MiniMig the no bull thoughts on this device

[CritAnime]

Pretty much as the title says. If I was to buy one purely for gaming from ADF's do I need the ARM chip and do I need the 4mb version? What are people who own this device honest opinions? I have given up on classic hardware because I don't have the time nor money. So I just want something I can plug into my big TV, via VGA, or run on my spare vga monitor.

[gaula92]

I'm HIGHLY passionate about the Minimig V1.1 board. It's awesome, period.
It's hardware and feels like hardware, it's very different from a software emulator. It feels like a souped-up Amiga 600 to me.
If you just want to use ADF images, you don't need the 4MB upgrade or the ARM controller.
You just need the basic board and ask Loriano (TheDaddy) about a case, because he makes incredible ones.
As an extra, even without ARM, you will get 2 disk drives and hard disk support (a 50 MB HDF will be pretty fast!). You can HD-install those games with crazy floppy numbers anyway (Monkey Island II comes to mind)

And yes: buying old hardware is wasting money when you can get totally new Amigas like the Minimig.
I've yet to find a game or program that doesn't work with current core releases.
Go for it, you won't regret (unless you consider getting MikeJ's FPGA ARCADE... but I've yet to see the new cores for it).

[Darrin]

Well I've had a Minimig since aCube released them back when the core couldn't even write to the ADF images.  I helped to test the ARM controller back when Jakub was working wonders updating the core and I finally sent my board to AmigaKit to have them add the extra 2MB of RAM.

In my opinion, it is a fantastic bit of hardware and is worth every penny.

If you want to just play ADF games then the basic board will do and you'll have a maximum of 1.5MB of RAM that you can configure in different ways via the menu.

However, if you think that you might want extra RAM in the future then buy it with the RAM fitted because it isn't likely to be something you'll do yourself and finding someone else to do it (besides AmigaKit) is likely to prove to be impossible.  With the extra RAM you can have a 1MB Chip 2.5MB Fast setup which should play just about any 68000 friendly OCS/ECS ADF game you want.

I wouldn't part with my ARM controller for all the tea in China.  But, if you're on a budget then it is always something you can add later (just pull the PIC chip with a screwdriver and plug in the ARM board).  Benefits of the ARM are:

Up to 2 fast HDF files which are great for WHDLoad (only a small HDF is usable without it)
Up to 4 emulated floppy drives (instead of 2)
Faster turbo mode
Easier configuration and updating (If you have the PIC you'll need a serial link to reflash the board while the ARM takes a file off the SD card).

[CritAnime]

Hmm sounds kinda more like what I ultimately want. Does the arm processor give any extras apart from the ones mentioned.

[gaula92]

It can also enlarge your pennis, but that's an undocumented feature

[bbond007]

Pretty much as the title says. If I was to buy one purely for gaming from ADF's do I need the ARM chip and do I need the 4mb version? What are people who own this device honest opinions? I have given up on classic hardware because I don't have the time nor money. So I just want something I can plug into my big TV, via VGA, or run on my spare vga monitor.

4MB/ARM opens up the world of whdload gaming.

without the ARM your HDF would need to be pretty small... not 4GB like I have mine set up...
to me, worth it...

[Darrin]

It can also enlarge your pennis, but that's an undocumented feature

So that explains it!  I thought I'd been standing too close to the microwave or something.  

[bbond007]

So that explains it!  I thought I'd been standing too close to the microwave or something.  

no, that just causes your offspring to be mutated...

[Darrin]

no, that just causes your offspring to be mutated...

No wonder I have a ginger, left-handed daughter!  I'm going to sue the microwave company.  

[Darrin]

Hmm sounds kinda more like what I ultimately want. Does the arm processor give any extras apart from the ones mentioned.

Seriously, what has been mentioned more than justifies the cost of the ARM.

[bbond007]

Seriously, what has been mentioned more than justifies the cost of the ARM.

I think the arm may also speed up the menus when you are scrolling through your ADFs... but its been a long time i have had the ARM installed so I can't recall.

No wonder I have a  ginger, left-handed daughter!  I'm going to sue the microwave company.  

naw, you are most likely shooting blanks from the microwave and CRT exposure. (ginger, left-handed mailman)

[Darrin]

I think the arm may also speed up the menus when you are scrolling through your ADFs... but its been a long time i have had the ARM installed so I can't recall.

Yep, it does do something to the menus too.  Long file names plus access to folders IIRC.

naw, you are most likely shooting blanks from the microwave and CRT exposure. (ginger, left-handed mailman)

Dammit!  I've been paying this child support for nothing.  

[tasmanian guy]

I've got a Minimig with 4 meg and the arm controller in a loriano case (or however you spell it)
 
I'm now in the process of selling all my Amiga classic gear (sold my Amiga CD32 last weekend and have 2 x Amiga 1200's to sell) as the Minimig is replacing them all.
 
For the Amiga 1200 and CD32 AGA stuff I'm going to be using WINUAE.
 
Frontier on the Minimig runs just as fast as an Amiga 1200 with a 030 running at 50mhz, I know this as I have compared the two side by side!
 
You'll love the minimig...  classic platform on modern hardware!

[AJCopland]

Where is a good place to get the ARM board from?
AmigaKit seems to have the MiniMig, and they do the 4MB upgrade, but not the ARM board.

[Darrin]

Where is a good place to get the ARM board from?
AmigaKit seems to have the MiniMig, and they do the 4MB upgrade, but not the ARM board.

aCube.

https://acube-systemsbiz.serversicuro.it/shop/en/6-minimig