Just got an actual Amiga 500, need advice...

MoogleLally · 06 April 2009, 14:53

Good morning everyone (or afternoon/evening, depending where you are)!

Long time lurker, first time poster! Hi, my name is Lauren. I'm 24 and I grew up on our Amiga. We didn't have a Nintendo or Sega growing up. I had our Amiga. My Super Mario was Superfrog. My Sonic was Zool 2. Don't ask me how my dad came across the Amiga. We've always lived in the states. And yet, he managed to get the latest Amiga Power mags with the best demos...

Anyway, to the point of registering my account. I've been on the lookout for an Amiga for YEARS and finally, low and behold, a guy is giving away an Amiga 500 on craigslist. "Or it's going in the trash." THE HORROR

I'm set to pick it up this afternoon. He said it works fine, except the return key... But the enter key'll do the same.

I made a list of all the games I want, but it's been a really, really long time since I messed with the hardware. Like 15 years. So do you guys have any suggestions on what I should get to use my Amiga 500? Treat me like the total newb I am. I need all the advice I can get. My dad's said he's going to send me a joystick - he has four of them still - one of the red and black ones with a rapidfire switch (which was cheating, of course).

Any suggestions you could offer would be swell. Thanks in advance!

DH · 06 April 2009, 15:05

Welcome to EAB MoogleLally

First question, have you asked him if there has been any repairs done to the Amiga, as in, anything replaced on the mobo?

You see, the caps are definitely on there way out 'n' probably leaking, if they've never been touched, so before you sit down to some serious gaming with it, I would suggest replacing all the caps on the mobo, or you could end up with an Amiga that's just collecting dust.

Some of the guys here will tell you exactly what you need to do and how to check properly, but please, don't power it up until you know what state it's in. Open her up and take some pics of the mobo and post them here if you're not sure whether it's OK or not

TCD · 06 April 2009, 15:20

Hi MoogleLally and welcome to EAB

DH gave a very valid point here

First have a look, check if everything is okay and post some pictures to get that confirmed. After that you'll surely want to have a 512 KB trapdoor memory expansion (if you don't already got one in there) and at least one external floppy drive (better are two or even three though

). Hope your A500 is still healthy

Retro1234 · 06 April 2009, 15:21

Allright Love

Theres a lot of people here who can help you.
Games can be downloaded as DH states caps might be going more likely the battery but if your not into hardware just play games untill the Machine blows

MoogleLally · 06 April 2009, 18:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

Hi MoogleLally and welcome to EAB

DH gave a very valid point here

First have a look, check if everything is okay and post some pictures to get that confirmed. After that you'll surely want to have a 512 KB trapdoor memory expansion (if you don't already got one in there) and at least one external floppy drive (better are two or even three though

). Hope your A500 is still healthy

When I bring it home, I'll take some pictures for sure. Considering the age of these machines, something being 'wrong' or 'leaky/fuzzy/etc' was a definite concern of mine!

My dad had the memory expansion and (if my memory serves me) an external harddrive, but I'm not sure if I could get him to part with that. Any websites I could pick some gear up at?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boo Boo

Allright Love

Theres a lot of people here who can help you.
Games can be downloaded as DH states caps might be going more likely the battery but if your not into hardware just play games untill the Machine blows

Ahaha, this is always an option!

paranoid · 06 April 2009, 18:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoogleLally

(which was cheating, of course)

Bah. If they didn't include an autofire option, it was their fault.

DH · 06 April 2009, 18:10

http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...D&currency=USD

Best place to start

TCD · 06 April 2009, 18:24

Does Amigakit sell any A500 stuff? If so, I might be interested in something myself

Yet I haven't found any there, so maybe some kind soul can show MoogleLally and me the way

@MoogleLally
If your father has a HD for a A500 you can consider yourself a lucky guy

You should really try to get it

DH · 06 April 2009, 18:33

@TCD
Can't flippen check at the moment, my interwebz has gone crazy, I can hardly open anything. It's probably my ISP so I'm going knocking at there door soon if they don't hurry 'n' fix it

I wasn't aware they didn't cater for the A500

TCD · 06 April 2009, 18:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by DemonHellraiser

I wasn't aware they didn't cater for the A500

I'm still not sure, because sometimes I'm quite blind you know

DH · 06 April 2009, 18:40

Just got on and yes they do cater for a500/, just use the 'select computer' option

Rabbit80 · 06 April 2009, 18:41

Hmmm... kickstarts, boards and... thats it!

