HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: lionel@cs.city.ac.uk (Lionel Tun)
Subject: Re: HP 550C Released
Keywords: HP 550C 500C Color Printer
Organization: City University, London
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 92 12:19:04 GMT

In article <uzun.718479898@crash> uzun@crash.cts.com (Roger Uzun) writes:
>For anyone curious I just saw the HP 550C printer at a local
>store.  Same as the 500C except:
>1) handles auto envelope feed of up to 20 envelopes (vs manual)
>2) Handles executive (smaller than 8.5X11) paper
>3) Can have buffer carts installed where font carts are.
>4) Has both Black Ink and Color ink carts online at all times.

Aha! That was the _one_ niggle I had with an otherwise `perfect'
product.

--
Lionel Tun   (lionel@cs.city.ac.uk)
Vision Group, City University, London, EC1V 0HB. 071-477 8000 x 3889
From: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: New Amiga(s) Expansion/Future
Date: 13 Oct 92 23:17:38 GMT
Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA

In article <1be5chINNs0l@crane.doc.ic.ac.uk> ad2@doc.ic.ac.uk (Ahmad Durrani) writes:
> In article <35814@cbmvax.commodore.com> daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) writes:
> 
> >Expansion via sockets has always been discouraged and never supported by
> >Commodore.  Devices that go there tax the machine's power supply and are
> >often flakey.  The expansion edge might have been kept, but it can't be
> >kept forever, it's in the way of the memory card map and can't be supported
> >on non-68000 systems.
> >
> [...etc...]
> 
> Did Commodore not supply the A590 20Mb hard disk for the A500, which went
> on the expansion port ? Surely they must have supported that !

We "support" properly designed peripheral devices that plug into the expansion
port and tolerate A501 clones that plug into the underside slot.

We have never "supported" devices that plug into chip sockets such as internal
processor accellerators and memory expansions, >512K (or 1M on A500+) A501
memory expanders or daisey chained expansion port devices.

-- 
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
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: oahvenla@silver-surfer.cs.hut.fi (Osma Ahvenlampi)
Subject: DMA with accelerators
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, CS lab
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1992 22:37:52 GMT

As I'm considering options for accelerating my A500, this is pretty important
for me. Some recent discussions led me to thinking that maybe 68000 slot
based accelators don't support DMA into their 32bit RAM, thus slowing the hard
drive horribly, while taking lots of processor time. Is this true, or does it
apply to only some of the 68000 slot accelerators? If latter, which?
As I already have an SCSI interface, I'm not very enthusiastic about those
costly expansion slot accelerators incorporating SCSI, like GVP A530. But if
that's the only way to get the 32bit RAM DMAable, I won't have much choice..
I don't really need all that kick though, a 68020 and 68881 would be enough.
Is there anyone out there in netland with experience on A500 accelerating?
--
Osma Ahvenlampi  -  oahvenla@niksula.cs.hut.fi
My opinions are mine, and though someone else may share them, that's not my
fault. You may freely agree or disagree with me, I don't much care.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: mr_scary@lakes.trenton.sc.us (Chris Hurley)
Subject: Re: Amiga 4000 is HERE : )
Organization: Lakes Public Access
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 14:07:57 GMT

barrett@iastate.edu (Marc N Barrett) writes:

>    Are you now confirming that no upgrades to the Alice chip are being planne
> as updates to existing systems?  If not, then why are you saying that the
> devotion of three pins as additional addressing pins is not the "true path to
> the future"?
> 
> ---
> | Marc Barrett -MB-  |  email: barrett@iastate.edu
> --------------------------------------------------

Give him a break!  He is not confirming anything about the future 
direction of anything.  He is saying that a decision made in the past has 
not beared fruit at this time.  It may at some point, it may not.
It is ridiculous to see Marc N. Barrett repeatedly posting derrogatory 
messages about *everything*.  You must be a terribly unhappy person, 
Marc.
From: daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Clinton/Gore (Was: A4000 graphics)
Date: 14 Oct 92 19:08:23 GMT
Reply-To: daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA

>| Marc Barrett -MB-  |  email: barrett@iastate.edu
>--------------------------------------------------
>      Slick Willie Clinton: JUST SAY NO!!!
       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

So if Bill and Al win, MB gets annoyed?  This is advice from the same guy who's
wisdom on Amigas is so well known.  I guess if I hadn't already decided on
Clinton/Gore, that would cinch it for me.

	"Vote Clinton/Gore: Haynie like 'em, MB doesn't"
-- 
Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Cool Advanced High-End Systems You Can't See Yet)
 "The Crew That Never Rests"  {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh   BIX: hazy
              "I got a pocket full of kryptonite" -Spin Doctors
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: easton@zds-oem.zds.com (Jeff Easton)
Subject: Re: A4000 Hardware questions
Organization: Zenith Data Systems, OEM Systems Engineering
Date: Fri, 09 Oct 1992 15:52:50 GMT

In article <35683@cbmvax.commodore.com> grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins) writes:
>In article <AHANSFOR.92Oct8001638@ee.WPI.EDU> ahansfor@ee.WPI.EDU (Andrew L. Hansford) writes:
>> 
>> I assume the A4000 still uses the 8520's.  Are there any plans to fold
>> the functionaliy of these into a CMOS ASIC design?
>
>We've considered this from time to time and may do it in the future,
>but the problem is that these are the kind of IC's that Commodore
>can make very cheaply in the in-house IC fab and conversion of olde
>custom NMOS chips to ASIC's isn't neccessarily as straightforward
>as you would expect.

  All true...  Also, unless something has changed in the A4000, most of
the CIA pins go directly to the parallel port with no external buffering.
All you amiga buffs that like to 'hot switch' cables without powering 
everything off first run the risk of blowing CIA's.  In an ASIC design
with no buffers, the stakes are even higher if you smoke it.  More $$$.

-- 
  ___  ___    Jeff Easton             easton@zds-oem.zds.com
 (__  (__     Zenith Data Systems     j.easton@mi04.zds.com
 ___) ___)    Saint Joseph, Mich.     easton@andrews.edu
Monte Carlo   Z-LS/20 - Choice of a quite generation
From: 2ftqkiln@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: HELP!!!! Code blue! 3000
Date: 14 Oct 92 00:29:22 CDT
Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Services

ok, my 3000 is in MAJOR trouble, we're talking code blue here!
when i power her up is all that happens is the power light 
blinks on and off without accessing the hard drive or floppy drive.
Its not a loose backplane or overheating, and its not that the
Rom daughterboard is corroded in any way(i thought that might be
it because it doesn't even try to go to the hardrive) and its
not a loose SCSI cable. Anyone have any other suggestions?
I really would rather not take it to the ripoff palace that 
my authorized service center is if at all possibly avoidable.
ANY suggestions would be welcomed, cause i just don't have a 
couple hundred extra dolars hanging around....
Thanks in advance         -Dave
From: kcd@cbmvax.commodore.com (Ken Dyke - Amiga Networking)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: A4000 Processor
Date: 11 Oct 92 15:18:43 GMT
Reply-To: kcd@cbmvax.commodore.com (Ken Dyke - Amiga Networking)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA

In article <19.2ad76157@ivgate> john.haubrich@mtask.omahug.org writes:
>Someone stated recently that the A4000
>had a 68EC040 processor (without MMU or FPU).  Is this true?

No.  The A4000 has a full 68040 with MMU and FPU.




-- 
Kenneth Dyke - Software Engineer            Internet: kcd@cbmvax.commodore.com 
Amiga Networking Group                      BIX: kcd     Phone: (215) 344-3014
"PPP?  You *must* be joking..."                      INCLUDE "stddisclaimer.i"
From: colin@netgate.fido.de (Colin Hirsch)
Sender: uucp@netgate.fido.de
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Replacing internal floppy on A2500 - help, please
Date: 08 Oct 92  21:34:50 GMT

[7 -ct -2 ] James Kuzeja (2:245/41.100) wrote:
 JK> I am trying to drop a new floppy drive into my friend's Amiga 2500.
 JK> The drive I have has been modified to handle disk change correctly,
 JK> and works fine when I put it in the external floppy case.  However,
 JK> when I hook it up to the internal drive cable, the disk access light
 JK> goes on and stay on (and of course the motor is spinning).
 [...]
If the light goes on and stays on it seems that there ist either a problem
with the motor flip-flop or (more likely [speaking from own experience])
there is some fault in the conection to the floppy. You should triple
check all floppy connectors as they have been the cause for many sleepless
nights :-)
Bye, Colin
**          Colin Hirsch
            UUCP: colin@netgate.fido.de
            fido:   2:245/41.9
---
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: earl@rtsg.mot.com (Brent R. Earl)
Subject: Re: max partition size (1.3 and/or 2.04)?
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 01:45:03 GMT

When I first low-leveled the drive (gvp hc+2 with fastroms)
it was showing 108/108/107 for partitions.  Just now
checking with fastprep, it shows 74m for each partition, and
info shows 76/76/75.
                                                          
