T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
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2289.1 | Some answers | LEVERS::PLOUFF | Semipro Semiologist | Tue Feb 28 1989 12:46 | 51 |
| OK, I'll take a crack. Some similar questions were asked and answered
within the last 100 notes or so.
1. Adding the RD53 and A2090 -- I think some people have done this.
The A2090 can be used with an expansion card cage (see your Q6.)
2. Adding a 5-1/4" floppy drive -- you can do this, but must do
a hardware hack to the drive. Details in note ??? in this notesfile.
The Amiga comes with utilities that can format, read and write regular
360K MS-DOS diskettes. If your MicroVAX can do the same you're
all set. (I carry files between my VAXmate and Amiga all the time.)
3. VT241 monitor -- don't know.
4. How much memory expansion -- 512K internally, up to 8 megabytes
in an expansion chassis. You can buy most brands of memory cards
unpopulated.
5. Workbench -- one of the three parts of the Amiga OS. The others
are the Command Line Interface and AmigaDOS. Now, I expect to get
criticized for this, because the OS is actually somewhat more
complicated. It has several pieces depending on how you look at
it, and no real name for the whole package. Another answer is that
Workbench is the graphical part of the operating system that you
work with. The CLI is the more traditional command interface, and
AmigaDOS handles mass storage. Most of the operating system is
in ROM, but all the user commands (directory, type, copy, etc.)
are on disk.
6. Adding peripherals -- you can buy expansion chassis units from
a few manufacturers which take standard A2000/A500 peripheral cards.
The expansion bus connector is under a cover on the left side of
the A500. The number of slots in the expansion box determines the
limit to add-ons.
7. Sound chip -- basically a 4-channel D/A converter in one of
the graphics chips. Has no hardware synthesis capability. The
speech synthesizer is all in software. It is implemented as a
peripheral device, just like a serial port, so nearly any program
can use it.
8. Standard software -- The operating system, a good selection
of printer drivers, several utilities and demo programs, and
AmigaBASIC.
An added comment: other people have recommended buying a second
disk drive and the internal 512K RAM expansion as part of the original
purchase. If you can afford it, I recommend you do this. The machine
is much more useable with these two things installed.
Wes Plouff
|
2289.2 | Some answers. | AYOV10::ATHOMSON | C'mon, git aff! /The Kelty Clippie | Tue Feb 28 1989 13:01 | 92 |
2289.3 | "Moore" answers | VCSESU::MOORE | Tom Moore MRO1-3/SL1 297-5224 | Tue Feb 28 1989 17:06 | 47 |
| Be aware that an AMIGA 2000 is more than just an AMIGA 500 plus an expnasion
box. There is some options that just cannot be added (at least today) to the
AMIGA 500. There is a way to add memory, harddrives, extra floppies, printers,
modems, joysticks etc. which satisfy most of our needs. The AMIGA 500 does not
have the special slots for video and MSDOS co-processors etc. that the AMIGA
200 has. Don't assume that you can always add it later.
< 1. I was hoping to be able to add an RD53 drive to the A500 ,is
< this possible , would I use an A2090 controller or is this just
< for the A2000 ? If so is there an equivalent for the A500 .
People have done this. You should be able to find the answers or the people
who know from other notes.
< 3. When using a VT241 monitor , how does it compare to the standard
< commadore monitor (I forget the type no.).Is there any significant
< difference .
I believe that John Bernard has done this. It requires a nonstandard cable and
the picture is smaller(does not fill the screen) "MoreRows" will let you use
the extra space on the screen.
> 5. What does Workbench do ? how does it relate to an operating
> system ? I presume the operating system is Dos and is held in
> Rom ?
Try to think of this as part of the system software. The Workbench is a icon
access to software. You use the mouse to point to object (program) you want to
run, copy, delete, etc. and click (push the left button) once or twice
to get the action you want. One of two ways to give command to the system.
< 6. How do you add several peripherals/expansion units to an A500.
< do they plu into the parallel port and pass the signals on to
< the next option ? If so is there and limit to the number of
< things you add on in this way ?
The connections for the AMIGA 500 are:
parellel port - printer etc.
serial port - RS232 - modem etc.
joystick - second port like the mouse port. Joystick in either.
External floppy drive - second drive slot. May be daisy chained to 3.
monitor - RGB monitor connector
power - Included supply connects here. Has limited power for options.
Memory expander - Under keyboard is a compartment for 512k mem and clock
Bus expansion - On left edge connector to add certain options such as
memory and hard disks.
Hope this helps. You will find a lot more if you do a dir/title="new"
-Tom-
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2289.4 | | ADODEM::MCGHIE | looking for a door... | Tue Feb 28 1989 22:43 | 10 |
| RE: VR241,
I've been using one for over a year now and compared to the standard
Commodore monitors it has much better resolution and clarity. But
as the previous note points out, you don't get the picture filling
the whole screen, i.e. there is a black border around the display.
However this doesn't worry me because I'm not into video production.
regards
Mike
|
2289.5 | The mist is clearing | KLO::COLLINS | STEVE | Wed Mar 01 1989 12:44 | 27 |
|
More questions ...
9. What is kickstart ? Does it have to match the rev of workbench ?
10. What is a "Guru" ?
11. Is it possible to get hardware schematics , or do Commadore
not publish this kind of stuff .
12. Would an Amiga 500 purchased in the states work in Ireland .
I presume that the TV standard is different but if you were
to use a VT241 and not a modulator , would this matter .
I pressume the power supply would be different also , but if
I took this out a used a Juicy external supply would I be OK
The only other thing I can think of is the difference in mains
frequency , would this affect me ?
13. How is copy protection of commercial disks achieved ? I can't
figure how this is done . Surely if you can read a disk you
can copy it ?
Thanx agin
Steve ..
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2289.6 | I might be able to help... | KLO::ALVAREZ | Miguel, from beautiful Clonmel | Wed Mar 01 1989 13:00 | 15 |
| >< Note 2289.5 by KLO::COLLINS "STEVE" >
> -< The mist is clearing >-
>
>
>
> More questions ...
I see from your node that you are in Clonmel. I have an AMIGA
1000, but I left it in Puerto Rico, though I might be able to help
with some of your questions.
I'm on temporary relocation in Clonmel, working with the Design
Assurance group. Call me at 2557.
Miguel A. Alvarez
|
2289.7 | | KLO::ALVAREZ | Miguel, from beautiful Clonmel | Wed Mar 01 1989 13:52 | 5 |
| I forgot to mention that I have a few copies of AmigaWorld and
Amazing Computing, including (I think), AmigaWorld's Hardware and
Software Guide, if you want to take a look at them.
Miguel A. Alvarez
|
2289.8 | some more answers | JFRSON::OSBORNE | Blade Walker | Wed Mar 01 1989 15:25 | 33 |
| > 9. What is kickstart ?
The lowest level of the operating system, stored on disk for
the 1000, but ROM for the 500 and 2000.
> Does it have to match the rev of workbench ?
No.
> 10. What is a "Guru" ?
System error. Name comes from the message box (called an "alert")
which appears on the screen, which says "guru meditation number"
and some number, which is actually an error number and a memory
location where the exception occurred.
> 11. Is it possible to get hardware schematics , or do Commadore
not publish this kind of stuff .
They're in the back of the users manual that comes with the machine.
> 12. Would an Amiga 500 purchased in the states work in Ireland.
I THINK you would have to replace the video driver chip for PAL
standard, and provide correct power. Other notes on this in the
file.
> 13. How is copy protection of commercial disks achieved ? I can't
figure how this is done . Surely if you can read a disk you
can copy it ?
Nope, not if it's a "booted" disk. The program that reads the disk
is actually ON the disk. The kickstart routines load this special
"DOS", and then this "DOS" reads in the rest of the disk. The special
DOS has no provisions for copying the disk. If you use AmigaDOS and
a program like DiskCopy to read the disk, it looks "BAD", because
it does not have the same disk format as a regular AmigaDOS disk.
John O.
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2289.9 | Protection is perverse | CIMNET::KYZIVAT | Paul Kyzivat | Wed Mar 01 1989 22:12 | 18 |
| > 13. How is copy protection of commercial disks achieved ? I can't
> figure how this is done . Surely if you can read a disk you
> can copy it ?
In some sense this is presumably true, but things are done to the disks
which aren't managed by "normal" reading and writing routines. Apparently
perversions are done to the formatting, including timing dependent hacks.
There are commercial programs which can copy most things. However this by
itself isn't enough to make protected programs work from different media
(like a hard disk). Sometimes the protection code itself can be patched
out. Then some of the better behaved programs can be installed on hard
disk.
Luckily, copy protection is slowly falling out of favor. The increasing
popularity of hard disks will hopefully speed this transition.
Paul
|
2289.10 | | BAGELS::BRANNON | Dave Brannon | Thu Mar 02 1989 15:01 | 9 |
| re: kickstart
the version does matter normally, as in KS1.1 goes with WB1.1
Workbench 1.3 is the exception to the rule since it was designed
to run on KS1.2 or KS1.3 (which is KS1.2 plus autoboot and minimal
bug fixes)
-Dave
p.s. it Commodore, not Commadore
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2289.11 | | UFP::LARUE | Jeff LaRue - MAA Senior Network Consultant | Wed Mar 15 1989 20:38 | 26 |
| Re: VR241 monitor
I recently got one working for a friend who was buying an Amiga 500....
The cable that is required is a DB23 to 4-RGB cable. I got it from
Redmond Cable for $30.00 (phoned in the order, had it in two days!)
When comparing the picture of the "standard" Amiga 1084(s) monitor to the
VR241, there were two obvious differences:
o the clarity and resolution were much better
o the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the screen
were slightly smaller. (I assume that the resolution
difference is at least partly due to the different screen
sizes.
Even though the VR241 can be adjusted to increase the overall screen size,
we elected not to since the "as is" picture is excellent.
The other potentially major difference is that the Amiga monitor comes with
a built-in amplified speaker sub-system.....the VR241 does not. This allows
you to connect the stereo audio output of the Amiga directly to the monitor.
In the case of the VR241.....some other alternative would be required.
-Jeff
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