HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: erd@kumiss.cmhnet.org (Ethan Dicks)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Parity
Date: 12 Nov 92 00:44:50 GMT
Organization: Not an Organization
Keywords: parity RAM errors.
Summary: parity not always a good idea
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]

EDC (Error Detection and Correction) is also known as ECC (why, I don't
know).  On Unibus VAXen, ECC memory is 10 bits/byte; it can *correct*
single bit errors and detect double bit errors.

I have seen various statistical studies on memory showing that parity
is not as good as it seems because now you've got 9 bits that can
possibly fail, not just 8.  ECC is good because even though there
are 10 bits/byte, single bit errors (the most common by far) are
correctable.

As for stray Alpha particles causing bit errors... Early 64K DRAMs
manufactured by Intel suffered from numerous single bit errors.  The
source turned out to be radioactive isotopes in the ceramic substrate.
Intel decided that the cells would have to be more robust since the
level of radioactivity could not be altered.  [NB: I may be misremembering
the memory density]

-ethan
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: charlet@hubcap.clemson.edu (Charles E "Rick" Taylor IV)
Subject: Re: Is a 6mb 1200 available???
Organization: Clemson University
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 01:05:41 GMT

DennyA@cup.portal.com (Denny Lee Atkin) writes:

>NewMedia sells a 4MB PCMCIA card designed specifically for the A600
>and A1200. It's available through most Amiga dealers. It's not
>battery-backed, and can only be used as system RAM.

>Note that you don't want to use the PCMCIA route for RAM
>expansion--memory in the trap door slot will be MUCH faster since
>PCMCIA is only 16-bit.

Anybody have any info on future 1200 expansion products?  i.e. RAM/SCSI cards,
Accelerators, etc.  Since it's supposedly out overseas, maybe someone's heard
something?

Or how about an external HD floppy.  That'd make my day. :)

>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Denny Atkin                | dennya@cup.portal.com          | "No matter where

-- 
+ Rick __     + EMAIL:charlet@hubcap.clemson.edu +   //\          + /|\ It's +
|      /aylor | IRC  : Tomalek / The Romulan     | \X/--\miga 500 |  J rainy |
+-------------+----------------------------------+----------------+----------+
+ "Every Girl Already Has A Boyfriend" --- Murphy's Law Of Dating...         +
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: rtillery@crash.cts.com (Rick Tillery)
Subject: Re: Need a Hard Drive List that works with A3000
Organization: CTS Network Services (crash, ctsnet), El Cajon, CA
Date: 11 Nov 92 17:27:46 PST

In article <stephan.721500502@cwis> stephan@cwis.unomaha.edu (Mark Stephan) writes:
>
>
>I have one of the first Amiga 3000 with the 40mg hard drives.  I have
>heard that there are problems connecting different hard drives to the
>Amiga 3000.  Does anyone have a list of the Hard Drives to stay away
>from

Really!?  I hadn't heard this and I haven't had my A3000's stock drive
in my computer since I bought it (more below).

>???  Also, can someone with the same configuration as I have tell me
>where I can get a 200mg or bigger Hard Drive (The type of the drive, 
>size of the drive, how long you have had it, are you running straight
>2.00 or are you running both 1.3 and 2.0 )  Because I know there are
>several people out there are wanting to add a extra hard drive to their
>system but they do not want to pay for something that does not work.  
>Since, Commordore is not going to help the custmer with this problem
>I thought I might get the ball overing.  I forgot to ask where you got
>the drive and how much the drive costed you.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Mark Stephan

I replaced my computer's 52 meg drive (my condolences on your 40 meg one)
as soon as I bought it (I included it with my A2000+GVP A3001+Microbotics
Hardframe so I could keep my 210).  I have been running with a Quantum
210 and an external (obviously) SyQuest 44 meg drive since that time.
Let's see, that was at the end of the power-up program last year so that's
about what...last October...about 13 months, without a single problem.
I've also had a CD-ROM attached and another external Quantum (40 meg I
think) without any problems.

If you would like more info, let me know.

