FROM THE HISTORY OF AMIGA
(Continuation. Beginning in issue 1.)
(C) Antony
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We are glad to welcome you to this humble piece of the Amiga computer world! We advise you to read this small article, even if this question does not particularly interest you. After all, it's never harmful to throw a bit of information into the depths of your brain.
As promised in the previous issue of the magazine, we will now try to run through all the models of the Amiga computer that were released earlier and those that are being released nowadays. A quick request - do not worry if you come across unfamiliar (unclear) words, as at the end of the article you will find a small list explaining their meanings. So, let's go...
We will start, of course, with the oldest model - A1000. It was first presented on July 23, 1985, at the Lincoln Center (New York). This day many people called the date that changed the future of computers. By September, the Amiga 1000 had already found its first users. Let's take a look at what it was like:
Processor - Motorola 68000 at a clock frequency of 7.14 MHz, which is less than 1 mips.
Special chips - Portia, Agnus, Daphne.
RAM - 256 kB, expandable to 512 kB (later to 8.5 MB). In the very first versions, not yet intended for sale, there was only 128 kB!
HDD - 20 MB, which was installed at the customer's request for an additional fee. And this pleasure cost $1000.
FDD - one DS/DD 3.5 inch drive with 880 kB.
This was the FIRST computer to use more than 16 colors as a standard feature. And in special mode, it could display any number of colors, up to the entire palette (4096 colors). It was also the first computer with a multitasking operating system, four-channel stereo sound, and a mouse as standard. The Amiga 1000 was the only model whose kickstart was loaded from a disk. Its price was $2000, while primitive single-task PCs cost around $4000! The machine had only one expansion slot, as Commodore wanted to keep prices low.
In 1987, the next model was released. It was called Amiga 2000. This model had great expansion capabilities and had 5 Zorro II slots, plus a video slot.
Note: all slots were auto-configurable (the autoconfig protocol - a brilliant idea. Due to the combination of such ideas, the Amiga computer is a revolutionary machine).
Processor - Motorola 68000 at a clock frequency of 7.14 MHz.
Special chips - Agnus, Denise, Paula, Gary.
RAM - 1 MB, expandable to 9 MB.
FDD - one DS/DD 3.5 inch drive with 880 kB. Later - two 3.5 + one 5.25 inch drive inside, and external ones could also be connected.
Note: more about drives will not be mentioned, as any model can have 4 practically any drives, both DD and HD (1.76 MB).
The kickstart of this model was already in ROM with a volume of 256 kB. The Amiga 2000 became the basis for other (more powerful or expanded) models - A1500 (A2000 with two disk drives), A2000HD, A2500/20, A2500/30, A2000HDA/100, A1500+ and A2000+.
Later, in the same year, the Amiga 500 was released. This was a simplified version of the Amiga 2000, with a compact design (keyboard in one case with the machine) and without internal slots (there was one full system connector). Both models had a new graphics mode - Extra Half Bright, which provided 64 colors on the screen, as well as a new kickstart - 1.2.
In 1988-1989, changes occurred with the special chips. Agnus turned into Fat Agnus, and later into Fatter Agnus, which could manage one (and a little later two) MB of graphic (chip) memory.
In 1990, the first fully 32-bit machine was created, with a 68030 processor and an improved graphics system (ECS chipset). The model was called Amiga 3000.
Processor - Motorola 68030/16 MHz (later - 25 MHz).
Math coprocessor - 68881 (later - 68882).
Special chips - Fatter Agnus, Denise, Paula, Gary.
RAM - 2 MB, expandable to 18 MB (2 MB chip, 16 MB fast).
The machine had a built-in SCSI controller and Zorro III slots, and the kickstart had version 2.0 (a significant quality leap from all previous versions) and occupied 512 kB in ROM.
The Amiga 3000 was also produced in a "tower" case (A3000T). There was also a UNIX model (A3000UX). All of them could connect to a VGA monitor if desired.
A few months later, the Amiga 500+ model appeared (on which, by the way, this article was typed). This was an improved version of A500, differing in that it has 1 MB of memory by default, expandable to 10 MB (2 MB chip + 8 MB fast), ECS chipset, and some other nice features.
Both models (A3000 and A500+) had a new graphics mode - up to 1470*580 (4 colors).
In 1991, a model called CDTV (Commodore Dynamic Total Vision) was released and had the code name "babe," as its development time was exactly 9 months. This machine was based on the A500 and was distinguished by the presence of a CDRom drive, an unusual design, and an infrared remote mouse. However, this model did not attract much attention from buyers, partly due to the lack of the company logo on it, partly due to the unpreparedness of the consumer market for such machines, and mainly due to the small number of programs made specifically for it.
