RJScott: Good evening! For Q-Link, I'd like to once again welcome Dave Haynie, our Commodore engineer, who is here to answer your questions about Commodore products. The Commodore Engineer's Forum is your direct line to timely questions about new products. Welcome back to Q-Link, Dave.
Hazy Dave: Hi folks!
RJScott: While only YOUR name and the names of those of us on stage show on your screen there are others here. All you have to do to see how MANY are here is Press F7 select LEAVE the AUDITORIUM but do NOT LEAVE. Instead, list Public Rooms and you'll see how many folks are here with us. While you can't 'talk' in the Auditorium you can comment or ask a question by pressing F7 and choosing ASK A QUESTION Press a return at the end of a line to continue, and TWO returns will SEND the question or comment. All questions or comments sent are held in a 'Queue' in the order sent. To get to the TENTH question sent, we must go through the first NINE. So please be patient if your question/comment isn't addressed immediately. And now onto your questions. It's all yours Dave.
QuestionWhat will we be talknig about?
Q-Link: We currently have 29 guests and 24 questions.
Hazy Dave: Well, the floor's open to anything. I'm familiar with most of the Commodore computers. I can't give a MARKETING prespective on things, as I am an engineer.
QuestionI would like to know any info about the 1571, & C=128 ROMs, and their prices Also, how long does it take to SHIP them ?
Hazy Dave: Both sets of ROMs have been released to manufacturing. They'll be available from CBM directly or through service centers. Awhile ago, I posted a note here that they can be directly ordered from CBM, which is true, only it does take some time stockpiling a new chip, so initial orders won't be that fast. As service gets stock on the parts, I'd expect 4-6 week ordering times.
QuestionIs there going to be another mouse besides the 1350 and is there ever going to be an IBM Emulation for the C128?
Hazy Dave: There's already the 1351; it been out since the fall. Does everything the 1350 does, plus it has a smooth analog mode that's also much faster than 1350 mode. As for IBM emulation; no, it would cost more to add IBM emulation onto a C128 than it would for you to buy a separate cheap PC clone
QuestionHi Dave! What can you tell us about the possible 'trade-in' policy that CBM may have for us Amiga1000 owners who wish to upgrade to the Amiga 2000?
Hazy Dave: I know they've mentioned a policy of some kind. Unfortunately, as far as I know, there's been no final decision on exactly what the policy will be. I expect they'll announce it as soon as US A2000s are shipping.
QuestionIs there going to be a Commodore 2400 modem?
Hazy Dave: There aren't currently any plans for one. Though as Amiga machines become more popular, I agree it certainly would make sense.
QuestionI'm looking for a hardware method to sense which diplay (40 or 80 col) is active on the C-128. I thought of using the chip select lines (CS). Do you have any suggestions?
Hazy Dave: That's really not an easy thing to do. In reality, both displays are active at the same time, in that its just up to software which one is drive. Of course, at many times only one is used for a extended period of time. If you install something like an /S-/R flip-flop, with /S on the VIC chip select, /R on the 8563 chip select, the output Q will be tell you the last display chip used — low for 8563, high for VIC. The problem is that the VIC is also accessed for other thing like keyscan.
QuestionI would like to know about getting an extension on my warranty for a 1571 drive. I took it to a repair center before the waranty was up, but the repair person said because I bought it at 'Gemco' that Commodore would not cover it! She said 'Brian MacDonald' i n customer support would extend it for me. Thank you.
Hazy Dave: Have you called customer support? Try (215)431-9100, ask for them. I really don't know anything about their policies.
QuestionPlease tell me ALL about the Amiga 500! what will be the REAL price? what will you get for that price? will it come with the rgb monitor?
Hazy Dave: LAST I HEARD, they've planned a list price around $650-$699. Usually there's a basic discount, which you really can't predict. The A500 is an all-in-one unit, containing keyboard, 512K RAM, and 880K floppy drive. Another 512K plus real-time clock will list for about $150, and a monitor (analog RGB) will list for about $350.
QuestionCould you tell us what is the current status of Fred Bowen's 'Dev Pak'? (the C-128 assembler he wrote)
Hazy Dave: Last I heard, its still caught up somewhere within CBM. The code's done (it will assemble all of the C128's BASIC and KERNAL, written on our VAX, unmodified). They've done a real nice user's manual, too. The "DEVPAC" comes with two assemblers and a nice text editor. If its not out soon look for Fred to be selling it from street corners in the West Chester area :-).
QuestionHow soon before the 1581 is released?
Hazy Dave: Last I heard, its in production in the Far East. Providing the firmware is on schedule, it mighy be less than a month, though I haven't heard any official release date. The software has been main hangup all along (debugging, etc.).
QuestionI have a 1571 that puts error#23 on my files, I had it re-alligned, and I had the ROMs replaced, but It still destroyes my files.
Hazy Dave: Its probably damaged internally. Normal ROMs don't do this, so changing them wouldn't have done any good. I'd recommend having a service center take a good look at it.
QuestionWill you be talking about C-128 software
Hazy Dave: If you ask me about it.
