Amiga.org
The "Not Quite Amiga but still computer related category" => Alternative Operating Systems => Topic started by: mbrantley on December 04, 2006, 03:56:36 AM
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I'm not sure what started it, but a few weeks ago I started feeling nostalgic about Amiga computers. I started following Amigas in my 8-bit Commodore computing days, and in my collection is the first issue of Amiga World magazine, introducing the Amiga 1000 in 1985. My first Amiga was one of the very first 500s in 1987 -- actually had a Commodore key on the keyboard in place of the left Amiga key. Best keyboards ever, I think.
Got a 3000 in 1990 or so, but financial woes in those days kept me from keeping it. Don't have that 500 or the 3000 anymore, but I still have the Amiga 1000 I got next (Kwickstart II board put Kickstart 2.0 roms in it, so I don't really know the joys of a Kickstart floppy). I bought one of the very first Amiga 1200s available in the U.S. in early 1993, and I expanded it and used it as a workhorse doing animations and fun until 1999, when I bought a PowerMac G3. Somebody gave me an Amiga 2500 along the way, too.
I still have that PowerMac G3 up and running, as well as my dual 2Ghz PowerMac G5 purchased two years ago when it was the fastest desktop on the planet. Also have a PC I've built and rebuilt myself, and I use an iBook G3 still and my wife has a Dell notebook. We've got iPods, too.
Anyway, the Miggys were in the closet for a few years until I pulled them out a month ago and started playing with them. Next thing you know, I've got the Amiga bug. Now I have a new-to-me Amiga 4000 purchased off eBay. She's the machine in the photo. I've already bought her some presents -- a set of Kickstart 3.1 ROMs, AmigaOS 3.9, a Cybervision 64/3D graphics card (all from Software Hut) and a dandy of a 24-bit paint program called TVPaint (a free download of all things!).
The 4000 isn't my fastest machine by a long shot, but the OS is quick on its feet as always. I'm having fun rediscovering old software. Planned purchases include Aladdin and ImageFX while they are on sale. An IDE card is on the way from Amigakit (maybe it will recognize my big hard drive in its entirety), and I'll want an X-Surf card to get the Miggy on my network. I'd love a Picasso IV video card, of course, but I know I'm going to be after an 060 accelerator board when I get the cash set aside. Not sure I care that much about PPC, but we'll see what I can find.
Crazy to spend money on an "obsolete" platform? Maybe, but I'm having crazy fun.
In the picture you see I have dual monitors, as I need the old 1084 for the native display modes. It seems for 2-D animations I'm going to need to use Deluxe Paint and Brilliance on the native output. Same for the games I've tried. Most everything else seems to promote well to the Cybervision display. Anybody know where I can find the optional scandoubler card for the 64/3D?
On the 1084 in Dpaint is an Amiga low-resolution, stylized "self portrait" I made of me and my Amiga 1000 many years ago.
You see an internal SyQuest 105MB drive that's connected to a GVP SCSI card, and outside the box is an external Zip drive, as well as an external HD floppy drive.
The keyboard? Well that's a Frankenstein creation. It's actually an Amiga 2000 keyboard (an early one with the Commodore key that feels as great as that old 500 keybord I mentioned) that is placed inside an Amiga 3000 keyboard casing (for its stylish looks) and then adapted at the connector to fit the 4000. Best-feeling keyboard I own, and the mechanics are getting close to two decades old.
Anyway, I'm back in the Amiga community after years being away. Did I miss anything? (grin) When I left, it made my heart ache to think about the disasters that had befallen the platform (Commodore's demise, ESCOM's demise, Gateway's wasting of time), but now I don't care so much. I just want to have fun and be creative with this computer, as I do with my others.
(http://www.thevideojunkie.com/amiga/Miggy4000.jpg)
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Nice setup and welcome back!! Yes I, along with many others, enjoy tinkering with old Amigas. I also have a 4000 with Cybervision 64/3D and the scandoubler module. Those are hard to find. I got mine on ebay a few years ago for around $200 for the whole card and doubler. You may have to go that route if you cannot get just the doubler. That way you can use 1 monitor. Make sure the battery has been replaced as they leak and destroy the motherboard.
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Welcome back. All I can say is you have a lot of company. Many 'returnees' over the last two years, myself included.
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very cool! but why is this in alternate OS forum? here the world is on its head, with Windoze being 'alt.OS' !
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Oh, no! I'm in the wrong forum. I was aiming for New User introductions. Can the thread be moved? What a NOOB! :-?
Anyway, thanks for the welcomes.
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Welcome back! I'm a returned from a 10 years deep sleep too.
Anyway you have a nice collection of posters.
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Oh, yes, first thing I did was scoop that battery off the motherboard and clean up the small amount of acid that had leaked. Thanks to the good advice at Amiga.org, I also performed the same surgery on my A2500, which had a badly leaking battery and a large stain on the motherboard.
Thanks for the comment on the posters. The "Only Amiga Makes it Possible" poster hanging on the closet door is in rather sad shape. I need to get a new Amiga promotional poster and frame it, if I can find one. The other posters are Apple Computer promotional art.
Gee, hope we can move this thread, but maybe it's stuck here. And I haven't even read anything in Alternative Operating Systems!
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deleting duplicate post
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Hi, love the setup you've got there!
I especially like the cut-'n-shut Amiga keyboard, though I'd be terrified of doing something like that to one of mine.
Yes I do think the A4K desktop setup is a good way to go; there's lots of fun putting it together and plenty you can do with it after. :)
I have the CV64/3D w) SD but the SD has caused me a lot of problems. (I cut my hand badly putting it in and now I can't get it out!)
I do like the card though and not sure what the advantages are of having a Picasso 4 instead?
I personally don't think it's crazy spending money on this old hardware. If for no other reason they're collectors items and that would be good enough for most 'sane' people. But plenty of people spend lots of cash on designer clothes and things they don't need and I'm not interested in any of that, I would much prefer a nice clean Amiga 3000/4000 instead! :-D
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Cool! Like yourself, I have come back after a few years too. I'm in the process of fixing up an 030 4000. I've managed to get hold of an EGS Spectrum graphics card, plus a scandoubler for the video slot. Battery is being pulled out tomorrow!
Anyone know if you can still purchase Picasso96 drivers?
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if your card supports the CyberGraphicsX rtg system (or CGX for short) consider getting it instead. much better than p96 on the few cards I have tried it (piccoloSD64 and picassoII)
amigakit.com sells the cgx4 cdrom...