PS2NeXT manual ver. 1.0.1　

11/12/2009

1. Disclamer

• It is the same as PS2M0115. Please refer to the manual of PS2M0115.
  

  • This product is not fully verified about safety. It is created by amateur as a hobby, provided "as is" and without warranty of any kind.
  • Do not connect it with PC that must not breakdown.
  • It is not available with specific PC by the compatibility problem in the PS/2 interface.
  • Before using it,do the insulation processing as rolling with the friction tape.
  • It only support PS/2 scancode set 2.
  • The function to send a different scancode according to the situation of Ctrl, Alt, Shift, and NumLock is not supported.
  • Alt + PrintScreen pushing simultaneously is supported.
  • The content of this document may be changed at any time and without notice.
  • Reverse engineering is prohibited.
  • The firmware in the microprocessor cannot be backed up.
   

2. Correspondence keyboard

• It is only the following keyboard that confirms the operation.

The first term of NeXT non-adb keyboard (The return key is a straight line. )
NeXT non-adb keyboard latter term type US  (The return key is reverse-L character. )
NeXT non-adb keyboard latter term type JP  (The return key is reverse-L character. )

• The following keyboard never works.

NeXT adb keyboard
Canon   white NeXT keyboard

• The PC to confirm the operation is only the following.

SHARP Mebius PC-BJ100M (Linux)
OASYS V-BIBLO FMV-5100NU/W (Windows95)
NEC PC-MA10T ( Windows2000,Linux )

• USB-PS/2 converter to confirm the operation is only the following.

SMILE SA-BAR2
SANWA USB-CVPS1

• The following USB-PS/2 converter is assumed to be a support off the subject because there is a problem in operation.

Audio Technica ATC-USBPS2 
SIGMA PS2USB1BK

3. Feature

• The NeXT non-adb keyboard can be connected with PC with the PS/2 port.

• I do not think this kind of product to be marketed.

• The Fn key like HHK can be used.

• Left AlphaLock LED is allocated in CapsLock LED and right AlphaLock LED is allocated in NumLock LED.

• The customizing function and the Fn key function are attached as usual. It is possible to change key assign though left command keyis assigned Fn key in default.

4. Cabling

• The NeXT non-adb keyboard is connected with the Mini-Din5P port of this converter.

• Connect the converter to the PS/2 port with Mini-Din6P male - male cable. In Akihabara, it was sold for 300 yen-400 yen ..

5. Customizing of keyboard

• It is the same as PS2M0115. Please refer to the manual of PS2M0115.

6. Map of EEPROM

• An initial value is as follows.

0x00 00 FA F1 5D 5B 54 43 44 4D EB 00 70 71 DA 00 F2 
0x10 F4 69 6B 74 7A 79 F5 72 73 FD F0 66 55 4E 3E 46 
0x20 45 6C 75 7D 7B 7C 0E 5D CA 00 5A 52 4C 4B 41 49 
0x30 4A 1A 22 21 2A 32 3A 31 29 1C 1B 23 2B 34 42 3B 
0x40 33 0D 15 1D 24 2D 3C 35 2C 76 16 1E 26 25 3D 36 
0x50 2E 91 11 A7 9F 59 12 14 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
0x60 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
0x70 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 77 00 
0x80 54 F5 52 F4 4C EB 4A F2 4B FD 49 FA 42 EC 41 E9 
0x90 43 FC 44 7E 4D FE 66 F1 0D 58 5B F0 16 05 1E 06 
0xA0 26 04 25 0C 2E 03 36 0B 3D 83 3E 0A 46 01 45 09 
0xB0 4E 78 55 07 76 77 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 
0xC0 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 
0xD0 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 05 00 10 05 FF 9F 
0xE0 20 45 4A 16 4B 1E 4C 26 4D 25 50 2E 4F 36 4E 3D 
0xF0 1E 3E 1F 46 39 1C 35 32 33 21 3B 23 44 24 3C 2B

• The address map is as follows.

0x00-0x7F key scancode translation table(NeXT→PS/2)
0x80-0xBF Fn key translation table
0xDA PS/2 RX delay(x100us) ... default 0x05(0.5ms)
0xDB 0...with ten key   1...without ten key
0xDC PS/2 TX delay(x100us) ... default 0x10(1.6ms)
0xDD polling loop delay(x100us) ... default 0x05(0.5ms)
0xDE N/A
0xDF Fn key scancode(PS/2) ... defalut 0x9F(Left Win)
0xE0-0xFF 0-9,A-F key scancode translation table restore data(read only)

7. Explanation

• The PS/2 key scancode of S key and G key is 0x1B, and 0x34. The NeXT key scancode of that is 0x3A and 0x3D. If you set value 0x34 at address 0x3A,when the "S" key is pushed, "G" is input.

• The scancode of "2" key is 0x1E.The scancode of "F2" key is 0x06.Loog at the value of address 0x9E and 0x9F.

• If you set value of address 0xDB to 1,NumLock LED may be turned off at power on.

• 0xDA, 0xDC, and 0xDD need not change if converter is not unstable.

• The Fn key is voidable by the set of an unused PS/2 scancode in 0xDF.

• 0xE0-0xFF is read only.If you change the key assigh of 0-9,A-F key, It returns to the initial state according to the timing of the startup of the converter. In a word, an irreversible change cannot be done.

• After 5-10 seconds have passed since the converter startup, use the value of 0xDA-0xDF. Moreover, it is not used in "configure mode". In a word, even if the unexpected value is set, it is possible to retrieve.

8. How to use "configure mode"

• It is the same as PS2M0115. Please refer to the manual of PS2M0115.

9. Extra

 
 

from http://www.68k.org/~degs/nextkeyboard.html

NeXT keyboard bus

NeXT computer's non-adb bus hardware has been an annoyance for sometime to everyone whom is without documentation. This makes everyone. I dedicate this work to Dan Moore's pile of NeXTStations; thanks again for the NeXT to probe.Disclaimer: I can guarantee none of this information to be correct. These are my initial findings (as of 16 DEC 2003), and I won't bother to update this again until my playing is complete. It only took me a day of playing to be able to use the keyboard to send signals to my Mac via my USB board. I've also gotten the NeXT to accept emulated keyboard codes.

Hardware Overview

A serial signal of a partially unknown protocol comes from the NeXT and returns to the NeXT. The board has some OP-AMPS for the MIC input and DAC. The board also has a regulator which yields +5V for the keyboard/mouse combination. The serial signals are all a +5V potential from GND. The serial signal enters a custom ASIC made by Motorola (XC38LG002PR01 made in the 13th week of 1990). 
Attached to this custom ASIC are the following:
keyboard port (In/Out)
MC145503DW (In, microphone PCM encoding)
SAA7320GP (Out, DAC which uses the I2S serial bus)
PS3739 (mystery NeXT ASIC)

Monitor Bus Overview

The monitor bus connects the either the monitor or the sound-box to the NeXTStation. This bus includes +12V and -12V The serial clock for this bus is 20Mhz. The data signal potential is +5V. 

Input Bus: Key-codes
The incoming signal contains the key presses, mouse and microphone data. This bus idles at zero volts unless there is data to send. It appears that a packet format exists with control bits followed by data. I'll describe this in detail when I have worked out all of the bits. The following signal is for a key-press of "a" with no other data. The timing value of each "_" ASCII character is 200nS, ignore the "|"character. Due to the nature of ASCII art, I've put the unit count below the ticks. (3 == 600ns) (I initially thought that the complete packet takes 40 units, or 8uS, but there seems to be extra bits occasionally. More on this quandary later.) 

 ___     __      _             _         _   ___    _
|   |___|  |____| |___________| |_______| |_|   |__| |
  3   3   2   4  1      11     1     7   1 1  3   2 1
                                        ^            ^
                                        ---key code---
                                        msb         lsb

  "a" 10111001  0xB9 (0x39)(see above timing example)
  "s" 10111010  0xBA (0x3A)
  "d" 10111011  0xBB (0x3B)
  "f" 10111100  0xBC (0x3C)

 ___     __          _                _         _   
|   |___|  |________| |______________| |_______| |
  3   3   2     8    1       15       1     7   1  

 ___     __          _                _            
|   |___|  |________| |______________| |_________
  3   3   2     8    1       15       1     8  

 ___     __          _         ________         _       
|   |___|  |________| |_______|        |_______| |
  3   3   2     8    1    7       8       7     1 

 ___     __          _                __         _       
|   |___|  |________| |______________|  |_______| |
  3   3   2     8    1       14       2    7     1 

Keyboard Bus Overview

The keyboard bus consists of 5 wires: GND, +5V, power on, serial in, serial out.
The keyboard bus is odd because it doesn't have a clock, so I'm assuming that it's internal. The smallest significant unit of time seems to put the clock at 10Khz. The keyboard contains one Motorola S38DC007PP01, and some de-bounce circuitry so you don't blow it up when you plug in the mouse. The input and output serial lines are always active with repeated packet activity.

