a1200 up and running

[bomrat]

hi, I purchased an a1200.. finally got it on a separate monitor.  current setup:
a1200 with cap mods
blizzard 1220/4
4gb cf card for boot / etc
indivision mk II scan doubler.
usb floppy emulator.
21 in sun monitor.
usb mouse on a serial adaptor
internal keyboard. wrong layout. (cant get the new usa one to work, half the keys don't work) so I am still using the uk one.

plans.
some kind of network. so I can copy files over easier.
towerize it.
new accelerator.
and thinking of pci.

what is the best way to get to an external keyboard.  adaptors? upgrade path.

thanks
arlan.

[AAACHIPSET]

hi, I purchased an a1200.. finally got it on a separate monitor.  current setup:
a1200 with cap mods
blizzard 1220/4
4gb cf card for boot / etc
indivision mk II scan doubler.
usb floppy emulator.
21 in sun monitor.
usb mouse on a serial adaptor
internal keyboard. wrong layout. (cant get the new usa one to work, half the keys don't work) so I am still using the uk one.

plans.
some kind of network. so I can copy files over easier.
towerize it.
new accelerator.
and thinking of pci.

what is the best way to get to an external keyboard.  adaptors? upgrade path.

thanks
arlan.

i used an external keyboard adaptor...always found it a bit slow..esp pinball games ..
now i just like to leave my main amiga 1200  as it is..just added fans  inside  ..

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

You can use something like the Lyra2 to connect an external keyboard:

http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=49_89&products_id=207

Although this is typically for folks who are putting their 1200 in a tower, I don't see any reason why it couldn't be modded to support an external keyboard with a desktop case.

That being said, those ribbon connectors on the 1200 keyboards are a common point of failure. You might try removing it and reseating it a few times to help it get a good connection.  There's also a process for repairing them which I believe involves snipping a couple mm off, and sanding it, and doing something else... don't quote me on the exact process, I can't find a link off-hand, but I'm sure someone who's done it more frequently will be along to explain it soon enough.

That's what I'd do if I were in your shoes - try to repair the ribbon cable for the stock keyboard, rather than kludge together some external mess.    Cheers!

Edit:  As far as network cards go, plenty of options, mostly centered around the PCMCIA port.  Can you do wired or do you require wireless?

[scuzzb494]

hi, I purchased an a1200.. finally got it on a separate monitor.  current setup:
a1200 with cap mods
blizzard 1220/4
4gb cf card for boot / etc
indivision mk II scan doubler.
usb floppy emulator.
21 in sun monitor.
usb mouse on a serial adaptor
internal keyboard. wrong layout. (cant get the new usa one to work, half the keys don't work) so I am still using the uk one.

plans.
some kind of network. so I can copy files over easier.
towerize it.
new accelerator.
and thinking of pci.

what is the best way to get to an external keyboard.  adaptors? upgrade path.

thanks
arlan.

Why not just get a PC and run the emulator. Seriously. For goodness sake I thought the days of hacking Amigas was over. Sorry for that. I have my original 1200 from 1993 still running and has two external SCSI hard drives, ZIP, ethernet connected to six computers, broadbband for mail, CD, monitor and HD floppy and she is the world to me. God forbid I would ever take this wonderful machine apart to try and make it into a poor mans PC. You just don't need to do that to enjoy the Amiga.

Here is the challenge. Write your own Samba scripts to get the computer talking to PCs if you really want to move your files over. But in truth, with one ZIP disk connected to a SCSI via a kit off a Blizzard you can transfer everything you would ever need to transfer off an Amiga.

I would take very small steps and please, I am begging you, leave the prescious Amiga in her original case. Don't even hack in one of those drives I see destroying cases.

Have fun though... Get to know your Amiga. Love your Amiga. I am still scratching my head about the keyboard... didn't make sense to me.

Remember this is an Amiga 1200 from a different era. A truly wonderful era. Quite magical. Think ' I want to be an Amiga '

All the best.

[utri007]

If you want to hack you Amiga, just do it..

Mediator with 040/06 accelerator will give you possibility to use any existing amiga software.

[bomrat]

in the past: my first amiga was a 2000 i purchased in college.  then i had a couple 500's and then a 4000, sold the lot years ago. and now want something i can play with.  i want to move files over to it and play some old games, etc.  nothing special. just want an easy way to move files over , and have it a little quicker.

the case has been hacked up, by somebody else.

thanks

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

just want an easy way to move files over

There's all kinds of ways of moving files over. On my A2000 I have USB, xD, CF, SD, network, or heck, I'll just burn 'em to a CD and spin my chair around between my PC and Amiga and pop it in.

I think you just need to pick a way and go for it, lol.

[Sir_Lucas]

The best for me is a PCMCIA card. Either LAN or WLAN.
All my Amigas are connected to the router. I can transfer files via FTP from my MacBook or my Ubuntu machines.