The drive stuff read from fastprep: maxtor LXT-340S rev6.57
size 324m, lowcyl 1, highcyl 1556, heads 7, sectors 42, blocks 665154
partition dh3 starts at cyl 1 up to 520
partition dh4 starts at cyl 521 up to 1039
partition dh4 starts at cyl 1040 up to 1556

Hope this is enough to go on.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: uzun@crash.cts.com (Roger Uzun)
Subject: HP 550C Released
Date: 7 Oct 92 17:44:58 GMT
Keywords: HP 550C 500C Color Printer

For anyone curious I just saw the HP 550C printer at a local
store.  Same as the 500C except:
1) handles auto envelope feed of up to 20 envelopes (vs manual)
2) Handles executive (smaller than 8.5X11) paper
3) Can have buffer carts installed where font carts are.
4) Has both Black Ink and Color ink carts online at all times.

4) sounds good, but since carts are same on the 500C as on the 550C,
the Black ink does not adhere well to Jet Paper, and the
Color Ink looks somewhat faded on plain paper, so although
you can use true black with color on plain paper docs, 
the results for color are not too good.

-Roger
--------------------------------------------------------------
bix: ruzun
NET: uzun@crash.cts.com
Xref: sparky comp.sys.amiga.hardware:17185 comp.sys.amiga.misc:15171
From: jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware,comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: A4000 disk performance solution
Date: 14 Oct 92 18:10:11 GMT
Reply-To: jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA


	Many people have been commenting on low disk performance on production
A4000's.   The solution is simple: reformat and restore.  The partitions are
formatted as OFS because of a glitch in the production sequence (which is being
corrected).
	
	For sys:, it should be easy to copy it to work:sys ("copy sys: work:sys
all clone"), reformat the boot partition, and copy the files back.  Work: can
be done in a similar way, if you haven't installed too much on it.  If you
have, you'll have to backup/restore, or re-install packages from floppy/etc.
The dostypes in the RDB are correct (DOS\3), so a "format drive <blah:> name
<foo> quick" should be fine.
		
	There are some other minor glitches in the master drive being
duplicated that you may wish to correct, such as no languages being installed
by default, and no keymaps.  These can be easily installed from floppy if you
need them.  The installation disk is correct and will build the partitions and
files correctly.

	Please note the disclaimer in my .sig.  This should bring disk
performance levels WAY up.

-- 
To be or not to be = 0xff
-
Randell Jesup, Jack-of-quite-a-few-trades, Commodore Engineering.
{uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!jesup, jesup@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com  BIX: rjesup  
Disclaimer: Nothing I say is anything other than my personal opinion.
From: jazz@netcom.com (David C. Navas)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: A4000 anim speed?
Date: 9 Oct 92 00:53:54 GMT
Article-I.D.: netcom.1992Oct9.005354.3765
Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.programmer
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)

[Note followup line]
In article <35657@cbmvax.commodore.com> mks@cbmvax.commodore.com (Michael Sinz) writes:
>Yes, the system calls in Release 3 that do double
>buffering can do it basically the same speed in all
>of the video modes.  Well over 2000fps...

I've seen this number, but not the processor it goes along with.
I somehow assume that this is an A4000 number (ie: '040), in which
case, on an A500, this overhead is far too high.  Of course,
the speed may not translate linearly across platforms because of
the "split bus" architecture.  I think we'd all like numbers for:
	a) 500/600
	b) 3000
	c) 4000

Let me explain why I'm not impressed by this number.  I have, on my
A3000, some AVL routines.  They are semaphored, -always-, when
accessed.  My semaphore routines allocate semaphore nodes, they are
not hardcoded into a structure like Exec semaphores are.  In addition,
the binary nodes are -also- not hardcoded into the structures that
are added into the binary tree, they too are allocated on the fly.
For a 256 node tree, I get 3500 -pairs- of Add/Remove node calls per
second.  On my A3000/25Mhz.  I'm not sure I understand why there's so
much overhead on what is (in my incredibly naive belief) a rather simple
matter of changing eight pointers in a copper list.  Any explanation of
what else is happening in the system would be appreciated!

On the otherhand, if this is the number for the A500, then I offer my
congrats to you!

-- 
David Navas                                   	jazz@netcom.com
Co-author of: Web Data Acq. and Anal.		dnavas@oracle.com
Upcoming products: Shadow V, Jazzbench 2.0.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: copes@cs.curtin.edu.au (Simon Cope)
Subject: Re: DMAfix, MMR, GVP (to Oleg Rovner)
Organization: Curtin University of Technology
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 04:48:05 GMT

bmccnnll@unix1.tcd.ie (Barry McConnell) writes:


>>How much CPU time is left when you are doing IO with the Series II?

