HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: terjesa@ifi.uio.no (Terje Sannum)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: 1MB chipram with 8371 Agnus.
Date: 10 Apr 92 15:05:50 GMT
Organization: Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
Originator: terjesa@holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no


   In the February issue of Amiga Format there is an article about WB2 and
the new custom chips. It says that the 8371 Agnus can give you 1MB
ChipRAM, but does not have ECS. Is this true?

   I did the chipram mod; switch JP2 and cut the _EXRAM line, but this
doesn't seem to work. Sysinfo tells me that I got 1MB chip, but when
filling up the memory with samples in Protracker/SoundTracker the last
instruments get trashed. It looks like they get put in the new chipram
area (>$80000), but played from the lower. Many other programs look
wierd or crashes.

   So what do I have to do to get this hack to work? I have a rev.5 A500
with A501 and KS1.2 ROM. Is it the KS version that can't handle 1MB
chip??

--                                                       __      __
 SNAIL:               EMAIL:                             \ \    / /
  Terje Sannum         Internet: terjesa@ifi.uio.no       \ \  / /
  Kringkollen 14 B     UUCP:  ...!uunet!ifi!terjesa        \ \/ /
  N-0690 OSLO 6                                             \  /
  Norway                 Hey poor, you don't have            \/
                           to be poor anymore!         control im here
From: esser@en.ecn.purdue.edu (Chris Esser)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Seagate Drives
Date: 13 Apr 92 21:27:39 GMT
Article-I.D.: en.1992Apr13.212739.11868
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <3118@cs.rit.edu> dsg6397@cs.rit.edu (David S Greenberg) writes:
>
>	I was wondering what makes Seagate drives so terrible??
>	I've been using a 296N (80 Meg) for 5 years now without a problem.
>	I am not trying to "have an attitude" I am just curious..
>
>						Dave


I am currently on my third seagate drive.  My first one lasted 3 months; my
second one was a refurbished replacement, banged up, scratched, and reeking
of cigarette smoke; I was finally able to obtain my third one after sending
four letters, certified return receipt, to the president of Seagate, and for
waiting nearly two months.  Throughout this ordeal, much unfinished code
for projects that I had been working on was lost and irrecoverable.  Granted,
I had backups, but since backing up an 85 Meg HD takes a considerable amount
of disks, they were a few weeks out of date.  Seagate drives are slow and
noisy -- disconnect the power from yours, and you will be amazed how quiet 
the room suddenly is...  Their customer service reps are inconsiderate --
I was essentially told "So what if your drive crashed -- ours crash all the
time!"  Comforting, isn't it?  I found them very insincere, and it took
far too long for them to send me a useable replacement (four months, from 
the first to the third drive).

All in all, I will NEVER purchase another Seagate Hard Drive again, and 
recommend against anyone else doing such.

-Chris
Xref: sparky comp.sys.amiga.hardware:8807 comp.sys.amiga.misc:8490
From: jc@crosfield.co.uk (jerry cullingford)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware,comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: Re: What is A1500 ?
Date: 14 Apr 92 12:47:41 GMT
Reply-To: jc@crosfield.co.uk (jerry cullingford)
Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.hardware,comp.sys.amiga.misc
Organization: Crosfield Electronics, Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom.

In article <pad.703132821@probitas> pad@probitas.cs.utas.edu.au (Paul A Daniels) writes:
>
>Does anyone have any of the specs for the 1500 which is a new case for the 500?
>Does it cause a few compatablity problems? How many 2000 slot's does it give 
>you, etc? How much does it cost? Can you still use something like your
>GVP series II?     

It's basically two metal cases (one for the keyboard) and a bit of cable.
Horrendously overpriced and largely overhyped, IMHO.

As far as I know, the 2000 slots are still vaporware. The original idea
(about two years or so back, when it first appeared) was that they'd do
another box that fitted on top of the base unit, with the 2000 slots in.
They kept promising it real soon now, but it always seemed to be delayed...

I think you can (for extra $$$$) get them to add an internal video slot,
but that's it as far as I know, unless they've changed recently. Last I
heard, the 2000 slots had been delayed again while they worked on a tower
version.

If you want a metal case, It's a reasonable product at a high price. If
you want more, then I'd wait until the extras you want are definately
available, or buy a real 1500 :-).

I've been somewhat dubious about their pricing ever since I saw what they
were charging for HAM-E units.