QuestionHONESTLY Dave, Is the 64C's circuit board any different from a 64? is it really 100% compatable? Also, I have this "yellow" blotch on my "tv/monitor"….could it be the VIC II chip? Someone said it could be(has a 64C9 )
Hazy Dave: No, at least for the initial batch of C64Cs, the internals are the same as the old C64. The BYTE review caught this; I'm not sure if the others did or not. As for the yellow blotch, it could be a bad VIC, but first I'd suspect that your monitor needs to be de-gaussed. Computer stores sell magnets that do a fair job of de-gaussing, for a few bucks (much less than the cost of a VIC). Look at the blotch carefully: if its not aligned on definate pixel boundaries, its not the VIC.
QuestionCan the 64 HANDLE 2400 baud?? I hear it CAN.
Hazy Dave: I've heard this too, though I haven't actually seen it. Given a very tight assembly program, it just might do 2400 OK. That would use most of the C64s processing power, though, not leaving much room for any fanciness. A C128 could do 2400 better if run at 2MHz.
QuestionWill Kickstart V1.2 ever be upgraded? If yes, then why is it being put on ROM in the A500 and A2000??
Hazy Dave: Yes, KickStart V1.2 will eventually be upgraded. They expect upgrades to occur infrequently; less than once a year. The ROM is cheaper, and it allow auto-booting like on most other computers. Apple's done exactly the same thing with their Mac, offering upgrades to the ROM and system software periodically. At least for Amiga users, its only ONE ROM to replace.
QuestionWill the A500 REALLY run ALL 1000 progs? Will there be a 64 emulator for the A500! I am DEFINATELY looking to buy one and want to know ALL ABOUT IT!
Hazy Dave: Yes. The A500's ROM looks exactly like what you get on the A1000 kickstart disk, so you're dealing with system code that hasn't changed a bit. As for a C64 emulator, WE'RE not working on one. I'm not all that certain it could be done for less than the cost of a C64. If anyone does it, I promise to be amazed!
QuestionWhen can we expect to see the 128D or the Amiga 500?????
Hazy Dave: I'm not sure what the C128D schedule is. The A500 should be shipping some time in June, last I heard, everything's GO on that critter.
QuestionHow long before we see a 2400 baud modem for the 128 and Amiga?
Hazy Dave: There's no 2400 baud modem in the works yet. If ever one is done, I'd expect it to look alot like the Amiga 1680 modem.
QuestionWhat ever became of the 1572 disk drive?
Hazy Dave: The "1572 Disk Drive" was a set of 6 prototype units in hand made cases that were kludged together with modified 1571 ROMs that made it LOOK like a dual drive unit. That's all that ever was, and all that will be. Marketing decision, not mine.
QuestionHow can I program the Z80A chip in the C128 and execute the Z80 programs with- out booting the CP/M disk? I've heard that I may have to alter addresses $D505 , $FFEE, and $FF00.
Hazy Dave: The $D505 part (Mode Configuration Register) is correct; I'm not sure about the others. What you need to do is create a Z-80 assembly program of some kind, put that in memory, and then get the Z-80 to execute it. The way you turn on the Z-80 (and off the 8502) is via the processor bit in the MCR. Once the Z-80 takes over, it reads a section of RAM, kind of a MailBox, for something to do, like run a program at an address. That's probably the other locations you mention. The specifics of this are in the Programmer's Reference Guide Z-80 section I believe.
QuestionHow capatable is the 3.5" drives?
Hazy Dave: Compatible? Compatible with what? Since there are no 3.5" drives yet for the C128, there's no media to be compatible with. So software that does copy protection tricks with 1541/1571 can't very likely work on the 1581. There's just no way — they're two different Animals. However, the 1581 understands a superset of disk drive commands, like all the other drives (1571, 4040, 8080, etc.)
Questionstatus please of the 1571 update ROMs
Hazy Dave: I think they're being manufacturered now, though I'm not sure if the Service Dept. has a stock of them yet.
QuestionHow much will a 1764 improve the commodore 64, and when do you think we will be able to benefit from its extra memory??
Hazy Dave: Well, since the 1764 is shipped with a RAM disk emulator (and I think a new GEOS), you can use it right away. The latest GEOS release loads system stuff into the RAM disk, so its VERY fast. The RAM disk emulator lets you simulate a 1541 using the external RAM.
CommentI have the new 128 and 1571 roms, and I'm quite impressed at the job you and others have done! Keep up the good work!
Hazy Dave: Thank! Actually, the thanks should go to Fred Bowen and Hedley Davis, who cleaned the bugs.
QuestionI've heard that the Amiga is Multi- tasking. How many progarms can it run at a time?
Hazy Dave: There's no fixed limit — I've run about 50 copies of some small demo programs at various times. Like any multitasking system, each additional task can slow the system down some. However, running just two or three programs at once may not slow the system down at all. The Amiga's multitasking takes advantage of the fact that most programs spend lots of time waiting for slow things like disks or input from users. I usually have about 5-10 user programs running at a time on my Amiga, and there will be about another 5-10 system things the Amiga OS sets up for it use.
Questionwhy little software support fer the 128?
Hazy Dave: In what form? There's quite a bit of C128 software. There aren't alot of C128 specific games. Why would there be, when a game will generally work just as well in C64 mode. But there's all kinds of other stuff — languages, spreadsheets, word processors, etc.
QuestionI hear some of the software from the 1000 won't work on the new Amigas. Why and can something be done so it will run ???
Hazy Dave: The only thing that won't run on the new Amigas are programs that only work under the old version of the operating system. These programs contain bugs, and they should be fixed by their authors (many have been already, and the few that haven't can often be patched to work with the new OS).
