A4000T (Amiga Technologies model)

[c0dehunter]

Hello all,

The seller (local pickup only) claims that it is in perfect working condition (US, NTS Model). Doesn't know the price, but I need to ask *you*:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmMsC1h6

How much a system like this cost?


Thanks!

[quantum8]

If it's working and has minimal battery/capacitor damage; a lot.

Not working? About half that.

[fitzsteve]

Pretty sure A4000T had a coin battery so should be safe against leakage but if not done will need caps replacing. Looks like it has a graphics card too.

Haven't seen one sell for a while so no idea on price but it ain't gonna be cheap.

[DarrenHD]

One sold on Amibay in Feb 2019 for $2000 USD. I'd say based on today's sales it's a bit on the low side.

[c0dehunter]

Thanks, I will let him know!


Is there any advantage (most likely *disadvantage) of this system being an Amiga Technologies model? How can I determine if it is the 040, or the *inferior* 030 system?


From Wikipedia:


"Production of the A4000T was restarted after Escom bought the Amiga assets. Apart from the new option of a 68060 CPU, the Escom-manufactured 4000Ts had minor differences from the old one including the substitution of the high density floppy drive with a double density one, and a different front bezel on the case."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amiga_4000T



Thanks!

[trixster]

Commodore apparently only made about 50 A4000T, so pretty much all of them are Amiga Technologies

[Kin Hell]

Make sure there are no plastic damages, like Door Hinges & corners/sides of fascia.

Most shipped as 040's with the Flat Style Heat-Sink but that does not rule out an 060 upgrade.

Possible VGA card in a ZORRO slot, with the Amiga's Flicker Fixed VGA going in & out of the case again.

Ask him to power it up to Desktop & have a mooch around the system.

Has he suggested a price to you?

[DarrenHD]

Originally Posted by c0dehunter

Thanks, I will let him know!


Is there any advantage (most likely *disadvantage) of this system being an Amiga Technologies model? How can I determine if it is the 040, or the *inferior* 030 system?


From Wikipedia:


"Production of the A4000T was restarted after Escom bought the Amiga assets. Apart from the new option of a 68060 CPU, the Escom-manufactured 4000Ts had minor differences from the old one including the substitution of the high density floppy drive with a double density one, and a different front bezel on the case."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amiga_4000T



Thanks!

Amiga Technologies/Quikpak never sold an 030 model. It will be likely an 040 model - by far the most common. Only thing to really check is capacitors - they probably should be replaced, or inspected carefully at minimum. The AT/Quikpak A4000T was sold in several configurations by Software Hut in the USA:

A4000T - no CPU card no SCSI drive
A4000T - no CPU card but with SCSI drive
A4000T - with C= 040 card and no SCSI drive (or with SCSI)
A4000T - with original (larger) 060 card (Quikpak 060)
A4000T - with newer revision (smaller) Quikpak XP 060 card (with or without onboard SCSI)

There were limited stocks of the 060 cards, especially the XP version, approximately 50 of the XP variant were sold. Not sure how many original 060 cards there were, probably more than 50. They were produced from 1996 to 1998. The one you have pictured was produced in May 1996, so it is *probably* an 040 model. They started with 040's then later came the 060 options.

There was also a limited run of A4000T's in "PowerTower" cases, but this one you referenced is not a PowerTower case. The PowerTower ones were offered near the end of production, either late 1997 or 1998.

I know this because I bought two A4000T's from Software Hut and at the time talked to them about what configurations were available. I believe they came with 6MB ram - 2MB chip and 4MB fast. The second one I bought from them came with the XP 060 board. There is some information about it on my website in my signature. I have since sold both A4000T's. At the time the bare system with no CPU card was about $1000 USD, and if you added a 060 about another $600 USD.

[Valken]

That case... what a departure from the classic C= Amigas! It has a standard ATX layout so options exist for a much better looking one!

[seb132]

I bought a NOS boxed A4000T in USA in 2015 for $900, shipped... so the price is only what a buyer is ready to offer...

[Hedeon]

Originally Posted by seb132

I bought a NOS boxed A4000T in USA in 2015 for $900, shipped... so the price is only what a buyer is ready to offer...

5 years is a long time. I bought an A4000T around that time for 750 euros. NOS, without box. I am now seeing prices twice that.

