Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: runequester on August 21, 2012, 06:08:43 AM
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Been pondering acquiring a second classic amiga, to accompany my 1200. The question is ...which model then?
(both to mess around with,and for a bit of multi player gaming through serial link)
So...tell me what model to look for?
A classic 500?
A cute 600?
Another 1200?
The old 1000?
A big box amiga?
The 500 is sheer classic of course, but it's pretty hard to find expansions for it.
A 600 or 1200 is easy to expand up to a point. Mostly, it'd be easy to get files on it.
A big box machine might cost a lot more, but there's also more scope there, of course.
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How about A3000? It's like expanded A2000, but with everything you need already built-in.
You do need to be careful and check if battery did not leaked or at least was cut off before it could do any damage.
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An A2000 - amiga at the height of its funding & development. Built solid, hard to break it, fun project machine - it can do a lot of stuff. Before you say "what about a3000 / a4000?" I still have one of each (a3k, a4k), and they are good machines, but the big box a2000 captures the spirit of amiga.
My fave is the A1200, personally, but I believe that the A2000 captures the essence of "Amiga."
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If you've already go a 1200 then what more do you really need?
;)
Seriously though, if you have the 1200 and want something different the only thing that really makes any sense is a big box Amiga like a 3000 or maybe 4000.
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...had an A1200T/060@50/PPC@240, w/ picasso IV. That said, there's something about the amiga in the height of its development; that is, from 1989-1991. The software was aplenty. It's fun to play with faster AGA machines, but basically most of the power of the architecture was exhausted in the OCS/ECS amigas...
I guess I'd say i'd get an A2000 or A3000?
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...had an A1200T/060@50/PPC@240, w/ picasso IV. That said, there's something about the amiga in the height of its development; that is, from 1989-1991. The software was aplenty. It's fun to play with faster AGA machines, but basically most of the power of the architecture was exhausted in the OCS/ECS amigas...
I guess I'd say i'd get an A2000 or A3000?
Sounds like an smart move, I myself is planning on either the 2000 or 3000 for me it will be the first one of them that shows up on the Swedish ebay and if I know myself right and the other one shows up a bit after ill get that one to :)
My biggest problem is space, My computer room is to small to house all my needs hehe
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Your second AMIGA?
A3000: you don't need to change the caps.
A4000: you must change the caps.
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Been pondering acquiring a second classic amiga, to accompany my 1200. The question is ...which model then?
(both to mess around with,and for a bit of multi player gaming through serial link)
Absolutely another A1200. Serial linkup and have fun with Stunt Car Racer (turbo mode), Super Skidmarks and many other linkup games!
It will also be your backup machine if/when the first A1200 breaks down.
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The 500 is sheer classic of course, but it's pretty hard to find expansions for it.
Well, so far, yes. But soon, there will be plenty of expansions to choose :)
Most powerful of all - the Zeus cannon :) 50 MHz CPU with RAM, IDE and RTC.
Also there will be Jens' ACA500 with 14MHz CPU 2MB RAM, CF connector, and a A1200 edge connector, so you can further add A1200 expansions.
And you can actually buy Kipper's super affordable 8MB RAM expansion right now.
So I'd say things are looking pretty well for the A500 :)
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Your second AMIGA?
A3000: you don't need to change the caps.
A4000: you must change the caps.
I'm curious about that (since I have an A1000, A500, A2000 and A1200).
Which Amiga models require cap changes? Why is that (were sub-standard caps used in A1200s/A4000s?)? When do they fail? Any tips on increasing longevity?
Thanks!
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ALL Amigas require cap changes. Electrolytics are only specified for 20 years, and they're all more or less that age now.
A600, A1200 and A4000 use substandard SMT electrolytics, though; the through-hole ones in the A2000 (A3000? Never seen one) are ok but they're still too old to be classed as "safe" now.
That said, the earlier Amigas are likely to keep going longer than the 600/1200/4000 because they used better caps, so it's likely that with one of the later ones will need its caps replacing sooner rather than later, whereas an A500/2000 will probably be ok.... but even then it's still only a matter of time.
Personally, I like to recap anything past a certain age. My A4000 is fully recapped, I have an A600 behind me that's recapped, and I have an A2000 next to me on the desk that is - you guessed it - fully recapped.
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a600. such a fun little machine and when you save up / have patience, there is some good and very innovative hardware out there.
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Been pondering acquiring a second classic amiga, to accompany my 1200. The question is ...which model then?
(both to mess around with,and for a bit of multi player gaming through serial link)
So...tell me what model to look for?
A classic 500?
A cute 600?
Another 1200?
The old 1000?
A big box amiga?
The 500 is sheer classic of course, but it's pretty hard to find expansions for it.
A 600 or 1200 is easy to expand up to a point. Mostly, it'd be easy to get files on it.
A big box machine might cost a lot more, but there's also more scope there, of course.
Hi i will say go for an Amiga 2000, i have 3 of them and they are nice machines :) and can be upgraded a lot, and since you have a newer (AGA) Amiga already, i think you should go for the the A 2000.
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Depends what you want..
My first (the second time around) Amiga was the 500. I had one back in the day, and I was able to get one for a good price, and that got me back into the Amiga. Still have that one..
But expanding them is spendy (I do have 8M RAM, 2M CHIP, a DCTV and an AEHD floppy).
So, I looked around and my second Amiga was the 1200. It really is (at least for me) the best all around Amiga.
My 3rd Amiga was a 1000. I always wanted one.
That's mostly for the historical factor..
I don't really think (at this stage) I'd be interested in a big box Amiga (even the 3000, which is beautiful or the 4000 which is powerful).
I have what I need in my 1200 as far as power (for me) and expansion.
desiv
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Hi i have many amiga and commodore computers i would like to keep going :) what are these cap? and can i change them my self
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You need to replace these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor
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Look up "electrolytic capacitor" on Wikipedia for a better explanation than I could give!
It's not a difficult job, but it does take a bit of practice and you need the right equipment. It mostly just takes time. If you do do it, make sure you use a good, fine, temperature-controlled soldering iron for through-hold capacitors, and use an SMT rework station for the SMT capacitors.
If you've never done soldering before probably best leave it to someone else until you've had a bit of practice. And don't worry too much, your Amigas won't just suddenly blow up now you've read that capacitors can get old. :) Just keep an eye out for symptoms (screen interference, long boot-up times, distorted sound, that sort of thing.. anything that just seems "odd" is usually capacitors!)
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Been pondering acquiring a second classic amiga, to accompany my 1200. The question is ...which model then?
(both to mess around with,and for a bit of multi player gaming through serial link)
So...tell me what model to look for?
A classic 500?
A cute 600?
Another 1200?
The old 1000?
A big box amiga?
The 500 is sheer classic of course, but it's pretty hard to find expansions for it.
A 600 or 1200 is easy to expand up to a point. Mostly, it'd be easy to get files on it.
A big box machine might cost a lot more, but there's also more scope there, of course.
FPGAArcade...
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How about one and only living room Amiga? CDTV?
I belive that forthcoming Indivisual computer's A500 accelerator fit inside of it, it has a IDE and 14mhz 68000 or maybe Zeus? http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=65047
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If you already have a nice A1200 desktop, you have two options:
- take a big box amiga for serious stuff with RTG, audio card, Deneb and so on, preferably an A2000 or A3000 if you want to keep an interest in your A1200 (ECS versus AGA)
- take an A600 to have a movable amiga with you.