 __________________________________________________________________
|                                                                  |
| Rick Tillery ( RTillery@crash.cts.com  RTillery@cup.portal.com ) |
|                     The displaced Razorback!                     |
|      Amiga - The underdog computer with a superhero's power.     |
| N.I.N.J.A.J.I.S. - "I refuse to donate an aloft fornication."-RT |
|__________________________________________________________________|
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: val@news.ccutah.edu (Val Kartchner)
Subject: Re: Networking?  WHY?!?
Organization: University of Utah Computer Center
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 92 19:41:36 GMT

jbono@tension.UUCP (John Bono) writes:
: > Right now, I'd be willing to pay the $100 each for ethernet capabilities in
: > my two machines.  However, ethernet cards are $250 each,
: > parallel<->ethernet and SCSI<->ethernet are even more expensive.
: > Additionally, the parallel port adapter will take up my parallel port
: > (Which ParNet already does), and I won't gain anything.
:
: The big problem with an El cheapo networking solution like appletalk is that
: 1) it far too slow to be used in any real, heavy-duty large scale networking
: environment, and 2) the additional costs aren't justified for the bulk of the
: users out there(not just for Amigas, but all users). ....

1) Apple comes with STANDARD networking hardward.  Sure AppleTalk is slow,
   but existant is better than non-existand.  Do you really want Apple to
   be superior in anything?

2) How much would it be to add a port than can do AppleTalk?  It's a serial
   port that can go very fast.  End-user prices for a serial port card for
   a clone is $9.

   I can use ParNet for networking, but it only connects one computer to
   another.  I can string ParNet and SerNet together to get a ring network,
   but then how do I use my modem or my printer?  I'd buy ethernet, but it's
   $250 for my A2000 and not available for my A1000 (unless I buy a
   SCSI<->ethernet adaptor which is even more expensive).

   I'd like ACCESS.bus which provides 14 peripherals on one connector, and
   I hope that Commodore chooses it.  (ACCESS.bus provides for only one
   computer on the bus, but I assume that third-parties will provide
   bridge connections.)
--
|===== The previous was my opinion -- val@csulx.weber.edu =====///============|
| "AMIGA: The computer for the creative mind." (tm) Commodore /// Weber State |
| "Macintosh: The computer for the rest of us."(tm) Apple \\\///  University  |
|============== "I think, therefore I AMiga." =============\///=== Ogden, UT =|
From: Aric.Caley@ofa123.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Floppy size in 1200?
X-Sender: newtout 0.02 Nov  5 1992
Date: 11 Nov 92  11:11:02

> Organization: Max-Planck-Institut f"ur Radioastronomie
> From: mlelstv@speckled.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de (Michael van Elst)
> Message-ID: 1992Nov10.040046.12561@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de
> Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
>
> In <1992Nov6.003622.22353@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>
> dmacphee@nyx.cs.du.edu (Don mac phee) writes:
> > The common arguement given by C= is that 90% of the masses have no use
> for
> >a feature in a low-end machine. I can see several for the 1200:
>
> I think the real argument is: sorry, we have the floppy controller built
> into the chipset which limits us to DD floppies. To use HD floppies we
> need some overhaul of the chipset (forthcoming, expensive) or a special
> drive (still expensive).

I  really  can't  understand  why they could not improve Paula to handle HD
floppies.   It  doesnt  seem  like  it would be that hard to do, we're only
talking  double  the  speed  of  something thats not very fast in the first
place.   I  hope the next chipset will at *least* double, if not quadruple,
the  speed of the floppy disk hardware.  There's 4 times the bandwidth with
AGA  already, so a 4 times speed increase to the floppy hardware should fit
in nicely.  And that would allow for 1.76MB and 3.52MB floppies.

> > Data interchange: From exchanging nude .gifs to Postscript files.
>
> Agreed.

Amiga  OS  3.0,  included  with  all  AGA  machines  (A1200 and A4000), has
something  called  "DataTypes", which is just what you want.  Right now, it
has  "drivers" for IFF ILBM pictures, IFF 8SVX sounds, AmigaGuide, and text
files.   As  soon  as  more  people  get  3.0  machines, we'll start seeing
datatype  drivers  for other formats like GIF, JPEG, etc, and hopefully for
other  kinds  of  data,  like wordprocessor files (drivers for wordperfect,
ProWrite, Final copy, etc), music files (SMUS, MED, ST, etc), etc.

Extremely nifty idea.  Three cheers to the people who thought this up!

> Regards,
> --
> Michael van Elst
> UUCP:     universe!local-cluster!milky-
> way!sol!earth!uunet!unido!mpirbn!p554mve
> Internet: p554mve@mpirbn.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de
>                                "A potential Snark may lurk in every tree."

