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...

@linuxlalala


3) You would need an Indivision ECS flickerfixer. You can purchase it from here -> http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=918¤cy=EUR or various other amiga dealers.

PS. There are Greek amiga fora as well for a more localized community experience.

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@Cool_amigaN

Why do I need those? Is the flickering annoying and you cannot work with the amiga?

@linuxlalala

Quote:

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?

There are compressors/decompressors available for 8svx that will save space.

http://fi.aminet.net/mus/misc/8svx_comp.readme

Aminet might be your best source for the tools you need.

http://aminet.net/search?query=8svx

#6

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@number6

Thank you very much. Are they amiga-native? If so, how can I transfer them to a real amiga without floppies?

@linuxlalala

examine this package, afair it works with both serial and parallel connections, null modem is one option, but its long ago i have used it and it is troublesome imho.
http://aminet.net/package/comm/net/parnet

there should be some way to attach a flash drive card to amiga, but im not that familiar with low end like a500 as i never had one. there is a simple external turbo card for a500 in making:
http://www.jschoenfeld.com/news/news143_e.htm
most notably it provides ide controller and possibility to use cf cards. this should be pretty useful for development, transferring the files in particular. also connecting faster accels will be possible. the drawback is. its external, and is not supposed to be available with a housing.

as for connecting modern monitors, it isnt possible alas, except through rf/composite port available still on some lcd tvs. as an option the solution of the same house (individual computers): indivision ecs
http://www.jschoenfeld.com/products/ECS/Indivision_ECS_manual_D.pdf

sorry, those solution all involve buying additional stuff, but i dont know any better.

Last edited by wawa on 26-Mar-2013 at 12:48 PM.

@linuxlalala

Quote:

Why do I need those? Is the flickering annoying and you cannot work with the amiga?

flickering is pretty annoying, less so on lcd tvs, but still. there are tools to supress it a little, but involve restricting to monochrome desktops. the main thing is you just cannot attach modern monitor to an amiga because of work frequencies. later models (aga) like a1200 and a4000 provided productivity modes, but even those wouldnt fit into acceptable range for a 60hz display, as they are common today.

@wawa

How does it look like? (like "white snow (noise)" on TVs or like random white dots on screen "burned pixels"?)

Can it damage my monitor?
(I have a CRT TV somewhere in a basment, I will search for it :P)

@linuxlalala

It seems data transfer is your main issue.

I have not used this, so I'm putting the link here so others will comment on whether this will work for you:

http://www.amigaforever.com/ae/

#6

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@number6

Now, back to flickering.
Can it damage my monitor if I use SCART,RF or composite?

@number6

And, I am a linux user. I cannot use AmigaExplorer :(...

@linuxlalala

It won't damage your monitor. The worst possible scenario I can think of is that you will get an "Out of signal error" due to non supporting frequency range. Bottom line is that if you want to connect your ECS amiga to a "modern" monitor you will have to buy Indivision's flickerfixer. An alternative would be to purchase a scart cable and connect your amiga to an old television. Again though, for the most stellar picture you would need the flickerfixer.

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@linuxlalala

Quote:

How does it look like? (like "white snow (noise)" on TVs or like random white dots on screen "burned pixels"?

its just the odd and even lines on the screen flash in turns, that at 25 hertz. go figure.

@linuxlalala

This is all I can find about transfer from Linux>Amiga500:

Low-cost networking A500+-Linux PC

#6

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@wawa

Those! I have excperienced this kind of flicker with my Raspberry Pi, no big deal. I will use a SCART adaptor ( like the one at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hama-SCART-To-VGA-cable/dp/B0002W69MY )

@linuxlalala


http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/index.html

http://www.lotharek.pl/product.php?pid=91


well worth the money for an unexpanded classic :)

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@terminills

I will use null-modem. I know how to set up one.
The big problem is that linux may see amiga as a dumb terminal (I am not rude, this is a collective term for connected computers unknown to the host)

@linuxlalala


careful not to blow up your cia's

http://old.pinouts.ru/SerialPorts/SerialAmiga_pinout.shtml

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@terminills

What do you mean?

@linuxlalala


don't miswire your null modem cable. :)


apparently people have had luck using this under wine.

http://adfsender.stoeggl.com/

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