Microbotics MBX1200z, any good?

ORSM T · 02 May 2007, 06:12

I recently bought a Microbotics MBX1200z. 8mb RAM + 68881RC16A FPU for $50 aud and was wondering on how they stack up. Any good? Or I wasted my cash! This will grace my recent A1200 purchase.

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keropi · 02 May 2007, 07:29

it is just a fastram expansion with the mostly unused fpu... it will speedup the A1200, but not as much as having a 030+ accelerator

DDNI · 02 May 2007, 07:39

AU$50 = £20

Fastram boosts A1200 speed by about 2 to 3 times. So bang per buck.... you did alright, just

ORSM T · 02 May 2007, 21:00

And what price would I be expecting to pay for an '030 based accelerator? I used to have a GVP '030 @40mhz years ago.. Would be nice to score one of those again. But the ram was hard to find for the GVP, probably still is.

DDNI · 02 May 2007, 21:29

good Blizard 030 mkIV on ebay £85 to £100

ORSM T · 02 May 2007, 22:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDNI

good Blizard 030 mkIV on ebay £85 to £100

There is a blizzard '060 50mhz on Aussie ebay with 128meg of 60ns ram. Sitting on $425 aud at this stage.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Amiga-1200-Bl...QQcmdZViewItem

And an 030 in UK.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....5575&rd=1&rd=1

How are these priced?

Peter · 02 May 2007, 22:56

Stick to Blizard 030 mkIV - in my opinion... try to get one with a SCSI module included - I have one and run my CD Rom from the SCSI - free's up your PCMCIA slot.

Peter · 02 May 2007, 22:58

If buying a PPC for an A1200, is this the best one to go for?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Amiga-1200-Bl...QQcmdZViewItem

If my link doesnt work please look at ORSM T's above...

Zetr0 · 02 May 2007, 23:54

its a damn fine card, and useualy fetch an ebay price of 500 euro's but a word of caution,

from what information i have managed to pick up in reguards to these cards is that there are some non-fucntioning (un-repairable) placed on ebay with the untested or unknown to work or not even mentioned and then followed with the "what you see, what you get", and no returns...

I do remeber reading on these boards how some unscuplious ebayers obviouls attempted toget the repaird as JJB (amiga repair center france) has had the same one more than once from two different people (obviously with the same un-repairable problem)..

so please... when it comes to 500+ Euros (thats a ton load more in ausi dollars) buyer beware... if you can get the seller to state that its 100% working, you would have a leagal leg to stand on should it go tit'sup!....

anyway... best of luck with ppc purchases guys!

DDNI · 02 May 2007, 23:58

The Phase5 PPC register would be of use here, as would JJB if he could keep the serial number of known dead cards.

The buyer could then ask the seller for the serial number to check against the register/JJB

Zetr0 · 03 May 2007, 00:00

thats a great idea DDNI

DDNI · 03 May 2007, 00:04

ok who has access to the register? Also who has a good relationship with JJB? Would he be happy to submit dead card SN to the register?

Zetr0 · 03 May 2007, 09:55

although i doubt it,but for JJB to do that there may be leagal ramifications as far as privacy goes...

besides all though unlikely some one may be able to repair it (other than JJB) and with that whoms to say...

the system would need to have a known issues list realistcally can be edited / updated etc.

DDNI · 03 May 2007, 10:01

Hmm ok.

It would be an idea for a potential buyer to get the serial number, post it here and contact the "Keeper of the List" - who I seem to recall is a member here.

Zetr0 · 03 May 2007, 10:25

indeed, i see your point DDNI,

something like

view all details on #SERNUM

#SERNUM : 23-04-02 - Reported non-funtioning by Ivaniko@crackwhore.net (fictional)
#SERNUM : 14-09-03 - New Owner Infomation
#SERNUM : 04-10-03 - Reported 100% functioning by JJB@Amigacenter.fr(fictional)
#SERNUM : 29-01-05 - New Owner Infomation

and so on..... hmmm would be very usefull for buyers to be part of me thinks... adds a security when selling these little babies too...

