What's the best A500 hard drive option in 2015?

Starglider 2 · 24 March 2015, 08:47

How time moves on. I've been researching this a lot but can't find a definitive answer.

The ACA500 seems either expensive or out of stock...
The IDE68K thread seemed to end in 2013... http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=68111&page=4
The Novia IDE Mounting Kit looks cool but there isn't much talk about it... http://www.icd.com/amiga/

Today, what's the best value option for the original Amiga 500? I'm happy with CF, and I want to be able to restore my old ABackup from floppies to the hard disk.

musashi5150 · 24 March 2015, 09:34

kipper2K makes RAM/IDE boards as well: HERE

As another option.

Vot · 24 March 2015, 09:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by musashi5150

kipper2K makes RAM/IDE boards as well: HERE

As another option.

I just ordered one a few days ago (the 8mb) for my a500+ i don't want an accelerator for it. Haven't heard from him since ordering (about 5 days ago) hopefully he ships it soon. He hasn't been on the forums to ask

Starglider 2 · 24 March 2015, 18:30

Thanks guys. Would you say kipper2k's solution is the best option overall?

The Novia is a lot cheaper. Anyone know about it?

Jope · 24 March 2015, 19:30

The novia is just a metal bracket and a cable, you should be looking for the ICD AdIDE.

And I have one, I can't recommend it. I would recommend an MKL or Kipper IDE that works with the Commodore scsi.device though.

Starglider 2 · 24 March 2015, 19:43

Thanks, it's looking like the Kipper would be the way to go.

If I went for the simpler 4GB solution, would the Amiga see it just like a real Amiga hard drive, so I'd be able to restore my old 50 floppy disks worth of ABackup files to it? (Assuming the floppies still work!)

Jope · 24 March 2015, 21:27

Yes, it is a hard drive for all intents and purposes. Up to 8GB works with pfs3ds or pfs3aio and the stock scsi.device. If you want to go larger, the subject has been discussed countless times here on support.Hardware. :-)

Starglider 2 · 22 April 2015, 04:52

Any idea how to buy the Kipper device? There's no store on his site, his contact page is down and he hasn't replied to emails.

Vot · 22 April 2015, 12:02

Definitely get kippers board... email him or send him a message on this forum. Please note however you will need to be able to solder a header on to use it. As for Kipper he seems very busy and can take a while to reply but the product is great. I just got one and its well made and a great price.

The only issue you may have with it are:

1) If you have an Indivision ECS. If you want to mount both you need to mount the indy ecs on a very high set of pins (multiple machined pin sets or a wire wrap set of pins) to rise it above the kipper board and you will need to ask him before ordering to put the int,ovr clip in the middle of the board not the back edge.
NOTE: Forcing wire wrap pins into the normal socket is very bad for the socket.

2) He didn't provide any instructions with mine and you might need to be shown which pins to solder the int,ovr clip onto. And which way to solder the header.

On mine the pins are the 4th and 5th holes from the rear of the Amiga on the expansion slot. ie Behind holes the 9th and 10th copper connectors counting on the top of the expansion slot counting from the rear. OVR is the rearwards hole and INT is the one towards the front. On the clip that come with mine the plastic key on the header (stick up bit) is soldered facing outwards but just check when you get the board. He has labelled the pins on the board so make sure that the right coloured wire connects to the right pin when soldered.

kipper2k · 22 April 2015, 13:56

Hi,

Install pages havent been sorted yet, i still am trying to find time to do all that needs to get done, here is the install pages from the old site...

http://www.kipper2k.com/amigaforsale/oldpage2.html

Vot · 22 April 2015, 18:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by kipper2k

Hi,

Install pages havent been sorted yet, i still am trying to find time to do all that needs to get done, here is the install pages from the old site...

http://www.kipper2k.com/amigaforsale/oldpage2.html

Thats interesting that the indy ecs fits in your guide. My machined pins socket must have been marginally higher or not completely pushed in as the cpu was being touched by the keyboard on mine when i put the extra set of risers in or if i took the risers out the pins from the cpu extender were touching the top of the indy ecs.