 - Dances With Coyotes - World's slowest programer -Given that the universe-
 ---------------------------------------------------is infinate, and god is-
 ------------ And the fat lady sings... ------------all powerful, would you-
 ---------------------------------------------------like some toast?       -


--- Maximus 2.00
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: jagrizza@uncc.edu (James A Grizzard)
Subject: Re: does this device exist?
Reply-To: jagrizza@uncc.edu
Organization: University of NC at Charlotte
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 04:26:33 GMT

In article E34@fc.hp.com, koren@fc.hp.com (Steve Koren) writes:
>Martin Black (22black@sol.cs.wmich.edu) wrote:
>
>> Well Any genlock should work.  Just bring up a black screen on your amiga,
>> and you will be able just amiga m to it.  Of course they are like $200.
>
>That is the wrong direction.  All the genlock advertizements I see say
>"NTSC Composite video out".  That's not what I need; I want NTSC _in_, and
>analog (separated) RGB out.  But thanks anyway.
>
>  - steve

such devices do exist....

they aren't THAT expensive, but they're not $.10 a dozen, either...

wouldnt know where to look to get one tho...
From: mueller@hydra.cs.unc.edu (Carl Mueller)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: A1200 keyboard (A600 owners?)
Date: 5 Nov 92 21:10:09 GMT
Article-I.D.: borg.17238
Organization: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

bell@ufp.enet.dec.com () writes:
>Hi.  I got the A1200.gif, and I notice that the A1200 keyboard is
>different from my A500 by two keys.
>...
>Does anyone know what the heck they are?  I assume that they're on the
>A600 and A4000 keyboards as well.

You forget that Commodore is an international company, and makes
machines targetted for different international markets.  The gif
shows a machine with a particular European keyboard design.

The key beside the left shift most likely has the < > symbols on
it, and I have no clue what the other one is.  I'd guess \ |,
since that's what's there on this silly DEC keyboard I'm using,
but then what's in the top row?

-Carl (mueller@cs.unc.edu)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: ejames@venus.iucf.indiana.edu (ERIC JAMES)
Subject: Blizzard board
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4   
Reply-To: ejames@venus.iucf.indiana.edu
Organization: nothing
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 18:58:02 GMT

   I am thinking about buying the Blizzard board, and wondered if anyone had
any experiance with it.  I can't remember who makes it, but it is a memory
expansion board with a 68000 running at 16 MHz.  I have been told if you don't
populate the board with any memory, you will not notice much difference in
speed.  But if you put memory on the board it will greatly increase system
preformance.

     Dose anyone have any experiance with this board?  If so what do yoy
think of it.

   Thanks,

   Eric James
   ejames@venus.iucf.indiana.edu

Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: tmc@spartan.ac.BrockU.CA (Tim Ciceran)
Subject: PCMCIA card slot 
Organization: Brock University, St. Catharines Ontario
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 05:08:27 GMT

In article <36782@cbmvax.commodore.com> grr@cbmvax.commodore.com
(George Robbins) writes:

>16-bit, but "fast" in the sense that there is no chip memory contention.
>In the A1200, depending on video modes, this may or may not be faster
>than chip ram.

That being the case, could the PCMCIA card slot accommodate items such as
a SCSI adaptor, DSP module or 16-bit audio extension? Very little has
been said as to how this differentiates between the CPU expansion slot.
Could you speculate as to what the PCMCIA slot would be best suited for?

Xref: sparky comp.sys.amiga.hardware:18971 comp.sys.amiga.graphics:7201
From: kontos@clipper.ingr.com (Thorne Kontos)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware,comp.sys.amiga.graphics
Subject: 3D Scanner available
Keywords: I am in no way associated with these people...
Date: 4 Nov 92 22:21:51 GMT
Organization: Intergraph Advanced Processor Division - Palo Alto, CA


     In an Iris magazine (published for Silicon Graphics users), I 
came across an ad for a 3-D scanner. I am sorry that I do not have
more information at the present time, but it does appear to do just
what it says. It scans a real world object and converts it to 
something for use in an animation program. If I get any literature
from them, I'll summarize it here...Looks to be a great tool for
people doing serious work in CAD/CAM or for those heavily into Imagine.

             The address is: Cyberware
                             8 Harris Court
                             Monterey, CA 93940
   
                             Phone: 408-373-1441
                             Fax:   408-373-3582
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: tomlin@elec.canterbury.ac.nz (Mark Tomlinson)
Subject: Re: Some autoconfig questions
Organization: Electrical Engineering, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 23:12:47 GMT

Dave Haynie (daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com) wrote:
: In article <1992Nov4.015332.16124@ida.liu.se> ricwe@ida.liu.se (Rickard Westman) writes:
: 
: >b) Since I am building this board for my own use only, the product and
: >   manufacturer number are quite unnecessary.  I have heard, however, that 
: >   certain numbers (such as 0) wouldn't work.  Is there any set of numbers 
: >   that are guaranteed not to be used in "real" products, so that I could
: >   avoid possible (but unlikely) collisions?
: 
: There's a "hacker id" reserved for such things, $2011.
: 
: Dave Haynie / Commodore Technology, High-End Amiga Systems Design (cool stuff)

Oops!! A mistake from Dave Haynie - what's happening! The hacker id is 2011
decimal, or $7DB. Does this mean that DH has been working too hard on the
A5000...

Cheers... Mark
From: rross@axelon.UUCP (Raymond Ross)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: CHEAP A2000 speedup??
Date: 9 Nov 92 23:31:43 PST
Organization: Superboard Two BBS

   Yes, I've looked at quite a few ways of doing it-- I own several Amigas and
they are all about to get a major upgrade so that they can keep up with some of
the animation-requirements in my computer store.  I recommend the Adspeed by
ICD, Inc or the Mega-Midget Racers (although to use them you have to open up
the Amiga and remove the CPU to install a daughterboard).  It's quite reliable,
though-- I've installed Qwikstart II AND ADIDE in an A1000 and it involved some
soldering but the stuff works like a charm :)
From: thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Parity
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 92 19:23:56 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)

In article <erd.04mw@kumiss.cmhnet.org> erd@kumiss.cmhnet.org (Ethan Dicks)
writes:

|  EDC (Error Detection and Correction) is also known as ECC (why, I don't
|  know).  [...]

"ECC" == "Error Correction and Control."

|  [...]
|  As for stray Alpha particles causing bit errors... Early 64K DRAMs
|  manufactured by Intel suffered from numerous single bit errors.  The
|  source turned out to be radioactive isotopes in the ceramic substrate.
|  Intel decided that the cells would have to be more robust since the
|  level of radioactivity could not be altered.  [...]

The "problem" is more insidious.  All "fired" ceramics, fireplace bricks,
coffee mugs, jewelry, etc. emit low-level radioactivity.  If you have a brick
fireplace and sit on the bricks, you'll acquire more radiation than if you
lived in Denver; if you live in Denver (1 mile high) AND sit on fireplace
bricks, your butt is gonna get toasted!  :-) :-)

Actually, life NEEDS "some" radiation to survive.  I recall a report written
in (perhaps) Scientic American decades ago about research performed on a
mountaintop in Switzerland.  In a controlled experiment, a control group of
plants was shieled from background radiation, and the subject group of plants
was left exposed (to the background radiation); the control group died (for
lack of ANY radiation).

The situation is different with High Voltage power lines.  Was just reading
a report today from the EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute (Palo Alto,
CA)) re: the conference in San Diego this week.  Seems the 15-year tests
performed by the Swedish and Danish show a clear link between leukemia and
residence near high voltage power lines.

There is also an excellent summary on page 2 of today's San Francisco
Chronicle by David Perlman (Chronicle Science Editor) on this same subject.

Thad Floryan [ thad@btr.com, thad@cup.portal.com ]
From: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Upgrading an A600 to A600HD
Date: 5 Nov 92 05:21:21 GMT
Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA

In article <10000060@hpmwmat.sr.hp.com> mikep@hpmwtd.sr.hp.com (Mike Powell) writes:
> 
> 	Is it possible/easy to install a hard drive inside
> 	an A600?  My understanding is that the 600 has the
> 	HD control built on to the motherboard....
> 
> 	Is it as easy as 'open the case, drop it in, close the case'?

The controller is "built in", but there's a pretty good chance that
the ROM's shipped with the system don't include the IDE support.
Commodore, of course, sells hard drive upgrade kits for the A600.

-- 
George Robbins - now working for,     work:   to be avoided at all costs...
but no way officially representing:   uucp:   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr
Commodore, Engineering Department     domain: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com
From: daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Some autoconfig questions
Date: 5 Nov 92 20:41:54 GMT
Reply-To: daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA

In article <1992Nov4.015332.16124@ida.liu.se> ricwe@ida.liu.se (Rickard Westman) writes:
>I am designing a small autoconfiguring board for my A1000, ...

>a) The base address register is documented as being at offset $48/$4A.  
>   This suggests that the base address is given to the board through
>   two successive writes (each setting one nybble).  

The protocol requires the least significant nybble to be written to $4A, then
the whole byte is written to $48 and the board is configured.  This allows 
hardware to use two 4-bit or one 8-bit latch.

