From: easton@zds-oem.zds.com (Jeff Easton)
Subject: Re: HELP, Please: The mysterious A1200
Organization: Zenith Data Systems, OEM Systems Engineering
Date: Thu, 07 Jan 1993 01:14:02 GMT

In article <1993Jan6.175340.4630@ncsu.edu> jmbrantl@eos.ncsu.edu (JOHN MICHAEL BRANTLY) writes:
>
>HeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeelp!!!!!
>
>I have just ordered the following items:
>
>A1200 ($599 w/powerup deal)
>130MB 3.5" Seagate IDE HD ($274 from FLEX USA)
>NEC 4D Monitor ($499 [closeout] from FLEX USA)
>40pin IDE connector (approx 1.5')
>
>OK.  This stuff should all be on my computer desk in 4-5 days.  I did a lot of 
>"information hunting" to find out if I could use the 3.5" IDE HD externally
>and the NEC 4D to use all the graphics modes. However, I have two things I'd
>like to discuss:
>
>(1) the monitor. I feel confident that it will work- the 4D syncs down to 15khz
>    and has Max. sync rates way up there.  The only thing I am worried about is
>    if the connecter is the same as the 1960.  Does anyone know??

  The Nec 4D will _not_ sync down to 15 kHz.  Its range is spec'ed at
30 kHz to 57 kHz Horizontal and 50 Hz to 90 Hz Vertical.  This is straight
from the users manual.

  The Nec 4D comes with a video cable that has a VGA style 15 pin connector.
I assume thats what the 1960 has.

>(2) the IDE HD.  Frankly, I'm worried and confused about using the 3.5" extern-
>    ally.  I have heard an equal number of people say it will DEFINITELY work,
>    It SHOULD work, It MIGHT work, and it might NOT work. No one has told me it
>  WILL NOT work, though. I have the following questions that remain unanswered:

  It will not work- reliably.

>     -do I need a 44pin (2.5" IDE) to 40pin (3.5" IDE) adaptor cable?

  Yes.  I'll bet you have to make this yourself.  I've never seen one where
I work, and we use a mix of both sizes.

>     -do 3.5" and 2.5" drives use the same amount of power??

  No.  3.5" drives use +5V and +12V (for the motor).  The drive can require
in excess of 1 Amp at +12V to spin up the drive.  The 2.5" only use +5V
for both the logic and the motor.  Since they are really targeted for
notebook applications, the are designed to draw considerably less current.

>    -can I use a 8" long (or longer) IDE cable??? I have heard noise is a prob.

  George Robbins said that the IDE lines are not buffered to handle long
transmission lines.  With 8" you are inviting disaster.

>     -Does HD installation software come with the non-hd A1200??? If not, where
>      can I get it???

  No.  The install disk is left out.  See if you can talk your dealer out
of a copy or see a friend with a A4000.

>If what I got all works out, I will have gotten one heck of a deal on a computer
>system.  I sold my A2000 w/1084 and 80MB HD for $1000, and this system is only
>costing me about $375 more than that.  I don't understand why the 1200 is so
>"mysterious" though!  Why do I have to hunt all over for this info.  C= should
>get off their duffs and make answers to questions like mine available!!!!

  Your out on a limb by yourself on this one.  C= never intended for the
A1200 to be HD upgraded by the user.  It appears this was suppose to be
a dealer thing.

>Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me out!! THANKS

  My advice (for what its worth), trade the 3.5" for a 2.5" drive and 
get a monitor that can sync down to 15 kHz.  The 4D is livable, but 
everyso often you need that 15 kHz mode (like when you first power it
up).


-- 
  ___  ___    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 quiet generation
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware