>>> EXPANSION HARDWARE: ACCELERATORS 38 Special, $1250 with 4 MB; $1595 with 8 MB, by CSA, is specialized version of the Mega-Midget Racer, an accelerator for A500's, A1000's and A2000's that plugs in at the 68000 socket (the 68000 is, in turn, plugged back into a socket on the Mega-Midget board). With a 50 MHz (timed back to 38 MHz for greater reliability) 68030 CPU and a full 50 MHz 68882 FPU (for math), the 38 Special is able to transform a stock A500 into a machine that will outrun a 25 MHz A3000 by over 40%. The unit includes a 40 MHz DRAM controller, supports 32-bit static RAM, and can be equipped with up to 8 MB of dynamic RAM and 512K of static RAM (the operating system is copied into the static RAM for greatly improved performance). Zoom! A530 Combo, $999 for 52 MM drive, by GVP, is a subsystem for A500 owners. The unit includes a 40 MHz 68030 CPU, an FPU socket, slots for up to 8 MB of 60 ns. 32-bit DRAM, a SCSI controller, a 52, 105 or 240 MB built-in hard drive, and a slot for the GVP-PC286 (a PC emulator; see below). The A530 also includes a switch for returning to the 68000 processor, a switch to disable the drive and memory, and a 2-year warranty. The unit is sometimes called the A530 "Turbo". AdSpeed IDE, by ICD, is a combination of 68000 accelerator and hard drive controller in one package. It plugs into the 68000 socket of an A500, A1000 or A2000 and not only doubles the processor speed to 14 MHz, but also provides a place -- and controller -- for an IDE-type hard drive (2.5" is best). Pricing depends on the model selected: AdSpeed/IDE-40 (with 40 MB hard drive) for the A2000 is $359.96; AdSpeed/IDE-40 kit for the A500 is $369.95; the AdSpeed/IDE-40 kit that replaces the floppy in an A500 with a hard drive costs $389.96. For someone looking to upgrade their computer on a budget, this combo definitely deserves a closer look. Blizzard Board, $259 ($299 with 2 MB of RAM), by Preferred Technologies, is an accelerator and memory expansion board for the Amiga. The board provides a 14 MHz 68000 processor that doubles the clock and memory access time of the Amiga -- though it can drop back to the original 7 MHz frequency. The board also includes sockets for up to 8 MB of DRAM, a shadow mode that permits the Amiga to run out of a bank of 512K memory, and the usual system and utility software. The Blizzard Board is easy to install and comes with a 5 (!) year warranty. G-Force '030 Combo Series, by GVP, is a redesigned and improved line of 68030 accelerators for the A2000. You may recall that in Issue 25 of NewsFlash, Martin Jansen described the new GVP 50 MHz G-Force '030 accelerator; now the entire product line has been redesigned and updated: What was originally a 22 MHz Combo is now a 25 MHz unit, using a 25 MHz 68EC030 CPU, a 25 MHz 68882 FPU, a built-in SCSI controller, and one megabyte of 60 ns. 32-bit RAM (expandable to 13 MB). And what was originally the Combo 33 has been supplanted by a 40 MHz version. It too is based upon the 68EC030 processor (40 MHz), and includes a 40 MHz 68882 FPU, a built SCSI controller, and 4 MB of 60 ns. 32-bit RAM (expandable to 16 MB). The series is topped-off by the 50 MHz 68030 card with 50 MHz 68882 FPU, a built-in SCSI controller, and 4 MB of 32-bit RAM (expandable to 16 MB). Pricing for this powerhouse is $1799. Also supplied with each board is icon-based software that allows the user to throttle back to the 68000 mode, for programs incompatible with a 68030. Additional power may be gained by adding either a 120 or 240 MB Quantum drive to any of the above GVP cards. G-Force '040 Board, $2799 with 0 RAM; 4 MB of RAM for $899, by GVP, is an accelerator board for A3000 and A3000-Tower owners, for whom the '030 is too slow. The board provides a 28 MHz 68040 CPU (and is set-up for easy upgrading when the 33 MHz's become available), and can hold up to 8 MB of 40 ns. dynamic RAM (Kickstart may be copied into this specialized RAM, for increased systemic performance). The unit runs asynchronously to the A3000 motherboard, is rated at 22 MIPS (millions of instructions/second), allows full DMA access to the onboard DRAM by any A3000 peripheral (e.g., the hard drive controller), and can be switched back to the '030 mode through software (though who would want to?). Progressive 040/500, $?, by Progressive Peripherals, is for A500 owners who think an '030 accelerator (see above) would be too slow. The unit blends a 28 MHz 68040 CPU with 4 MB of 32-bit RAM (expandable to 8 MB), and optional FPU, transforming a stock A500 into a machine that is up to five times faster than an '030 accelerated machine; up to 40 times faster than a basic A500. The board includes onboard AmigaDOS 2.04 -- though it is software switchable between 1.3 and 2.0 -- can relocate Kickstart to 32-bit RAM for improved performance, is easily installed (no soldering), and may be upgraded to the 33 MHz CPU when it becomes available. Rocket Launcher, $699, by CSA, is an accelerator for Commodore's A2630 25 MHz '030 board. It simply plugs into the original processor and co- processor sockets of the A2630 and -- voila! -- you now have a 50 MHz accelerator: no additional configuration, no extra software, no hassle. StormBringer, by Memphis Computer Products, is a German-made accelerator that plugs into the A500 or A2000 processor socket (how about the A1000?). Able to hold up to 8 MB of 32-bit RAM in 1, 2, 4, or 8 MB increments, the unit includes both a disable switch for software incompatible with accelerators, and software that caches memory, loads Kickstart into 32-bit RAM and activates the burst mode. The prices -- including 4 MB of RAM -- are as follows: $1199/24 MHz; $1549/30 MHz; $2349/50 MHz CPU/60MHz FPU; $2599/55 MHz-sync CPU and FPU. >>> EXPANSION: DISPLAY 1600GX, $2495 ($5995, bundled with a Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 20 monitor), by Ameristar Technologies, is a 32-bit accelerated, hi-res graphics board for the A3000. The board features a Zorro III 32-bit host interface, programmable resolutions up to 1600 X 1280, and direct software support for Commodore's A3000 UNIX system and X-Windows. The drawing rate is 100 million pixels per second (up to 180 million/second when the palette is set for 16 million colors), with such objects as triangles and lines being drawn at full video bandwidth. PAL/NTSC Switch for the A3000, $17.95, by Luna Tech, Inc., is an easily installed switch that permits A3000 users to flip between PAL and NTSC displays with ease. The switch includes instructions for installation and a lifetime warranty. EGS-110/24, $2699 with 4 MB of RAM; $3399 with 8 MB of RAM, by GVP, is a 24-bit graphics board that plugs into the 32-bit bus of GVP's A2000 accelerator boards. The board is WorkBench compatible, running most applications without modification. It is retargetable, offering resolutions up to 1600 X 1280, including PAL, NTSC and SECAM standard displays. Flicker Free Video 2, $299.96 (upgrade for $139), by ICD, is an VLSI enhanced version of the display enhancer that installs beneath the Denise chip in A500's, A1000's and A2000's. Like the original Flicker Free Video chip, the FFV2 eliminates interlace flicker and visible scan lines; but also like the original chip, it requires the user to install a VGA or Multisync monitor to take advantage of the enhanced display. The FFV2 is compatible with the ECS, all versions of AmigaDOS, and all software. It automatically bypasses the Productivity mode, and provides an optional switch for users to bypass the SuperHiRes mode. Also supplied with Flicker Free Video 2 is a new program for fine tuning the display: Flicker Free Video Preferences (see below). Flicker Free Video Preferences, $29.95 (owners of the original Flicker Free board may purchase it for $15), by ICD, is a program that allows the user to adjust the scan rate of his/her monitor, raising it to a maximum of 100.2 Hz to reduce eyestrain, or lowering it to a minimum of 49 Hz for a larger display area. The program additionally permits the adjustment of the overscan area to maximize the display size, and to adjust the number of colors under WorkBench 2.0 from 2 - 16. Flicker Free Video Preferences works not only with FFV-equipped Amigas, but also with the A3000 and Amiga's with the A2320 display enhancer. It is