A2000HD - what can I do to upgrade....

[Noster]

Hi, welcome at Amiga.org,

here are some more informations:

1. The monitor you describe seems to be a 1084S or 1085S (9 pin plug). The older monitors like the 1081 or 1084 have a scart-connector (like a TV).
Try to get a cable via eBay (or if you have experience in soldering and the right connector, change your existing cable).

2. If you want to build an Amiga that is somehow usefull (and not just for playing the old games) you should look out for Kickstart 3.1. Maybe you should try to get a complete OS 3.1 set incl. the manuals. The OS 3.1 manuals are very good and informative.
A Kickstart Rom could be gained via Vesalia (if you are from Germany or central europe): http://www.vesalia.de/
The default Workbenchscreen is still grey, but you could change the colors to your own taste.

3. If your Amiga has only 512KB Chip-ram, there is an easy hack to change to 1MB chip using a newer Agnus. I'll search for the link if you are interested.
To add fast-ram (upto 8 MB) you will need a ram-expansion card (or maybe you own a SCSI-controller that supports additional ram). Usually you have to add some kind of single ram-chips (e.g. ZIP-ram) to these cards. These chips are very hard to find, try ebay.

5. I think your Supra SCSI HD for the A500 could be shut-off with a switch, then you could see the boot-logo.

6. The Scanlock seems to be usefull, if you want to connect a video-recorder to your Amiga. The monitor should be connected direct to the Amigas monitor-port. You should try to find the correct name of the Scanlock and search here for a description:
http://amiga.resource.cx/

General: Have a look into the Aminet, here you find thousands of programms, tools, hacks, and documentation for the Amiga:
http://ftp.uni-paderborn.de/aminet
And you have to open your case to have a closer look to the parts (boards) placed in the Amiga.

AND AS ALREADY SAID: CHECK THE BATTERY!!!! If it is leaking, cut it off. You could replace it later, the Amiga will run without it, you just have to set the clock everytime you power-on the machine.

Noster

[Noster]

Hi,

@Rooster

> Would be interested in getting 2.0 on the 2K before I order that 3.1 ROM/Workbench.

Take the ROM from your A500 and fit it in your A2000. That will work.

You may buy a faster accelerator via eBay. If you sell your A2620 board you will get 20-30 EUR for this item, so you just have to pay the difference (to an A2630 this would be 10-20 EUR).
If you are thinking about Internet-surfing with an Amiga you should try to get an 68040 or faster processor and much ram on the accelerator board (at a minium 8-16 MB).

You should not spend money to maxout your memory-expansion board, if you use an accelerator, the Zorro-II memory-board will slow down your processor :-( Fit additional memory on the accelerator board (this memory will be accessed 32-bit wide and with faster MHz than the 16-bit 7,xx MHz memory on the memory-board).

The best graphics-card for the A2000 is the Picasso IV -- I think -- or maybe the CyberVision64 (not the CyberVision64/3D). They are about 60-100 EUR at eBay. But you should upgrade to Kickstart 3.1 first.

Noster