QuestionCould you give a quick rundown on some of the specs. for the new 1581 wafer drive?
Hazy Dave: The 1581 is a floppy drive (a wafer is a small tape, not a 3-1/2" disk). Anyway, it allows about 805K per disk, goes overall about 2-3 times the speed of a 1571, supports all burst commands, allows disk partitions (CBM and CP/M formats can be put on the same disk), and it uses MFM encoding, so its capable of reading IBM or Atari floppies.
QuestionWill the A2000 bus be directly capable of full 32 bit operation, or is it 16 bits? What about with the 68020 card? Will the cpu have to run 16/32 or can it run 32/32?
Hazy Dave: The built-in expansion bus of the A2000 is a 16 bit bus. The 68020 add-on will very likely have some provision for 32 bit add-ons, though the nature of this is a bit undefined at the moment. It is very important to have full 32 bit memory, not so important to have full 32 bit I/O devices, as such devices are usually slowed by things other than bus bandwidth.
QuestionIf you had to chose would you buy a 128 or an Atari ST, and what are the major differences?
Hazy Dave: It depends. The C128 is an 8 bit machine with a limit of 128K direct and 512K external memory, 640×200 monochrome, 80×50 character text, 320×200 w/limited 16 colors video. The ST has a 16/32 bit processor, 512K direct memory, 640×400 monochrome, 80×50 character text, 640×200 4 color, 320 x200 16 color video (though you'll need 2 monitors). The ST is a more powerful machine, but you will have to spend more for software, and there's no where near as much available for it. The C128 runs a larger variety of software than probably any other machine. If you have lots of C64 software, you might consider the C128. If you've got lots to spend on software, wait a month for the A500. DON'T BY AN ATARI, WHATEVER YOU DO, OR YOU'LL BE SORRY – IMHO
QuestionIs there any chance that we will see mor e upgrades to the c64/128 line of com- puters, such as faster 6502-line pro- cessors, a VIC chip that can work with 2Mhz or faster processors, and more memory? I don't really need that kind of a machine, but I would like one.
Hazy Dave: I've drawn up proposals for several such machines, but there's currently no interest in such a beast. It is possible to do many of these things, though with the Amiga line taking off and becoming cheaper, it may never be done. This is, of course, a Marketing Issue.
QuestionHow about a C64 emulator board for the PC 10 and the Amiga?
Hazy Dave: It has been considered. The problem is, it would very likely cost as much as a C64 alone. Though I'd love to see one for PClones, than all of Corporate America will be able to play real games at the office.
QuestionWhy don't software companies support the 128 – when it is a known fact that it does have better graphic capabilities than the 64.
Hazy Dave: Again, you must be asking about GAMES. The better graphics of the C128 are mainly its 80 column graphics, which are relatively slow and not colorful — not the best thing for games. Plus, would you rather sell to a market of 1 million C128 owners, or 7.5 million 64 and 128 owners?
QuestionI heard a rumor that Berkeley is going to make a GEOS internal for the 128, any truth to that?
Hazy Dave: I've seen GEOS 128, but only a disk loaded version. I haven't heard of this, but it sounds like a great thing to do with that extra ROM slot.
QuestionHas the Amiga 500 received FCC approval?
Hazy Dave: I believe so.
QuestionIs there any way possible to use the C-64 CP/M Cartridge on a C-128? Any mods that can be done?
Hazy Dave: No. And not only that, there's no reason to, so why bother?
QuestionWhat is the capbility of the Amiga 1000's power supply? How much resrve is there on an Amiga with an external drive and 1/2 meg RAM?
Hazy Dave: I think the Amiga supply gives you about 8 amps at 5 volts. That should be enough extra for an external drive, 512K inside, and maybe as much as 2 meg on the side.
QuestionHow many VOICE does the Amiga 500 have? I know it has 3 CHANNELS, but how many VOICE is that..I heard INFINITE Is this true?
Hazy Dave: Actually, all Amigas have 4 channels. In some ways, there are infinite voices. A CD player, for instances, has 2 similar channels. However, a CD plays digitized sound, which takes lots of memory. When an Amiga SYNTHESIZES sound, it takes CPU time to add each "voice" into a channel. I hear some have got up to 16 total voices, that's probably close to the practical limit.
QuestionHave there been any changes in the 2000 since it has been announced?
Hazy Dave: I'm not exactly sure what the announcement said, but the A2000 is a 1 meg Amiga, with 5 100 pin expansion slots, 1 coprocessor slot, and 1 video slot.
QuestionHow much of the 128 software will NOT work with the 1541 drive..I know it is not 100% compatible with all software.
Hazy Dave: The 1541 can't run anything that requires double sided disks, or any of the non-CBM CP/M formats. Conversely, a very few 1541-specific (I'd guess maybe 5 or 6 programs, but I haven't really kept up on it) do strange enough things (like counting on bugs in THEIR copy-protection code) to fool a 1571.
CommentI ordered the 128 ROMs by phone with a charge card, cost was 24.95 and shipped one week after ordering, very nice respose time
QuestionPrice for new ROMs?
Hazy Dave: ~~~~~~
QuestionI see in the manual that the 128 is set up to handle another 128k of RAM,are there any plans for a C-256?
Hazy Dave: Not currently, though I have proposed such a beast.
