@matthey

Bottom of page of my last link might offer a clue.

#6

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@matthey

Quote:

Nice eye candy

It is kind of amazing what eye candy can do, I mean Im very tempted, but I know logically, the Pi400 complete kit that I got for £70 + Amikit For £20 is far better Amiga experience (specially now I added Mega AGS package.) and its a far more wildly supported computer, the Pi images, of like Twist OS, and other Retro game package you can add on and it all just usually works is great. Plus then you got all the project you can do thanks to the GIOP pins.

Im sure what ever powers the A500, likely the same type of chip that was in the C64 mini, a Arm chip will be hacked and expanded on, but you cant beat the Pi for its options.

But then its not in a nice Amiga shape and it not marketed this way so I know this will get a lot of success and be the experience for most very light Amiga fans.

Its just kind of a shame that Pi and Cloanto did'nt work together to make say a Pi500, that kind offers all what "the A500" offers but obviously could be so much more.

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@amigang

Quote:

I know logically, the Pi400 complete kit that I got for £70 + Amikit For £20 is far better Amiga experience (specially now I added Mega AGS package.)

I agree. An RPi4 in an A600-esque case would be nice.

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#6 Quote:

Bottom of page of my last link might offer a clue.

I presume you are talking about the following.

Quote:

Amiga ROMs and Workbench: © 1985–1993 Cloanto Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Furnished under license from Cloanto Corporation. Cloanto is a trademark owned by Cloanto Corporation throughout the world and registered in the United States and internationally.

TheA500 Mini is not Amiga branded so no harm done. Just a little more cash flow for lawsuits.

amigang Quote:

It is kind of amazing what eye candy can do, I mean Im very tempted, but I know logically, the Pi400 complete kit that I got for £70 + Amikit For £20 is far better Amiga experience (specially now I added Mega AGS package.) and its a far more wildly supported computer, the Pi images, of like Twist OS, and other Retro game package you can add on and it all just usually works is great. Plus then you got all the project you can do thanks to the GIOP pins.

When retro meets hobbyist and is easy enough to use and cheap enough then the real fun will start. The Pi is barely retro or at least didn't have many games without emulation.

How good is the keyboard on the Pi400? Is it as good as an Amiga 1200 keyboard?

amigang Quote:

Im sure what ever powers the A500, likely the same type of chip that was in the C64 mini, a Arm chip will be hacked and expanded on, but you cant beat the Pi for its options. But then its not in a nice Amiga shape and it not marketed this way so I know this will get a lot of success and be the experience for most very light Amiga fans. Its just kind of a shame that Pi and Cloanto didn't work together to make say a Pi500, that kind offers all what "the A500" offers but obviously could be so much more.

For a full sized wedge computer, I would go with the Amiga 1200 case design as it is smaller. If making Amiga 1200 cases and keyboards again, it would be advantageous to allow as much flexibility as possible for multiple SBCs to increase economies of scale. I would hope Cloanto/Amiga Corporation would do more than licensing and even making cases although Amiga branding should be valuable and is very visible on a case. Would an official Amiga branded case sold by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and others hurt the chances of introducing an Amiga retro computer like the Raspberry Pi though?

bison Quote:

I agree. An RPi4 in an A600-esque case would be nice.

THE1200! Please don't remove the number keypad which is annoying on an Amiga with programs which expect it.

Last edited by matthey on 10-Aug-2021 at 09:58 PM.
Last edited by matthey on 10-Aug-2021 at 09:55 PM.

@AmigaOldskooler

It could be pure coincidence but the logo they are using on the artwork left of the wording looks suspiciously like the artwork a friend of mine created for the Amiga 30 show in Amsterdam

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@Ryu

Yay, more litigaton!

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@matthey

Quote:

THE1200! Please don't remove the number keypad which is annoying on an Amiga with programs which expect it.

It should be a functional A600 keyboard and form factor with the num-pad emulated with a function key like some laptop/industrial keyboards IMHO.

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BigD Quote:

It should be a functional A600 keyboard and form factor with the num-pad emulated with a function key like some laptop/industrial keyboards IMHO.

A small form factor is great until you cut off my numeric keypad! The Amiga 1200 was much more popular than the Amiga 600 and had better styling. From 500 to 1200 form factor significantly reduces the form factor. It would be better to eliminate some of the depth (area above the function keys) but too much may make it look funny and it may be worth keeping space for a floppy drive and CD-ROM drive for CD-32 emulation.

@matthey

If we are taking about a 'mini' console Amiga with workable keys then I think the A600 is perfect. You could keep the USB keyboard option for people that like flight simulators

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@matthey

This thing is almost smaller than tank mouse, so no space for floppy drive, keyboard is there purely for visual retro vibe.

