Storage devices for A500 Plus

[scuzzb494]

An Amiga these days really is for the enthusiast. The A500 Plus predated the 1200 only marginally and Commodore already were developing the 1200 and 4000 to fill that gap in the market for expansion through hard drives and the like. The 3000 gives this also along with the 600. The 500 Plus really became a bit of a hybrid and most of the upgrades were cleverly manufactured to cope with the form shape and space limitations. In the day the kit was very expensive and consequently much of it has disappeared. And because it was often difficult to identify what was actually in A500's and Plus models they often got junked.

Therefore internal storage is tricky if you want to fit a similar drive to say the 1200. Most these days fit their 1200s with modern flash drives... I am told.

You can fit a side car to the 500 quite easily. The problem is finding one that works and also has the power supply.

These two links from my website show you both internal and external drives. I do buy 500s simply to crack them open in the hope that as with the Viper I find a rare card.

The 500 Plus also was fitted with an internal barrel style battery which leak. So removing that is important. See the attached again for some intenral shots.

As to mass storage, there really isn't a great need. And really I would suggest that your interest is not likely to stretch beyond a disk box full of games. Most want the upgrades these days to use stuff off the internet. Personally I would use the 500 as a pure games machine and play with the disks. Thats how they were made to operate and seriously, the machine is so slender, one more disk box isn't going to clutter.

Then if you do enjoy playing with an Amiga go get an A1200 and then you can still play all the 500 stuff. But seriously, please, please look after the 500 Plus. And don't hack it about. They may not be rare, but they are valuable to the community.

Check out my website for loads of information on the Amiga.

Here are those links:

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz48.htm

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz382.htm

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz105.htm

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz493.htm

Have fun.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz48.htm

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz382.htm

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz105.htm

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz493.htm

@scuzzb494 - nice links!    A few of those I've never seen before (like the PCMCIA sidecar for the A1200).  Whoever is hoarding all those GVP A500 sidecars needs to cough 'em up!  

[Lurch]

Not sure why people are saying it is tricky, the V402 ide68k hits the spot. It's not that expensive and can be bought new via the Amibay link I provided.

There's plenty of support too on how to set it up etc.

Plenty of side cars are available too, just have to visit the market place here or check out amibay there's items always being listed.

My a500 plus is currently setup with an a590 with 7.0 roms and a SCSI card reader I picked up through mechware. All very good prices too.

If you come across a a590 without a PSU don't panic, 1) you can mod the A500 or 2) buy a cheap atx adapter from amigakit.

I also just remembered that tomthul via Amibay has a non autoconfig cf card/RAM solution too which comes with a floppy disk to boot and use it, so that could be another option.

The hardware is there, links are provided just need to ask the people that make the hardware and you will receive.

The A1200 is easier, you can pickup cf cards and adapters really cheap. Or even IDE laptop hard drives will suffice. Which they originally had installed. All very cheap.

Accelerators, turbo cards are everywhere too for the A1200. Jen's can be partly thanked for that. But then you get into another issue with timing problems which apparently are a fault with the 1200. Which I recently found out about first hand.

The only hard thing I've found with the A500 is finding accelerators for it, people hang on to them tightly and when they do sell it is for a rather high price.  They're also under powered in most cases.

I was lucky and found a broken one that Amigakit was able to repair for me.

Anyway if you just want games then a 2MB A500 plus with a floppy emulator will suffice. Although after I played with WHDLoad it makes a huge difference.

[alexh]

If you can wait, Kipper2k was supposed to be combining is 8Mbyte RAM card with the CFIDE68k to make the perfect solution for A500/A2000/CDTV users.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Not sure why people are saying it is tricky, the V402 ide68k hits the spot. It's not that expensive and can be bought new via the Amibay link I provided.

There's plenty of support too on how to set it up etc.

Plenty of side cars are available too, just have to visit the market place here or check out amibay there's items always being listed.

My a500 plus is currently setup with an a590 with 7.0 roms and a SCSI card reader I picked up through mechware. All very good prices too.

If you come across a a590 without a PSU don't panic, 1) you can mod the A500 or 2) buy a cheap atx adapter from amigakit.

I also just remembered that tomthul via Amibay has a non autoconfig cf card/RAM solution too which comes with a floppy disk to boot and use it, so that could be another option.

The hardware is there, links are provided just need to ask the people that make the hardware and you will receive.

The A1200 is easier, you can pickup cf cards and adapters really cheap. Or even IDE laptop hard drives will suffice. Which they originally had installed. All very cheap.

Accelerators, turbo cards are everywhere too for the A1200. Jen's can be partly thanked for that. But then you get into another issue with timing problems which apparently are a fault with the 1200. Which I recently found out about first hand.

The only hard thing I've found with the A500 is finding accelerators for it, people hang on to them tightly and when they do sell it is for a rather high price.  They're also under powered in most cases.

I was lucky and found a broken one that Amigakit was able to repair for me.

Anyway if you just want games then a 2MB A500 plus with a floppy emulator will suffice. Although after I played with WHDLoad it makes a huge difference.

@Lurch - that's a great tip about modding the A590, I recently started looking on ebay.de and found several of them (the regular North American ebay.com hasn't had a single Amiga 500 hard drive in months).  Unfortunately I don't read German so no idea if they're working or not, might have to run it through Google translate, but knowing that I could mod a PSU is a great help.  

On the other part, you keep mentioning links on Amibay.  Not trying to open up a can of worms here, but I sort of have a thing against heavy-handed, ham-fisted moderation, and have heard enough horror stories about people being banned for accidently asking a question in the wrong place, etc., that I'd rather not register on that site.  Besides, the prices I've seen just skimming don't look any better than sites like ebay.  I realise I'm shooting myself in the foot and limiting my own options (although I didn't see any A500 hard drives there, either), but would prefer to buy hardware from a dealer such as AmigaKit, or a site like ebay (that has at least a limited form of buyer protection, etc.).  Just my .02 cents!  

[danbeaver]

EAB has a link of Independant Amiga Hardware developers projects, costs, and how to reach them (http://lilliput.amiga-projects.net/Indie.htm); a few of the links do go back to AmiBay (Yep, heavy handed), but the IDE68K and CFIDE68K (small plug-in adapters that connect to the A500's CPU socket) are good options.  AmigaKit has the Clock-port adapter for the same socket, but clock-port devices are hard to find too.  I believe there is a A500 expansion port adapter, "Zorro Slot Adapter."

But, my advice: 1) Get her (A500+) open and get that battery out; a coin cell replacement will run 5 bucks.  2) Get 4 MB RAM in (http://www.kipper2k.com/amigaforsale/index.html), 3) Pick up a Motorola 68010 to play with (do not believe the hype, but it is cheap ($9 on eBay), and 4) Get a KickStart 3.1 ROM (there are eBay copies for about $20 & AmigaKit now has an "Official Copy," or ask a member for one (The cost of the EPROM -- a 27C400 at 105ns runs 6 bucks, 5) Read up on the IDE + CF options.  6) Invest time in becoming a member of this forum, AmiBay.com (you can still avoid being "bitched-slapped"), EAB -- http://eab.abime.net/, and consider looking into sites like "The Zone" -- ftp.Magix.ws, two other sites I won't mention because their legality is of some question, but I would have the same question of EAB's "The Zone".  7) If you read German or can can use Google Translate, then head to the http://www.a1k.com site for information, hardware projects and such.   Buy the "Amiga Forever 2012 Rev 3" DVD ROM, it will give you legitimate ownership of the ROM's, a registered copy of IDEFix97, WinUAE emulator and a bunch of retro games to try -- only a handful of what is out there.

Remember, Google is your friend and as my college chemistry professor used to say, "Don't just search, Research!"

[desiv]

On the other part, you keep mentioning links on Amibay.  Not trying to open up a can of worms here, but I sort of have a thing against heavy-handed, ham-fisted moderation, and have heard enough horror stories about people being banned for accidently asking a question in the wrong place, etc., that I'd rather not register on that site.

You choice and that site isn't for everyone..
They are VERY strict when it comes to moderation.
They want you to read the rules and abide by them..
That being said, I can't see people being banned for asking a question in the wrong place.  Not their style...
I'm not saying they are perfect.  They are, in a way, the philosophical antithesis of Amiga.org (and I like both sites, which is weird.. But so am I.)  It's totally OK to not like them.. ;-)   But they aren't (IMHO) evil.  Just strict...

If I were you, I'd consider waiting for the Kipper2K board.
His stuff is top notch and usually a great price...
Not sure about his time frame for the combo RAM/CF, but it sounds nice.

I have a tomthul dual CF "hard drive" for my A1000 (doesn't autoboot) I got on Amibay and that thing is great for my A1000.
As I said, it doesn't autoboot, but my A1000 needs a kickstart disk anyway, and I have the kickstart disk load the driver and swap control the CF.

Not sure if Kipper's would autoboot with the A500 Plus, but if so, that would be your (IMHO) best bet..
(Unless you are looking for some more speed, in which case there are some nice accelerator combos coming out, but more spendy...)

Good luck

desiv

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

If I were you, I'd consider waiting for the Kipper2K board.

Sent him an email on 12/24 about buying one of the 8 meg boards, didn't hear anything back, figured he was on holiday.  Just sent a follow-up today, sure would like one if they're still available, or the memory+CF interface, would be even more cool!  

[orange]

EAB has a link of Independant Amiga Hardware developers projects, costs, and how to reach them (http://lilliput.amiga-projects.net/Indie.htm); a few of the links do go back to AmiBay (Yep, heavy handed), but the IDE68K and CFIDE68K (small plug-in adapters that connect to the A500's CPU socket) are good options. ...

aminet (docs/hard) has free schematics and guides for most of those 'independent developers projects'.

[danbeaver]

The IDE device that uses the Gayle chip from the A600 will autoboot with the 2.05 KS ROM I believe.

[Lurch]

@Lurch - that's a great tip about modding the A590, I recently started looking on ebay.de and found several of them (the regular North American ebay.com hasn't had a single Amiga 500 hard drive in months).

Any SCSI side car should work, but the trusty old A590 is pretty common :-)

Have bought a few items from Germany, usually quick on postage and theres some really good dealers too. Google translate works well, but most of them speak english so answer your questions fairly quickly.

On the other part, you keep mentioning links on Amibay.

Haven't had any issues with Amibay and the rules are there to protect buyers/sellers. They are a great bunch. The mods are friendly and easy to chat to and have a lot of useful information.

Amibay is a great resource for hardware/contacts. Same goes with EAB. Actually leaning towards EAB/Amibay more these days.

Both sites have information about new hardware that doesn't show up on amiga.org. This never use to be the case but times change I guess. I miss the good ol'days of Amiga.org.

If it wasn't for Amibay I wouldn't have a couple of items I've acquired. Love being able to swap hardware aswell as purchase which isn't possible via Ebay

Although I've made a few contacts through ebay that source amiga gear.

Prices to me seem cheaper on Amibay and a better range of gear to look through.

aminet (docs/hard) has free schematics and guides for most of those 'independent developers projects'.

Problem with docs is it's not actual hardware, I couldn't put one together myself.