>With my LP120S:

>MKSoft DiskSpeed 4.1  Copyright ) 1989-91 MKSoft Development
>------------------------------------------------------------
>CPU: 68030  OS Version: 37.175  Normal Video DMA
>Device:  dh4:    Buffers: 50
>Comments: GVP into 32-bit RAM

>CPU Speed Rating: 2066

>Testing with a 1048576 byte, MEMF_FAST, LONG-aligned buffer.
>Create file:       930000 bytes/sec  |  CPU Available: 44%
>Write to file:    1094800 bytes/sec  |  CPU Available: 47%
>Read from file:   1060357 bytes/sec  |  CPU Available: 46%

Yes, well.  My A3000 averages around 70% cpu (from memory), with the same 
transfer rates, but only with 512k buffer and a 52LPS.

>>I am considering an upgrade from my Trumpcard which only does
>>PIO and it gets really annoying using an '030 for this...

If you already have an 030, then get a GrandSlam card.  It is faster than 
the Impact ones, which I was told by a hacker only DMA onto an on card buffer
then use the cpu to move it....Their 030 cards are better.  They can dma into
the 32 bit ram on them.

>Yup! :-)

Nup.

>> Oleg

>Barry.

--
copes
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware,comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
From: skip@tacky.cs.olemiss.edu (Skip Sauls)
Subject: Re: A4000 graphics
Organization: University of Mississippi, Dept. of Computer Science
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 05:28:42 GMT

In article <Bw30It.IE@news.iastate.edu> barrett@iastate.edu (Marc N Barrett) writes:
>In article <1992Oct12.215514.6713@ra.msstate.edu> skip@tacky.cs.olemiss.edu (Skip Sauls) writes:
>>I believe that some folks are upset that the max-overscan is something
>>like 676 under the DblBLAH modes instead of 724 under BLAH with the
>>flickerfixer on the A3000.  Personally, I'm willing to give up those 48 
>>pixels for the extra speed, color, etc., but some folks may not be.  
>
>   I have said this before, and I don't know why I have to keep saying it.

Yeah, like you don't say the same thing over and over again anyway.

>The point for many people (especially myself) is not the magnitude of the
>decrease in non-interlaced resolution from the A3000 to the A4000.  The 
>point is that the resolution has not been improved at all.  Several months

The screens may not be taller or wider, but they are certainly deeper.
Why can't you acknowledge what has been improved instead of constantly
harping on what has not?  Do you think that somehow your posts will 
have any more effect on the next Amiga (A5000 or whatever) than your
posts complaining about the A3000 did on the A4000.

>ago, somebody asked me about features that would have to be in the A4000
>for me to accept it as satisfactory.  One of the ones that I stated was
>800x600 non-interlaced resolution, and many people agreed with me.  (I am
>pretty sure one of them was you, BTW)

If I was in agreement with you, I must have been drunk or possibly delirious
from working under MS-DOS.  While there is no denying that such a mode would
have been nice, I'm certainly not going to let the fact that it was not
included make me crazy or anything.  If you'd try to be a little more rational
and reasonable about your posts, you might not be the subject of a killfile
campaign.

Do you really enjoy being the subject of so much ridicule and hatred?  It
is not natural for human beings to consistently act in such a way and you'd
do well to either restrain yourself or get help.

>| Marc Barrett -MB-  |  email: barrett@iastate.edu
>--------------------------------------------------
>      Slick Willie Clinton: JUST SAY NO!!!

Skip Sauls
skip@tacky.cs.olemiss.edu
From: bevis@en.ecn.purdue.edu (Jeff Bevis)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: New Machines
Date: 7 Oct 92 05:42:20 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <1992Oct7.040403.22619@spartan.ac.BrockU.CA> tmc@spartan.ac.BrockU.CA (Timothy Matthew Ciceran) writes:
>In article <1992Oct6.151717.10570@hubcap.clemson.edu> taylors@hubcap.clemson.edu (C. Taylor Sutherland III) writes:
>
>>Is there a possibility of C= releasing a 030 based A4000 and with maybe
>
>At the Canadian unveiling of the A4000, Commodore indicated that two
>machines would be forthcoming, one of which would be the A1200. No details
>concerning hardware specs or pricing were mentioned, aside from the fact
>that delivery would be before Christmas. I'd put my money on the Fall
>COMDEX (as was alluded to in the CBM follow-up to the Robinson article).