QuestionI have one of the original C64s (with the 5-pin video connector. Is it possible to get an upgrade to the current 7-pin video connector (and get rid of the snow)?
Hazy Dave: Actually, its an 8-pin video connector. The VIC produces the separate chroma and luminance, which get mixed in the modulator to produce the composite output. It is possible to upgrade if you're a hardware hacker, otherwise MAYBE a service center would do it for a charge. If you're using a good monitor, though, you shouldn't get any snow. If a TV, the upgrade won't remove the snow.
QuestionDoes Commodore currently produce an IBM clone ? Perhaps under a different company name?
Hazy Dave: Yes, its called the Commodore PC10. "Its not a Clone, its a Commodore" reads the adds. They just started selling in the US, though they've been selling in Europe for about 2.5 years.
QuestionThe Byte preview mentioned that CBM was working on a propietary new Virtual Memory chip for the A2000. Do you have any details about it (like $)? How soon would you expect UNIX to be ported to A2000?
Hazy Dave: There will be a 68020 card, though not immediately. It should be capable of running UNIX, and I would expect UNIX to be available with the card, though its marketing/sales who would decide how it gets sold — they probably won't force UNIX on you if you just want the Amiga OS to run 4-6 times faster.
QuestionHave the bugs been fixed in the 2000's software drivers? I read that the Bridge board will not support IBM sound or an Amiga mouse or joystick.
Hazy Dave: Those aren't bugs, they're just features that you would like added. Actually, the Bridge card has always had PC style audio — it mixes with Amiga audio via a jumper from the Bridge Card. They don't always hook it up during demos. The Amiga mouse isn't recognized by the current software as an IBM (Microsoft) style mouse. You can install a real Microsoft mouse (it works), or wait — I have heard that they're working on adding mouse emulation, its pretty easy to do.
QuestionWhen will we see the Amiga 1000 Plus, i.e., the Amiga 2000 sawed in half and stripped of all of that IBM stuff?
Hazy Dave: Never. "All that IBM stuff" amounts to 4 IBM style slots. I personally have never bothered with that IBM 8 bit stuff in my A2000s, but its there as an option for those who want it.
Questionwhy is it taking so long to get the 1581 to the dealers
Hazy Dave: I think the holdup has been finishing and verifying the software. After all of the 1571 bug complaints, there being more careful with the '81. The hardware hasn't changed since the winter.
QuestionI've heard a lot about the new chips. I just got a '71, are the prob's w/ the old ones critical? or just annoying?
Hazy Dave: I think it depends on what you're doing. Some of the 1571 bugs are annoying in common use. The save-with-replace bug is still in the old ROMs, and they have some trouble with handling both sides of the drive that's fixed in the new ROMs.
QuestionWhy isn't Commodore more popular with businesses as IBM or the many clones that are installed?
Hazy Dave: Well, the Commodore PCs (IBM clone type) are the most popular clones in Germany and perhaps other parts of Europe, and C128s are popular as small business machines there too. The US has had an image of Commodore as a game machine maker that dates from the C64 and the VIC-20. And that's understandable — using a C64 where a PC is needed would be a silly and frustrating as using a PC where an Amiga is required.
QuestionJust exactly when will any games for the 128 will becoming out? i have heard about Snoop and King's Quest but never seen any
Hazy Dave: Why don't you contact the publishers in question. I don't work for them, and Commodore isn't in the GAMES business.
QuestionTransactor had a quote from Jay Miner about an enhanced very high res display for the A2000. Any specs availible yet?
Hazy Dave: No, nothing's ready to talk about in that area just yet. Maybe next month.
QuestionI read that the Amiga did awful on the market, what are the reasons for this???
Hazy Dave: Actually, the Amiga's done OK. CBM was probably expecting higher volumes, but then, they've always sold $200 and $300 computers, not $1200 computers. The A500 should remove all doubts.
QuestionWill there be anything to upgrade a 64c, and 1541c and like some cash to trade up to the A500??
Hazy Dave: Nothing that I've heard of, though of course, that's up to the Marketing and Sales groups. I very much doubt it.
CommentComment: The 1351 mouse significantly enhances GEOS operations as compared to a joystick.
QuestionIam having trouble with my C-64, I have lost color or it fades in or out. What is wrong and what can I do about it?
Hazy Dave: I'd first try my C64 with a different monitor. It could be the C64, the monitor, or just the cable (in fact, cables often go bad before either of the aforementioned more expensive items).
QuestionWill the CBm 1902 work in RGB with the A2000 or is a special monitor needed?
Hazy Dave: 1902s will only support RGBI or composite. The A2000 supplies an RGBI output which'll work just dandy, but of course you only get you monitor's 16 colors. Best bet is a 1080 or one of the new Analog RGB monitors.
QuestionHow would one go about getting the 'source' code for the December 8 version of C128 CP/M? The Dec. 6th. version is around, but I know the Dec8 version cor- rects some errors in the Dec 6 version.
Hazy Dave: Last I heard, the Dec 8 version corrects exactly one thing — with the MPS-1000 printer, the Dec 6 version didn't always give a final line feed. The Dec 8 version does.
QuestionHave you looked at the IBM PS/2 specs yet? Any movement on a "Bridge" card to support it?
Hazy Dave: Actually, we bought a model 30 PS/2. No big deal; over $3000 for nothing more than a PC clone with only 3 slots, a 20 meg hard drive, and nice but slow graphics. No Big Deal.
Questionwhat is the difference in performance between a 300 baud modem and a 1200 baud modem
Hazy Dave: A factor of 4 times in speed, if your software and your BBS supports it. On Q-Link, its probably more like 1x-1.5x the increase, though it may be better when the system's not so loaded.
QuestionWhen will the New Amiga 2000 be released
Hazy Dave: Its out in Europe, and it'll be out in the US HOPEFULLY some time in July.
QuestionWhen is the C-64 RAM pack going to be available
Hazy Dave: Very soon, if not already.
QuestionCan the 128 support 2400 baud?
Hazy Dave: It is possible, though all that work may not leave much CPU time for terminal emulation or other things. And don't expect 2400 baud from BASIC or CP/M.
QuestionI just entered and am not sure if this has been asked. What's the story with the new ROM for the 1571?
Hazy Dave: I think its being made at MOS, though not sure if the Service Dept has stock yet.
Questionwhat will the a500 sell for?
Hazy Dave: It'll list for something in the $650-$699 range; I have no idea what that'll mean in real $$$.
QuestionHow many Commodore 128s have been sold in the U.S. and canada too date?
Hazy Dave: Worldwide its something like 1.2 million, though its been awhile since I've seen exact figures.
QuestionDo you know of any BBS software that sup ports the Volksmodem 6480?
Hazy Dave: If that's the goofy one that uses the 6526 serial shift register on the User Port, NO.
QuestionAbout the 128,are there any plans for a double disk drive(the 1572)?
Hazy Dave: No.
QuestionAre there any plans for updated RAM expansions to the existing 512K?
Hazy Dave: Both the 1700 and 1764 can be upgraded if you know what you're doing, though if you upgrade the 1764, you may run into power supply problems.
QuestionHow + where can I get information on advanced programming on the C128…. The stores I have been to said they
Hazy Dave: Do you have the C128 Programmer's Reference Guide (hey, I have to plug my book, even if I don't get any $$$ from it). This is essential to advanced C128-specific programming. And available in most larger bookstores.
QuestionWill there be a 1581 and is it 128 comp?
Hazy Dave: Yes there's a 1581, and yes, it works with the C128 Fast Serial interface, about 2-3 times faster in most cases than the 1571.
Questionare there new roms available for the c12
Hazy Dave: Yes, they're out. A few folks here have 'em already. Contact the CBM Service Dept.
QuestionHave you looked at the MAC II's 32 bit bus yet? Any chance of supporting it on the A2000? (Given the anticipated level of support for the MAC II, it would probably be to everyone's adavantage if all the 68020 folks could agree on a counter-IBM-bus standard).
Hazy Dave: I've looked a bit at the Mac II bus, but have no plans for implementing it on the A2000. Its not all that bad, though there's already an Amiga bus specification. NuBus cards will be more expensive to build than Amiga bus cards.
QuestionWhat would be a good program for beginners in CP/M?
Hazy Dave: There are several versions of BASIC around, some in the public domain, if that's what you're after.
QuestionMy 1702 monitor starts displaying black lines amidst the light colors after it has been on for about 15 minutes. Do you know what may be causing this ?
Hazy Dave: I suspect you'll need to check it out with a service center, there's nothing common I can think of that would cause that.
QuestionI am getting a C-128, when I use Q-Link I am in 64 mode, but how will I download 128 programs and will they run in 128 mode?
Hazy Dave: The machine you download to has no effect on the machine you run the program on. Since you'll download to the same floppy in the case of your C128, it very transparent. But some folks DL to a C64 disk, then Xfer it to their Amiga. You're just processing data when you DL.
QuestionWhen will the Amiga 500 be available?? Thanks
Hazy Dave: Should be early June, last I heard.
QuestionAny suggestions on adapting a 1670 modem for the Amiga?
Hazy Dave: You'll need to add RS-232 drivers, and you'll need a power supply with +5, and probably +/- 12V (for you drivers). The Amiga uses the 1488 and 1489 driver chips, which are very common. It won't be all that easy, though it is possible. You'll need a 1670 schematic, too.
QuestionFrom a graphics standpoint, How does the Amiga 500 compare to the new IBM 80386 based system? Or the Mac for that matter?
Hazy Dave: The new, larger IBMs, and the new Mac II, are much closer to the Amiga graphically. Both have a standard setup that allows larger palettes of colors, and both allow 256 colors at a time. Neither is NTSC compatible, so they aren't useful for video work. Also, even with the Mac II and some of the larger screens in the works (like 1024×800 color), the processor is doing all the display work. Also, a Mac II system will set you back $6000 or so, same with the IBM '386 machine, while an A500 will run about 1/10th of that.
QuestionWhat does 'interlaced' graphics mean?
Hazy Dave: Interlacing is a way of achieving more horizontal lines with the same bandwidth. What this means is that, when a screen is electronically drawn, its drawn in 2 passes. The first pass draws one set of lines, the next pass draws another set. Each line of the first set alternates with a line from the second set. All TVs draw their pictures this way, and the Amiga, being of the same standard, has modes that do likewise.
QuestionWill my C128/64 software work with the A500?
Hazy Dave: No, though there are rumors of C64 emulators on the way (they've been rumored for some time, though, so don't bank on it).