Also, this year, a CDRom drive (A570) was released for the Amiga 500(+).
In March 1992, production of a new model began in England - the Amiga 600. The processor remained 68000/7.14 MHz. So what is the difference between A600 and A500? Firstly - it was assembled using surface mount technology (to reduce costs). It also added an RF modulator, a full-color composite video signal socket, and, most importantly, a built-in IDE hard drive controller and PCMCIA slot. The Amiga 600 is the smallest model, despite the fact that the drive continues to be built-in, and the hard drive is inserted inside the case. After a while, the A600HD model was produced with a factory-installed hard drive. But the A600 has a drawback - the absence of a separate numeric keypad on the keyboard (the case size did not allow it).
Rumors that Commodore was preparing a new Amiga model with an improved graphics system capable of supporting up to 16.7 million colors turned out to be true! In September 1992, at the "World Of Commodore" show in Pasadena, California, the first machine equipped with the AGA chipset (Advanced Graphics Architecture) was presented.
The company announced that this was the most significant improvement made since 1985. At the same show, a new version of the operating system - 3.0 was presented.
In December, series production of the first model with the AGA chipset began. This was the Amiga 4000/40. Its price in the USA was $3699.
Processor - Motorola 68040 at a frequency of 25 MHz.
Special chips - Super Gary, Super Ramsey, Super Amber, Lisa, Alice, Paula.
RAM - 6 MB (2 MB chip and 4 MB fast).
HDD - 120 MB IDE, pre-formatted.
This model used SIMM technology for memory expansion and a dual-speed high-density FDD (1.76 MB).
By Christmas 1992, perhaps the most popular model in the world was released - the Amiga 1200. This was an A600-type machine (in case), but with a full keyboard. Its price in the USA was $599. It had an AGA chipset, a built-in IDE hard drive controller, a PCMCIA slot, a 32-bit expansion connector, and a new kickstart - 3.0.1. The A1200 was equipped with a Motorola 68EC20 processor with a clock frequency of 14 MHz. The board had a place for a math coprocessor. It came standard with 2 MB of chip memory, to which an additional 8 MB of fast memory could be added. Here it is worth noting that the AGA chipset can display 256 colors in high resolution and more than 256,000 (!) in special mode (and all this from a palette of 16.7 million colors and at high speed). So the Amiga 1200 is an ideal multipurpose machine for home use or, for example, for a cable television studio. There are plenty of quality games and applications available.
The operating system 3.xx supports all the new features provided by the AGA chipset and also has a number of significant advantages over all previous systems, making working with it very fast, convenient, and pleasant.
The Amiga 4000/40 was not cheap enough for everyone to afford, so a cheaper version was later released - A4000/30 with a Motorola 68EC30 processor.
In September 1993, a purely gaming machine was released - the Amiga CD32. This was the first 32-bit console in the world. It had a 2-speed CDRom drive, 2 MB of chip memory, an AGA chipset, the ability to turn into a full-fledged computer (with 10 MB of memory, a hard drive, drives, keyboard, etc.). It also had built-in software for playing audio CDs and a plug-in module for viewing video disks (Full Motion Video). The Amiga CD32 used kickstart 3.1.
In early 1995, the copyright for Amiga was sold to the German company "Escom." But we will try to tell this long story in one of the next issues of the magazine. For now, we will just say that not long ago, production of the Amiga 4000/60T began. It used a Motorola 68060 processor with a clock frequency of 50 MHz. Some changes were also made in the hardware (for example, SCSI-III controller). In terms of performance, the machine can easily be compared to a Pentium-133 MHz, and in all other respects, it is simply unbeatable!
Well, that's about it... Now for the promised micro-glossary.
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Mips - the number of operations performed by the processor (millions per second);
Kickstart - part (main) of the operating system, embedded in ROM and containing all the subprograms, data, etc., necessary for the machine to operate;
Chipset - a set of special chips;
Special chips - microchips developed specifically for Amiga computers and forming the basis of its unique features;
Chip memory - memory in which the central processor does not have exclusive priority, as it shares time with special chips. Calling this memory graphic or video memory is not entirely correct;
Fast memory - memory in which the processor has exclusive priority and works at maximum speed. The speed difference between chip and fast memory averages 20-30%.
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If anyone still has any questions, feel free to call the phone number at the end of the article.
In conclusion, we would like to ask you not to judge Amiga computers by their clock frequency and memory size and compare them with IBM, because this is an ABSOLUTELY INCORRECT approach.
In the next issue, answers will be provided to the most frequently asked questions about Amiga computers.
See you in our little Amiga club!
This text written in CED3.5 on Amiga 500+ by Antony of TMG. Call: (812)513-11-98 (Anton)
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Contents of the publication: ZX Format #02
- IS-DOS
Announcement of a school-ready hardware-software complex by Iskra Soft and Peters, featuring a networked computer class setup on ZX Spectrum with IS-DOS.
