ACA500Plus users...update your firmware

[eightbit]

Someone at work placed a purchase on AMigakit recently and while he was there ordered a RTC clock module for me at my request. I figured what the heck. I have the ACA500+ and an ACA1233n...and a clockport on it so why not. I have ram in the trapdoor with a clock already, but I am just crazy

 

Anyhow, it arrived and finding a CR1220 was a challenge. Nobody in there parts seems to carry them. But luck I found a Radio Shack going out of business at 80% off yesterday and they had them (no surprise to me..RS always had what I needed) and I picked up two for $4 total.

 

So, I opened my Plexilazer case and installed the clock. Booted up and it was not detecting in the ACA500+ RTC global options menu. I figured why would the option be there to select a RTC on the 500+, trapdoor or accelerator if it does not work? I scoured the net and found that it was posted somewhere that the Amiga 500 cannot read a RTC from anywhere but the trapdoor. But I kept thinking...why add the option on the ACA500+ then?

 

Well, I left the RTC module installed on the accelerator just so I don't lose it and nearly chalked it up to not compatible. But then today while checking the wiki I found updated firmware here:

 

http://wiki.icomp.de/wiki/ACA500plus_Firmware

 

I figured I'd give it a go and I am really glad I did. I ordered my ACA500+ pretty much when everyone else here did, but the firmware was v0.31! The latest version is 0.99. And the update did fix the RTC battery. It works fine now. Amazing. The menus are smoother and there are some additional options I did not see before.

 

I love this device but support is just lacking. I can find no solid changelog between firmware revisions, nothing about the status of the RTC, very limited info, no included manual, etc. That fact is about the only thing I do not like about the product to be honest. I mean I can figure things out, but it would be much better to have a more detailed source to go to for things.