@linuxlalala

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I consider those questions hardware-related, if you consider they belong to another category, you can freely move them or ban me... I am going to get an amiga 500 (A500), and I would like to ask some questions: 1) I do not have floppy disks, so if I want to transfer some files between my AMIGA and my PC (running linux), how can I do that? Do I need null-modem cables or special terminal software? 2) I am currently programming a text adventure which will be ported to amigaOS (classic, of course) in AMOS Pro. The biggest problem is the music, which has been converted to 8svx with sox, and takes a lot of space. What can I do to reduce disk space use, making the game floppy friendly? 3) Can I connect my AMIGA to a modern monitor using RGB (or SCART) cables, or I will excperience overscan of flickering issues? That's all for now, I hope my questions are not too noob or obvious.. PS: I am Greek, so sorry for my bad English...

Hi Linuxlalala

To be honest, you'd be much better off getting an Amiga 1200, or even an A600 over a 500. With the 600/1200 you can attach cheap CF Cards internally (all the interface is built in) and they have a PCMCIA port so you can hook them up to networks and use CF Card adapters very cheaply.

With the A500 you're relying on modifications or expensive external hard disk controllers etc.

You can hook the Amiga up to any TV that has a SCART socket yes, the cable can be had for like 9 euro on ebay, just look for Amiga RGB to SCART. You will not get any flicker on normal screen modes, but using interlaced you might, but a lot of the better high end TVs have built in flicker fixers these days.

@Cool_amigaN

Also, how am I supposed to set up the flickerfixer?

@fishy_fis

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Hehe, a person cant win. I deliberately said, "minimal flickering" to stop the calls of, "there's some flickering for me, you're wrong", or other almost inevitable responses. Doing so however resulted in "you're wrong, there's no flickering". Us Amiga fans are a fickle bunch :)

I think people are confusing standard hires(lowres) Amiga PAL/NTSC mode with their Interlaced versions.

Only the interlaced versions will show flicker, I've never had default PAL flicker on any TV or monitor I've ever used with any of my Amigas.

Even with Interlaced, a lot of the better plasma/LCD panels will flicker-fix it these days (brands like Samsung for example).

Last edited by danwood on 27-Mar-2013 at 01:03 PM.
Last edited by danwood on 27-Mar-2013 at 12:59 PM.

@linuxlalala

You shouldn't need one for 99% of normal Amiga use

Just a scart lead

@danwood

Quote:

To be honest, you'd be much better off getting an Amiga 1200, or even an A600 over a 500. With the 600/1200 you can attach cheap CF Cards internally (all the interface is built in) and they have a PCMCIA port so you can hook them up to networks and use CF Card adapters very cheaply. With the A500 you're relying on modifications or expensive external hard disk controllers etc.

+1, of course i would mention it too, but had an impression he wants to get an a500 anyway.

Yes, only interlaced screenmodes flicker. If you are using an AGA chipset 1200 or 4000 there was a software flickerfixer and If you can restrict yourself to using 16 colours called magictv.

@RussellB

What is an interlaced mode?

(and what's better, an A600 or an A500? (I have too limited space for bulky AMIGAs and I do not need a HD so badly)

@linuxlalala

A600 is a lot smaller than an A500, A500 is the bulkiest desktop Amiga you can get.

A600 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Amiga_600.jpg

A500 - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Amiga500_system.jpg

@danwood

Thank you very much. You answered my question about SCART. As of network, I am not going to hook up my amiga to my router and go online, this would be a little strange, as I have much more powerful PCs to connect to the net.

Anyway, is it possible to use a null-modem cable and share some files between an AMIGA and a PC like a Samba (in linux) or Network Share?

@danwood

Then, I will be getting the 600 :P. (Complete noob)

@danwood

Quote:

I think people like wawa are confusing standard hires(lowres) Amiga PAL/NTSC mode with their Interlaced versions. Only the interlaced versions will show flicker, I've never had PAL flicker on any TV or monitor I've ever used with any of my Amigas. Even with Interlaced, a lot of the better plasma/LCD panels will flicker-fix it these days (brands like Samsung for example).

thats misunderstanding, im not confusing anything, though i might not be deliberately clear about what ive said, i admit. non interlace modes do not flicker (like pal 320x256 or 640x256) but interlace ones (double vertical resolution) will do. those can be made flicker free with a flickerfixer. this isntan issue with games, that tend to be low res for obvious reasons.

@linuxlalala

Personally I think you'd be better off with an Amiga 1200, it's like a longer A600 in looks, still less bulky than an Amiga 500 though:

http://www.imagamegeek.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Amiga-1200.jpg

It has better CPU and graphics chipset is much better, it is around 5 times faster than A500 and A600 and these days is probably the most popular classic Amiga.

You can put a hard disk or a CF Card inside it for very cheap (like 10 euros for adapter off ebay), you just need one of these:

http://www.retro-kit.co.uk/user/custom/Commodore/Amiga/3rdParty/Unknown/IDEtoCompactFlash.jpg

The A1200 has a PCMCIA card slot on the side (PC card) so you can put in an adaptor to use a portable CF Card, you can just plug the card into your card reader on a PC and then put it in the Amiga to copy stuff.

But you can also get a PCMCIA ethernet adapter for very cheap (also like 10 euro) so you could hook the Amiga 1200 up to your network and file share via samba or FTP that way, even get it on the internet if you want to (useful for downloading software to it). It is a lot faster than null modem too.

Just need an adapter like this:

http://oldschoolgameblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/amiga1200ethernet.jpg?w=630

See my video, how to copy files from PC to Amiga:

http://youtu.be/6ZuZVldDEf8

@wawa

Fair enough, edited my reply :)

I think it was just confusing the OP into believing the Amiga will flicker with all screenmodes usually, which of course is not the case.

In most cases, games and standard Workbench operations, you will never use Interlaced modes anyway, I know I never did before I got display capable of the higher AGA modes, but most users never used them anyway.

@linuxlalala

a600 is a nice machine. very much alike a500 but smaller, without numeric block keys. as bonus it has pcmcia slot and internal ide controller. it has ecs chipset alike a500, not aga (next generation). the problem might be its using kickstart 2.x, while many games expect kickstart 1.x, you might need to softkick it to 1.3 after boot for compatibility with those.

Anyway, will AMOSPro run on A500 or A600?

@linuxlalala

Both

@danwood

Nice. Any other suggestions?

@wawa

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if you say so. so this is pal 640x512 hires interlace? this mode has always flickered on regular tv or monitor, and if not, then the tv has to have not only a scan doubler, but some flicker fixing hardware on input. why else would individual computers stll build their flicker fixers in the first place.

It is hires interlaced, 640x512

I think that most if not all LCD-TVs does flickerfixing. There is no flickering at all. I have also Samsung TV, wich time to time does flicker, but it disappers when I turn off and again on.

Sony Bravia work nicely, etc. Usually there is just one fully wired SCART connector and second one would need this http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=211

Wich will give slictly better picture than plain composite, but it is useable only with Amiga 1200, with A500 there is only b/w picture.

@utri007

You mean if I use scart on A500 I will always get black and white?

@utri007

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I think that most if not all LCD-TVs does flickerfixing

no artefacts when picture is not just static? im curious, because ive had once tested a tv that fixed the flicker on scart input but the quality of display immediately degraded as soon as something moved on screen.