Need advice on best way to blow $300 for A1200 upgrades?

[Major_Tom_Coming_Home]

I recently became an Amiga 1200 owner by shear luck - being at the right yard sale at the right time and at a great price. I am into vintage computing but I considered an Amiga out of reach - score one for the collector / user! I just had the MOBO recapped by Acill and I'm looking to upgrade my completely stock system. My budget is about $300 at least for now. My plans are to run original and homebrew games and apps but no internet or graphics work. I basically would like advice on how to get the best bang for my upgrade bucks.


For add-ons I already have from Amigakit a 4GB CF with work bench 3.1 installed as well as the 44-way IDE Compact Flash Adapter and cable.  I also have a set of Kickstart 3.1 ROM chips to install. I'm thinking the next enhancements might be a GOTEK drive since they aren't terribly costly,  and an accelerator. Would this do the accelerator trick, or is there a better option (that isn't crazy expensive)? http://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=43&products_id=1285

Do I have the right Idea, or is there a better upgrade path to follow? Thanks!

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

For basic gaming you might scale back on the accelerator and put that money towards something else.

If it were me (and I were working in that budget), I'd probably go with the following:

http://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1296

https://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1101

http://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1148

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CF-to-IDE-44-pin-adapter-for-Amiga-600-1200/152931861507?hash=item239b730403:g:n1kAAOSw9eVXWg6c

I'd add 3.1 ROM's on that list but saw you mentioned already having those.    Personally I think Gotek's are one of the dumbest things out there but I know other people swear by 'em and love 'em.  Obviously no two people's configurations are the same and what's perfect for someone else might not be perfect for you.  Good luck, have fun!  

[golem]

I second Mike's opinion. Any accelerator and an Indivision (as well as a CF or DOM) are the things that have made most difference to my 1200 experience.

[goldfish]

I have indivision and am not that impressed by it. My setup now is running via rgb to start lead to a Samsung 933hd TV running pal hires interlaced no flicker. I would recommend going down the whdload route works fantastic . it really is the best bit of software on the Amiga in a long time just wish I knew about it sooner. For smooth workbench use a 030 is the minimum I would recommend.

[kreciu]

For gaming WHDload + 030/XX Mhz + some ram (16Mb?). You don't need "real" scan-doubler for gaming on LCD TV. There is plenty of CHEAP solution to start and work really nice for gaming.

Here is good review:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sryNIHhW23w

I'm using SCART to HDMI and it is fantastic (for the money!)

[Acill]

Pass on the indivision unless you are hooking up that 1200 to a large TV. I would take that same money and get a good condition Dell U2410 monitor on ebay. I have seen a lot of new ones lately showing up for $120 or less.

That monitor will display all the modes the amiga offers for games in a great screen through VGA native, you ust need the 23 pin to VGA adapter that all 1200 and 4000 came from, you can find those as well on ebay if you dont have one.

[bbond007]

Another option (than the unobtanium Invivision AGA) for HDMI output is

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y43RVLH/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8

used with this SCART cable...

http://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=226

I'd also get these:

https://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=194
https://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=42&products_id=637

I'd also look for a 4GB Disk On Module for my primary (for example):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Zheino-Industrial-A-PATA-IDE-DOM-44PIN-4GB-Disk-On-Module-Vertical-Socket-SLC/262937746475

but this would be my 2nd choice:

http://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=883

if you want networking, this would be my first choice: DFE-670TXD

- it goes 100mb
- it does not have a dongle to break like most other PCMCIA ethernet cards.
- its cheap...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/D-Link-PC-Card-16-Bit-10-100mb-Laptop-to-any-Network/181891299983

[Major_Tom_Coming_Home]

Just curious, what do you use in place of a Gotek? I'm guessing the CF card since I can't fathom sticking with floppies. ;-)

For basic gaming you might scale back on the accelerator and put that money towards something else.

If it were me (and I were working in that budget), I'd probably go with the following:

http://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1296

https://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1101

http://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1148

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CF-to-IDE-44-pin-adapter-for-Amiga-600-1200/152931861507?hash=item239b730403:g:n1kAAOSw9eVXWg6c

I'd add 3.1 ROM's on that list but saw you mentioned already having those.    Personally I think Gotek's are one of the dumbest things out there but I know other people swear by 'em and love 'em.  Obviously no two people's configurations are the same and what's perfect for someone else might not be perfect for you.  Good luck, have fun!  

[Major_Tom_Coming_Home]

Thanks, there is much to consider here but...why a real time clock?

For basic gaming you might scale back on the accelerator and put that money towards something else.

If it were me (and I were working in that budget), I'd probably go with the following:

http://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1296

https://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1101

http://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1148

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CF-to-IDE-44-pin-adapter-for-Amiga-600-1200/152931861507?hash=item239b730403:g:n1kAAOSw9eVXWg6c

I'd add 3.1 ROM's on that list but saw you mentioned already having those.    Personally I think Gotek's are one of the dumbest things out there but I know other people swear by 'em and love 'em.  Obviously no two people's configurations are the same and what's perfect for someone else might not be perfect for you.  Good luck, have fun!  

[Major_Tom_Coming_Home]

Thanks much I'll keep this in mind. For now I have an actual Amiga monitor that came wit the computer.

[Major_Tom_Coming_Home]

Oh right SCART...that magical connection used in Europe that was 100x better than what we had in the USA at the time. ;-) It looks like it would be a cost efficient option.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Just curious, what do you use in place of a Gotek?

You've never heard of WHDLoad?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHDLoad

http://whdload.de/

TL;DR. It allows almost every Amiga game to be ran from hard drive.

Look around on the 'net, you can find downloadable "game packs" of almost every Amiga game imaginable, already ready to go.  

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

why a real time clock?

Because I like to have dates associated with my files, and be able to see the date at the top of my screen.  You may not care about these sorts of things, but I'm pretty OCD.  

[remotenemesis]

This thread is rather timely, I just powered up a new-to-me A1200. I dropped an Indivision AGA Mk2cr card there in there. It came installed with the IDE-CF adapter, pre-loaded with some version of ClassicWB. Looks like more RAM is next on the shopping list!

[bbond007]

Thanks, there is much to consider here but...why a real time clock?

I'd forget the RTC....
 
Clockport is way more useful used in conjunction with a Subway or Rapid Road USB controller. I have a Subway, never used the Rapid Road but it is available

http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1213

You might end up with an accelerator with RTC.

You could get the time from the internet.

http://aminet.net/package/comm/tcp/rdate