Output Bus: Idle State
The output bus has a stead, repeating signal which I believe to be an empty packet. I'm confident that this is the carrier for the I2S data for the DAC. Especially because there's 125uS in total for the packet. Again, the timing below is 200nS for each "_".

The timing value of each "_" ASCII character is 50uS, ignore the "|"character. 
Output Idle Signal:

 ____________            __             ____________   
             |__________|  |___________|           
      12           10     2      10          12

 ____________   _    ___   _   _           _   ____________  
             |_| |__|   |_| |_| |_________| |_|           
      12      1 1  2  3  1 1 1 1     9     1 1      12
              * 1 00 111 0 1 0 1      

 ____________   __   ___   _   _           _   ____________ 
             |_|  |_|   |_| |_| |_________| |_|           
      12      1  2 1  3  1 1 1 1     9     1 1      12
              * 11 0 111 0 1 0 1      

 ____________   _           _   __         ____________ 
             |_| |_________| |_|  |_______|           
      12      1 1     9     1 1  2    7        12
                   

 ____________   _           _   ________   ____________ 
             |_| |_________| |_|        |_|           
      12      1 1     9     1 1     8    1   12
                   

    _     _     __...__       _     __...__ 
 |_| |___| |___|       |_____| |___|           
  1 1  3  1  3     35     5   1  3     35

PowerUP (accelerator)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

CyberStorm PPC604e accelerator board

PowerUP boards were dual-processor 68k–PowerPC accelerator boards designed by Phase5 Digital Products for Amiga computers. They had two different processors working in parallel, sharing the complete address space of the Amiga computer system.

Contents   [hide]  1 History 2 PowerUP software 3 PowerUP hardware 3.1 Blizzard 2604e 3.2 Blizzard PPC 3.3 CyberStorm PPC 3.4 CyberVision PPC and BlizzardVision PPC 3.5 CyberVision 64/3D 4 References

[edit]History

In 1995 Amiga Technologies GmbH announced they were going to port AmigaOS to PowerPC. As part of their Power Amiga plan, Amiga Technologies was going to launch new Power Amiga models using the PowerPC 604e RISC CPU and in co-operation with Amiga Technologies Phase5 would release AmigaOS 4-compatible PowerPC accelerator boards for old Amiga 1200, Amiga 3000 and Amiga 4000 models.^[1][2] However, in 1996 Amiga Technologies' parent company ESCOM entered into deep financial problems and could not support Amiga development. Due to a lack of resources, the PowerPC project at Amiga Technologies stalled and Phase5 had to launch accelerators without a PowerPC-native AmigaOS. As a stopgap solution, a new PowerUP kernel was created allowing new PPC-native software run parallel with 68k Amiga OS.^[3] To complicate things even further, former Commodore International chief engineer Dave Haynie questioned Phase5's plans to develop PowerPC boards without Amiga Technologies: "Their approach on the software front is kind of a hack, and on the hardware front it's just too much like the old Commodore; at best, they'll wind up with interesting, non-standard, and overpriced machines that can't keep up with the rapid changes in the industry."^[4]

Nevertheless Phase5 had decided to go their own way and develop a PowerPC-based AmigaOS-compatible computer without Amiga Technologies. They also announced plans to write a new Amiga OS-compatible operating system.^[5] Wolf Dietrich (managing director of phase5) earlier commented that "we found that Amiga Technologies offers us no sort of outlook or basis for developing into the future".^[6]

There is no detailed information about how many PowerPC accelerator boards Phase5 (and later DCE) sold. According to Ralph Schmidt in an AmigActive article featuring MorphOS, there were about 10,000 people using Phase5 PowerPC accelerator boards.^[7] The unofficial PowerUP support page estimates similar figure.^[8]

[edit]PowerUP software

PowerUP kernel is a multitasking kernel developed by Ralph Schmidt for Phase5 PowerPC accelerator boards.^[9] The kernel ran alongside the AmigaOS where PPC and 68k native software could run parallel.^[10]

The PowerUP kernel used ELF as the executable format and supported runtime linking, relocations and custom sections; it used GCC as its default compiler.^[11] This caused controversy in the Amiga community when developers thought that phase5 was bringing "too Unixish stuff" to Amiga.^[12] [13] It was feared that PowerUP kernel introducing shared objects and dynamic linking would replace the original shared library model and shared objects were indeed adapted into AmigaOS.^[14][15]

Another controversy was caused by different designs and purposes of Blizzard PPC and Cyberstorm PPC boards. The Blizzard PPC was designed to fit Amiga 1200 as a standalone device which would not need installing additional software but utilised Amiga's unique AutoConfig feature. This caused problems to some 3rd party developers who developed their own PPC kernels for PowerUP cards since they could not work on Amiga 1200 without removing the PowerUP kernel first.^[16]

A few hundred titles were released for PowerUP including TurboPrint PPC, Amiga datatypes, MP3 and MPEG players, games (Quake and Doom video games to mention few) and various plugins including Flash Video plugin for Voyager web browser.^[17][18]

[edit]PowerUP hardware

[edit]Blizzard 2604e

On May 12, 1997, Phase5 announced PowerUP accelerator board for Amiga 2000 computers. The card never got past the prototype stage and hence never released to the public.

• PowerPC 604e at 150, 180 or 200 MHz
• 68040 at 25 MHz or 68060 at 50 MHz
• Four 72 pin SIMM sockets accepting 128 MB RAM, 64 bit wide
• Ultra Wide SCSI controller
• Expansion slot for the CyberVision PPC^[19]

[edit]Blizzard PPC

This accelerator board was designed for Amiga 1200 and plugged into the trapdoor slot. It used a low cost, low end PowerPC 603e processor designed for portable and embedded use.

• PowerPC 603e at 160, 200 or 240 MHz
• 68040 or 68LC040 at 25 MHz or 68060 at 50 MHz
• Two 72 pin SIMM sockets accepting 256 MB RAM, 32 bit wide
• Ultra Wide SCSI controller (Blizzard 603e+ models only)
• Expansion slot for the BlizzardVision PPC^[20]

[edit]CyberStorm PPC

This accelerator board was designed for Amiga 3000 and Amiga 4000. The accelerator board was notorious for its high performance due to its 64 bit wide memory bus and PowerPC 604e processor. According to Phase 5 it could sustain memory transfers up to 68 MB/s on the 68060 and up to 160 MB/s on the 604e.

• PowerPC 604e at 150, 180, 200 or 233 MHz
• 68040 at 25 MHz or 68060 at 50 MHz
• Four 72 pin SIMM sockets accepting 128 MB RAM, 64 bit wide
• Ultra Wide SCSI controller
• Expansion slot for the CyberVision PPC^[21]

[edit]CyberVision PPC and BlizzardVision PPC

CyberVision PPC and BlizzardVision PPC was a graphics board add-on for CyberStorm PPC and Blizzard PPC accelerator boards. BlizzardVision PPC could be fitted into an Amiga 1200 desktop case. They had a RAMDAC with a bandwidth of 230 MHz capable to display resolutions with 80 Hz vertical refresh rate up to 1152×900 pixels at 24 bits or 1600×1200 pixels at 16 bits.