Questionwill the 64 ram expansion cartridge work on the 128 if operating in the 64 mode?
Hazy Dave: No, there's a very slight difference between the two. Its better said that the C64 expansion will work on the C128, but it may not be reliable. The expansion is independent of the mode of operation: the 1750 will work in C64 mode on a C128 just fine.
QuestionWill CBM offer a 80286 and (or) an 80386 board for the Amiga 2000?
Hazy Dave: An 80286 based Bridge Card is in the works; nothing yet on a '386 based version.
QuestionWhat are the latest dates on which we can buy the new Amigas?
Hazy Dave: Sometime in June for A500, July for A2000.
QuestionIs Commodore planning to come up with a Hard Drive for the C-64?? If so, how much faster than the 1541 could it be? Might it be attached to the user port, or the Serial port?? Thanks
Hazy Dave: No CBM Hard Drive for C64 or C128 is planned. There are several 3rd party hard drives available.
QuestionAre all of the 1541Cs being made with track one optical sensors? Is this the same chassis (single sided) as the 1571?
Hazy Dave: I'm not really sure if all 1541Cs have optical track 0 sensors or not. It would make sense, though, since the drives are probably from the same vendor as those use in the '71.
QuestionIS there an IEEE adapter for the 64
Hazy Dave: There are several 3rd party devices; I've personally used the BusCard II from Batteries Included, worked like a Champ.
QuestionOk, but if kickstart IS to be upgraded it will be such a HASSLE to keep replac ing it! why not just keep it on disk
Hazy Dave: As I told you, you're replacing it less than yearly, so it won't be such a hassle. The advantage of a ROM far outweigh the disadvantages. If you want KickStart in RAM so badly, I suggest you go out and buy an A1000 while they're still available.
QuestionWould it be an easy process to convert MAC programs to AMIGA programs??
Hazy Dave: No. Amiga drives can't read Mac disks, and visa-versa. There will probably be a Mac emulator for the Amiga (again, 3rd party), as there is for the Atari now. The Amiga based Mac emulator will work better than the ST version, if done properly. There is also an ST emulator on the way. No, no current plans for the empty slot. There are 3rd party IEEE interfaces available. CP/M will support a dual drive, but to CP/M, there is ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE between 1 dual drive and 2 single drives. The concept of dual/single drives applies ONLY to C64/C128 native mode and other CBM OS machines.
QuestionWill CBM continue offering updates in th future as they have with the C128/ 1571 roms? Or is it going to be a one time occurance?
Hazy Dave: If there's a need to update C128/1571 ROMs. For ROMs in general, especially Amiga ROMs, there will be continuing updates.
QuestionIs an "SX-128" in Commodore's future?
Hazy Dave: Not currently. Intermittent problems like this are the hardest to fix. If you're well versed in electronics, a set of service manuals would get you on your way; the place it dies in the self test is a clue as to what's wrong. Otherwise, you'll need to bring it into a service center.
QuestionWhat is the 128D? An upgrade to the Commodore 128? If so, what are the upgrades?
Hazy Dave: A C128D is basically a C128 and 1571 in a single box. Sports detachable keyboard. The main enhancement is 64K of 80 col video RAM.
QuestionFirst, Will the 1000 remain in prod.? Second, will CBM Come out with a harddrive for the c-128?
Hazy Dave: The A1000 will be produced if there's a demand for it, though they're figuring on no demand. CBM won't do a hard drive; buy one from a 3rd party developer.
QuestionHow much do you think the Amiga 500 will be discounted – another words what do you think the lowest price we will be able to buy the Amiga 500 for?
Hazy Dave: I have no idea; there's really no way to tell until the machine's out there — the C128 was heavily discounted when first released, the A1000 sold at list price for many months.
QuestionIn response to an earlier question I've heard that not all current A1000 software will run on the A500…I'm going to make sure that A1000 software will run under v1.2 before I buy it for my A500.
Hazy Dave: That's a very good idea. Any company still selling software that doesn't run under V1.2 doesn't deserve your money, even if you have an A1000. The only reason it doesn't run under V1.2 is due to a bug of some kind. If they don't fix that bug, that's a good indication of the kind of
Q-Link: Sure thing Jonski!
Hazy Dave: support you'll get for other bugs.
QuestionIs the 1764 expandable?
Hazy Dave: The 1764 can be upgraded to 512K, much like the 1700. Though I don't know if the power supply you get with it will support the extra RAM.
Questionwhat's the status of the 256K expansion for the 64? And when will it be out?
Hazy Dave: They're makin' 'em. Should be out very soon, if not already.
CommentA comment about using the Z-80 chip in C128 mode….An article called "Switcheroo Pivot" by Chris Miller of Kitchener, Ontario, in the November 1986 "Transactor" magazine does exactly that……
Hazy Dave: Thanks!
QuestionWhat formats does the 1571 read and writ in CP/M mode with the C128.
Hazy Dave: It CAN read just about any "double-density" MFM format. Pre-programmed formats include Osborne, Kaypro, and some kind of IBM. Kaypro is your safest bet; the 1571 won't read Osborne single density formats, though it has no trouble with single-sided. There's a program around that set up other formats for some of the stranger CP/M systems.
QuestionIs there any way to expand the on board RAM on the Amiga 1000? (I.E. more RAM than 512 which the screen chip can currently access?)