I ended up moving the ovr int clip on mine from the rear to the center and mounting the ecs up really high(above your board). As i messaged you, i might make an offset board for myself so that the indy ecs is well out of the way..

24 March 2015, 08:47	#1
Starglider 2 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: California Posts: 1,146	What's the best A500 hard drive option in 2015? How time moves on. I've been researching this a lot but can't find a definitive answer. The ACA500 seems either expensive or out of stock... The IDE68K thread seemed to end in 2013... http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=68111&page=4 The Novia IDE Mounting Kit looks cool but there isn't much talk about it... http://www.icd.com/amiga/ Today, what's the best value option for the original Amiga 500? I'm happy with CF, and I want to be able to restore my old ABackup from floppies to the hard disk. Last edited by Starglider 2; 24 March 2015 at 19:43.

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24 March 2015, 09:34	#2
musashi5150 move.w #$4489,$dff07e Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Norfolk, UK Age: 42 Posts: 2,351	kipper2K makes RAM/IDE boards as well: HERE As another option.

24 March 2015, 18:30	#4
Starglider 2 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: California Posts: 1,146	Thanks guys. Would you say kipper2k's solution is the best option overall? The Novia is a lot cheaper. Anyone know about it?

24 March 2015, 19:30	#5
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	The novia is just a metal bracket and a cable, you should be looking for the ICD AdIDE. And I have one, I can't recommend it. I would recommend an MKL or Kipper IDE that works with the Commodore scsi.device though.

24 March 2015, 19:43	#6
Starglider 2 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: California Posts: 1,146	Thanks, it's looking like the Kipper would be the way to go. If I went for the simpler 4GB solution, would the Amiga see it just like a real Amiga hard drive, so I'd be able to restore my old 50 floppy disks worth of ABackup files to it? (Assuming the floppies still work!)

24 March 2015, 21:27	#7
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	Yes, it is a hard drive for all intents and purposes. Up to 8GB works with pfs3ds or pfs3aio and the stock scsi.device. If you want to go larger, the subject has been discussed countless times here on support.Hardware. :-)

22 April 2015, 04:52	#8
Starglider 2 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: California Posts: 1,146	Any idea how to buy the Kipper device? There's no store on his site, his contact page is down and he hasn't replied to emails.

22 April 2015, 12:02	#9
Vot Registered User Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Australia Posts: 651	Definitely get kippers board... email him or send him a message on this forum. Please note however you will need to be able to solder a header on to use it. As for Kipper he seems very busy and can take a while to reply but the product is great. I just got one and its well made and a great price. The only issue you may have with it are: 1) If you have an Indivision ECS. If you want to mount both you need to mount the indy ecs on a very high set of pins (multiple machined pin sets or a wire wrap set of pins) to rise it above the kipper board and you will need to ask him before ordering to put the int,ovr clip in the middle of the board not the back edge. NOTE: Forcing wire wrap pins into the normal socket is very bad for the socket. 2) He didn't provide any instructions with mine and you might need to be shown which pins to solder the int,ovr clip onto. And which way to solder the header. On mine the pins are the 4th and 5th holes from the rear of the Amiga on the expansion slot. ie Behind holes the 9th and 10th copper connectors counting on the top of the expansion slot counting from the rear. OVR is the rearwards hole and INT is the one towards the front. On the clip that come with mine the plastic key on the header (stick up bit) is soldered facing outwards but just check when you get the board. He has labelled the pins on the board so make sure that the right coloured wire connects to the right pin when soldered.

22 April 2015, 13:56	#10
kipper2k Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Thunder Bay, Canada Posts: 4,323	Hi, Install pages havent been sorted yet, i still am trying to find time to do all that needs to get done, here is the install pages from the old site... http://www.kipper2k.com/amigaforsale/oldpage2.html

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