exxos's Atari, Amiga & retro forum

Maximilian wrote: 16 Mar 2025 16:46

rubber_jonnie wrote: 16 Mar 2025 13:49 I do agree. Also, how available are the exotics these days and at what price?

There are recreations of the 1.8MB memory cards and you can use some with the CHIP mod giving you 1MB of chip and 1.3/1.5 slow/ranger men.
It is a cost effective way to get both kinds of memory(for game combability) and it leaves your CPU slot and side slot open for other expansions like the Action Replay.

The standard 0.5MB trapdoor expansions are dirt cheap and for a little more you get the 1.8MB version..

If you find a REV.8 board it is a totally different matter, it can hold 1MB chip on board (not always populated) and 1MB in the trapdoor for 2MB of chip.

Interesting info, thanks :)

Getting back to this as/when time allows...I've followed a recommendation from @rubber_jonnie and ordered one of the A500 Gotek solutions (so I can have the case closed)...more on that when it arrives but after watching the installation video, it all looks to be pretty straightforward.

No time to dig into the issues with the 6A board as yet but I might have more enthusiasm for that once I have the first A500 setup running nicely (0.5Meg trapdoor expansion plus Gotek as the only upgrades initially planned - that will probably change if/when I get the 6A board functioning)...

JezC wrote: 10 Apr 2025 15:38 Getting back to this as/when time allows...I've followed a recommendation from @rubber_jonnie and ordered one of the A500 Gotek solutions (so I can have the case closed)...more on that when it arrives but after watching the installation video, it all looks to be pretty straightforward.

No time to dig into the issues with the 6A board as yet but I might have more enthusiasm for that once I have the first A500 setup running nicely (0.5Meg trapdoor expansion plus Gotek as the only upgrades initially planned - that will probably change if/when I get the 6A board functioning)...

Good luck with it, the Gotek solution is really good. I also got one for my A1200 and it is equally good.

My A500 is doing the green screen thing on me again, but parts have arrived so I need to fit some sockets and crack on with troubleshooting.

rubber_jonnie wrote: 10 Apr 2025 15:53 Good luck with it, the Gotek solution is really good. I also got one for my A1200 and it is equally good.

Thanks - I did try a Gotek with OLED screen (bought direct from Keir himself a couple of years ago, along with a Greaseweazle v4) & that was great but couldn't have the top case fitted when I used it, so good enough to try but not a lasting solution.

If only there was something similar for the standard ST cases (for a similar price point)...

My A500 is doing the green screen thing on me again, but parts have arrived so I need to fit some sockets and crack on with troubleshooting.

I don't know what you've done to it @rubber_jonnie! Possibly all a result of the work you did to fix the fault with that RAM expansion that you bought as 'working' but I will be interested to see how you get on in case that helps me diagnose & fix my rev 6A board as well!

:D

JezC wrote: 10 Apr 2025 16:03

rubber_jonnie wrote: 10 Apr 2025 15:53 Good luck with it, the Gotek solution is really good. I also got one for my A1200 and it is equally good.

Thanks - I did try a Gotek with OLED screen (bought direct from Keir himself a couple of years ago, along with a Greaseweazle v4) & that was great but couldn't have the top case fitted when I used it, so good enough to try but not a lasting solution.

If only there was something similar for the standard ST cases (for a similar price point)...

My A500 is doing the green screen thing on me again, but parts have arrived so I need to fit some sockets and crack on with troubleshooting.

I don't know what you've done to it @rubber_jonnie! Possibly all a result of the work you did to fix the fault with that RAM expansion that you bought as 'working' but I will be interested to see how you get on in case that helps me diagnose & fix my rev 6A board as well!

:D

Yeah, I know, I looked at it funny and broke it :)

Will keep you up to date with mine, it may help you.

rubber_jonnie wrote: 10 Apr 2025 16:17 Yeah, I know, I looked at it funny and broke it :)

Will keep you up to date with mine, it may help you.

Sorry, re-read my post and it sounded a bit inflammatory - that wasn't my intention at all.

I'm certainly hoping so! No pressure though!
:lol: :roll:

JezC wrote: 10 Apr 2025 16:20

rubber_jonnie wrote: 10 Apr 2025 16:17 Yeah, I know, I looked at it funny and broke it :)

Will keep you up to date with mine, it may help you.

Sorry, re-read my post and it sounded a bit inflammatory - that wasn't my intention at all.

I'm certainly hoping so! No pressure though!
:lol: :roll:

Don't worry, I didn't take it that way :)

Phew! Thanks for understanding
:thumbup:

JezC wrote: 10 Apr 2025 16:38 Phew! Thanks for understanding
:thumbup:

Not a problem.

I found a few minutes at the end of last night to revisit the two A500 systems...

The issue 5 is booting to he insert disc prompt OK but the floppy drive won't read the one working Amiga floppy disc I have anymore :( but seems fine with a Gotek still (and no, @rubber_jonnie I still haven't had time o assemble & test that custom Gotek for A500 systems but maybe sooner rather than later now?).

The issue 6 is still booting to a green screen but I've put that on aside while I try to get a few more bits for the working A500 sorted.

I somehow appear to have a Pi Zero 2W on order so I'd better order a suitable PiStorm adapter soon I guess...but I'm not yet sure whether that will stay in the issue 5 or go into the issue 6 when I fix it.

Oh, and while I think of it @rubber_jonnie, I'll PM you now about that other Amiga board you have that may now be surplus to requirements?