>b) Since I am building this board for my own use only, the product and
>   manufacturer number are quite unnecessary.  I have heard, however, that 
>   certain numbers (such as 0) wouldn't work.  Is there any set of numbers 
>   that are guaranteed not to be used in "real" products, so that I could
>   avoid possible (but unlikely) collisions?

There's a "hacker id" reserved for such things, $2011.

>c) There doesn't seem to be a way to tell the Amiga that I won't use the
>   "optional control status register" at $40/$42.  Is there?  

That register is obselete.  Since it's in "write" space, you can just ignore
it completely.

>d) (Not an autoconfig question, but I throw it in, as well...)  How much
>   current can I draw from the A1000 expansion port?  A somewhat suspect
>   source tells me 1A - is this correct?  

The A1000 specs permitted 1A from the expansion port.  The A1000 supply was a
bit overrated, something like 8A @ +5V, and the motherboard couldn't use more
than 4 or so.  If you don't have the system full of add-on goodies, you should
not have a problem going a bit over 1A.  I wouldn't suggest that for a 
commercial product, since you don't know what kind of setup the arbitrary
user has, so the port limits prevent anyone from having to work out a power
budget.  For your own use, you can know just what's connected.

-- 
Dave Haynie / Commodore Technology, High-End Amiga Systems Design (cool stuff)
 "The Crew That Never Rests"  {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh   BIX: hazy
		SCIENCE:	"I'll believe it when I see it"  
		RELIGION:	"I'll see it when I believe it"

Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: oahvenla@snakemail.hut.fi (Osma Ahvenlampi)
Subject: Re: Amiga -> X-10 or IR control
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, Finland
Date: 06 Nov 92 18:39:25 GMT

In article <1992Nov4.220016.28580@ils.nwu.edu> knyal@ils.nwu.edu (Jarrett Knyal) writes:
   In article <1992Nov4.015752.2774@cis.ohio-state.edu>
   abend@toto.cis.ohio-state.edu (dan edward abend) writes:
   >X-10 Home Automation System
   >   Has anyone managed to interface their Amiga to the X-10 home automation
   >   system for control of X-10 devices?  I have a controller which connects
   >   my PC's serial port to an X-10 sender that plugs into an outlet.  I
   >   only have some example code and supplied C libraries so I can't easily
   >   port this to work on my Amiga.  Since the PC doesn't multitask, this
   >   hardware just sits in its box.

   Wow, I didn't think anyone else had this set-up.  I bought the X-10 interfac
   thinking that I saw something on a Fish disk about a controller.  Well, if
   there is one, I never found it.  I began looking for a commercial product to
   control the X-10 and finally found one ic AC's Amizing guide to the Amiga (a
   great resource for EVERYTHING Amiga, BTW).  It's called Ami X-10 and it work
   great!  Great features and interface.  The $60 pricetag was a little steep b
   for me it was well worth it; my whole house is X-10'd.  If anyone is interes
   in where to get this prodoct, just tell me and I'll get the name and # of th
   manufacturer.  You also need to get a 9 pin to 25 pin serial adaptor to hook
   up to the Amiga.

A stupid question: What's X-10? From 'Home Automation' I'd guess it's some kind
of turn-on-the-lights-automatically-and-make-coffee-in-the-morning system, but
how advanced? How does it work, what can I plug into it and what does it
require? Sounds pretty interesting... Where can I hear more about it?
--
Osma Ahvenlampi  -  oahvenla@snakemail.hut.fi
This article does not necessarily represent anyone's opinions, not even mine.
If you are offended by this article, be so in silence. I am not interested.
From: Damian_Maxwell@guru.apana.org.au (Damian Maxwell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: A1200 keyboards
Distribution: world
Date: 5 Nov 92 23:06:58 +1100
Organization: Guru Meditation BBS

this, I guess is really directed to George Robbins. (he ought to know the
answer 8-)

On the A1200 (which, from the specs, I *LOVE* already), is the keyboard set
up like that on the 500 ie, keyboard+matrix->serial adaptor in one assembly
with  serial between it and the 'computer' or is it more like the 600 ie,
keyboard mechanicals by itself with membran wire to main board?

If it is like the 600, are th clk and data lines easily accessable? (snip,
snip 8-)

Thanks.


-- Via DLG Pro v0.995

                   Damian_Maxwell@guru.apana.org.au
                         another Amigafreak.
A500, AT case, 60 meg IDE, 2.5 megs ram.  All I need now is the '040 board!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
             WHY???................Because it's an amiga.

Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware