A500 vs A600 for compatibility

JonSick · 16 February 2013, 18:15

I'm looking for a partner to my A1200 to cover older non-A1200 titles. Is there any real difference in terms of compatibility between the A500 and A600?

TCD · 16 February 2013, 18:27

If you mean floppy based games nothing beats an A500 for compatibility

Lord Aga · 16 February 2013, 18:38

Yup. I have the A500 for that very reason

And because it was dirt cheap and in excellent condition

desiv · 16 February 2013, 19:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonSick

I'm looking for a partner to my A1200 to cover older non-A1200 titles. Is there any real difference in terms of compatibility between the A500 and A600?

There's very little difference between the 2.
The major compatibility issue is Kickstart. If you get an A500 with Kickstart 2.x or higher, you have the same issues...

Really, WHDLoad takes care of most of those issues on an A1200..

Yes, WHDLoad usually requires more RAM than standard, but you can use it for smaller games with just the standard RAM and any games with those compatibility issues are the really old smaller games.

Also, degrader (is that what its called?) on the A1200 will let your 1200 pretend it's an older system for compatibility. I haven't used that much on the 1200, but I hear it works well.

desiv

TCD · 16 February 2013, 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by desiv

If you get an A500 with Kickstart 2.x or higher, you have the same issues...

IIRC there never was an A500 (without +) with KS 2.0. I'd say there's a huge difference between the two regarding OCS floppy games compatibility. Let's hope the OP knows about WHDLoad because otherwise the thread is a bit pointless.

desiv · 16 February 2013, 19:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

IIRC there never was an A500 (without +) with KS 2.0.

Released maybe, but people upgraded frequently.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

I'd say there's a huge difference between the two regarding OCS floppy games compatibility.

I doubt that..
ECS didn't change much as far as games go, except maybe adding the ability to switch PAL/NTSC.
ECS basically came on the same systems as Kickstart 2, and I believe that's where the compatibility issues are..

That's why, on an ECS system, if you use a program to kick 1.3, you can almost always get the older games to work.

desiv

TCD · 16 February 2013, 19:57

On a stock A600 you'll run into compatibility issues while on a stock A500 with an 512 kb expansion you'll own the machine that almost all commercial non-AGA games were developed for. Hope this is now clear enough...

redblade · 16 February 2013, 23:49

Just leech the AGA fixes from TOSEC?

clenched · 17 February 2013, 00:39

The A500 has the numeric keypad. To what extent it is mandatory or a luxury, I wouldn't even guess. Still one more reason to prefer A500.

desiv · 17 February 2013, 01:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by clenched

The A500 has the numeric keypad. To what extent it is mandatory or a luxury, I wouldn't even guess. Still one more reason to prefer A500.

Not sure..
I like it for day-to-day use..
For games?
I can't remember a game that uses it.
I'm sure there are some (flight sims maybe???) that can use it, but nothing comes to mind..

Not sure there are any that require it...

desiv

john1979 · 17 February 2013, 03:03

F/A 18 Interceptor is very handy to have numeric keypad

Most A500 games and demos run on A600, some need kick downgrade. A600 also has advantage of whdload and cf card classicwb.

I'd probably go for the A600, unless ultimate compatability with everything is your goal.

JonSick · 17 February 2013, 09:25

AGA fixes? Hmmm, I didn't know they existed. I'll go check those out.

Cheers for the responses, people

TCD · 17 February 2013, 11:22

Just in case... also have a look at this: http://whdload.de & http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=5267

Lord Aga · 17 February 2013, 14:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by desiv

Not sure..
I like it for day-to-day use..
For games?
I can't remember a game that uses it.
I'm sure there are some (flight sims maybe???) that can use it, but nothing comes to mind..

Not sure there are any that require it...

desiv

Gobliiins needs the numeric key to be pressed in order to start

At least that was the case with my version last time I tried it...

Anyway, some may be missing the point here. It is not a case of A500 VS A600. A600 is probably a better all round machine, but JonSick already has an A1200 ! So AGA games, fixed games and non trouble making games are already covered. For what he needs (specific cases of incompatibility) A500 is the most logical choice. Everything will work there, and it is super cheap. Not to mention more robust. A600s are kind of too gentle.

mark_k · 17 February 2013, 15:21

I'd agree with going for an A500 to complement an A1200. You're already sorted for AGA and WHDLoad games with the 1200.

My advice would be to get a Kickstart 1.2 A500. A few programs don't run on Kickstart 1.3, plus you're guaranteed to get the original non-ECS Fat Agnus chip. It seems most A500s with Kickstart 1.3 came with the ECS Agnus.

One program incompatible with Kickstart 1.3 is the old Soundtracker IV by D.O.C. If I remember correctly, its keyboard-handling code jumps directly to an absolute address in the Kickstart ROM(!).

There were quite a few games and demos which didn't work properly with the ECS Agnus. For example Double Dragon II, Z-Out and the Digital Force demos Ode to Ramon and Ode to Ramon II. (Though all of those have WHDLoad installers, so you could actually run them that way on your 1200.)

A 1.2 A500 with extra 512KB in the trapdoor should have the best out-of-the-box compatibility with old demos. For very old demos which don't run with extra RAM, you can turn it off using one of those custom nofastmem bootblocks.

JonSick · 17 February 2013, 15:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

Just in case... also have a look at this: http://whdload.de & http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=5267

Thanks for this. I'd seen WHDLoad mentioned, but not read much into it! I think this could be slightly more what I'm after - at least while I wait for the right A500 bargain to come along

Cheers sir!

