To upgrade or not to upgrade?

manicx · 28 May 2003, 15:43

Guys, I need some help.

I've found a Cyberstorm MKII for 200 EUR (including P&P) for my trusty A4000. The thing is that I am not using my miggy as I used to do, so I am actually wondering whether it worths getting it. I am concidering the following:

a) At the mo, I am running a heavily modified WB3.0. I also have a PicassoII card and this leaves me all the Chip ram but only 11 out of the 16 MBs of Fast Ram. I am going to install OS3.5 soon as I managed to find those 3.1 roms i have been looking for. I am not intending to install any crap but only basic stuff like MUI and a couple of utilities. Hopefully, I won't get more than 2 Mb of RAM wasted by the OS and the utilities.

b) I am not sure if I want the extra power. My 040/25 is much slower, but I can't see any software that I want to use at the moment to take full advantage of the accelerator. If I want extra power I can switch to winUAE. Maybe a few MB of ram more, but what the hell, I can't find memory board for the A4000.

c) I prefer to spend some money on a Picasso IV card that is a lot better than my trusty PII. At the moment, I have an external scandoubler to pass the signal from my miggy to PII, and with a PIV I can save space and functionality by removing the scandoubler.

What do you think, guys? What would you do in my place? I am so confused! Thanks in advance...

Unknown_K · 28 May 2003, 16:05

Quote:

Originally posted by manicx
Guys, I need some help.

I've found a Cyberstorm MKII for 200 EUR (including P&P) for my trusty A4000. The thing is that I am not using my miggy as I used to do, so I am actually wondering whether it worths getting it. I am concidering the following:

a) At the mo, I am running a heavily modified WB3.0. I also have a PicassoII card and this leaves me all the Chip ram but only 11 out of the 16 MBs of Fast Ram. I am going to install OS3.5 soon as I managed to find those 3.1 roms i have been looking for. I am not intending to install any crap but only basic stuff like MUI and a couple of utilities. Hopefully, I won't get more than 2 Mb of RAM wasted by the OS and the utilities.

b) I am not sure if I want the extra power. My 040/25 is much slower, but I can't see any software that I want to use at the moment to take full advantage of the accelerator. If I want extra power I can switch to winUAE. Maybe a few MB of ram more, but what the hell, I can't find memory board for the A4000.

c) I prefer to spend some money on a Picasso IV card that is a lot better than my trusty PII. At the moment, I have an external scandoubler to pass the signal from my miggy to PII, and with a PIV I can save space and functionality by removing the scandoubler.

What do you think, guys? What would you do in my place? I am so confused! Thanks in advance...

On older equipment I say buy what you need when you need it. The price of amiga addons is probably going down in the future and not up (unless its really a rare item).

I think alot of power users are leaving the scene or maybe buying the amigaone which means they will be dumping their older equipment in the near future.

I also noticed that on places like ebay equipment like a1200's are going for a much lower rate then they used to, same with other good vintage gear.

I also noted on some email lists quite a few collectors need cash because of the economy so they are starting to unload their equipment.

The only time you have to worry is when the computer gets to be so low priced that people just sell them to the scrappers for scrap value (something that wont happen to higher end amigas in a very long time)

So I think upgrades will get cheaper in the long run.

Severin · 29 May 2003, 00:24

If it comes with 64Mb or 128Mb of ram, go for it. I have a MkII 060/50 with 128Mb and no way would I go back to 040 and less than 64Mb of ram...

If it comes with less or no ram use it as a haggle-ing point to knock the price down

New (old, erm... ancient stock) 32Mb simms are around £20 (£10 second hand) here in the uk, you can probably find them for similar prices locally...

going to 32Mb makes a vast difference to using your miggy, a bit like adding 4Mb to an A500/A1200, you will notice things will run a tiny bit faster, much less memory fragmentation, lots and lots more time before you REALLY need to reset. of course you will still get some really stupid programs that will refuse to run complaining that there isn't enough memory (I do with an averge of 1.8Mb chip and 112Mb fast available)

Syko · 31 May 2003, 20:07

I've got the CS Mk II 404/40 in my A4000 and I've got 2MB chip, 16MB on mobo, 48MB on CS board and running OS3.9. It works perfecly even with no GFX card!

Just checked the price on www.cclcomputers.co.uk and 32MB 72pins SIMM (they work coz I've got one!) is £12.77 inc VAT + P&P (£10.86 no VAT) - Severin's paying way too much

- CCL will export to anywhere so Greece shouldn't be a problem either

So load that board with 128MB and don't bother with the PIV - not much the PII won't do that it will (unless you count the add-on cards - see under hens teeth...), and say goodbye to slow 040/25. If you're good with the soldering it's also possible to upgrade to an 060 without too much hassle...... (thinks!)

Severin · 31 May 2003, 23:26

Quote:

Originally posted by Syko
Just checked the price on www.cclcomputers.co.uk and 32MB 72pins SIMM (they work coz I've got one!) is £12.77 inc VAT + P&P (£10.86 no VAT) - Severin's paying way too much - CCL will export to anywhere so Greece shouldn't be a problem either

I knew I should check numbers with you lot around or be more specific, the £20 figure I gave was from the last time I looked, about 3 years ago

I actually paid £0 for my 4 32Mb simms, I got them from some old PC's that were being thrown out at a school where I was I.T. Technician

manicx · 02 June 2003, 09:03

Well, luckily enough, I've got 2*32 MB SIMMs from an old PC

!