Hazy Dave: There's currently no way to add more than 512K of CHIP memory to an Amiga. The registers in the Agnus chip are limited to addressing 512K. Future chips will probably addresss 1 or 2 megabytes of CHIP memory (there's a total of 2 Meg reserved in the Amiga memory map for CHIP RAM).
QuestionHow hard is it to put the updates ROMS in the 1571 .
Hazy Dave: You have to unscrew the case and then the power supply; the circuit board is underneath the supply. The ROM (only one in the 1571) is in a socket, though. Be careful that its inserted in the proper direction.
QuestionCan the 1700 ex be upgraded to a 1750 with a kit of any kind.
Hazy Dave: You'll need 16 41256 DRAM chips, some kind of solder removal tool, and an xacto knife. Remove all 4164 DRAMs (difficult), solder 41256s in their place, and then cut the jumper. There have been various articles on this in C128 related magazines.
QuestionHow come programs and files arent writ- ten so people can understand them?? Not everyone is a programmer
Hazy Dave: You've answered yourself — not everyone is a programmer. A programming language is an intermediate language that both computer and programmer understand. English is too inefficient and ambiguous to program in, while the computer's machine language, strings of 1's and 0's, are beyond the understanding of humans, in that form.
QuestionCan the 1571 be used with the Ammiga?
Hazy Dave: Not easily, though it could be interfaced to the Amiga's parallel port (easy), and interfaced with AmigaDOS (not easy). Probably more trouble that its worth, the 1571 would still be slow.
Questionwhat is the best computer out
Hazy Dave: How much do you have to spend? Some like C64s, some Amigas, some Symbolics LISP machines, and a few want Cray 2s. My favorite at the moment is the A2000, since I'm developing it and I use it day and night.
Questioncould you explain the zorro standard to me and what that meens to the a 1000?
Hazy Dave: "Zorro" is the name usually referring to the 100 pin expansion specification, which tells developers what an Amiga (of any kind) wants to see in an expansion card. When done correctly, a Zorro compatible card will automatically configure itself in memory (on IBM machines, you've got to set jumpers on each add-on to tell it where to go in memory).
QuestionDoes the Amiga have BASIC in ROM? Or is on disk? Does it come with it at all? Is it more comprehensive than BASIC 7.0?
Hazy Dave: Amiga comes with a disk version of Microsoft BASIC, which is a superset of Mac BASIC and IBM "GWBasic". Its much more powerful than BASIC 7.0, and quite different (need no line numbers, etc.) I hear that most folks like the BASIC 7.0 screen editing system better, though.
QuestionCould you explain briefly what '16/32' means. Is the 128 '8/16'? or '8/8'?
Hazy Dave: That's engineerese for the bit size of a microprocessor. The first number refers to the hardware size of the chip; what the hardware guy sees. The second number refers to the software model, what the programmer sees. So the C128 is 8/8, the 8502 chip has an 8 bit data bus and 8 bit registers and instructions. A standard IBM PC is 8/16, while a PC-AT is 16/16. The Amiga is 16/32, as the 68000 has 32 bit registers and 32 bit instructions. A Mac II, a Turbo Amiga, or a VAX is 32/32.
QuestionIf the choice is between an Atari ST or a C-128, how about an Amiga 500?
Hazy Dave: An A500 is an excellent choice. It has some of the disadvantages of the ST (expensive software), but like the C128, it does all its tricks with a single monitor, and it has far more advanced features than the ST.
QuestionWhy is the on/off switch on the power supply for the amiga 500? Isn't that a BAD design?? ON the power supply..WHY/
Hazy Dave: I think the main reason was its easier to locate it there. I don't think its necessarily a bad design for most people, unless you have a habit of resting your feet on the power supply block. At home I use a switched bus strip, so the on-computer switch is something I don't need. And if you locate the switch in the back of the machine, in many setups its just as hard if not worse than on the supply block.
Questionhow much of a load can th power suply of the Amiga take with external ram 2megs ?
Hazy Dave: I wouldn't suggest adding anything more other than an external floppy to a 2.5 meg Amiga system without knowing more about the 2 meg expansion (this could draw over 2 amps of +5 volts DC), depending on the design. The 68000 in the Amiga systems is clocked at 7.16 MHz. It accesses memory at 1/4 this speed, though its memory access is 16 bits wide, and more efficient than a machine like a 6502.
QuestionHow compatible is the 128's 64 mode?
Hazy Dave: 99.9%. There's one thing people have done without meaning to in C64 programs; they've overwritten the VIC registers into the two new registers added to the C128 VIC. I think we found 2 or 3 that did this; its a bug in their code, but still a measure of compatibility. That's the only software that didn't work, and the only reason for software not working.
Questionwill the 1571 read MFM formatted disks?
Hazy Dave: YES
CommentG'night Dave, thanks for coming see (?) you again next time informative if sometimes repetitive enjoyed it
QuestionMy monitor has TWO jacks..Audio and video…what would i connect to the monitor.. how would i know which two "plugs" to connect to a and v?
Hazy Dave: Get yourself a Commodore style composite video cord. The white connector will be AUDIO, the other (usually RED or YELLOW) will be video.
QuestionI have a 128/1571 combination, but the 1571 only reads one side of a disk when I run 128 programs. Something i'm doing?
