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just got my 1200

Joined
Apr 25, 2009
Messages
168
Location
Virginia, USA
I just got my Amiga 1200, from Germany. It's currently equipped with:
68020 (original cpu)
2mb CHIP
no fast installed (yet!)
2gb microdrive
has over 1000 games on HD
QWERTZ keyboard layout
original floppy
OS 3.1

And I can't do much with it currently. I've come for advice on upgrades and a power supply:
1. I know the original PSU is only 27W, (I didn't get one due to voltage difference) so should I get an A500 psu or what's a good ATX-A1200 converter (under $25)
2. What's a good, inexpensive accelerator/ram expander with simm slots?
3. what are some upgrades to shoot for, besides the PPC card and PCI busboard?
 
The A500 PS has more power available (then the stock A1200 PS) and can power 030 upgrades just fine. If you want a faster upgrade then get a bigger PS.
 
No idea what a converter costs, and the a500 vary on price if you use ebay.

Flip a coin or whatever you can find 1st.

I run my A1200 with the original little power supply and a 68030/50 CPU + FPU card. It works fine but wont work most of the time if I add the extra SCSI module (power supply I asume).
 
You may consider that an ATX power supply may be old, new, good or bad. An Amiga power supply most certainly is old but good as long as it lasts. I don't know the failure rate for old Amiga PSU's but wouldn't expect them to last infinitely.

For that matter, I power my Amiga 1200 with a 68030/50 expansion, 2.5" HDD, sometimes floppy drive and PCMCIA CF converter on the stock power supply. I don't know if it is going on its max, but perhaps that is just as much as one can get from it. If I would get a PPC expansion I may look for other options in powering it.

Speaking of expansions, I see those tend to be rather pricey. Possibly you can get some '030 card like me and Unknown K have. They come in a few different variants, usually having a single SIMM slot and room for FPU. Most software will run faster but still be downwards compatible. If you get a PPC expansion, I think it is only useful with a certain number of programs written to run on the PPC. All the others would use the 14 MHz 68LC020 unless the expansion has dual CPUs, one 68K and one PPC. Frankly I'm not updated on exactly which expansions there are for the Amiga 1200.

Above I mentioned a PCMCIA CF adapter, which is a very inexpensive item you can add. By installing a device driver and a FAT file system, you would be able to access a Compact Flash memory card which is handy if you want to transfer software and data between the Amiga and PC. Of course I assume you have a PC with a CF slot. I can't recall if there is any particular characteristics on the adapter you need to look for. I just grabbed one from eBay and perhaps got lucky that it was compatible.

You mention a microdrive, is that a 2.5" Flash based hard disk or even a CF disk installed onto an internal IDE CF adapter? That is fully possible to do. Some people even made an extra hole into the case and route the CF adapter to it, which means they can exchange the "hard disk" without opening the case. Note that a CF card used with an IDE adapter is a bootable hard disk, while a CF card used with a PCMCIA adapter simply is a storage device. It is easy to mistake one for the other. Despite there is an early startup option to boot from CC0, it seems only to apply for true PCMCIA memory cards, not CF cards through an adapter.
 
oh, the microdrive i'm not sure about... I was eventually (meaning a year or two) getting a blizzard ppc or a 060 accelerator, but a 030 looks good for right now. I'll guess to just shop around because I don't want to risk over loading the stock ones available, as I do plan on modding the case to take a slimline drive. If I remember correctly, the blizzard ppc always comes with a 040 or a 060 at a pretty good speed....
EDIT: it's a CF microdrive, seagate brand
 
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Yes, Amiga 1200 PSUs are much lighter than the Amiga 500 ones so shipping wise it may not have made such a great difference on overseas shipping. But anyway, since it came from Germany at least the RF output is PAL, right? Does the RGB signal know anything about 50 or 60 Hz? I know the video mode can be flipped quite a lot on an Amiga so it would not be as PAL/NTSC limited as older home computers and video games.
 
Well... I know the composite can be tuned on my tv, even if it's PAL because I've tuned my modded xbox to 50 hz and it play nice still. my TV is pretty new so it seems to have no issues with PAL and PAL60. And the PSU would be useless because I have the 120v versus their 240v-ish outlets. i'm broke anyways right now. I think I will get the ATX converter when I sell my hoard of new cards.
 
Since the 1200 is relatively modern (c:a 1992-93), it would not surprise me if the power supply could be adapted to take either 115V or 230V input. I've seen a number of devices made today that straight away accept any input voltage between 110V and 240V, but even older PC power supplies used to have a toggle button on the back to choose either one.

Of course you would need to study diagrams and probably ask a qualified electrician for help and advice if you would've gotten a 220V+ power supply and intended to alter it.
 
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