Syko · 03 June 2003, 17:28

all but one 32MB simm that I own has come from chuck outs

Anyone want 4X 1MB 30pin simms? They're off a GVP series II SCSI board and are std non-parity jobs. PM me if you do - charge is P&P only.

When I finally get my computer room set up in the new house, I'll start going through the old stuff and see what's surrplus to requirements.

No I'm not getting rid of the loaded 486 system (it'd cost a fortune to post!), it's just going to be 'bits'.

cv643d · 04 June 2003, 16:30

Haha.. I have been in the same position, although I bought lots of stuff for my A4000. Then I ended up with a maxed out A4000 sitting on the shelf :-/

But it can be fun to play around with amiga hardware. But if your not using your hardware now, better find out why not and if you will after you plonk down 200 big ones...

28 May 2003, 15:43	#1
manicx Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 991	To upgrade or not to upgrade? Guys, I need some help. I've found a Cyberstorm MKII for 200 EUR (including P&P) for my trusty A4000. The thing is that I am not using my miggy as I used to do, so I am actually wondering whether it worths getting it. I am concidering the following: a) At the mo, I am running a heavily modified WB3.0. I also have a PicassoII card and this leaves me all the Chip ram but only 11 out of the 16 MBs of Fast Ram. I am going to install OS3.5 soon as I managed to find those 3.1 roms i have been looking for. I am not intending to install any crap but only basic stuff like MUI and a couple of utilities. Hopefully, I won't get more than 2 Mb of RAM wasted by the OS and the utilities. b) I am not sure if I want the extra power. My 040/25 is much slower, but I can't see any software that I want to use at the moment to take full advantage of the accelerator. If I want extra power I can switch to winUAE. Maybe a few MB of ram more, but what the hell, I can't find memory board for the A4000. c) I prefer to spend some money on a Picasso IV card that is a lot better than my trusty PII. At the moment, I have an external scandoubler to pass the signal from my miggy to PII, and with a PIV I can save space and functionality by removing the scandoubler. What do you think, guys? What would you do in my place? I am so confused! Thanks in advance...

31 May 2003, 20:07	#4
Syko Now got GSX750F :)) Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Halifax UK Age: 60 Posts: 584	I've got the CS Mk II 404/40 in my A4000 and I've got 2MB chip, 16MB on mobo, 48MB on CS board and running OS3.9. It works perfecly even with no GFX card! Just checked the price on www.cclcomputers.co.uk and 32MB 72pins SIMM (they work coz I've got one!) is £12.77 inc VAT + P&P (£10.86 no VAT) - Severin's paying way too much - CCL will export to anywhere so Greece shouldn't be a problem either So load that board with 128MB and don't bother with the PIV - not much the PII won't do that it will (unless you count the add-on cards - see under hens teeth...), and say goodbye to slow 040/25. If you're good with the soldering it's also possible to upgrade to an 060 without too much hassle...... (thinks!) Last edited by Syko; 31 May 2003 at 20:17.

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29 May 2003, 00:24	#3
Severin Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Gloucester / UK Posts: 700	If it comes with 64Mb or 128Mb of ram, go for it. I have a MkII 060/50 with 128Mb and no way would I go back to 040 and less than 64Mb of ram... If it comes with less or no ram use it as a haggle-ing point to knock the price down New (old, erm... ancient stock) 32Mb simms are around £20 (£10 second hand) here in the uk, you can probably find them for similar prices locally... going to 32Mb makes a vast difference to using your miggy, a bit like adding 4Mb to an A500/A1200, you will notice things will run a tiny bit faster, much less memory fragmentation, lots and lots more time before you REALLY need to reset. of course you will still get some really stupid programs that will refuse to run complaining that there isn't enough memory (I do with an averge of 1.8Mb chip and 112Mb fast available)

02 June 2003, 09:03	#6
manicx Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 991	Well, luckily enough, I've got 2*32 MB SIMMs from an old PC !

03 June 2003, 17:28	#7
Syko Now got GSX750F :)) Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Halifax UK Age: 60 Posts: 584	all but one 32MB simm that I own has come from chuck outs Anyone want 4X 1MB 30pin simms? They're off a GVP series II SCSI board and are std non-parity jobs. PM me if you do - charge is P&P only. When I finally get my computer room set up in the new house, I'll start going through the old stuff and see what's surrplus to requirements. No I'm not getting rid of the loaded 486 system (it'd cost a fortune to post!), it's just going to be 'bits'.

04 June 2003, 16:30	#8
cv643d Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Sweden Posts: 762	Haha.. I have been in the same position, although I bought lots of stuff for my A4000. Then I ended up with a maxed out A4000 sitting on the shelf :-/ But it can be fun to play around with amiga hardware. But if your not using your hardware now, better find out why not and if you will after you plonk down 200 big ones...

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