Arnie · 17 February 2013, 16:22

I guess it depends on what games you want to play. I find my A1200 to be quite capable of playing all the old games that I have using a combination of tude, degrader, relokick or WHDload.

JonSick · 17 February 2013, 21:49

All of this is a bit premature, still need to restore the A1200. But, dos WHDLoad specifically omit cracked copies? I'm not a major games player and would miss the cheats available on cracks (Turrican II, Cool Spot, Superfrog).

The A500 question was more related to It Came From The Desert

TCD · 17 February 2013, 21:57

You're welcome

Some (but not all) WHDLoad installs come with trainers that you can enable. Usually the cheats for the floppy versions still work with WHDLoad installs

I'd say when you have your A1200 working, you have a look at WHDLoad and decide if it does what you need

16 February 2013, 18:15	#1
JonSick Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 255	A500 vs A600 for compatibility I'm looking for a partner to my A1200 to cover older non-A1200 titles. Is there any real difference in terms of compatibility between the A500 and A600?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Logic analyzer: Was Better (perhaps) A500 compatibility	Toni Wilen	request.UAE Wishlist	42	23 February 2022 15:42
kick 1.2 VS Kick 1.3 for A500'games compatibility	laser	support.WinUAE	35	12 November 2014 12:40
A1200, A600, A500+ and A500	maddoc666	MarketPlace	1	22 May 2011 09:11
DosFellow compatibility list and compatibility of specific games	ruffian	support.WinFellow	8	24 May 2010 19:23
A500/a600	JonSick	Amiga scene	4	13 October 2006 04:08

16 February 2013, 18:27	#2
TCD HOL/FTP busy bee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Germany Age: 46 Posts: 31,530	If you mean floppy based games nothing beats an A500 for compatibility

16 February 2013, 18:38	#3
Lord Aga MI clan prevails Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Belgrade, Serbia Posts: 1,443	Yup. I have the A500 for that very reason And because it was dirt cheap and in excellent condition

16 February 2013, 19:57	#7
TCD HOL/FTP busy bee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Germany Age: 46 Posts: 31,530	On a stock A600 you'll run into compatibility issues while on a stock A500 with an 512 kb expansion you'll own the machine that almost all commercial non-AGA games were developed for. Hope this is now clear enough...

16 February 2013, 23:49	#8
redblade Zone Friend Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Middle Earth Age: 40 Posts: 2,127	Just leech the AGA fixes from TOSEC?

17 February 2013, 00:39	#9
clenched Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Gainesville U.S.A. Posts: 771	The A500 has the numeric keypad. To what extent it is mandatory or a luxury, I wouldn't even guess. Still one more reason to prefer A500.

17 February 2013, 03:03	#11
john1979 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: UK Age: 44 Posts: 748	F/A 18 Interceptor is very handy to have numeric keypad Most A500 games and demos run on A600, some need kick downgrade. A600 also has advantage of whdload and cf card classicwb. I'd probably go for the A600, unless ultimate compatability with everything is your goal.

17 February 2013, 09:25	#12
JonSick Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 255	AGA fixes? Hmmm, I didn't know they existed. I'll go check those out. Cheers for the responses, people

17 February 2013, 11:22	#13
TCD HOL/FTP busy bee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Germany Age: 46 Posts: 31,530	Just in case... also have a look at this: http://whdload.de & http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=5267

17 February 2013, 15:21	#15
mark_k Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Posts: 3,336	I'd agree with going for an A500 to complement an A1200. You're already sorted for AGA and WHDLoad games with the 1200. My advice would be to get a Kickstart 1.2 A500. A few programs don't run on Kickstart 1.3, plus you're guaranteed to get the original non-ECS Fat Agnus chip. It seems most A500s with Kickstart 1.3 came with the ECS Agnus. One program incompatible with Kickstart 1.3 is the old Soundtracker IV by D.O.C. If I remember correctly, its keyboard-handling code jumps directly to an absolute address in the Kickstart ROM(!). There were quite a few games and demos which didn't work properly with the ECS Agnus. For example Double Dragon II, Z-Out and the Digital Force demos Ode to Ramon and Ode to Ramon II. (Though all of those have WHDLoad installers, so you could actually run them that way on your 1200.) A 1.2 A500 with extra 512KB in the trapdoor should have the best out-of-the-box compatibility with old demos. For very old demos which don't run with extra RAM, you can turn it off using one of those custom nofastmem bootblocks.

17 February 2013, 16:22	#17
Arnie R.I.P Smudge 18-08-16 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Leicester/UK Age: 66 Posts: 3,968	I guess it depends on what games you want to play. I find my A1200 to be quite capable of playing all the old games that I have using a combination of tude, degrader, relokick or WHDload.

17 February 2013, 21:49	#18
JonSick Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 255	All of this is a bit premature, still need to restore the A1200. But, dos WHDLoad specifically omit cracked copies? I'm not a major games player and would miss the cheats available on cracks (Turrican II, Cool Spot, Superfrog). The A500 question was more related to It Came From The Desert

17 February 2013, 21:57	#19
TCD HOL/FTP busy bee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Germany Age: 46 Posts: 31,530	You're welcome Some (but not all) WHDLoad installs come with trainers that you can enable. Usually the cheats for the floppy versions still work with WHDLoad installs I'd say when you have your A1200 working, you have a look at WHDLoad and decide if it does what you need

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