Conference hydra::amiga_v1

2122.0. "A500 add-ons" by RLAV::LITTLE (Todd Little, NYA SWS, 323-4475) Tue Jan 17 1989 15:19

    I'm looking for information on A500 add-ons.  I've found some
    information in previous notes, but haven't been able to get a clear
    picture on expanding an A500. Can any of you out there give me the
    information listed below plus any comments you might have for the
    following products:

    	Starboard  II/500
	Spirit 
	Insider?
	Byte Box
	Escort?
    	C-Ltd SCSI Adapter
	Supra SCSI Adapter
	GVP Impact 500 SCSI Adapter
	Expansion Technology
	Stardrive
	Microbotics SCSI Adapter
	(Any others that I've missed)
    
    I'm looking to buy an A500 and I already have an ST506 drive and access to
    memory chips for expansion so I want an unpopulated memory add-on.  I'd like
    to expand to at least 2 meg and possibly as high as 4 meg.  I also will want
    SCSI for future add-ons. One last thing, what other expansion boxes exist
    besides the Pacific Peripherals box that slips under the A500? 
    

    For memory expansion:
    
	Manufacturer ___________________________	Model _______________

    	______ Internal/external?
	______ If external, does it pass the bus?
	______ Seperately powered?
	______ Capacity in Mbytes?
	______ Type of chips used?

	Other features/quality/comments...


    For Hard Disk Interfaces (host adapters for SCSI? controllers for 506?)

	Manufacturer ___________________________	Model _______________

	______ SCSI/506/Both
	______ DMA
	______ Does it pass the bus?
	______ Room for expansion memory?
		______ Capacity?
		______ Type of chips used?
	______ Autoboot?
	______ Autoconfigure?
	______ Does enclosure include space for drives?
		______ Number of 1/2 height drives?
		______ Number of full height drives?

    	Any performance data...
    
    	Other features/quality/comments...



    -tl	(Soon to be an Amiga owner)
    

    
    Re: .0
    
    		The Byte Box (as far as I can remember) is a power supply
    	box so that you can run more than one extra disc drive on your
    	Amiga A500 without overheating the computer. I can't (at the
    	moment remember who supplies it in the Uk [Are you in the U.S?])
    	but I'll post it up here when I find out, probalby tomorrow.
    
    
    			 	-Ian
          
    

I have the Supra SCSI interface for my A500. It has a separate power supply
(to the hard drives box) and capability to add 2Mbytes  of RAM inside
the case. 

The case is designed well. It is the same form/size as the A500 case vertically,
and only about 4 to 4.5 inches wide (doesn't use up much desk space or make your
left hand clostrophobic)

The RAM is on a seperate card which mounts as a daughter board inside the
interface. BEWARE: This card can be purchased as 2Meg populated or
unpopulated. It requires the 1MEG chips which I believe are somewhere 
around $40-$50 a piece! I think Supra has the 2Meg populated version for 
around $1000.

I believe I paid $179 from Abel about a year ago.



I also have a Spirit Inboard populated with 1.5Meg (for a total of 2.5Meg on
my 500). This was a bit nervy to install but seems to work great. No problems
with power or heat so far.

Spirit:  $240 at The Memory Location
Chips:   $225 for 1.5Meg 150ns 256Kx1 DRAM  from Bernie Eiben (IBMPC notes file)
------   ----  
total    $465  (Yikes! Was it that much?? Oh Master Card, I'm Sorry!!) 


Bernie is now All Out. His price for the chips (about $4.50/chip!) made it
possible.


John

    RE: .1
    
    		The Byte Box is supplied by "Byte by Byte" (Suprise)
    	but I can't find an address or telephone number for a supplier.
    	If you live in the U.K you could try Silica Shop Ltd who are
    	one of the best shops for the Amiga. (SSL are on 01-309-1111)
    
    
    				- Ian -