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Conference hydra::amiga_v1

Title:AMIGA NOTES
Notice:Join us in the *NEW* conference - HYDRA::AMIGA_V2
Moderator:HYDRA::MOORE
Created:Sat Apr 26 1986
Last Modified:Wed Feb 05 1992
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5378
Total number of notes:38326

4165.0. "Super Agnes, is it usefull??" by TROA02::ITHOMSON () Tue Oct 02 1990 14:47

Hi guys,
     I would like to get some information on the Agnes chips.  I have
an Amiga 2000HD, machine with 3Meg(SUPRA 200 populated with 2MEG), and 
a 40 Meg hard drive.  

What I would like to know, is, the benefit of having a bigger (SUPER) Agnes
chip, (if I don't have one already) or Paula or whatever the name of the 
chips are.  Or Where to get the information.

Thanx.

Ian Thomson

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4165.1ULTRA::KINDELBill Kindel @ BXB1Tue Oct 02 1990 16:1931
    Re .0:
    
>   I would like to get some information on the Agnes chips.  I have an
>   Amiga 2000HD, machine with 3Meg(SUPRA 200 populated with 2MEG), and  a
>   40 Meg hard drive.
>
>   What I would like to know, is, the benefit of having a bigger (SUPER)
>   Agnes chip, (if I don't have one already) or Paula or whatever the name
>   of the  chips are.  Or Where to get the information.
    
    You probably already have the "fatter/obese Agnus", which is capable of
    addressing 1MB of CHIP RAM.  From the shell, type AVAIL to find out.  If
    so, you're in pretty good shape.  The graphics and sound chips are only
    able to access structures in CHIP RAM (they can't go out into the other
    2MB of "Fast RAM").  While the 512KB default on the A500 is somewhat
    confining, 1MB is fairly generous.
    
    The A3000 has yet a newer ("Super") version of the Agnus that allows it
    to address 2MB of CHIP RAM, making it suitable for the most demanding
    multi-media applications.  It's unlikely existing A500s and A2000s will
    be upgradable to use that chip, since they lack an address line.
    
    The fatter Agnus is part of what Commodore refers to as the "Enhanced
    Chip Set" (ECS), which also upgrades the Denise (video display) and
    Paula (uncertain) chips.  Reliable rumor has it that there will be a
    program to allow A2000 users to upgrade to the ECS in conjunction with
    general release of WorkBench 2.0, but details are sketchy at best.
    
    This conference has a fair amount of detail about the Agnus and her
    sister chips.  Browse here for a while before you throw your hands up
    in despair.