Peter · 05 May 2007, 13:41

That PPC card did go for over £400 - !

Zetr0 · 05 May 2007, 15:30

I am not suprised, non working ones sem to fetch arround £300 (FOR NON-WORKING!!!!)

Zetr0 · 05 May 2007, 15:32

imma thinking of bribing alexh with a lot of money so we can make our own PPC for the amiga

using a combination of an 060@100mhz and a 400mhz G3 that support upto 1GB of ram.... hmmm imma thinking a shed load of money could be made!!!

alexh · 05 May 2007, 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zetr0

imma thinking of bribing alexh with a lot of money so we can make our own PPC for the amiga

I'm not really interested. I am a classic Amiga user. For me that stopped at 060.

Quote:

using a combination of an 060@100mhz and a 400mhz G3 that support upto 1GB of ram.... hmmm imma thinking a shed load of money could be made!!!

There really is no money in making these cards. They cost a lot of money to develop, test, market. You then sell a maximum of 100 units, if that. Really not worth it.

All you see is the street price... you dont see the NRE.

If someone who worked at Phase5 / DCE turned up with the schematics, layout & source code for the FPGA/CPLD's on all of their last products (Blizzard, Cyberstorm, G-Rex) together with some documentation. That would make it more viable, it would half the NRE.

Zetr0 · 05 May 2007, 16:39

@alexh

Firstly my friend, i know your a classic fan, thusly why i said bribe... you can take your pick from

1. Cash stuffed in brown paper bags
2. Copious ammounts of drugs of your choosing
3. Prostitues (male or female : Ironclaw is always available)
4. something i havent thought of yet.

seriously though could this info be licensed form DCE? infact if there a patent for this design is this design filed with the patents office? one could use that as a reference for *ahem* inspiration ?

I am aware of NRE, and in all truth if i was seriously going down this path of development i would throw the bloody ppc in the bin and lump on a x86 chip instead.... something in the 939 or 940 area. include usb and 6.1 sound and a mini PCI port or even onboard 32mb gfx ....

hmmmm yeah.... i know... by the time i had finnished the design the technology would be obsolete!

its just nice to dream now and then.....

02 May 2007, 06:12	#1
ORSM T Amiga Rulez Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Melton, Australia Age: 63 Posts: 85	Microbotics MBX1200z, any good? I recently bought a Microbotics MBX1200z. 8mb RAM + 68881RC16A FPU for $50 aud and was wondering on how they stack up. Any good? Or I wasted my cash! This will grace my recent A1200 purchase.

05 May 2007, 16:39	#20
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	@alexh Firstly my friend, i know your a classic fan, thusly why i said bribe... you can take your pick from 1. Cash stuffed in brown paper bags 2. Copious ammounts of drugs of your choosing 3. Prostitues (male or female : Ironclaw is always available) 4. something i havent thought of yet. seriously though could this info be licensed form DCE? infact if there a patent for this design is this design filed with the patents office? one could use that as a reference for ahem inspiration ? I am aware of NRE, and in all truth if i was seriously going down this path of development i would throw the bloody ppc in the bin and lump on a x86 chip instead.... something in the 939 or 940 area. include usb and 6.1 sound and a mini PCI port or even onboard 32mb gfx .... hmmmm yeah.... i know... by the time i had finnished the design the technology would be obsolete! its just nice to dream now and then.....

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02 May 2007, 07:29	#2
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	it is just a fastram expansion with the mostly unused fpu... it will speedup the A1200, but not as much as having a 030+ accelerator

02 May 2007, 07:39	#3
DDNI Targ Explorer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 5,432	AU$50 = £20 Fastram boosts A1200 speed by about 2 to 3 times. So bang per buck.... you did alright, just

02 May 2007, 21:00	#4
ORSM T Amiga Rulez Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Melton, Australia Age: 63 Posts: 85	And what price would I be expecting to pay for an '030 based accelerator? I used to have a GVP '030 @40mhz years ago.. Would be nice to score one of those again. But the ram was hard to find for the GVP, probably still is.