Hazy Dave: How do you know its only reading 1 side? Are you only getting 600-whatever blocks when you format a disk in your 1571? If you get 1300-whatever blocks free, then you're getting both sides OK. If not, it could be that EITHER the C128's not identifying itself properly, or the 1571 has a problem with its second disk head. Try forcing the 1571 into double-sided mode with a proper user command. Then format it. If its still single sided, its the drives fault.
Questionwill there be a external board for the 1000 to get the functions of the 2000?
Hazy Dave: Several companies are considering these; Commodore-Amiga isn't.
QuestionDoes the 1080 monitor work with RGBI and/or Composite video?
Hazy Dave: Yes, the 1080 does, the 1070 doesn't.
QuestionWhere may I obtain a 1670 schematic?
Hazy Dave: I'm not sure, maybe from the Service Dept. They should have a service manual for it.
QuestionSo the Amiga is NTSC compatable? Does it have a composite out or can you use the RGBA?
Hazy Dave: A1000s have color composite out and analog RGB (and digital RGBI). A500 has a monochrome composite out instead.
QuestionWill the 1750 work with Geos in 64 mode?
Hazy Dave: Yes, very nicely. GEOS gets real fast, if you've got the proper version; GEOS will load its system files into a RAM disk it creates.
QuestionWhat are HAM graphics? Is it true that you can have 4096 colors on the Amiga in this format?
Hazy Dave: Yes. HAM is a 6 bit-plane format in the 320×200 or 320×400 mode. What happens is that one pair of bits selects what the other four will do. The "hold" means that if the pair is set correctly, the next 4 bits choose a color register's color for the current pixel. Otherwise, the pair of bits can select the R, G, or B value of the previous pixel to modify by the binary value of the 4 bits. So all 4096 colors can be displayed in one image, only you can't change to any arbitrary color in just one pixel.
QuestionComment: With an ST emulator, you can run the existing MAC emulator for the ST. 😉
Hazy Dave: Probably not. At least the first ST emulator requires the ST programs to be well-behaved. I doubt that the Mac emulator is at all well behaved — it probably takes over the ST completely. We don't have the ST emulator in house yet, but we are supposed to be receiving it soon.
QuestionWhat is the location of the expansion and user ports on the C-128D?
Hazy Dave: Same as on the C128 regular.
QuestionWhat are the limitations, if any, that the current crop of internally installed RAM boards for the Amiga may have?
Hazy Dave: I expect that they exceed the loading allowance for Amiga expansion, and they very likely don't properly autoconfigure themselves (though they may hook in through the $C00000 feature, which is in reality what they should do to be well behaved inside an Amiga). The Amiga's expansion edge is capable of driving ONE "F" series load per pin. The pins on the expansion are in common with the pins on the 68000 socket that most of these kludges plug in to. Any signal used that's available at the 68000 socket is taking away from the load capability of the expansion edge. Thus I wouldn't guarantee that any external expansion devices will work with one of these internal things plugged in.
QuestionI replaced the 48 TPI drive in the 1020 with a 96 TPI drive. I modified the mountlist file. The format still aborts at track 40. Why?
Hazy Dave: Well, assuming nothing else is goofy, the 1020 is still identifying itself to the Amiga as a 40 track device. At system startup, the Amiga polls each floppy connected. If it responds with a known sequence, its hooked in as that type of device. I suggest, if you're interesed, that you get the Amiga Expansion Specification from C-A Technical Support in West Chester. This book has the 5 1/4" schematic, and the 3 1/2" schematic. Change the 5 1/4" circuit to produce the same ID code as the 3 1/2" (don't think you'll need any new parts), and you may be in business.
CommentThe Feb. 87 issue of Ahoy! has a detailed discussion on the "Zorro" stdrd
QuestionWhat part of the 1020 perorms the 40 track ID. I have the Expansion Specification.
Hazy Dave: There we go. The 1020 has a small circuit board with a flip-flop on it. This circuit produces a 1010101… (or was it 0101010…) bit stream on the RDY line when its interrogated via motor and select by the Amiga during startup.
QuestionLooking now. The chips are not identified on the 3.5" drawing.
Hazy Dave: I don't have my book handy, but the 3.5" circuit uses a 74XX74 D-type flip flop, and one other chip, maybe a NAND (74XX00). I know the 5.25" circuit has the same flip-flop, though I don't recall what other stuff its got (the circuit is still simple but a bit more involved).
QuestionProbably a 7438.
Hazy Dave: Yea, I guess a '38 would be proper (74LS38), since the connection to RDY must be open collector. I think its time for BED.
RJScott: Me too Dave! I want to thank Dave for yet another extremely informative Forum. Dave, we certainly appreciate your taking time from your busy schedule to provide us with timely answers to new and upcoming products. For our membership, be sure to download this Forum from the Auditorium Archives located in News & Information under the heading "Features." It will be made "live" in several days.
QuestionWhat's the PST518B
Hazy Dave: I dunno — what's it look like? We only use normal TTL on these, as I recall.
QuestionOp Amp?
Hazy Dave: Hmmm…. On the 5.25 circuit? Maybe a comparator, though I wonder why that's necessary. I haven't looked at the 1020 board for some time.
QuestionMay I call you direct?
Hazy Dave: Like, on the phone? Tomorrow at work would be fine, with my schematice in front of me, and a clear head (or at least more so). (215)431-9100×9816 ~~~~~Edit this out, or I'm in trouble, QL Folks~~~~ 🙂