What were A3000's good for?

Unknown_K · 26 June 2006, 14:59

Recently a friend of mine liberated an A3000 for me (Still waiting for the Lazy bum to ship it

) and was wondering how it is different/better/worse from my other machines. The unit has a Retina Z2 video card (2MB I think) and an Ariende network card installed. The 040 add-on was tossed because it was flacky, the unit is a 030/16 2MB chip and 8MB fast from what I hear.

My other machines include:
A500 with 512K trapdoor expansion
A2000 with GVP 030/40Mhz and 16MB GVP RAM + bridgeboard
A1200 with 030/50Mhz and 16 MB RAM

I was thinking that because of the scan doubler (I can use a cheap vga monitor since my Amiga ones are in use) and since the video card will do better then AGA graphics I might try getting the thing on the net for IRC/web browsing. What programs take advantage of a video card anyway?

Galahad/FLT · 26 June 2006, 15:07

Anything thats system compliant can 'generally' be mode promoted to use the video card.

any graphics heavy programs like Photogenics and the displaying of non Amiga graphics files should be better through the video card.

Games such as Myst and other titles using the system should be able to be forced to use the graphics cards, resulting in more stable images if the game was in hi res interlaced (such as Darkseed).

Angus · 26 June 2006, 15:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galahad/FLT

Games such as Myst and other titles using the system should be able to be forced to use the graphics cards, resulting in more stable images if the game was in hi res interlaced (such as Darkseed).

Hi

Can Darkseed be successfully viewed on a graphics card then?

And if anyone knows how to get Trapped 2 to work on my Mediator Voodoo in RTG mode, I`ll come round and wash their car!

Well, almost.

Galahad/FLT · 26 June 2006, 17:49

I have 5 cars and a truck! Be careful what you offer!

musashi5150 · 26 June 2006, 18:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galahad/FLT

I have 5 cars and a truck! Be careful what you offer!

Cool! Do you have them all insured at once? I'd like to have a 2nd car, but the thought of having to start with no NCD is a killer

Can you get multi-vehicle policies?

Galahad/FLT · 26 June 2006, 18:12

Yes you can.... VERY expensive!

Truck is insured plus my main car is insured, the others are being broken up and then scrapped.

Cavalier V6 engine going into my Astra CDX... bored of Turbos breaking down all the time

musashi5150 · 26 June 2006, 18:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galahad/FLT

V6 engine going into my Astra CDX

Don't see many V6 Cavs anymore - Your Astra should fly with that in!

I've got a Mk3 Golf GTI, which is fine for a commuter vehicle, but I'd like something fast like a Mitsubishi 3000GT or a Nissan 300ZX to play with too. But I can't afford to fuel them as commuter cars - which is why I was wondering about multi-vehicle policies...

Anyway, this is OT so we are bound to get into trouble now

DDNI · 26 June 2006, 18:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galahad/FLT

Yes you can.... VERY expensive!

Truck is insured plus my main car is insured, the others are being broken up and then scrapped.

Cavalier V6 engine going into my Astra CDX... bored of Turbos breaking down all the time

Hot damn I think I live next to you!!! Do you fire that beast up each morning and leave old oil in ice cream tubs all over your yard?

If you do then your my neighbour and Im coming to break yer face lol

Galahad/FLT · 26 June 2006, 19:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by musashi5150

Don't see many V6 Cavs anymore - Your Astra should fly with that in!

I've got a Mk3 Golf GTI, which is fine for a commuter vehicle, but I'd like something fast like a Mitsubishi 3000GT or a Nissan 300ZX to play with too. But I can't afford to fuel them as commuter cars - which is why I was wondering about multi-vehicle policies...

Anyway, this is OT so we are bound to get into trouble now

I used to kill 3oooGTO's and 300Z's in my 320BHP Cavalier Turbo.

I'm doing the conversion myself, then when I get bored of that, I'll go buy an Omega 3.0 V6 and put that in.

In an Astra it will be AWESOME!

Back on topic, there was a util released years ago that redirected all generic calls to the system to draw and plot graphics and enabled them to go through the video card. If however they were system compliant only for loading data but didn't use the system for drawing then there is nothing you can do.