also compatible with AmigaDOS 1.2, 1.3 and 2.0. OpalVision, $995, by Centaur, is an Australian-made 24-bit graphics board able to provide broadcast-quality video displays for all Amigas. Available for either external or internal installation, the unit includes 1.5 MB of RAM, a built-in graphics processor, twin frame- buffers, and the ability to be expanded with dedicated hardware modules. Among these are modules for de-interlacing and a genlock/framegrabber (256-level alpha channel with SVHS and RGB output) capable of video effects such as solarization, negative and colorization in real-time. OpalVision autoconfigures to either PAL or NTSC video standard, can be used to create 24-bit double-buffered animations, and may be operated in multiple resolutions. Included in the package is OpalPaint, a 24-bit paint and image processing/editing program, together with numerous utilities -- and the world's first game in 24-bit color (King of Karate)! Resolver, by Digital Micronics, is a 60 MHz graphics coprocessor board for accelerating all graphics-intensive applications. At the heart of the unit is the TMS34010 graphics processor by Texas Instruments. Running at 60 MHz, the processor enables the Resolver to display up to 60 frames a second, for real-time animation. Displays include PAL, HDTV, NTSC RGB analog (2048 X 525), 1280 X 1024 non-interlaced, and 2048 X 2048 interlaced -- while graphics are in 8-bit color (256 colors) from a 16 million color palette. The display may also have an overlay drawn from another 16 colors. Software that conforms to the SAGE (Standard Amiga Graphics Environment) standard will find the hardware transparent, for easy graphics display and output. The Resolver is completely compatible with the UNIX operating system, and the package includes both the Resolver Workbench -- a paint program -- and the TMS340 Graphics Library. Pricing on the unit is based upon its memory configuration: DMI-010-A costs $1295 for 1 MB of video display RAM, 1 MB of overlay RAM and 2 MB of dynamic RAM (DRAM). DMI-010-B is $1749 for 2 MB of video display RAM, in addition to the overlay and dynamic RAM. DMI-010-C is priced at $2195 for 4 MB of video display RAM and 4 MB of DRAM. Sony CPD-1604S Multiscan Monitor, $1699.95, by Sony, is a 17" color multiscan monitor for screen resolutions up to 1024 X 768. At the heart of the unit is a Trinitron picture tube, for clear, sharp color images and easy-to-read text. Engineered for low magnetic emissions and a 0.25 mm aperture grille, the Sony monitor is ideal for (well- heeled) users who spend a large portion of their day in front of a computer screen -- and wish to come away from it unexhausted. Van Gogh, $299, by Expansion Systems, is an inexpensive graphics display board able to provide Amiga owners with 256 color displays (out of a 16 million color palette), with resolutions up to 1024 X 768 (Super VGA). For this to happen, it is necessary for users to connect the board to a VGA or Super VGA monitor -- but since the Van Gogh includes its own VGA connectors, this is less a crisis than it seems: a user may keep his or her regular monitor hooked up too, in addition to the VGA. The unit is compatible with either the 1 MB or 2 MB Agnus, and has sockets for the installation of up to 2 MB of Chip RAM (in 512K increments). Van Gogh is compatible with any program that does NOT boot from df0: and DOES use the standard Amiga graphics library. Though this limits its use for game players, for only $300, it is a display improver that won't cost you "an arm and a leg" -- or an ear. >>> EXPANSION: EMULATORS ATonce-Plus, $448, by Vortex (distributed by GVP), is a German-made Bridgeboard substitute for owners of A500's, A500-Plus's, and A2000's (with an adapter). Long available in Europe, the recently arrived AT emulator comes equipped with a 16 MHz CMOS 80286 16-bit CPU, a socket for a 12 MHz 80C287 FPU, and 512K of Fast RAM. The ATonce is able to run PC programs within the Amiga multi-tasking environment (i.e., as a task), supplying a full 640 K of RAM to DOS. In Amigas with additional memory, a ramdisk may be created, or the extra memory installed as extended