Amiga 4000

[Nlandas]

bodoquedoc wrote:
Im new to this things i know noting about amiga hardware but im a toaster 4000 user.

How can i upgrade my amiga 4000
i have 16 ram, floppy 31/2
ide disk

i want to:

More RAM
another disk
cd or dvd (how to install and compatibility)
pc keybord, mouse and monitor.

How many zorro slots do you have open? You could add a Budha IDE controller to speed up disk access. If you have the 3.11 ROMs and take some time to check out these forums you can simply add a large hard drive instead of two. You'll want to look at IDE97 and SFS to support larger hard drives. With the Budha you will have an extra IDE header to connect a CD or DVD ROM whihc are supported by IDEFIX97.

Then for more ram, I'd recommend finding an accelerator that takes fast ram to replace your existing.

As for keyboard and mouse, I agree that USB would be the way to go and give you the ability to use USB flash drives, hard drives, etc.

As for monitor - you really need to keep buying old 15Khz models unless you can find a good scan doubler that's compatible with the Toaster. This will be your hardest selection. (Also expensive.)

-Nyle

[alexh]

Nlandas wrote:
You could add a Budha IDE controller to speed up disk access. With the Budha you will have an extra IDE header to connect a CD or DVD ROM whihc are supported by IDEFIX97.

You dont want a Buddha IDE controller. It is crap. Almost as slow as the internal one. Under 3Mbytes/s. The internal one also supports CD or DVD-ROM at the same time as a hard drive. Save your money.

Nlandas wrote:
If you have the 3.11 ROMs and take some time to check out these forums you can simply add a large hard drive instead of two.

There is no such thing as a 3.11 ROM, and you can add larger hard drives to any version of Kickstart. (With the right software)

Nlandas wrote:
As for keyboard and mouse, I agree that USB would be the way to go and give you the ability to use USB flash drives, hard drives, etc.

USB doesn't work as a keyboard/mouse in (most) games. Forget USB, get adapters which plug into the original mouse and keyboard sockets, a Lyra etc.

[AndrewBell]

alexh wrote:
USB doesn't work as a keyboard/mouse in (most) games. Forget USB, get adapters which plug into the original mouse and keyboard sockets, a Lyra etc.

He didn't mention games, he said he was a Toaster user. USB may be perfect for him.
________
Penny Stock

[bodoquedoc]

tanks you all for the support, i have installed the videotoaster 4000 and the software, run i change the ks rom i will install all the 3 1/2 software toaster?

[Nlandas]

alexh wrote:

Nlandas wrote:
You could add a Budha IDE controller to speed up disk access. With the Budha you will have an extra IDE header to connect a CD or DVD ROM whihc are supported by IDEFIX97.

You dont want a Buddha IDE controller. It is crap. Almost as slow as the internal one. Under 3Mbytes/s. The internal one also supports CD or DVD-ROM at the same time as a hard drive. Save your money.

Nlandas wrote:
If you have the 3.11 ROMs and take some time to check out these forums you can simply add a large hard drive instead of two.

There is no such thing as a 3.11 ROM, and you can add larger hard drives to any version of Kickstart. (With the right software)

Nlandas wrote:
As for keyboard and mouse, I agree that USB would be the way to go and give you the ability to use USB flash drives, hard drives, etc.

USB doesn't work as a keyboard/mouse in (most) games. Forget USB, get adapters which plug into the original mouse and keyboard sockets, a Lyra etc.

Wow, almost seemed like I got attacked in this reply.

Let's see - my buddha runs a lot more smoothly than the built in IDE on my A4000 did. They are also not that hard to find for cheap and add a A1200 clock. The Buddha has two IDE headers which with IDE being a shared bus design putting the CDROM and hard drive on seperate channels allows them to be accessed simultaneously. Which should give you a speed boost even if the Buddhas transfer rate was identical to the built on A4000D IDE controller. Availbe here.

Regardless, there are other add on IDE controllers that will give you an improvement over the built on A4000D IDE.