• Permedia 2 GPU
• 8 MB 64-bit-wide SGRAM
• 3D LCD shutter glass connector
• CyberGraphX V3 drivers
• CyberGL 3D library^[22][23]

Resolution	8 bits	16 bits	32 bits
640 × 480	60 – 140 Hz	60 – 140 Hz	60 – 120 Hz
800 × 600	60 – 120 Hz	60 – 120 Hz	60 – 120 Hz
1024 × 768	75 – 120 Hz	75 – 120 Hz	75 – 120 Hz
1152 × 900	75 – 120 Hz	75 – 100 Hz	75 – 100 Hz
1280 × 1024	60 – 100 Hz	60 – 90 Hz	N/A
1600 × 1200	60 – 80 Hz	60 – 75 Hz	N/A

[edit]CyberVision 64/3D

• S3 ViRGE GPU
• 4 MB 64-bit DRAM

Resolution	8 bits	16 bits	32 bits
1024 × 768	75 – 120 Hz	75 – 120 Hz	75 – 120 Hz
1280 × 1024	60 – 100 Hz	60 – 90 Hz	N/A
1600 × 1200	60 – 80 Hz	N/A	N/A

[edit]References

1. ^ Amiga Technologies GmbH (7 November 1995). "Amiga goes POWER PC (TM)". Retrieved 2010-08-14.
2. ^ "Speech by Petro Tyschtschenko in Cologne". 11 November 1995. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
3. ^ "PowerUp - The Next Generation". May, 1996. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
4. ^ Dave Haynie (22 May 1996). "Comments From Dave Haynie on the Current Situation". Retrieved 2010-08-14.
5. ^ Wolf Dietrich (25 May 1996). "phase 5 Answers Comments Made by Dave Haynie". Retrieved 2008-12-02.
6. ^ phase5 (May 1996). "phase 5 digital products announces an Amiga-OS-compatible computer for 1997". Retrieved 2008-12-02.
7. ^ Korn, Andrew (July 2000), "MorphOS? What's that, then?", AmigActive: 14–17
8. ^ "Registration PowerUP Products". 2010-04-21. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
9. ^ phase5 (25 February 1997). "phase 5 Announces the Cyberstorm PPC Power-PC Accelerator for Amiga 3000/4000". Retrieved 2008-12-02.
10. ^ "The Concept of the PowerUP Accelerators Boards". Retrieved 2008-12-02.
11. ^ phase5 (1997). "PowerUP.guide". Retrieved 2008-12-02.
12. ^ Steffen Haeuser (6 January 1999). "Snes9x (PowerUP) kicks Warpsnes ass! (NOT)". comp.sys.amiga.games. (Web link). Retrieved 2008-12-02.
13. ^ Steffen Haeuser (7 January 1999). "Snes9x (PowerUP) kicks Warpsnes ass! (NOT)". comp.sys.amiga.games. (Web link). Retrieved 2008-12-02.
14. ^ Steffen Haeuser (12 February 2002). "blast from the past". Retrieved 2010-07-28.
15. ^ Hans-Joerg and Thomas Frieden. "Shared Objects". Retrieved 2010-07-28.
16. ^ Steffen Haeuser (12 June 2000). "PowerUP vs WarpUP". comp.sys.amiga.games. (Web link). Retrieved 2008-12-02.
17. ^ "VFlash". Retrieved 2010-08-22.
18. ^ "PowerUP software". Retrieved 2010-08-22.
19. ^ Phase 5 Digital Products (12 May 1997). "Phase 5 Digital Products Expands The Powerup Product Line". Retrieved 2010-08-14.
20. ^ Phase 5 Digital Products (1997), Blizzard PPC User's Guide
21. ^ Phase 5 Digital Products (August, 1997). "CyberStorm PPC User Manual". Retrieved 2010-08-14.
22. ^ Phase 5 Digital Products (1998), BlizzardVision PPC User's Guide
23. ^ Phase 5 Digital Products (July, 1998). "CyberVision PPC User's Guide". Retrieved 2010-08-14.

Amiga-FAQ

              _#      **MMp     g#00   `N##0"    _agN#0P0N#           _#L
             g##       jN##    j##F     J##    _dN0"      "          g##L
           _#]##      _0 ##L  jN##F     ###   g#0"                 _03##L
          gE_j##      #  0## jF ##F    j##F  j##     ______       gE_j##L
        _0"""N##     d"  J##L0  ##F    0##   0##     "9##F"     _0"""5##L
      _gF    ]##    jF    ##0   ##F    ##F   `##k     d##     _gF    j##L
    _g#_    _j##L__g#__   ]N  _j##L_ _d##L_   `#Nh___g#N'   _g#_    _j##L_
   `""""    """""'""""'    "  """""" """"""      """""""   `""""    """"""
                   Amiga Frequently Asked Questions List
                         created by David Tiberio

                              March 27th 1993


+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+




      V. Amiga Models and Statistics



        A. Screenmodes

            Maximum Size            16368 x 16368
            Monitor Types           RGB, VGA, SVGA, Multiscan, Composite
            Display Formats         NTSC, PAL
            Horizontal Scan Rates   15kHz - 31kHz
            Vertical Scan Rates     50Hz - 72Hz

            EURO:36Hz Low Res
            EURO:36Hz Low Res Laced
            EURO:36Hz High Res              640x200     73Hz, 15.69kHz ECS
            EURO:36Hz High Res Laced        640x400     73Hz, 15.69kHz ECS
            EURO:36Hz Super-High Res       1280x200     73Hz, 15.69kHz ECS
            EURO:36Hz Super-High Res Laced 1280x400     73Hz, 15.69kHz ECS
            EURO:72Hz Productivity          640x400     70Hz, 31.43kHz ECS
            EURO:72Hz Productivity Laced    640x800     70Hz, 31.43kHz ECS
            MULTISCAN:Extra-Low Res
            MULTISCAN:Extra-Low Res Laced
            MULTISCAN:Low Res
            MULTISCAN:Low Res Laced
            MULTISCAN:Productivity          640x480     60Hz, 31.44kHz ECS
            MULTISCAN:Productivity Laced    640x960     60Hz, 31.44kHz ECS
            NTSC:Low Res                    320x200     60Hz
            NTSC:Low Res Laced              320x400     60Hz
            NTSC:Low Res
            NTSC:Low Res Laced
            NTSC:High Res                   640x200     60Hz, 15.72kHz
            NTSC:High Res Laced             640x400     60Hz, 15.72kHz
            NTSC:High Res                   702x234     60Hz, 15.72kHz
            NTSC:High Res Laced             702x468     60Hz, 15.72kHz
            NTSC:Super-High Res            1280x200     60Hz, 15.72kHz ECS
            NTSC:Super-High Res Laced      1280x400     60Hz, 15.72kHz ECS
            NTSC:Super-High Res            1404x234     60Hz, 15.72kHz ECS
            NTSC:Super-High Res Laced      1404x468     60Hz, 15.72kHz ECS
            PAL:Low Res
            PAL:Low Res Laced
            PAL:High Res                    640x256     50Hz, 15.60kHz
            PAL:High Res Laced              640x512     50Hz, 15.60kHz
            PAL:Super-High Res             1280x256     50Hz, 15.60kHz ECS
            PAL:Super-High Res Laced       1280x512     50Hz, 15.60kHz ECS
            SUPER72:Low Res
            SUPER72:Low Res Laced
            SUPER72:High Res                400x300     72Hz, 24.62kHz ECS
            SUPER72:High Res Laced          400x600     72Hz, 24.62kHz ECS
            SUPER72:Super-High Res          800x300     72Hz, 24.62kHz ECS
            SUPER72:Super-High Res Laced    800x600     72Hz, 24.62kHz ECS

            [overscan modes wanted also]

        B. Colormodes


            1) OCS
              Palette               4,096
              Maximum Colors        4,096

                Low Res             2 4 8 16 32
                Low Res EHB                     64
                Low Res HAM6                               4096
                High Res            2 4 8 16


            2) ECS
              Palette               4,096
              Maximum Colors        4,096

                Extra-Low Res
                Low Res             2 4 8 16 32
                Low Res EHB                     64
                Low Res HAM6                               4096
                High Res            2 4 8 16
                Super-High Res      2 4


            2) AGA
              Palette               16,777,216
              Maximum Colors           262,144

                Extra-Low Res       2 4 8 16 32 64 128 256
                Low Res             2 4 8 16 32 64 128 256
                Low Res EHB                     64
                Low Res HAM6                               4096
                Low Res HAM8                                    262,144
                High Res            2 4 8 16 32 64 128 256
                High Res HAM6                              4096
                High Res HAM8                                   262,144
                Super-High Res      2 4 8 16 32 64 128 256
                Super-High Res HAM6                        4096
                Super-High Res HAM8                             262,144



        C. Expansion

            Models Available

                OCS     A500, A1000, A1500, A2000, A2500
                ECS     A500+, A600, A1500+, A2000+, A3000, A3000T, A3000T/040
                AGA     A1200, A4000/030, A4000/040


                                A500  A600 A1000 A1200 A2000 A3000 A4000   CDTV



            Currently Available   x     x           x     x     x     x      x
            Supports OCS          x     x     x     x     x     x     x      x
            Supports ECS          x     x     x     x     x     x     x      x
            Supports AGA                            x                 x


