Hardware I would like

[Iggy]

As a side note, what the heck is it with people always wanting "Amiga" + "cheap"?  Go build a WinUAE system out of an old freecycle PC if you want cheap.  You gotta know this hobby isn't for cheapskates!  Gaaah!:destroy:

Sure it is.
Since when do Amigans want to pay for anything (unless it is something they are fixated on)?
And my legacy system of choice, the A2000, IS still cheap.
As are the PowerMacs I run MorphOS on.
And the PC I have AROS installed on (an Atom based system).
And the PC I run WinUAE on...
etc.

[Iggy]

Sorry Mike,
I didn't realize my A2000 didn't qualify.
I admit that a fully blown out A4000 is expensive, but then they were ungodly expensive when new.
I hope all of you don't think that some FPGA based miracle is going to occur that will do everything a high end legacy system would, and more.
I can't see that happening.
Something more modest, maybe.
Now that Jens has an agreement for licensing kickstart roms arranged with Hyperion, maybe we will see something finally coming from him.

[Iggy]

I have approached building my system via a slow, careful accqusition of parts.
I just recently aqquired a 40 MHz '030 card to replace my 14 MHz '020 card.
I got it at a really good price.
I friend just recently offered me a sound card.
I bought a video digitizer from a German source a few months ago, also at a good price.

If you are patient, cost is not that great an issue.
Except maybe for RTG video cards.
I doubt I will ever find a good buy on one of those.

And sometimes you just need to let it go.
I had an '040 accelrator card until about two years ago.
Sold it to a Russian at an obscene price.
I needed the funds for more modern hardware.

BTW The hardware you dismiss as pure emulation kicks legacy hardware's ass.

[Iggy]

Cheap (inexpensive) + Amiga = That dog won't hunt

Sure it would, but the owner would probably be stupid enough to shoot it while hunting.

Although I probably should not spend too much time harping on affordability.
It might make me look foolish were I to follow my own fixations and I buy an X5000 when they become available.

[Iggy]

Can't you just use a Pata to Sata adaptor? And what speed advantage would you get over a fast CF Card and IDE adaptor?

Tied to an A1200, probably not much.
SATA can overwhelm the bandwidth of a PCI bus.
A PCI bus tied to a Zorro bus could easily overwhelm that, etc.

But you'd get a big boost in potential capacity.