FA: CSA Mega Midget Racer with RAM card

[mdv2000]

Just want to throw in my 2 cents worth... ALL OLD AMIGA HARDWARE is ai-is and you should assume issues and bid accordingly.  When I sold some of my Amiga Hardware on ebay - I showed pics it working - but gave no guarantee/AS-IS buyer must insure.  Old computer equipment - especially bulky Amiga hardware - most likely must ship US email to be affordable so you have to accept its a always at risk.  Decide how much you want to risk and bid accordingly.

If the seller doesn't want to test and show working - then just accept it may be broke and don't bid high.  Ebay is the ultimate free market - the demand sets the price. I'd love to get a MegaMidgetRacer for my trusty old A500 - but after a 68030-25 for my A2000, I just keep A500 for playing those pesky games that don't like acceleration.  

Also, kinda on but off topic too - as time goes by Amiga hardware will become rarer and more expensive as long as people care about it.  Just look at classic Atari consoles like the 7800.  They where great ebay items for a while - but since they don't work on modern Digitial TVs, the demand is going away and the one I sold with games for over $100 a few years back goes for like $25.

That is something else people need to think about - a lot of our vintage stuff will eventually not work - especially if you hook them to TV, etc cause new TV's don't support the old NTSC analog.  If you don't have a way to hook your Amiga to a monitor - you better be looking at a way to when that old analog tv dies.

[LoadWB]

Also, kinda on but off topic too - as time goes by Amiga hardware will become rarer and more expensive as long as people care about it.  Just look at classic Atari consoles like the 7800.  They where great ebay items for a while - but since they don't work on modern Digitial TVs, the demand is going away and the one I sold with games for over $100 a few years back goes for like $25.

That is something else people need to think about - a lot of our vintage stuff will eventually not work - especially if you hook them to TV, etc cause new TV's don't support the old NTSC analog.  If you don't have a way to hook your Amiga to a monitor - you better be looking at a way to when that old analog tv dies.

I modded my 7800 to output SVHS, which is still supported by a good number of TV sets.  I should be able to pull in a couple hundred then, eh?

[dangermouse]

Just looking on the Amiga Hardware database and it states:

" Two versions of this daughterboard were made, depending on whether the accelerator was to be used in an A500 or A2000. One version had 40pins, whilst the other had 50pins."

I'm assuming this one (as it came out of a 2000) does not fit a 500 but, regardless, the 40pin version corresponds to which machine?

[rkauer]

Every MMR has its own RAM expansion. Some are 40 pin, other are 50pin. Doesn't matter!

 What counts is if the card have the companion RAM expansion!

[koaftder]

19 hours left and it's at 76 dollars...

[Plaz]

As a long time MMR owner, one quick question and answer solves this mystery. Did the MMR have a 68K plugged in when the system booted?

If yes, then it's possible the card is bad and the system booted from the piggybacked 68K. Bid accordingly.

If no, then the card is definitely good as the system could not have booted. The additional software does things like map the expansion ram, move kickstart from rom to ram and turn on cpu features like mmu and has nothing to do with booting.

@LoadWB

That about covers it for me as well.

Plaz

[sandpiper]

Ages ago I bought an MMR for an A500. When I upgraded to an A2000, I moved the MMR to the A2000. It worked fine except the MMR memory board protruded through the right hand side of the case (video slot side) by about an inch and I had to bend the case out to accommodate the MMR.

Having an MMR inside was therefore quite noticeable. As Curtis stated that he didn't know it was installed the case most likely wasn't bent outwards. I wonder if the A2000 version memory daughterboard was narrower? That would explain the differences between A500 & A2000 models, besides the number of pins being different).

[curtis]

As a long time MMR owner, one quick question and answer solves this mystery. Did the MMR have a 68K plugged in when the system booted?

If yes, then it's possible the card is bad and the system booted from the piggybacked 68K. Bid accordingly.

If no, then the card is definitely good as the system could not have booted. The additional software does things like map the expansion ram, move kickstart from rom to ram and turn on cpu features like mmu and has nothing to do with booting.

@LoadWB

That about covers it for me as well.

Plaz

Yes, the computer had the 68000 chip installed onto the MMR and booted.

[curtis]

Okay, I'm as stunned as anyone here.  I honestly did not expect $164.68.  I was HOPING for $20.

Now.  Here's what I've offered the buyer. IF this does not work, I'm going to give him a 50% refund.  Why 50%?  Simple,  I figure the zip RAM chips will work and if so, 4Mb of zip RAM is well worth $80.  If it turns out the zip RAM chips are bad, I'll deal with that.

Don't know if the winner is here or not, but I have asked him to let me know as soon as he gets the package in and tests it out.  I will let everyone here know.  

I feel these are very fair terms.  Of course, I know there are still some people who will feel I'm screwing the winner if the board turns out to be bad, but I've learned there are always whiners out there.

Again, I will have to trust the winning bidder to tell me the truth.  No other recourse there.

So, let the second firestorm begin!

[dangermouse]

An offer of a refund is an offer of a refund but, personally, I'd go with the full refund upon return (minus shipping) if the item is defective. That way a) the buyer can't shaft you as they need to return the item and b) you aren't shafting the buyer. The shipping cost is simply the risk the buyer takes.

I've done that with a few items and all have worked so the refund wasn't needed but it's a cleaner process. $80 for zip RAM is expensive if he has no use for it outside the MMR.

[curtis]

Good points all the way around!  I will take that under advisement.

An offer of a refund is an offer of a refund but, personally, I'd go with the full refund upon return (minus shipping) if the item is defective. That way a) the buyer can't shaft you as they need to return the item and b) you aren't shafting the buyer. The shipping cost is simply the risk the buyer takes.

I've done that with a few items and all have worked so the refund wasn't needed but it's a cleaner process. $80 for zip RAM is expensive if he has no use for it outside the MMR.

[haywirepc]

The buyer could also just cut the card in half and send back half to the seller...

[curtis]

The buyer could also just cut the card in half and send back half to the seller...

Yeah, hadn't thought of that!

If it doesn't work, I'll have the winner send it back and give him a full refund.

[zombie10k]

I am the $161 bid, I was pretty confident it was going to work fine and was hoping to try this out in in my A1000 which I'm installing the 3.1 adapter rom from DJbase I bought about 2 years ago.

instead I am going to try and get my GVP A530 turbo attached to the A1000 for a self boot 3.1 setup.

glad you got a good price for it, they are hard to find.

[curtis]

Just a quick update regarding this item.

I heard back from the winning bidder.  Seems the MMR itself was good and the cpu was recognized, but the memory card was not!  Doesn't make for much of an accelaration like that!

I offered his choice of either half back and he keep the item or a full refund if he would return it to me.  He elected for the partial refund.

This sort of makes sense to me since if he can find someone who has the opposite he can score a memory board and end up with a good unit.

I know there will be some out there who say he's lying to me and the item actually works, but you know, I really don't care.  I technically got the thing free so either way, I came out ahead and I described the item as best I could.  The winning bidder went in with eyes open and came out somewhat ahead.

In my opinion, both of us came out ahead.

Curtis

[scuzzb494]

Hi

For anyone interested here is the manual for mine... plus images

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/scuzzblog/megamidget_02.zip

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/car_0507/a_scuzz_retro_0507_152.jpg

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/car_0507/a_scuzz_retro_0507_153.jpg

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/car_0507/a_scuzz_retro_0507_154.jpg

scuzz
commodore-amiga-retro.com