Yes, oooops, I managed to put an extra 1 after the 3.1. Sorry about that. I should have also elaborated with a recommendation to use AOS 3.9. Which is part of the discussion in most of the threads about large drive support I've read on amiga.org.

Since the original poster primarily mentioned Video Toaster use and not games, I mentioned a USB keyboard and mouse. I haven't read anywhere that they aren't compatible with workbench applications or VT use but I guess I should have prefaced that it's not really an 100% Amiga keyboard at that point.

Didn't think anything I said justified the tone though.

-Nyle

[Nlandas]

AndrewBell wrote:

alexh wrote:
No I am not. Amiga kit has mislabeled it.

No they haven't, it's called a FastATA Mk-III on the Elbox site too. Or have they got the name wrong as well?

Boy no biggie Alexh - it's a Fast ATA 4000 Zorro card. (Yes, it's slightly listed wrong on AmigaKits site but it is a Zorro card.) Amigakit says they have it in stock. Even if you think the Buddha isn't worth it this controller is certainly a major upgrade to the built on A4000D controller.

Again it has two channels for simultaneous drive access from the two separate master drives.

Who "pee'd" in your corn flakes. I think we are all just trying to help the guy out. We all have different ideas of how best to expand our Amigas. I'm sure the gentleman asking the question can pick and choose from our advice.

I'd say 3.1 ROMs, 2 channel Zorro IDE controller(Don't care which), CPU Accelerator Card(With RAM slots), Amiga OS 3.9, IDEFIX97/IDEMAX97(Same thing I hear) and Smart File System for > 4GB support, for monitors that's the hardest to resolve just make sure any scan doubler is VT compatible or locate a true 15KHz monitor. (Not always easy today.) USB for keyboard mouse and many other USB devices like NICs, flash drives, etc.  [But it all depends on how many Zorro slots he has open and my recomendations do probably slightly exceed what he really needs.] :-D

Either way, I never intended to say anyone was wrong and you seem to be upset with anyone who commented on the thread. :getmad:

-Nyle    

[doctorq]

Either way, I never intended to say anyone was wrong and you seem to be upset with anyone who commented on the thread. :getmad:

You only upset him because you weren't agreeing with the road alexh thinks is the right way. I would just shake it off if I were you.

[alexh]

AndrewBell wrote:
No they haven't, it's called a FastATA Mk-III on the Elbox site too.

No it's not. It's named FastATA 4000!

http://www.elbox.com/products/fast_ata_4000.html

[alexh]

Sorry for snapping at Nlandas, but the Buddha and USB cards are (just IMHO) two of the most over-rated, over priced bits of Amiga hardware there are. It really gets me worked up when people recommend them without qualifying why.

USB is not a good solution JUST for Keyboard and Mouse (technically or economically). If you absolutely NEED USB for other things (USB-Key, scanner, printer etc.) it becomes justifiable, I guess. It will still piss you off the first application you come across that the keyboard doesnt work :-)

Again the buddha, as an IDE controller, just doesnt have enough advantages over the internal IDE to be justifiable (again, just my opinion).

But

If you need a catweasel (cos the new ones have buddha built in) and a clock port for another expansion, then it becomes more attractive.

[doctorq]

@alexh

No it's not. It's named FastATA 4000!

http://www.elbox.com/products/fast_ata_4000.html

Please look at the shop site here, were the FastATA 4000 is in fact called Fast ATA 4000 MK-III, so AndrewBell hasn't stated anything incorrect and amigakit.co.uk hasn't mislabeled their item. However, the MK-III term is mostly used for the Amiga 1200 version, so it's easy to get it mixed up.

As for the Buddha; you might think it's not a useable device, but the OP hasn't stated if he has a A4000D, A4000T or a towerised A4000D. If it's a towerised A4000D, the OP might want to have additional harddrives and/or CD/CDR or whatever installed, and the Buddha beats the internal IDE controller pretty easily then.

[A4000_Mad]

For every statement there is an equal and opposite statement ;-)