[c0dehunter]

Thank you all for responding to my message. OK, I have decided to bu the system, as he is willing to sell the tower, bundled with a Commodore 1960 Monitor, and some sealed floppy diskettes for $500.


Question:


1) I am about to ask him to take a picture of the inside of the system, so we can clearly see the capacitors conditions, etc.



2) Is Commodore 1960 a good monitor? (never heard of it before)
https://www.bigbookofamigahardware.c...ct.aspx?id=857


3) What this tower offers, that a normal desktop version (original Commodore) does not offer?



4) Why do I need this tower at all (own 2X A500's, A600, A1200, CDTV, CD32, 2X A2000)


5) Based on the image, where is the CD-ROM unit? All I see is the two floppy drives on the front bay?


6) I am planning to replace its IDE HDD, with a CompactFlash, but mostly for games.


7) Is it good buy overall?


Thanks! You guys are the best!

[seb132]

If you get all that for $500 it’s a great deal. Period. The monitor is the only multisync monitor form C=. It’s worth this price alone.
And if you don’t want it because you have too much Amigas just leave it for others, lol.
Using an A4000T just for games is an overkill. They used to run a TV channel on their own!

[c0dehunter]

Nice! Good to know! Can I connect my A500 to this monitor then?

[Jope]

Yeps, you can connect it. You most likely need to use the silver dongle to convert DB23 -> DE15.

Congrats on the deal of a lifetime. :-)

[fitzsteve]

Fantastic buy, if you can afford it go for it as you wont get another offer at this price.

Once you have it take lots of pics for us!

Be interesting to find out if that's an RTG card or Scan Doubler and what CPU it has.

I mean imagine if there's a CSPPC in there!

[Juz400]

Originally Posted by c0dehunter

5) Based on the image, where is the CD-ROM unit? All I see is the two floppy drives on the front bay?


6) I am planning to replace its IDE HDD, with a CompactFlash, but mostly for games.


7) Is it good buy overall?


Thanks! You guys are the best!

5) Easy enough to pick a replacement up
6) Looks like you have a SCSI card in the 1st slot
7) Without question


Make sure post plenty pictures when you have it home!

[c0dehunter]

Ok, will do!

[DDNI]

Looks like a potentially great deal! Lucky guy

Just be on your guard for the scammers out there. Sadly the Amiga universe is not without its own nefarious characters. Doomy actually springs to mind whenever I see a sweet A4000T deal in the USA. http://www.retrogeekcomputers.com/

[c0dehunter]

OK guys, I ended up getting the system yesterday! The seller was nice enough to throw in about 200 floppy diskettes (some of which are still shrink-wrapped!), SCSI Tape Drive and blank tapes, and lots of Amiga DOS and related manuals!

I took some pictures of the system, and uploaded them to my Flickr account:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmMAyVtP

Observations/Questions:

1) The system is VERY clean, and it boots up nicely, and the C= 1960 Monitor is quite nice, its image quality is very professional looking (almost Sony's Trinitron-like matte quality).



2) Please see the pictures, and tell me what add-ons, etc. are installed, as I have *very limited* experience with A4000, and its architecture


3) Can I install an IDE adapter connected to a CompactFlash drive instead of the two hard drives already installed? (planing to install Workbench fresh on it) The 2 hard drives seem to be SCSI.



4) When I press its TURBO button, nothing happens (confirmed by Sysinfo, if it can detect the speed change, in *real-time that is), however, the funny things is, when pressed, the TURBO button *enables* the system's internal speaker! Is this normal?


5) None of my floppy diskettes (games/demos) (on real floppy diskettes) booted or played (a few select few games, like GODS, CHAOS ENGINE, etc., started, but after a loop, they Guru Meditated on me. (mostly demos though). Now these are floppies that run fine on my A500 (1.2 KS).

Do you think it is due the Escom's high-capacity floppy drives? (as I have a similar problem with my Escom A1200 as well)


6) I also tried two genuine SEGA Genesis game pads, (3 button models), but none worked (directional button, or Fire button). I have a CD32 game-pad that is currently connected to my A500, and I am going to try it tomorrow, but it seemed odd that *two different* game-pads were not detected by my A4000T.


That's it for now!
Thanks for your kind comments!