or expanded memory. The result is an AT emulation that makes use of the Amiga's hard disk driver, floppy drives, serial port, the parallel port, sound capabilities, and monitor: display options include monochrome VGA/EGA, 16-color CGA, Olivetti, Hercules and Toshiba graphics options. The board includes a clock, and is compatible with MS-DOS 3.2 through 5.0, and DR-DOS 5.0 and 6.0. Now, if only someone would release a '486 board with SVGA graphics, Amiga could again lay claim to having the best personal computer system under $10,000.... BridgeBoard AnyRAM Board, $199 with 0K RAM; 8 MB version with 0K RAM for $249; by ATOP, is a 4 (or 8) megabyte board that can be configured as ANY type of DOS memory: extended, expanded, LIM or whatever. The pricing of populated boards depends on current chip/SIMM prices. BridgeBoard ComboDrive, $199 internal; external case, $89; dual drive case, $99, by ATOP, is a half-height 5.25" floppy disk drive that is capable of reading/writing 1.44M/1.2M/720K/360K PC-formatted disks, regardless of whether they are 3.5" or 5.25 in size. This permits BridgeBoard/ATonce owners to access PC disks of any density and size. BridgeBoard Math Enhancer, $189, by ATOP, is a 20 MHz FPU math chip with adapter for the A2286 BridgeBoard. BridgeBoard Monitor Switch, $79, by ATOP, is a switch (and cables) that allows the user to toggle between Amiga and VGA graphics on a single monitor. BridgeBoard MultiFunction Board, $299, by ATOP, is a board containing all the necessaries both Commodore and Vortex left off of their PC- emulators. The Multifunction board is a 16-bit, one-slot card for Bridgeboard or ATonce owners that supplies them with 1024 X 768 VGA 256 color graphics, an IDE hard drive controller, dual floppy disk drive controller, two serial ports, a parallel port and a bus mouse. BridgeBoard 105 MB IDE Hard Drive, $399, by ATOP, is an IDE hard drive, compatible with the MultiFunction board described above. Golden Gate, $?, by Vortex (distributed by GVP), is a 25 MHz '386 PC/AT emulator for use in the Bridgeboard slots of A2000, A3000, and A3000T models. Upgradable to 16 MB of RAM (with 4 MB being usable by the Amiga), the Golden Gate also contains a PC/AT hard disk controller and an optional high-density PC floppy disk drive controller (for 1.2, 1.44 and 2.88 MB densities). KCS Power PC Board, $?, by Supra, is an updated version of the PC emulator, now with versions available for the A500, A500+, A2000, and A3000. The Power PC Board plugs into the Amiga's expansion slot, to provide PC emulation with Hercules, CGA, EGA, VGA, and monochrome-VGA displays. To do so, the unit makes use of an 11 MHz V.30 processor and 1 MB of RAM (while in the Amiga mode, it provides the Amiga with a 512K ramdisk and 512K of fast RAM; in the PC mode, it uses the full 1 MB). The board includes a battery-powered clock and calendar, and while emulating the PC, it not only uses Amiga fast RAM as PC expanded memory, but also makes use of the 68000 for better emulation. Finally, along with the 16-color displays, the Power PC Board emulates the IBM mouse, parallel port and serial port. It may not be as fast as some, but the Power PC Board remains the only available PC emulator with a VGA display built-in. PC-286 Board, $469, by GVP, is a PC-emulator that plugs into GVP's A530 Combo expansion subsystem. Boasting a Norton speed index of 15, the PC-286 is made up of a 16 MHz 80286 CPU, an optional 80C287 FPU, and 512K of fast RAM. Like the ATonce-Plus, the PC-286 is able to run PC programs as a task within the Amiga multitasking environment, providing no less than 640K of RAM for applications. And much like the ATonce, the result is an emulator that makes use of the Amiga's hard disk controller (on GVP Series II hard drives), floppy drives, RAM, serial port, parallel port, clock, and mouse. Available graphic display options are: monochrome VGA/EGA, 16-color CGA, Hercules, Olivetti, or Toshiba 3100. Does it run "Windows"? It does, running unrestricted in the 286 Protected Mode, thus operating as a 32-bit computer capable of addressing up to 16 MB of RAM. Readers should be aware, however, that "Windows" requires a MINIMUM of 1 MB of RAM and 10 MB of hard drive space; for effective operation, more RAM is desirable. The PC-286 is compatible with MS-DOS 3.2 - 5.0 and DR-DOS 5.0 - 6.0. >>> EXPANSION: FLOPPY DRIVES RocLite, $120-beige; $130-black, by Roctec, is a VERY small floppy drive for Amiga or CDTV owners. It is not much wider than a disk, and only 3/4" high -- ideal for people with little desk space. Finally, the RocLite is available in either Amiga beige or in CDTV black. >>> EXPANSION: HARD DRIVES DataFlyer IDE Series, by Expansion Systems, is a series of IDE hard drive controllers for the A500, A1000, and A2000. The series is based upon two models: the DataFlyer IDE, which can control only IDE drives; and the DataFlyer IDE/SCSI, which can control both IDE and SCSI drives. Both kinds of controller include a place for owners to plug-in a DataFlyer RAM card, as well. Pricing depends upon the kind of controller and the model of computer: DataFlyer IDE: A500 - $179.95 A1000 - $189.95 DataFlyer IDE/SCSI: A500 - $239.95 A1000 - $249.95 A2000 - $159.95 A500 and A1000 models are external; the A2000 model is an internal 'card'. TrumpCard 500 AT, $275 (bare), by Interactive Video Systems, is an expansion module for the A500, containing an autobooting IDE hard drive controller. The user can elect to install his or her own 3.5" AT or IDE hard drive (popular in MS-DOS land), or purchase a unit with one already installed. The module also includes room for up to 8 MB of RAM expansion in 2, 4, or 8 MB increments (using 1MX8 SIMM's). XY128RW 3.5" Erasable Optical Subsystem, $2245, by XYXIS, is an erasable, optical sub-system for A2000's, A2500's and A3000's. With a disk size of 3.5" and an average access time of 42 ns, the unit is able to store up to 128 MB on a single disk -- and permit booting from the drive, as well. The XY128RW is compatible with WorkBench 1.3 and 2.0, requires an A2091 SCSI controller, and is available for both internal and external computer use. XY600RW-HS 5.25" Erasable Optical Subsystem, $5245, by XYXIS, is a faster, more powerful erasable optical subsystem, designed for the A2000, A2500 and A3000. Each optical disk is 5.25" in diameter, and capable of storing over 600 MB of information. The average access time of the unit is 37 ns, and it is able of transferring information to the computer at 1 MB per second. Like its smaller cousin (above), the XY600RW-HS is WorkBench 1.3 and 2.0 compatible, requires an A2091 SCSI controller, and permits the user to boot the computer from the optical drive. The disks for both Optical Subsystems are in the ISO format, and can be erased over a million times without damage. >>> EXPANSION: JOYSTICKS Amiga Analog Joystick Converter Cable, $29.95 for standard version; $49.95 for Y-cable version, by DPD Tech, is a capacitor containing converter cable enabling Amiga owners to use IBM-compatible analog joysticks on their machine. Why use an analog joystick (which many Amiga games support) instead of the switch-style joystick? Greater resolution, smoothness and accuracy are why. Some European manufacturers supply adapters that simply connect the correct pins of an analog joystick to the Amiga -- some European-made games only support this pass-through type of converter -- but those converters with capacitors do enhance the joystick's resolution and make it more accurate than the straight-through design. DPD's is one such option. The Y-cable option, it should be noted is NOT for two analog joysticks: it is for connecting both an analog AND a digital joystick to the same port at the same time. Amiga Analog Joystick Converter Cable, $3.00 for do-it-yourself plans; $13.95 for adapter cable; $29.95 for cable with switchable fire buttons and capacitors; by George Ribeiro, is another converter cable option for Amiga game lovers. Among the choices offered are the plans for hackers to build their own analog converter cable; adapter cables designed for specific simulations; converter cables designed to fit the A2000's narrow joystick port; a generalized adapter; or one with switchable fire buttons and capacitors. >>> EXPANSION: MEMORY DKB 2632, $699.95 