Help with Downloading/playing adf games

To whomever my be able to help me!
After a few weeks of trawling through forums and such about the Amiga 500 these are the questions I haven't been able to come up with answers to. if anyone can help me with this it would be greatly appreciated.

My problem: I want to be able to transfer adf files from my PC to the Amiga 500, to the floppies actually (the AMIGA is standard with no ram upgrade and no hard drive).

Heres what I know:
1. I have to format Amiga disks with the Amiga to be 720K disks, otherwise the AMIGA can't read them.

2. I know that I cannot do this on my PC without a special Floppy disk controller

3. I have to get my hands on a null mode cable, and connect my PC to the Amiga, and then download some software that I can use to transfer files from the PC to the Amiga and onto Amiga formatted floppy disks which will be in the AMIGA 500 Floppy disk drive.

4. As far as I understand it the transfer software might need to be on the PC, the amiga, or both for this to work.

Heres my problem(s):
1. I suspect (but don't know) that in order to do any of the fore mentioned, I MUST have a version of workbench? is this true? what version do I need? when I boot the amiga it comes to a screen that shows a hand holding a disk and just below it the text "v1.3". Does this mean that I have to use workbench v1.3?

2. Assuming you DON'T need Workbench, and it associated functionality copy Amiga games from PC to Amiga, is it possible to connect the Amiga 500 to my PC (via the null modem cable), and install software on my PC software that will allow me to control the AMIGA floppy disk drive so that I can
a.) format the floppy disk
b.) copy the adf file onto the disk ?

3. Assuming I DO need a copy of work bench:
a.) What version(s) can I use and where would I get such a thing from, on disk? (e.g. I've got no way of getting Workbench onto an AMIGA readable disk as I can't write the workbench software to the disk with my PC)
b.) Once I have the workbench software on disk how can the amiga hold workbench software in memory which as I believe comes with the copy utility (which I assume it needs to do) while at the same time trying to copy a 720K disk? Won't it run out of memory given it only has 512K?
c.) If I split the adf file up into multiple disk during the transfer process (if you can….) when I'm playing a game does the amiga know when to prompt me to put in the next disc? or will it just crash?

4. If I can resolve the above questions there is then the problem of a monitor for the AMIGA I have noticed that the AMIGA 500 won't plug into a standard modern monitor. I t has less pins on its cable.
a.) Is there any sort of adapter that will allow you to use the AMIGA with a standard, modern PC CRT monitor or LCD screen?
b.) what do I need to connect to my TV, will the quality of the picture be as good as a monitor if I use my TV?

That’s it…… As you might have noticed I'm reasonably new to the AMIGA scene, but I do have good memories of playing AMIGA 500 games on a friends Amiga years ago, and if there's anyway I can resurrect this thing it would be great. If anyone can help me with the above questions that would be great,
thanks,
Dominic

[Marcuz]

you need a factory Workbench or at least any custom Workbench as long as it has the means to setup the transfer with null-modem. according to the faqs, you need only the command TYPE to transfer the first file to amiga, needed to set up the rest.
however:
http://eab.abime.net/faq.php?faq=ami...games_xfer_faq

[InTheSand]

Hi,

Originally Posted by dom_1234

1. I have to format Amiga disks with the Amiga to be 720K disks, otherwise the AMIGA can't read them.

2. I know that I cannot do this on my PC without a special Floppy disk controller

This isn't strictly true - PCs running any version of Windows or Linux can format 720Kb FAT disks, but in Windows XP, the option of doing this from the GUI has been disabled.

To format a 720Kb disk in XP, open a command prompt and type:
format a: /t:90 /n:9

I suspect (but don't know) that in order to do any of the fore mentioned, I MUST have a version of workbench? is this true? what version do I need? when I boot the amiga it comes to a screen that shows a hand holding a disk and just below it the text "v1.3". Does this mean that I have to use workbench v1.3?

The hand holding the 1.3 disk is just the Amiga waiting for a disk, be it Workbench or any other bootable disk.

However, seeing as you don't yet have any real Amiga disks, you have a bit of a problem as the Amiga will either need some file transfer applications to run, or needs to have drivers installed to read PC formatted disks.

If you PM me (and are prepared to pay the postage from NZ), I can send you a real Amiga disk containing a bootable Workbench 1.3 that also contains the software necessary to read/write 720Kb PC disks. However, given your limited amounts of Amiga RAM, transferring an ADF disk image from the PC will need to be done in several stages...

Once I have the workbench software on disk how can the amiga hold workbench software in memory which as I believe comes with the copy utility (which I assume it needs to do) while at the same time trying to copy a 720K disk? Won't it run out of memory given it only has 512K?
c.) If I split the adf file up into multiple disk during the transfer process (if you can….) when I'm playing a game does the amiga know when to prompt me to put in the next disc? or will it just crash?

The Amiga can boot Workbench and still have enough of the 512Kb RAM free to copy an ADF file (in sections) from a PC 720Kb disk into its internal RAM disk and then write these out to an Amiga floppy. The entire ADF file will need to be transferred piecemeal (in about 3 or so bits). If it's a multi-disk game or application, the next disk will be asked for.

I have noticed that the AMIGA 500 won't plug into a standard modern monitor. I t has less pins on its cable.

Actually it has more! 23-pin socket on the Amiga, vs 15-pin D-sub on the PC... If you really want to connect this to a VGA monitor, you'll need a scandoubler - these are typically very expensive though.

Did your Amiga 500 come with an A520 modulator (beige rectangular box that plugs into the Amiga's monitor port)? If so, you'll be able to use this to connect to your TV via RF (very poor quality) or composite video (poor, but better than RF and OK for games use). If your TV has a SCART socket (unlikely being Australia, unless it's a very new TV), you can get a lead that connects directly to the Amiga and gives the best picture.

Hope this helps,

- Ali