-- 
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+     |
| Jerry Cullingford  #include <std.disclaimer>     +44 442 230000 |   ,-|--
| jc@crosfield.co.uk (was jc@cel.co.uk) or jc@cel.uucp      x3868 |   \_|__
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+ \___/
From: peterk@public.sub.org (Peter Kittel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: is there going to be a 386 BB?
Date: 10 Apr 92 13:43:28 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: Public News & Mailserver, Commodore Germany PM UNIX, Frankfurt

kxgj@vax5.cit.cornell.edu writes:

>Could anybody tell of the latest rumors about a '386 board from Commo
>(like 2088 and the 2286)?  

It's fact and it's even shipping here since some days. But no, I haven't
the specs list at hand. From my head: 386SX-20, 1 MB RAM, expandable to
8 MB on board, floppy switcher circuit to make you able to use your
Amiga 3.5" drive as drive A: with 720 MB, same video modes (text, CGA)
as 2088 and 2286. It's called A2386SX.

-- 
Best regards, Dr. Peter Kittel  // E-Mail to  \\  Only my personal opinions... 
Commodore Frankfurt, Germany  \X/ {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!cbmger!peterk
From: rovero@oc.nps.navy.mil (Josh Rovero)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Puzzle Factory, Inc. I/O Expansion Board support?
Date: 7 Apr 92 06:24:18 GMT
Organization: Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey CA

Well, I have one of these too, with the same files.

The parallel ports come off the larger of the two boards.
There are two serial ports on each I/O boards; you need two of
these to get 4 serial ports.

Try writing or calling Jeff Lavin at the Puzzle Factory.  He was
the author of the Amazing Article.

-- 
Josh Rovero   (rovero@oc.nps.navy.mil) | or Internet 5346p@cc.nps.navy.mil 
Department of Oceanography, Code OC/Rv |      Bitnet 5346p@NAVPGS 
Naval Postgraduate School              |              
Monterey, CA  93943   (408) 646-2084   |
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
From: blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com (Dances With Bikers)
Subject: Re: NEC MultiSync 3FG am Amiga 3000
Reply-To: blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 19:26:16 GMT

Fred_M_Hamilton@cup.portal.com writes:
>The one problem I'm having is that the image in the center of the screen
>is a little blurry when the brightness and contrast are at what I consider
>normal levels.  I'm not sure if this is just my monitor or if they all do
>this, I'm trying to figure that out now.

That's just the focus adjustment. It's fairly simple to adjust, but the
knob you need is located inside the display, on the high voltage
circuit, and is often right next to the HV adjust knob, and careless
tweaking of that one can burn your CRT. Opening up your display will also
void the warranty, so I'd take it back to the shop you bought it from,
and have them adjust it. (Assuming they have a competent service
department).
-- 
Blaine Gardner @ Evans & Sutherland        580 Arapeen Drive, SLC, Utah 84108
blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com  uunet!javelin.sim.es.com!blgardne  BIX: blaine_g
DoD #46               My other motorcycle is a Quadracer.              FJ1200
From: cpw8034@zeus.tamu.edu (CHI PIN WEN)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Death of Pirating
Date: 11 Apr 92 23:44:00 GMT
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

>After all if people can't afford it then Pirating is the next best thing.

The term affordable is relative.  By your suggestion, pirating wouldn't
stop until software is little more than the price of a quality blank disk.

Or... if the price of the software package is less than what someone feels
is the trouble in Xerox'ing the manual and the time to copy the disk.

I'm a believer in industrial strength copy protection as long as it doesn't
hinder the efficiency of the software in the process.  Yeah, I know, it
is rarely the case...  wishful thinking though.  :)

Otherwise, I don't really have a solution.  Too bad it's not like music
or video where the copy is usually of lesser quality than the original.
However, I don't know how the CD and DAT combo would change that.

a  l  a  n
From: mkoch@amisys.UUCP (Mike Koch)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re:  A3000/Toaster
Date: 15 Apr 92 07:12:54 GMT
Organization: AMiSYS Consulting

In article <3750@vtserf.cc.vt.edu> ee23042f@vttcf.cc.vt.edu (Zaphod Beeblebrox) writes:
>
>  What exactly does the modification entail?  Is it just widening the slot
>  opening to accomodate a BNC connector?  I'm having some trouble picturing
>  this, since I haven't actually seen the Toaster card.

Not exactly.  You do need to widen the slot, but by doing this you lose the
lone screw hole used to fasten the Toaster card.  You'll still have to make a
little bracket to hold the card in place.  We fabricated one and welded it
onto the chassis, but there are easier solutions.

