Whats the best Amiga to get?

[MickGyver]

I would vote for a CD32 and the very affordable TF328 fast ram + ide board (and a kipper2k riser so you can use a PS/2 keyboard). Then you can play CD32 games (obviously) and other Amiga games using WHDLoad. The Cd32 is also a better fit in the living room.

Granted, the CD32 is more expensive...

[paulnography]

Hey all. Thanks for all the advice. There's a lot of talk of upgrades and and bits and pieces I'm not sure I understand just yet as I've only just started to relook in to it.

It sounds like, if i want to just play straight form the disks, just get an A500 and play AGA stuff direct from WinUAE on my Mac? However, I could also get an A1200 and, which should more or less play all my old A500 games too.

For those that it doesn't play I'm guessing there's no work around on that particular system?

I think an A4000 would be currently out of my price range, and depending on how much a decent A1200 is I may need to start with an A500 and work my way up. Though I am tempted to go with some kind of HD to store all the games on so i'm not cracking the disks out all the time.

I'll look in to all of these options and start looking at prices. Thanks again for all the advice, and probably treading old water for most of you. I do appreciate it!

[paulnography]

Originally Posted by witchmaster

I would vote for a CD32 and the very affordable TF328 fast ram + ide board (and a kipper2k riser so you can use a PS/2 keyboard). Then you can play CD32 games (obviously) and other Amiga games using WHDLoad. The Cd32 is also a better fit in the living room.

Granted, the CD32 is more expensive...

I think this will be after I get an Amiga. Would love a CD32 again, but just can't afford it at the moment.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by paulnography

It sounds like, if i want to just play straight form the disks, just get an A500 and play AGA stuff direct from WinUAE on my Mac?

WinUAE is Windows only... If using a MAC then you need FS-UAE

[paulnography]

Originally Posted by DamienD

WinUAE is Windows only... If using a MAC then you need FS-UAE

Ah great. Thanks for the tip! Are the game downloads the same though?

[DamienD]

Yes

[ajk]

It sounds like, if i want to just play straight form the disks, just get an A500 and play AGA stuff direct from WinUAE on my Mac? However, I could also get an A1200 and, which should more or less play all my old A500 games too.

That is pretty much the gist of it. The A500 is cheaper up-front, but the A1200 is easier to expand (it has built-in support for a hard drive and accelerators/memory expansions fit neatly inside the case, which is not always the situation with the A500).

[paulnography]

Originally Posted by ajk

That is pretty much the gist of it. The A500 is cheaper up-front, but the A1200 is easier to expand (it has built-in support for a hard drive and accelerators/memory expansions fit neatly inside the case).

Cool. I might try to see if i can hunt down an A1200 at a reasonable price then, otherwise fall back to an A500 with upgrades. Thanks

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by jPV

He also said that he has some A1200 games, and there probably are WHDLoad installers for his A500 games. After all, WHDLoad is made just for that: installing your _original_ games to HD and patching them to work on newer machines.

Yes, but in MANY cases, games don't work the same way. There are slowdowns and other issues. Also not all games have a WHDLoad patch!

Also some people, especially those who like to collect games in disk, like the feeling of playing with the disks.

MY personal choice is a CD32 with a TF328 expansion. I don't use anything else for gaming anymore. Before having the TF328 I would burn discs with games in them. I am in the very small minority that thinks that actually the CD32 is the best gaming Amiga there is! Plays shit tons of games via CD32Load/WHDLoad, plus all the CD32 exclusives and other software on disc (like CDTV stuff). With the TF328 it's just the ultimate gaming Amiga. Smallest form factor, fits perfectly among other consoles/in a living room, decent enough controller with multiple buttons (or make your own/buy a new one from witchmaster)... just great

[d4rk3lf]

Originally Posted by paulnography

I may need to start with an A500 and work my way up. Though I am tempted to go with some kind of HD to store.

As I say, on A500 is very hard to connect a HD, either CF (Compact Flash Card), either regular. A600 is much, much easier, you only need one cable.

Here is the options of upgrades on A500, that I know of:

- Gotek
It's pretty cheap, but I personally don't like it. You need to remove your floppy drive, place in a gotek (that is drive connected as USB), and you get simple menu to choose games, and that's it. No Workbench. I don't see fun, using an HD on Amiga, without workbench.

- Aca500+
It's around 130 euros. I like the fact that you don't need to open your Amiga 500 at all. You just plug it, on the left expansion port, and you get additional 8MB Ram, 14Mhz, and an 2 CF cards as HD. I think I am going to get one for my A500, because I don't like opening my case.

- Vampire
It's pretty expensive (I think around 300 euros), but your amiga 500 will be many times faster then A4000. That is if you want to play Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, Quake, on your Amiga 500. If you don't want to play those games, not sure if you want this card.

- Terrible fire
The guy that made this card, made it all open source, and if you're skilled enought, you can build your own card, or pay some people to build it for you. Not sure about price range thou.