- IS-DOS - Владимир Елисеев
Explanation of command line monitor and text editor restart in IS-DOS using mon.com utility as an example.
- IS-DOS
Introduction to IS-DOS system utilities, covering functions like help, user menu, file viewing, editing, and file operations.
- IS-DOS
Detailed description of the eliminat.com program for freeing memory from resident tasks and drivers, featuring interactive mode and command-line keys. Specific channel numbers allocated for task and driver types. Includes usage options and color customization.
- IS-DOS Window System - Владимир Елисеев
Exploration of IS-DOS window system restarts for printing text in windows and absolute screen coordinates. Examples of restart implementations such as lwt, adrwt, lenwt, prstr, str, and lnstr. Continuation to cover auxiliary restarts in next issue.
- Assembler
Introduction to assembly language basics, focusing on flags, arithmetic operations, and register manipulation. Discusses addition, subtraction, and complex operations like multiplication and division through examples. Highlights specific assembly commands and their functions for ZX Spectrum.
- Hardware
Discussion of hardware modifications for Scorpion ZS-256-Turbo, including the implementation of a Turbo/Normal switch. Pros and cons of software-based switching methods. Advice on soldering and circuit adjustments.
- Hardware
Discussion of a new music add-on for ZX Spectrum by X-TRADE and HACKER STINGER, called 'ZX GENERAL SOUND', offering high-quality audio and minimal processor usage.
- Hardware
Discussion on hardware innovations and marketing strategies, focusing on mouse and keyboard interfaces for ZX Spectrum. Critique of competitor's misleading advertising and analysis of serial versus passive mouse technology. Author questions necessity and cost of advanced features.
- Hardware
Discussion of hardware acceleration methods for ZX Spectrum, focusing on turbo-modes and their effects on performance and compatibility.
- Toys
Fantasy tale about magical creatures battling human intrusion. Main character recruits allies for a quest to restore the land's former glory. Challenges include finding tools, overcoming obstacles, and reviving companions.
- Toys
Review of 'Carrier Command' game, focusing on its strategic and simulation aspects. Includes detailed gameplay mechanics, controls, and objectives. Highlights strategies for success and unique features like managing resources and autonomous systems.
- Interview
Interview with Sergey Zonov and Andrey Larchenko discussing their experience with microprocessors and ZX Spectrum development, including the creation of the Scorpion ZS 256 computer.
- Information
Contact information and staff list of ZX-Format No. 2 (1995) including editor, coders, and designers.
- Information
Editor's address to readers of ZX Format, discussing the positive feedback, past errors, and the quest for a cartoonist, with future plans for the magazine.
- Information
Discussion on the new interpretation of the 'PULLDOWN' window menu system for ZX Spectrum, focusing on interface updates and user interaction enhancements.
- Information
Discussion about companies illegally distributing ZX Format, emphasizing the benefits of purchasing official copies.
- Competition
The article discusses the lack of participation in ZX Format's competition, detailing the rules and prizes, and encourages readers to engage with new ideas.
- Let's Relax
A humorous account of a software vendor's challenges dealing with clueless customers, illustrating the nerve-wracking nature of his job.
- Mailbox
Overview of hardware components and prices for ZX Spectrum enthusiasts with ordering details.
- Mailbox
Reader letters section in ZX Format #02 discusses reader feedback, addresses issues with ZX Format features, and offers future improvements.
- Premiere
Guide to Digital Studio v1.12, a music editor for ZX Spectrum, including features, menu navigation, and the use of Digital Studio Compiler.
- For Programmers
Exploration of tools that extend the standard Basic 48, including Renumber for Basic 128, Trace & Speed, Blast Toolkit, and ZXeditor, highlighting their functionalities and utilities.
- Various
History of Amiga computer models and their evolution from A1000 to A4000/60T with specifications and unique features. Explanation of technical terms and differences between chip and fast memory. Mention of new developments like AGA chipset and models for different needs.
- Miscellaneous
The article presents upcoming ZX Spectrum software releases and reviews game innovations like 'Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' and 'UFO 2: Devils of the Abyss'. It highlights features, creators, and technical requirements. It also includes announcements from SOFTLAND and Cracked Masters Group.
- Systems
Discussion of creating music with Instrument 3.01, focusing on digitized sound. Analysis of program's capabilities and conversion from ASC Sound Master. Instructions for composition and conversion.
- What's New
Review of new ZX Spectrum games entering the St. Petersburg market in late 1995. Detailed game descriptions, memory requirements, controls, and music/graphics evaluations. Highlights include Night Hunter, Extreme, Grell & Falla, and more.
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