>  Also, there was some mention of having an Amiga dealer do this.  If I could
>  find one that would, would it still invalidate my warranty?

Undoubtedly.  This kind of modification is not something Commodore would
sanction, and rightly so.

   Mike

--

=============================================================================
Mike Koch      {uunet,rutgers}!cbmvax!rehab1!amisys!mkoch     CI$: 70017,2677
From: nix@phoenix.oulu.fi (Tero Manninen)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: CIA test programs.
Date: 8 Apr 92 22:09:58 GMT
Reply-To: nix@stekt.oulu.fi
Organization: University of Oulu, Finland
In-reply-to: Damian_Maxwell@guru.pub.uu.oz.au's message of 28 Mar 92 03:02:50 GMT


On 28 Mar 92 03:02:50 GMT,
Damian_Maxwell@guru.pub.uu.oz.au (Damian Maxwell) said:

> Seeings as most flakey/faulty amigas have blown part of a CIA, why doesn't
> someone write a program to test the CIAs??
> For a full test, you would obviously need a little hardware with LEDs and
> switches to test the I/O lines, but the rest (I assume) could be tested via
> software.
> Does such a program (with or without) the hardware exist?

There is a simple CIA-A (error in ticks/sec) test in SysInfo (v2.60)
program by Nic Wilson.  You can find this program from Fish disk #619.
I have not seen any other programs that have IO-chip tests.

++Tero
From: olorin@treff.zer.de (Martin Hanff)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re:PCB Design
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 92 20:28:47 GMT

From: olorin@treff.zer.de (Martin Hanff, Krefeld, Germany)

Hello,

-> Where would a person go about getting a cheap PC Board manufactuered?

do it yourself, if it is not too complicated.

-> design a PCB and have a couple boards printed up.  It's not a complicated
-> design , only 2 layers, and I have access to several layout programs
-> on the PC and Sun.  So I've got the design, so where do I go to have
-> the board printed up?  Cheap? and in small quantities?

   Hm,  this makes it difficult to have it done by a professional
pcb-manufacturer.   The problem is, that you not only have to pay
for  the boards themselves, but for some setup work, which has to
be  done.   The  prices  for the boards depend on their size, the
number of holes, the number of different drill-tools used and the
required  technology.   The second factor - the setups:  You have
to  have  some  films (Gerber, Marconi, HPGL) plotted.  These are
relatively  cheap,  if  the  board  is  not  too  complex.   Some
companies  get  payed  for  the  time the plot lasts, some design
their prices according to the KBs of plot data.  We do that, e.g.
You  need  a  film for each part layer, one for each solder mask,
and  - if you need - one overlay.  You also need a drill program.
Any  good  PCB-Utility  should  have a postprocess for that.  The
setup  has  some  more details I will not mention here.  One is a
test drill.
   Oh,  I  forgot  one  thing:   If you want to have it made in a
rather short time you have to pay extra charges (up to 100%).

-> There is no way it can be done on any of those 'homemade' PCB kits
-> since it is much too complex.

   What makes it so complex?  See, the problem is, that producing
small  quantities  is relatively much more expensive than a bunch
of  50  or 100.  The fraction of the fixed costs per pcb decrease
with  the  increasing  number of pcbs.  So check out, if you have
enough  potential  customers  to sell such an amount.  I guess it
makes  no  sense,  if  I  told  you our prices, because I am from
Germany.  If you are interested in infos anyway, contact me.

Have a nice day


           Martin.

--
'I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor!'
From J.R.R Tolkien's 'The Lord Of The Rings - The Fellowship Of The Ring'?

-- THE ANSWER V2.01
From: d87mt@efd.lth.se (Magnus Thelander)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Orientation of A2000?
Date: 9 Apr 92 16:35:54 GMT
Reply-To: d87mt@efd.lth.se (Magnus Thelander)
Organization: Lund Institute of Technology, Sweden

In article <1992Apr06.095850.23924@public.sub.org> peterk@public.sub.org (Peter Kittel) writes:
>The official advice is though to low-level format a harddrive when 
>changing its orientation.

I can't low-level format a Quantum SCSI drive, can I?

I've also been told, that I shouldn't use with the harddrives up-side-
down (the PCB/controller up). Correct?

Magnus
From: voyager@treff.zer.de (Roland Gorisch)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: USE AMIGA-HD FOR PC (SERIAL PORT)?T
Date: 10 Apr 92 04:45:03 GMT

Hi Guys,

I wondered, if there is any possibility to use part of an Amiga HD for my
386-type PC. What I mean is, can I link the two with a serial cable, start
twinexpress (software for datatransfers amiga -pc and vice versa) and
access an (pc-formatted!) amiga-partition from the pc-side of twinexpress?

I know, that there is no way booting the PC from the amiga, but can I
access a drive c: or d: on an Amiga HD?

How can I format the amiga patition, so that the PC recognizes it later?

I hope, you understand what I mean:-)

Thanks in advance,

Roland





--->              AMTARI PROFESSIONAL 4.0 DEVELOPMENT             <---

-- THE ANSWER V2.01
From: jordan@castor.cs.uga.edu (CHARLES JORDAN)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Amiga Idiot Needs Help with Memory
Date: 8 Apr 92 18:23:42 GMT
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens
Originator: jordan@gaia

I'm looking to upgrade my A500 but have become very confused by all the
memory and hard drive configurations available.

A "local" dealer told me the only memory expansion other than the basic 512K
would be $179 for 1 MB, and about $200 for 2MB, and I don't believe it was
expandable if I ever needed more.             
For the Macintosh, at least, memory expansion is ridiculously inexpensive --
I've seen 1MB SIMMS for around forty bucks.  I understand these aren't
compatible with an Amiga, unless I buy an expensive memory card like the
ones I mentioned above.
Also, I've seen hard drive/memory combinations, hard drive/controller
combinations, memory/accelerator combinations, and frankly I don't understand
what's going on...

I use my Amiga for programming and animation, for recreation and not
business.  I can't see myself needing an accelerator, or more than 3 megs
of memory or more than a 40 meg hard drive.  What's the best course to
take, memory- and hard disk-wise?  

Thanks in advance for any advice, tips, explanations...

Chuck

-- 
		Chuck Jordan  |  jordan@castor.cs.uga.edu
"You don't necessarily have to be swallowed up by a black hole..."
"But it helps!"				-- Mystery Science Theater 3000
Xref: sparky comp.sys.amiga.hardware:8487 comp.sys.amiga.advocacy:12003
From: mykes@amiga0.SF-Bay.ORG (Mike Schwartz)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware,comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: Will the Blitter become redundant?
Distribution: world
X-NewsSoftware: Amiga GRn V1.28 2/25/92 (Beta) by Mike Schwartz
Date: 6 Apr 92 18:05:47 PST
Organization: Amiga makes it possible

In article <1992Apr5.164634.10574@cccan.uucp> entity@cccan.uucp (Cybernetworx) writes:
>In article <mykes.2035@amiga0.SF-Bay.ORG> mykes@amiga0.SF-Bay.ORG (Mike Schwartz) writes:
>>
>>SNES has no blitter, just sprites.
>
>Maybe the SNES doesn't have a blitter per se, but they definitely have SOME
>kind of hardware in there that handles bitmap rotation and scaling.  Look at
>SNES games, and you'll notice EVERY SINGLE ONE of them uses bitmap
>scaling/rotation.  Even if it's just for their title sequence.  They're not
>all writing fast scaling/rotation routines.. it's in the hardware.  Call it
>what you like, blitter or otherwise, but it's in there...

The SPRITES feature scaling and rotating.  OK?

--
Author of Amiga GRn, MailMinder, Budokan, Beyond Dark Castle, Dark Castle,
and Genesis Dick Tracy and Marble Madness.
Mike Schwartz  (ames!zorch!amiga0!mykes or mykes@amiga0.sf-bay.org)
1124 Fremont Ave.
Los Altos, CA 94024
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Saturday, 11 Apr 1992 01:43:08 EDT
From: <JBK4@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: A3000/Toaster

The Toaster 2.0 software does work with the ECS Denise but despite what you
may think of the 3000T's size, the Toaster doesn't fit and there are no
plans to modify the Toaster to fit.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  //  /"| |\/| | /"" |"\  "They say it hums if you remove the shell."
\X/  /""| |  | | \_T |""\
Jason Koszarsky
JBK4@psuvm.psu.edu        THE AMIGA GROUP (TAG)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: kintel@solan.unit.no (Marius Kintel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: GVP-problems almost SOLVED!
Date: 7 Apr 92 17:37:15 GMT
Article-I.D.: ugle.1992Apr7.173715.5438
Organization: Norwegian Institute of Technology

I recently had some problems with my GVP HD  for A500.
I believe that lots of other GVP-owners have had the same problems (at least in
Europe):
The HD just stop spinning every now and then. It stops for a couple of seconds
and then start again.