            Exterior Bus          x           x
            Trapdoor              x     x           x
            PCMCIA                      x           x                        x
            Zorro II    16 bit                            x     x     x
            Zorro III   32 bit                                  x     x
            PCAT        16 bit                            x     x     x
            Video       24 bit                            x     x     x
            CPU      16/32 bit                            x     x     x

            External SCSI                                       x
            External Floppy       x     x     x     x     x     x     x     x
            External Serial       x     x     x     x     x     x     x     x
            External Parallel     x     x     x     x     x     x     x     x
            External VGA/SVGA                       x           x     x
            External RGB          x     x     x           x     x
            External Composite    x     x     x     x

            Internal SCSI                                       x
            Internal IDE                x           x                 x
            Internal Floppy       x     x     x     x     x     x     x
            Internal CD-ROM                                                 x

            Socketed CPU          x           x           x                 x
            Socketed Custom Set   x           x           x     x           x
            Socketed ROM          x     x           x     x     x     x     x

            CPU Used              00    00    00    20    0  30/40 30/40    00
            020 Available?        Y           Y     Y     Y                 Y
            030 Available?        Y     Y     Y     Y     Y     Y     Y     Y
            040 Available?        Y           Y           Y     Y     Y     Y

            Motherboard RAM       1     1     1     2     1    18    18     1
            Expansion Slot RAM    8     8           8    32  1GIG  1GIG     1

            ROM Version (BASE)  1.3   2.1   1.3   3.0   1.3   2.0   3.0   1.3
            ROM Version (MAX)   2.1   2.1   1.3   3.0   2.1   2.1   3.0   1.3



        D.  OCS, ECS, and AGA

                The Amiga custom chips come in three versions. The OCS was used
            primarily from 1985 to 1992. OCS is known simply as the Old Chip
            Set and has not been given any public official definition by CBM.
            However, in 1989 CBM released the ECS Extended Chip Set. This is
            still in production today, and offers more scree resolutions and
            the same number of bitplanes as used previously. In 1992 the AGA
            Advanced Graphics Architecture was released and introduced numerous
            new screenmodes (compatible with ECS) and a large number of new
            colormodes. The AGA chip set is often referred to as the AA chip
            set in the older literature.
                Following is a complete listing of every Amiga and which chip
            set it was shipped with, along with dates whenever possible. The
            list includes the model number, chip set, rom version, year
            introduced, rom storage format, and maximum ram accessible by the
            custom chips (similar to video ram).

                A500    - OCS   KS1.2           1987    ROM     512k
                A500    - OCS   KS1.3                   ROM     512k
                A500+   - ECS   KS1.3                   ROM    1024k
                A600    - ECS   KS2.05          1992    ROM    1024k
                A1000   - OCS   KS1.0           1985    DISK    256k
                A1200   - AGA   KS3.0           1992    ROM    2048k
                A1500   - OCS   KS1.3                   ROM    1024k
                A1500+  - ECS                           ROM    1024k
                A2000   - OCS   KS1.2           1987    ROM    1024k
                A2000   - OCS   KS1.3                   ROM    1024k
                A2500   - OCS                           ROM    1024k
                A3000   - ECS   KS1.3/1.4/2.04  1989    DISK   2048k
                A3000   - ECS   KS2.04                  ROM    2048k
                A3000T  - ECS                                  2048k
                A3000UX - ECS   UNIX                           2048k
                A4000   - AGA   KS3.0           1992    ROM

                ROMs stored on disk offer some disadvantages and advantages.
            First, using the computer requires an additional amount of ram
            equal to the size of the ram, which is often 512k. However, access
            to the ROM is faster when stored in RAM in many cases. Also,
            multiple operating systems can be placed in one computer that
            has disk based ROM. In order to use multiple ROM revisions on
            the other computers, a ROM Swticher is used which is a hardware
            toggle that seats each ROM chip on a small daughterboard. Some
            machines, such as the A3000, also have a ROM Tower, which includes
            an outdated ROM revision required to boot the system.



        E. Info on Computer Chips Used

                The command VERSION, when executed from the Amiga Shell or
            CLI, returns the version of the Kickstart and the Workbench.
            Following are the various versions of the Amiga ROM chips.


                KS1.0
                KS1.1
                KS1.2
                KS1.3
                KS1.4
                KS2.04  KS37.175
                KS2.1   KS37.175    WB38.28
                KS3.0


                The command CPU displays the configuration of the CPU and
            the memory burst modes. Following are the various CPU's used
            by the various machines, along with FPU math coprocessors. All
            are Motorola 68k series. The SHOWCONFIG command also returns
            relevant information in more detial.

                            CPU         FPU      MMU
                A500        000/7
                A600        000/7
                A1000       000/7
                A1200       020/14

                A1500       000
                A2000       000/7
                A2500       020         ???       ?
                A2500       030         ???       ?

                A3000       030/16      881       x
                A3000       030/25      882       x
                A3000T      030/25      882       x
                A3000T      040/25      040       x
                A3000UX     030/25      882       x

                A4000       030         ???
                A4000       040/25      040       x



        F. AGA Compatible Monitors

                The following monitors are capable of displaying all
            modes of the AGA chip set for Amiga computers.


    MODEL             MANUFACTURER              PRICE   SIZE   kHz     VERT Hz

    MS-8431           Amazing Tech.             $399     14   15-36       ?
    AML-1402          Adara Technology,         $650     14   15-36     45-90
    CM-324            AOC International         $549     14   15-36     50-90
    CM-324H/M         AOC International           ?      14   15-36     50-90
    CM-326            AOC International         $649     14   15-38     50-90
    Auto-Trak 714     Conrac Display              ?      13   15.5-37   45-80
    Auto-Trak 9250    Conrac Display            $3,850   13   15-37.5   48-90
    Model 7126S       Conrac Display            $3,995   26   15-32     48-75
    Model 7211        Conrac Display            $4,120   13   15-37.5   47-80
    Model 7211        Conrac Display            $4,120   19   15-37.5   47-80
    Model 7241        Conrac Display            $2,995   19   15-37     47-80
    Model 9214        Conrac Display              ?      13   15-38     50-80
    Multiscan 3436    CTX International         $780     14   15-38     50-90
    TSM-1431          Darius Technology         $699     14   15.5-39   50-90
    ECM 1410          Electrohome, Ltd.         $1,195   14   15-40     45-90
    ECM 2010          Electrohome, Ltd.         $3,195   20   15-38     45-120
    Eversync Color    Everex Systems            $599     14   15.5-35   50-70
    FMS               Falco Data                $750     14   15-38     47-90
    MTS-9608S         Forefront Technology      $499     14   15-38     50-90
    TY-1411           Golden Dragon               ?      14   15.5-3    50-120
    Idek MF-5017      IDEK/Iiyama North Amer    $1,275   17   15-40     50-90
    Idek MF-5021      IDEK/Iiyama North Amer    $2,695   21   15.5-38   50-90
    C21LV-65MAX       Image Systems Corp.         ?      21   15-65     55-90
    C24LV-65MAX       Image Systems Corp.         ?      24   15-65     55-90
    CM-1403           Intra Electronics USA     $300     14   15-38     40-100
    GD-H4220US        JVC Information           $2,895   19   15-37     45-87
    CMON M            Leading Edge              $599     14   15.75-39  50-90
    MagicVIEW 20      Mac                       $1,999   20   15.75-36  50-100
    Model 2014/LP     Microvitec,                 ?      14   15-40     45-100

