From: easton@zds-oem.zds.com (Jeff Easton)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: Re: Questions about the A1200 ...
Date: 27 Dec 92 15:13:58 GMT
Article-I.D.: zds-oem.1992Dec27.151358.23776
Organization: Zenith Data Systems, OEM Systems Engineering

In article <1hjev2INNc4f@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> bu951@po.cwru.edu (Brian R. Beeler) writes:
>--------
>
>     I'll be buying a new  computer in ~2 months and have been looking
>at the A1200, but have  some questions (which I'm sure are in the FAQ,
>but I can't seem to find one):

[...]

>2. Hardware
>    A. Ethernet. I want to use this in a lab that's running thin coax.
>       Can I use a "parallel port -> ethernet card-in-a-mini-case ->
>       coax" adaptor?

  On an A1200 you would do better if you used a PCMCIA network adapter
from the likes of D-Link or Xircom.  You would have to make sure that
there was a driver for your adapter of choice though.

>    B. Overall quality of C= stuff. Are you happy with it?

  I'm happy with my A1200, so far.

>    C. Floppy drives. I need to read/write MS-DOS/UNIX 1.44m floppies.

  Currently the A1200 only has a 880k floppy.  You can use the supplied
Cross DOS program to read and write 720k MSDOS floppies.

>    D. Monitors. What's best for the Amiga?

  On an AGA equipped machine (A1200 or A4000) a multisync that scans
from 15.75k Hz to 31.5k Hz or greater would do nicely.  So far I've
used a Nec 3D and, after locking the scan rate at 31.5k Hz, I've also
tried a ZDS 1492 FTM (VGA only) and a Nec 4D (31.5k Hz on up).

>    E. RAM. What is "fast" RAM?

  Its RAM that is not used by the custom chips (video, audio, etc).  Since
the processor doesnt have to share access's with this ram, it is "faster'.
The A1200 out of the box doesnt come with any fast RAM.  You would need
to buy a board that goes in the trap door slot on the bottom of the case.

>3. Other
>    A. A recommendation of a good Amiga dealer.

  There is a dealer from Utah that posts on the net occasionally.  I
dont remember his name, as I have no plans to go to Utah. :-)
(This assumes you live in Utah, as I saw it in one of your addresses)

>     I presently use [at  work] a 386 running MS-Windows (which, IMHO,
>is the most pathetic excuse for a "windowing" system I've ever used.).
>It crashes >3  times  a  week, can't download a file and run ANY other
>apps. smoothly at the  same  time, it can't run my x.400 email program
>and keep the NetWare  drivers  in memory, etc.. For me, MS-DOS cuts it
>on my Toshiba T1000SE, but I wouldn't use  [on my own desktop]  MS-Win 
>if someone paid me.

  If net connected means hooking the A1200 up to a Novell network,
check with Oxxi Inc, on their Amiga Client Software for Novell Networks.
Make sure they are supporting the adapter you plan to use.

  Also, C= sells a TCPIP package.

>     As for Macs,  I  like  them, but system 7.x is a little buggy and
>dollar-for-dollar the A1200 seems like the better deal.
>     Even if I can't get all the apps I want/need, I'll probably still 
>buy the A1200.
>     Thanks for bandwidth, time, help.
>
>                           Shalom,
>
>                           Brian
>
>
>PS: FYI: Microsoft came to my company two weeks ago and showed us 
>"Windows NT". It crashes ever better than MSWin 3.1.   

  :-)  Exactly the same experience I had with it.  :-)

>Brian R. Beeler              bu951@po.cwru.edu        

-- 
  ___  ___    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.misc