board can be sold at different performance/price points meaning cheaper production costs, which benfit the customer.
The base model, at under £60, is the cheapest brand new A1200 memory card for a long while, if ever.
If you want more power and memory in the future it only costs about £30 to access the card's full potential, rather than having to spend a further £90 or more to buy a more powerful replacement card.
Negative points:
The psychologic aspect of accepting a different business model to what you have always been used to. That only really has to be a problem for people who want it to be.
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Interesting model and one that reminds me of how the "big iron" guys do it like IBM and HP. They sell you hardware sometimes with features already installed. Want to access them? Sure... just pay the extra license few and off you go. Don't need them, then no need to pay.
Plaz
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Interesting model and one that reminds me of how the "big iron" guys do it like IBM and HP. They sell you hardware sometimes with features already installed. Want to access them? Sure... just pay the extra license few and off you go. Don't need them, then no need to pay.
I think this new model is going to raise a few more questions. Such as is the license stored on the card, or on your hard drive? For example what if someone wants to sell the card, or transfer it to another machine, or if their hard drive crashes? Also are the upgrades available at boot, or do they need to be activated by ACATune? Not trying to knock the card in any way, just I'm very curious about it. Best of luck with the new sales model! :)
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If it doesn't support the Rev5 A500 mobo, it's useless to me and a whole TON of other people. Then again, the ACA500 is useless to a Rev5 mobo, so this is already useless to me and a ton of other people.
A shame, really.
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If it doesn't support the Rev5 A500 mobo, it's useless to me and a whole TON of other people.
Maybe he'll have worked out whatever the bug is, by the time the next Rev. of ACA500 comes out? Dunno. Funny that, all the A500's I've owned going back to the early '90s have always been Rev6. I've never even seen a Rev5 board. Luck of the draw, I suppose! ;)
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It's a nice card. I don't like the the 'pay extra' business model I thought most people here didn't like that DRM crap.
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I like the look of the card, but also not a fan of this business model.
The card has 63MB of fast RAM installed, but you're only allowed to use 9MB of it unless you pay an extra fee? Just increase the initial purchase price, please, and sell the card with all features working.
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We are pleased to confirm that we will stocking the new ACA 1221 (http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1251) accelerator and ram card from Individual Computers in early September.
Confusing news item - is it announcing the new accelerator, or is it announcing Amigakit stocking the new accelerator?
I'd have expected to see a News item from Jens directly rather than one from the dominant retailer.
I'm not trying to be the awkward squad, but I don't want to see the sites becoming a storefront for Amigakit when there are other dealers also trying to make ends meet - just be aware how easy it is to inadvertently abuse your position as admin of these two community sites.
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It's cheap so should sell a lot. Don't mind the business model, will be fun trying to crack/hack it ;-)
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I already preordered this card, but with all options : 28MHz, Maprom and 63 MB of RAM will makes it more expensive than the ACA 1230@28 Mhz with the same options and 030.
But almost the same price for an ACA 1220 @25 MHz.
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Dunno. Funny that, all the A500's I've owned going back to the early '90s have always been Rev6. I've never even seen a Rev5 board. Luck of the draw, I suppose! ;)
I bought my revision 5 in 1989 as part of the bat pack in the uk. It's not exactly luck of the draw, you were late to the party.
In 1987 you'd probably get a revision 3, in 1988-1989 you'd get a revision 5 and in 1990 you'd get a revision 6.
In 1991-1992 there were supposedly some a500 sold with revision 8 motherboards that had kickstart 1.3, only 512kb of ram and no clock. I don't think any of these turned up in the uk as they had already launched the a500+ early due to lack of stock at Christmas. The final batch of a500's was on a ship and wasn't due to arrive until January and they sent a batch of a500+ by air.
The backlash against the a500+ in the uk was probably why they decided to sell a500's with the new boards instead.
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I like the look of the card, but also not a fan of this business model.
I think its a fair model, considering Jens has to warranty the CPU running at that speed which may cause a higher failure rate.
I also think it is a good model for future FPGA accelerators, where perhaps you'll be buying a USB controller or a GFX board "unlock"...
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Nifty card, but the "business model" is a bit pony...
A bit like buying a family car and having the rear doors and seats inaccessible unless you fork out extra for a special key...
Mike.
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Confusing news item - is it announcing the new accelerator, or is it announcing Amigakit stocking the new accelerator?
I'd have expected to see a News item from Jens directly rather than one from the dominant retailer.
I'm not trying to be the awkward squad, but I don't want to see the sites becoming a storefront for Amigakit when there are other dealers also trying to make ends meet - just be aware how easy it is to inadvertently abuse your position as admin of these two community sites.
Not the intention at all.
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I'm speculating that Jens need a cheap CPU card option for his upcomming Amiga Reloaded (that lack CPU) and this could be it. Since the cost is the same no matter if MMU is active or the full RAM is precent to the user or not I suspect these upgrades are there to subsidy a cheaper initial card pricetag, and although you run a higher risk of CPU failure when overclocking I'm surtan that Jens on top of the cost/gain on this one also and use some of the possible profit margin from this to convert into an even lower initial pricetag.
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I like the look of the card, but also not a fan of this business model.
The card has 63MB of fast RAM installed, but you're only allowed to use 9MB of it unless you pay an extra fee? Just increase the initial purchase price, please, and sell the card with all features working.
I'm with you on this. But, I'm not overly fussed either because it's cheap, it'll do it's job, and I won't be buying one anyway while 030 cards are available.
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A bit like buying a family car and having the rear doors and seats inaccessible unless you fork out extra for a special key...
There are plenty of features on cars that are unlocked in this way already. You just aren't appalled by it because you didn't realise. Someone I worked with specifically did unlock some feature by buying a different central locking key, but some are unlocked by hooking the car up to a computer. You can pay for some cars to have higher performance and it is just a case of uploading a different map to the onboard computer.
When you buy something you aren't buying the raw materials, you are buying what they create. If two things can be made with the same raw materials but one is better than another then of course one will be more expensive than the other. This is especially true in the art world, see how far it gets you arguing that you should be able to buy a Picasso for the same price as a painting you did yourself. Even if you use the same raw materials then something is different, even if you paint the exact same image.
Most people will not like this because they think they should get everything at the cheapest possible price, even less than it costs to manufacture. The alternatives are:
1. He just sells the most expensive one at the most expensive price
2. He makes two physically different cards, both more expensive because there is less economy of scale.
I'm not sure how either option is better.
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I'm with you on this. But, I'm not overly fussed either because it's cheap, it'll do it's job, and I won't be buying one anyway while 030 cards are available.
Relatively chaeap... how much is this card with all DLC´s?
80€ (card) + 15€ (28Mhz OC) + 5€ (maprom) + 22€ (63mb) = 122€
122€ for a 020 card is not cheap imho.
This new "business model" is not good for the final user... lets see with the new a1200 mobos.
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Relatively chaeap... how much is this card with all DLC´s?
80(card) + 15 (28Mhz OC) + 5 (maprom) + 22 (63mb) = 122
122 for a 020 card is not cheap imho.
This new "business model" is not good for the final user... lets see with the new a1200 mobos.
On the contrary, I see it other way:
You buy a ram expansion on ebay/amibay for your A1200 at about the same price 80. It is not new and has no warranty.
Then you decide you want an accelerator, but you dont have much money to spend in one. So you pay 120 for a 68020 accelerator.
Then you need some fast ram for the accelerator, so you pay 30 for 64MB.
So this way you get more or less the same and spend 230 for everything. You may even get back the 80 you payed for the ram expansion card by reselling it, but even like that, 122 is much less than 150.
Point is, it is a great deal for users on a tight budget (the vast majority). If you have plenty of money, why on earth are you looking for a 020 accelerator anyway?
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Nifty card, but the "business model" is a bit pony...
A bit like buying a family car and having the rear doors and seats inaccessible unless you fork out extra for a special key...
Mike.
that totally happens with toyota.
the buttons wore out on my remote door unlocker so I ordered a new remote off ebay from China.
the new remote came instructions staying to do all this nonsense (turn on/of key, open door, close door, hop on one leg, etc) in a certain order in a certain amount of time and the remote would pair with the vehicle. whatever... fooled me... I looked silly.
meanwhile my truck has 4 doors, only one with lock... and you always forget that when you are in the grocery store parking lot with your kart.
Anyway, I had to send off to China again for a cable (look for Toyota techstream programmer), and after fussing with 64bit windows and 32bit drivers I was able to mate the remote to the vehicles computer.
While I was into the dealerships "super secret" menu I was able to see that there were all sorts of other features I could activate such as car alarm...I'm taking fully functional alarm that just came disabled. I enabled the alarm. Worked perfectly well, in fact to well, and I kept setting it off myself so later I disabled it.
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only interested if it works with an A1000;)
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I find this kind of business model psychologically aggravating. If I didn't go all out it would drive me crazy knowing there is untapped potentially lying there. If the complete hardware can be sold for the base price for profit it just makes you wonder too. I'd rather pay the single median price that is needed to make equal profits with all hardware unlocked and not have to make any decision about what to unlock.
I'm also one who doesn't like buying anything where I don't have a physical copy (iOS and Android apps, music), and I loathe micro-transactions. That's just how I am.
Anyway, not too interested in this hardware anyway, but if something that I did want came out with this model it would cause me much consternation given the lack of choices in the Amiga market.
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I'm a bit 50/50 with this new licensing system.
In the current form I see it no more than a cash grab considering the cost of the hardware will not change.
However if Amigans are awarded a "free" upgrade license (not currently the case) when they purchase another product of Jens then it's a great business concept that rewards loyalty.
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Relatively chaeap... how much is this card with all DLC´s?
80€ (card) + 15€ (28Mhz OC) + 5€ (maprom) + 22€ (63mb) = 122€
122€ for a 020 card is not cheap imho.
This new "business model" is not good for the final user... lets see with the new a1200 mobos.
Don't forget the Real Time Clock Module... That's another €20,-
Then the total is €142,-, for that you can buy a decent 030 card
with FPU and RTC!
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Would this be compatible with AROS 68K?
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122€ for a 020 card is not cheap imho.
This new "business model" is not good for the final user... lets see with the new a1200 mobos.
You're complaining about the prices, not the business model.
If Jens listened to you and ditched the business model and charged 122 euros to everyone for a fully unlocked card then how does that help?
Anyone expecting him to ditch the business model and sell the cards at the base price with everything unlocked is deluded.
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As someone who has owned an 8 MB RAM expansion, a 40 mhz '030, a 40 mhz 6840 and a 50 mhz 68060 A1200, my opinion is that the sort of things that need speed really need a 68040 minimum to do them justice.
Whether you get 22 mhz 6820 or 28 mhz 68020 it will still annoy you, because all you still have is an '020.
If I had a stock A1200 I'd definately get fast ram for it, but unless I could get a 68040 or better, I wouldn't bother with cpu upgrades.
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Has Jens confirmed the price for everything unlocked? Or is it supposition that it'll just be everything added together with no bundle?
Even so... a brand new '020 accelerator for just 80 Euros and still people complain.
Only in the Amiga community.....
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I'm a bit 50/50 with this new licensing system.
In the current form I see it no more than a cash grab considering the cost of the hardware will not change.
Well, on the plus side, if you want to upgrade your card, you do not even need to buy new hardware or open the case. You just type in a license. If you want to go cheap, buy the base license first, then upgrade later as soon as new money comes in, so there is no need to decide between a low end and a high end version.
So, actually, I believe this makes a lot of sense as a business strategy, and probably also as a user.
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Has Jens confirmed the price for everything unlocked? Or is it supposition that it'll just be everything added together with no bundle?
Even so... a brand new '020 accelerator for just 80 Euros and still people complain.
People complain about the business model, i think.
Only in the Amiga community.....
What?!
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We are pleased to confirm that we will stocking the new ACA 1221 (http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1251) accelerator and ram card from Individual Computers in early September.
(http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/images/aca_1221_sm.jpg) (http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1251)
This exciting new accelerator design features a full 68020 CPU, 9Mb of 32-bit Fast Memory (expandable to a maximum of 63MB) for a great price.
To find out more, please visit the AmigaKit.com product pages here to place your order:
UK direct product link (http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/GBP.php?url=product_info.php?products_id=1251)
Europe direct product link (http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/EUR.php?url=product_info.php?products_id=1251)
USA direct product link (http://www.amigakit.us/product_info.php?products_id=1251)
Canada direct product link (http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/CAD.php?url=product_info.php?products_id=1251)
AmigaKit, do you ever ever reply to customers or answer their calls?