I've seen rumors to this effect before.  And, as I want AGA almost 
as much as I wish Bill Clinton would disappear, I've been selling off
assets and saving cash at every opportunity.  I'm about ready to 
plunk down $1500 or so for a new machine.  All I need is the machine. 

When is the Fall COMDEX, anyhow?  Soon, I hope.  Then maybe it won't be
long 'till we see what else C= has up its sleeve.  Oh, how I want a new
machine.  My A1000 is sooo antiquated (although still surprising functional).


-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Oh, my beloved ice cream bar!  How I love to lick your creamy center -- and
your oh-so-nutty chocolate covering.  You're not like the others -- you like
the same things I do! Wax paper... boiled football leather... dog breath!" -Ren
From: dac@dacami.cmhnet.org (David Culberson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: A4000 graphics
Distribution: world
X-NewsSoftware: GRn 1.16e (7/4/92) by Mike Schwartz & Michael B. Smith
Date: 11 Oct 92 23:52:38 EST
Organization: Culberson Plaza.  (One Marconi Place, Inc.)

In article <35747@cbmvax.commodore.com> lassa@cbmvax.commodore.com (Paul Lassa) writes:
> With the A2320's bypass switch set, all new AA display resolutions will route
> through the A2320 on a single cable to your monitor.
> Realize however, that the A2320 only resolves to the 12 bit color of the older
> Amigas, while the AA chipset now produces 24 bit color.

  This is true.  But, won't any software that is recent enough to support
the 24 bit modes on the 4000 be smart enough to support the DBLpal/NTSC
modes?

            David

-- 
(- dac@dacami.cmhnet.org  -  cis.ohio-state.edu!n8emr!jcnpc!dacami!dac -)
(- David Culberson - Site available for BMS transactions! - DUUCP 1.16 -)
From: lionel@cs.city.ac.uk (Lionel Tun)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: 2nd internal floppy
Date: 13 Oct 92 11:08:47 GMT
Organization: City University, London

I am posting this as it may be useful...
------------------------------------------------------------------------
In comp.sys.amiga.hardware you ask:
> I am at it again! I tried to move the external 3.5" floppy from
> its own case to the spare 3.5" bay at the front of the A3000. I
> connected it up to the ribbon cable and the power cable. But it
> did not work...df0: showed up in `info' but did not respond.
> Df1: did not show up at all. Have I done something very silly?

Do both drives work simultaneously?

Well, you need to change the drive select switch or jumpers on the second
diskette drive.  These are numbered 1 & 2 on IBM PC compatible drives, and
1 to 4 on others, (eg TEAC).

The external and internal drive select numbers differ:
                First drive     Second drive    Third drive     Fourth drive
Internal            0               1               n/a         n/a
External            n/a             0               1           2

[FYI: All external Amiga drive units start with drive 0, if a daisy chain
    output is provided the output drive 0 select is the next free one.
    So a double drive unit would connect the incoming drive 2 select signal
    to the outgoing drive 0 select.]

All other configuration jumpers should be the same for internal & external use.


Hope this helps,
Anthony Naggs
Software/Electronics Engineer                   P O Box 1080, Peacehaven
                                                East Sussex  BN10 8PZ
Phone: +44 273 589701                           Great Britain
Email: (c/o Univ of Brighton) amn@vms.brighton.ac.uk  or  xa329@city.ac.uk

--
Lionel Tun   (lionel@cs.city.ac.uk)
Vision Group, City University, London, EC1V 0HB. 071-477 8000 x 3889
From: dfisk@level10.UUCP (David Fisk)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: A4000 w/ currently available SCSI boards
Distribution: world
X-NewsSoftware: GRn 1.16e (7/4/92) by Mike Schwartz & Michael B. Smith
Date: 7 Oct 92 16:21:20 EST
Organization: Dave's Amiga

I've got a hardware question. I run the BBS for a local user group which runs
on a 3000 that is provided by a local retailer. This machine is his store demo
unit and the BBS runs in the background. Very soon he is going to get a 4000
and the BBS is going to make the move to the new machine. Right now the system
is pretty much self-contained on 2 SCSI hard drives and a CDROM.

What I need to know is:

1) Can the 4000 support a second IDE drive?

2) If I cannot wait for CBM's SCSI-II card, what is my best alternative.

Dave...
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"A thousand points of light...Some of them are still burning" - Robin Williams

  David Fisk - dfisk%level10@merk.com          ...uunet!merk!level10!dfisk
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware