Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware,comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: A1200 Observations
From: radnor_j@qis.dofasco.ca
Date: 11 Jan 93 15:05:15 GMT
Organization: Dofasco Inc, Hamilton, Ont. Can.
Nntp-Posting-User: radnor_j

Well, now that I've had my A1200 for a couple of weeks, I'll post a few 
observations that I've had so far.

1) This one was a hardware problem:

"Bleeding" of horizontal scan lines. This occurred most noticeably around
whatever Icons happened to be displayed at the moment, and was especially
noticeable if I brought up the Color Wheel preferences. 

The problem only occurred while in some sort of Hi-Res mode such as 600 x 400
mode or similar (eg 600 x 480) and after the 1200 had been powered up for more
than a half hour. It really became evident if I started playing around with
different screen mode prefs. The modes where the problem occurred were always
Hi-Res. Specifically, Multiscan Productivity, DblNtsc Hi-Res No Flicker, and
Euro-72 Hi-Res. With the horizontal "bleeding" also came some screen flashing
when I moved the mouse around the screen. BTW, I have a 1960 monitor.

This proved to be a duplicatable problem and was clearly related to 
overheating chips inside the A1200. CBM Canada in Toronto were able to 
duplicate a similar type of problem as well, when I reported it to them.

I solved this one by exchanging my 1200 for a new one. Thank heavens for 
warranties :).

I think that this was just one of those problems inherent with the production
of new units. There are bound to be some "growing pains". 

2) This one is also a hardware problem, I suspect although it is currently 
unsolved. In fact, it may not be a problem at all:

In Hi-Res (640*400 or similar) with the default screen colours (colors for 
those of you in the US of A :) ), that is with a grey background (gray for 
USA) and especially with a light coloured background such as this light grey,
I notice some unusual horizontal scan lines over at the extreme left of the 
screen outside of the work area (Ie. where you can't move to on the 
Workbench). They are almost like little ghost scan lines, that look like a 
histogram on its side:

---
--------
---
-
---
--
------

The good think about this problem is that it doesn't interfere with the 
Workbench area at all, well a little bit, but it doesn't do anything to the 
Icons over there as the first problem above did. As I say, it's more of a set 
of ghosting scan lines than anything. 

This problem/observation is not really all that annoying other than I'm 
wondering if it's normal. My first (returned) A1200 also exhibited this 
problem as well as the more serious one that I returned it for.

Anyone else notice this on their A1200, or A4000? Do I have a problem here or 
is it one of those things I have to live with?


3) This has been noted by others on the net:

You cannot access the extreme left side of the screen no matter what 
combination of Monitors / ScreenMode you use. Nor does adjusting 1960 monitor 
knobs help at all. The horizontal knob is cranked right over as far as it will 
go. It will go for "miles" the other way so that I can have my screen go right 
off the right side of the display. The other way (left) is impossible. Seems 
odd to me. Any satisfactory explanation of why this happens would be welcome.


4) The mouse is no good.

I minor point maybe, but you can see that C= really cut costs on this one. 
All the 1200 mice I've seen including the two that I have owned so far, either 
squeak, (like a mouse :), no lubrication helps BTW), or they have noisy 
rollers. My last one sounded like an old ball bearing with grit in it when I 
moved it in the vertical down direction.

I have since purchased a $20 Chic mouse, and am more than satisfied with it.


5) A clock would have been nice :). Enough has been said about this already so 
I won't add to it :)


6) AmigaDos and Arexx manuals were not included, and perhaps should have been.
   Again, enough has been said about this. This probably helped in keeping the 
   cost of an A1200 low, which is always welcome.


John

(Just happy to have an Amiga again....after 5 weeks without one)
-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                                 __                  |Basil (to Sybil)  
John Radnor                     ///                  | Racket? That's BRAHMS!
(Radnor_J@qis.dofasco.ca) __   ///  Reasonably 	     | Brahm's Third Racket!!
                          \\\ ///   Ecstatic         |-Fawlty Towers
                           \\X//    Amiga 1200 owner | (A Touch of Class)