Parsec · 26 June 2006, 20:03

I noticed the A3000 has an internal scan doubler too, is that not a bit of a killer feature - meaning you can run WB at high res yet still play OCS/AGA games on WHDLoad?

V6 is the only way to go, mine does 30mpg, 0-60 in 7 seconds and 140 mph. Plus you can pick up a really nice one for 5-6k. 54 platers are only 7-8k. Who's having a guess?

Chain · 26 June 2006, 20:25

internal scandoublers are BEST THINGS at A3000/T

musashi5150 · 26 June 2006, 20:29

Yes, the only reason I would really want an A3000 is for the built in scandoubler - it is very cool

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parsec

V6 is the only way to go, mine does 30mpg, 0-60 in 7 seconds and 140 mph. Plus you can pick up a really nice one for 5-6k. 54 platers are only 7-8k. Who's having a guess?

My guess is you have a Golf 4Motion ?

alexh · 26 June 2006, 20:54

If you have a dual input monitor it can (with software) become an automon with an A3000 (at least my monitor would).

If you've not binned your 040 it should be salvagable. PM me and I'll talk you through it.

Unknown_K · 27 June 2006, 05:59

The guy who had the unit scrapped the 040 a week before a friend of mine picked it up for me (and has yet to ship it to me). The unit was free.

I don't plan to sell or part it, but what would the 3000 and the 2 Zorro cards be worth in the US (I rarely see anything 3000 related on ebay).

adolescent · 27 June 2006, 08:20

The Retina Z2 isn't fast enough to be used as a RTG card. (It's also not supported in Picasso96 or Cybergrafix either). The A3000 is a great system though. Scan doubler, SCSI, Zorro 3, etc.

Slayer · 27 June 2006, 08:26

I let an A3000 pass just a few days ago... it even had a cyberstorm 060 in it...

but I don't do A3000s... except I do have just one but
that is an actual A3000T

cool machine, brought for $100... it didn't go...

I fixed it... heh

27 June 2006, 09:51

Definately, the internal scan doubler makes the 3000 a worthy machine. Direct ability to use standard VGA monitors. If they had kept that in the A4000 it would have been a vast improvement. How many Amiga capable RGB monitors die each year? With the 3k you arent so concerned about that.

Add to that the ability to have two floppies and a hard drive, means it can be great for copying disks and hard drive installed games and programs.

If you get tired of that, Zorro III can mean a nice graphics card if you can find a ZIII card at a decent price.

I've been in the process of rebuilding a 3000 UX and love it.

alexh · 27 June 2006, 14:13

They didnt keep it in the A4000 because the AMBER chip used in the A3000 cannot do AGA (Well it can but it looses half the colours) and commodore didnt want to spin another chip

03 July 2006, 01:44

@ Galahad - But I thought you had an affinity for white fiestas ?

Galahad/FLT · 03 July 2006, 02:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Up_Sample

@ Galahad - But I thought you had an affinity for white fiestas ?

where the fuck did that come from?

26 June 2006, 14:59	#1
Unknown_K Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio/USA Age: 55 Posts: 1,380	What were A3000's good for? Recently a friend of mine liberated an A3000 for me (Still waiting for the Lazy bum to ship it ) and was wondering how it is different/better/worse from my other machines. The unit has a Retina Z2 video card (2MB I think) and an Ariende network card installed. The 040 add-on was tossed because it was flacky, the unit is a 030/16 2MB chip and 8MB fast from what I hear. My other machines include: A500 with 512K trapdoor expansion A2000 with GVP 030/40Mhz and 16MB GVP RAM + bridgeboard A1200 with 030/50Mhz and 16 MB RAM I was thinking that because of the scan doubler (I can use a cheap vga monitor since my Amiga ones are in use) and since the video card will do better then AGA graphics I might try getting the thing on the net for IRC/web browsing. What programs take advantage of a video card anyway?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
WTB A3000 or A1200 in good working order	Vars191	MarketPlace	6	09 December 2012 17:48
a3000	lost_loven	support.Hardware	11	22 March 2010 01:20
FS: FULLY LOADED A3000, a bare bone A3000 and lots of Amiga Stuff!	emc_errol	MarketPlace	0	30 January 2009 22:33
2000 - black screen... Chips good... PSU good...	chiark	support.Hardware	45	09 January 2009 05:41
A3000 Used	jmmijo	MarketPlace	13	09 April 2002 21:50

26 June 2006, 15:07	#2
Galahad/FLT Going nowhere Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: United Kingdom Age: 50 Posts: 8,997	Anything thats system compliant can 'generally' be mode promoted to use the video card. any graphics heavy programs like Photogenics and the displaying of non Amiga graphics files should be better through the video card. Games such as Myst and other titles using the system should be able to be forced to use the graphics cards, resulting in more stable images if the game was in hi res interlaced (such as Darkseed).

26 June 2006, 17:49	#4
Galahad/FLT Going nowhere Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: United Kingdom Age: 50 Posts: 8,997	I have 5 cars and a truck! Be careful what you offer!

26 June 2006, 18:12	#6
Galahad/FLT Going nowhere Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: United Kingdom Age: 50 Posts: 8,997	Yes you can.... VERY expensive! Truck is insured plus my main car is insured, the others are being broken up and then scrapped. Cavalier V6 engine going into my Astra CDX... bored of Turbos breaking down all the time

26 June 2006, 20:03	#10
Parsec Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Lancashire Age: 49 Posts: 434	I noticed the A3000 has an internal scan doubler too, is that not a bit of a killer feature - meaning you can run WB at high res yet still play OCS/AGA games on WHDLoad? V6 is the only way to go, mine does 30mpg, 0-60 in 7 seconds and 140 mph. Plus you can pick up a really nice one for 5-6k. 54 platers are only 7-8k. Who's having a guess?

26 June 2006, 20:25	#11
Chain A-Collector, repairments Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Czech Rep. Age: 50 Posts: 1,536	internal scandoublers are BEST THINGS at A3000/T

26 June 2006, 20:54	#13
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,354	If you have a dual input monitor it can (with software) become an automon with an A3000 (at least my monitor would). If you've not binned your 040 it should be salvagable. PM me and I'll talk you through it.

27 June 2006, 05:59	#14
Unknown_K Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio/USA Age: 55 Posts: 1,380	The guy who had the unit scrapped the 040 a week before a friend of mine picked it up for me (and has yet to ship it to me). The unit was free. I don't plan to sell or part it, but what would the 3000 and the 2 Zorro cards be worth in the US (I rarely see anything 3000 related on ebay).

27 June 2006, 08:20	#15
adolescent Powered by Motorola Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Age: 52 Posts: 1,065	The Retina Z2 isn't fast enough to be used as a RTG card. (It's also not supported in Picasso96 or Cybergrafix either). The A3000 is a great system though. Scan doubler, SCSI, Zorro 3, etc.

27 June 2006, 08:26	#16
Slayer Amiga Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: New Zealand Age: 56 Posts: 695	I let an A3000 pass just a few days ago... it even had a cyberstorm 060 in it... but I don't do A3000s... except I do have just one but that is an actual A3000T cool machine, brought for $100... it didn't go... I fixed it... heh

27 June 2006, 09:51	#17
MayhemMaybe Posts: n/a	Definately, the internal scan doubler makes the 3000 a worthy machine. Direct ability to use standard VGA monitors. If they had kept that in the A4000 it would have been a vast improvement. How many Amiga capable RGB monitors die each year? With the 3k you arent so concerned about that. Add to that the ability to have two floppies and a hard drive, means it can be great for copying disks and hard drive installed games and programs. If you get tired of that, Zorro III can mean a nice graphics card if you can find a ZIII card at a decent price. I've been in the process of rebuilding a 3000 UX and love it.

27 June 2006, 14:13	#18
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,354	They didnt keep it in the A4000 because the AMBER chip used in the A3000 cannot do AGA (Well it can but it looses half the colours) and commodore didnt want to spin another chip

03 July 2006, 01:44	#19
Up_Sample Posts: n/a	@ Galahad - But I thought you had an affinity for white fiestas ?

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)