Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: mrmoonlight on April 15, 2014, 08:27:45 PM
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Hi I have a 1200 Amiga and a 600 Amiga both in really good condition with accelerators fitted and extra memory and both surf the net using roadshow so I am well pleased ,but I have the urge to buy just one more Amiga and cant for the life of me make my mind up which I ought to go for ,I thought maybe the 500 but that wont give me any thing more or the Amiga 2000 which I know little about, so I would be pleased if anyone has any advice to give ,Brian.:):)
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There is both an A1500 and an A4000 on ebay uk right now.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AMIGA-/231198856172?pt=UK_VintageComputing_RL&hash=item35d48693ec
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Amiga-4000-working-2Mb-chip-ram-1-7Gb-Hd-8xCD-ROM-Faulty-RTC-and-fast-ram/161274691077?_trksid=p2045573.c100034.m2102&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140107092241%26meid%3D6228378977364338495%26pid%3D100034%26prg%3D20140107092241%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D161247951448
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There is both an A1500 and an A4000 on ebay uk right now.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AMIGA-/231198856172?pt=UK_VintageComputing_RL&hash=item35d48693ec
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Amiga-4000-working-2Mb-chip-ram-1-7Gb-Hd-8xCD-ROM-Faulty-RTC-and-fast-ram/161274691077?_trksid=p2045573.c100034.m2102&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140107092241%26meid%3D6228378977364338495%26pid%3D100034%26prg%3D20140107092241%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D161247951448
Hi thanks ,the A1500 looks tempting,not sure about the damage to the 4000 .
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Hi thanks ,the A1500 looks tempting,not sure about the damage to the 4000 .
I bought a CDTV two weeks ago. :) They are quite cheep, considering that only 30 000 units has made.
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A2000 good if you can get a cpu upgrade plus some other expansions.
quick spec:
68k @ 7mhz
1MB of chip RAM
16-bit bus
32-bit cpu slot.
A3000 has onboard flicker fixer. You might find one cheaper than an A4000.
A500 is so much like the A600, don't bother.
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a4000d
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz19.htm
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I too would recommend an A4000D because of the Zorro III, AGA, space and expandability. You can start out pretty basic and then slowly build to a PPC monster, or not.
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I'd recommend an A3000 and selling the A600 which you don't really need if you have an A1200.
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Depends on your budget. A4000 is crazy expensive but if you want the best, it's the way to go. A3000 is a little cheaper, no AGA, but a beautiful piece of hardware. Then there's the A2000, which I'd recommend for it's balance of affordability and ease of repair/upgrading. But then I might be slightly biased, haha. ;)
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Here's a different consideration. Your 600 and 1200 are both of more recent surface mount construction. So are the 4000 and CD32. They are working now, but, if a chip goes bad, most likely you will have to find someone to repair the motherboard, if you can.
OTOH, the 1000, 500, 2000 and 3000 (CDTV, too?) are the older thru-hole and socket construction. If a chip in one of those takes a dive, it is far easier to replace. Swapping chips is even a useful troubleshooting technique. There is plenty of documentation. IMHO, the 2000s and 3000s with RTG can do some fairly modern things. A500s are still plentiful and dirt cheap (though starting to demand rising prices).
So, how long do you want to be an Amigan? ;)
EDIT: I've often wondered if the early SCSI HDs have better longevity going forward than newer IDE and solid state solutions.
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The A3000 is gorgeous :-) I also like the A4000T, that tower case hmm.
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What ever you play with it is going to be old kit. It's just that the 4000 is the least old and is the most versatile when it comes to getting bits to work with it. I have never encountered any great issues with the 4000 as a durable machine. Suffers from all the same kinda probs that the 3000 or 2000 would. It is just that the 4000 is where Amiga was before it all folded and had they not it no doubt would have been just developed into a glorified PC. Which is where Escom picked up the thread in the hope of converting the user base.
Personally I would start from scratch and scrounge, beg, borrow bits and maybe make some of your own from PC stuff. I have built 4000s that were dead along with 3000s. I have even been given kit because I showed my enthusiasm.
Below is a 4000 tower which has to be the best of the best when it comes to customising the standard 4000d. And then there are images of my 4000 projects and my 3000UX which I have built from a scrap of parts which started with just the case. All I have has been bought off Ebay, Amibench[of old] or given to me by folk who wanted a good home for their kit. So getting involved in the community, keeping your eyes open, and taking a few gambles often pays off.... The last image was a gamble I took on a sale for a 500 that claimed to be a 1200... and when I cracked her open I was well surprised.
