Hi community!

[Lord Aga]

Hm, I guess I've literally spent months of my life playing X-COM 1 to 3 over and over and over again up to superhuman difficulty

Oh man, how do you do that? I get my ass kicked on veteran Still, I try to play "fair" and not use the save option.
 
Also Syndicate is a top top top game. You'll really enjoy it. And when you finish it - there's the American Revolt mission pack, yaay :laugh1:
 
MFG
 
Aga

[Gilthanaz]

Hehe Franko

I have to google a lot of the long, complicated words you used for different pieces of Amiga hardware that I'am not familiar with. Need some easy words explaining

However, I'am pretty confident I can fit in two of those CF-HDDs into the trapdoor slot, and I know of at least one IDE cable (of the hundreds I store in plastic bags) that is only like 4 inches (~10 cm) with 3 IDE connectors that might be perfect for the job. However, so far I'am not sure if I ever need more than 4GB of storage on the A1200

I just read some threads about Aladdin 4D tho and since I also do some 3D modelling, I might check it out. For the native Amiga feeling, I guess I need AmigaOS 3.x+ and stronger hardware, so there might be a project.

Well, that happens if I get a rendering software in my hands and about half an hour of time. It's not that good but it was my first time ever to try Blender 3D:



Sometimes I wonder why almost everything I waste my time with is computer related - except for my ant colonies

- Gil

Edit:
@Lord aga:
Well for X-COM 1 it boils down to explosives - lots and lots and loooots of explosives, basically bomb away the whole map using fast runners (Agents with many time points and only explosives equipped). X-COM 2 is almost unbeatable on superhuman if you insist on never reloading even on a catasrophic fail-cascade of events

X-COM Apocalypse ... basically you have to know the research tree inside out, don't waste agents on not very important missions, raid the cult of sirius over and over and over again for cash, and pay the Gravball league (more human agents in recruitment), S.E.L.F. (more androids) and the mutant alliance (more Alien hybrids) for perfect standing. That way you get enough agents until you've researched heavy disruptors and personal + vehicle shields. Oh, also: Explosives + personal teleporter are your best friend later on

[Franko]

Hehe Franko

I have to google a lot of the long, complicated words you used for different pieces of Amiga hardware that I'am not familiar with. Need some easy words explaining

However, I'am pretty confident I can fit in two of those CF-HDDs into the trapdoor slot, and I know of at least one IDE cable (of the hundreds I store in plastic bags) that is only like 4 inches (~10 cm) with 3 IDE connectors that might be perfect for the job. However, so far I'am not sure if I ever need more than 4GB of storage on the A1200

Even google won't help much trying to understand me (heck I can't even understand half the things I say)...

The problems you'll have with fitting 2 devices to the Amigas built in IDE header is all to do with the fact it's not buffered & not designed to cope with anything more than 1 device at a time and only on a very short cable (generally no more than 5 to 6cm Max to be reliable)...

From the method you describe you are going to try then 10cm may be just too much and cause errors in reading and writing, you can give it a try but from experience somewhere along the line you will most likely start having read/write errors...

If you do and it works fine with 2 devices connected then at least that will save you having to buy a buffered interface board and if 4GB is enough for you then those CF devices should suit you just fine (prefer HDs myself and use 2 500GB drives in my main A1200)...

Any problems just ask, as folk here will only be more than willing to help out.  It's always nice to watch someone discover the Amiga and help out where possible and see how they advance with this great machine over time...

[Lord Aga]

Ah, cannonballs ! I was hoping to use a longie cable (about as an A1200) with two cards. Can I use it with at least one card without problems ? Or will the length be an issue here also ?

