Expanding A2000 - vidcard and accel rec's?

[blakespot]

I've got an Amiga 2000 that's currently setup with 8MB FAST and SCSI HD w/ a GVP RAM+SCSI card.  I want to expand it with an '060 accelerator and a graphics card to run RTG OS 3.9 at high res.

I also have an A1200 '060 and a Samiga -- so I know the limitations of using an A2000 as an expansion platform, so no need to warn me, there.

That said, my A1200 has a Blizzard '060.  Would expanding IT by adding a busboard and a videocard to do same be much less expensive, involve more easily acquired parts?

Thanks.




bp

[trilobyte]

Hey,

Do you want one of the TekMagic '060s I put up on Flickr over the summer?

Also the best RTG card for use in the A2000 is the PicassoIV ... especially if you have the Denise adapter.  Why is it the best?  It is fast, well-supported (I helped beta-test Picasso96's RTG support and PIV's firmware for A2000 back in the day!) and its flicker-fixer/scan-doubler fully supports the A2000, unlike the scan-doubler of the CV64/3D, which requires AGA (and does not fix flicker).

I am probably selling my PicassoIVs also, incl. Denise adapter (frees up the video slot for a Toaster).  You can consider me biased... but PicassoIV is not only the best graphics card for Zorro-based Amigas, it is also the best for the A2000!

Bear in mind that of course you need Kickstart 3.1 for all of this.  I don't think I need to tell you that though.

- t

[Damion]

I've got an Amiga 2000 that's currently setup with 8MB FAST and SCSI HD w/ a GVP RAM+SCSI card. I want to expand it with an '060 accelerator and a graphics card to run RTG OS 3.9 at high res.

Sounds like a fun project. As far as high resolutions - with an '060 and 4MB graphics card, WB is very responsive up to 1024x786x16. Anything further and you start running out of VRAM, the Z2 bus becomes more of a limiting factor and things really slow down.

That said, my A1200 has a Blizzard '060. Would expanding IT by adding a busboard and a videocard to do same be much less expensive, involve more easily acquired parts?

Probably easier to buy the parts for towerizing your A1200 (busboard, tower, Radeon, etc), cost is likely a wash.

The 1200 would easily be the more capable RTG machine, plus you'll have AGA, though no ideal way to display native and RTG graphics on the same monitor. (Best case would be a Radeon, Indivision, and monitor with dual inputs.)

However, if you absolutely must max out your A2000, trilobyte brings up some good points. The TekMagic/PIV combo is an excellent one. The PIV is easily the fastest graphics card for the A2000 (aside from the uber-rare DKB Inferno). The scandoubler is excellent, even with a few flaws. The TekMagic has a fast memory interface, and the onboard SCSI works very well (just under 10 MB/s raw read, CD to CD burning in a little over 5 minutes). The combination plays very well together, writes to the PIV reaching the Z2 theoretical maximum. Just make sure you have a Rev 6+ motherboard and a good PSU.

[blakespot]

I might be interested, Trilobyte. Sent you a PM.



blakespot

[trilobyte]

However, if you absolutely must max out your A2000, trilobyte brings up some good points. The TekMagic/PIV combo is an excellent one. The PIV is easily the fastest graphics card for the A2000 (aside from the uber-rare DKB Inferno).

I would've had a Wildfire and Inferno had they not been completely out of stock and out of production in '98, thus I ended up with the TekMagic and PIV.  Second best.  Though software and hardware support for both boards would have certainly been even lower than what GVP-m offered on the TekMagic.  I had great support from VillageTronic on the PIV & P96 over the years.

I have yet to see any proof that the Inferno was ever produced... when I tried to get information about it in '98, all the dealers said DKB were "gauging interest" in the card.  Maybe there was /one/ production run?

The scandoubler is excellent, even with a few flaws. The TekMagic has a fast memory interface, and the onboard SCSI works very well (just under 10 MB/s raw read, CD to CD burning in a little over 5 minutes). The combination plays very well together, writes to the PIV reaching the Z2 theoretical maximum. Just make sure you have a Rev 6+ motherboard and a good PSU.

Seconded.

- t

[utri007]

Get Mediator to your a1200, speed difference is huge if you conparet it to zorro 2

[tone007]

I've got an empty 4000T case (minus the front door) if you're looking for an authentic case to hack a 1200 into!

[blakespot]

I have been interesting in the notion of doing this expansion I speak of on my A2000, but it occurred to me -- really, there may be no point in that I have a Samiga 440 Flex tied to a 1600x1200 screen running AmigaOS 4.1.  It occurred to me that there's probably no point in expanding out my A2000 w/ a '060 to just run 3.9, as I can't run 4.x without a PPC.

That make sense?  Looking or reality check here.




blakespot

[pan1k]

Blake,

It might not make the most financial sense, the $ for MHZ output is low, but it's fun.. at least to me, working with ancient hardware... but I probably wouldn't waste my time on an A2000 just because it sports the OCS and most of my games are ECS or better.. compatibility wise, you are better off just running an 030 and some FastRam!

[doctorq]

If just must upgrade, then go for the A1200 instead and keep the A2000 in it's current state when you want to mess with oldschool Amiga.

At least that's what I did; I have my A500 with GVP card and Kickstart 1.3 and other expansions, when nostalgia kicks in, and various upgraded Amigas with more horsepower when I need to do anything useful. Yes, WinUAE would give me even more horsepower, but it's just not the same :-)

[blakespot]

Good points. But then why even expand the A1200, I am now thinking, as I've got the Samiga with 4.1.

Right now I use my A2000 just for games and demos. I use my A1200 '060 for AGA demos and for moving images to disk (it has ethernet) under 3.9. What would I really gain in going Mediator + vidcard on that '060 box, given the Samiga?


blakespot

[doctorq]

Besides the possibility to have a pretty and smooth OS3.9 Workbench, not much. If the SAM satisfies your high resolution Workbench needs, then there is no reason to upgrade your classic kit.