Which machine for old demos + HD + wifi + eventually linux?

[CHR_ZD]

I have had an Amiga 2000 for some years in the eighties/nineties. My machine didn't have an HD, it was the basic A2000. Now I would like to rebuild a machine on which I want to run the old demos (from the demoscene) but I also want it to have an HD (at least 20/30 GB) and I want to put it in my wifi network. I also would like to install Linux on a partition. Based on your knowledge what do I need?

Thanks

[Thomas]

Based on your knowledge what do I need?

Two machines. One basic one for running demos and games and one high-end one to run linux and networks.

Linux needs a lot of processor power and memory. But the more you expand the machine, the less compatible it becomes for demos and old games. So you better have two machines, one for each purpose.

Bye,
Thomas

[CHR_ZD]

so the high end one maybe an A4000T ? Does this one take high capacity HDs without having to change the controllers?

[MskoDestny]

And there are also later demos that require faster processors and AGA.

If you want to run Linux, you really need to get an accelerator that allows you to add more than 16MB of Fast RAM. You also need at least an 020 (with a PMU and FPU) though an 040 or 060 are highly recommended.

Overall though it behaves just like linux on the PC (just slower). I don't know if it's really worth it.

[CHR_ZD]

I understand. So let's drop the linux idea for a moment. The rest, can it be done with an old A2000? (let's also exclude AGA demos). What about the upcoming os4.0 ... will an A2000 (68000) be able to run it?

[MskoDestny]

Well an A2000 will be fine for running demos. Slap a SCSI card in it and it can support hard drives(small ones). Proper large drive support requires one of the later 3.X versions which require at least an 020 though you might be able to "cheat" using on of the alternative file systems. Not sure on that.

As for WiFi, the closest you'll get is a standard ethernet card paired with one of those WiFi bridges. There aren't any WiFi drivers for the Amiga to my knowledge.

EDIT: OS4 requires a PowerPC accelerator and last I checked it was unclear when the version for PowerPC accelerated classic Amigas was coming out.

[CHR_ZD]

I see. So maybe an A3000 would serve better?

[countzero]

About your choices for linux, basicly you have two choices. You can run linux-68k, which needs MMU (68030 or upper recommended) or linux-ppc, if you fit a ppc card to your high-end amiga. As far as I know, linux ppc is much more compatible than linux-68k, but I haven't run any of them, so don't take my word on this.

http://www.linux-m68k.org/
http://www.linux-m68k.org/faq/reqs.html#OKCPUS
http://linux-apus.sourceforge.net/
http://www.penguinppc.org/otherhw/

[leirbag28]

Dfinitely You only need one machine.

Just add at least a 68030 @50mhz and 32mb

WHDLoad enables old demos to run from Hardrive and fully compatible! nothing is impossible now. Preferably an AGA machine like the A1200 or A4000..definitely much more desirable as you have more games and demos and Screen modes that look nicer.

And maybe some people are not aware, but they do Have WIFI drivers for the Amiga..but only the ones with a PCMCIA port (A600 and A1200)

Get the largest HD you can get......make at least 8 partitions..........that last 2 for MacOS and Linux (Redhat or Debian, FreeBSD)

You can run MacOS 7.5 pretty good on a 68030 Amiga.

[CHR_ZD]

thanks for the info. So an A1200 seems to suit best for me (wi-fi) ... the question is, will it run the 0s4 software? I don't think so right?

[CHR_ZD]

you can run mac os 7.5 naturally or under emulation? ... will I be able to use such a monitor with the a1200? http://www.griffintechnology.com/archive/monitors/NEC26.html