- Witcher
Similar as above Aca 500+, both with price range and possibilities. You need to open your A500 case to install it.

- Kipper2K
This is the cheapest option (except Gotek) that allows your Amiga 500 to be connected to CF card as HD. You will also get extra Ram (4-8MB). I think it's around 70 euros.

There are probably more options, but many include that you're pretty knowledgeable with Amiga hardware (I am not).
--------------------------------------

Now, with Amiga 600 (or 1200) you only need this:
http://amigakit.amiga.store/catalog/...cf_ide_hdd.jpg

One cable, CF card, and that's all It's 20 euros.
So do the math. A500 and A600 are in similar price range, but A500 is still much harder to expand.
Also, many of the above A500 options, are also avilable for A600.

My advice would be that you give your best to get A1200. That is really the best option I think. If it's out of your price range, then think twice if you want A500 or A600.

[Decker]

A1200 all the way.

Initial investment is sort of heavy, if you go the 'optimal route'. But after an A1200 + CF + extra memory (on the cheapest accelerator you can possibly find) you'll be completely set for gaming and demos you remember from the A500 days.

AGA games, then, are a nice bonus.

I also like the 600 VERY much. As easy to expand and you'll save a few bucks on hardware. It also looks a little neater on the desk.

[MigaTech]

You could even consider a Towered Rig. A1200 with Mediator and RTG coupled with PPC or even Vampire 1200 when it becomes fully available.

Then you would have the ultimate kick ass Amiga system.

[nobody]

Be prepared to spend 300-400€ for the A1200 alone and 250 for the A500 and accelerator. You can forget the rest, unrealistic choices to play games and watch demos.

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by MigaTech

You could even consider a Towered Rig. A1200 with Mediator and RTG coupled with PPC or even Vampire 1200 when it becomes fully available.

Poor guy wants to play games off floppies. Mostly A500 games.
Why would he spend thousands of his currency in such a setup? To do exactly what that he can't with a PLAIN A1200???

Zealots are not funny anymore. They are always giving this sort of ill advice. Nobody should listen to any advice that recommends an expansion right off the bat, less anything that costs more than 150 euros.

Get a computer first, get a feel for it, and then you will see.

[Mrz]

Originally Posted by Daedalus

For me personally I couldn't imagine being limited to an A500 for gaming. Most of the games I enjoyed were either AGA only, AGA enhanced, or simply benefitted from the extra CPU power. I remember once trying to play Birds of Prey on a friend's A500 and just giving up since it was just too slow to be enjoyable. A stock A1200 was just about playable, and an '030 made it great fun.

yep the A1200 is faster even in some old A500 games
also is faster on floppy disk access and derunching
specially in those floppy games which are crunched ie Agony,walker etc
the A500 is basically a turtle

[MigaTech]

Originally Posted by Akira

Poor guy wants to play games off floppies. Mostly A500 games.
Why would he spend thousands of his currency in such a setup? To do exactly what that he can't with a PLAIN A1200???

Zealots are not funny anymore. They are always giving this sort of ill advice. Nobody should listen to any advice that recommends an expansion right off the bat, less anything that costs more than 150 euros.

Get a computer first, get a feel for it, and then you will see.

What a surprise Akira being Akira again! Such a shame, I feel sorry for you !

In that case Akira maybe he should just buy an A500, 1.3 version with 512K upgrade.

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by MigaTech

What a surprise Akira being Akira again! Such a shame, I feel sorry for you !

Oh yeah I am the worst, giving down to earth, solid advice. How dare I.

I think the best amiga for buying is A1200. You can upgrade it with HD or IDE to CF converter. Also, you can buy scan doubler with DVI output - The Indivision AGA MK2 and connect to vga monitors.

[Daedalus]

Originally Posted by MigaTech

What a surprise Akira being Akira again! Such a shame, I feel sorry for you !

In that case Akira maybe he should just buy an A500, 1.3 version with 512K upgrade.

To be fair, your suggestion to which Akira was responding is pretty ridiculous. He's looking to play A500 games and some A1200 games, and isn't looking to do much in the way of serious work. For those demands a tower setup, PPC and RTG are massively overkill and pointless. Given that an A500 won't play any A1200-specific games, and an A1200 will play most A500 games (and even more when modestly expanded and fitted with a CF card & WHDLoad setup), it's pretty clear that that's the optimum setup for the OP. The A1200 will be relatively expensive unfortunately, and the RAM expansion can be pricey too, though new A1221EC boards are around £100. But once you have both of them, you have the closest to ideal that you're going to get given the request.

[coder76]

Originally Posted by nobody

Be prepared to spend 300-400€ for the A1200 alone and 250 for the A500 and accelerator. You can forget the rest, unrealistic choices to play games and watch demos.

Does an unexpanded A1200 really cost 300-400 € these days? Or is it with an additional memory /accelerator expansion?