EXPANSION HARDWARE: ACCELERATORS Economy Mega-Midget Racer, by CSA, is a version of the Mega-Midget accelerator card for the budget minded. It consists of the same board as the regular Mega-Midget, it still loads Kickstart into high-speed 32-bit static RAM, and it still can be expanded with and add-on board containing up to 8 MB of 32-bit dynamic RAM. But unlike the 68030-based Mega-Midget Racer, the Economy version uses the new, Motorola 'ECO 68030' CPU. This CPU lacks the Memory Management Unit (MMU) of the common 68030, so it is not for those intending to run UNIX or other multi-user systems. Rather, it offers those simply seeking to run Amiga application programs at full '30 speed a greater degree and wider range of compatability, as well as increased affordability. The Economy Mega-Midget Racer, like the full-blown Mega-Midget, is intended for use in Amiga 500s, 2000s and 1000s (with some modifications). (List price was unavailable to me: advertised price, by Electronic Services International, was $599 for the 25 MHz CPU; $699 for the 33 MHz) EXPANSION HARDWARE: DISPLAY ColorBurst ($499), by MAST, is a professional quality, 24-bit color display system available for both PAL and NTSC displays. It includes a colorcard with not only 1.5 MB of chip RAM, but a Video Coprocessor that facilitates a wide variety of special effects -- including dissolves, wipes or explodes in any pattern or shape, double-buffering and page flipping, dual playfields, dual 24-bit display, and 24-bit vertical scrolling. . It attaches to the RGB video port of any Amiga to provide the user with true 24-bit color (16.7 million colors per pixel) with a resolution of up to 768 X 560, each pixel having its own 24-bit number. The ColorBurst supports interlaced, non-interlaced and overscanned displays, and is powerful enough to support full overscan, double-buffered flicker-free animation at either 60 frames per second in its 8-bit mode or at 20 frames per second at its 24-bit mode. Other features include a 24-bit IFF paint and image-processing program, loaders for images produced by other software programs, and a slideshow program, making it complete and ready to use. Flicker Free Video ($499.95), by ICD, is a flicker-elimination card for use with Amiga 500s, 1000s, and 2000s. It is a small, layered card that requires no soldering for its installation and does NOT occupy the A2000 video slot. Instead, with three megabits of RAM, it eliminates interlace flicker and visible rasters, while providing overscan screens as large as the Amiga can produce. The Flicker Free Video card is PAL and NTSC compatible, but does require the use of a multi-scan or standard PC VGA-quality monitor to achieve its effects. EXPANSION HARDWARE: EMULATORS BrainSTorm ($99), by MAST, is a hardware/software combination that permits its user to run approximately 98% of all Atari ST software. Operating at near or better than true ST speed, it supports all ST screen resolutions, the Amiga serial and parallel ports, all Amiga floppy drives simultaneously, and up to 8 MB of Fast RAM and 2 MB of Chip RAM. The hardware of brainSTorm emulates the ST custom chips, while also having sockets for ST ROM's, for even greater compatibility. EXPANSION HARDWARE: HARD DRIVES AdIDE ($159.95), by ICD, is an autobooting hard drive controller that fits into any Amiga 500, 1000, or 2000 and provides its owner with access to 2.5" and 3.5" hard drives. The smallest host adaptor available for the Amiga, it is compatible with other devices on the external expansion port, has a full 16-bit data path, includes disk caching procedures for greater speed, and permits booting from external floppy drives when desired. It will also support an external hard drive. DAT SCSI Tape System ($1640.95 - 1849.95), by TTR, is a 1.3 gigabyte DAT technology tape storage system for the Amiga. It works with most hard drive controllers, is compatible with Workbench 1.3 and 2.0, has an ARexx port, and is capable of sustained data transfer rates of 11 MB per minute, with burst transfer rates of 1.58 MB per second (in SCSI asynchronous transfers). With both internal and external models, the DAT Tape System works with all Amiga models. Novia 20i ($649.95), by ICD, is the smallest hard drive and controller combination in the world. It installs -- without soldering -- in the Amiga 500, providing its owners with an unseen, extra 20 MB of storage. It is autoconfiguring, autobooting (even from FastFile partitions), uses disk caching techniques for increased speed, and supports the A-Max II. QicTape ($599), by Progressive Peripherals and Software, is an external tape backup for all Amigas. It connects to the floppy drive port, works with 40 MB and 60MB cartridges, allows multi-tape backups and comes with a 40MB tape, easy-to-use software, and a thorough manual. EXPANSION HARDWARE: MEMORY Series II RAM card ($249), by GVP, is a RAM expansion card for 2000-series Amigas. Holding a maximum of 8 MB of autoconfiguring RAM, it comes equipped with a standard 2 MB -- and supports the 6 MB configuration for BridgeBoard owners, as well. X-RAM, ($270), by Spirit Technology, is a 'portable' expansion board holding up to 8 MB of RAM. Designed for the Amiga 500s and 1000s, it consists of a 100-pin expansion board housed in an external chassis containing an 86-pin adaptor. This allows it to plug directly into the A500 or A1000 expansion port, yet be available for use in an Amiga 2000 should its owner decide to upgrade: the user simply removes the card from its external chassis and inserts it into an A2000 100-pin expansion slot. Memory is added to this board in 2 MB increments of 1 meg X 1 DRAMS. EXPANSION HARDWARE: MULTI-PURPOSE In-Mate ($549), by Spirit Technology, is a 'portable' expansion module for the A500 and A2000. Combining an autobooting SCSI disk controller, a socket for a 68881 math coprocessor, and room for up to 8 MB of expansion RAM, it fits inside the 68000 processor socket of the A500. And if its owner decides to upgrade to an A2000 -- or if a current A2000 owner wants free one or more expansion slots -- the In-Mate can also be plugged into the processor socket of the Amiga 2000.