for 4 MB; by DKB, is a RAM-expansion board designed specifically for owners of the Commodore A2630 accelerator. The board can hold up to 112 MB of 32-bit fast RAM (JEDEC-standard SIMM's), and is expandable in increments of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 or 32 MB. The board is compatible with AmigaDOS 2.0 and is warrantied for one year. >>> EXPANSION: MICE Beetle Mouse, $49.95, by Rimik Enterprises, are extremely fast, comfortable and accurate, ergonomically-designed replacements for the stock Amiga mouse. They have a resolution of 320 dpi, come in 15 different color combinations, are warrantied for a year, and bring their own mouse pad with them. A low-voltage model is now available, as are Special Edition mice, which are available in even more color combinations. Mouse Control, $9.95, by Advanced Image, is an 8" mounted spring holder for the mouse cord. Designed to help keep desks orderly by reducing mouse cord tangles, the unit is essentially a spring with a hook at the end, mounted in a stand. The user places the mouse cord in the hook and -- voila -- it is elevated 8" above the desk, out of the way. No fuss, no muss, no hassle. >>> EXPANSION: MISCELLANEOUS A3000 Power Supply, $?, by Micro R & D, replaces the 135W power supply in the stock A3000 with a 200-watt supply, thus eliminating the risk incurring power shortages when adding peripherals to the computer. HiQ A500 Tower, $599, by INOVAtronics, is a tower expansion chassis for A500 owners. The chassis provides the user with 4 A2000-compatible 100-pin slots, one A500 co-processor slot (for an accelerator), a video slot, 2 PC compatible slots, a 250 watt power supply and lock-and-key security. It has room for 10 half-height drives, a detached case for the A500's keyboard, and room for up to 2 fans for ventilation. Now A500 owners can turn their innocuous machine into a powerhouse beyond the reach of even the A2000. I/O Extender, $299, by GVP, supplies the user with 2 high-speed, multi- functional serial ports, and one bi-directional parallel port configurable for either PC or Amiga. Accompanying the serial ports are 16-byte buffers for preventing data loss, even at high rates of transmission. Software switchable, the serial ports provide enormous versatility in the mixing and matching of connections, while leaving the Amiga's built-in ports untouched. GVP also offers an optional expansion box for the I/O Extender, containing up to 2 entire 16-channel MIDI busses, each MIDI bus having 5 five-pin DIN jacks (one in-, one through- and 3 out-). A rack-mount kit is included. KickBack, $?, by ICD, is a ROM switcher specifically intended for A500 and A600 users, but also usable by owners of other models. The board features sockets for 2 different KickStart ROM's, no-solder installation, ribbon cable mounting, and -- of course -- a switch. PhonePak VFX, $449, by GVP, is a voicemail/fax board for the A2000. Computers with the PhonePak VFX installed can send a fax, record a voice message or provide access to the user's mailbox -- even when the user is not in the area. Faxes may be retrieved by telephone or by the intuitive screen interface; the PhonePak even allows both faxes and voicemail may be obtained remotely. One unit provides a complete voicemail system for a user; multiple boards installed in a single Amiga can operate independently of one another for even greater power; and no PhonePak VFX interferes with the Amiga's multi-tasking activities. Using DMA chip technology, the Amiga remains undisturbed when the PhonePak is being used. Imagine... a voicemail BBS... the possibilities are endless! SwitchStart ROM Adapter, $59.95, by Expert Systems, is a board intended to provide owners of A500's, A2000's or Rejuvenator-equipped A1000's the ability to toggle between the WorkBench 1.3 and 2.0 operating systems. The board contains two sockets for two KickStart ROM's, and is installed in the KickStart socket on the computer's motherboard. Once installed, the user is able to choose which KickStart s/he wants the compute to boot from, by flipping a switch (included with the SwitchStart), mounted on the side of the Amiga.