Crazy Idea to get a A1200?

[Cammy]

Hi Darkage, welcome back into the Amiga world. I use my A1200 with 8MB Fast RAM/FPU with internal CF card and PCMCIA ethernet adapter every day. I browse the web, chat on MSN and IRC, use plenty of productivity software, code, and play games. As the others mentioned, WHDLoad fixes nearly all those old floppy and incompatibility problems, so just about every game runs from my hard drive (CF card) now. If these are the sorts of things you'd like to do, you may not even need to shell out for an expensive 030 card. The 020 in the A1200 is fine for general use and games provided you have some extra Fast RAM. Of course, if you want to browse multiple sites in tabs while having all your chat programs, email, Twitter, online games and things open at the same time, you might want the 030.

There's also the option of a CD32 with a SX-1 or SX32 module, which adds 8MB RAM to the CD32, as well as all the standard Amiga ports so you can turn it into a full computer. DOOM runs smoother on a CD32 with 8MB Fast RAM than it does on an A1200 with 8MB Fast RAM, I've run benchmark tests that confirm it! The Akiko chip in the CD32 really helps out with Chunky to Planar conversion for 3D games.

Where abouts are you from? Maybe if you live close to someone with an A1200 they can give you a demonstration. I wanted one ever since the first time I used one, and I already had the CD32 :p

[Cammy]

"Collection only" auctions are so much worse in Australia where we're all so spread out around this huge, empty continent.

NovaCoder has a great idea, check out YouTube for hundreds of videos that will make you want an Amiga again

[Cammy]

IT'S A TRAP!!!

That guy is a con-man! He is selling a CD32 he bought on eBay from China for under $150 and reselling it for $500. You can get one from China yourself if you search internationally for CD32 in eBay. They're all new in the box, but they're all NTSC with American PSUs. Most CD32 games are PAL, and there could be compatibility issues with a lot of software because of the CD32 being NTSC. Some people have been able to modify them to be PAL, and you may be able to bypass the problem alltogether with an Indivision scan doubler, but then you'd need to plug the CD32 into a PC monitor (not that that's a bad thing).

For tinkering, you'd still be better off with an A1200 though, or at least a PAL CD32 with an SX-1 or SX32 expansion, but those are rare.

A600s are another option, they're quite expandable these days with a new 8MB FastRAM card and a 020 accelerator in the works. I've upgraded mine with 2MB ChipRAM, Kickstart ROM switcher, 1.3 and 3.1 ROMs, CF drive, PCMCIA Ethernet and SD Card reader, USB keypad, mouse and control pad, and a LCD monitor. I took some pics of it a little while ago which are here http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=49670

You should maybe look into going to one of the two Amiga club meetings in Melbourne, they get together every month I think. I'd love to go to them myself but I'm waaay up in Northern NSW where there seem to be hardly any Amiga users left. There are plenty in Victoria though.