* Originally in HARD_AMY
* Crossposted in AMIGA
* Crossposted in FSX_RETRO

Hello All,

i've bought an amiga 500 and i would like to pimp it a little bit, but i am not an expert, so please help with some advice.

i see that there is a 'trapdoor' ram and theres fastram. should i buy both, or a trapdoor ram is enough? i see that there are several different trapdoor rams, like 512K, 1M, 2M+. i would like to try games, but maybe later i will set up a BBS on it which i bet needs more RAM.

i need to order a video cable as well. i have some old CRTs with RGB/VGA and a 1802 monitor as well. which one are you using: scart/svideo/vga/rgb ?

i think a gotek is a must.

do you recommend anything else?

thanks!
--
dp

telnet://bbs.roonsbbs.hu:1212 <<=-

... 1:08am up 18 days, 10:55:19, load: 74 processes, 276 threads.
--- GoldED/2 1.1.4.7+EMX
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i need to order a video cable as well. i have some old CRTs with RGB/VGA and a 1802 monitor as well. which one are you using: scart/svideo/vga/rgb

I'm not your meagre dude, but any CRT/LCD with SCART input will support your 15Khz synch signal from the pooty. On the Apple IIgs I had an old 12" lcd
AWA tv which worked reallllllly great... unfortunately during a move, it got
a foot put through it. :/ Anyway thats been the best result with minimal hassle I've had. Otherwise the mostly like is a gomez converter.. gonbes boards, but not all gomez units are created equal.. I can't help you choosing
a good one..

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

i've bought an amiga 500 and i would like to pimp it a little bit,
but i am not an expert, so please help with some advice.

i see that there is a 'trapdoor' ram and theres fastram. should i
buy both, or a trapdoor ram is enough? i see that there are several different trapdoor rams, like 512K, 1M, 2M+. i would like to try
games, but maybe later i will set up a BBS on it which i bet needs
more RAM.

From memory, the trapdoor can only take 512K (Most of the cards that go
in there have that amount of memory on them). The only way to get extra
ram past that is via a CPU card or via the side expansion slot.

To get video out of the machine you'll either require a C= 1081/1084
screen or a scandoubler to connect to a moder display. Or a modem screen
that can support the 15Khz signal.

Check out this site: http://15khz.wikidot.com/




\/orlon



--- MagickaBBS v0.15alpha (Linux/m68k)
* Origin: Vorlon Empire (21:1/195.1)

On 03 Jun 2022, Daniel Path said the following...

Hello All,

i've bought an amiga 500 and i would like to pimp it a little bit, but i am not an expert, so please help with some advice.

i see that there is a 'trapdoor' ram and theres fastram. should i buy both, or a trapdoor ram is enough? i see that there are several
different trapdoor rams, like 512K, 1M, 2M+. i would like to try games, but maybe later i will set up a BBS on it which i bet needs more RAM.

i need to order a video cable as well. i have some old CRTs with RGB/VGA and a 1802 monitor as well. which one are you using:
scart/svideo/vga/rgb ?

i think a gotek is a must.

The TrapDoor can only handle 512k like someone else mentioned which would bring you up to 1M memory..

As for monitors, not sure what you can use I gave away my A500 7 years ago (Still kicking myself in the ass for doing that!!) But going from C64 Scart is the way to go as it gives you the best quality on a LCD monitor.

Before you spend any crazy money on Gotek's or CPU upgrades, look into the RaspberryPi upgrades for the Amiga's, Google it I know MTNClimber from CIAAmiga.org BBS installed one in his A1000 and now it is like night and day speed, memory, drive wise. I belive with the SD card in the pi you can ssh into it and put adf images on it and access them via the Amiga side like you would a Gotek drive..

With all this new stuff available now for the Amiga I wish I never gave mine away as it was practically brand new as I only used it a couple of years before I went with an A3000. Google the pi solutions and see what you come up with..

Al


|06Wrong Number Family Of BBS' |07- |03www.wrgnbr.com

... 24 hours in a day and 24 beers in a case. Hmmmm...

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
* Origin: The Wrong Number Family Of BBS' - Wrong Number ][ (21:4/131)

Hello Bucko,

04 Jun 22 10:44, you wrote to me:

On 03 Jun 2022, Daniel Path said the following...

Hello All,

i've bought an amiga 500 and i would like to pimp it a little
bit, but i am not an expert, so please help with some advice.

i see that there is a 'trapdoor' ram and theres fastram. should i
buy both, or a trapdoor ram is enough? i see that there are
several different trapdoor rams, like 512K, 1M, 2M+. i would like
to try games, but maybe later i will set up a BBS on it which i
bet needs more RAM.

i need to order a video cable as well. i have some old CRTs with
RGB/VGA and a 1802 monitor as well. which one are you
using: scart/svideo/vga/rgb ?

i think a gotek is a must.

The TrapDoor can only handle 512k like someone else mentioned which
would bring you up to 1M memory..

As for monitors, not sure what you can use I gave away my A500 7 years
ago (Still kicking myself in the ass for doing that!!) But going from
C64 Scart is the way to go as it gives you the best quality on a LCD monitor.