[Gilthanaz]

@Lord aga: As I understood Franko, yes ... I'll check on that issue in more depth if I ever decide i need more than 4GB HDD space Right now I wonder how I'll get the PCMCIA ADF Transfer Kit to be recognized by the hardware, since the 030 turbo card has 8MB of RAM; As I understood that is all the address room the A1200 can handle, so the PCMCIA Device might not get the necessary ressources. Weee! I like hardware problems and to solve them

@Franko:
You can't do/write anything that surprises me much. Why? Because I'am used to people who totally lost it, as I worked for a year in an institute for the mentally handicapped and insane. Besides that, I tend to have friends that are by no scale "normal" (tho, harmless). I myself get told often enough that I should get my mental state checked, and in fact I'am one of the very rare people in this country that have a letter from a psychatrist, explaining that I'am sane I'am pretty battle-hardened and a seasoned traveler on almost all continents, so even "weird" local cultural rituals don't shock me much. I like haggis ... that about sums it up I guess Also, I like your humour, and people like you are usually the heart of community forums (can tell from post count + special rank + location comment and some other hints)

Ohhh insane people! Me likey!

- Gil

[Franko]

Ah, cannonballs ! I was hoping to use a longie cable (about as an A1200) with two cards. Can I use it with at least one card without problems ? Or will the length be an issue here also ?

If you mean connecting it directly to the IDE header on the motherboard then long cable are a big no no...

It may not be as much of a problem for those CF card thingies (I don't use them personally) but for proper HDs and especially adding two, then you really have to use the shortest cables possible to prevent read/write errors (even then this is not guaranteed to work with 2 drives)...

If your going to use just one CF Card adapter try and keep the cable length to the minimum possible you can, it may seem to be working fine but you will most likely notice sooner or later read/write errors or worse creeping in...

Like I said earlier, it's best to get hold of a buffered interface board from either ebay or Amigkit as these will allow you to add up to 4 devices, eliminate read/write errors, allow you to use much longer cables and best of all speed up reading and writing times...

[Lord Aga]

Well... I already have a long cable, and a CF card. I guess I'll just try it when I get hold of the IDE/CF adapter, and if it acts up I'll just have to get me a shorter cable
 
I know that the buffered boards are great stuff, but too expensive to justify right now

[Franko]

@Franko:
and in fact I'am one of the very rare people in this country that have a letter from a psychatrist, explaining that I'am sane :p
Ohhh insane people! Me likey!

- Gil

I'm the opposite I've got a certificate from my psychiatrist explaining that I am insane...

I met some of the sanest people ever back in 2002-03 when I was in me nice institution...(best holiday I ever had was that place, they even let me have one of me miggies to keep me amused, well that's when the doctors and nurses weren't playing with it, they loved Lemmigs)...

[Gilthanaz]

Thread is moving fast... answer to your last post is above your newest post, Franko  <== Outdated again. Thread moving even faster! ZOOM! If this continues, we get the price for "Longest New User Introduction Thread Within 24 hours"

Also, why would you not want to use CF-HDDs? After all they are more reliable than old-school-platter-rotating-mechanically-fast-dying 2.5" HDDs

Also I've heard that Amiga supports SFS, which should be capable to also allow way bigger partitions (given that the boot partition is on the first 200-or-so sectors of the HDD, if its anything like LILO was in earlier linux days), so having 32/64GB CF Disks running as HDD shouldn't be much of an issue, mmmmh?

Impatient and in agony of not-knowing the answer already, I await thine post, full of sparkling wisdom in these dark ages of lost knowledge, Franko!

- Gil

[Franko]

Well... I already have a long cable, and a CF card. I guess I'll just try it when I get hold of the IDE/CF adapter, and if it acts up I'll just have to get me a shorter cable
 
I know that the buffered boards are great stuff, but too expensive to justify right now

If you need a short cable just let me know and I'll send you one...

[Franko]

Also, why would you not want to use CF-HDDs? After all they are more reliable than old-school-platter-rotating-mechanically-fast-dying 2.5" HDDs

Also i've heard that Amiga supports SFS, which should be capable to also allow way bigger partitions (given that the boot partition is on the first 200-or-so sectors of the HDD, if its anything like LILO was in earlier linux days), so having 32/64GB CF Disks running als HDD shouldn't be much of an issue, mmmmh?

Impatient and in agony of not-knowing the answer already, I await thine post, full of sparkling wisdom in these dark ages of lost knowledge, Franko!

- Gil

I need lots more storage space than CF cards can offer that why I use HDs. My main A1200 has two 500GB HD's attached and I've only got about 180MB of free space left on them...

I've been using SFS for quite a number of years now and found it to be the best and only files system for me as it's the only one that can cope with single files sizes of greater than 4GB which I need for storing and burning DVDs...

[Lord Aga]

If you need a short cable just let me know and I'll send you one...

Thank you for your kind offer I might indeed need help... but if it comes to that, we'll arrange the details
 
I have this cable:
http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=608
 
Maybe I can connect it where the shorter distance is (monkey brain at work)
Also... maybe I can cut it and leave the shorter end, but I would feel really bad about butchering such a fine cable It's brand new and unused.
 
EDIT: Oh wait, is this what I need ?
http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=42&products_id=532
If so, this is not that expensive.

[Franko]

@ Lord AGA

If your going to be adding extra HDs or want to add a CD/DVD ReWriter then a buffered interface is a must have...

I can't speak for the 4 way one Amigit is selling at £19.90 as I've never used that one...

The FastATA MKIV that they are selling is the best money can buy when it comes to IDE boards for the A1200 (I use the MKIII version myself) but if your not bothered about CD/DVD burning at the best speed possible on an Amiga and fast HD access on your Amiga then the cheaper ones would be much better suited for you...

FastATA MKIV @ AmigaKit

Even on eBay you'll pay around £70 for an old second hand FastATA MKIII (If you can find one) and at least £25 for an old second hand 4xEIDE Elbox board (these show up more often)...

The cheaper boards wont give you 6.5MB/s speed like the FastATA boards do  (more like 2.3MB/s) but I don't suppose most users will notice this unless your handling big files like me of greater than 4GBs and you can still burn CD/DVDS with the cheaper boards all be it at lower speeds...

The reason I use the Elbox 4xEIDE boards in my other Amiga's is I don't really use them for burning CDs or DVDs (just reading them) and it's design is far better, it stands up right and doesn't sit on the metal shielding like other boards do. I have an old EyeTech 4 way buffered interface lying about somewhere but I don't use it cos you have to stick it to the sheilding with double sided velcro sticky pads and unless you insulate it properly it can be quite dodgy....

I guess it's down to your budget and just what you need to be able to do, if you want the best and need speed/ big HDs and are willing to pay for it then the FastATA is the one to go for. If you simply want to access & use HDs & CD/DVD drives reliably then the cheaper boards are the way to go...

[Franko]

Here's a couple of pics of one of my A1200's that I modified using just the 4xEIDE board to allow me to easily add an external CD/DVD Writer (or HD) along with of course an internal 2.5" HD...






This is my main A1200 in a custom built (MDF) tower...

A1200 Blizzard060/PPC 60Mhz/240Mhz / 256Mb Ram / 2 x 500GB HDs / 2 x DVD Burners / FASTATA MKIII / SubWay USB / Cocolino Wireless Mouse / Custom Built Audio Amp/Fader

[Lord Aga]

Well that's a nice explanation
I don't need to burn disks. And only wish to have a CF drive and and CD/DVD drive on a long cable. So I guess I can go with an El cheapo board. Same goes for our new friend Gil perhaps ?
 
The biggest woe here is actually a large chunk of work I have to get rid of first before I get to fiddle around with my Amigas. So it's few more weeks and then we'll dance

[SamuraiCrow]

@Gilthanaz

You said your '030 accelerator can't address more than 8 MiB of RAM.  Some accelerators will address memory independently of the internal bus of the A1200 and can therefore access more than 8 Megs while still allowing the use of the PCMCIA slot.

I've got a 64-Meg SIMM card waiting to go into my Blizzard 1230.  The ACA series of '030 cards are even better in some ways since they use faster memory that comes built-in to the accelerator.  They come with 64 Megs hard-wired to the accelerator.