PC to Amiga parallel cable

[CoolCPU]

HI guys,

I would like to transfer some files between my Amiga and Win98 PC.  I know that I can use a serial cable and I know where to get one, but I hear that's it's extremely slow and therefore a parallel cable connection is recommended.

However, I've been searching around the net for information and I'm not really sure which type of parallel cable to get.  Someone recommended a laplink cable, but then I found an Amiga web site saying that it's dangerous and could wreck the Amiga because of the wiring.

I've seen sites dedicated to making your own cables but I am not that handy with things like that so I don't want to go that route.

So, basically, I'd like to know what cables (make and model #) you've had luck with connecting to your Amiga (I have an A1200) and PC.   It'd be great if I could just order one online - I can check eBay too.

Thanks for any help!

Appreciated,
-CoolCPU-

[Wain]

There is a program called paradise that will allow transfer via parallel port, but I really couldn't tell you where you could find the cables.  The Amiga Parallel port has a power line on it that the PC does not have, the ports are wired similarly, but still different enough to thoroughly trash some hardware if not connected correctly.

The transfer programs are here...
http://cpc464.back2roots.org/page09.htm

There is also a transfer program on here that claims to be able to get 19200 via the serial port, but I have no idea what kind of a system is necessary to make that work.

With serial, on an A500 w/1 Meg of RAM you can get at least 9600bps, with higher end systems you can transfer at faster speeds if you have the right program and serial driver.

[TheMagicM]

what you need is a laplink cable...I've used one many times and it works great..use that with PC 2 Amiga.. pc2am.lha I believe on Aminet.

[DethKnight]

what you need is a laplink cable...

agreed,
I have always used a laplink, with NComm 3.0 and Zmodem protocol, xfer rates from 38400 to 56k usually

on the windows side, I run (ran) hyperterm

This was how I xfered all my roms and software over to my WinUAE/AIAB setup

[CoolCPU]

This web site says that using a laplink cable is dangerous:

"NO! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT TRYING IT! There are too many electrical differences between the PC's ParaPort and that of the Amiga's that prevent this. In fact, in the ParaPort on some Amiga models, there is a +5v supply where there is a GND on the PC. Such interconnection will CERTAINLY damage hardware, most likely the Amiga's."

[lempkee]

i will ask a friend who just got one a few months ago (cable) , until then...scrap yer pc...and use yer amiga

[CoolCPU]

Hehe.  Actually, I want to get my files off the Amiga onto my PC, not the other way around.  (And they won't fit on floppies.)

But now I just realized I have another problem.  How will I get the network software installed on my Amiga?  I was told that Workbench 3.0 came with CrossDos but I cannot find it anywhere on my hard drive.  Or do I have to get it from the WB disks?

>>>>>>[color=CC3333]Edit: Ignore above question, it's on the Storage disk in Dos Drivers.[/color]

Thanks for all your kind help.  Oh yeah, I unpacked the A1200 tonight after, oh, perhaps 7 years, and it still works fine.  I still have a bunch of games installed on the hard drive, like Slam Tilt.  I hooked the Amiga up to my 1960 monitor, which I thought was such high-quality when I bought it. (And darn expensive too.) :-)

 I look forward to your follow-up regarding the laplink cable.

-CoolCPU

[CodePoet]

Hello  :-D

Finally got the *cough* (sensored)  to post stuff here, been an amigan for ages (still supporting them) but i'm now a pc techie :-(

Anyways, CrossDos usually resides in your Storage/DosDrivers directory on SYS (Workbench partition), if not, you can probably find them on your Workbench 3.0 diskettes, usually the "STORAGE 3.0" disk... Limitation is that it can only write 720kb per disk, a solution is to use lha to archive the files on the pc, and span them across a few disks; then extract them on the amiga, and re-join the files into one chunk (pain in the arse)


Anys, your parallel lead... (better solution) Only limitation you'll find with the parallel tranfer lead is the length, I think its about 3 metres before it starts behaving erratically, but transfer rates shoot up to about 115.2k/s. I have some cable schematics I used that worked great with PC2Amiga a few years back (PC2AM*.lha on Aminet) but it involves a fair bit of DIY work. Also have mods for standard Parallel laplink cables; but most come pre-moulded, and are easily damaged when you try to hack your way into the connectors  :-P

I can get some to yer if you live around AU, if not... well then, email me if you want the schematics, they may be included with the current version of PC2AM, but yer.

I'm done now
*disappear*

-CP

[Emufreak]

I use PC2AM with my A1200 and my Pentium II with a standart Laplink Cable. It works fine. The Installation is explained pretty well in the documentation. You don't need any Additional "Network Software".

[MikesterBrau]

  It has been sometime since I used it but Legendary Technologies out of Canada had a product called Link it that came with a Serial null cable and a "Laplink" par. cable that could be used in just the manner you described.  While it is try some issue occured with Amiga 1000's and Laplink cables I am sure it is safe with modern Amiga's.  The product installed software on both the PC and the Amiga and was reliable and easy to use and yes fast.  When I ran my bbs I would use it to transfer PC uploads to the Amiga bbs to my PC for testing and scanning.   You would not want to attach any other PC par. peripherals to your Amiga's printer/par port though for the reasons mentioned in the previous posts.    Good Luck, perhaps you can find it on E-Bay or Amibench.   :-D

[icbrkr]

I'll second the Laplink cable.  Picked mine up at the local Office Depot for $8, ran PC2AM.. 10 mins later, I had my PC drives mounted on my Amiga

Brian

[CoolCPU]

Code Poet, are you the WinUAE developer?  Thanks for your offer, but I'm not handy with do-it-yourself projects like that and would probably muck it up, and I probably don't have the right tools anway.

Thank you everybody for the laplink cable information.  It sounds like it should work, but I'm still a bit scared that I'll blow up one of the computers. I can't afford to wreck anything.  :-)

-CoolCPU-

[CodePoet]

tehehehehe.... mount

@CoolCPU, nah i'm not one of the WinUAE developers; wouldn't mind being one though, heh. This handle is used everywhere... I just thought it looked funky and all.

*Slight* change of subject, saw the AOne system advertised for about AUD$2000, any ballpark on the price of OS4? Dont wanna waste it on linux I've got four intel machines running debian here heh