My A500 "project" pics, details, build log?

[djos]

First photo is so the setup I had, although we couldn't afford the monitor at the time so had the A500 connected to small 14" NEC CRT TV :-)

Same TV I used with my Commodore 64C, never liked the dark brown 64. Wish I had a camera back then.

Would love to be able to look back.

I was pretty lucky, my folks teamed up with my Nan to buy our family our 1st computer for Xmas '88 - it was a Tandy 1000ex (with CM5 monitor & Tandy DotMatrix printer) which was much better than most PC's of the time as it had PCjr 3-voice sound and PCjr 16 colour CGA GFX (instead of 4 colour) if you had the RAM/DMA upgrade board with at least 384kb in total - which dad bought about a year later.

I think he traded it in for a PC clone in about '91 which was much faster and had a 40MB HDD but no sound and normal CGA GFX (which sucked!). I had to save up for an Adlib Sound Card to get music again!

@djos, the A500 adapter, would that cause problems if one had an accelerator?

not sure mate, although as long as there are no tall caps it should be able to sit on top of the accelerator board. It comes with removable riser-pins too so you can make it lower profile if need be.

[Lurch]

it was a Tandy 1000ex (with CM5 monitor & Tandy DotMatrix

Loved the Tandy, never owned one though. Use to look at the pictures in magazines.

I think he traded it in for a PC clone in about '91 which was much faster and had a 40MB HDD but no sound and normal CGA GFX (which sucked!). I had to save up for an Adlib Sound Card to get music again!

Jumped off the Amiga band wagon and bought a 486sx25 with a Soundblaster 16. Before I got the sound card I was not amazed. But man Doom was awesome, ashamed to say I didn't miss the humble 500. Cranked the 486 up to a 486dx133 amazing in a full tower box but a pain to transport for LAN parties (back when they were not mainstream).  17" CRT TV to boot... back of the car never looked lower.

not sure mate, although as long as there are no tall caps it should be able to sit on top of the accelerator board. It comes with removable riser-pins too so you can make it lower profile if need be.

Hmm, tempted as I like the idea of the cf-card out the back. But then I don't want to loose the speed of the scsi :-/

[djos]

I believe you can get scsi to cf adapters which would be the fastest option.

[Lurch]

I believe you can get scsi to cf adapters which would be the fastest option.

Yes you can, but not internally on the old' 500. My A590 already has a SCSI card reader, just doesnt fit very well, have yet to get the courage to cut into it.

Not sure I'll be holding on to the 500, thinking about either micro itx setup or a nice shiney A1200.

[djos]

If you want IDE without chewing up your CPU i'd wait for the Zeus68k (im prolly gonna get one myself once they are ready):

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=65047

I wouldnt waste your time on Jen's aca500, that thing is an insult to a500 owners with it's pathetic 2mb ram and 14mhz 68k - he should make a proper accelerator for the 500 and if he wants a500 owners to buy his aca12xx boards he should just make a bloody adapter with no redundant ram, no redundant CPU and just IDE + some useful stuff like Ethernet and USB!

a 1200 is a good idea, i want one but cant really afford one.

[AmmoJammo]

[djos]

Your Birthday?

[AmmoJammo]

the joysticks birthday.

[Lurch]

Can't wait until the A500 has a birthday ;-)

[djos]

the joysticks birthday.

lol, nice one! :pint:

[Methuselas]

If you want IDE without chewing up your CPU i'd wait for the Zeus68k (im prolly gonna get one myself once they are ready):

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=65047

I wouldnt waste your time on Jen's aca500, that thing is an insult to a500 owners with it's pathetic 2mb ram and 14mhz 68k - he should make a proper accelerator for the 500 and if he wants a500 owners to buy his aca12xx boards he should just make a bloody adapter with no redundant ram, no redundant CPU and just IDE + some useful stuff like Ethernet and USB!

+1

I was PISSED when I saw how low-spec it was for around a c-note. To add insult to injury, you have to spend another 200$, to get something adequate, by stacking an ACA1230 on top of it. I get what he's trying to do, but to be honest, I would have much rather had an accelerator based off the ACA1230, but specifically for the A500.


Or better yet, Clone-A......

[djos]

I pointed this out to him over at eab but he refuses to listen, very disappointing and even the aca500 itself is currently vaporware with not 1 single pic having been posted of even a prototype!

[djos]

@AJ mate I now have a spare fully working rev5 mobo that you might be interested in for your 2nd a500, it has a 1.2 ks rom and ran perfectly when I tested it (includes top and bottom sheilds).

[Azryl]

I have some Rev5 mobo's as well... its the damn floppy drives that fail most often  need a few of those and I could rebuild some nice systems, a590 includes and AddiDE etc


Az

[djos]

Yeah FDD's are a PITA, I just bought a refurbished drive from Vesalia for my a1010 as my modded Panasonic doesnt fit and despite several, apparently successful clean and lube jobs, it keeps failing and killing discs! :destroy:

[AmmoJammo]

@AJ mate I now have a spare fully working rev5 mobo that you might be interested in for your 2nd a500, it has a 1.2 ks rom and ran perfectly when I tested it (includes top and bottom sheilds).

SOLD!

Thanks Derek!