    Model 2020        Microvitec,               $2,495   20   15-38       ?
    Model 710MH       Mitsuba Corp.             $415     14   15-38     50-90
    Diamond Pro 26M   Mitsubishi Electronics    $11,300  25   15-38     45-90
    HC-3505SK         Mitsubishi Electronics    $11,300  26   15.7-38   45-90
    XC-3315C          Mitsubishi Electronics    $5,495   33   15-38     40-120
    XC-3715C          Mitsubishi Electronics    $7,599   37   15-36     45-120
    AM-2752A          Mitsubishi Electronics    $3,700   27   15.6-36   45-90
    AM-3151A          Mitsubishi Electronics    $5,200   31   15.6-36   45-90
    AM-3501R          Mitsubishi Electronics    $6,900   35   15-35.5   45-70
    AM-1381A          Mitsubishi Electronics    $839     14   15.6-36   45-90
    MG-3430           Modgraph,                 $985     9    15-35     50-70
    DM-2710           NEC Technologies,         $3,995   27   15-38     40-100
    PanaSync C1391    Panasonic Communicatio    $899     13   15.5-36   40-80
    Ultra 1200        Princeton Graphic Syst    $450     12   15-38     45-120
    Ultra 1400        Princeton Graphic Syst    $899     14   15-38     45-120
    Ultra 1600        Princeton Graphic Syst    $775     16   15-38     45-120
    AlphaScan         Sampo Corp. of America    $649     14   15.75-36  50-87
    CE-8              Sceptre Technologies,     $995     14   15-38     50-90
    CM-3              Sceptre Technologies,     $795     14   15.5-36   50-70
    CPD-1302          SONY Corporation          $995     13   15.75-36  50-100
    GVM-1310          SONY Corporation          $1,295   13   15.75-36  50-100
    GVM-2020          SONY Corporation          $1,595   20   15.75-36  50-100
    Tuff/CRT          Talon Technology Corp.    $6,000   14   15-35     47-73
    Omniscan CM-1495H Tatung Co. of America,    $899     14   15-37     40-120
    MultiVision 770+  TAXAN America             $895     14   15-37     50-90
    MediaScan 3+      TVM Professional Monit      ?      14   15-38     46-100
    TM-5414           TW Casper Corp.             ?      14   15.5-35   50-70

                                                            Bjorn Stenberg
                                                            Stockholm, Sweden
                                                            bjst@sth.frontec.se


        G. Storage Devices

                          AMIGADOS      MS-DOS     MACINTOSH
            KS1.0       720k
            KS1.2       880k
            KS1.3       880k          720k
            KS2.04      900k 1.76mb   720k 1.44mb    1.44mb
            KS3.0       900k 1.76mb   720k 1.44mb    1.44mb

                In order to read 1.76mb AmigaDOS or 1.44mb MS-DOS a high
            density disk drive is required. These include the CBM drive,
            the Aplied Engineering drive, a floptical drive, or a high density
            IBM floppy drive. Some floptical drives do not support standard
            Amiga disks. IBM floppy drives may require a special driver. To
            read IBM disks from WB revisions older than 2.1, public domain
            software or WB upgrades are required. The Atari ST uses the same
            format as MS-DOS so no special conversion is necessary. In order
            to read Macintosh 800k disks, third party hardware is required
            or a Macintosh emulator card.



                                                      THIRD PARTY HARDWARE

                        FLOPPY HD-FLOPPY SCSI IDE   FLOPPY HD-FLOPPY SCSI IDE
            A500           x                           x        x      x   x
            A600           x                   x       x        x      ?  N/A
            A1000          x                           x        x      x   x
            A1200          x                   x       x        x      ?  N/A
            A1500          x                           x        x      x   x
            A2000          x                           x        x      x   x
            A2500          x               x           x        x      x   x
            A3000          x               x           x        x      x   x
            A3000T         x        x      x           x        x      x   x
            A3000UX        x               x           x        x      x   x
            A4000          x        x          x       x        x      x  N/A



+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+




    IX. Emulators

        A. IBM Emulators

                                        TEXT  CGA EGA VGA A500 ZorroII ALL
            Transformer      XT 8088      x                 x           x
            PC Task          XT 8088      x    x            x           x
            IBeM             XT 8088      x    x            x           x
            Cross PC         XT 8088      x    x            x           x
            Power PC Board   XT 8088      x    x       x    x     x     x
            2088 Bridgeboard XT 8088      x    x   x              x
            2286 Bridgeboard AT  286      x    x   x   x          x
            2386 Bridgeboard AT  386      x    x   x   x          x
            ATOnce           AT  286      x    x            x     x     x
            GoldenGate       AT  386      x    x   x   x          x
            GoldenGate       AT  486SLC   x    x   x   x          x
            EMC 486SLC       AT  486SLC   x    x   x   x          x
            GVP 286          AT  286      x    x   x   x    x     x


                            GVP286    ATOnce   PowerPC
                NortonSI      15
                Hercules       x        ?         ?
                CGA            x        x         x
                EGA/VGA      MONO       ?         ?
                Multitask?     x        x
                Shared RAM?    x        x         x
                FPU         80C287   80C387SX     ?


                              GG386  GG486 2088 2286 2386 EMC486
                mHz                   25                    33
                NortonSI       23     45     ?    ?    ?    66
                Landmark 2.0          78                   103
                Hercules        x      x     ?    x    x     ?
                CGA             x      x     x    x    x     x
                EGA/VGA         x      x     x    x    x     x
                Multitask?      x      x     x    x    x     x
                Shared RAM?     x      x     ?    ?    ?     ?
                FPU             ?      ?     ?    ?    ?     ?
                IDE PORT        x      x     ?    x    x     x
                FLOPPY PORT     x      x     x    x    x     x
                SERIAL PORT    SW     SW     ?    ?    ?     2
                PARALLEL PORT  SW     SW     ?    ?    ?     1
                GAME PORT                    ?    ?    ?     1



        B. Macintosh Emulators
                                     PLUS IIx ZorroII ALL SYSTEM7 COLOR
            AMax               68000   x               x     x
            AMax II+           68000             x           x
            EMPLANT            68030   x   x     x           x      x

                       ROM  SERIAL_PORT APPLETALK MIDI_PORT SCSI_PORT
            AMax II+  128k       x          x         x
            EMPLANT   256k       x          x                   x

                All ports listed above are exterior ports.

                AMax allows emulation of black and white Macintosh
            software designed for the Macintosh Plus. It does not allow
            the user to run Amiga software at the same time as Macintosh
            software.
                Emplant is capable of multitasking Amiga and Macintosh
            software at the same time on independent screens. Emplant
            also allows emulation of other computers simultaneously.



        C. UNIX Emulators
                                      ALL ZorroII MULTIUSER
            Amiga UNIX         68030         x        x
            LINUX
            MINIX



        D. Commodore 64 Emulators

            GO 64 Emulator      6502    Commercial
            A64 Package         6502    Shareware



        E. Atari ST Emulators
                                        A500 ZorroII ALL MULTITASK
            Medusa             68000      x
            Cameleon           68000      x



        F. Miscellaneous
                                       ALL
            BBC Micro                   x
            ZX80 Spectrum        Z80    x
            Apple II            6502    x
            GameBoy              Z80    x



+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

        XII. Graphics Boards


            A. Hardware Comparisons

                      BITS    RES    RGB COMP NTSC PAL DIGI GLOCK VIDEOSLOT
        Harlequin      24   910x486   x         x   x
        Resolver        8  2048x2048  x         x   x
        Vivid 24       24  2048x2048  x         x   x          x
        Rembrandt      24  1024x1024  x         x   x    x     x
        Visiona        24  8192x4096  x         x   x          x
        OpalVision     24   768x476   x         x   x    x     x      x
        FireCracker    24  1024x480   x         x   x          x
        Lowell A2410    8  1280x1024  x         x   x
        EGS            24             x         x   x          x
        IV24           24   768x480   x    x    x   x    x     x      x
        AVideo12       12             x         x   x          ?
        AVideo24       24             x         x   x          ?
        Video Toaster  22   768x480        x    x        x     x      x
        DCTV           22   768x480        x    x   x    x     x
        HAM-E           ?  1600x1280  ?    ?    x   ?          ?
        AGA            18  1280x480   x    x    x   x


                            Denise ZorroII ALL  FPU      PIP
        Harlequin      24             x
        Resolver        8             x        34010
        Vivid 24       24             x        34020 (4)
        Rembrandt      24             x        34020
        Visiona        24             x        INMOS
        OpalVision     24             x                   x
        FireCracker    24             x
        Lowell A2410    8             x
        EGS            24           COMBO
        IV24           24             x                   x
        AVideo12       12      x
        AVideo24       24      x
        Video Toaster  22             x
        DCTV           22                   x
        HAM-E           ?                   x

                        A500 A600 A1000 A2000 A3000 A4000 CDTV
        Harlequin                          x     x     x
        Resolver                           x     x     x
        Vivid 24                           ?     x     x
        Rembrandt                          ?     x     x
        Visiona                            x     x     x
        OpalVision                         x     x     x
        FireCracker                        x     x     x
        Lowell A2410                       x     x     ?
        EGS                                x
        IV24                               x     x     x
        AVideo12          x          x     x                x
        AVideo24          x          x     x                x
        Video Toaster                      x     x     ?
        DCTV              x    x     x     x     x     x    x
        HAM-E             x    x     x     x     x     x    x

            NOTES: A2000 includes A1500, A2000, A2500
                   A3000 includes A3000, A3000T

                   EGS Requires an A2000 with a GVP Combo accelerator.
                   DCTV and HAM-E are external units.
                   Video Toaster requires endplate adjustment for A3000.
                   A3000UX may use Lowell A2410 or Resolver.



+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

        XIII. Frequently Asked Questions




            - Why is my stock computer slow?

              YOU NEED FAST RAM. If your computer only contains Chip RAM, than
              it may be as much as 4 times slower than a computer equipped
              with Fast RAM. This is true for all but the A3000 and A4000,
              which come with adequate Fast RAM. At least 512k of Fast RAM is
              suggested, although a minimum of 1 megabyte is greatly preferred.
              Any Fast RAM above 1 megabyte has a negligible impact on CPU
              speed.

            - Can I replace my 68000 with a 68010?

              POSSIBLY. If you have an A1000, A500, A1500, or A2000 then
              you can. On an A600, the 68000 is not socketed and cannot be
              removed.

                The 68010 allows you to access FPU chips via a special disk
              based library. Speed increases are on the order of 10-15%.
              However, software compatibility suffers, so it is advised that
              you do not do this. 68010 chips sell for under $10.

            - What is the difference between the A500, A500+, and A500 Plus?

                The A500 contains either KS1.2 or KS1.3. The A500+ contains
              KS2.04 with the ECS chipset and is only available in Europe.
              The A500 Plus is an A500 with a special set of software
              packages and is similar in hardware to an A500.

            - Can I have different versions of the Kickstart and Workbench?

              YES. If you have KS1.2 you can also run WB1.3. If you have
              KS2.04 you can also run WB2.1. It is also possible to run
              older versions of system software but it is suggested to use
              the most compatible versions as older versions may suffer
              from software incompatibilities.

            - What is a Tower ROM?

              KS1.4 for the A3000. It is available on early model A3000's.
              It is not suggested that you use KS1.4 as it is outdated and
              not supported. These should not be removed.

            - Can an 040 accelerator work on KS1.3 or lower?

              NO. If you intend on using an 040 accelerator, it is suggested
              that you either use KS2.04 or greater. The KS must also be in
              ROM and not on disk. Some older 040 accelerators permit the
              use of KS1.3 or KS2.04 in RAM but this is not widely used. The
              KS2.04, if needed, sell for $50 or less.

            - Can the Amiga run IBM PC software?

              YES. Every Amiga is capable of running IBM PC software, including
              MS-DOS, Windows 3.1, OS/2, and all supporting software. This
              also includes SVGA cards, SoundBlaster, and time-based video
              correctors. In fact, many of these emulators can multitask PC
              and Amiga software simultaneously with minimal usage of CPU time.

            - Does the Amiga multitask?

              YES. The Amiga has multitasked since its conception in 1985.
              It works pre-emptively similar to UNIX and OS/2, as opposed
              to Windows 3.1 and System 7 which multitask co-operatively.
              It is generally accepted that pre-emptive multitasking is much
              cleaner and more reliable than co-operative multitasking. Also
              supported is multiprocessing. It is possible for the Amiga's
              custom chip sets to perform different operations simultaneously.

            - Why does the Amiga come with so little RAM or disk space?

              The Amiga requires less RAM and disk space than other computers.
              It is possible to use the Amiga operating system with less than
              20k of disk space and less than 100k of RAM. It is possible to
              run most Amiga software with 1 megabyte of RAM and one floppy
              drive.

            - Is the Amiga text based or window based?

              BOTH. The Amiga offers a windowing system called Intuition, that
              is accessed through the Workbench and most software. There is
              also a command line interface know as the CLI, and an advanced
              shell known as the AmigaShell. Also available is CSH, KSH, and
              BASH. The newer Kickstarts offer more shell commands in ROM than
              the previous versions.

            - Does the Amiga support high density floppy disks?

              YES. The A4000 includes a 1.76 megabyte floppy drive which also
              reads IBM 1.44 megabyte and IBM 720k disks. This floppy drive
              should work with most Amigas. Some A3000's in Australia were
              shipped with high density floppy drives. Applied Engineering
              also manufactured a high density floppy drive, but it did
              not sell well due to its high price. The Amiga high density
              drive from CBM sells for under $100. Many people have used
              standard IBM high density drives using a special device driver.

            - Is it possible to access the IBM slots in my computer without
              buying a Bridgeboard?

              YES. The Golden Gate II card allows one to use the IBM slots
              without purchasing a bridgeboard. IBM peripherals can therefor
              be used by Amiga software. The Golden Gate II is not an IBM
              emulator and should not be confused with the Golden Gate IBM
              emulator.

            - Is the Amiga for games only?

              NO. The Amiga is used by numerous television stations and other
              studios to produce broadcast quality video images and animations.
              The Amiga is used by Nickelodian, MTV, Prevue Guide, many
              cable TV stations, and movie studios. For example, the computer
              graphics in the science fiction movie Babylon 5 was produced
              using Amiga video and morphing software.

            - What is the difference between Chip RAM and Fast RAM?

              Chip RAM is similar to video RAM found on other computers. On the
              Amiga, the custom chip set can only directly access the RAM found
              in the Chip RAM. Chip is required by all Amigas, while Fast RAM is
              not required but highly suggested. Chip RAM stores screen data
              and audio data among other things.

            - If I purchase an Amiga, what additional hardware will I need?

              Generally, the only additional hardware required is a monitor
              or television to be used as a display device. The Amiga comes
              with all the necessary hardware to provide a fully working
              system. Some models do not include hard drives, however are fully
              capable of operating from floppy drives since Amiga software
              occupies less disk space than software for other formats.

            - Why should I upgrade my Kickstart or Workbench?

              If you are running anything lower than KS1.2, you have an
              obsolete version that is no longer generally supported. If
              You are running KS1.2, you may wish to upgrade to KS1.3 if you
              require better compatibility or autobooting hard drives. If
              you have KS1.3 or less, you will want KS2.04 if you intend
              to use a 68040 accelerator. Also, KS2.04 offers much more
              compatibility with productivity software, while KS1.3 is more
              compatible with entertainment software. If you are running
              KS2.04, you may wish to look into WB2.1 if you need to read
              MD-DOS disks. KS3.0, although a major upgrade, is not yet
              required by existing software.

Distribution

Disclaimer

Introduction

Introductory Questions

Q. I have a problem with my A1200. Can I email or call you for help? 
A. I'd rather you ask any questions that aren't answered here in a public forum in one of the comp.sys.amiga.* newsgroups. That way, you can draw on more experience than just my own (which is admittedly somewhat limited with the A1200), and the answers can benefit others with similar problems.

Q. Hey! You left out many details on some of these topics. 
A. That was intentional; some of these answers have been simplified, both to keep this document relatively short, and to avoid confusing the issues. Please remember that this is an introductory document, and not a technical reference guide, and is intended merely to answer the most common questions. So there. Nyah.

Q. Hey, FAQ boy, you screwed up, and some of this information is wrong, or you just didn't include something that was completely obvious! Can I send you email with the correct information? 
A. Yes, please do. Email me at wblock@wonkity.com.

Thank you for your interest, and good luck with your A1200!

Power Supply

Q. Is the stock A1200 power supply adequate for an accelerator, extra RAM, and bigger hard disks?

A. Probably not. The stock supply is only rated at 23 watts. While you may be able to get the computer to boot with expansion hardware, it may not operate reliably. 
 

Q. I want to build a "super power supply" for my A1200. What are the pinouts of the power supply connector?

A. Look on the power supply itself, where the pinouts are usually (but not always) specified. If they aren't there, check the hard/hack or hard/misc directories of Aminet. 
 

Q. Can I use an Amiga 500 or Amiga 600 power supply with my A1200?

A. Yes. The connectors and voltages match perfectly. 
 

Q. What about the higher watt rating of the A500 supply? Won't all that extra power melt and/or blow up my A1200?

A. No. The watt rating of a power supply only describes the absolute maximum amount of power it can supply. The A1200 will only draw as much of this as it needs to operate. 
  

Floppy Drives

Q. Can I use an IBM high density drive on an A1200?

A. Not easily, simply, or reliably.  There are some hacks that allow this, but, as of this writing, they all still have problems, and can be considered experimental. If you're determined to try, there are several plans in the hard/hack section on Aminet. An easier solution is to purchase one of the commercially-available high-density drives from an Amiga dealer. 
 

Q. Can I read and write Amiga diskettes on a PC clone?

A. No. The floppy controller hardware on most clones is incapable of reading or writing the Amiga disk format. To transfer files on disk between a PC clone and an A1200, use 3.5-inch double-density floppies formatted in the 720K MS-DOS format. The A1200 can read and write these using CrossDOS (included with AmigaDOS 3.0). 
 