DH · 06 April 2009, 18:44

I couldn't get that far

TCD · 06 April 2009, 18:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rabbit80

Hmmm... kickstarts, boards and... thats it!

Hey you forgot the mouse...

@DH
Thanks mate

Always clicked on the categories on the left side

Well if I need a new board I know where to get it now

MoogleLally · 06 April 2009, 19:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by paranoid

Bah. If they didn't include an autofire option, it was their fault.

Oh, this was my DAD'S rules. We would take turns in games, having little mini-tournaments, and if you were caught using autofire you were disqualified! ;_; he was harsh!

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

@MoogleLally
If your father has a HD for a A500 you can consider yourself a lucky guy

You should really try to get it

Hrrrrm! Maybe a bribe is in order!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rabbit80

Hmmm... kickstarts, boards and... thats it!

Kickstart! I was agonizing over what the name of this program was. Whenever we tried to play Super Frog or Pinball Fantasies, we'd have to use this to shift the screen over so we could see everything. Otherwise our points and lives would roll off the screen.

...ooh, Agony was an awesome game. I gotta remember to pick that up.

MoogleLally · 07 April 2009, 03:42

Gentlemen... I think I have an Amiga 500 in amazing shape. No extra memory, but my dad is sending me some.

Pictures in a bit!!

MoogleLally · 07 April 2009, 03:55

Here's what it looks like on the inside. Everything looks damn near new, except the crumbs and cat hair. And the issue with the return key? Just a spring.

The pictures below are HUUUUGE, but you'll get an idea of the details.

Guts.

Even the floppy drive looks spiffy.

T_hairy_bootson · 07 April 2009, 04:09

Nice one. Now you just need a serial null modem cable and a copy of the amiga explorer software. You can use the cable and software to transfer emulation disk images (ADF files) from your PC to a real floppy disk in the amiga.

For general gaming the Hard disk drive for the a500 wont be much help to you. The memory expansion however will be very useful for games that require a bit of extra ram.

MoogleLally · 07 April 2009, 04:15

Yes! This is so exciting! I'm feeling faint!

...wait. That's just because I haven't eaten dinner. brb

DH · 07 April 2009, 13:19

Nice piccies mate!

How about some in daylight

I still say, you'll need to replace the caps or at least some of them. They will leak from the bottom and some you wont be able to check 'cause the cap is seated right on top of the leakage and can't been seen. Check around all caps to see if there is any surface damage to the mobo, a bit like an acid burn.

Good luck with the miggie mate, and I hope you have hours of immense fun with it, whether gaming or modding

06 April 2009, 14:53	#1
MoogleLally Raised on Superfrog. Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Houston, TX USA Posts: 10	Just got an actual Amiga 500, need advice... Good morning everyone (or afternoon/evening, depending where you are)! Long time lurker, first time poster! Hi, my name is Lauren. I'm 24 and I grew up on our Amiga. We didn't have a Nintendo or Sega growing up. I had our Amiga. My Super Mario was Superfrog. My Sonic was Zool 2. Don't ask me how my dad came across the Amiga. We've always lived in the states. And yet, he managed to get the latest Amiga Power mags with the best demos... Anyway, to the point of registering my account. I've been on the lookout for an Amiga for YEARS and finally, low and behold, a guy is giving away an Amiga 500 on craigslist. "Or it's going in the trash." THE HORROR I'm set to pick it up this afternoon. He said it works fine, except the return key... But the enter key'll do the same. I made a list of all the games I want, but it's been a really, really long time since I messed with the hardware. Like 15 years. So do you guys have any suggestions on what I should get to use my Amiga 500? Treat me like the total newb I am. I need all the advice I can get. My dad's said he's going to send me a joystick - he has four of them still - one of the red and black ones with a rapidfire switch (which was cheating, of course). Any suggestions you could offer would be swell. Thanks in advance!