Last edited by NutsAboutAmiga on 10-Aug-2021 at 11:55 PM.

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BigD Quote:

If we are taking about a 'mini' console Amiga with workable keys then I think the A600 is perfect. You could keep the USB keyboard option for people that like flight simulators

A keyboard for a keyboard computer? Just give me a good keyboard to start with or a box without a keyboard so I can add a good keyboard. Without the wedge look and built in keyboard, the Checkmate Amiga 3000 cases are pretty well done although not cheap.

NutsAboutAmiga Quote:

This thing is almost smaller than tank mouse, so no space for floppy drive, keyboard is there purely for visual retro vibe.

True for the Mini concept but it is a gimmick. Retro Games followed up their C64 Mini (THEC64 Mini) with a full sized C64 (THEC64) so it is logical to assume that THEA500 Mini would be followed up by a full sized THEA500. The full sized Amiga 500 is less practical than a full sized Amiga 1200 was my point. A full sized Amiga 600 is small and cute but less practical and less popular than the Amiga 1200. I expect more people want a full sized Amiga with functional keyboard although to really be successful it needs improved performance without raising the price unlike the C64 where it is difficult to increase the performance without breaking compatibility.

Last edited by matthey on 11-Aug-2021 at 01:14 AM.
Last edited by matthey on 11-Aug-2021 at 01:10 AM.

@matthey

Quote:

Pi is barely retro or at least didn't have many games without emulation

Which is why a partnership with Amiga / Cloanto would of made sense, people who still overlook the pi is because it feels just a bit for the nerds and not many programs / games. Retro Pi Os has I’m sure helped shifted many pi systems, and popular builds of arcade cabinets but it is in this weird legal bit which make it not possible for Pi to ship a premade retro console which is a shame as I’m sure it would sell tons.

Quote:

How good is the keyboard on the Pi400? Is it as good as an Amiga 1200 keyboard?

It’s not going to win any awards but it’s not bad, specially when we are talking about a computer you can buy for less than £70.

I aways liked the A1200 Amiga keys and preferred big clicks keyboards personally, got a cherry Mx keyboard on my Pc, rather than the flat ones like the Pi is or like laptops & Apple keyboards are.

So my point of all this is I’m really please to see Amiga back in the news and spotlight (look how many people / web sites / YouTubers are talking about the A500) , but I know it could of been better at likely not much more cost, if we say had just taken a Pi400 gave it an Amiga look with these new accessories I think It would of got even more coverage and excitement.

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@AmigaOldskooler

https://ekstrabladet.dk/underholdning/livsstil/klassiker-i-kaempe-comeback/8766654

Hits mainstream media in Denmark

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@number6

Quote:

number6 wrote: @amigadave Regardless, the company link was in the facebook link I posted above: https://retrogames.biz/thea500-mini #6

Real friends don't let their friends do Facebook!

I completely deleted my Facebook account just recently, after someone other than me tried to turn it back on from its dormant state, where it had been sleeping for the past 6 or 7 years.

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@BigD

An A600 style case with (effectively) A1200 innards would be cool.

I don't really like the design of the A500, the A600/1200 are much more aesthetically pleasing, as well as being smaller.

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@matthey

The point is that it brings back memories from when these things where new and I think that it would be nice if they make some extra pads and mice in case they break. The same goes for the original controllers sold with the PS and NES, SNES etc.

I have good memories from the tank mouse, it was the first mouse that I ever used. Offcourse it isn't ergonomic or anything but if you want the right feel, that's what it should look like. You can probably plug in whatever mouse you want to use would you not like it.

Some of the comments here are hilarious and only possible by the sort of people who use sites like this regularly.

How ANYONE with an IQ higher than their shoesize fails to see this is targetting retro enthusiasts and not Amiga enthusiasts is baffling. I'm pretty convinced many here are point blank insane by now.

Its another of the mini/classic/whatever machines, nothing more. Not trying to be a solution for anything other than easy access to some games for retro gamers.

Cant wait until the os4 references, etc. start happening.
Laugh riot in the making.

@fishy_fis

Yeah, and I'm sure that those people have an USB keyboard to plug in if and when they need it. So yes it's ideal for a retro game enthusiast. I think they should have included Zool 2 rather than Zool 1 considering Zool 1 is getting a remaster this month!

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@fishy_fis

How are you? You sound angry...

Who doesn't understand who it is targetted to?

Anyway, I think everyone understands that it's the same kind of concept as the c64 mini. I think that they are kinda cute, fun for some retro gaming even though I do it in other ways and I have not felt a tank mouse in my hand since 1990 so I feel nostalgic about it. These things are for fun to me. I don't know what you're so upset about?

@hotrod

How did you interpret my being amused and laughing as being upset/angry?
I point blank said it was hilarious.