Before you spend any crazy money on Gotek's or CPU upgrades, look into
the RaspberryPi upgrades for the Amiga's, Google it I know MTNClimber
from CIAAmiga.org BBS installed one in his A1000 and now it is like
night and day speed, memory, drive wise. I belive with the SD card in
the pi you can ssh into it and put adf images on it and access them
via the Amiga side like you would a Gotek drive..

With all this new stuff available now for the Amiga I wish I never
gave mine away as it was practically brand new as I only used it a
couple of years before I went with an A3000. Google the pi solutions
and see what you come up with..

i don't like involving a raspberry with my retro projects. i use them a lot in other daily stuff, so it's nothing personal with the Pi. :)

yesterday i've searched a lot, and i think i've find the perfect solution albeit the Pi ones.

- An ACA500Plus card which provides different KickStarts, two CF slots, WHDLoader, 8MB RAM:

https://icomp.de/shop-icomp/en/shop/product/ACA500plus.html

- An X-Surf ethernet interface - ACA500 compatible

https://icomp.de/shop-icomp/en/produkt-details/product/x-surf-500.html

- a trapdoor ram (512K) which can be used by the ACA500 as chipram
- plus the GoTek.

this seems to be the most expensive, but the most powerful as well.

Regards,
--
dp

telnet://bbs.roonsbbs.hu:1212 <<=-

... 11:44pm up 19 days, 9:30:48, load: 74 processes, 276 threads.
--- GoldED/2 1.1.4.7+EMX
* Origin: Roon's BBS - Budapest, HUNGARY +36-1-4454412 (21:4/148)

On 03 Jun 2022, Daniel Path said the following...

Hello All,

i've bought an amiga 500 and i would like to pimp it a little bit, but i am not an expert, so please help with some advice.

i see that there is a 'trapdoor' ram and theres fastram. should i buy both, or a trapdoor ram is enough? i see that there are several
different trapdoor rams, like 512K, 1M, 2M+. i would like to try games, but maybe later i will set up a BBS on it which i bet needs more RAM.

i need to order a video cable as well. i have some old CRTs with RGB/VGA and a 1802 monitor as well. which one are you using:
scart/svideo/vga/rgb ?

i think a gotek is a must.

do you recommend anything else?

thanks!
dp

What I can say is the little time I had a 500 I used the side car for it. Had a decent HDD in it and it also added ram. Depending on what you actually want to do with it will determine the amount of ram to aim for. If your just looking for nostalgic feel and gaming the extended ram is only needed for a few games. If your going to actually turn it in to a BBS or something like that I would reach out to absinthe bbs and talk to the sysop he runs his on a 1200 but will most likely have some advise for you on it. He also hosts a ton of Amiga files. I run a 1200 but am too selfish to let it be a BBS. :D I host on my home lab server.

I would say if your getting an HD on that thing check out Classic WB this is the best version of the OS I have found with very little effort. Simply download and follow the directions. https://classicwb.abime.net/
You will need the classic WB disks. Works with 3.0 and 3.1

|23|04Dr|16|12Claw
|16|14Sysop |12Noverdu |14BBS |04(|14Noverdu.com|04)
|10Standard Ports for SSH/Telnet Web/HTTP://|14Noverdu.com:808
|20|15fsxNet/MRC Chat/Registered Doors!/50Nodes/No Time Use! Stay On!|16|07

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Noverdu BBS (21:1/210)

On 04 Jun 2022, Roon said the following...

i don't like involving a raspberry with my retro projects. i use them a lot in other daily stuff, so it's nothing personal with the Pi. :)

Completely understandable.. :) Have fun with it. :)


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Am 03.06.22 schrieb Daniel Path@21:4/148 in FSX_RETRO:

Hallo Daniel,

do you recommend anything else?

I don't have an Amiga 500 ('only' an A1200), so I don't know much
about trapdoor memory, but there are three modern options I would
recommend:

1. The ACA500plus: This card for the expansion slot on the left side
offers a slightly faster CPU, memory and CF card slots that act as
hard drives. Also, it offers different Kickstarts in its flash ROM.
And it is possible to connect A1200 turbo cards like the 68030 ACA
cards, so you could easily expand your A500 later if you like.
This card would be a nice simple card eg. for playing WHDLoad games
(it also supports the Quit-Key functionality of WHDLoad with its 68000
CPU.)

2. Graphics-wise, there is the Indivision scandoubler for OCS/ECS
Amigas. It offers a VGA output for modern displays.

These cards are available from Individual Computers: https://icomp.de/shop-icomp/en/shop.html

3. As a completely different approach, there is the Apollo Firebird acceleator card. This makes your A500 one of the fastest Amiga ever :)
I have the Icedrake card in my A1200 :)
Besides, it offers 512MB RAM, AGA graphics modes and SuperAGA RTG
graphics - all with an HDMI output (also the classic Amiga modes).
It also has an IDE controller eg. for a CF card.
It's just a little more expensive...
http://apollo-computer.com/firebirdv4.php

Regards,
Anna

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