Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!att!pacbell!lll-winken!grapenuts.llnl.gov!frerking
From: frerking@grapenuts.llnl.gov (Chris Frerking)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Questions on AT Bridgeboard
Message-ID: <30153@lll-winken.LLNL.GOV>
Date: 7 Aug 89 22:11:13 GMT
Sender: usenet@lll-winken.LLNL.GOV
Reply-To: frerking@grapenuts.llnl.gov (Chris Frerking)
Distribution: na
Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/UC Davis
Lines: 49


I have recently had the misfortune of being told that I need to have a PC
compatable computer. I currently own an A2500, and would like information
on the AT Bridgeboard (I need a 286 or 386 machine). Specifically:

1. Would it be cheaper to just buy an inexpensive AT clone? (I would
prefer the Bridgeboard, as I haven't lots of desk space... but if the price
difference were too great, I could find some space.)

2. Does the AT Bridgeboard cause any problems on the A2500? Is there certain
software that won't run/hardware that won't work if the Bridgeboard is
installed?

3. How AT compatable is the Bridgeboard? (I am new to PC compatables,
and have been told that this is a question which needs to be asked) (can it
run xenix? minix? microport unix? OS/2?)

4. Does the Bridgeboard provide any graphics capability - if so, what sort?
CGA compatable? EGA compatable?
- If not, can a CGA/EGA/VGA card be plugged into the PC slots, and run
off of a separate monitor? What about using the same monitor?

5. Does the Bridgeboard have its own memory, or does it use the Amiga's memory?
If it has its own memory, how much? can it be expanded? Is extra memory added
accessable to the amiga?

6. Can the Bridgeboard use the Amiga harddrive? Can the Amiga access PC
harddrives plugged into the PC slots? What about access to the Amiga's
3.5" drives? Does the Bridgeboard come with a 5.25" disk drive? If so, can
it be mounted externally (my 5.25" drive bay is the residence of a hard-disk)?
If it does not come with a 5.25" drive, is it easy to add one?

7. Does the Bridgeboard provide its own serial/parallel ports, or does it share
them with the Amiga? If it shares them, how compatable are they? Can I plug
any piece of PC hardware into them without fear of harming the equipment?
(among other things, I need to use a scanner and OCR software on the PC)

8. Is there anything else I should be concerned with? Anything else I should
know before making a decision? I am new to PC compatables, so any info would
be useful.

Please e-mail responses to me at:
frerking@lll-lcc.llnl.gov
or frerking@grapenuts.llnl.gov

If there is interest, I can post a summary of responses.

Thanks in Advance,
Chris Frerking (frerking@lll-lcc.llnl.gov)