The reason for this seems to be the Power-supply, NOT the HD itself.
I just opened the supply, blew away some dust, and closed it again.
Now everything seems to work just OK!

Marius Kintel
From: garyf@wang.com (Gary Field)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: SCSI signal termination question
Date: 16 Apr 92 14:02:55 GMT
Organization: Wang Labs, Lowell MA, USA

app@shamash.cdc.com ( GSD Advanced Packing/Processes) writes:

>I'm having trouble getting my Spartan SCSI interface to work with an
>external hard drive (Fujitsu).  

>I bought the drive from a Macintosh mail order outfit and it has a
>resistor terminator pack in it for the SCSI signals.  I'm not sure
>what the values are.

>My SCSI interface has a 330/220 ohm resistor network for each SCSI
>signal.  

>Should there be voltage dividers on each end of the SCSI cable (I
>only have one drive)?

>I was doing some probing with my scope and it looks like when the
>controller on the interface end is sending a high level signal, the
>voltage goes to approx.  3 volts.  From this I would guess that the
>drivers are open collector outputs and the high level is determined
>by the resistor network.

>The confusing thing is, when the hard drive is driving the SCSI
>signals, the high level output voltage goes all the way to 5 volts.
>Is there some kind of incopatability here or what?

>I know that 3 volts and 5 volts would be seen as high, but I've seen
>strange things happen with logic when an input signal level exceeds
>the supply voltage of the chip.  (The external hard drive has it's
>own power supply, while my interface is being powered by my A500.

>Another strange thing is that when I turn off power to my A500, but
>leave the power on on the hard drive, the A500 stays powered up!

>Pin 26 of the SCSI cable is tied directly to the 5 volt supply of my
>A500.  This signal is referred to as Terminating power of the SCSI
>cable.  My guess is that this voltage should be used by the drive
>as power for the voltage dividers and should be seperate from the
>drive's power source.  When I cut this trace my A500 does not stay
>powered up when I leave the drive on.

>Any insights to this would be greatley appreciated.

It sounds to me like your host adapter is supplying terminator power
in an illegal manner. It should supply it through a diode and a 1 Amp.
fuse. The drive can optionally do the same.
As for the Voltage levels you're seeing, I can't imagine how they could
ever be 5 Volts. All SCSI signals are supposed to be OPEN COLLECTOR.
That means they can only pull the signal to ground or let it float up
to the terminator Voltage (about 3 Volts). The terminators should be
wired such that they provide a 220 Ohm pullup and a 330 Ohm pulldown
for each signal. Perhaps some resistor packs are installed backward
or something.
Gary

-- 

/*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Gary A. Field - WA1GRC, Wang Labs M/S 019-72B, 1 Industrial Ave      
   Lowell, MA 01851-5161,  (508) 967-2514, email: garyf@wiis.wang.com
-----------  Anything not worth doing, is not worth doing well. -----------*/
From: Krzysztof@netxsys.UUCP (Krzysztof Adamski)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re:  Quantum Drives - Are they reliable?
Date: 8 Apr 92 18:19:08 EST
Distribution: world
Organization: NetX Systems Inc.

In article <reaper.702235240@garfield.catt.ncsu.edu> reaper@garfield.catt.ncsu.edu (Jason Butler) writes:
>dmbrown@sandbox.kenn.wa.us (Don Brown) writes:
>
>>Can anyone vouch for the reliability of Quantum drives?
>>We had a 105 mb on one of our Suns go out recently, and I was
>>told that that particular drive model had some reliability 
>>problems.  A friend of mine has a 40 Mb drive that is
>>currently giving him fits, similar to the way the sun
>>drive was acting before it finally died.  Is this 
>>something you just expect with Quantum drive, or are
>>these isolated incidents?  The reason I'm asking is
>>that I've been considering purchasing a Quantum drive
>>for some time now, then these things ocurred.
>
>>Don
>Quantum drives are _VERY_ reliable.
If Quantum drives are so reliable why did one just die on me after three weeks 
of usage?

>
>  | reaper@catt.ncsu.edu               |   All opinions are           //   | 
>  | sophomore Electrical Engineering   |   probably true.            //    |
>  | In real life: Jason Butler         |                         \\ //     |
>  |                    ONLY AMIGA MAKES IT POSSIBLE!!             \X/      |

--
    Krzysztof Adamski	beltrix!netxsys!krzysztof
			or krzysztof.adamski%canrem@uunet.ca
			or !uunet.ca!canrem!krzysztof.adamski

    NetX Systems Inc. - Software solutions.