Building and looking after Amigas is always fun. And having projects is the most rewarding.
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz520.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz383.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz361.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/car_0608/car08401.jpg
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Here's a different consideration. Your 600 and 1200 are both of more recent surface mount construction. So are the 4000 and CD32. They are working now, but, if a chip goes bad, most likely you will have to find someone to repair the motherboard, if you can....
I have refurbished a number of Amiga models and use routinely an A4000T and X1000. The A500 & A600 are very limited in their capabilities and expandability; the A1200 can be expanded and even towerized but it is a real pain keeping it all connected and working. The A3000 is beautiful but poorly designed, cramped inside and full of sharp edges that make in a "bloody" pain. The A4000T is roomy easy to work on (except for the drive cage), has IDE and good SCSI, allows all sorts of expansion, but are hard to find for sale. The A4000D has less room and expandability than the T, but is still an easy beast to "live" with.
Repairs used to be a problem until a month ago when I sent 4 A4000D and 1 A4000T motherboards to Anthony Hoffman for repair. I had the four A4000Ds repaired and returned in under a fortnight. The T needed an SCSI 53C710 smd chip replaced that he had to order and it took another week. Phase5 products can be repaired by Stan Sędłak (3 CSPPCs took about 2+ weeks from out my door to back in my hands).
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Here's a different consideration. Your 600 and 1200 are both of more recent surface mount construction. So are the 4000 and CD32. They are working now, but, if a chip goes bad, most likely you will have to find someone to repair the motherboard, if you can.
OTOH, the 1000, 500, 2000 and 3000 (CDTV, too?) are the older thru-hole and socket construction. If a chip in one of those takes a dive, it is far easier to replace. Swapping chips is even a useful troubleshooting technique. There is plenty of documentation. IMHO, the 2000s and 3000s with RTG can do some fairly modern things. A500s are still plentiful and dirt cheap (though starting to demand rising prices).
So, how long do you want to be an Amigan? ;)
EDIT: I've often wondered if the early SCSI HDs have better longevity going forward than newer IDE and solid state solutions.
Hi thank you so very much I do appreciate your help and will sort through all the info you have presented ,I have got my thoughts on the A2000 or A3000 but need to read more about each one ,and as for the how long I want to be an Amigan lol its a brilliant hobby and has gave me hours of pleasure and still does and reading all the posts on here is awesome and really enjoyable ,thanks again Brian.:):)
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What ever you play with it is going to be old kit. It's just that the 4000 is the least old and is the most versatile when it comes to getting bits to work with it. I have never encountered any great issues with the 4000 as a durable machine. Suffers from all the same kinda probs that the 3000 or 2000 would. It is just that the 4000 is where Amiga was before it all folded and had they not it no doubt would have been just developed into a glorified PC. Which is where Escom picked up the thread in the hope of converting the user base.
Personally I would start from scratch and scrounge, beg, borrow bits and maybe make some of your own from PC stuff. I have built 4000s that were dead along with 3000s. I have even been given kit because I showed my enthusiasm.
Below is a 4000 tower which has to be the best of the best when it comes to customising the standard 4000d. And then there are images of my 4000 projects and my 3000UX which I have built from a scrap of parts which started with just the case. All I have has been bought off Ebay, Amibench[of old] or given to me by folk who wanted a good home for their kit. So getting involved in the community, keeping your eyes open, and taking a few gambles often pays off.... The last image was a gamble I took on a sale for a 500 that claimed to be a 1200... and when I cracked her open I was well surprised.
Building and looking after Amigas is always fun. And having projects is the most rewarding.
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz520.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz383.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz361.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/car_0608/car08401.jpg
Wow the most incredible photo collection I have ever come across and so very thankful to you for sharing them with this forum and indeed myself ,I will be up half the night looking at all these goodies very best wishes Brian.:):)
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I'd recommend an A3000 and selling the A600 which you don't really need if you have an A1200.
Hi thank you it seems the A2000 and 3000 are quite popular and look most likely the ones I could afford and the A600 lol is my little dream machine and such a pleasure to surf the net and play Terminator 2 on I could not possibly say goodbye to this little friend but I know what you mean lol very best wishes Brian.:):):)
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I too would recommend an A4000D because of the Zorro III, AGA, space and expandability. You can start out pretty basic and then slowly build to a PPC monster, or not.
Hi and thank you for your input and the A4000 seems to be very popular,but I am not sure if I could afford that one,but thanks again best wishes Brian.:):)
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@ mrmoonlight
time to towerize your 1200 if you want an adventure;)
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@ mrmoonlight
time to towerize your 1200 if you want an adventure;)
Hi lol I like a good adventure but if my 1200 heard you speaking like that she would blow a fuse lol she,s quick to please and looks beautiful in her full attire and I could not possibly disfigure her in any such way or form and the very thought would make her tremble ,so no I am sorry my friend although I don't deny you the pleasure this is not for my pride and joy very best wishes Brian.:):)
ps I would not mind looking at a few pics if you have any because it might be interesting to see.Brian.
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@mrmoonlight,
One day I was went either here or AW and saw a 4000T for sale. Called him and bought it.
$1000 US, loaded, Cyberstorm MK3 060 with Cybervision 64 3D W/FF over 250Gb Mem, Toaster and Catweasle with extra floppy. This was around 2003, just before I ordered my A1XE G4.
The point being, keep your eyes open and money in the bank.
Chris
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@mrmoonlight,
One day I was went either here or AW and saw a 4000T for sale. Called him and bought it.
$1000 US, loaded, Cyberstorm MK3 060 with Cybervision 64 3D W/FF over 250Gb Mem, Toaster and Catweasle with extra floppy. This was around 2003, just before I ordered my A1XE G4.
The point being, keep your eyes open and money in the bank.
Chris
Better yet, keep both eyes closed and have more money in the bank.
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I always loved the A3000 line. The desktop variant was a little small case wise, but the A3000T IMHO was the best Amiga ever made once a guy kitted it out. I'd love to find an A3000T style case to throw one of my NG machine mobos in, heh.
My first Miggy was an A3000, real early 16 mhz one. After that I had a RTG based '060 A4000 with a 4091 in it, but for the life of me I always missed the lines of the A3000. The case had a lot more style, and the machine as a whole struck me as a lot higher end/less utilitarian and less "last ditch effort" hardware wise than the A4000/A1200, like the designers of the 3000 really wanted it to be their Magnum Opus, so to speak. The A2000 was a hell of a workhorse of a machine, but IMHO the most ugly and utilitarian design of all of them. Design on the 2000 would never win any awards, but the damned things were near bulletproof. I had an 'GVP '030 powered A2000 that I literally managed to drop down the stairs when I was moving it one day and it didn't take a lick of damage other than one scratch, lol.
Built in flicker fixer of the A3000 was hard to beat, but the cheaper IDE device trail on the more modern machines vs. SCSI on the previous machines was great too for the end user. SCSI always was, and still is - expensive and more complex.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by QuikSanz (http://www.amiga.org/forums/web/buttons/viewpost.gif) (http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?p=762720#post762720)
@mrmoonlight,
One day I was went either here or AW and saw a 4000T for sale. Called him and bought it.
$1000 US, loaded, Cyberstorm MK3 060 with Cybervision 64 3D W/FF over 250Gb Mem, Toaster (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Better-Chef-Large-Capacity-9-liter-Toaster-Oven-Silver/34916702) and Catweasle with extra floppy. This was around 2003, just before I ordered my A1XE G4.
The point being, keep your eyes open and money in the bank.
Chris
Better yet, keep both eyes closed and have more money in the bank.
[/I]
LOL you two should have been a double act ,thanks to the both of you Brian.:):):):)
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I always loved the A3000 line. The desktop variant was a little small case wise, but the A3000T IMHO was the best Amiga ever made once a guy kitted it out. I'd love to find an A3000T style case to throw one of my NG machine mobos in, heh.
My first Miggy was an A3000, real early 16 mhz one. After that I had a RTG based '060 A4000 with a 4091 in it, but for the life of me I always missed the lines of the A3000. The case had a lot more style, and the machine as a whole struck me as a lot higher end/less utilitarian and less "last ditch effort" hardware wise than the A4000/A1200, like the designers of the 3000 really wanted it to be their Magnum Opus, so to speak. The A2000 was a hell of a workhorse of a machine, but IMHO the most ugly and utilitarian design of all of them. Design on the 2000 would never win any awards, but the damned things were near bulletproof. I had an 'GVP '030 powered A2000 that I literally managed to drop down the stairs when I was moving it one day and it didn't take a lick of damage other than one scratch, lol.
Built in flicker fixer of the A3000 was hard to beat, but the cheaper IDE device trail on the more modern machines vs. SCSI on the previous machines was great too for the end user. SCSI always was, and still is - expensive and more complex.
Really good read up my friend and room for thought thanks very much Brian.:):):)