So I unexpectedly and suddenly have an Amiga 1200. Now what? Help! Pics!

[Major_Tom_coming_home]

Update: I had a chance to put the old girl through her paces with super hang on and I was impressed. Great color out of the original Amiga monitor, Probably 40-50 FPS, Control with the mouse was great, and booting up an Amiga game was a lot easier than getting a PC DOS game of the era started. There's still a bunch more games as well as business and animation software yet.

[carlsson]

Kickstart is the ROM, except on Amiga 1000 where you load it from disk. You need a matching Kickstart ROM with the OS (primarily Workbench) you load from disk. Thus if you want OS3.1, you would need the computer to be equipped with 3.1 ROM as well.

 

However, the AmigaKit CF HDD solution is said to work with Kickstart 2.05 (Amiga 600) or newer, so for that purpose it shouldn't be a matter. Bear in mind though that the CF-IDE adapter can be had from China for a fraction of the price, in case you would already own a suitable CF card and don't mind to learn the hard way. The included software seems to be freeware, so it isn't particular value added, but of course if you like to support those maintaining business in vintage hardware, it is smooth to order a kit. I don't mind supporting those, but generally when it comes to hardware or software they developed or commissioned, not just reselling what can be had elsewhere for far less.

[Major_Tom_coming_home]

Thanks for the information. I actually just ordered from Amigakit a Kickstart 3.1 1200 chipset to upgrade my Amiga from 3.0, and a CF HDD pre-installed with AmigaOS 3.1 as well as the necessary adapters and cables. I'm sure I could have gotten the HDD installed and working for less money, but the extra expense is worth it to me to avoid any hassles. I was going to buy a 3.1 floppy disk set anyway but I figured having it on the CF is more convenient.

Kickstart is the ROM, except on Amiga 1000 where you load it from disk. You need a matching Kickstart ROM with the OS (primarily Workbench) you load from disk. Thus if you want OS3.1, you would need the computer to be equipped with 3.1 ROM as well.

 

However, the AmigaKit CF HDD solution is said to work with Kickstart 2.05 (Amiga 600) or newer, so for that purpose it shouldn't be a matter. Bear in mind though that the CF-IDE adapter can be had from China for a fraction of the price, in case you would already own a suitable CF card and don't mind to learn the hard way. The included software seems to be freeware, so it isn't particular value added, but of course if you like to support those maintaining business in vintage hardware, it is smooth to order a kit. I don't mind supporting those, but generally when it comes to hardware or software they developed or commissioned, not just reselling what can be had elsewhere for far less.

[atarifanboi]

Thanks for the information. I actually just ordered from Amigakit a Kickstart 3.1 1200 chipset to upgrade my Amiga from 3.0, and a CF HDD pre-installed with AmigaOS 3.1 as well as the necessary adapters and cables. I'm sure I could have gotten the HDD installed and working for less money, but the extra expense is worth it to me to avoid any hassles. I was going to buy a 3.1 floppy disk set anyway but I figured having it on the CF is more convenient.

TBH the Workbench install is as easy as installing DOS, but if you already have the CF card preinstalled it'll save some time, but it's worth getting the disks just in case down the line.

 

I'd highly recommend the a1200 Indivision adapter, it still allows for original video outputs to be used, but gives the option to use on a modern TFT VGA display or any TV wit VGA in.

[Nebulon]

Here's a page of commands for the Amiga to get you started:

http://www.blitter.com/~nebulous/amiga.html

 

It's worth getting familiar with the startup and user startup files.

 

Spend some time looking at the files in the L, C, S, and Devs folders.

 

Files in the [c] folder are similar to placing files in the [Command] folder in MS-DOS. Those programs can be run in the command line from anywhere on the drive.

[carlsson]

But just like in MS-DOS, various Unix/Linux shell prompts and more, you can adjust and expand the search path to executable programs so you could put files elsewhere too and access them from anywhere. The analogy to the command folder or perhaps /usr/bin on *nix might be appropriate. Relatively short, generic, OS oriented commands go into the C: folder. Larger programs, more of an application type should not be there IMHO.

[Arnuphis]

When you open it up check all the capacitors for bulges/leakage. May want to consider getting it recapped just to be on the safe side.

 

Enjoy your 1200! Amigas are fun.

[+OLD CS1]

But just like in MS-DOS, various Unix/Linux shell prompts and more, you can adjust and expand the search path to executable programs so you could put files elsewhere too and access them from anywhere. The analogy to the command folder or perhaps /usr/bin on *nix might be appropriate. Relatively short, generic, OS oriented commands go into the C: folder. Larger programs, more of an application type should not be there IMHO.

 

Indeed Many programs install their own binary directories then add a PathAdd command to s:startup-sequence, but I have run into a number of others which place a program or two in c:. If you are expecting to use a program by skipping startup-sequence you will eventually drop it in c:.

[Keatah]

What a cozy little pile of stuff you got there!