Q. Can I use high-density floppies with the A1200's normal disk drive?

A. Not reliably! The high-density disks need a stronger magnetic field from the disk heads to reliably write to them. A high-density drive does this automatically, but the A1200's double-density drive can't. Writing high-density disks with a double-density drive will result in erratic operation of those disks. They may work fine for hours, days, or weeks, only to fail when you need them most. Use double-density disks with Amiga double-density (880K) drives, like the one built into the A1200, or get an external or internal high-density Amiga drive. 
  

Hard Drives

Q. Why doesn't my A1200 boot off the hard drive when I first turn it on?

A. Many hard drives don't spin up fast enough to be ready when the A1200 is ready to boot. If you can reset the A1200 after it comes up with the purple "insert floppy" screen and it will then boot from the hard drive, this is the case. The easiest solution is to just live with it and reset the machine when you first turn it on. If this really bothers you, you could replace the drive with one that spins up faster. Alternatively, AmigaOS 3.1 (if your A1200 doesn't already have it) has a longer IDE drive delay. 
 

Q. When I first power-up my A1200, the hard drive works fine, but after a reset the hard drive is no longer recognized. What's wrong?

A. This is a problem with the way the drive handles the IDE reset signal. The easy fix is to cut pin 1 on the IDE cable (usually the one with the stripe), peel back the wires a little, and tape them off, disconnecting the reset signal. This problem is commonly reported on Conner hard drives (although I don't feel it's a significant flaw). 
 

Q. How hard is it to install a hard drive inside my A1200?

A. It's not hard. You need a few things: a 2.5-inch IDE hard drive (commonly used for notebook computers), a short section of special 44-pin ribbon cable to fit the drive (this cable is spaced more tightly than normal ribbon), and, preferably, the Commodore Install disk. First, you install the drive, then use the Install disk to partition it and place the system software on it. That's it. The toughest part is obtaining the Install disk and the special cable. 
 

Q. Should I low-level format the hard drive?

A. No. On both IDE and SCSI drives, an initial low-level format has been performed at the factory. You should never need to low-level format them again. After partitioning, you *do* need to "high-level" format a hard drive with the AmigaDOS Format command; when used with hard drives, you can specify the QUICK keyword with the Format command to speed up this high-level formatting immensely. 
(Example: Format drive dh2: name "Sample" quick noicons.) 
 

Q. Can I use a 3.5-inch hard drive inside my A1200?

A. Yes, but be warned. Physically, it can be made to fit; but problems can arise from the extra power consumption of the 3.5-inch drives, coupled with the anemic stock power supply of the A1200. Obtaining a cable to adapt the 44-pin high-density IDE cable to the 40-pin normal-density IDE connector can be difficult, and finding jumper documentation for 2.5-inch drives is often impossible. Electronically, though, they are compatible. See the hard/hack directory of Aminet for projects. 
 

Q. Can I use an "EIDE" or "Fast ATA" hard drive with the A1200?

A. Yes. These drives are merely refined IDE drives. 
 

Q. Will large-capacity (500M and up) drives work with the A1200?

A. Yes. The 500M capacity "limitation" originates from the PC clones, and is only a problem with them. For the Amiga, you can safely go up to a 4G (~4000M) hard drive.
 

Q. What is MaxTransfer?

A. MaxTransfer is a value (set in HDToolBox) that limits how much data can be transferred to or from the hard drive at one time. 
 

Q. Why is MaxTransfer needed? Shouldn't the drive move as much data at one time as possible?

A. Yes, it should, but some hard drives have arbitrary limits on how much data they can move at one time. On the Amiga, if you have problems transferring files of 128K or larger to or from the hard drive, this is a likely cause of the problem. 
 

Q. I have have no idea what the MaxTransfer value should be for my drive. What value should I use?

A. For unknown drives, the maximum "safe" value is 0x0001FE00. Other (older) drives may require 0x0000FFFF or even 0x0000FE00. The sure test is to copy files larger than the MaxTransfer value to and from the drive, checking for corruption afterwards. Pictures work well for this, as corruption is easy to detect. 
 

Q. Will this low MaxTransfer value slow down disk transfers?

A. Very little or not at all. Most disk transfers are smaller than 128K, and so this setting will not affect them. But don't take my word for it; use DiskSpeed and test it yourself. 
 

Q. What is Mask?

A. Mask is a value (set in HDToolBox) that determines what area of memory can be used to buffer data transfers to or from the hard drive. Unless you have a good reason to change it, leave it at the default setting in HDToolBox. 
 

Q. What 2.5-inch IDE hard drives are known to work with the A1200?

A. Most do, although you may have to adjust the MaxTransfer value (see above). I personally dislike the Seagate drives included with many A1200s (which seem to be of low quality), but they work fine for many people. My own Toshiba worked fine, although, like many drives, it had the slow spin-up problem.

CD-ROM Drives

Q. What SCSI CD-ROM drives work with the A1200?

A. First you need a SCSI interface, like the SCSI interface built into certain accelerators, or a PCMCIA SCSI card like the Squirrel. Some SCSI controllers have been reported to have trouble with certain drives, but in general, the Toshiba, Sony, and NEC drives have been reported to work well with the Amiga. Personally, I can verify that the NEC 3Xe works fine with the Dataflyer SCSI+ interface. 
 

Q. Can an EIDE CD-ROM drive be used with the built-in IDE of the A1200?

A. Yes, provided the drive is a true EIDE drive. Most non-SCSI CD-ROM drives are not IDE, but a "sort-of" IDE. Newer drives are EIDE, and these can be made to work on the A1200. It requires an ATAPI driver (a demo version of one is available on Aminet) and the 44-to-40-pin adapter cable. My opinion: SCSI gives you much more for your money, because you can use the SCSI bus for other things in addition to CD-ROM drives. Some accelerator boards have SCSI ports, offering an all-in-one solution. 
 

Q. What software do I need to access a CD-ROM drive?

A. Frank Munkert's excellent AmiCDROM filesystem, or the one that comes with AmigaDOS 3.1. AmiCDROM works extremely well on both ISO 9660 and HFS (Macintosh) CD-ROM discs, and it's free. Look for it on Aminet: disk/cdrom/AmiCDROM-1.15.lha.

Q. I need more information on CD-ROM disks, drives, and interfaces, especially as they relate to the Amiga. Where can I look?

A. There is an excellent overview of the subject by Joachim E. Deußen on Aminet. Look at the file docs/help/CDROM20.lha.

Processors

Q. What is the 68EC020 processor that comes inside the A1200?

A. It is an inexpensive version of the 68020, in a Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier (PLCC) package. The only electronic difference between this processor and the 68020 is that the EC version only brings out signals for 24-bit addressing. Internally, it is fully 32-bit. 
 

Q. What's the difference between the 68EC030 and 68030 processors that come with accelerator boards?

A. The two are physically the same, with the difference being that a 68030 has a functional Memory Management Unit built into it, which the EC ("Embedded Controller") version lacks. The MMU is useful for programmers (for debugging purposes), allows running Unix systems like NetBSD, and also can be used to remap Kickstart code, allowing the system to run faster (in some cases--this depends on the individual system, accelerator board, and memory). 
 

Q. Are there any 68040 or 68060 accelerators for the A1200?

A. Yes, there are several. A 68060 is desirable, since it'll generate much less heat inside the A1200 case. Other features to look for are SCSI interfaces and more than one SIMM socket. 
 

Q. Can I replace the 68EC020 that comes with the A1200 with a full 68020?

A. Not directly, no. The 68EC020 is soldered onto the A1200 motherboard, and even if it weren't, the 68020 differs physically from it. The best way to perform this upgrade is with one of the many inexpensive accelerator boards. 
 

Q. Can I replace a 68EC030 with a 68030 with an MMU?

A. Yes, as long as they're physically the same. Some 68030s are Pin Grid Array (PGA) packages, and some are Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier (PLCC). With the PGA type, you can carefully and gently pry the old chip out of the socket and then replace it with the new one. Some PLCC chips may be soldered down, some may be in sockets. If it's in a socket, yes, you can replace it, but you should get the proper removal tool to avoid breaking the socket.

Memory

Q. What do I need to expand the memory of my A1200?

A. You'll need either a RAM board or an accelerator board, either of which will fit into the trap-door expansion port on the bottom of the A1200, and will have sockets for memory expansion. Some expansion boards made by GVP use custom SIMM modules, which are hard to find and much more expensive than standard 72-pin SIMMs. 
 

Q. My accelerator or RAM board has one or more 72-pin sockets for memory SIMMs. Can I use 72-pin SIMMs meant for PC clones?

A. Yes. Read on for more details. 
 

Q. Some 72-pin SIMMs are 36-bit and some are 32-bit. Is this related to "parity," and which do I need to use with the A1200?

A. PC clones use extra "parity" bits for double-checking memory. On the A1200, these extra bits will simply be ignored, causing no problems. The extra four bits on the 36-bit wide SIMMs are these parity bits. Most current systems don't use parity, so 32-bit SIMMs are adequate. Summing up: 36- or 32-bit wide SIMMs--which is just another way of saying "with or without parity bits"--will work for accelerators or RAM expansion boards with 72-pin SIMM sockets. 
 

Q. I've seen SIMMs with speed ratings of 60, 70, and 80 ns. What does this mean, and which do I need?

A. These numbers rate the speed at which the SIMM can be reliably operated. A 60 ns SIMM is the fastest currently available at reasonable prices. To keep a processor running at its fastest rate, the memory needs to be able to keep up with it; the speed of your processor determines the minimum memory speed needed. For an A1200 with just a RAM expansion board, 80 ns SIMMs are fast enough. With an accelerator, it depends on how fast the processor is going, so you'll need to check the manual. (Note: many boards let you use slower SIMMs with them by enabling a "wait state," which forces the processor to slow down to the SIMM's speed, and allows you to use cheaper, slower SIMMs. For instance, an accelator may say that it requires 70 ns SIMMs to run at "zero wait states," but will operate with an 80 ns SIMM (slower) if you set a jumper to enable a wait state.) 
 

Q. If I get faster SIMMs than I need, will it make the computer run faster?

A. No. The processor determines how fast the memory needs to be, and will not run any faster even if the memory is capable of it. For instance, if your accelerator needs a 70 ns SIMM, and you use a 60 ns SIMM, it will not run any faster than it would with a 70 ns SIMM. (It may be a good idea to buy faster RAM than you need, though, since you could then use it with a faster processor in the future.)

Monitors

Q. I have a VGA or SVGA monitor from a PC clone. Can I use it with the A1200?

A. Maybe. The "double" video modes of the A1200's AGA chipset provide video frequencies of 23 kHz and up, and will work with many VGA monitors. However, true PC clone-type VGA operates at a frequency of 31.5 kHz, and some monitors won't operate at frequencies much lower than that. The "VGAOnly" monitor driver may be used to raise the A1200 output frequencies, making them high enough to be recognized by some monitors. You should certainly try any VGA monitor before you buy it, though, just to be sure. (Note: many games and some system software operate only at 15.75 kHz. For instance, the configuration screen you get by holding down the mouse buttons during a reset only displays at 15.75 kHz, and will not be visible with a VGA-type monitor. However, there is some software that addresses this; look at the Aminet file gfx/aga/AAStarter12.lha.) 
 

Q. What specifications does a multisync monitor need to work with the A1200?

A. Ideally, you need it to have a sync range from 15 kHz to 31.5 kHz or higher. Digital presets are very helpful because they allow you to set screen size and centering for all the different screen modes. 
 

Q. Where can I get an adapter to go from the A1200's DB23 video port to the goofy high-density HDD15 standard VGA connector that looks like a DB9?

A. The adaptor that comes with an A4000 can be used, or see Connecting VGA Monitors from the A4000 Hardware Guide. Alternatively, you could have Redmond Cable build one for you (call them at 206-882-2009). 
 

Q. Can I use a CGA monitor with an A1200?

A. Yes, but it won't work particularly well. CGA is digital RGB, so it can only generate 16 predefined colors. If it's the only monitor you have, you can probably live with it, but I would personally recommend even a composite video monitor instead (the old 1702 would work well for this). 
 

Q. What Commodore monitor should I buy for use with the A1200?

A. My opinion: Don't buy any Commodore monitor. There are several monitors like the Microvitec 1438 and 1440 that are marketed specifically use with the Amiga (these are also resold under the Amiga Technologies label), and there are general-purpose VGA-type monitors that also work well. In most cases, these monitors are less expensive, better made, and more reliable than those that were sold by Commodore (which were OEMed from monitor manufacturers anyway). If you're looking for something inexpensive that will work with all the frequencies and output modes of the A1200, see if you can locate a used Mitsubishi DiamonScan (AUM 1381A) or NEC 3D. These monitors are quite cheap now, and will handle all the RGB output of the A1200 (the Mitsubishi also has a composite video input). If you're buying something new, I strongly advise a monitor with digital presets, which makes screen adjustments much easier and eliminates the need to fiddle with knobs every time you change screen modes (the Microvitec 1440 mentioned above is reported to have digital presets).

Other Questions

Q. I don't like to shut off the A1200 to connect and disconnect joysticks, modems, video and sound samplers, and printers. Can I damage the A1200 by changing these connections with the power on?

A. Yes. Remember that the A1200 design uses chips that are almost all surface-mount, soldered directly to the circuit board. This makes it very reliable, but when you expose it to dangerous behavior (changing connections with power applied), you risk damaging chips that are very difficult to replace and extremely difficult to obtain. Before you switch cables, make sure that power is off to the entire system, including the peripheral you are connecting or disconnecting. 
 

Q. Is there a way to get a battery-backed clock into the A1200 without buying an expensive expansion board?

A. Yes. There is a header on the A1200 motherboard specifically for adding one of these inexpensive clock boards, which usually cost less than $30 US. However, a RAM expansion board with a clock like the DKB 1202 is usually only about double that, and gives you the ability to add 32-bit expansion memory later, which will approximately double the operating speed of the A1200. 
 

Q. Can I modify the A1200 to have a remote keyboard?

A. Yes, if you're really motivated. There is a file on doing this in the hard/hack section of Aminet. It is non-trivial. 
 

Q. Can I remount my A1200 in a PC tower case?

A. Yes, although it'll be a lot of work, and no warranties. See the hard/hack section of Aminet. 
 

Q. Can the A1200 be upgraded to AmigaOS 3.1?

A. Yes. The operating system ROMs are socketed, and several places are now selling versions of 3.1 that are specifically made for the A1200. In fact, the new A1200s being sold by Amiga Technologies come with 3.1. 
 

Q. Is there an adapter box that lets me use Zorro boards on the A1200?

A. There are supposed to be several, although details are scarce, mainly because these hings are quite expensive and therefore rare. Don't count on being able to use any given card with them; the A1200 was not designed for this type of expansion and bus noise and other problems are bound to make using some boards problematic. 
 

Q. Can I use a Video Toaster with the A1200?

A. Normally, no. Some expansion boxes claim to add a video slot, although whether this will work with the Toaster is unclear at best. There are video digitizers and genlocks available specifically for the A1200, though. 
 

Q. Is there a Mac emulator for the A1200?

A. There are two at present: ShapeShifter and Fusion. ShapeShifter is a shareware package that can be downloaded from the misc/emu directory of Aminet, while Fusion is a commercial software package.

Either emulator will require a legal Mac ROM, although which versions they support or require may vary with the release version. You'll also need the Macintosh operating system. Version 7.5 can be purchased from Macintosh dealers, or you can download an earlier release from Apple's web site. 
 

Q. Is there an internal jumper on the A1200 to set it to default to PAL or NTSC video?

A. No, but if you're really motivated, you can rig this up. My thanks to Tetsuo Oda and Byron Montgomerie, who provided the information that connecting pin 41 of the Alice custom chip to ground causes the A1200 to default to NTSC, while pulling this pin high (disconnecting it from the motherboard and connecting it to +5V through a 4.7k resistor) will make the default power-up state PAL. I would point out that making a modification like this on a surface-mount chip is difficult at best, and you may end up needing an expensive motherboard replacement, or, at worst, a dead A1200 that needs an expensive replacement motherboard available. In most cases, using the boot menu (obtained by pressing both mouse buttons on power-up or reset) to switch to PAL is sufficient. However, with some games, the hardware patch will be necessary to insure proper timing (changing to PAL via the boot menu might make a 50 Hz game run at 60 Hz timing, or vice versa).

Conclusion

Will Paula meet the blitter of her dreams? Will Akiko ever get together with Fat Agnus? And what is the mysterious PCMCIA Corporation planning in their corporate headquarters at 68030 DMA Drive? Tune in next week...