06 April 2009, 15:05	#2
DH Global Moderator Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Might as well be WORK :( Age: 56 Posts: 4,110	Welcome to EAB MoogleLally First question, have you asked him if there has been any repairs done to the Amiga, as in, anything replaced on the mobo? You see, the caps are definitely on there way out 'n' probably leaking, if they've never been touched, so before you sit down to some serious gaming with it, I would suggest replacing all the caps on the mobo, or you could end up with an Amiga that's just collecting dust. Some of the guys here will tell you exactly what you need to do and how to check properly, but please, don't power it up until you know what state it's in. Open her up and take some pics of the mobo and post them here if you're not sure whether it's OK or not Last edited by DH; 06 April 2009 at 18:10.

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06 April 2009, 15:20	#3
TCD HOL/FTP busy bee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Germany Age: 46 Posts: 31,530	Hi MoogleLally and welcome to EAB DH gave a very valid point here First have a look, check if everything is okay and post some pictures to get that confirmed. After that you'll surely want to have a 512 KB trapdoor memory expansion (if you don't already got one in there) and at least one external floppy drive (better are two or even three though ). Hope your A500 is still healthy

06 April 2009, 15:21	#4
Retro1234 Phone Homer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: 5150 Posts: 5,773	Allright Love Theres a lot of people here who can help you. Games can be downloaded as DH states caps might be going more likely the battery but if your not into hardware just play games untill the Machine blows

06 April 2009, 18:10	#7
DH Global Moderator Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Might as well be WORK :( Age: 56 Posts: 4,110	http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...D&currency=USD Best place to start

06 April 2009, 18:24	#8
TCD HOL/FTP busy bee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Germany Age: 46 Posts: 31,530	Does Amigakit sell any A500 stuff? If so, I might be interested in something myself Yet I haven't found any there, so maybe some kind soul can show MoogleLally and me the way @MoogleLally If your father has a HD for a A500 you can consider yourself a lucky guy You should really try to get it

06 April 2009, 18:33	#9
DH Global Moderator Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Might as well be WORK :( Age: 56 Posts: 4,110	@TCD Can't flippen check at the moment, my interwebz has gone crazy, I can hardly open anything. It's probably my ISP so I'm going knocking at there door soon if they don't hurry 'n' fix it I wasn't aware they didn't cater for the A500

06 April 2009, 18:40	#11
DH Global Moderator Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Might as well be WORK :( Age: 56 Posts: 4,110	Just got on and yes they do cater for a500/, just use the 'select computer' option

06 April 2009, 18:41	#12
Rabbit80 Its hard being famous! Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Gateway to the dales, UK Age: 43 Posts: 633	Hmmm... kickstarts, boards and... thats it!

06 April 2009, 18:44	#13
DH Global Moderator Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Might as well be WORK :( Age: 56 Posts: 4,110	I couldn't get that far

07 April 2009, 03:42	#16
MoogleLally Raised on Superfrog. Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Houston, TX USA Posts: 10	Gentlemen... I think I have an Amiga 500 in amazing shape. No extra memory, but my dad is sending me some. Pictures in a bit!!

07 April 2009, 03:55	#17
MoogleLally Raised on Superfrog. Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Houston, TX USA Posts: 10	Here's what it looks like on the inside. Everything looks damn near new, except the crumbs and cat hair. And the issue with the return key? Just a spring. The pictures below are HUUUUGE, but you'll get an idea of the details. Guts. Even the floppy drive looks spiffy.

07 April 2009, 04:09	#18
T_hairy_bootson Workbitch 1.3 Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 46 Posts: 2,084	Nice one. Now you just need a serial null modem cable and a copy of the amiga explorer software. You can use the cable and software to transfer emulation disk images (ADF files) from your PC to a real floppy disk in the amiga. For general gaming the Hard disk drive for the a500 wont be much help to you. The memory expansion however will be very useful for games that require a bit of extra ram.

07 April 2009, 04:15	#19
MoogleLally Raised on Superfrog. Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Houston, TX USA Posts: 10	Yes! This is so exciting! I'm feeling faint! ...wait. That's just because I haven't eaten dinner. brb

07 April 2009, 13:19	#20
DH Global Moderator Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Might as well be WORK :( Age: 56 Posts: 4,110	Nice piccies mate! How about some in daylight I still say, you'll need to replace the caps or at least some of them. They will leak from the bottom and some you wont be able to check 'cause the cap is seated right on top of the leakage and can't been seen. Check around all caps to see if there is any surface damage to the mobo, a bit like an acid burn. Good luck with the miggie mate, and I hope you have hours of immense fun with it, whether gaming or modding

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