I'm recently back - USB on the Amiga - What can I do with it?

[Nlandas]

Ok, So I'm picking up a used A4000 to replace my long boxed A1200 and I'm watching all the USB development on the Amiga.

If I buy a new USB Zorro card for my Amiga what driver support will I see?

Can I access 2-4GB flash drives. (If yes, could I boot OS 3.9 off them?)  / USB CDRW/Hard Drive support?
Can I use any USB RJ45 Network Dongles? (I have two - one by Linksys and the other by Netgear)
Keyboard and mouse?

Any others that I missed that are supported?

Thanks for the update, I'm glad to be back but really need an update on current hardware options.

I'd like to get the A4000 on the Internet with my Broadband supported LAN and it's be cool to skip digging up a small IDE/SCSI drive and just use a big Flash drive to boot.

Lastly, which isn't really a USB discussion what options are left for Scan Doublers so that I can connect my A4000 to my LCD monitors through my KVM instead of having to add space for my old Multiscan 15" monitor.

Thanks,
-Nyle

Long time Amigan since 1988, hoping to see a rebirth at some point.

[Thomas]

Can I access 2-4GB flash drives.

Yes.

(If yes, could I boot OS 3.9 off them?)

Only if your USB card has a flash ROM which holds the drivers or if you have another expansion with flash ROM.

The upcoming Deneb has a ROM AFAIK, the Highway for example has none.

USB CDRW

Yes.

Hard Drive support?

Yes.

Can I use any USB RJ45 Network Dongles?

Not every, but there are drivers for some (check the software's documentation).

Keyboard and mouse?

Yes.

Any others that I missed that are supported?

These are supported (no joke): http://www.lifeaftercoffee.com/2006/10/24/usb-missile-launcher-hands-on-review/

And of course each device which uses the USB connection only as a power supply, for example: http://www.getdigital.de/products/usb_aquarium_klein/lng/2

But be sure to use a self-powered hub for those.

what options are left for Scan Doublers so that I can connect my A4000 to my LCD monitors through my KVM instead of having to add space for my old Multiscan 15" monitor.

Replace your LCD monitor by an LCD TV with both VGA and Scart (RGB) input.

Or, if you don't run games or other programs which insist on a native Amiga screenmode, buy a graphics card.

Bye,
Thomas

[alexh]

I'm not sure how good USB keyboard and mouse is for games and demos which hit the hardware directly though.

[Hodgkinson]

Ahh, USB Aquariums...
I bought a load as presents from Sainsburys...One the motor diddn't work...Another the XP PC kept popping up saying there was a problem with the device...And another had a off-balance rotor...

Took them all back.  :madashell:

Hodgkinson.

[adonay]

alexh wrote:
I'm not sure how good USB keyboard and mouse is for games and demos which hit the hardware directly though.

They are no good  .They hit the hardware to hard making me turn off the stack as well as TCPIP stack before running any games or demos .. Interestingly i did run a TBL demo just now with both a USB mouse and keyboard but the rest failed ... However not using any devices on the USB stack seems to work fine on most demos but will halt most games "Whdload" . Uber expanded amigas suck on games . I know i run firstly the PCI.library second the USB stack thirdly TCPIP stack ... Well turning off those my amiga works great with back compability  . The amiga usb can be used for most things you would want to use usb for except external sound cards, mobile phones and other devices that would require external driver on the pc\mac side as well    

[Tenacious]

A USB aquarium?  I need a life like yours!  GRIN.

[Jose]

@Thomas
Hi Thomas.
"The upcoming Deneb has a ROM AFAIK..."
Deneb what's that, another flashable rom card ?

[Kronos]

Nope, it's DMA-enabled Zorro3 USB2.0 card coming up from E3B....

[Jose]

@Kronos
Holy sh**!!! :-o That's great :-D
So that's why they delayed the DMA drivers for the Prometheus...

[platon42]

Nlandas wrote:
Any others that I missed that are supported?

http://www.platon42.de/cgi-local/navbar.pl?0000&poseidon.html

[Nlandas]

Thanks Thomas,

    I really appreciate the information. The Deneb solves all of my problems except the scan doubler. It looks like it might support my USB NIC as well but I'd have to test it. Bottom line is, I can buy a USB NIC and that is a lot cheaper than a Zorro NIC.

Do you know if anyone ever make an AGA compatible video slot based Scan Doubler with flicker fixer?

-Nyle

[Kronos]

I guess there is only this one:
ttp://www.amiga-hardware.com/showhardware.cgi?HARDID=378

Good luck in finding one so ...

[alexh]

Nlandas wrote:
Do you know if anyone ever make an AGA compatible video slot based Scan Doubler with flicker fixer?

Yes, there were at least two, plus one prototype. In fact they were the only true AGA compatible Scan Doublers, all the others stand alone scan doublers screw up the colours.

You have:

Arxon  / Comp Serv Scandoubler

Petsoff DblScan 4000

A2320  (prototype)

[platon42]

Kronos wrote:
I guess there is only this one:
ttp://www.amiga-hardware.com/showhardware.cgi?HARDID=378

Good luck in finding one so ...

I have one of these -- paid nearly as much as for my CV64 at that time (I think it was ~700 DM in 1994). It still works and the picture quality was good -- until I switched from CRT to TFT, but this was expected.

[Nlandas]

"I have one of these -- paid nearly as much as for my CV64 at that time "

HHEHEHEHE! Well since I know you won't part with it can you leave it to me in your Last Will and Testament? *Chuckle* Just in case. Just kidding.

Software hut lists the "DCE Internal Scan Magic - Scan Doubler w/ Flicker Fixer for A1200/A4000D" Will that work with a A4000/040 and AGA colors?

Thanks,
-Nyle