02 May 2007, 21:29	#5
DDNI Targ Explorer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 5,432	good Blizard 030 mkIV on ebay £85 to £100

02 May 2007, 22:56	#7
Peter Still an Amiga user Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kent Age: 55 Posts: 2,715	Stick to Blizard 030 mkIV - in my opinion... try to get one with a SCSI module included - I have one and run my CD Rom from the SCSI - free's up your PCMCIA slot.

02 May 2007, 22:58	#8
Peter Still an Amiga user Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kent Age: 55 Posts: 2,715	If buying a PPC for an A1200, is this the best one to go for? http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Amiga-1200-Bl...QQcmdZViewItem If my link doesnt work please look at ORSM T's above...

02 May 2007, 23:54	#9
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	its a damn fine card, and useualy fetch an ebay price of 500 euro's but a word of caution, from what information i have managed to pick up in reguards to these cards is that there are some non-fucntioning (un-repairable) placed on ebay with the untested or unknown to work or not even mentioned and then followed with the "what you see, what you get", and no returns... I do remeber reading on these boards how some unscuplious ebayers obviouls attempted toget the repaird as JJB (amiga repair center france) has had the same one more than once from two different people (obviously with the same un-repairable problem).. so please... when it comes to 500+ Euros (thats a ton load more in ausi dollars) buyer beware... if you can get the seller to state that its 100% working, you would have a leagal leg to stand on should it go tit'sup!.... anyway... best of luck with ppc purchases guys!

02 May 2007, 23:58	#10
DDNI Targ Explorer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 5,432	The Phase5 PPC register would be of use here, as would JJB if he could keep the serial number of known dead cards. The buyer could then ask the seller for the serial number to check against the register/JJB

03 May 2007, 00:00	#11
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	thats a great idea DDNI

03 May 2007, 00:04	#12
DDNI Targ Explorer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 5,432	ok who has access to the register? Also who has a good relationship with JJB? Would he be happy to submit dead card SN to the register?

03 May 2007, 09:55	#13
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	although i doubt it,but for JJB to do that there may be leagal ramifications as far as privacy goes... besides all though unlikely some one may be able to repair it (other than JJB) and with that whoms to say... the system would need to have a known issues list realistcally can be edited / updated etc.

03 May 2007, 10:01	#14
DDNI Targ Explorer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 5,432	Hmm ok. It would be an idea for a potential buyer to get the serial number, post it here and contact the "Keeper of the List" - who I seem to recall is a member here.

03 May 2007, 10:25	#15
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	indeed, i see your point DDNI, something like view all details on #SERNUM #SERNUM : 23-04-02 - Reported non-funtioning by Ivaniko@crackwhore.net (fictional) #SERNUM : 14-09-03 - New Owner Infomation #SERNUM : 04-10-03 - Reported 100% functioning by JJB@Amigacenter.fr(fictional) #SERNUM : 29-01-05 - New Owner Infomation and so on..... hmmm would be very usefull for buyers to be part of me thinks... adds a security when selling these little babies too...

05 May 2007, 13:41	#16
Peter Still an Amiga user Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kent Age: 55 Posts: 2,715	That PPC card did go for over £400 - !

05 May 2007, 15:30	#17
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	I am not suprised, non working ones sem to fetch arround £300 (FOR NON-WORKING!!!!)

05 May 2007, 15:32	#18
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	imma thinking of bribing alexh with a lot of money so we can make our own PPC for the amiga using a combination of an 060@100mhz and a 400mhz G3 that support upto 1GB of ram.... hmmm imma thinking a shed load of money could be made!!!

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