From: david@ariane.cam.org (David Lebel)
Subject: MINI-REVIEW: The Commodore Amiga 4000
Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Keywords: Amiga, computer, hot topic, commercial, 
Reply-To: david@ariane.cam.org (David Lebel)
Organization: The Amiga Online Review Column - ed. Daniel Barrett
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 00:45:17 GMT

	[MODERATOR'S NOTE:  I found this mini-review in the newsgroup
	comp.sys.amiga.advocacy.  Since the A4000 is such a hot topic, I got
	David's permission to repost this in c.s.a.reviews.  It is very
	preliminary, but the first detailed "hands-on" report I've seen on
	USENET.  Enjoy!  -Dan]

	I had a chance to see in person (and actually use) an Amiga 4000 at a
Commodore private show held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada last Tuesday.
[MODERATOR'S NOTE:  That would be either September 22 or 29, 1992.]

	My feelings?  Nice machine.  The AGA shines in 256 colours, and the
HAM8 is awesome.  I converted an IFF24 ray-tracing image into Productivity
(VGA) 640x480 in HAM8 on ADPro, and the result was really fine, considering
that I was using a really cheap 1960 monitor.

	Speed?  Around 3.4 times an Amiga 3000 (in an average of the tests I
have done), just under the Mercury [68040] board from PP&S.  In AIBB, it got
a nice 4.7 millions instructions by second (AIBB ratings here, not "MIPS"
standard) against my 2.2 figures on my A3000.

	Graphics speed?  Really nice.  Under 64 colors, you can get around
the same speed of a 2 bit-plane WB on A3000.  Above that, the speed decreases
to the figures of the actual 16 colors WB.  So:

Colors on A4000 | Feels like x colors on A3000
----------------|-----------------------------
	    2   |     2
	    4   |     2
	    8   |     2
	   16   |     2+
	   32   |     4
	   64   |     8
	  128   |     16 more or less.
	  256   |     16+

	These are, of course, "subjective" results, and depend purely on my
point of view.  These "tests" were done in MULTISCAN:Productivity mode
(640x480).  In general, the screens/refreshes/windows/blits are a lot faster
than those of the ECS chipset.

	Another sad thing to note here; there's no flickerFixer in the
A4000, so even if you activate the Mode Promotion in IControl preferences,
some programs will force 15khz displays (the most "notorious" was DeluxePaint
IV).  Also, for the same reasons, to obtain a "flickerfixed" screen, you
must use "DblNTSC" or "DblPAL" display modes.  If you use old NTSC:  or
PAL:  modes, you will get a flickered screen.  So forget you NEC 3FGx, 4FG,
or even better Sony's CPD-1304 for example as they doesn't supports 15khz
modes.  The only mode in fact that will work with those monitors is the
MULTISCAN:  modes.  Also note that in DblNTSC:  mode, the maximum overscan
is less than actual ECS modes (around 454 in y, if I remember right).
There's NO overscan in MULTISCAN: modes (the gadgets are ghosted)!

	[MODERATOR'S NOTE:  I did not understand the above paragraph, since
	Commodore employees on USENET have stated that the AGA chipset has
	relieved the need for a flickerfixer.  So, I asked David to clarify
	it.  It seems that OS 3.0 uses a "Display Database" through which
	applications open their screens.  Some programs like DPaint IV do
	not use the Display Database and run into trouble.  Here are David's
	words:

	"Well, to de-interlace the Workbench, you must use "doubled monitor"
	modes (like DblNTSC or DblPAL).  When you put your Workbench in one
	of these modes, you will end up with a 29.xx to 31.5khz screen.  If
	you select "Mode Promotion" in IControl, every screen that opens
	using standard OS calls using the Display Database will be promoted
	to the WB screen refresh rate.  However, many programs DO NOT USE
	the Display Database (like DPaint IV), so their normal NTSC: (or
	PAL:) screen will be displayed at 15khz.  Intuition accepts the
	request and displays a 15khz screen.  If the screen is in interlaced
	mode, screen will flicker.  If a normal non-interlaced screen is
	requested, you will see scanlines.  Although the AGA can output at
	31.5khz, it is not a flickerfixer."

	Thanks, David.  I realize that some of the explanation above talks
	about AmigaOS 3.0 features that some of us are not familiar with
	yet.  If you are uncertain about what is being explained here, I
	recommend you talk to your dealer or ask on USENET.  - Dan]

	The 800x600 mode is INTERLACED.

	The hard drive?  Well, the one I played with was equipped with an
awfully slow A2090 (or was it A2091) SCSI card, and DiskSpeed reported a 50k
transfer average rate.  The other machine (where all the people were) seemed
a little faster and was using a Western Digital Caviar 280MB hard drive.
(Sorry, no figures here.)

	The machine I saw was a pre-production model.  Jumpers were fixed on
some circuits of the main board.  Some chips are clearly marked as being
manufactured by NCR.  The board was clean, and the CPU board was "hidden"
under the drive bay.  However, the SIMMS are nicely located, at the front
left corner, so you don't have to play "get the screwdrivers" for more than
the external ones (nice IMHO).

	The look?  Well, kind of cheap.  It feels like a PC clone.  The
keyboard doesn't have the same feeling as the A3000 one (which I love).  The
case is about the same height as, but somewhat larger than, the A3000 one.
And both Amiga 4000's I saw had the old-wimpy mouse, not the nice pregnant
mouse.  I don't know why.

	The price?  Some rumours say 2,500$ for developers in Canada.  Around
3,500$ for Mr. Joe Public.  (In Canadian dollars of course; surely less in
USA).

	When?  One week to receive the official price list.  Two more weeks
to get them.  Alex Orgill (C= rep in Canada) was clear on that.

	Conclusion?  Nice machine.  If you don't mind the interlaced screens
of some programs, a not so bad raw speed transfer rate on IDE drives
(eventually, you will buy a SCSI-2 card :-)) and you want horse power
(against the old ECS) in terms of graphics rendering and computing, go for
the Amiga 4000.  For those who want to know, I'll keep my faithful A3000.

---

   Daniel Barrett, Moderator, comp.sys.amiga.reviews
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