Improving the graphics capibality of an A1200

[DBAlex]

Hi,

So, I have a standard A1200 with a Blizzard Mark III 030 @ 50mhz with a 50mhz FPU and 16mb RAM, the max that it can take is 32mb which I will be upgrading to.

But I also want to upgrade the graphics capibality, at the moment i'm running on a TV at 640x256, which isn't ideal as you can probably understand.

So I want to know what the best way to get better graphics (bigger screenmodes essentially)

There are many options, some expensive (Tower, Mediator, Voodoo) and some cheap(er) (RGB -> VGA Adapter, RGB -> Scart + Bigger TV/Flat TV)

Now, I just wondered, is going all out for a tower actually worth it, It would end up costing £210 (£70 for EZ Z4 Tower + £140 for Mediator 1200LT4... The cheapest option for both) and I would only be left with an 030 machine with maximum 32mb... It would be better than AGA I suppose, but not ideal. If I had an 040 or 060 and more RAM I wouldn't think twice, but is a mediator really worth it on an 030?

I would be paying £210 and potentially more (for cards, right angled PCMCIA adapter) and would only be left with basically a slow amiga but with better graphics...

Thanks for any help, I'm really undecided at the moment, I don't use the Amiga for games really which might sway me to go for a RGB -> VGA adapter and just use any VGA monitor (Does that work in Super72, DblPal etc?)...

One last question, does anyone know if Prism2 PCI WiFi cards work in a mediator with the prism2.device drivers off-of Aminet?

Cheers, Alex.  :-D

[motorollin]

Upgrading the graphics is worth it if you want to use RTG software and make Workbench nicer. However, TBH with an 030 I wouldn't bother. Much of the software which needs RTG won't run particularly well on an 030 (I'm talking games here. RTG apps may be different depending on what they actually do).

IMO if you're thinking of upgrading your A1200 to a tower, you might also want to think about selling what you've got and getting an A4000. The expansion potential is much better, and I have found my A4000 to be more stable than an A1200T + Mediator.

--
moto

[motorollin]

Also, according to the readme for prism2.device:

"It supports PCMCIA cards in the A1200/A600 and PCI cards in AmigaOnes, Prometheus-equipped Amigas and PCs running Amithlon"

--
moto

[wurzel]

You say you don't play games, but you don't say what you do do!  :-o

If you are doing graphics intensive work (web browsing, digital imaging, desktop publishing etc) then it would certainly be worth getting a graphics card, and a tower makes adding bits (ethernet card) easier & cheaper.

Although I have an 060, the graphics speedup was measurable over AGA by seconds!

I used to use a wireless PCMCIA card, but I get better connections by ethernet, so that is a nicer experience.

Plus, seeing a TrueColour Workbench is like an automatic car. Once you used it, you'll never go back  :-D

[DBAlex]

@wurzel

I  mainly use the miggy for Web stuff, so IRC, Email, MSN (Through jabber transports), IBrowse (with images and javascript turned off usually). And also programming, StormC V3.0 (C & C++).

I probably would like to do some image editing etc if I had better graphics... Would TVPaint be fast enough on an 030 + Mediator? Thats a program I like using on WinUAE... :-D

[jj]

@ Wurzel

I have driven a few automatic cars, and never hope to have to again.  Automatic cars are for people not capable of using gears properly

[DBAlex]

@ Wurzel

I have driven a few automatic cars, and never hope to have to again. Automatic cars are for people not capable of using gears properly

Lol, My thoughts too but I didn't want to upset him...  ;-)

[AmigaMance]

I probably would like to do some image editing etc if I had better graphics... Would TVPaint be fast enough on an 030 + Mediator?

 I believe that drawing will be fast enough, but image manipulation like blur filters etc, will not be fast because it's CPU dependent.

[DBAlex]

Quote:

    I probably would like to do some image editing etc if I had better graphics... Would TVPaint be fast enough on an 030 + Mediator?


I believe that drawing will be fast enough, but image manipulation like blur filters etc, will not be fast because it's CPU dependent.

Ok, But how slow, i'm sure it can't be any slower than applying filters on an 030 in AGA... I would probably only be resizing pictures and possibly adding some basic effects so it  probably would be ok... Of course I could just do them on this laptop instead!

 :-)

[wurzel]

DBAlex wrote:

@ Wurzel

I have driven a few automatic cars, and never hope to have to again. Automatic cars are for people not capable of using gears properly

Lol, My thoughts too but I didn't want to upset him...  ;-)

LOL I'm not upset.

I was just trying to pick an analagy that transcended national boundaries  :idea:

Guess I picked the wrong one  :crazy:

And I don't drive an automatic car either :lol: