A500....

asm1 · 03 April 2009, 01:55

Having seen that I've got a nice A1200 going, one of my friends has asked me if I'd have a look at the A500 she had at her parents. I don't have the machine yet and it may have long since gone, but since her Dad is a bit of a hoarder, it may still be in the loft....

Now, leaky batteries aside. What can be done with an A500 ? And yes I have seen the pics of trashcans, A1200s etc etc

. Is it too ambitious to expect to be able to use this as a WHDownload machine ?
I suspect she is not going to want much more than the ability to play her old games.... although having seen what I've got... I dunno.

I have no idea of the spec of her machine, and money is an issue (i.e. can't afford to spend a lot on it) If possible I'd put KS3.1 WB 3.1 on it. I have spare CF/IDE adapter and cards, so if it doesn't already have a HD would these be useable ?

Yes I guess she/we could source a cheap A1200 but the idea is to see what can be done with what she has (if anything!) and its her birthday soon...

cheers

Andrew

NovaCoder · 03 April 2009, 01:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by asm1

Having seen that I've got a nice A1200 going, one of my friends has asked me if I'd have a look at the A500 she had at her parents. I don't have the machine yet and it may have long since gone, but since her Dad is a bit of a hoarder, it may still be in the loft....

Now, leaky batteries aside. What can be done with an A500 ? And yes I have seen the pics of trashcans, A1200s etc etc

. Is it too ambitious to expect to be able to use this as a WHDownload machine ?
I suspect she is not going to want much more than the ability to play her old games.... although having seen what I've got... I dunno.

I have no idea of the spec of her machine, and money is an issue (i.e. can't afford to spend a lot on it) If possible I'd put KS3.1 WB 3.1 on it. I have spare CF/IDE adapter and cards, so if it doesn't already have a HD would these be useable ?

Yes I guess she/we could source a cheap A1200 but the idea is to see what can be done with what she has (if anything!) and its her birthday soon...

cheers

Andrew

Get her a cheap 1200 instead and sell the 500 (if it turns up) on eBay (after you've given it a clean-up of course). 1200's make much better WHDLOAD machines than old 500's.

rkauer · 03 April 2009, 04:56

OR save the A500 pieces for fix problematic pieces of your A1200 (keyboard, floppy, case's LED).

The A500 case is also good to house a maxed out A1200 with enough space to hold a full-size 3.5" HD, pico-PSU, etc. Giving an excellent retro-look for a heavily expanded machine.

chiark · 03 April 2009, 11:30

Keep the 500, put an CFIDE68k interface in it, and enjoy

Cracking machines: I still have a very soft spot for the 500... Possibly because it was my first "real" computer (sorry 64, sorry 128...)

To take it further, plonk a 68030 accelerator in there. Although I do like rkauer's suggestion of dropping a 1200 mobo in there... Might have to look at that!

asm1 · 03 April 2009, 12:29

bet an 030 expansion for a 500 is pricey...

Will see what I end up with

The 1200 board idea sounds interesting.... would the PCMCIA slot fit ok or would I have to cut an opening for it ?

cane · 03 April 2009, 12:55

If I may suggest first to find it and determine if it works. A500 is limited in making it a WHDLoad machine compared to A1200. It doesn't have any HDD controller IDE or SCSI by default so you can't use your CF/IDE adapter, it can be expanded to 2Mb chip ram but that is a little bit pricey and hard to find. A1200 is the best choice for WHDLoad machine, but it should have at least some fast ram.
But if your friend only wants to play her's few favorite games than you could transfer games on floppy's. Not as good as WHDLoad solution but the cheapest solution if the "long lost" A500 is found and is still working

Jope · 03 April 2009, 13:41

The PCMCIA slot comes out in the same place as the AmigaBUS connector in the A500. No cutting needed.

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=30723

chiark · 03 April 2009, 14:31

030s aren't that pricey for the 500. I've got two CSA Mega Midget Racers now, both were well under £100. (I see that as cheap compared to what they cost originally

)

I really wish I hadn't seen the 1200 in a 500 case... I don't have a 1200, and don't want one. But a 1700 is a different proposition!

asm1 · 03 April 2009, 17:48

Well its a thought

I will see what we have to start with when I (eventually) get hold of the machine.

rkauer · 03 April 2009, 18:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by cane

<SNIP>... it can be expanded to 2Mb chip ram but that is a little bit pricey and hard to find.

<SNIP>

Not true if the board is the latest revision (8a). In this particular case is dead easy to expand the available chip memory to 2Mb...

asm1 · 03 April 2009, 18:41

Does A standard A1200 Keyboard with ribbon cable fit ? I'm not sure I'm up to Soldering.....

Jope · 03 April 2009, 21:08

The ribbon cable might just reach.

rkauer · 04 April 2009, 04:51

Or even better: solder the 5 wires from the A1200 board to the proper +5V, GND, Data & clock on the A500 keyboard for perfect retro looking.

03 April 2009, 01:55	#1
asm1 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Age: 44 Posts: 637	A500.... Having seen that I've got a nice A1200 going, one of my friends has asked me if I'd have a look at the A500 she had at her parents. I don't have the machine yet and it may have long since gone, but since her Dad is a bit of a hoarder, it may still be in the loft.... Now, leaky batteries aside. What can be done with an A500 ? And yes I have seen the pics of trashcans, A1200s etc etc . Is it too ambitious to expect to be able to use this as a WHDownload machine ? I suspect she is not going to want much more than the ability to play her old games.... although having seen what I've got... I dunno. I have no idea of the spec of her machine, and money is an issue (i.e. can't afford to spend a lot on it) If possible I'd put KS3.1 WB 3.1 on it. I have spare CF/IDE adapter and cards, so if it doesn't already have a HD would these be useable ? Yes I guess she/we could source a cheap A1200 but the idea is to see what can be done with what she has (if anything!) and its her birthday soon... cheers Andrew

03 April 2009, 12:29	#5
asm1 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Age: 44 Posts: 637	bet an 030 expansion for a 500 is pricey... Will see what I end up with The 1200 board idea sounds interesting.... would the PCMCIA slot fit ok or would I have to cut an opening for it ? Last edited by asm1; 03 April 2009 at 12:52.

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03 April 2009, 04:56	#3
rkauer I hate potatos and shirts Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sao Leopoldo / Brazil Age: 58 Posts: 3,482	OR save the A500 pieces for fix problematic pieces of your A1200 (keyboard, floppy, case's LED). The A500 case is also good to house a maxed out A1200 with enough space to hold a full-size 3.5" HD, pico-PSU, etc. Giving an excellent retro-look for a heavily expanded machine.

03 April 2009, 11:30	#4
chiark Needs a life Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: England Posts: 1,707	Keep the 500, put an CFIDE68k interface in it, and enjoy Cracking machines: I still have a very soft spot for the 500... Possibly because it was my first "real" computer (sorry 64, sorry 128...) To take it further, plonk a 68030 accelerator in there. Although I do like rkauer's suggestion of dropping a 1200 mobo in there... Might have to look at that!

03 April 2009, 12:55	#6
cane Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: .hr Age: 45 Posts: 540	If I may suggest first to find it and determine if it works. A500 is limited in making it a WHDLoad machine compared to A1200. It doesn't have any HDD controller IDE or SCSI by default so you can't use your CF/IDE adapter, it can be expanded to 2Mb chip ram but that is a little bit pricey and hard to find. A1200 is the best choice for WHDLoad machine, but it should have at least some fast ram. But if your friend only wants to play her's few favorite games than you could transfer games on floppy's. Not as good as WHDLoad solution but the cheapest solution if the "long lost" A500 is found and is still working

03 April 2009, 13:41	#7
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	The PCMCIA slot comes out in the same place as the AmigaBUS connector in the A500. No cutting needed. http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=30723

03 April 2009, 14:31	#8
chiark Needs a life Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: England Posts: 1,707	030s aren't that pricey for the 500. I've got two CSA Mega Midget Racers now, both were well under £100. (I see that as cheap compared to what they cost originally ) I really wish I hadn't seen the 1200 in a 500 case... I don't have a 1200, and don't want one. But a 1700 is a different proposition!

03 April 2009, 17:48	#9
asm1 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Age: 44 Posts: 637	Well its a thought I will see what we have to start with when I (eventually) get hold of the machine.

03 April 2009, 18:41	#11
asm1 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Age: 44 Posts: 637	Does A standard A1200 Keyboard with ribbon cable fit ? I'm not sure I'm up to Soldering.....

03 April 2009, 21:08	#12
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	The ribbon cable might just reach.

04 April 2009, 04:51	#13
rkauer I hate potatos and shirts Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sao Leopoldo / Brazil Age: 58 Posts: 3,482	Or even better: solder the 5 wires from the A1200 board to the proper +5V, GND, Data & clock on the A500 keyboard for perfect retro looking.

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