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Conference hydra::amiga_v1

Title:	AMIGA NOTES
Notice:	Join us in the NEW conference - HYDRA::AMIGA_V2
Moderator:	HYDRA::MOORE

Created:	Sat Apr 26 1986
Last Modified:	Wed Feb 05 1992
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	5378
Total number of notes:	38326

4510.0. "IN-MATE from Spirit Technology?" by VMSNET::WOODBURY () Tue Feb 12 1991 20:38

	Does anybody have any information/experience with the IN-MATE board
    from Spirit Technology?  That's a SCSI interface with 8 MB memory expansion
    that fits inside the A500.  It also has a socket for a math co-processor
    chip.

Specific questions:

	Does it really exist?  
	What's its discount price?  
	Where can you get it?

	How does it interface with the A500?
	How do you get access to the SCSI plug from outside the case?

	It says NON-dma.  Isn't that a DISadvantage rather than an advantage?

	Do you need to boost the A500 power supply?
	If so, what does the extra heat do inside the A500 case?

	Is it compatable with the A500 warranty?
	How reliable is Spirit Technology Corp?

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
4510.1	It's in there...	TLE::TLET8::ASHFORTH	The Lord is my light	`Wed Feb 13 1991 09:06`	6
	Somewhere in here is a 500 owner's "expansion saga," in which I recall seeing fairly lengthy coverage of the IN-MATE. Doing a search will locate it for you, I'm sure. Cheers, Bob
4510.2		ULTRA::KINDEL	Bill Kindel @ LTN1	`Wed Feb 13 1991 10:46`	32
	Re .0: (a few opinions/answers) > How does it interface with the A500? I believe it plugs into the M68000 CPU socket. It could (like the ATonce board) provide its own low-power 68000. > How do you get access to the SCSI plug from outside the case? Best guess is that it provides a ribbon cable that passes through the case and terminates in the "standard" 25-pin SCSI connector. > It says NON-dma. Isn't that a DISadvantage rather than an advantage? Technically, yes (but not a serious one). From a marketing standpoint, Amiga DMA controllers were discredited when the A2090/a came out. The A2091 and A590 controllers both provide high performance SCSI using DMA (correcting the earlier problems). Marketeers continue to play on that earlier bad experience and Commodore-Amiga marketing has done little to correct this misconception. > Do you need to boost the A500 power supply? Doubtful. There's probably not much spare capacity, though. > Is it compatable with the A500 warranty? No. New A500s are sealed at the factory. If you break the seal, the warranty is voided. As long as installation doesn't do physical damage to the A500 mother board, though, you should still be eligible for the fixed-fee mother board exchange service if you put things back the way they were originally.
4510.3		VMSNET::WOODBURY		`Wed Feb 13 1991 22:20`	4
	Re .1: Ahha, that's note 4464. Maybe I can snag Tony while he's here in Atlanta and get the low down! Thanks.
4510.4		GOBAMA::WILSONTL	Lead Trumpet (Read that...LEED!)	`Sat Feb 16 1991 15:50`	9
	Sorry, I couldn't get to ALF. My mother went into the hospital and I had to spend the entire week in Memphis. Tony P.S., I'm going to elaborate s'more in the 4464 note on the Inmate on the experiences with my SCSI drive, if you'd care to read along.